Is the literal method the best approach for interpreting prophetic Scripture?
I believe so. The word “literal” as used in hermeneutics (the science of interpretation) comes from the Latin sensus literalis, which refers to seeking a literal as opposed to a nonliteral or allegorical sense of the text. It refers to the understanding of a text that any person of normal intelligence would get without using any special keys or codes.
Another way to describe the literal meaning of Scripture is that it embraces the normal, everyday, common understanding of the terms. Words are given the meaning they normally have in common communication.
The literal approach allows for a secondary (allegorical) meaning when demanded by the context. Notice, however, that when the biblical text specifically identifies the presence of an allegory (as in Galatians 4:24), it thereby indicates that the Bible’s ordinary meaning is a literal one. Why qualify things with the word “allegory” unless the normal approach is literal?
Moreover, a literal approach is the only sane and safe check on the subjectively prone imagination of humans. And it is the only approach in line with the nature of inspiration—the idea that the very words of Scripture are “God-breathed.”
Is the literal approach most in keeping with God’s purpose for language?
I believe so. The biblical backdrop is found in the book of Genesis. When God created Adam in His own rational image, He gave Adam the gift of intelligible speech. This enabled him to communicate objectively with his Creator and with other human beings through sharable linguistic symbols—words (Genesis 1:26; 11:1,7). Scripture shows that God sovereignly chose to use human language as a medium of revelation, often through the “Thus saith the Lord” pronouncements of the prophets (Isaiah 7:7; 10:24; 22:15; and many others).
Here is something to keep in mind: If God created language in order to communicate with humans and to enable humans to communicate with each other, He would undoubtedly use language and expect humans to use it in its normal and plain sense. This view of language is a prerequisite to understanding not only God’s spoken word but His written Word (Scripture) as well.
So—when the plain, literal sense of Scripture makes good sense, seek no other sense. For example, when God says in His Word that human beings are fallen in sin, we need to accept that harsh reality (Isaiah 53:6). When God says in His Word that He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8), let’s accept that literally and give thanks to God for it. When God says in His Word that His gift of salvation comes only by faith in Christ (Acts 16:31), let’s accept that literally and respond accordingly. When God says in His Word that those who reject this gift will spend eternity in hell (Matthew 25:41), we need to accept that literally, without trying to spin Christianity into a “kinder and gentler” religion. Likewise, when God says an invasion will be launched into Israel by a massive northern military coalition in the last days (Ezekiel 38–39), let’s accept that and then determine what we can learn from Scripture about it.
Do we find examples of a literal interpretation illustrated in the text of Scripture itself?
Yes, indeed. Later biblical texts often take earlier biblical texts as literal. A good example is how Exodus 20:10-11 (a later text) interprets as literal the earlier creation events in Genesis 1–2. This is likewise the case regarding the creation of Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:6; 1 Timothy 2:13), the fall of Adam and his resulting death (Romans 5:12-14), Noah’s flood (Matthew 24:38), and the accounts of Jonah (Matthew 12:40-42), Moses (1 Corinthians 10:2-4,11), and numerous other historical figures. Even within the text of Scripture itself, we find that the normal means of interpreting God’s Word was a literal approach.
Were messianic prophecies in the Old Testament fulfilled literally in New Testament times?
Yes. Over a hundred predictions about the Messiah were literally fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming, including that He would be (1) from the seed of a woman (Genesis 3:15); (2) from the line of Seth (Genesis 4:25); (3) the offspring of Abraham (Genesis 12:3); (4) from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10); (5) the son of David (Jeremiah 23:5-6); (6) conceived of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); (7) born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2); (8) the heralded Messiah (Isaiah 40:3); (9) the coming King (Zechariah 9:9); (10) the sacrificial offering for our sins (Isaiah 53); (11) the One pierced in His side at the cross (Zechariah 12:10); (12) “cut off” or killed about AD 33 (Daniel 9:24-25); and (13) the One who would be resurrected from the dead (Psalm 2; 16).
This sets a strong precedent for how we are to interpret prophecies of the second coming of Christ and all the events that lead up to it. Here is a wise policy: If you want to understand how God will fulfill prophecy in the future, examine how He has fulfilled it in the past.
How does the literal method of interpreting Scripture deal with symbols in prophetic books?
Many symbols are found in prophetic Scripture. It is important to note, however, that each symbol is emblematic of something literal. For example, in the book of Revelation John said the “seven stars” in Christ’s right hand were “the seven angels [messengers] of the seven churches” and “the seven lampstands” were “the seven churches” (Revelation 1:20), “the bowls full of incense” were “the prayers of the saints” (5:8), and “the waters” were “peoples and multitudes and nations and languages” (17:15). Clearly, then, each symbol represents something literal.
Textual clues often point us to the literal truth found in a symbol—either in the immediate context or in the broader context of the whole of Scripture. In the book of Revelation many of the symbols are defined within the text of Revelation itself. Others are found in the Old Testament. One of my former professors at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, once said that if you have six months to study the book of Revelation, you should spend the first three months studying the Old Testament because many of the symbols in Revelation are found in the Old Testament.
