Personal interpretation? (Read more...)?

Question

Here's a story:
Christian Bob and Christian Larry both read the exact same Bible verse and pray to the Holy Spirit about it. They feel the Holy Spirit guiding them and he "tells" them what the passage means. Bob thinks it means one thing. Larry thinks it means something totally different. How can both claim that the Holy Spirit has enlightened them? The Holy Spirit isn't mixed up. Who is right? Doesn't that make you question the Protestant belief that you don't need anyone to guide you? You can just read the Bible and God will tell you what he means? I thought you needed the Catholic Church to guide you...

Answer 1

Every protestant will tell you everyone has the right and ability to interpret the Bible yet still go to church or Bible-study sessions. If anyone can interpret, presumably under the inspiration of the holy spirit, then there's no need for their pastor. No need for bible-studies. After all, everyone can do the interpreting on their own. In fact, no need for biblical scholars or theologians. Someone who didn't know a single Aramaic or old Hebrew word has as good interpretation as the man on the pulpit or that old learned man in the library. Yet protestants and fundamentalists still listen to sermons and go participate in bible studies. Where's the consistency?

That is why all protestant churches disagree on many points because of this unbiblical practice of Private Interpretation.

A student of church history will, with much ease, show that from the Apostolic times to the early post-apostolic times until the Reformation the Church never practised Private Interpretation. Those churches always had bishops as the teachers even during the time of the Apostles(example, Timothy and Ignatius).

The power and authority to preach the Gospel was given to the Church but not to every individual persons. In his letters, Peter warned the christians of the difficulty of Paul's letters, which the one "could twist to his own destruction". There is no single verse in the Bible that even comes close to teaching private interpretation.

The Church, who is the source of all that's written in the Bible---every author either came from the chosen people of God or a member of the christian church---sifted the inspired works among the many in the ancient church and declared them as part of the written Word of God and therefore, has the sole authority to teach.

Someone here claims, that only one of them(Bob and Larry) had the Holy Spirit. Well, why not none of them?

Answer 2

Both read the exact same Bible and pray to the Holy Spirit
Both are wrong and therefore they need the Catholic Church to guide them further into the wrong path

Answer 3

God reveals His truth to each individual believer when that person is ready for it. It's a growing process. There is one truth, and as such only one correct interpretation. If both of these hypothetical people truly had the Holy Spirit guiding them they would both have the same interpretation. Maybe one wasn't ready in their spiritual walk with God, so He didn't reveal His truth, just yet, to that person. Who knows? I'm not a Protestant, I'm just Christian and I don't need a man to guide me on my walk with Christ. Why would I listen to someone who is probably just a big of sinner as I am/ No, I go straight to the source of all wisdom and knowledge. It's me, my bible, and God. It works for me. I don't need someone to interpret something that the Holy Spirit will reveal to me and every single other believer in due time, when God feels we are ready.

Answer 4

The bible never taught Personal interpretation.

Jehovah has always use people to teach the truth.

Peter was sent to Cornelius,

Paul was sent to Ananias.

Jesus was sent to the nation of Israel.

Moses spoke in behalf of Jehovah to the nation.

Now having said this, let's go back to your example.

Suppose Bob just lost a love one, his reading of scripture will bring out a shade of comfort,

Whereas Larry who is getting married, will get some counsel.

Even though it is the same verse.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20010701/article_01.htm

Answer 5

If a Christian religion wants to claim "authority", it's true that the Catholic church has the most valid claim since its beginnings are traced to the early Christians who were taught directly by the apostles. So if salvation only comes through loyalty to a religious organization, then obviously the Catholic Church has the greatest claim to our loyalty.

But even though the apostle Paul counseled early Christians to support their church leaders, he did not suggest that loyalty to their authority was paramount. Instead, he urged them to be loyal to the truth. So if your personal interpretation of truth differs from the interpretation of truth from the "authority", what then? Is it wrong to follow your own conscience? Did Paul indicate that a person should deny his own sense of right and wrong and blindly follow human leaders who claim "authority"?

Jesus showed in his parable of the wheat and the weeds that his true followers would not continue to be "organized" but would be scattered here and there as blades of wheat in among the weeds of the world. At the time of judgment, the angels will separate them - not before. We will not be judged by how we appear to men, but rather the person of the heart - as individuals. Revelation chapter 20 says the dead are judged individually - not as a group - but "each one" by his deeds. So salvation is a personal, individual thing. Paul says that each one will render his own account - even the Pope, the priests, the elders, and all other religious authority figures must answer for themselves, but they can't answer for you or for me.

So since each must render their own personal account, each individual must ultimately decide what he believes is right, according to his own sense of right and wrong according to his own conscience. If Bob and Larry find different meanings in a passage, then they must of necessity support that meaning, but they should not attribute their understanding to the direction of the Holy Spirit or condemn others who don't share their opinion. Their condition of heart and their humility is what matters to God. Humility allows us to follow our convictions while realizing that our Father doesn't limit Himself to only having a relationship with people who share our point of view.

Answer 6

Christian Bob and Christian Larry are both former Popes who couldn't agree to disagree.

Answer 7

Exactly...that`s how mormonism developed...there is also the issue of the fact that the king james version(protestant) is missing 7 books thanks to luther...also the translations from the original hebrew don`t mean the same things. We need to be guided and i recommend you look for Father Corapi`s videos. When he speaks you hair on the back of your neck stands up...he is amazing when he teaches scripture....

Answer 8

It is a living Bible,,every person lives a different life and at times the Lord shows people things in the bible differently but in turn it is the same message..

Answer 9

Some verses may be able to be applied to different situations. Remember, however, that we are fallen ppl, so it's important to bounce your interpretations and ideas off of other ppl to see what they think. We may never get a perfect understanding of God, but by working together we can get a better image of who He is.

Answer 10

That is exactly why the Bible should be read as a whole, and not in parts. The Bible explains itself, but you can't leave parts of it out and expect to understand it correctly.