The Golden Rule Of Interpretation

[Anthony Pritchard]

THE GOLDEN RULE OF INTERPRETATION
With Explanation

By D.L. Cooper.​

D. L. Cooper is Dr. David L. Cooper (1886–1965), a respected early twentieth‑century theologian and linguist. He founded the Biblical Research Society and devoted his life to teaching the literal‑grammatical‑historical method of interpretation. He was trained in Semitic languages and earned advanced degrees in Hebrew and related fields. His work focused heavily on prophecy, Israel, and careful exegesis.

“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths indicate clearly otherwise.”

Seek the plain, literal meaning of the Scriptures.

The sum and substance of this most important rule is that one should take every statement of the Scriptures at its face value, if possible.

The following is an analysis of the adjectives "primary," "ordinary," and "usual."

"Primary" emphasizes the original, inherent idea in the term.

"Ordinary" and "usual" are practically synonyms, especially in this definition, "usual" being employed for the sake of emphasis.

"Literal" is used to emphasize the thought that every word must first be taken literally as expressing the exact thought of the author at the time when it was used; and one is not to go beyond the literal meaning of the Scriptures unless the facts of the context indicate a deeper, hidden or symbolic meaning.

Seek the figurative meaning only when the facts demand such an interpretation.

Modernism and rationalism are the logical outgrowth of forcing a figurative meaning upon a passage that is clearly literal, or vice versa.

Study every statement of the Scriptures in context. ("A TEXT APART FROM ITS CONTEXT IS A PRETEXT.") Then study the facts of the context in the light of related passages and axiomatic fundamental truths. "... No prophecy of scripture is of private (special) interpretation" (II Peter 1:20); "The sum of thy word is truth" (Psalm 119:160).

(The Golden Rule of Interpretation is one of the most important principles governing us in our interpretation of the Scriptures. If we follow this rule, we shall never go very far wrong; but if we fail to follow it, we shall never go right.)

Everything here from D.L. Cooper - Tony

 

[JD731]

Excellent! Praise God! And let every Baptist posting on this "Baptist Theology & Bible Study" forum say Amen!

 

[kyredneck]

The sum and substance of this most important rule is that one should take every statement of the Scriptures at its face value, if possible.

'Face value', similar to Hodge's first rule:

1. The Scriptures are to be taken in the sense attached to them in the age and by the people to whom they were addressed.

 

[JonC]

I agree, but at the same time people view the normal reading differently based on their experience or expectations (what they bring into the text).

A Methodist will see a plain reading in many passages that is different from a Presbyterian for example. This is because their theories influence what they see.

And our own worldviews affect what we see as the "plain reading". Anselm, for example, saw Scripture as clearly teaching that the Atonement was to restore God's honor that man had stolen through sin. This was because of Anselm's worldview, honor being the focus.

I think a good principle is to let Scripture interpret Scripture. God has given us His words, and all of His words stand. A "plain reading" of a passage that contradicts another passage is not correct.


There is a difference between studying Scripture and reading a Stephen King book.

 

[JonC]

1. The Scriptures are to be taken in the sense attached to them in the age and by the people to whom they were addressed.

This^^^

Nobody - not Presbyterians, Methodists, Jehovah Witnesses, Pentecostals, Catholics... believe they are not taking the "plain reading" of Scripture.

But what the passage means is often different from the plain reading from a perspective of a modern worldview, our theological systems, and our traditions.

Think - what does the passage state (without changing it or adding to it in order to get it to fit an expectation). Do not trust what you "see" but let Scripture interpret Scripture.

If what you see as the plain reading happens to disagree with other passages then what you see is a reflection of yoyr own philosophy rather than God's actual words.

 

[kyredneck]

A "plain reading" of a passage that contradicts another passage is not correct.

…Hodge’s second rule:

2. Scripture cannot contradict scripture.

 

[JonC]

…Hodge’s second rule:

2. Scripture cannot contradict scripture.

Hodge was one smart dude.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Jesus Christ's rule for the interpretation of Scripture:
'These are they which testify of Me.' (John 5:39; c.f. v.46).

 

[Van]

THE GOLDEN RULE OF INTERPRETATION
With Explanation

By D.L. Cooper.​

D. L. Cooper is Dr. David L. Cooper (1886–1965), a respected early twentieth‑century theologian and linguist. He founded the Biblical Research Society and devoted his life to teaching the literal‑grammatical‑historical method of interpretation. He was trained in Semitic languages and earned advanced degrees in Hebrew and related fields. His work focused heavily on prophecy, Israel, and careful exegesis.

“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths indicate clearly otherwise.”

