Interpreting Scripture through Spiritual Eyes and Understanding
Interpreting Scripture through spiritual eyes and understanding refers to the belief that a proper comprehension of biblical texts requires divine illumination beyond mere intellectual apprehension. The Bible itself is considered to be "given by inspiration of God" and "by inspiration of the Holy Spirit" [1], and is described as the "Word of God" [1]. This divine origin implies that its meaning can be fully grasped only with spiritual insight.
The concept is rooted in passages that speak of spiritual perception. For instance, Hebrews 11:3 states that "by faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God" [2]. Similarly, Acts 26:18 speaks of opening eyes "that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God" [4], which Tyndale House interprets as a transformation from spiritual blindness to understanding God [7]. The psalmist prays, "Open thou mine eyes," which John Gill interprets as a request for the removal of a "veil of darkness and ignorance" from the understanding, necessary to "discern spiritual things contained in the word of God" [8]. Gill further explains that this involves a "spiritual understanding" of God's law and the Gospel, which is a gift of grace [9].
The apostle Paul also addresses this in 1 Corinthians 2:13, where he speaks of "comparing spiritual things with spiritual" [6]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown interpret this as expounding Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture by comparing it with the Gospel revealed by the same Spirit, and illustrating Gospel mysteries by comparing them with Old Testament types [6]. This suggests an internal coherence within the divinely inspired text that is revealed through spiritual discernment.
The "eyes of your understanding being enlightened" is a phrase used in Ephesians 1:18, which John Gill explains as an enlightenment by the Spirit of God that allows believers to see the sinfulness of sin, the sufficiency of Christ, and the truth of Gospel doctrines [11]. This spiritual enlightenment is contrasted with a state where understandings were previously dark [11]. The Word of God is described as "living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword," capable of "discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" [5], indicating its profound spiritual impact and the depth of understanding it requires.
While dreams were sometimes vehicles of divine revelation in the Old Testament, the New Testament places prophecy and visions, where the understanding is active, above dreams, where the understanding is asleep [3]. This suggests a preference for conscious, spiritually informed understanding in the Christian dispensation. The public reading of Scripture, transferred from the Jewish synagogue to the Christian Church, was also seen as a means of spiritual instruction, with New Testament writings recognized as inspired and read alongside the Old Testament [10].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- Hebrews “By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible. -- Hebrews 11:3”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Dreams — The Scripture declares that the influence of the Spirit of God upon the soul extends to its sleeping as well as its waking thoughts. But, in accordance with the principle enunciated by St. Paul in (1 Corinthians 14:15) dreams, in which the understanding is asleep, are placed below the visions of prophecy, in which the understanding plays its part. Under the Christian dispensation, while we read frequently of trances and vision, dreams are never referred to as vehicles of divine revelation. In exact accordance with this principle are the actual records of the ”
- Acts “to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ -- Acts 26:18”
- Hebrews “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -- Hebrews 4:12”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:13: also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (Co1 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (Co2 10:”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 35:5: 35:5 eyes . . . ears: There will be a transformation from spiritual blindness and deafness to understanding and knowing God (6:10; 29:18; 32:3; 42:7; see also Luke 7:22; Acts 26:18).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:16: Open thou mine eyes,.... The eyes of my heart or understanding, as Kimchi; or, "reveal mine eyes" (t); take off the veil from them: there is a veil of darkness and ignorance on the hearts of all men, with respect to divine and spiritual things; their understandings are darkened, yea, darkness itself. This veil must be removed; the scales must drop from their eyes; their eyes must be opened and enlightened, before they can discern spiritual things contained in the word of God; and even good men need to have the eyes of their understandings more and more enlightened i”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:32: Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law,.... A spiritual understanding; an understanding of the law, the perfection, purity, holiness, and spirituality of it; an understanding of the Gospel, and of Christ and the things of Christ; from whom grace and strength are to be had for the due observance of the law, as in his hands; which understanding must be given, and is a gift of pure, free, rich grace, to such who have it; though they cannot keep the law perfectly, as no mere man can, yet will keep it spiritually, from a principle of love and gratitude, and with”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 4:13: Till I come--when Timothy's commission would be superseded for the time by the presence of the apostle himself (Ti1 1:3; Ti1 3:14). reading--especially in the public congregation. The practice of reading Scripture was transferred from the Jewish synagogue to the Christian Church (Luk 4:16-20; Act 13:15; Act 15:21; Co2 3:14). The New Testament Gospel and Epistles being recognized as inspired by those who had the gift of discerning spirits, were from the first, according as they were written, read along with the Old Testament in the Church (Th1 5:21”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:18: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened,.... By the Spirit of God already, to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin; the insufficiency of their own righteousness; the beauty, glory, fulness, and suitableness of Christ, as a Saviour; the excellency, truth, and usefulness of the doctrines of the Gospel; in which their understandings were before dark, but now had light into them: wherefore these words are not to be considered as part of the apostle's petitions, but rather as what was taken for granted by him; and are to be put into a parenthesis, and the follow”