What would you say?

Question

how does one interpret sacred text? you can find many different perspectives on answering it. None would be wrong, however the difficulty is maintaining an objective view without becoming personal, and yet when discussing religion, where do you draw that line.

mainly, how does one interpret sacred text?

Answer 1

Why would none be wrong? Doesn't the potential of hell mean that one better come up with the correct interpretation?

Answer 2

Scripture contains many layers of meaning.

Think of an onion. It has layer up layer making up the whole. Peel one layer back, and you find another one underneath.

Scripture has to be considered as understandable by common people, or it wouldn't make sense for it to exist.

God set things up for us to be able to rely on the Scripture instead of having to send prophets to us continually. We have all the tools we need to get to the truth, and to develop our faith in the Bible.

You must take into consideration the full context of what you read. This means that you cannot take one or two lines out of a larger work and make that some big deal. Read the whole story and think on it.

Usually, there is a basic meaning that can be related to day to day life as the outermost layer.

Digging a little deeper, we can many times find a related concept detailing how we are to interact with Jesus and God.

Underneath that, there may be lessons for how the Church is supposed to work.

These deeper layers are not always obvious to new Christians or to those who have not studied other parts of the Bible. That is why giving the Bible a single reading may not give you all the gifts it has in store. You have to be ready to hear the next layer. You have to learn a bit in order to have the necessary understanding for a deeper layer to make sense.

The lessons themselves are fairly simple, yet so very deep in meaning. Of course, prayer while learning is always of assistance. If you are truly seeking, God will see to it that you will find. If you are just playing games, it looks to me like you are on your own.

Oh, and I might mention that faith IS personal. The more personal the better. Once your faith is real to you, it is easier for you to relate it to someone else.

Answer 3

It is not human interpretation that count, but the real purpose in the heart of the deity, which became the source of the message in the text!
In order to understand that purpose, one should start with obedience, doing the instruction in the message, even if he/she has not undertstand the text to the full extent.
By obedience, his/her heart will be openescripture d to the deity, creating a direct communication in the future, such that the purpose of the deity in the scripture will be as clear as water later.

Answer 4

I believe God intended the Bible to be simple, for simple men. It's religious scholars who make it hard. Jesus said, "Unless you come to me as a little child, you can not enter the Kingdom of Heaven" How does one do that? What is there about little children? They interpret things simply. They believe without reservation, and they trust without asking for proof. This is the way, I think, you have to approach study of the bible.

Answer 5

Three ways: What the actual text says in context, what the Apostolic Fathers (Patristics) say about the text, and what my own God-given human reason tells me.

Scripture, Tradition and Reason....three cornerstones of a good theology.

Answer 6

It is hard to draw a line. Go by what your heart tells you. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you discover the meanings for yourself.

Answer 7

Religion means "to retie". Prayerfully would possibly be a good one for Christian scripture.

Try starting with the Lord's Prayer and see where it takes you.

Answer 8

You should not try to interpret it.

Answer 9

TRUTH OF WHAT IS TRUE AND BENEFITS ALL,IT IS A BLESSINGS OF A WORD THAT LEADS TO SMILE ,THEN IT IS NOTHING ,NOT HOLY

Answer 10

you lost me