The Bible is Not Univocal

The Bible is not univocal. Univocal means “having only one possible meaning” (Oxford English Dictionary).

One Great Mistake

One of the great mistakes in reading and interpreting the Bible is treating it as one book with one author. It is not. It is a library of books from over 40 very different authors writing in very different circumstances during a large time span.

Lost and Distorted

By reading the Bible as one book by one author a lot of nuances are lost. Differences are overlooked, downplayed, or simply ignored. The context is ignored, the individual writer’s intent is ignored, and therefore the message is lost or distorted.

Contradictions

It also means the contradictions and discrepancies are denied. It means that we are not handling the test honestly. We are not letting it speak for itself. The result is eisegesis instead of exegesis. Instead of drawing out the meaning of the text, we are reading into the text our own meaning.

Before Interpreting

Before interpreting a text we should understand who the author is, their particular situation, and the reason they are writing it. Textual criticism is also important, for many texts have variant readings that effect its interpretation.

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Jay N. Forrest

I am a Christian Teacher focused on the Pursuit of God through Prayer, Contemplation, Silence, Solitude, and Simplicity. I became a Christian in 1983, attended Bible school, and eventually earned my Doctorate in Ministry. I served as a Protestant minister for 27 years and also spent about a decade practicing Buddhism. In 2005, I was baptized into the Catholic Church, but have since joined the Episcopal Church. I live in the desert southwest of the United States.

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