A concerned or inquisitive person has to wonder why there are so many interpretations of Scripture. I can only see two possible causes. Either:
1/ The Scripture itself is ambiguous.
Or,
2/ The fault lies with the interpreter.
✦ Regarding the first possibility, the Bible declares that God is not the author of confusion (1Corinthians 14:33). It asserts conclusively that its message is clear (Proverbs 8:6-10; 21:30; ). Paul expressed in 2Timothy 2:15 that proper study yields true doctrinal understanding. What’s more, scholars agree with this assessment. One of the four main aspects of the Bible, of which there is widespread agreement, is what is known theologically as the Bible’s perspicuity. That simply means that the Bible is clear in its message. Therefore, its main subject— salvation— is clearly presented without confusion, which implies that there is only one plan of salvation and that all persons of faith should agree on it.
✦ The second possibility for the many interpretations of Scripture is that men and women are not interpreting the Scriptures properly. It’s funny how that just has a ring of truth about it. And there are many reasons for this being the case. A few of the human weaknesses that contribute to misinterpretation are:
1/ Insincerity
Some people are not serious enough about learning the truth.
2/ Bias
Some people have a strong personal preference for salvation doctrine to be what they have or want.
3/ Personal corruption
In Luke 8:15, Jesus said dealing with the Word of God requires honesty. Not everyone is honest in his approach to Scripture.
4/ Lack of hermeneutical understanding
Some people have an interest in the Bible but lack the correct interpretive methodology. They have been taught wrongly about how to view the many references to salvation in Scripture.
If you notice carefully the four reasons we have listed here, only the fourth has some degree of innocence associated with it. It still has a negative effect on a person’s ability to know the truth but it is one that is based more on ignorance than on evil. That leads to another question. Why is there an evil hindrance involved in studying Scripture? Studying anything else in the universe doesn’t seem to pose such resistance. I think the answer to that question relates to the nature of Scripture. Let me explain.
Scripture is not neutral.
Mankind throughout history has found joy in studying this wide universe and has benefitted tremendously by it. The advantages derived from learning are numberless and fathomless. As humans have found joy in learning of the natural realm, one might expect that true knowledge of God would appeal to him even more, as a person may delight in knowing the artist more than his art. But there is something unique about the Bible. It is the Word of God. It is not neutral about mankind. And it is not on par with, or inferior to, mankind. It is above mankind. Its purpose is to rule mankind. Our subordinate relationship with God means we are also subordinate to His Word. There is no other knowledge in the universe to be acquired that is in that category. The Bible’s purpose to rule our lives, and thoughts, and behavior is the cause for the resistance it meets from its readers and interpreters. And this resistance, however imperceptible, can skew one’s judgment when interpreting— thus, Jesus’ emphasis on honesty when approaching Scripture (Luke 8:15).
Education in any other realm of knowledge is different from education in the knowledge of God. This is because our relation to God is different from our relation to the universe, which is the basis of all other knowledge. In relation to us, the universe poses no threat of authority over us. In fact, we have authority over it. God placed mankind over creation (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalms 8:6; Hebrews 2:7). This relation to the universe makes our study of it impartial and unbiased. We approach the universe with a strong desire to know all we can about it because the knowledge it reveals will only give us more freedom and greater potential for good future use of it. And, importantly, we can view it and gain its knowledge without it impinging upon our lifestyles. It never interrupts our will to live as we want. It’s amoral, non-imposing knowledge actually enhances our will to live as we want when we apply that knowledge to our advantage. It suits us well. Many and varied have been the products of properly applied scientific knowledge.
But in the case of acquiring the knowledge of God, we are not superior to, or even on par with, the subject of our quest. We are created beings who are subordinate to God. As we gain understanding of Him, we learn that we are sinners who must surrender to Him and obey His will. This is much different from learning about other things and is precisely where the difficulty comes in when interpreting His Word. Consider this strange and unique scenario in the acquisition of the knowledge of God which we have just described. You have sinners reading and interpreting a document that requires them to change dramatically, some of whom would rather change the truth of God into a lie (Romans 1:25), and others who wish to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude 4), and all of whom by nature are unlike God and disinclined to Him (Romans 3:10-18). Every member of Adam’s race has a natural hostility to God and a strong reluctance to change his sinful lifestyle. Our natural opposition to the Bible’s message, then, must necessarily contribute to the possibility of misinterpreting the Bible. We are self-interested creatures with a pressing will to have it our way, even if that way is not good for us (e.g., Naaman, 2Kings 5). Therefore, when human nature meets the holiness represented in God’s Word, what must be the certain result? The answer: exactly what it is— many interpretations of the Bible and a tendency for the truth to be the least popular, which is precisely the reason other interpretations have come into being and proliferated among fallen creatures.
Incidentally, man’s natural hostility to God and His truth is the explanation for all the idolatry throughout human history (Romans 1). Man is incurably religious because he was made to worship God. But he wants to have religion his own way. Actually, all false doctrine, even that which bears the name of Christ, is a form of idolatry because any departure from the truth of God is a measured denial of Him (Jude 3-4) and a setting up of something in His place (Mark 7:7-9). The only proper response to God is full surrender and full devotion, and that being according to His Word. God wants every person to come to the knowledge of the truth (1Timothy 2:4). Let me close this post on a very positive note. You can be a person who uses his opportunity on this planet to do just that. By doing so, you will make the world a better place.