Father Miller's…important rules for Bible study and interpretation

 14 points on the Method of Interpretation

 

1.                Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible. Matt. 5:18.

2.             All scripture is necessary, and may be understood by, a diligent application study. 2 Tim. 3:15–17.

3.            Nothing revealed in the Scriptures can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering. Deut. 29:29; Matt. 10:26,27; 1 Cor. 2:10; Phil. 3:15; Isa. 14:11; Matt. 21:22; John 14:13,14; 15:7; James 1:5,6; 1 John 5:13–15.

4.             To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error. Isa. 28:7–29, 35:8; Prov. 19:27; Luke 24:27,44,45; Rom. 16:26; James 5:19; 2 Pet. 1:19,20.

5.            Scriptures must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible. Ps. 19:7–11; 119:97–105; Matt. 23:8–10; 1 Cor. 2:12–16; Eze. 34:18,19; Luke 11:52; Matt. 2:7,8.

6.        God has revealed things to come, by vision, in figures and parable; and in this way the same things are oftentimes revealed again and again, by different visions, or in different figures and parables. If you wish to understand them you must combine them all in one. Ps. 89:19; Hos. 12:10; Hab. 2:2; Acts 2:17; 1 Cor. 10:6; Heb. 9:9,24; Ps. 78:2; Matt. 13:13,34; Gen. 41:1–32; Dan. Cp. 2,7,8; Acts 10:9–16.

7.               Visions are always mentioned as such. 2 Cor. 12:1.

8.            Figures always have a figurative meaning, and are used much in prophecy to represent future things, times and events—such as mountains, meaning governments, Dan 2:35,44; beast, meaning kingdoms, Dan. 7:8,17; waters meaning people, Rev. 17:1,15; day, meaning year, Eze. 4:6. Etc.

9.            Parables are used as comparisons, to illustrate subjects, and must be explained in the same way as figures, by the subject and Bible. Mark 4:13.

10.         Figures sometimes have two or more different significations, as day is used in a figurative sense to represent 3 different periods of time, namely:

Ø  first, indefinite, Ecc. 7:14;

Ø  second definite, a day for a year, Eze. 4:6;

Ø  and third, a day for a thousand years, 2 Peter 3:8.


"The right construction will harmonize, with the Bible, and make good sense; other constructions will not."

11.          If a word makes good sense as it stands, and does no violence to the simple laws of nature, it is to be understood literally, if not figuratively. Rev. 12:1,2; 17:3-7.

12.    To learn the meaning of a figure, trace the word through your Bible, and when you find it explained, substitute the explanation for the word used; and if it make good sense, you need not look further; if not, look again.

13.      To know whether we have the true historical event for the fulfillment of prophecy: If you find every word of the prophecy (after figures are understood) is literally fulfilled, then you may know that your history is the true event; but if one word lacks a fulfillment, then you must look for another event, or wait its future development; for God takes care that history and prophecy shall agree, so that the true believing children of God may never be ashamed. Ps. 22:5; Isa. 45:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:6; Rev. 17:17; Acts 3:18.

14.      The most important rule of all is that you must have faith. It must be a faith that requires a sacrifice, and, if tried, would give up the dearest object on earth, the world and all its desires, character, living, occupation, friends, home, comforts, and worldly honor. If any of these should hinder our believing any part of God’s word, it would show our faith to be in vain. Nor can we ever believe so long as one of these motives lies lurking in our hearts. We must believe that God will never forfeit His Word; and we can have confidence that he who takes notice of the sparrow’s fall, and numbers the hair of our head, will guard the translation of His own Word, and throw a barrier around it, and prevent those who sincerely trust in God, and put implicit confidence in His Word, from erring far from truth.


Summary of points:

1.           Every Word bears weight.

2.           All Scripture is needed.

3.           Faith reveals scripture.

4.           True doctrines lack contradiction.

5.           Scriptures is its own expositor.

6.           Visions, figures, parables are combinable.

7.           Visions are without vainglory.

8.           Figures represent future things, times, events.

9.           Parables are illustrative comparisons by the subject.

10.        Figures sometimes represent more than one thing.

11.        A word is literal when it lacks violence.

12.        Trace figures through Bible to give meaning to its usage.

13.        If one word lacks fulfillment, look for a future fulfillment.

14.        Faith dispels unbelief, negative motives and leads one to believe God will never forfeit His Word.

This blog post gives credit to the book “Life Incidents” (p. 35-38) written by James White (one of the Pioneers of the Advent Movement) from which it, except for the summary of points, is derived. Ellen White in a chapter called ‘An American Reformer’ (p. 320) from the book “the Great Controversy” endorses William Miller’s method of arriving to a proper understanding of the Bible’s system of revealed truths [See: Education, p. 123.2; RH, Nov. 25, 1884 par. 23-25].


     Those who are engaged in proclaiming the third angel's message are searching the Scriptures upon the same plan that Father Miller adopted. In the little book entitled "Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology," Father Miller gives the following simple but intelligent and important rules for Bible study and interpretation:—  {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 23}  

     "1. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible; 2. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and study; 3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering; 4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you wish to know, then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error; 5. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible."  {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 24}  

     The above is a portion of these rules; and in our study of the Bible we shall all do well to heed the principles set forth.  {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 25}  

     Genuine faith is founded on the Scriptures; but Satan uses so many devices to wrest the Scriptures and bring in error, that great care is needed if one would know what they really do teach. It is one of the great delusions of this time to dwell much upon feeling, and to claim honesty while ignoring the plain utterances of the word of God because that word does not coincide with feeling. Many have no foundation for their faith but emotion. Their religion consists in excitement; when that ceases, their faith is gone. Feeling may be chaff, but the word of God is the wheat. And "what," says the prophet, "is the chaff to the wheat?"  {RH, November 25, 1884 par. 26}  

     None will be condemned for not heeding light and knowledge that they never had, and they could not obtain. But many refuse to obey the truth that is presented to them by Christ's ambassadors, because they wish to conform to the world's standard; and the truth that has reached their understanding, the light that has shone in the soul, will condemn them in the Judgment. In these last days we have the accumulated light that has been shining through all the ages, and we shall be held correspondingly responsible. The path of holiness is not on a level with the world; it is a way cast up. If we walk in this way, if we run in the way of the Lord's commandments, we shall find that the "path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."—RH, November 25, 1884 par. 23-27

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