PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION by Dr. Jean Sheldon

1. The Bible is inspired by God who inspired the people who wrote it, not the words. The Bible was not dictated by God, but human writers wrote the thoughts given them by the Holy Spirit in their own words. Everything that is human is imperfect.

2. Since the language was not directed by God, it is important not to assume merely human meanings behind the words. Lexicons and dictionaries, helpful though they are, are not adequate to explain the meaning of words that involve God and His ways.

3. No one passage of Scripture contains the entire truth about God; the Bible must be read as a whole and passage compared with passage to find the truth. Key passages, that is, passages that help define or describe the meanings of words, enable the reader to unlock difficult portions of the Bible to harmonize them with the broad, principled statements the Bible makes about God.

4. Jesus is the fullest, most complete revelation of the Father’s character. Any interpretation of Scripture that contradicts this revelation is faulty.

5. It is Satan who has misrepresented God as arbitrary, unforgiving, vengeful, and severe. Any interpretation of a passage of Scripture that makes God appear as this way gives credence to Satan’s lies about Him.

6. All contexts—literary, social, relational—should be considered when interpreting a passage or a word in the Bible. These provide meaning that a simple, lexical approach does not.

7. When discussing divorce, Jesus pointed out that Moses allowed divorce because of the stiffness of people’s necks and their hardness of heart, but that in the beginning it was not so. The hermeneutic principle He uses here suggests that some portions of the Bible reflect God’s ideal, perfect will while others reflect His permissive will adapted to the will of the people. It is important, then, always to keep in mind which passage belongs to which "voice".

You also must read the words of "doctors" critically. When a prophet says, "Thus saith The Lord ...." are we to assume that the subsequent words were merely reported speech? When God spoke from Mt. Sinai, were those words, quoted by Moses, imperfect?

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What where were the words that God spoke at Sinai? Were they the ones in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5? Which?

Exodus 20. But do you answer a question with another?

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Not Deuteronomy - that is your opinion or do you have some fact to back it up?

"But do you answer a question with another?" Guilty as charged. Should I feel bad about that? I don't...

Is it not written, you shall love your neighbour as yourself? If all we do is ask questions on top of questions, then love has left the construction site and the conversation grinds painfully to a halt and is left to decay and fall apart. No, but God does nothing in vain.

In Exodus 20, the words of God were being reported. In Deuteronomy 5, Moses was reviewing those words reflectively.

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Deuteronomy 5:4-5 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire ... saying,

"You also must read the words of "doctors" critically." And not just the doctors!

As for quotes - do we have the original words? Or do we have the original thoughts?

In the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, God takes responsibility for what takes place.

When prophets prophesied of coming destruction, they would often say God was doing it.
God was taking responsibility.

And even though other nations were wielding the swords, it was still totally in God's hands as to whether He would allow it, or stop it.

When Israel sought the Lord in humble petition to beg for Him to save them. God sent a prophet or leader who led them on to victory.
When Israel was not seeking God, God with-drew protective banner) and allowed the enemy to have victories.

This is the more common procedure.

Yet, there are also the Bible stories where it is a direct command or action from the Lord. Where God steps in to save His people from their enemies.

Places where the Bible says:
Duet.5:15 And remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and [that] the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand
6:21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
7:8 the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

There are many more verses that emphasis that God delivered His people with a might hand.
Yet, the idea is presented that it wasn't God at all, but the mighty works of nature and the devil that caused God's people to be delivered from slavery???????????

That means God is not the deliverer.????
BUT, God IS the deliverer -- and He will deliver His people

So how do we know it's not a review of a thus saith the Lord?

A deliverer by force?

Yes there are places where the Bible directly says what God does:

1Ch 10:14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

Can you get any more direct than that?

But who killed Saul? Who delivered the people?

How about "the more common procedure"? If with Saul, why not with Pharaoh?