Lesson 2: Interpretation Is Moral

True Understanding

Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

—Daniel 12:10
Be encouraged. Despite our sin and interpretive bents, we can still truly understand! What great mercy it is that God has communicated to sinful people through the written Word so that he might be understood. And he has lavished yet more grace in pouring out his Spirit upon his people, so that we might understand that word.
For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

—1 Corinthians 2:11-13



Truly Understanding God's Word
Scripture itself clearly and strongly asserts what a true understanding of God’s word entails. Follow along carefully as you listen to these passages read aloud.
The Testimony of Scripture
0:00
0:00
Your testimonies are wonderful;
    therefore my soul keeps them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
    it imparts understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
    because I long for your commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    as is your way with those who love your name.
Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
    and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
Redeem me from man’s oppression,
    that I may keep your precepts.
Make your face shine upon your servant,
    and teach me your statutes.
My eyes shed streams of tears,
    because people do not keep your law.

—Psalm 119:129–136
My son, keep my words 
    and treasure up my commandments with you;
keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.

—Proverbs 7:1–3
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

—John 14:15
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

—James 1:22–25
And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

—1 John 2:3-4
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

—1 John 5:3
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

—Revelation 1:3
Keeping God's Word
There is one pervasive term in Scripture that gets at the very heart of what it means to truly know and understand God’s word: to keep. That is, (to paraphrase James) knowing God’s word without actually doing God’s word is not knowing at all but is, in fact, a deadly deception. This seriously challenges some basic categories many of us simply assume. Often, people think that once we study something, we then know it. But studying about loving your neighbor is nothing like actually loving your neighbor. And only the latter qualifies as true biblical understanding.
Moreover, there is a corollary principle in Scripture: keeping God's word leads to understanding it better. Consider the following passages.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
     all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!

—Psalm 111:10
I understand more than the aged,
    for I keep your precepts.

—Psalm 119:100
My son, if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

—Proverbs 2:1-6
By walking in the way of wisdom, we train our hearts and minds to pursue that same sort of understanding every time we read. We build a pattern of reading shaped by faith—taking God at his word and entrusting our lives to him as we submit to his authority and a pattern of reading nurtured by prayer—recognizing that both knowledge and a willingness to obey come from God himself.
Take some time to pray that God would give you grace to understand his Word truly.Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.