Hermeneutics

How We Interpret Scripture

Our hermeneutical approach: literal-grammatical-historical method, Christ-centered, redemptive-historical.

📜 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." — 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

📜 "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." — Luke 24:27 (ESV)

What We Believe

At Teaching Bridge Fellowship, we believe that how we read the Bible matters. Scripture is the inspired, inerrant, sufficient Word of God—but it must be interpreted rightly if we are to understand what God is saying and avoid twisting His Word to fit our own desires.

We are committed to the literal-grammatical-historical method of interpretation, which means we read Scripture according to its natural meaning, in its original context, paying attention to the genre, grammar, and historical setting in which it was written. And we read all of Scripture through the lens of Christ, recognizing that every part of the Bible points to Him and finds its ultimate meaning in Him.

This is not a new method—it is the way the Reformers read Scripture, the way the early church fathers read Scripture, and the way Jesus Himself taught His disciples to read Scripture (Luke 24:27, 44-45).

The Literal-Grammatical-Historical Method

1. Literal (Plain Sense)

The literal sense of Scripture is its natural, normal meaning—what the text actually says. This doesn't mean we ignore metaphors, poetry, or figures of speech. It means we interpret each passage according to its genre and context.

• When Jesus says, "I am the door" (John 10:9), we recognize this as metaphor—Jesus is not made of wood and hinges. He is the way of access to salvation.

• When the Psalmist says, "He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge" (Psalm 91:4), we recognize this as poetic imagery—God doesn't have literal feathers. The language communicates His protective care.

• When Paul writes, "For by grace you have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8), we take this as a straightforward doctrinal statement—salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

The literal sense respects the form of the text—narrative, law, prophecy, poetry, epistle, apocalyptic literature—and interprets it accordingly.

2. Grammatical

The grammatical approach means we pay attention to the words, grammar, and syntax of the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). We ask:

• What do the individual words mean?

• How are they arranged in sentences?

• What verb tenses, pronouns, and conjunctions are used?

• What is the logical flow of the argument?

For example, in Romans 8:29-30, the chain of verbs (foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified) reveals the unbreakable connection between God's eternal purpose and the believer's final salvation. The grammar matters.

3. Historical

The historical approach means we interpret Scripture in light of its original context—the author, the audience, the historical setting, and the cultural background.

We ask:

• Who wrote this? (authorship)

• To whom was it written? (audience)

• When was it written? (date)

• Why was it written? (purpose)

• What was happening at the time? (historical context)

For example:

• Understanding the exile helps us interpret Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

• Understanding the Corinthian context (moral chaos, divisions, false teachers) helps us interpret 1 Corinthians.

• Understanding the Roman Empire and Caesar worship helps us interpret Revelation.

We do not read Scripture as if it was written directly to us in the 21st century. We read it as it was written to its original audience, and then we apply its timeless truths to our own lives.

Christ-Centered Interpretation

While the literal-grammatical-historical method tells us how to read, a Christ-centered hermeneutic tells us what the Bible is about. Every part of Scripture—Law, Prophets, Writings, Gospels, Epistles, Revelation—points to Jesus Christ.

Jesus Is the Interpretive Key

On the road to Emmaus, the risen Jesus walked His disciples through the entire Old Testament, showing them that it was all about Him (Luke 24:27). Later, He said, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44).

Jesus is the lens through which we read Scripture. The Old Testament is not a random collection of stories—it is a unified narrative pointing forward to Christ. The New Testament is not a random collection of letters—it is the revelation and explanation of who Christ is and what He has accomplished.

Typology: Shadows and Substance

The Old Testament is filled with types—persons, events, and institutions that foreshadow Christ. For example:

• Adam is a type of Christ (Romans 5:14). Where Adam failed, Christ succeeded.

• The Passover Lamb is a type of Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7). Christ is our Passover, sacrificed for us.

• The Temple is a type of Christ (John 2:19-21). Jesus is the true temple, the dwelling place of God.

• Melchizedek is a type of Christ (Hebrews 7). Jesus is the eternal high priest.

