Beyond Book, Chapter, and Verse: When Biblical Interpretation Becomes Idolatry
I was raised with a phrase that defined everything: "We're just crazy about book, chapter, and verse." If you could show it to us in the Bible, we were going to believe it and do it. We came to scripture with a very literalist, legalistic approach, looking for precise formulas for how to live life.
On the surface, this sounds admirable. After all, shouldn't Christians take the Bible seriously?
But what I discovered through years of study and painful experience is that there's a profound difference between honoring scripture and making it an idol. And much of what I was taught wasn't biblical interpretation at all—it was bibliolatry.
The Bible Pointing to Jesus vs. Jesus Being the Bible
One fundamental myth I was raised with is that "the Bible is the Word of God." But that's not actually what the Bible says about itself. The Bible says Jesus is the Word of God, and the Bible is the story of Jesus.
John 1:1 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (NKJV). Verse 14 clarifies: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (NKJV). The Word isn't a book—it's a person.
The Bible is the accurate, truthful, and trustworthy story of Jesus. But it's always meant to be a signpost pointing us to Christ, not the destination itself.
It's like arriving at a highway sign that says "New York City," grabbing hold of the sign, and declaring, "I'm here! I'm in New York now!" But that sign isn't the city—it's pointing you toward the city. You're not at the reality until you actually arrive there.
When we treat the Bible as if it were our source of truth rather than understanding that it points us to the Truth—who is a person—we end up serving the Bible instead of Jesus. The scripture becomes an idol.
From Legalistic Formula to Spirit-Led Understanding
Growing up, we approached scripture like an encyclopedia Britannica. We pulled the Bible down from the shelf, looked for rules, and turned those rules into timeless formulas that would forever control how we lived.
The problem with this approach became clear to me when I realized the Bible often "contradicts itself" on purpose. Take slavery, for example:
"Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters" (Ephesians 6:5, NKJV)
"There is neither slave nor free... for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28, NKJV)
These aren't contradictory statements—they represent accommodation and projection. Scripture accommodates certain realities of the current world while simultaneously planting seeds that will eventually undermine harmful practices.
Paul wasn't endorsing slavery for all time any more than he was endorsing permanent male domination. He was showing believers how to operate within broken systems while releasing Kingdom transformation into them.
The Danger of Absolutizing Our Approach
When you interpret scripture legalistically, you end up absolutizing your approach because you're looking for precise formulas rather than relationship with the living God who inspired the text.
This is exactly what happened with divorce and remarriage in my background. We spent enormous amounts of time parsing Jesus' words, Paul's teachings, and Old Testament laws, trying to create hard and fast rules for every situation. Different groups reached different conclusions, but they all made the same mistake: treating scripture like a legal code rather than wisdom literature pointing us toward love.
The results were devastating. I watched families torn apart over doctrinal disagreements. I saw people trapped in destructive relationships because they were more afraid of violating biblical rules than they were concerned about the actual wellbeing of the people involved.
We were serving the Bible rather than allowing the Bible to point us to Jesus, who came to serve.
Cultural Context vs. Timeless Truth
One of the most important skills in biblical interpretation is distinguishing between what reflects cultural accommodation and what represents timeless truth. Scripture was written in specific times and places, addressing real situations with real people facing particular challenges.
When we ignore this context, we end up applying cultural accommodations as if they were eternal commandments. We miss the difference between what is descriptive (what was happening) and what is prescriptive (what should always happen).
For example, when Paul addresses women's roles in specific churches, we must ask: Is he establishing universal law for all time, or is he providing contextual wisdom for particular situations? When we see the pattern throughout scripture of God working through women in leadership despite cultural constraints, it suggests God's design transcends patriarchal limitations rather than endorsing them.
The same principle applies to many other issues. Scripture accommodated slavery while undermining it. It worked within patriarchal structures while planting seeds of equality. It met people where they were while calling them toward something better.
Jesus as the Interpretive Grid
When I began to understand that Jesus himself should be the lens through which we interpret all scripture, everything changed. Instead of trying to make Jesus fit into my systematic theology, I started letting Jesus reshape my understanding of everything else.
What do we know about Jesus? He consistently elevated people who were marginalized. He challenged religious systems that prioritized rules over relationships. He honored women, blessed children, touched untouchables, and repeatedly chose mercy over law.
When we read difficult passages through the lens of Christ's character and ministry, we often discover they're pointing toward freedom and healing rather than control and restriction.
This doesn't mean we ignore challenging texts or dismiss them as merely cultural. It means we ask deeper questions: What was God doing through this specific instruction in this specific context? How does this point toward God's ultimate purposes revealed in Christ?
The Spirit Who Guides into All Truth
Jesus promised that "when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13, NKJV). This means biblical interpretation isn't just an intellectual exercise—it's a relational one.
Holy Spirit, who inspired the original authors, is present to illuminate our understanding. But this requires humility, prayer, and community discernment rather than just individual study.
I've discovered that when we approach scripture with our preconceived systematic theologies firmly in place, we often miss what Holy Spirit wants to show us. We find what we're looking for rather than being open to fresh understanding.
This doesn't mean we throw out careful study or historical context. It means we hold our interpretations humbly, recognizing that our understanding continues to grow as Holy Spirit reveals deeper truths.
Practical Implications
So how do we honor scripture without making it an idol? Here are some principles I've learned:
Approach it relationally, not just intellectually. Scripture is God's communication with us, not just information about God. Come expectantly, asking Holy Spirit to speak through the text.
Consider context carefully. Ask what was happening when this was written, who was the audience, and what specific situation was being addressed.
Look for the trajectory. What direction is God moving humanity? Toward freedom or bondage? Toward equality or hierarchy? Toward love or control?
Use Jesus as your interpretive lens. Does this understanding reflect the heart of Christ as revealed in the Gospels?
Hold interpretations humbly. Be willing to have your understanding challenged and refined by continued study and Holy Spirit's illumination.
Focus on transformation, not just information. The goal isn't just to understand what the text says, but to be changed by encountering the God who speaks through it.
The Freedom of Truth
When we stop making the Bible an idol and start letting it point us to Jesus, we discover something beautiful: the truth really does set us free.
Free from legalistic systems that crush the human spirit. Free from religious performance that exhausts rather than empowers. Free from fear-based obedience that never produces genuine righteousness. Free to love God, others, and ourselves with the freedom Christ died to provide.
This isn't license to ignore scripture or twist it to say whatever we want. It's the freedom to encounter the living God through his written word and be transformed by that encounter.
The Bible is precious, powerful, and trustworthy. But it's not God. It points us to God, who is revealed perfectly in Jesus Christ and made present through Holy Spirit.
When we get that relationship right—honoring scripture as the signpost that points us to the true destination—we discover that both our love for God's word and our relationship with God himself grow deeper and more authentic.
Scripture serves its highest purpose when it successfully introduces us to Jesus and then gets out of the way so we can walk with him.
Blessings,
Susan 😊