Protestants: How Do You Know You Can Correctly Interpret Scripture?

I learned today that Charles Darwin was a Protestant fundamentalist who believed in the literal interpretation of Genesis until his entire world view crumbled during the voyage of the Beagle to the Galapagos Islands. He returned an atheist with an alternative theory to God's creation that random variations of animal were "selected" (note the anthropomorphism) to create new organ systems and body plans, leading to humanity.

That suggests that sola scriptura is a leaky flagship. When private interpretation of scriptures 2000 years after the fact fails, then all of scripture becomes mythology.

Jesus was a strong advocate of scripture, but a critical reader. For example, he rejected traditional misinterpretations of scripture requiring special diets, Sabbath restrictions, and circumcision. Jesus established his one and only church and empowered it to "bind and loose" to protect the integrity of his gospel message.

Conclusion: We interpret scripture within the confines of the church authorized by Jesus to safeguard his teachings.

Cheers,

Bruce

Good question!

Rose............

You couldn't find 2 Peter 1:20-21 ?

First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

It is the peculiar glory of the prophets that, supreme among human beings, they did not know what they were talking about. We’ve all had experiences of saying more than we realized. But nobody did this more than the prophets. The Spirit was speaking through them, readying both them and the world for a revelation which neither they, nor the world, could have anticipated. When it did come, even those who ate and drank with the Revelation and met Him on the Emmaus Road after His death and Resurrection still did not understand, any more than the prophets, what the words of the prophets had ultimately meant. The Revelation Himself, Crucified and Risen, had to open their eyes, in the breaking of the bread so that they could finally drink of the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10).

Is private interpretation of the Bible condoned in the Bible Itself? No, it is not (2 Peter 1:20). Was individual interpretation of Scripture practiced by the early Christians or the Jews? Again, "NO" (Acts 8:29-35). The assertion that individuals can correctly interpret Scripture is false. Even the "founder" of Sola Scriptura (Martin Luther), near the end of his life, was afraid that "any milkmaid who could read" would found a new Christian denomination based on his or her "interpretation" of the Bible. Luther opened a "Pandora's Box" when he insisted that the Bible could be interpreted by individuals and that It is the sole authority of Christianity.

Why do we have over 38,000 different non-Catholic Christian denominations? The reason is individuals' "different" interpretations of the Bible.

Can there be more than one interpretation of the Bible? No. The word "truth" is used several times in the New Testament. However, the plural version of the word "truth" never appears in Scripture. Therefore, there can only be one Truth.

So how can there be over 38,000 non-Catholic Christian denominations all claiming to have the "Truth" (i.e., the correct interpretation of the Bible)? For that matter, aren't ALL non-Catholic Christians as individuals claiming "infallibility" when it comes to interpreting the Bible? Catholics only believe in the infallibility of the Papacy as an office.

Which is more believable - one office holding infallibility or 400 million non-Catholic Christians who can't agree on the interpretation of Scripture all claiming "infallibility?" When it comes to interpreting Scripture, individual non-Catholic Christians claim the same infallibility as the Papacy. If one were to put two persons of the "same" non-Catholic Christian denomination (i.e., two Presybterians, two Lutherans, two Baptists, etc.) in separate rooms with a Bible and a notepad and ask them to write down their "interpretation" of the Bible, passage for passage, shouldn't they then produce the exact same interpretation? If guided by the Holy Spirit as Scripture states, the answer should be "Yes." But would that really happen? History has shown that the answer is "No." Now, in the case of Catholics, the Church which Christ founded and is with forever (Matthew 28:20) interprets the Bible, as guided by the Holy Spirit, (Mark 13:11) for the "sheep" (the faithful). The Church (not individuals) interpret Scripture. In Catholicism, Scripture is there for meditation, prayer and inspiration, not for individual interpretation to formulate doctrine or dogma.

Catholic Christian †

We know protestants "misinterpret" scriptures because the people are given erroneous text. The text in the KJV cannot be compared to the decretals from which all scripture is delineated. Decretals are from the Apostles, the Early Fathers, & doctors such as St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Chrysostom and St. Ireneus, et al.

It is not difficult to compare the authentic Vulgate translated texts of 382 A.D. to the 1611 protestant texts. The very span of thirteen centuries is evidence in itself. Plus the opening sentences of the KJV fronts page, admits this: "Translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared & revised. Set forth in 1611 and commonly known as the King James Version."

It is obviously a revision of scripture. Opening both books shows thousands of missing or changed Vulgate translations.

Besides, the decretal support was already disintegrating, & these were the manuscripts which St. Jerome was reading at that time. The innovators of the KJV were forced to create & invent new translations to "suit" their new beliefs.

The New Testament of the Vulgate was translated to English in 1582 at the Sorbonne in Douai France. Thirty years later, the protestants had time enough to do their own innovating by reading the New Testament Douai English and twisting it to their own meanings. It is very evident that the protestants hated many doctrines.

