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The Proper Method of Bible Interpretation: The Grammatical-Historical-Spiritual Method (3)*

The Grammatical-Historical-Spiritual method of Bible interpretation is based on the orthodox view that Scripture is God’s inspired revelation to His church. The foundational principle of this method is that Scripture interprets Scripture. These points were made in the first article in this short series.

The second article explained the grammatical and historical aspects of this method of Bible interpretation. It explained why we must pay attention to a passage’s grammar and historical context, what general questions the Bible interpreter must ask of a passage, and what mistakes and dangers he or she must avoid.

This article will do the same with the spiritual aspect. It will conclude by reducing all the points noted in this and the previous article to several basic questions. The next article will explain why the Grammatical-Historical-Spiritual method is the only proper method of Bible interpretation.

THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT

If the Bible were merely a literary document, we could observe its grammar and historical context and do no more. But the Bible is not merely a literary document; it is God’s Word to His church, inspired by the Holy Spirit. When reading the Bible, the main question that we must ask is, “What is God telling us? What does the Holy Spirit mean by this?”

Answering this question requires us to study the passage’s grammar and historical context. Do not think that the inspired writer (Moses, Luke, Paul) meant one thing by the passage, but the Holy Spirit has a very different meaning. The method of interpretation that many church fathers used in the early and medieval eras of church history—allegory—moves in this direction. Rather, to know the Holy Spirit’s meaning requires one to know the grammar and history, but not to stop with that. Other related questions must be asked.

One related question is what essential point of doctrine the passage conveys; restated, what is the abiding word of God to His church in every age? The answer to this question can fall into one of two categories. On the one hand, the passage might be revealing a truth about God and His saving work that we need to know in order to praise Him and live before Him. So one investigates which branch of theology the passage treats (theology and anthropology, for example), and then what specific topic within that branch. In the branch of theology, it might refer to God’s attributes; of God’s attributes it might refer specifically to His mercy; and more particularly, the passage might teach the everlasting and particular character of His mercy (Ps. 103:17). Or, the passage might teach us about the last times (eschatology); more particularly, about the signs of Christ’s coming; even more, about the coming of antichrist; and most specifically, regarding his wickedness (2 Thess. 2:3-9). We must understand to what specific doctrine the passage refers.

On the other hand, to ask what is God’s abiding word to His church in a passage is to note the passage’s purpose—whether to comfort, rebuke, encourage, set forth the why and how of a godly life, or something else. This too is its doctrine.

A second related question is how the passage reveals Christ in the fullness of His person, natures, mediatorial office, and saving work. After all, Christ is the unity of all Scripture. He told the Jews “Search the Scriptures...they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39) and to the travelers to Emmaus “he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Christ is the unity of all Scripture because Scripture reveals God’s saving work in Jesus Christ. So how does the passage bring me to Christ and His saving grace; how does it build me up in faith?

To understand a passage in regard to its spiritual aspect requires the interpreter to do the following.

Determine which passage of Scripture we are studying, and about which we are asking these questions. In a historical passage, take the entire incident as a whole; in an epistle, take a sentence or even part of a sentence that contains an idea on its own. In sermon making, we would say, “pick your text.” We are not looking to find spiritual meaning merely in individual words, individual phrases of sentences, or even one sentence in a historical passage.

Understand the main point that the Holy Spirit is teaching in the entire book in which the passage is found. What is the main theme of the book of Proverbs, or Romans? What unique role does this book play in Scripture? (In seminary, we call this unique role its “canonical significance.”) Then, having divided the book into sections, find how the book’s main theme is developed in the various sections. This will enable us to take the next step. 

Find the one main point that God is teaching His church in the passage. Do this by first noting the text in light of its grammar and history, then ask how the passage reveals Christ and God’s saving grace. The one main point in the passage will be a narrower application of the main point of the book as a whole. 

Understand the main concepts of the text in light of Scripture. What does all Scripture say about mercy, or antichrist, or the church, or fornication, or stewardship? The text we are studying is not the only one to use these concepts. How do other texts help us define what this term means? What do they say about this concept, that the text itself does not say? What does the text add to what other texts say?

