Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 104:415 (Jul 1947)
Article: Literal Interpretation
Author: John Henry Bennetch

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BSac 104:415 (Jul 47) p. 350

Literal Interpretation

John Henry Bennetch

Confronted by a certain lawyer who desired to know something of religious import, Jesus Christ parried with a twofold question of His own at first: “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” (Luke 10:26). By so doing our Lord intimated several basic principles. First, God has spoken and that in the Bible, wherein lies an answer for all spiritual queries. Second, the Bible can be understood by man. Third, man is responsible for knowing what the Bible tells him. Only the second principle need be considered in the paper to follow.

The Bible has been inspired, preserved and circulated in the world not with a view to hiding but rather to disclosing truth. Said the Psalmist in unforgettable words: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (119:105). Even the closing message of Scripture must have more of perspicuity than of mystery about it, judging by its words from the very start (Rev 1:1ff), though expositors will disagree widely in their treatment of the book. (What hampers them in the Apocalypse is not its statements so plain and straightforward, but their disagreement with one another in eschatology.)

No era in church history caused so great an awakening in the people of God as the Reformation. Significantly enough, the basis on which the Reformers built their work of restoration to apostolic standards was the Bible. Instead of letting it sink down any farther beneath the accumulated rubble of ecclesiastical tradition and custom they brought it forth to public notice, expounding its teachings one by one. “The great Reformers held that all truths necessary for salvation were to be found in the Scriptures and were to be found so plainly expressed that the ordinary devout reader could discover them for himself. They dwelt much on the sufficiency and perspicuity of the Scriptures. Difficulties remained and perhaps would always remain, to exercise men’s faith, but normally Scripture was its own

BSac 104:415 (Jul 47) p. 351

interpreter and light on its dark places could be derived from the texts whose meaning was clear. In exalting the Scriptures over against Mediaeval Church tradition, the followers of the great Reformers assumed the perfection of the Scriptures. The Bible was the source of guidance and enlightenment in every department of human life and thought.”1

In all fidelity to the course of present events Dr. Wood must continue the historical survey noted above with an observation to the effect that our Bible is viewed d...

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