Typology is not allegory (imposing hidden meanings on the text). It is recognizing the patterns God embedded in redemptive history that point forward to Christ.

Redemptive-Historical Reading

A redemptive-historical approach means reading the Bible as one story of God's plan to redeem a people for Himself through Jesus Christ. We don't read the Bible as a collection of isolated moral lessons or inspirational stories. We read it as a unified narrative that moves from:

• Creation (Genesis 1-2)

• Fall (Genesis 3)

• Redemption (Genesis 3:15 → Revelation 22)

• Consummation (the new heavens and new earth)

Every covenant, every prophecy, every promise finds its fulfillment in Christ. The Bible is not primarily about us—it's about Him.

The Role of Context

One of the most important principles of interpretation is context, context, context. A text without context is a pretext.

Immediate Context

What comes before and after the verse or passage? What is the flow of thought?

For example, Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through him who strengthens me") is often quoted as a motivational slogan. But in context, Paul is talking about contentment in any circumstance—whether hungry or well-fed, poor or prosperous. It's not a blank check for success—it's a testimony to Christ's sustaining grace in hardship.

Book Context

What is the purpose and theme of the book? How does this passage fit into the overall argument?

For example, Romans 8:28 ("And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good") must be read in light of the entire argument of Romans—justification by faith, life in the Spirit, God's sovereignty in salvation. The "good" God is working toward is conformity to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), not earthly comfort.

Canonical Context

How does this passage fit into the whole Bible? What do other Scriptures say about the same topic?

Scripture interprets Scripture. Difficult passages are clarified by clearer passages. We never base a doctrine on one obscure verse—we build theology on the full counsel of God's Word (Acts 20:27).

The Danger of Allegorizing

Allegory is the practice of imposing hidden, spiritual meanings on the text that are not grounded in the plain sense of Scripture. It ignores the historical context, the author's intent, and the grammar—and instead reads secret meanings into the text.

For example:

• Turning the Good Samaritan into an allegory where the innkeeper represents the church and the two denarii represent the sacraments (as some early church fathers did) is eisegesis (reading into the text) rather than exegesis (drawing meaning out of the text).

• Spiritualizing the land promises of the Old Testament to say they have no real fulfillment but are only "spiritual lessons" can obscure the typological and covenantal meaning that points to Christ and the new creation.

We are not against typology (which is grounded in the text and recognized by Scripture itself). We are against allegory (which imposes meanings the text does not support).

Application: From Text to Life

Interpretation is not the end—it's the means to the end, which is obedience and transformation. Once we understand what the text meant to its original audience, we ask: What does this mean for us today?

The Bridge of Application

We bridge the gap between the ancient world and our world by identifying the timeless principle in the text and applying it to our context.

For example:

• Text: "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (Romans 16:16)

• Principle: Christians should greet one another warmly and affectionately as a sign of Christian love.

• Application: In our culture, this might mean a handshake, a hug, or a warm greeting—not necessarily a kiss.

We don't ignore cultural differences, but we also don't use cultural differences as an excuse to avoid uncomfortable commands. The moral law of God is unchanging (e.g., love God, love neighbor, flee sexual immorality, pursue holiness).

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the ultimate interpreter of Scripture. He inspired it (2 Peter 1:21), He illuminates it (1 Corinthians 2:12-14), and He applies it to our hearts (John 16:13).

But the Spirit doesn't give us new revelations that contradict Scripture. He doesn't whisper secret meanings that bypass the plain sense of the text. He works through the Word—opening our eyes to see what is already there (Luke 24:45).

We must read Scripture prayerfully, asking the Spirit to help us understand, believe, and obey. But we must also read it carefully, using sound interpretive principles.

Why It Matters

Bad interpretation leads to bad theology, which leads to bad practice. If we twist Scripture to say what we want it to say, we are not submitting to God—we are making ourselves the authority.

Good interpretation, on the other hand, leads to:

• Doctrinal clarity — knowing what the Bible actually teaches

• Spiritual maturity — growing in understanding and obedience

• Christological focus — seeing Jesus on every page

• Pastoral wisdom — applying Scripture rightly to real-life situations

• Unity in the church — agreeing on what Scripture says

The Bible is not a wax nose that can be shaped to fit any agenda. It is the living and active Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), and it must be handled with care, reverence, and precision.

