DIGGING DEEP – 12 by Abidan Paul Shah
Digging Deep
The role of the Holy Spirit in Biblical Interpretation:
Introductory Questions
- Does the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart guarantee accurate interpretation?
- How can two people taught by the Holy Spirit have conflicting views on a passage?
- Does the Holy Spirit give us deeper meaning that cannot be reached by a normal study of a passage?
- In what way does the Holy Spirit guide our understanding in the study of God’s Word?
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is a person (Romans 8:27) and has feelings (Ephesians 4:30) and a will (1 Corinthians 12:11). He is God (John 14:16) and has the same attributes as the other members of the Trinity (Psalm 139:7; Job 33:4). He was involved in the Creation of the World (Genesis 1:2), the giving of the OT & NT (1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:21), and the life of Jesus (Luke 1:35; 4:1). Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them remember Him when He was ascended (John 16:13-14). Now the Holy Spirit works daily in the life of the believers (Romans 8:9) and in this world (John 16:8).
Several principles about the role of the Holy Spirit in Biblical Interpretation:
5 Negatives:
- No New Revelation (John 6:63; I Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; I Peter 1:22-25)
- No Guarantee of Infallible Interpretation
- No Deeper Truth
- No substitute for diligent and proper study (2 Timothy 2:14-16)
- No Guarantee of resolution of difficult passages (2 Peter 3:16; I Corinthians 13:12)
3 Positives:
- Only the saved can be enabled by the Holy Spirit to truly appreciate and apply the Word (I Corinthians 2:14; I Thessalonians 1:6)
- All who are saved have access to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5-8; 1 John 2:20, 27)
- Those who truly seek Him find His help (I Corinthians 2:14-3:4)