Interpreting Scripture Without Wooden or Literal Applications

Interpreting Scripture without wooden or literal applications involves recognizing the diverse literary forms and theological intentions within the biblical text, understanding its historical context, and discerning its spiritual meaning. This approach acknowledges that while the Bible is divinely inspired, its human authors employed various modes of expression, which require careful consideration to avoid misinterpretation ^{[10, 14]}.

One foundational principle for interpreting Scripture is that it is not of "private interpretation" in the sense that its meaning is solely determined by an individual's subjective understanding, detached from the broader context of divine revelation and the community of faith ^[11]. However, this does not negate the right of individual believers to read and study the Scriptures, especially when guided by the Holy Spirit ^{[7, 11]}. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that his preaching was not based on "enticing words of man's wisdom" but on the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power," suggesting a spiritual discernment beyond mere human intellect ^{[3, 5]}.

The Bible itself provides examples where a strictly literal reading would miss the intended meaning. For instance, when God speaks of not being honored by sacrifices or burdened by offerings in Isaiah 43:23, it highlights that the outward ritual was not the ultimate desire, but rather a heart of obedience and true worship ^[4]. Similarly, Isaiah 17:8 speaks of people no longer looking to altars or "wood pillars" made by their hands, indicating a critique of idolatry and reliance on human constructs rather than a literal prohibition of all physical structures ^[2].

The New Testament frequently reinterprets Old Testament passages, demonstrating a non-wooden approach. The author of Hebrews, for example, quotes Psalm 40:7 ("Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me") and applies it to Christ, understanding the "volume of the book" (the Pentateuch or Law of Moses) as containing prophecies and types that point to him, even if not explicitly mentioning David ^[12]. This shows that the Old Testament is understood to have a deeper, Christological meaning that transcends a surface-level reading.

Paul's discussion in 2 Corinthians 3:3 further illustrates this interpretive nuance. He describes believers as "manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ... written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart" ^[6]. This passage contrasts the old covenant, written on stone tablets, with the new covenant, inscribed by the Spirit on human hearts ^{[1, 13]}. Adam Clarke notes that Stephen, in Acts 7:44, aimed to show the Jews that they placed "too much dependence on outward privileges" like the tabernacle and the law, and had not used them for their intended spiritual purpose ^[8]. This suggests that the spiritual intent behind the law and its institutions was paramount, not merely their physical existence or literal observance. The old covenant, according to Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, "only 'worked wrath' through man's 'not regarding' it," whereas the new covenant enables obedience through "the Spirit's inward impulse producing love because of the forgiveness of our sins" ^[9].

The concept of "comparing spiritual things with spiritual" is crucial for this interpretive method ^[10]. This involves understanding that the Holy Spirit teaches and illuminates the meaning of Scripture, allowing believers to connect different parts of the Bible to form a coherent understanding. This might involve expounding Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture by comparing it with the Gospel revealed by the same Spirit, or illustrating Gospel mysteries by comparing them with Old Testament types ^[10].

John Calvin, in his commentary on Isaiah, provides an example of discerning spiritual meaning from a visionary account. When Isaiah describes a seraph taking a coal with tongs from the altar and touching his mouth, Calvin notes that this was a vision intended to assist the Prophet's understanding. He cautions against believing that the coal itself possessed "any virtue," as "superstitious persons imagine that in the magical arts there is some hidden power." Instead, he emphasizes that "it is God alone" who works through such signs ^[14]. This highlights the importance of looking beyond the literal imagery to the divine action and spiritual truth being conveyed.

The need for guidance in understanding Scripture is also acknowledged. The Ethiopian eunuch, when asked if he understood what he was reading from Isaiah, replied, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" ^[7]. Adam Clarke clarifies that this does not imply that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter" in a papistical sense. Rather, it points to the need for instruction, especially concerning the Gospel dispensation, which the eunuch had not yet encountered. Once the Gospel has been proclaimed and the New Testament is available, "every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright" person ^[7]. This suggests that while initial guidance may be necessary, the ultimate understanding is accessible through the Spirit and the complete revelation of God's Word.

