People are allowed to interpret scripture in their own conscience, right or wrong.
Freedom & Consequences:
People have the freedom to interpret anything, at any time, in any way they like.
But that doesn't mean every interpretation is equally correct.
If your boss tells you to be at work at 7:00am, you could choose to interpret that as meaning "Whenever I get up and around."
You CAN interpret it that way, but you're going to get fired.
Understanding: Daily Life vs Scripture:
In daily life, we understand that we must interpret the words of a speaker as HE MEANT THEM TO BE.
It's not enough to interpret your bosses words however YOU like them, but you must interpret them as HE meant them.
For some reason, when we go to scripture, we forget these simply principles about communication.
It isn't enough to interpret scripture in a way that WE like, we must try to interpret scripture as GOD meant it.
This sometimes requires study.
That is why pastors study as much as they do, so they can make an honest effort at interpreting scripture as God meant it.
One good example of an interpretation issue is with that word "talent", in the Opening Post.
Parable of the Talents:
In Matthew 25:14-30 We see the parable of the talents.
But the word "talent" here doesn't mean a skill or ability, the way we use the word now.
The word talent is a transliteration of the Greek word talanton, which is a unit of weight.
A talent in the Second Temple Period (time of Christ) usually referred to a heavy silver ingot that was equal to many years of pay for a normal laborer.
So what the master is giving to his servants are enormous amounts of money to invest.
Could we honestly and legitimately reduce this down to a principle -
maybe a principle that God gives his servants different "resources" to invest for his service -
and perhaps these resources could include not only money, but perhaps skills and abilities ?
Could we, legitimately, reduce this down, and extrapolate a broader principle than just one about money?
I think so.
I think that fits with the intention behind the text.
* But the first thing we have to do with a text is STUDY IT, and understand what's really going on.
* Then and only then can we KNOW if we're dealing with a larger principle, and what that principle is.
Conclusion:
1.) I realize this was a bit of a tangent, but it's really important we get in the habit of really studying the text we quote.
2.) We don't ever want to read our "private interpretation" into a text.
3.) We always want to study, and do our best, to understand what GOD MEANT when he gave it.
God Bless.
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