The basic rule of thumb is that when you encounter a symbol you are unsure about, consult other Scriptures that relate to that symbol. For example, if you want more information about Jesus being called “Lamb” in Revelation 5:6, look up other verses relating to sacrificial lambs (for example, Exodus 12:1-13; 29:38-42; Isaiah 53:7; Jeremiah 11:19). That way, you can discover the intended literal meaning of the symbol (in this case, that Jesus was a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins).
How does the literal method of interpreting Scripture deal with figures of speech?
When the Bible speaks of the eyes, ears, arms, or wings of God (Psalm 34:15; 91:4; Isaiah 51:9), these should not be taken as literally true. God does not really have these physical features since He is pure Spirit (John 4:24). Likewise, He cannot literally be a rock (Psalm 42:9), which is material. But we would not know what is not literally true of God unless we first know what is literally true.
For example, if it were not literally true that God is pure Spirit and infinite, then we would not be able to say that certain things attributed to God elsewhere in the Bible are not literally true, such as having material body parts. When Jesus said “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), the literal method of interpretation does not take this as physically true. Rather, we understand this as a figure of speech that communicates that believers derive their spiritual life from Christ, our spiritual vine. It is important to understand all this because apocalyptic literature, such as the books of Daniel and Revelation, make heavy use of figures of speech.
I grant that it may sometimes be difficult to determine when a passage should not be taken literally, but certain guidelines are helpful in making this determination. Briefly put, a text should be taken figuratively…
• when it is obviously figurative, as when Jesus said He was a door (John 10:9)
• when the text itself authorizes the figurative sense, as when Paul said he was using an allegory (Galatians 4:24)
• when a literal interpretation would contradict other truths inside or outside the Bible, as when the Bible speaks of the “four corners of the earth” (Revelation 7:1).
In short, as the famous dictum puts it, “When the literal sense makes good sense, seek no other sense, lest it result in nonsense.”
How does the literal method of interpreting Scripture deal with Jesus’ parables, many of which address prophetic issues?
Jesus often used parables that are not to be taken literally. Yet, there is always a literal point that each parable conveys. That Jesus wanted His parables to be clear to those who were receptive is evident in the fact that He carefully interpreted two of them for the disciples—the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9) and the parable of the weeds (13:24-30). He did this not only so there would be no uncertainty as to their correct meaning, but also to guide believers in properly interpreting the other parables. The fact that Christ did not interpret His subsequent parables indicates that He fully expected believers to understand the literal truths intended by His parables by following the methodology He illustrated for them. I will address some of these parables a bit later in the book.
What are some good interpretive principles to keep in mind as we study prophecy?
Aside from what I’ve already stated in this chapter, five additional principles have guided me through the years:
Submit all “preunderstandings” to Scripture. Theological “preunderstandings”—doctrinal opinions we have previously formed—should not bias our interpretation of Scripture. Of course, all interpreters are influenced to some degree by personal, theological, denominational, and political prejudices. None of us approaches Scripture in a “chemically pure” state. For this reason, preunderstandings must be in harmony with Scripture and subject to correction by it. Only those preunderstandings that are compatible with Scripture are legitimate.
Pay close attention to the context. Every word in the Bible is part of a sentence; every sentence is part of a paragraph; every paragraph is part of a book; and every book is part of the whole of Scripture. The interpretation of a specific passage must not contradict the total teaching of Scripture on a topic. Individual verses do not exist as isolated fragments but as parts of a whole. The exposition of these verses, therefore, must involve understanding them in right relation both to the whole and to each other. Scripture interprets Scripture.
Consult history and culture. The interpreter of Scripture must seek to step out of his Western mindset and into an ancient Jewish mindset, paying special attention to such things as Jewish marriage rites, burial rites, family practices, farm practices, business practices, the monetary system, methods of warfare, slavery, the treatment of captives, the use of covenants, and religious practices. Armed with such detailed historical information, correctly interpreting the Bible becomes a much easier task because we better understand the world of the biblical writers.
Keep the “law of double reference” in mind. According to the law of double reference, prophetic Scripture may refer to two events separated by a significant time period but seemingly blended into one picture, masking the intervening time period. While the time gap is not evident within that particular text, the gap becomes clear in consultation with other verses.
An example is Zechariah 9:9-10, which refers to both the first and second comings of Jesus Christ: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey…He shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” The first part of this passage deals with Jesus’ first coming (“having salvation…mounted on a donkey”), while the latter part of the passage deals with Christ’s second coming and subsequent millennial kingdom (“his rule shall be from sea to sea”).
Always be watching for insights about Jesus. From beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is a Jesus book. Jesus once told some Jews, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40). The Jews to whom Jesus spoke knew the shell of the Bible but were neglecting the kernel within it. It is not the Book that saves but the Savior of the Book.
We must ever keep before our minds that Jesus said the Scriptures were “concerning himself” (Luke 24:27), were “written about me” (verse 44), and were “written of me” (Hebrews 10:7). So always be watching for Jesus as you study Bible prophecy. And as you study, let Jesus be exalted in your heart!