Many religious discussions of disagreement have been sparked and fueled by the words, “That is just your interpretation.” By stating this, one is saying that the Bible is subjective and the meaning of its contents may be taken differently by different people. However, God speaks plainly enough so that there should be no confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). Truth is truth no matter what and it is found in God’s Word (John 17:17). There are no exceptions to God’s Rule because it is the standard by which we live (Gal. 6:16).
So, why are there so many different interpretations? Actually, there can only be one interpretation which means everything else is a misinterpretation. When Spanish is interpreted into English, there is only one way for it to be done correctly. When a father says to his teenager, “You can’t go out tonight,” there is only one way for this to be interpreted. Therefore, when one reads the Bible, he must understand that God’s Word is the objective standard never to be misinterpreted.
Notice how this applied in the lives of Joseph and Daniel. The Pharaoh of Egypt dreamed a dream that troubled his spirit and he needed an interpretation of the dream. Thus, he called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men but there was none that could interpret the dream unto Pharaoh (Gen. 41:8). In other words, if they had tried to interpret the dream it would have been a misinterpretation. So, Joseph was the only one that had the correct interpretation from God (Gen. 41:39). Furthermore, when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon received visions of his head that troubled him, “Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof” (Dan. 4:7). Why could these men not interpret the dream? Simply put, the interpretation came from God and Daniel was the only one that was capable of interpreting the dream correctly.
Consequently, who is capable of interpreting God’s Word today? Since the Bible has come to man directly from God being of no “private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20) (nothing written was from the mind of any man) naturally, it follows that anyone who reads the Word of God can interpret (i.e. fully understand—Eph. 3:4) what He has said. Just as God revealed His Will unto Joseph and Daniel, He has revealed His Will through the writings of “holy men of God” (2 Pet. 1:21) unto all the world today.
~Derrick Coble
So, why are there so many different interpretations? Actually, there can only be one interpretation which means everything else is a misinterpretation. When Spanish is interpreted into English, there is only one way for it to be done correctly. When a father says to his teenager, “You can’t go out tonight,” there is only one way for this to be interpreted. Therefore, when one reads the Bible, he must understand that God’s Word is the objective standard never to be misinterpreted.
Notice how this applied in the lives of Joseph and Daniel. The Pharaoh of Egypt dreamed a dream that troubled his spirit and he needed an interpretation of the dream. Thus, he called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men but there was none that could interpret the dream unto Pharaoh (Gen. 41:8). In other words, if they had tried to interpret the dream it would have been a misinterpretation. So, Joseph was the only one that had the correct interpretation from God (Gen. 41:39). Furthermore, when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon received visions of his head that troubled him, “Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof” (Dan. 4:7). Why could these men not interpret the dream? Simply put, the interpretation came from God and Daniel was the only one that was capable of interpreting the dream correctly.
Consequently, who is capable of interpreting God’s Word today? Since the Bible has come to man directly from God being of no “private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20) (nothing written was from the mind of any man) naturally, it follows that anyone who reads the Word of God can interpret (i.e. fully understand—Eph. 3:4) what He has said. Just as God revealed His Will unto Joseph and Daniel, He has revealed His Will through the writings of “holy men of God” (2 Pet. 1:21) unto all the world today.
~Derrick Coble