Four very sensible rules for reading and interpreting the Bible are:
- The simplest and most natural explanation of a text is always the best. Don't make things more complicated than what they are.
- Use Scripture to interpret Scripture. The best way to understand a striking word or phrase is to find out how that phrase is used elsewhere in Scripture.
- The meaning of a word is determined by its usage in context. Rather than focus on a particular word remember that the basic unit of thought is a sentence. Then look at the sentence within its context to see what the author means.
- We should discover the original meaning of a biblical text, and then apply it to our contemporary situations. A biblical text cannot mean what it never meant, so do not try to apply contemporary situations to the text to prove that the author was somehow trying to give us guidance in an entirely new and different context.