Introduction
As we study the Bible, we may sometimes misunderstand a passage, overlook an important detail, or accept an explanation without examining it carefully. Therefore, we need to learn how to evaluate our understanding.
We should not assume that an interpretation is correct simply because it sounds convincing, is popular, or has been taught by someone we respect. We must examine the Scriptures carefully and consider whether our understanding agrees with the passage.
In this lesson, we will learn how to check our interpretation and recognise when we need to correct or improve our understanding.
1. Scripture Reading
Acts 17:11 (KJV)
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
Proverbs 18:13 (KJV)
“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”
2. Understanding the Teaching
A. Check whether your interpretation agrees with the context
Ask yourself whether the meaning you have given a verse agrees with the surrounding verses and the overall message of the passage.
A verse should not be separated from its context in a way that changes what it communicates.
Practical application: If someone uses one sentence to support a teaching, read the verses before and after it to determine whether the passage supports that explanation.
B. Check whether you have identified the main message
A passage may contain names, examples, illustrations, and supporting details. These are important, but they should not distract you from the main point.
Ask: What is the writer communicating, and how do the details support that message?
Practical application: After studying a passage, try to summarise its main message in two or three sentences. Then compare your summary with the passage to make sure you have not changed its meaning.
C. Check whether you have added something the passage does not say
Sometimes, readers mix what the Bible actually states with what they assume it means.
For example, if a passage describes a person’s experience, we should not automatically turn that experience into a promise that every believer will have the same experience.
Practical application: Separate three things:
- What the passage clearly states.
- What can reasonably be concluded from the passage.
- What remains an assumption or personal opinion.
This helps us avoid presenting unsupported ideas as biblical teaching.
D. Compare related Scriptures carefully
Other passages can help us understand a subject more fully. However, we must also read those passages in their own contexts.
Do not select verses merely because they appear to support your position. Examine what each passage actually teaches.
Practical application: If you are studying grace, read Ephesians 2:8–10 together rather than using only verse 9 and ignoring verse 10.
E. Be willing to correct your understanding
Learning requires humility. If you discover that your interpretation does not agree with the text, reconsider it.
Being willing to correct a misunderstanding is not a failure. It is part of growing in biblical understanding.
Practical application: When studying a difficult passage, write down your initial understanding, examine the context, and revise your explanation if the evidence requires it.
F. Recognise when you need further study
Some passages require more careful examination because they involve unfamiliar words, historical circumstances, figurative language, or complex arguments.
You do not have to pretend to understand everything.
Practical application: If you cannot explain why you have reached a particular conclusion from the passage, continue studying before teaching that conclusion as certain.
3. Another Bible Example: Examining Faith and Works
James 2:17 (KJV)
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
To evaluate our understanding of this verse, we must examine its surrounding passage.
James 2:14–26 discusses the relationship between faith and works, using examples to show that a claim to faith should not be empty or without evidence.
We should also consider Ephesians 2:8–10, which teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, while explaining that believers are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
When studying these passages, ask:
- What question is James addressing in his passage?
- What point is Paul making in Ephesians?
- How does each writer develop his argument?
- Have I accurately represented both passages?
We should not assume that one verse cancels another simply because the writers emphasise different aspects of a subject. We must understand each passage in context before explaining how they relate.
The lesson: A sound interpretation takes the writer’s argument seriously instead of using a verse in isolation.
4. Practical Example
Imagine that you hear a teacher say, “Every Christian who has enough faith will never experience hardship.”
Before accepting this statement as biblical truth, evaluate it carefully.
- Ask which passage directly supports the claim.
- Read that passage in context.
- Examine whether it makes a universal promise or addresses a particular situation.
- Compare relevant Scriptures that discuss the experiences of believers.
- Determine whether the teacher’s statement goes beyond what the Bible actually says.
If the claim cannot be established from Scripture, do not accept it as a guaranteed promise from God merely because it sounds encouraging.
We can encourage people with biblical truth without promising things that the Scriptures do not guarantee.
5. Remember
A correct interpretation must be supported by the passage and understood in context. Examine the main message, compare relevant Scriptures carefully, distinguish biblical teaching from assumptions, and remain willing to correct your understanding.
Do not measure the truth of an interpretation only by how confidently someone presents it. Examine the Scriptures and let the evidence guide your conclusion.