Scripture Interprets Scripture
The safest commentary on the Bible is the Bible. God often explains a truth in one passage, illustrates it in another, defines it elsewhere, and brings multiple passages together into a complete doctrine.
- Read the primary Bible passages carefully and in context.
- Compare Scripture with Scripture before drawing the conclusion.
- State the main truth in plain words you could explain to someone else.
- Complete the Quick Checks and guided study before moving on.
Compare spiritual things with spiritual
1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
A single verse may introduce a subject; other verses may provide details. When studying eternal life, compare John 3, John 5, John 10, Romans 4, Ephesians 2, 1 John 5, and other clear passages. Do not force one difficult sentence to carry an entire doctrine by itself.
The sum of God's Word matters
Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Truth harmonizes with truth. When two passages seem to disagree, the student should first assume he has more work to do. Recheck the words, context, audience, subject, covenantal setting, and whether the passages are answering the same question.
Build a cross-reference chain
A practical method is to write a main verse at the top of a page, then collect passages that use the same key words or teach the same truth. Beside each reference, write one sentence explaining what that passage contributes. Soon you have a Scripture-built outline rather than a pile of disconnected references.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Cross-references printed in a Bible can help you find connections, but remember that cross-reference lists were added by editors. They are tools, not inspired commentary. Verify every connection in the text itself.
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Scripture trail: 1 Corinthians 2:13 • Psalm 119:160 • Acts 17:11 • 1 Corinthians 2:13, Psalm 119:160, Acts 17:11 • Nehemiah 8:8 • 2 Timothy 2:15 • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 • 2 Peter 3:15-16
Do not rush past the references. Open them, read the surrounding verses, and make the Bible carry the weight of the conclusion.
Think it through
- Who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what question or problem is the passage answering?
- What becomes clearer when the passages are compared instead of read as isolated slogans?
- Which conclusion is explicitly supported by the text, and which possible conclusion would go beyond what the text says?
Teach it back
Without looking at the lesson explanation, summarize Scripture Interprets Scripture in two or three sentences and support your explanation from Scripture. If you cannot explain it simply yet, return to the passages and work through them again.
Slow down and work the text
Reopen 1 Corinthians 2:13, Psalm 119:160, Acts 17:11. Read enough before and after each verse to see the setting. Do not settle for remembering a slogan when you can inspect the wording for yourself.
- Write the main claim of Scripture Interprets Scripture in one sentence.
- Underline or write down the exact words in the passages that support that claim.
- Compare at least two of the passages. What truth becomes clearer when they are read together?
- Ask what could be misunderstood if one phrase were isolated from its context.
- Write your observations before consulting notes or commentary, then state the conclusion the text itself supports.
- What does the passage state explicitly?
- What context or comparison keeps the interpretation accurate?
- What conclusion can you defend directly from the text?
Strong doctrine is built from the agreement of Scripture with Scripture. Collect clear passages, compare them carefully, and let the Bible supply its own definitions and boundaries.
Let the Bible Define Bible Words
20 min