Scripture by Scripture interpretation is something common in the Christian world... but also not at the same time. It is truly a paradox. How can this be?
We are accustomed to seeing pastors on stage talk about a passage like the Sermon on the Mount and then dive into another passage like Moses on Mount Sinai to highlight the first passage. In this example, we are usually told that Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law. (There is more that is said about the subject, but it isn’t necessary to have a whole sermon on that right now.) This is a really good thing. We need to examine the entire Bible in its context. However, when most of us read the Bible personally, we usually don’t bother going deeper into what we are reading. We try to figure out what a passage means solely by the words of that passage alone and without considering other parts of the Bible that may be helpful for us understanding. I am extremely guilty of this as well.
We all have different excuses for why we don’t dig deeper. Some of us are in too much of a rush. Some don’t feel the need to because they claim “The Spirit is leading them” and “they don’t need to do anything else.” (A quick response to this: The Spirit gave us our minds to think. We should use it. Of course, the Spirit reveals truths we wouldn’t be able to understand otherwise, but utilizing our minds is not distrusting the Holy Spirit. It is a slap in the face for not using the abilities he gave us.) The most common reason, however, is that many don’t know how to use Scripture by Scripture interpretation. Many of us reading the Bible may not have read all of it. Those of us who have read all of Scripture assume you need to memorize the entire thing to properly do something like this. While memorizing Scripture is essential to learning, it’s a skill that takes a long time to learn. You can be practicing Scripture by Scripture interpretation before you remember every word of the Bible. Below I’m going to offer a list of basic and no-so-basic resources to guide you in practicing Scripture by Scripture interpretation.
Basic
1. The Bible
The very first step in this process is to just read the Bible. You don’t need to memorize every
word at first, but you do need to start reading it. Start reading when you are most awake and aware. It may be during your lunch break at work or school. It may be right when you get home. It may be when you first wake up or when you are about to go to sleep. Read the Bible and ponder it. Take in the stories and think about them. Read the Psalms aloud and recite them to yourself. Read it so you know what is there. For more ways on how to read Scripture visit https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/scripture-engagement/. Bible Gateway is partnered with Taylor University to give out free resources on neat and unique ways to engage with Scripture. As you read the Bible more, you will see things elsewhere that will make you say, “That sounds like this passage I read last week.” That is a great feeling to have.
2. Google
My dear friend, Google, has helped me out a lot in my journey. This is a very basic concept. As you read something in the Bible and think, “Wow, I think I want to learn more about x, y, z,” look up “What the Bible has to say about ___________.” For instance, I was reading about a
passage that mentioned the “righteousness of God.” I wanted to read other verses to see if I could come up with a good meaning of the “righteousness of God.” So, I googled “Bible passages about the righteousness of God.” I immediately got a list of pages with tons of passages that reference the righteousness of God. Do be careful when googling though. Make sure to read the passages in their context to make sure it is actually about your topic. Like everything on the internet, read with some caution. This should be a preliminary step, not the final one.
3. ESV.org
This is much like Google but for Bible stuff specifically. ESV stands for English Standard Version and is closer to a word-for-word translation of the Bible with some liberties taken. (Just for context, NIV is in the middle of the spectrum of being paraphrased and literal translation and the Message takes much liberty in paraphrasing Scripture.) The ESV search is more specific and will look up a word or phrase and nothing more, so make sure you type everything in correctly. I will usually use this in collaboration with a Google search to make sure what I am finding on Google is legit. Once you are on the website, hit Read Now and a search window will appear in the top right of the screen. This is where you search for words or phrases.
4. Bible Side Index
Most Bibles have small references on the inside margin of the page you are on. If you are reading a verse and you think, “that sounds very familiar,” look in the margin and find that verse and look up the cross references. You’ll most likely find the reference you are looking for. This is a quick and easy way to find cross references in the Old Testament and New
Testament. While these side indexes are great, they aren’t always all-encompassing. They usually hold the most notable references. Google and ESV will probably give you a more exhaustive list.
Not-So-Basic
1. Commentaries
Commentaries are books scholars have written which discuss books of the Bible. Good commentaries will have historical background information, knowledge of Hebrew or Greek (depending on if you are in the Old or New Testament), and cross references to other parts of the Bible. Commentaries are arranged differently but still follow a basic patter of commenting verse by verse in order as it appears in the book that is being commented on. Some commentaries are more tedious and academic than others. At some point in the future, I will assemble a good list of commentaries. For now, google "Denver Seminary Journal" ( https://denverseminary.edu/denver-journal/ ) and that gives a pretty good description of commentaries and other Christian resources.
If you ever want to go down this avenue, Amazon has plenty of commentaries although they are expensive. You can also go to a nearby Christian college and get a library card there for a small fee. Your local church might have a collection of commentaries whether big or small. Lastly, purchasing commentaries ebooks online can be a cheap option as well. You can do this on Amazon, Google Books, Lifeway.com, and other places.
With all this said on commentaries, you can’t always count on the scholars having cross references on the exact verse you want to look up. You often have to read the entire commentary on the entire chapter or more of the verse you are looking up. Even then, some commentators will only have cross references if they feel it is necessary.
2. Biblical Dictionaries
Biblical dictionaries are resources that allow you to look up words or phrases from the Bible. There are some dictionaries that cover the entire Bible, some that cover only one testament, and some that cover very specific topic (e.g. OT prophets, Pauline Epistles, Pentateuch, etc.). When you look up a word or phrase, there will usually be a section somewhere in
the article that gives a list of various places in Scripture where it is used. This is only good for words and phrases though, so like commentaries it is limited. Also, not every dictionary will have the word or phrase you want to look up. You often have to go through several dictionaries to find what you are looking for. These dictionaries can be found where commentaries are found.
How to Use the Resources
1) As you read the Bible for the day, ask yourself some questions: What is going on? What do these words mean? Who is involved? Are there any allusions being made? How is the story being told? These questions and questions like them help you to dig deeper and stir your curiosity.
2) If you can't answer a question in your head or curiosity has its grip, I would start off by looking into the margins for other passages. Flip to the passage(s) and read what is there. See if there are any connections that are made between the two passages. Keep asking yourself questions. This exercise takes place when you keep asking questions.
3) If this is new, write down what you are thinking. If the margins aren't helping as much as you thought, go on Google or ESV.org and type the word or phrase that is sticking out to you.
This is really just the starting point or the tip of the iceburg. It is hard to map out an exact course. Scripture by Scripture interpretation is really about asking questions and seeking answers elsewhere in Scripture.
This list of resources I have given is not exhaustive. I am sure I will think of a resource two days after I post this and will need to update it. I encourage you to start basic and progress at the speed you can. Please message me if there is a resource I forgot to mention or if you feel like I didn’t explain one of the resources well enough.
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