By:

Corey Wells

Rightly Dividing the WordFoundational Principles for Interpreting Scripture

To offer the basic principles that are

needed to understand Scripture in its

current cultural expression so that it

can be communicated properly to

others.

Lesson Objective

“Of these things put them in

remembrance, charging them before

the Lord that they strive not about

words to no profit, but to the

subverting of the hearers. Study to

shew thyself approved unto God, a

workman that needeth not to be

ashamed, rightly dividing the word of

truth.” (II Timothy 2:14-15)

Key Verse

“Strive not about words”- means to not focus

on things that are minor to the point of strife.

“Study”- means to make diligent effort to labor or work for.

“Rightly Divide”- means to make a straight cut, to dissect correctly.

Key Definitions

“Of whom we have many things to say, and

hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of

hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be

teachers, ye have need that one teach you

again which be the first principles of the

oracles of God; and are become such as have

need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

(Hebrews 5:11-12)

A. The First Principles

The Word of God is the only thing that does

not have an ending.

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

a. The Word is Everlasting.

Because the Word of God is everlasting, it must

become the sole authority in the life of a believer.

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to

hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou

knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that

he might make thee know that man does not live

by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth

out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

(Deuteronomy 8:3)

a. The Word is Everlasting cont.

It is the purity of God’s Word that opens

people’s eyes.

“Every word of God is pure; he is a shield

unto them that put their trust in him.”

(Proverbs 30:5)

“The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing

the heart, the commandment of the LORD is

pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:8)

b. The Word is Pure

The purity of the Word of God demands that we

be pure.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or

who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath

clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not

lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn

deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:3-4)

“Becaust it is written, Be ye holy: for I am holy.”

(I Peter 1:16)

b. The Word is Pure cont.

The Bible is not a physical taskmaster. It is

intended solely to bring us into a relationship

with Christ.

“But before faith came, we were kept under the

law, shut up unto the faith which should after

ward be revealed. Wherefore the law was our

schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we

might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:23-24)

c. The Word is Spirit Driven

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for

the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus

my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all

things, and do count them but dung, that I may

win Christ. And be found in him, not having my

own righteousness which is of the law, but that

which is through the faith of Christ, the

righteousness which is of God by faith.”

(Philippians 3:8-9)

c. The Word is Spirit Driven cont.

It is not enough to just read the Bible for

academic or intellectual purposes.

The Bible is a book of relationships and must

be interacted with.

B. Interacting With the Text

If the Scripture is properly interpreted it will

always align the reader with the Word.

Scripture must be allowed to interpret itself.

There is a danger of allowing outside

influences to alter the meaning of the text.

a. Outside Influences

Avoid the influence that comes through apostasy.

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus

Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his

appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant

in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with

all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after

their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;” (II Timothy 4:1-3)

a. Outside Influences cont.

Avoid the influence that comes through

lack of faith.

“Him that is weak in the faith receive

ye, but not to doubtful disputations.”

(Romans 14:1)

a. Outside Influences cont.

Avoid the influence of false doctrine.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him

that called you into the grace of Christ unto

another gospel: Which is not another; but there

be some that trouble you, and would pervert the

gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7)

a. Outside Influences cont.

The study of Scripture must always begin at what

you know before moving on to deeper things.

“Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall

he make to understand doctrine? Them that are

weaned from the milk, and drawn from the

breasts. For precept must be upon precept,

precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon

line; here a little, and there a little.”(Isaiah 28:9-

10)

b. Move from Truth to Truth

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I

will that thou affirm constantly, that they

which have believed in God might be careful

to maintain good works. These things are

good and profitable unto men. But avoid

foolish questions, and genealogies, and

contentions, and strivings about the law; for

they are unprofitable and vain.” (Titus 3:8-9)

b. Move from Truth to Truth cont.

It is impossible to understand Scripture as a

natural man.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things

of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness

unto him: neither can he know them, because

they are spiritually discerned.” (I Corinthians

2:14)

c. Led by the Spirit

His Spirit will lead the reader to know what

the Bible is saying.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is

come, he will guide you into all truth: for he

shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he

shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will

shew you things to come.” (John 16:13).

c. Led by the Spirit cont

The Bible is a wealth of information that is

still very much applicable to the world today.

No one person will ever exhaust the entirety

of the Bible.

There are many benefits to studying His Word.

C. Daily Benefits

Learning the Word of God is how we gain

understanding.

“For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his

mouth cometh knowledge and

understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

a. Illumination and Knowledge

Regular intake of God’s Word is the only way to

judge our spiritual growth.

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea

sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy

precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate

every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet

and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:103-105)

a. Illumination and Knowledge cont.

Though it might tarry, God always does what He

promises.

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the

son of man, that he should repent: hath he said,

and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and

shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19)

“For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word

that I shall speak shall come to pass…” (Ezekiel

12:25)

b. Establishes Promises

Having a knowledge of the written text does not necessarily mean that one will experience the full power of the Word of God. Power comes through obedience.

“That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaace, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deuteronomy 30:20)

Obedience Brings Power

“If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey

his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of

the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that

reigneth over you continue following the LORD your

God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD,

but rebel against the commandment of the LORD,

then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it

was against your fathers.” (I Samuel 12:14-15)

Obedience Brings Power cont.

Although it is a great and needed thing to study

Scripture for personal development, God does not

intend for that to be the end of our journey.

The ultimate goal of learning Scripture must be to

communicate His Word to a lost and dying world.

We must learn how to properly communicate the

Word to others.

Life Application

We must learn to communicate openly to

people about the Word of God.

“What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in

light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach

ye upon the housetops.

a. Communicate Openly

We should not be intimidated to tell people

about this Gospel.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of

Christ: for it is the power of God unto

salvation to every one that believeth; to the

Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans

1:16)

a. Communicate Openly cont.

Failure to communicate openly is displeasing

to God

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me

and of my words in this adulterous and sinful

generation; of him also shall the Son of man

be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of

his Father with the holy angels.” (Matthew

8:38)

a. Communicate Openly cont.

Boldness comes when we understand who we are

in Christ.

“And for me, that utterance may be given unto

me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make

known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am

an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak

boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)

b. Communicate Boldly

Boldness comes when we become confident in what we believe.

“But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist.” (Luke 21:12-15)

b. Communicate Boldly cont.

We should learn to pray for boldness.

“And now, Lord, behold their threatening: and

grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness

they may speak thy word.” (Acts 4:29)

b. Communicate Boldly cont.

We must communicate to all people showing no

favoritism or prejudices. The Gospel is for EVERYONE.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of

God.” (Romans 3:23)

“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.”

(James 2:1)

c. Communicate Unbiased

The Bible does not need man’s help in impacting

lives and we must allow it to do the work it was

intended for.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and

sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to

the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the

joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the

thoughts and intents of the heard.” (Hebrews 4:12)

d. Communicate Exactly

There are those that teach personal opinion

rather than Biblical truth.

“But in vain do they worship me, teaching for

doctrines the commandments of men.”

(Matthew 15:9)

d. Communicate Exactly cont.

We must be careful to not add or take away from

what Scripture says.

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command

you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye

may keep the commandments of the LORD your

God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

d. Communicate Exactly cont.

The Bible is the greatest Book that has ever

been written. In taking the time to properly

study and explore its pages we will both grow

spiritually and become faithful ministers as

He grants us the ability.

Conclusion