How do you interpret the Bible? How can I tell an interpretation is the only correct interpretation and other interpretations are wrong? Give examples.

Biblical interpretation isn’t a matter of discovering one objectively “correct” reading that makes all others definitively wrong. Instead, sound interpretation follows principles designed to promote consistency—so that anyone applying them can reach similar conclusions based on evidence rather than personal feeling[1]. However, interpreters don’t always agree on the true meaning of a passage because different interpreters accept different foundational assumptions as valid[1].

The key factors that create legitimate disagreement include your starting assumptions. One interpreter may accept the biblical text as God’s Word with all that implies; another may not. One may accept the essential unity of Scripture; another may not. One might feel comfortable reading the Old Testament through a New Testament lens; another will not[1]. Additionally, even when interpreters share foundational assumptions, evidence is sometimes insufficient for confident conclusions, leading different interpreters to weigh different elements differently—one might emphasize word studies while another prioritizes archaeological and cultural evidence[1].

Consider a practical example: Hebrews 13:5b (“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you”) is frequently quoted without its immediate context in verse 5a (“Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have”)[2]. Detaching the verse produces a different meaning than reading it contextually. Similarly, Jesus and the religious leaders of His time both accepted the Hebrew Scriptures as God’s Word and used the same interpretive methods—literal, midrash, pesher, and typological—yet interpreted Scripture very differently[3].

Rather than seeking a single “correct” interpretation that eliminates all others, while multiple constructions of a text are possible, not all interpretations are equal; the text presents a limited field of possibilities, and competing interpretations must demonstrate their probability and adequacy through reasoned argumentation[4]. The goal is rigorous, evidence-based interpretation—not certainty that yours is the only valid reading.

[1] John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill, Old Testament Today, 2nd Edition: A Journey from Ancient Context to Contemporary Relevance (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2014), 19.
[2] Irvin A. Busenitz, “Thematic, Theological, Historical, and Biographical Expository Messages,” in Rediscovering Expository Preaching (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1992), 261.
[3] Steve Bond, “Bible Hermeneutics,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Chad Brand et al. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 203.
[4] Laura Schmidt Roberts, Paul Martens, and Myron A. Penner, Recovering from the Anabaptist Vision: New Essays in Anabaptist Identity and Theological Method (New York, NY: T&T Clark, 2020), 41–42.