The Role of the Holy Spirit in Interpreting the Bible

The Holy Spirit is not only our teacher, guide and comforter he is the great illuminator of the Scriptures. While a non-believer can understand the Bible to some extent, the rich full meaning of the Scriptures is only possible when the Holy Spirit is abiding in us and helping us to interpret the sacred text. While there is no new revelation outside of the Bible the Holy Spirit can give us new illumination and can be a great aide in helping us understand the biblical text. But as essential as the Holy Spirit is in interpreting the Scriptures we also play an important role too. I like what Duvall and Hays share in this regard:

“When it comes to biblical interpretation, having the Holy Spirit does not mean that the Spirit is all we need, since he will not make biblical interpretation automatic. He expects us to use our minds, valid interpretive methods, and good study helps. The Spirit does not create new meaning or provide new information, but he does enable us to accept the Bible as God’s Word and grasp its meaning. The Spirit will not change the Bible to suit our purposes or match our circumstances, but he will work in our lives as interpreters. He restores us to our senses and helps us grow up spiritually so we can hear his voice in the Scriptures more clearly.”1

I also believe that the Holy Spirit plays a special role to those who read the Bible as non-believers but are sincere seekers to know the truth. I know for example in my life when I began to read the New Testament as a non-believer, I was seeking to know the truth, and as a result, as I read, the Holy Spirit was convicting me of sin and showing me who Jesus was. This is often not the case with those who don’t believe in God who pick up the Bible and just read it as if it were just another book and with no real desire to know the truth. In my case I was an atheist but I desperately was searching for meaning, and the truth of what life was all about. As I result I believe that God, through the Holy Spirit, allowed me to get a fresh glimpse of who he is even those I didn’t understand it all as of yet. God looks at the heart and when he sees that the heart is seeking the truth, the Holy Spirit will work in amazing ways to show us it through his Word. I am so grateful, that even as an unbeliever, the Holy Spirit was working in my heart, ever so gently, guiding me into all truth.

1 #18: What is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Interpreting the Bible? – Jonathan Morrow