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SUBJECT: Private Interpretation vs.
Spiritual Logic and Conclusion
QUESTION:
What is the difference between these two? How do I know if someone is
offering me a private interpretation?
ANSWERS:
To understand the
difference, we must look at some key verses and the definition of the
term or phrase, “private interpretation”
Key Verses:
2 Peter
1:20-21---Primary verse
20 Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation.
21 For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Rom
15:4---Scriptures written for our learning
For whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we
through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1 Corinthians
12:10-11—Spiritual gifts
10 To another the
working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of
spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the
interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these
worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will.
2 Timothy
3:14-17—admonition of Paul to a young minister
14 But continue
thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a
child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee
wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of
God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Hebrews 1:1-2---We have
both the prophets and Christ
1 God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets,
2 Hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all
things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Note: All these
verses show that God has given certain men to know prophecy. These
verses also show that we as Spirit-begotten firstfruits are given
understanding in the scriptures.
We know that it
takes the Spirit of God to understand the scriptures whether the simple
verses or what Paul calls the ‘mysteries of the gospel”. Note:
A few verses about
mysteries:
Matthew 13:10-11
10 And the
disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in
parables?
11 He answered and
said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man so
account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the
mysteries of God.
Ephesians 3:1-4
1 For this cause
I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard
of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
3 How that by
revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few
words,
4 Whereby, when ye
read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Colossians 1:26-29
26 Even the mystery
which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God
would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among
the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach,
warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I also
labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Now two key verses
to show that one needs Spirit to understand scripture.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15
14 But the natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is
spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1 John 2:20-25
20 But ye have an
unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not
written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it,
and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar
but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that
denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever
denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that
acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that
therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that
which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also
shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the
promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
Note: So we can
conclude a couple of facts here:
1.
God has given us His word.
2.
He has given His servants to know not only the Word but coming
events.
3.
One needs the Spirit to know all things.
4.
Without the Spirit one is spiritually discerned.
5.
Those who preach a lie or harbor private interpretations are
denying God and Jesus Christ.
Let us take at the
definition of “private interpretation”. What we are going to find out
is that the key word here is “private”.
Interpretations in
and of themselves are not bad; its the private ones that are bad. To
interpret something merely means to explain it. Question is, when you
hear an explanation from someone, is it from the Spirit or from a
private source? Notice:
NT:2398---“of any
private”
idios (id'-ee-os);
of uncertain affinity; pertaining to self, i.e. one's own; by
implication, private or separate:
- X his
acquaintance, when they were alone, apart, aside, due, his (own, proper,
several), home, (her, our, thine, your) own (business), private (-ly),
proper, severally, their (own).
~Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance
NT:1955---“interpretation”
epilusis
(ep-il'-oo-sis); from NT:1956; explanation, i.e. application:
- interpretation.
~Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance
Note: Nothing
wrong here with the word “interpretation”, it is with the word “private”
but we need not worry, for we have the Holy Spirit of God (assuming you
are baptized and had the laying on of hands) and know all things.
Now, let us go back
to a verse we read because it has something new to tell us.
2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
Is everything
specifically spoken of in the Word of God. Is there a “Thus saith the
Lord” for every little situation and concept and idea in the Universe or
even in your little world?
The answer is, of
course, no. This being so, what are we left with? What are ministers
and teachers left with to explain a scripture?
The answer should
be easy for you to conclude. We use Spiritual deduction and logic. Not
“personal” or “human” logic but logic driven by and manifested by Christ
by power of the Holy Spirit, in you and through you.
Now if you are a
person hearing a minister or teacher making statements about the
scriptures---preaching Christ--- how can you conclude that what he is
saying is truth?
Well you have at
least three things going for you.
1.
You have the Holy Spirit of God.
2.
You are immersed in the Word of God.
3.
You prove all things.
Notice:
Acts 17:10-11
10 And the brethren
immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming
thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more
noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with
all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those
things were so.
1 Corinthians 2:11-14---the
verses leading up to the one that talks about spiritual discernment
11 For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things
also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which
the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
So, do not be
afraid to use Spirit-driven logic. It is a promise and gift of God.
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