How does the spiritual condition of an interpreter affect his or her ability to interpret the Bible?
Answer
A biblical interpreter should be in good spiritual condition and mature in the Christian faith if he is to understand the deep spiritual truths in the Bible. If the interpreter is in a poor spiritual state, he will poorly express the Bible's concepts and ethical principles. But if he is spiritually mature and lives in spiritual maturity, he can deeply understand what is in the Bible because its principles, whether doctrinal or ethical, really talk about the depth of the human conscience. This requires the person to be mature in faith and spirit. That's why the apostle Paul emphasized that elders should be prepared and mature for teaching because the interpreter's spiritual state significantly affects what he says in relation to his understanding and explanation of what's in the Bible.
Dr. Ghassan Khalaf (d. Aug. 2, 2018) was Professor of Biblical Studies at Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Mansourieh El Maten, Lebanon.
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