(This is the fifth article in a series addressing various
enemies of sound interpretation.
You can find the previous four articles here: Part 1
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4)
So far in this series, we’ve addressed three enemies of
sound biblical interpretation – using personal experience as a hermeneutical
tool, using overriding presuppositions to rule out obvious interpretations, and
isolating a text from the larger context of the Bible. Now, let’s consider an enemy of sound
interpretation to which the vast majority of us are susceptible: following a
particular interpreter rather than the Bible.
There are some well-known pastor/theologians that many of us
at Providence respect, men like John MacArthur, John Piper, Tim Keller, D. A.
Carson, Wayne Grudem, etc. We can add to that list the names of great theologians from history like Augustine, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards. These are
godly men who have devoted a lifetime to the study of the Bible and we are wise
to consult their writings and teaching when considering a passage of
Scripture. I personally believe
that it is foolish to arrive at a final interpretation of a passage of
Scripture without seeking the counsel of seasoned interpreters in the form of
commentaries, articles, and other resources.
When we study God’s Word, we should start with the
Word. We should do all the hard
work of pulling the passage apart and formulating a preliminary interpretation. Then
we should consult the thoughts of other interpreters to see if their work has
turned up anything we missed. If I
consult four or five commentators on a given passage and none of them
interpreted the passage the way I did, what are the odds that they are all
wrong and I’m right? At the very
least, I need to go back and do more digging in the Bible, looking for where I
might have gone wrong. Good
commentaries have saved me from wrong conclusions many times.
So godly commentators are essential partners as we
study the Bible. However, we should be
careful not to follow any one commentator/pastor/theologian so closely that his
interpretation on any given text is the final word for us. There is no one on the planet who is an
infallible interpreter of Scripture.
We all make mistakes. We
all have certain biases that find their way into our thought processes.
For that reason, I should never rule out a certain
interpretation simply because my favorite theologian doesn’t concur with
it. If I am willing to follow
without deviation all the interpretations of a particular man, not only am I
going to be prone to holding mistaken positions, but I may be guilty of making
that man my final authority rather than holding the Word as my final authority.
I had a professor (with whom I disagreed on occasion!) who
once quipped, “There are a lot of people out there who refuse to think a
thought unless it has been authorized by D. A. Carson.” His point was that we should follow the
Bible wherever it goes, not any one interpreter wherever he goes. It’s not sinful to disagree with D. A.
Carson or John MacArthur or whoever.
If I find myself discounting an interpretation for the
simple reason that Tim Keller disagrees, I’m in dangerous territory. Likewise, if I approach a passage thinking, "whatever John Piper thinks about this is good enough for me," I must recognize that I have just stepped over the line between following a man and following the Bible. (Now, if all the interpreters I respect disagree with a given
interpretation, that should give me pause. Again, what are the odds that I’m right and all of these
more seasoned and learned students of the Bible are wrong?)
On Wednesday night, we watched a video of a conversation of
bright, godly pastors/scholars regarding the different millennial positions. I was tremendously encouraged to hear
one of these men admit that he holds a different position on the millennium
than his favorite historical theologian.
For him, the Bible is the final authority, even though this historical
theologian was a huge influence in his life.
We too must strive to keep things in balance. We must value and consider the thoughts
and counsel of wise interpreters of the Bible without following them
blindly. Let’s be thankful for the
insights of Bible interpreters who faithfully and skillfully handle the Word,
while maintaining the Word itself as our final authority. This balance is essential to sound biblical interpretation.
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