Because different groups come to different conclusions, all appealing to the same Bible, proper interpretation is essential. Not only does the discipline help us to understand how Christians differ from other cultic sects (i.e., Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses); it also helps us understand how passages of the Bible relate to one another, to the community of believers, and to the everyday life of the ordinary Christian.
Plummer begins with defining interpretation. He writes, "To interpret a document is to express its meaning through speaking or writing. To engage in interpretation assumes that there is, in fact, a proper and improper meaning of a text and that care must be taken to not misrepresent the meaning. When dealing with the Scriptures, to properly interret a text is to faithfully convey the inspired human author's meaning of the text, while not neglecting divine intent (See Question 3).
The Scriptures Show the Need for Biblical Interpretation. In this section Plummer lists and comments on numerous passages that clearly demonstrate that there is both a correct and incorrect way to understand the Scriptures. I will cite one bellow, while others include Psalm 119:18; 2 Peter 3:15-16; Ephesians 4:11-13; and 2 Timothy 4:2-3.
Concerning 2 Timothy 2:15, He writes, "In this verse, Paul exhorts Timothy to "correctly handle," or "rightly interpret" (orthotomounta), the word of truth, that is, the Scriptures. Such a warning implies that the Scriptures might be wrongly handled or wrongly interpreted."
Language and Culture Show the Need for Biblical Interpretation. If all people had was the Biblical text in the original language (in Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic), most would immediately recognize their need for a translation of the text. Plummer adds that "translation is the most fundamental form of interpretation...Yet, the translation of a text is not like the repetition of mathematical rules simply with different symbols. All languages have cultural elements and assumed historical backgrounds that cannot be expressed with the same number of words or exactly parallel grammatical constructions. Thus there is the need for additional study, explanation, and interpretation of a text."
I like the example that he provides from Matthew 1:19. In this text, Joseph ponders ending his engagement to Mary. The text calls this "divorce," which is an awkward word to describe the action. But when one understands the cultural context - that ancient Jewish customs necessitated a divorce to break a betrothal (or, engagement) - he/she finds the "Scripture knot" is untied quite easily.
Plummer continues, "If we are familiar with the different time periods, genres, and anticipations/fulfillments of Scripture, we are better able to confidently approach any individual part of the Bible. Assuming the unified nature of the Bible, as well as the progressive unfolding of God's plans (Heb 1:1-3), it is clear that a person with an established understanding of God's overarching purposes will be better equipped to understand individual pieces of the story. Of course, time and study are acquired to attain such greater familiarity with the text."
He ends this chapter by explaining, what is commonly called, the analogy of faith - that Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture. He says, "This means that the broader biblical context will help one properly understand any individual passage."
Certain verses in particular books of the Bible are difficult to understand unless the context of that book is first understood. Plummer gives 1 Jn 5:6 as an example. One can understand what is meant by "water" and "blood" when the broader context of the letter (and of the NT) is grasped. This verse is affirming the divine-human nature of Christ, seen both in his baptism (water) and death/resurrection (blood). This interpretation takes into consideration the unity and message of the New Testament, the purpose of the letter itself, and the cultural background of incipient Gnosticism.
Plummer's last point is also worthy of quotation: "Careful interpretation is important because assumed theological presuppositions often can drive interpretations...Through careful biblical interpretation, the student of Scripture can become aware of others' biases, as wel as coming to acknowledge and assess the student's own hermeneutical predilections."
This chapter (and consequently this post) was/is not intended to provide an exhaustive study on the history, discipline, or difficulties of interpretation. Many questions that this chapter raises will be answered in later chapters. For those that are left unanswered, I would recommend the following books on Biblical interpretation - or, hermeneutics.
Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics by Goldsworthy
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