Seek the plain, literal meaning of the Scriptures.

The sum and substance of this most important rule is that one should take every statement of the Scriptures at its face value, if possible.

The following is an analysis of the adjectives "primary," "ordinary," and "usual."

"Primary" emphasizes the original, inherent idea in the term.

"Ordinary" and "usual" are practically synonyms, especially in this definition, "usual" being employed for the sake of emphasis.

"Literal" is used to emphasize the thought that every word must first be taken literally as expressing the exact thought of the author at the time when it was used; and one is not to go beyond the literal meaning of the Scriptures unless the facts of the context indicate a deeper, hidden or symbolic meaning.

Seek the figurative meaning only when the facts demand such an interpretation.

Modernism and rationalism are the logical outgrowth of forcing a figurative meaning upon a passage that is clearly literal, or vice versa.

Study every statement of the Scriptures in context. ("A TEXT APART FROM ITS CONTEXT IS A PRETEXT.") Then study the facts of the context in the light of related passages and axiomatic fundamental truths. "... No prophecy of scripture is of private (special) interpretation" (II Peter 1:20); "The sum of thy word is truth" (Psalm 119:160).

(The Golden Rule of Interpretation is one of the most important principles governing us in our interpretation of the Scriptures. If we follow this rule, we shall never go very far wrong; but if we fail to follow it, we shall never go right.)

Everything here from D.L. Cooper - Tony

I have yet to find a person who rewrites scripture to fit his or her doctrine to deny they seek the plain meaning of the text.

No one seeks after God plainly means No one ever seeks after God, even though scripture is full of examples of people seeking after God. We all sin, and "no one seeks after God when sinning." That is Paul's point in Romans 3:11

The problem is we are blinded by our presuppositions, scripture plainly means what we believe it must mean.

The tool I use to avoid, or minimize that blind spot, is to ask the question, what is the least God is saying. This avoids expanding the scope of the statement into man-made conjecture.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

My only aim in posting Cooper’s Golden Rule was to highlight the simple starting point for all interpretation: take the words of Scripture in their ordinary sense unless the text itself requires otherwise. That principle, along with the truth that Scripture does not contradict Scripture, keeps us grounded in what God has actually said rather than in what we may assume or expect.

Different traditions may approach passages differently, but the clarity of the text does not change. Our task is always to return to the words themselves and let them speak. That is the heart of the Golden Rule of Interpretation.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

One of the reasons Cooper’s Golden Rule has served churches well is that it keeps us from shrinking or expanding a passage based on what we think it “must” mean. The plain sense is simply the ordinary sense of the words as they stand, unless the text itself gives a clear reason to limit or broaden the statement. The moment we adjust the scope because of our own expectations, we are no longer taking the words at face value.

The Golden Rule is not about finding the least God is saying, nor the most, but exactly what He is saying in the passage before us. That keeps us from rewriting Scripture to fit our doctrine and keeps our doctrine subject to Scripture.

 

[JonC]

I have yet to find a person who rewrites scripture to fit his or her doctrine to deny they seek the plain meaning of the text.

No one seeks after God plainly means No one ever seeks after God, even though scripture is full of examples of people seeking after God. We all sin, and "no one seeks after God when sinning." That is Paul's point in Romans 3:11

The problem is we are blinded by our presuppositions, scripture plainly means what we believe it must mean.

The tool I use to avoid, or minimize that blind spot, is to ask the question, what is the least God is saying. This avoids expanding the scope of the statement into man-made conjecture.

In seminary it was presented like this:

Pray. Read the passage. Write down what you think it means. Consider the differences between "us and them" (the difference in how we see the passage versus how it woukd have been understood by the immediate audience). Know what you are bringing into the reading so as to avoid it.

You and I discussed "what is the least the words are saying" with "He bore our sins". The least the words are saying is simply that He bore our sins (not "instead of us", not "our dishonoring of God", not "substitution" but "He bore our sins").

Another passage is "in the day you eat you shall surely die (literally "dying you shall die"). The least it says is on the day Adam eats of the fruit death would become certain ("certainly dying you shall die"). Most view this based on Augustine, making an assumption, rather than reading God's words to Adam about this death.

It is easy to say we should set aside our presuppositions, philosophies and theories but harder to do because they are a part of us and establish how we see things (our presuppositions dictate what we see as the "plain meaning" of a given text.

This is why I say we need to stick with the biblical text and allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Many disagreements would be resolved if we would do this. We'd still disagree on some things, but they'd be a matter of God's written word rather than which theory is correct.

Imagine the Christian landscape if people believed both "He bore our sins" and "it is not good to punish the innocent".