If the Bible is the word of God, why is open to interpretations?

Question

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Yesterday I ask this question: How many brothers or sisters did Jesus have?
Believe me, I receive 3 or 4 different interpretations from the Bible. Who is right or who is wrong?

Answer 1

Joel C expressed it clearly, when he said, "it's frequently misinterpreted but only has one interpretation." However, even that is simplistic.

Take the Book of Revelation of Saint John. Revelation Chapter 1:3 says: "happy is he who reads aloud and UNDERSTANDS THESE WORDS." Now, Revelation is probably the HARDEST Book to understand. And yet IT STARTS OUT, "happy is he who reads aloud AND UNDERSTANDS" so that tells you it is interpretable. The ONLY accurate understanding of the Holy Bible can come from the Holy Spirit which inspired the writing of it in the first place. So, unless the individual is righteous and whole (and they ARE rare indeed!) then they have no hope of understanding it. That leaves out 99% of Christians who have been taught through inaccurate knowledge! ::sigh::

Answer 2

Because over time the languages have changed. Like any book that is as old as the Bible the language isn't the same type that we use today. There are also mysteries to the bible, it says that. In order to discover these mysteries one has to interprete the meaning. This was designed by God so that it would be determined at the correct time. The basic messages of the bible do not have any confusion. Everyone agrees that they mean exactly what they say.

Answer 3

Good question. Jesus talked several times in the gospels about the Holy Spirit. This spirit is our guide in reading the Bible. Through the Holy Spirit we as Christians have truth revealed. It's not that the Bible is "open" to interpretation, it's that people with differing agendas absent of the Holy Spirit see what they want to see it.

Answer 4

It is the "living word of God". I look at it this way - I can read a scripture and get a message from it that applies to my life, while someone else may get another message that aids in their situation. I do not believe it is open to bending and twisting it's true, basic, never changing message, but I DO believe I could read the same scripture on 2 different days and get 2 different applications depending on my situation at the time. The Word of God is amazing that way!
I do not recall anywhere in the Word that is is "open to interpretaion". That is a man-made idea!

Answer 5

The bible is the living word of God.

You will never be able to sit down in one or two readings and understand it all, in fact it will reveal more and more to you each time you read and study it.

The problem comes in, when, we as humans read a part of it once and make an interpretation from our still very limited understanding of it.

So, I would say that it is not open to interpretation, but we humans tend to want it to be that way.

Answer 6

who told you its open to interpretation? that is stated nowhwere in the bible. secondly, even if it were, what changes its status a the word of God? if I saw a Painting, and i told you that in my iterpretation its not a painting but a family photograph, would that change anything? of course Not! Our interpetations of something dose not change the facts. Our interpretations are only what we percieve.

I once lived the Life of an avid skeptic and unbeliever, I hated religion and I looked down upon the idea of God, and I looked down upon Christianity’s risen messiah. I persisted in this view, Until as I skeptically picked up Gods word, he spoke, and I received a message stating: ”I am astonished you are so quickly removed from the Gospel you have heard to another, apparently there are some who have confused you and perverted the Gospel of Christ, but if any man preach unto you any other, then let them be eternally Condemned.” This harsh chastening of God, led me to reexamine my own skepticism. I later had yet another encounter with God, this time, he held up his Law (Ten Commandments) as mirror, and The Holy spirit convicted my heart as I came to realize God hates lying and stealing and blasphemy and adultery and idolatry, all of whom I was guilty. I knew the Bible said the Just penalty of my sins was Hell. I fell upon my face and trembled before God, because I understood His holiness, I repented toward God and placed my faith and trust in Jesus, and now I have been forgiven and granted the gift of everlasting life. My sins have been forgiven, and I have a relationship with God.
God Bless
Apostle

Answer 7

Because it was written down by humans, and is therefore imperfect. This is what I learned in religion classes.
I still very much agree with the imperfect part, and would add that since it is a historical document written in a specific social context (the middle east, thousands of years ago), with a specific audience in mind (those contemporary to the writers), the bible requires significant reinterpretation and literary analysis to be of any use to a modern society. Well, that, and I don't think that god really had anything to do with the writing of the bible, but if you do, go for it, just keeping in mind the part about it not being written for a 21st c., Western audience.

Answer 8

It is the Word of God but it was written down not by the Hand of God but by the hands of men. Given the proclivity of poetic license, it is and will be always open to interpretations as some writers will write this but another will not.

It is up to us individually to understand the Word of God in our spirit and minds.

Answer 9

Huh? Why would it not be open to interpretation? ANY FORM of communication is open to interpretation, whether divine or human. The only issue is whether that interpretation is correct or wrong, and in accordance with the intent of the author.

Answer 10

It is, and you do not "interpret" the Scriptures like a foreign language. You read it for what it is and what it says. There are difficult passages to be sure, and much we will not fully understand with our finite minds, but having a cursory understanding of the original languages, reading the passages in literary and historical context and comparing Scripture with Scripture, goes a long way in helping one to understand the meaning of difficult passages.