Can We Interpret The Scriptures For Ourselves?

An individual once asked me, “Does 2 Peter 1:20-21 mean that we cannot interpret the Scriptures for ourselves?” 2 Peter 1:20-21 states: “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Looking at both of these passages together, the phrase, “private interpretation” in 2 Peter 1:20b, refers to the “holy men of God” in 2 Peter 1:21b – not to those of us who read and study the prophecy.

No prophecy of Scripture came into being by means of the “holy men of God” inserting their own private interpretation or explanation of the Scriptures, but by being directly influenced or “moved” (Gk. “phero” – to be borne along as a sailing vessel before the wind) by the Holy Spirit.

These “holy men of God” (i.e., prophets and apostles – cf. Ephesians 3:1-5) were thus passive instruments, which the Holy Spirit used to deliver the inspired writings directly from God (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16). The prophecy of Scripture did not originate from their own intellect or will (2 Peter 1:21a), but came directly by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Gal. 1:12).

Since we now have the “once delivered” inspired Word of God (Jude 1:3), it behooves all men to prayerfully and seriously study the inspired Scriptures for themselves (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11), making direct application of them in daily living (Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets