What is the Literal / Historical / Grammatical Method of Interpretation?

 

A conservative philosophy of biblical interpretation generally emphasizes faithfulness to the original meaning of the biblical text, under the belief that Scripture is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. Here's a simple breakdown of what this looks like:

1. High View of Scripture

  • Conservatives hold that the Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and without error in its original manuscripts.

  • It is seen not just as a historical document, but as a living revelation with authority over faith and life.

2. Literal-Grammatical-Historical Method

  • Literal: Interpreting the text according to its plain meaning, unless the context clearly indicates a figurative or symbolic sense.

  • Grammatical: Paying close attention to the grammar and syntax of the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek).

  • Historical: Understanding the historical and cultural background in which the text was written to rightly grasp its meaning.

3. Authorial Intent

  • Conservative interpretation seeks to uncover what the original human author (under divine inspiration) meant, rather than reading new or foreign meanings into the text.

  • This opposes approaches that prioritize modern experiences, ideologies, or subjective feelings over the text’s original meaning.

4. Theological Consistency

  • Scripture is interpreted in harmony with itself — because God is its ultimate author, it is internally consistent.

  • Hard passages are interpreted in light of clearer passages ("Scripture interprets Scripture").

5. Rejection of Modernist/Skeptical Approaches

  • Conservatives reject methods that treat the Bible merely as a human book full of errors, myths, or moral fables (like many forms of higher criticism).

  • They oppose revisionist interpretations that accommodate secular ideologies (e.g., radical feminism, LGBTQ+ affirmations, liberation theology without biblical grounding).

6. Application Flowing from Meaning

  • Only after understanding the original meaning does a conservative approach move to application — applying timeless truths to contemporary life without distorting the message.

In short:

A conservative philosophy of biblical interpretation is committed to discovering and submitting to the original, Spirit-inspired meaning of the text, and applying it carefully and faithfully today.