Understand the passage’s main doctrine in light of the ecumenical creeds and Reformed confessions. Not every doctrine in a text is treated in these creeds and confessions, but when they are, let the Reformed confessions guide us in understanding them.

Recognize that Scripture is God’s Word, progressively revealed over several thousand years. The doctrine common to Genesis 22 (in light of Heb. 11:19), Job 19:2527, Psalm 16, Matthew 22:32, 1 Corinthians 15, and other passages is the resurrection of the body, and the enjoyment of life with God after death. But take into account how God progressively taught His covenant people about this doctrine throughout history. Abraham and David did not understand the resurrection as fully as Paul. If we are studying an Old Testament passage that treats the doctrine, think of what God’s people understood about that doctrine when it was told them. Israel in the Old Testament was as a child in her understanding of God, in comparison to the church after Pentecost having the more mature understanding of an adult. 

Explain difficult passages in light of easier ones and in light of what is clear. For instance, what is clear is that the Holy Spirit’s saving work in the hearts of God’s people is sovereign and irresistible work. When the Holy Spirit Himself tells us not to quench Him (“Quench not the Spirit,” 1 Thess. 5:19), this cannot possibly mean that we can resist Him. And the passage that speaks of Israel resisting Him (Acts 7:51) must be referring to a work of the Holy Spirit other than His saving and sanctifying work.

When studying an Old Testament passage, look for allusions in earlier Old Testament passages (Hos. 11:1 is a clear allusion to Israel’s exodus). When studying a New Testament passage, look for quotations of and allusions to Old Testament passages. When we find such, work to understand the passage in the Old Testament, then its use in the New Testament, and ask how the New Testament makes use of the Old Testament passage. For instance, does the New Testament bring in the Old Testament as the direct fulfillment of prophecy, indirect fulfillment of prophecy, or as restating the prophecy because it is not yet fulfilled? Does the New Testament passage refer to an Old Testament passage as stating a proverbial truth (1 Pet. 1:24-25)? Or does the New Testament writer use the rhetoric of an Old Testament passage to make a similar, but not identical, point (Rom. 10:6-8)?1 

Addressing all these individual matters that make up the spiritual aspect of exegesis is a daunting task. Each of the individual matters deserves further explanation and illustration, which I will not take the time to give.

From all this, two conclusions follow. First, sermon preparation involves much more than quickly looking at some Hebrew or Greek words, finding a sermon theme, and making an outline. Respect the time that your pastor needs to make a sermon, and pray for him during the week that he do it well!

Second, while the believing child of God does not have many hours to spend in studying an individual passage, all can benefit from three things: knowing which questions to ask of a passage, making a beginning at giving the answer, and doing this consistently and regularly in our Bible study. We then will grow in both our ability to study the Bible well, and in our understanding of the depths of God’s revelation to us.

REDUCING ALL THE STEPS TO THE MOST BASIC

Believers are not trained in the technical aspects of hermeneutics (principles of Bible interpretation) and exegesis (applying these principles to individual texts). This article and the previous article in this series are my attempt to state what is required in Bible study.

The professor in me might think that I have made the matter simple. After all, I reduced the content of several hours of seminary classroom instruction to two magazine articles! But the reader might well be overwhelmed yet. The two articles set forth so many steps to the study of Scripture!

This article ends, then, with boiling it all down to the most basic and essential points of Bible study.

1. Pray for understanding (Ps. 119:18).
2. Read the passage slowly and carefully. We need not necessarily read an entire chapter; but we ought to be sure that the verses we read are a unit of thought.
3. Ask what the passage means in light of its words, grammar, and historical context.
4. Ask what main doctrine the passage teaches.
5. Ask how the passage reveals Jesus Christ in His saving work.
6. Ask how the passage applies to God’s people in every age and place, and therefore also to us today.
7. Thank God for His Word, and seek grace to live according to it. 

*Previous article in this series: May 1, 2025, p. 274.

1 This list is adapted from G. K. Beale, Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament: Exegesis and Interpretation (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 55-93. The list is not exhaustive. 

- written by Prof. Douglas Kuiper, professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan

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