If a Protestant accuses someone of misinterpreting the Bible,are they violating the foundation of their faith?

Question

Given that a major tenet of most mainstream Protestant denominations relies on a "personal interpretation of the Bible".

ecter; what percentage of Western Christians can read Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew?

Answer 1

Actually every denomination of Protestantism accuses every other denomination of misinterpreting the Bible. That's why they are separate denominations! Which simply demonstrates the inadequacy of personal interpretation of the Bible as a means of finding the truth.

Answer 2

I go with ecter. Self-interpretation of the bible is a tool of the Devil.

As the reader, I am supposed to check out what I'm tough, this requires the use of a dictionary i.e. Strong's Concordance. There are in the US bible scholars who know the ancient text and teach it. They know Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. While the percentage is low they do exist in western culture.

Answer 3

Hi,

Well are they not following the teachings of Luther, Calvin and many others? Similarly they do have church services with a Minister who is better versed and educated in theology and gives sermons as well do they not?

As someone mentioned before, would you rather ask a highly educated Catholic or Protestant theologian about some of the more difficult scriptures or ask a biker or milk maid to properly interpret the bible? This is like the pot calling the kettle black don't you think?


Mike K

Answer 4

I asked a similar question last week. Many people shot back with, "It must be interpreted with the help of the Holy Spirit."

But who has the right to speak for the Holy Spirit? If one person or group claims a monopoly on interpretation through the Holy Spirit, isn't that still going back to the Catholic way of thinking?

Answer 5

Personal interpretation? A major tenet? A GIVEN? I have been a Protestant for 20 years and personal interpretation is certainly not a "tenet".
The purpose is understand what God is saying, and build on that with one another. To teach, share, grow. Not to accuse.
Are you not familiar with tenets of faith? Trying to start an argument?

Answer 6

I don't like the tone of the word accuse but often people read the bible and interpret it in different ways to the way I do. When that happens I try and start a discussion and sometimes then I will change my view. But in the end, if the disagreement remains, then one has to respect the other's views and agree to disagree.

Answer 7

If someone misinterprets a word from the Greek, say they claim it says "cheesemakers" when scholars know the word is "peacemakers" then we are in keeping with our faith to point that out.

There is a difference in personal intepretation and intentionally twisting the passage or intepreting it in ignorance which can be alleviated with a little study.

Edit--Balaam, especially in the age of online commentaries, it's not hard to look up, there are plenty of such helps available. Part of the job of the trained scholar is to share that knowledge. It just takes a little effort to look it up.

Answer 8

Depends on whether they're ordained or not. If you're ordained then you can interpret the Bible anyway possible as long as it condemns everything you do and tells you that you're going to Hell unless you pay the collection plate.

Answer 9

The bible is not subject to interpretation, its clearly written in the nt. when I question people like that, they are dumbfounded, and cant even pick out a vs..for the argument.
And when a vs is picked out, it says what it says.
if you do that to an athiest, they run

Answer 10

<> perhaps you're defining "deep questions of religion" in a different way than me? The Catholics i comprehend, myself blanketed, are continuously asking - and being asked deep questions in faith. <> i do no longer. perhaps the kind of Christian you're used to astonishing out with isn't a similar tier as that which i'm used to? <> The Bible is a Catholic e book. The Catholic Church is the only Church with the Authority to Interpret the Bible. i'm Catholic. perhaps that's why i'm used to asking, and being asked, deep questions of religion. <<* NO DISRESPECTED meant.>> Yeah, good.