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Go! And… Read Scripture Like Jesus: 8 Rules Of Basic Bible Interpretation For The Christian Series
Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 7, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus, the Son of God, the eternal Word made flesh, was also a Jewish rabbi. He read the Scriptures—not just as ink on parchment—but as the living Word of His Father, with reverence, understanding, and divine insight.
Go! And… Read Scripture Like Jesus: 8 Rules of Basic Bible Interpretation for the Christian
INTRODUCTION: “Do You Read the Bible Like Jesus Did?”
Let me begin with a question that might sound simple, but it’s deeply profound:
How did Jesus read the Scriptures?
Think about it: Jesus, the Son of God, the eternal Word made flesh, was also a Jewish rabbi. He read the Scriptures—not just as ink on parchment—but as the living Word of His Father, with reverence, understanding, and divine insight.
What if we could learn to read the Bible like Jesus did?
Today, in our "Go! And..." series, we explore what it means to:
Go! And… Read Scripture Like Jesus: 8 Rules of Basic Bible Interpretation for the Christian
The goal is not academic head knowledge, but a heart-transforming, Christ-centred, Gospel-rooted understanding of God's Word. Because when we read the Bible rightly, Jesus becomes gloriously clear—and we are drawn to repentance, faith, and obedience.
LUKE 24:27 (NLT): “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
This is Jesus walking on the road to Emmaus after the resurrection. He interprets the Hebrew Scriptures to two disciples—reading the Old Testament through a Christ-centred lens.
This is what we are called to do as His followers:
Read the Bible as Jesus read it—through the lens of God’s redemptive plan fulfilled in Him.
RULE 1: CONTEXT IS KING (2 Timothy 2:15)
“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”
The Greek word for “correctly explains” (????t?µ??, orthotomeo) means to “cut straight.” Imagine a carpenter making precise cuts—that’s how we should interpret Scripture: carefully, accurately, in context.
Paul was writing to Timothy in a Greco-Roman world, filled with false teachings. Just like us, Timothy needed to interpret the Scriptures faithfully.
Application:
Don't just read a verse. Read the whole chapter. Read who it was written to, why, and what was happening in that moment.
R.T. Kendall: “A text taken out of context is a pretext.”
How many false teachings come from snatching verses out of context? Reading the Bible like a Jew means respecting the context—historical, cultural, and literary.
RULE 2: SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE (Psalm 119:160)
“The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.”
God does not contradict Himself. The Bible is one unified story pointing to Jesus. When we struggle with a verse, look at what the whole Bible says on the topic.
The word ‘emet’ (?????) for “truth” implies firmness, faithfulness, and consistency. God's Word is trustworthy—Genesis to Revelation.
If you’re confused by Revelation, look at Daniel. If you want to understand Romans, read Genesis and Isaiah. Read in light of the whole story.
Tim Keller: “The Bible is not a disconnected set of stories, but a single narrative in which every part points to Jesus.”
When you grasp that Jesus is the centre of Scripture, even Leviticus starts to shine with Gospel light.
RULE 3: KNOW THE GENRE (Hebrews 1:1–2)
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.”
God spoke through poetry, prophecy, parables, law, and narrative—and now through Christ. Each genre must be read accordingly.
Don’t read Proverbs like promises, or Psalms like doctrine. And don’t forget that the Gospels are historical theology, not biography.
Charles Stanley: “God’s Word is always relevant, but its proper application depends on its proper interpretation.”
Genre awareness helps us avoid misinterpretation and leads us to a Christ-glorifying understanding.
RULE 4: STUDY THE ORIGINAL MEANING (Nehemiah 8:8)
“They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.”
The Hebrew word sekel (??????) refers to insight and wisdom. Ezra and the Levites gave interpretation, not just recitation.
Use Bible dictionaries. Learn basic Hebrew or Greek meanings. Find out what words meant then, before applying them now.
John Piper: “God gave us a Book. We must read it, study it, memorise it, meditate on it, and understand it with all our might—because the stakes are infinite.”
Don’t just skim Scripture—mine it for treasure!
RULE 5: THE BIBLE IS CHRIST-CENTRED (John 5:39)
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”
Jesus was confronting religious leaders who knew Scripture but missed the Saviour. That danger still exists today.
The verb martureo (µa?t????) means “to testify” or “bear witness.” The entire Old Testament testifies of Christ.
If our Bible reading doesn’t lead us to Jesus, we’re doing it wrong.
