In Its Verse

II Peter 1:20 is a Scripture that I ordinarily begin with in my classes. In this book I have gone into more background to point out the accuracy of The Word so that now we are ready to study this verse. II Peter 1:20: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. This is the first thing one must know if he is going to understand the greatness of God’s revelation in His Word. No prophecy, not one verse of Scripture, is of any private interpretation. If I say, “This is what I think it means,” I am giving my private interpretation. If you say, “This is what I think it means,” or if any denomination writes, “This is what our denomination says it means,” we have private interpretation. Give two men the same Scripture verse and, by privately interpreting it, they will come to two completely divergent conclusions. All our splits in Christianity come because we do not study The Word from its inherent accuracy. It matters nothing what we think, what our opinions are. The crucial element is what The Word says. You and I have to do our thinking according to the accuracy of The Word. II Peter 1:20 is the only place that idios is translated “private.” At the other places in the Bible it is translated either “one’s own” or “his own.” The word “interpretation” is the Greek word epilusis which occurs at no other place in the Bible. The Greek verb form of epilusis is epiluō meaning “to let loose upon,” as a hunting dog is let loose upon game. Idios plus epilusis equals “of no personal letting loose.” One does not just let his mind run vagrantly as when turning a dog loose upon the game; one does not let his mind wander and give all kinds of interpretations to the Scripture. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any personal letting loose.” After eliminating private interpretation, two alternatives remain in interpreting God’s Word: (1) either there is no interpretation possible or (2) The Word must interpret itself. If