Even among the learned, there can be a reluctance to engage with Scripture. John Gill notes that in Isaiah 29:12, both the learned and unlearned among the Jews were unwilling to read or search their Bibles, with the unlearned excusing themselves due to lack of education, and the learned perhaps due to spiritual blindness ^[15]. This underscores that intellectual capacity alone does not guarantee proper interpretation; a willingness to engage with the text and seek its spiritual meaning is also essential.

Sources

II Corinthians “II Corinthians 3:3 (Darby) — being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] livingGod; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.”
Isaiah “Isaiah 17:8 (BBE) — He will not be looking to the altars, the work of his hands, or to the wood pillars or to the sun-images which his fingers have made.”
I Corinthians “I Corinthians 2:4 (Geneva1599) — Neither stoode my woorde, and my preaching in the entising speach of mans wisdom, but in plaine euidence of the Spirite and of power,”
Isaiah “You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense. -- Isaiah 43:23”
King James Version “[KJV] 1 Corinthians 2:4 — And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”
King James Version “[KJV] 2 Corinthians 3:3 — Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 8:31: How can I, except some man should guide me? - This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles are at hand, every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright”
Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 7:44: Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness - That is, the tabernacle in which the two tables of stone written by the finger of God were laid up, as a testimony that he had delivered these laws to the people, and that they had promised to obey them. As one great design of St. Stephen was to show the Jews that they placed too much dependence on outward privileges, and had not used the law, the tabernacle, the temple, nor the temple service, for the purpose of their institution, he labors to bring them to a due sense of this, that conviction might lead t”
Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 8:9: Not according to, &c.--very different from, and far superior to, the old covenant, which only "worked wrath" (Rom 4:15) through man's "not regarding" it. The new covenant enables us to obey by the Spirit's inward impulse producing love because of the forgiveness of our sins. made with--rather as Greek, "made to": the Israelites being only recipients, not coagents [ALFORD] with God. I took them by the hand--as a father takes his child by the hand to support and guide his steps. "There are three periods: (1) that of the promise; (2) that of the pedag”
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:”
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”
Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 40:7: Then--in such case, without necessarily referring to order of time. Lo, I come--I am prepared to do, &c. in the volume of the book--roll of the book. Such rolls, resembling maps, are still used in the synagogues. written of me--or on me, prescribed to me (Kg2 22:13). The first is the sense adopted by Paul. In either case, the Pentateuch, or law of Moses, is meant, and while it contains much respecting Christ directly, as Gen 3:15; Gen 49:10; Deu 18:15, and, indirectly, in the Levitical ritual, there is nowhere any allusion to David.”
2 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Corinthians 3:3: declared--The letter is written so legibly that it can be "read by all men" (Co2 3:2). Translate, "Being manifestly shown to be an Epistle of Christ"; a letter coming manifestly from Christ, and "ministered by us," that is, carried about and presented by us as its (ministering) bearers to those (the world) for whom it is intended: Christ is the Writer and the Recommender, ye are the letter recommending us. written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God--Paul was the ministering pen or other instrument of writing, as well as the min”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 12.15: my mouth . — Eng. Ver. We see how God condescends to meet the weakness of human sense. He puts the tongs into the hand of a seraph, that by means of it he may take a coal from the altar and apply it to the Prophet’s mouth. This was, no doubt, done in vision; but by the aid of the outward sign God assisted the Prophet’s understanding. There is no reason to believe that the coal possessed any virtue, as superstitious persons imagine that in the magical arts there is some hidden power. Nothing of this sort is to be found here; for it is God alo”
Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 29:12: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned,.... Or that knows not a book or letters, as before, and so consequently cannot read, having never been put to school, or learned to read: saying, Read this, I pray thee; or "now" (w), at once, immediately: and he saith, I am not learned; he does not excuse himself on account of its being sealed, but on account of his want of learning; which shows the former was but an excuse. In short, the sum of it is this, that neither the learned nor unlearned, among the Jews, cared to read their Bibles, or to search the Sc”

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