Hermeneutics Session 6: Who Determines What Scripture Means

Meaning is not created by the reader, discovered through emotion, or established by consensus. Scripture means what the author intended it to mean, and learning to seek that intent is the key to faithful interpretation.

Consideration

Reading Scripture without regard for meaning is like using the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas to justify a divorce (Acts 15:39). The verse is quoted accurately, but the conclusion is completely disconnected from what the passage was ever meant to address.

This example is how Scripture is often misused. Description is mistaken for permission. Narrative is treated as endorsement. A verse is lifted out of its purpose and pressed into service for a decision already made.

Most interpretive errors do not come from rebellion, but from assuming meaning belongs to the reader rather than the author. If meaning is self-determined, Scripture becomes flexible enough to support almost anything. But if meaning is anchored in authorial intent, then our task is not to make the text say what we want, but to understand what it was meant to say.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. -Ps. 119:34

Information

What Meaning Is

• Meaning is what the biblical author intended to communicate to the original audience
• Meaning is discovered through careful reading, not creative readers
• Scripture carries meaning before the reader ever approaches the text

Why Authorial Intent Matters

• Words only communicate when they are connected to intent
• Scripture was written to real people in real situations for real purposes
• Detaching meaning from authorial intent turns interpretation into personal opinion

Common Misunderstandings About Meaning

• Meaning is not “what this verse means to me”
• Meaning is not determined by emotion, sincerity, or frequency of use
• Meaning does not change based on circumstances, even though application may

The Role of the Reader

• The reader’s responsibility is to understand before applying
• Faithful interpretation asks context-driven questions before drawing conclusions
• Humility is required because the text speaks first, and then the reader listens

Key Takeaway: The Bible cannot mean now what it never meant then.

Demonstration

Philippians 4:10-13

Context Setup

• Paul is writing from prison
• He is thanking the Philippians for their financial support
• The passage is part of a personal testimony, not a motivational speech
• The theme is personal contentment, not personal achievement

Key Observations

• The subject is Paul’s circumstances, not limitless ability
• “All things” refers to contentment in lack or abundance
• The strength mentioned is endurance, not empowerment
• Christ enables faithfulness, not victory over any challenge

Interpretive Insight

This passage does not promise success in every endeavor. It teaches contentment in every condition. When detached from Paul’s intent, the verse becomes a slogan. When read within it, the verse becomes deeply resolved and profoundly freeing.

Meaning is clarified when context is honored.

Summation

Meaning is not a moving target, and Scripture is not subject to subjection. God spoke with intention, clarity, and purpose. When we seek meaning where it actually lives with the author, we discover that the Bible is far more understandable than we were ever led to believe. Confidence grows not by bending Scripture toward ourselves, but by aligning ourselves with what God has already said.In the next session, we will take this commitment to authorial intent and apply it to one of the most overlooked yet critical factors in interpretation: context, and why where you are in the text matters just as much as what the text says.