When Jesus affirmed, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” He provided the much-needed answer to many questions of biblical interpretation troubling us today. (John 8:32.) These few words from the lips of our Lord make clear, first, that truth – absolute truth – exists, and second, that this truth can be known, or understood.
Interestingly enough, at least in light of current thought, Christ did not speak of this hermeneutic or that hermeneutic. He spoke of truth; truth which can be known; period.
The inspired writers of the New Testament continued this same attitude toward truth. To the Ephesians, Paul wrote, “Wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17.) He commends the early spiritual training of Timothy, his “own son in the faith,” by urging, “But continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14, 15.)
Peter allowed little sympathy for those “unlearned and unstable” souls who were wrestling and perverting the inspired scriptures “unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16.) Though he recognized that there are in scripture “some things hard to be understood,” Peter nonetheless expected his readers to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:16,18.)
These New Testament penmen did not write their letters discussing this interpretation compared with that interpretation. They wrote, and wrote of, inspired scripture – truth – which could be learned, understood and known.