Why can't I interpret the Bible my way?

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Martin Luther, commemorated on February 18 Eva...
Martin Luther, commemorated on February 18 Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Minneapolis: Fortress Press (2006), 15. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” [Matt. 5:18]

Many in history have selectively chosen which sections of Scripture are authentic and authoritative. Thomas Jefferson, for example, literally excised major portions of the New Testament with a razor blade.
Christians do not have the prerogative of following Jefferson’s example, but we can discover proper rules that govern our interpretation of Scripture. When properly interpreted, there is no need to excise certain passages, because the inherent unity and harmony produced by the Spirit will be evident.
The Protestant Reformation insisted on the right of private interpretation of the Bible. By this they meant that everyone should study the Bible and seek to understand it. Unfortunately, this doctrine has been distorted by some to mean that we have the “right” to interpret the Bible without taking into consideration the wisdom of the past. Martin Luther and the other Reformers intended no such thing. They insisted that the right of private interpretation comes with a sober responsibility to accurately interpret. For this reason, the Holy Spirit has given great teachers to the church.
Every passage of the Bible has one and only one meaning, but it may have many implications and applications. Sometimes uncovering the meaning is not easy. Therefore, we need to be open to the insights of other students, pastors, and scholars. Otherwise, we fall into sheer  subjectivism.
Subjectivism not only produces error and distortion in our understanding of God’s Word; it breeds arrogance as well. To believe what I believe simply because I believe it, or to argue that my opinion is true simply because it is my opinion is the epitome of arrogance. If my views cannot stand the test of objective analysis and verification, truth and humility demand that I abandon them.

 No one has a perfectly pure understanding of Scripture, but that should not stop us from carefully studying God’s Word. We must, however, guard against subjectivism and other excess interpretive baggage. As you read Scripture, be prepared to subject your conclusions and interpretations to the test of other godly people, and to the great teachers God has given to his church.

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