What Scripture Says

2 Timothy 2:15

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

We are called to rightly handle (ὀρθοτομέω, orthotomeō—"to cut straight") the Word of God. This requires diligence, precision, and faithfulness.

Acts 17:11

"Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so."

The Bereans didn't just accept what they were told—they examined the Scriptures to verify it. We, too, must be diligent students of the Word, testing everything against Scripture.

Hebrews 5:12-14

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

Maturity in the faith requires skill in handling Scripture—knowing how to interpret, apply, and discern truth from error.

John 5:39

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me."

The entire Bible points to Christ. If we miss Him, we've missed the point.

2 Peter 1:20-21

"Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Scripture is not subject to private interpretation—meaning we don't invent meanings that suit us. We submit to what God has spoken through His inspired Word.

Historical & Confessional Grounding

The Reformers championed the grammatical-historical method in opposition to the allegorical and mystical interpretations common in medieval Roman Catholicism. Martin Luther declared that Scripture has one simple, literal sense (sensus literalis), which is its true meaning.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession affirms this approach in Chapter 1:

"The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly." (1689 LBCF 1.9)

This is the principle of Scriptura Scriptura interpres—Scripture interprets Scripture. We let the clear passages illuminate the difficult ones, and we allow the Bible to define its own terms.

Common Misunderstandings

"Doesn't the literal-grammatical-historical method ignore the Spirit's role?"

No. The Spirit inspired the Scriptures using grammar, history, and literary forms. To interpret Scripture according to its plain sense is to honor the Spirit's work. The Spirit doesn't contradict the text—He illuminates it.

"Isn't a Christ-centered reading just imposing Jesus onto the Old Testament?"

No. Jesus Himself said the Old Testament is about Him (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39). A Christ-centered reading doesn't ignore the historical meaning—it recognizes that the ultimate meaning of every passage is found in Christ.

"Can't the Bible mean different things to different people?"

No. The Bible has one meaning (what the author intended), but it can have many applications (how we live it out in different contexts). We must not confuse the two.

"Aren't some parts of the Bible just outdated or culturally irrelevant?"

No. Some applications may be cultural (e.g., holy kiss), but the principles are timeless. The moral law of God is unchanging. We must be careful not to dismiss Scripture just because it's uncomfortable or countercultural.

A Word of Application

If you want to grow in your faith, read the Bible rightly. Don't just read it devotionally, looking for inspirational nuggets. Read it carefully—paying attention to context, grammar, and history. Read it Christologically—looking for how every passage points to Jesus. Read it prayerfully—asking the Spirit to open your eyes and apply it to your heart.

And when you hear someone teach or preach, test it against Scripture (Acts 17:11). Don't just accept what sounds good or feels right. Be a Berean—examine the Scriptures to see if what you're hearing is true.

The Word of God is a treasure. Handle it with care. Study it with diligence. Submit to it with humility. And let it shape your life.

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your Word—living, active, and sufficient. Thank You for revealing Yourself in Scripture and for giving us the Spirit to illuminate it. Help me to read Your Word rightly—with care, with humility, and with a hunger to know Christ more. Teach me to handle it accurately, apply it faithfully, and submit to it completely. In Jesus' name, amen. 🙏

Related Resources:

📖 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 1 – "Of the Holy Scriptures"
📘 Scripture Alone (TBF Page 1)
📘 Covenant Theology (1689 Federalism) (TBF Page 7)
🎙️ Recommended Lecture Series: R.C. Sproul – "Knowing Scripture"
📚 Recommended Book: Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul
📚 Recommended Book: Preaching Christ from the Old Testament by Sidney Greidanus

You have now completed all 12 core belief pages for the TBF "What We Believe" section. ✅

In Sum:

TBF interprets Scripture using the literal-grammatical-historical method, reading all of the Bible through the lens of Christ. Learn how we approach God's Word.