Avoiding Additions or Subtractions to Scripture in Interpretation
The Principle of Avoiding Additions or Subtractions to Scripture
The biblical principle of not adding to or subtracting from Scripture is rooted in Deuteronomy 4:2, which states, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it" [4]. This principle is reiterated in Revelation 22:18-19, warning against altering the prophecies contained within the book of Revelation. The importance of adhering to this principle is underscored by the severe consequences threatened for those who would either add to or take away from the divine word [5].
The scriptural basis for this principle is not limited to Deuteronomy and Revelation. Other passages, such as I Timothy 1:4 and Titus 1:14, caution against giving heed to "fables and endless genealogies" and "Jewish myths and commandments of men," respectively [2, 3]. These warnings against deviating from the truth emphasize the need for fidelity to the original message.
In interpreting Scripture, the principle of avoiding additions or subtractions is crucial. II Peter 1:20 states that "no prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation" [1]. This verse is often understood to caution against private or individualistic interpretations that might lead to distortions of the original meaning. According to John Gill, this verse is not a prohibition against private judgment or interpretation but rather a warning against interpretations that are not grounded in the Scripture itself [7].
one commentary tradition by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 4:2 explains that adding to or subtracting from the word of God involves introducing heathen superstitions or neglecting prescribed observances [6]. This commentary highlights the importance of adhering to the divine instructions without alteration.
The Baptist/Reformed tradition, as represented by John Gill's commentary, emphasizes the need to beware of "divers and strange doctrines" that can lead believers astray [8]. This warning is echoed in the context of interpreting Hebrews 13:9, where the importance of not being "carried about" by various teachings is stressed.
In the view of Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, the warning in Revelation 22:19 against taking away from the prophecies of the book serves as a caution against indulging in personal conjectures or adopting the conjectures of others without careful consideration [5]. This underscores the need for a careful and reverent approach to interpreting Scripture.
The principle of avoiding additions or subtractions to Scripture is thus deeply rooted in biblical teachings and has been emphasized across various Christian traditions, including Presbyterian, Methodist/Wesleyan, and Baptist/Reformed. It serves as a guiding principle for interpreting Scripture faithfully and avoiding distortions that can arise from human innovations or misinterpretations.
The historical and theological significance of this principle lies in its role in maintaining the integrity and authority of Scripture. By adhering to this principle, believers and interpreters can ensure that their understanding and application of biblical teachings remain faithful to the original message.
Sources
- II Peter “II Peter 1:20 (BSB) — Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation.”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 1:4 (ASV) — neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; so do I now.”
- Titus “Titus 1:14 (NASB) — not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.”
- Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 4:2: Ye shall not add to the word which I command you, nether shall you diminish ought from it,.... Neither make new laws of their own, and join them to the law of God, and set them upon a level with it, or prefer them before it; as the Scribes and Pharisees did in Christ's time, who by their traditions made the word of God of none effect, as do the Papists also by their unwritten traditions; nor abrogate nor detract from the law of God, nor make void any part of it: or else the sense is, neither do that which is forbidden, nor neglect that which is commanded; neither ”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 22:19: If any man shall take away - If any man shall lessen this meaning, curtail the sense, explain away the spirit and design, of these prophecies, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, etc. Thus Jesus Christ warns all those who consider this book to beware of indulging their own conjectures concerning it. I confess that this warning has its own powerful influence upon my mind, and has prevented me from indulging my own conjectures concerning its meaning, or of adopting the conjectures of others. These visions and threatenings are too delicate and aw”
- Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 4:2: Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you--by the introduction of any heathen superstition or forms of worship different from those which I have appointed (Deu 12:32; Num 15:39; Mat 15:9). neither shall ye diminish aught from it--by the neglect or omission of any of the observances, however trivial or irksome, which I have prescribed. The character and provisions of the ancient dispensation were adapted with divine wisdom to the instruction of that infant state of the church. But it was only a temporary economy; and although God here aut”
- 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 1:20: Knowing this first,.... Especially, and in the first place, this is to be known, observed, and considered; that no prophecy of the Scripture, that is contained in Scripture, be it what it will, is of any private interpretation: not that this is levelled against the right of private judgment of Scripture; or to be understood as if a private believer had not a right of reading, searching, examining, and judging, and interpreting the Scriptures himself, by virtue of the unction which teacheth all things; and who, as a spiritual man, judgeth all things; otherwise, wh”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 13:9: Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines,.... The word "divers" may denote the variety and multitude of other doctrines; referring either to the various rites and ceremonies of the law, or to the traditions of the elders, or to the several doctrines of men, whether Jews or Gentiles; whereas the doctrine of the Scriptures, of Christ, and his apostles, is but one; it is uniform, and all of a piece; and so may likewise denote the disagreement of other doctrines with the perfections of God, the person and offices of Christ, the Scriptures of truth, the anal”