JESSE JAMES; the last authentic miracle was Bernadette of Lourdes. Jesuits have been in mischief since Vatican l; Teilhard their new 'dogmaticist.' Dogmatic loss causes the Great Apostasy. Bad Catholics are denounced in a de fide encyclical, PASCENDI Pope St. Pius X suppressed them. He could not excommunicate without open forum evidence. There is evidence of Peter as 1st pope in Rome. But the illuminati does not rise to open forum evidence, just highest ranking bad clerics who are members. We are talking invalid popes since 1958. This usually gets 'catholics' alerted of what has happened since V-2. Are you quoting Dr. Oliviera Rivera? Bea, Bugnini, Braga, Brilliothe, & Montini were a few of the Ecumenical lies of V-2. It no longer is the Church of Jesus Christ. We are heading for the Last Days, because of violation of Matter & Form of sacraments. Loss of valid priests equals loss of candidates for succession, even if they change back to the True Doctrine & Mass, it will not matter. Christ is gravely offended by the full apostasy of them.

You state evidence on Bea, etc. but what constitutes an IMPOSTOR CHURCH is its violation of dogma. True Catholics are forced out & are sequested in private chapels, “heretics” to V-2. There is much to agree on. Too bad you have no email.

Traditional Catholics of Trent at traditionalmass.org/

Work of Human Hands, Fr. Anthony Cekada, 2010, Philothea Press.

Many things wrong with what you stated.

"There are over 33,00 denominations"

No there aren't. The catholics are the ones that defined Protestanism as nothing more than a non-Catholic. In reality, most of them are cults that are recognized by the government as cults. There are only a few major Protestant Denominations, and they all have almost the exact same teachings.

"Church is the only authority that can correctly interpret the scripture."

Yeah, and that is why 2 popes have been kicked out. Humans are humans, which means they are not perfect and cannot be relied on like you can rely on Jesus or God.

"St. Peter in his 2nd Epistle say:"

I googled your 'passage' and google came up with no results. Find me the passage.

"First of all, you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

I never expect to interpret the bible 'myself'. I look for history. Second, 'those moved by the Holy Spirit' is not reffering to church leaders alone. The bible makes it clear, in other areas of the bible, on how to determine if a prophet is false or if he is true. The passages make it clear to question every preacher (including church officials!). There is basically a list of what the bible states for us to look for in telling whether they speak the truth or lies. The catholic church leaders usually fit into the 'lie' category.

Catholics don't realize we DONT interpret the bible personally. We look towards history and the langauge of the bible. We understand the bible because history makes it clear. The bible state that we need both logic and faith. Something many Catholics lack because they blindly believe their Church

"Even more so, even when it is the Christ Himself leading the Bible Study, it is hard to understand according to the Bible!"

So, the Catholic Church is better at interpreting and teaching than Jesus? I doubt it!

What give you the right to say others are misinterpreting scriptures? Interpretation of the Scriptures is by the Holy Spirit, not by the catholic church. Interpretation is not by any ones personal Interpretation but is by the Holy Spirit only. Therefore the catholic church cannot interpret the Scriptures by themselves for they are violating what God says in the bible.

They sure can. There are over 30,000 Protestant denominations to prove that solo scriptura works.

Edward@38000 interpretations of the Bible gave us 38000 protestant denominations. They all cannot be right.

ok the scripture says A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

Jesus healed Peter's mother in law...he was a married man; the Levitical priesthood was that of married men.

So how does the church come to the conclusion that God orders a celibate priesthood?

Jesus said this to the religious leaders in his day...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

this is just one example of a CAtholic contradiction between tradition and the word of God.

You further show your lack of understanding by comparing yourself to the Ethiopian eunuch. 1 COR teaches 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy [fn4] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” ] But we have the mind of Christ.

The Ethiopian was not saved therefore he did not understand. Philip was and shared the gospel with him and he became saved.

Good question but you'll only get an "answer" from them saying "they have the 'holy spirit' and you don't".

Jesus was not one for idle talk, He told me how, not that I'm a Protestant. I'm not Roman Catholic, not a Protestant, not of the Orthodox Church of the Eastern persuasion. I am not a Mormon, nor a Jehovah's Witness, nor am I of any of the denominations you are referring to.

What did Jesus say . . . to do? What did he say would happen?

John 14

16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

He said what was to happen here:

John 15

26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me."

John 16

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

So, why don't you believe Him?

All through history the religious establishment has taken God's word and made it into something God did not do. The prophets came, they were persecuted. Jesus came, and the religious establishment argued with him, and he said to beware of their leaven. And the leaven changed the churches into what they are today, leavened. Catholicism, Mormonism, Protestantism, all relying on the works of the Law as a leaven to grace.

So you don't have a corner on God anymore than a Jehovah's Witness. Get in line with Him by adhering to what God said. Not what your traditions say.