Beliefs > Question & Answer > Modern Day Revelation

Question

How can there be so many interpretations of the Bible?

Response

First of all, who has a right to interpret any writing by any author? For example, I've written several songs that I recorded on some of my albums, and it's quite amusing at times to hear the interpretations that people have of what I actually meant by certain lyrics that I wrote. Sometimes it's completely different from what was originally meant. I wrote a song one time that was so esoteric that even I had to stop and think what the initial meaning was. Along those same lines, who has a right to interpret scripture? All authors will agree that at some future time, there will be things in their writings that will be interpreted in all different kinds of ways, and that people will try to find hidden meanings and messages in them to show the presence of things unsaid. But once again, who has the right to do that? Only the author himself or a direct and trusted student or disciple. To achieve an accurate interpretation of someone's writings who is not around anymore, it must be received by someone who has the authority to speak on behalf of the writer; it cannot be conjured out of the writings itself. So, to interpret the Bible by one's own reading of the Bible is to assume that they have this authority. Humanity has recognized this fact and has tried so hard to establish or discover some authorized individual or council or some reliable rules and principles by which the interpretation of the Bible could be made a sure and certain thing, and they have failed. Controversy, conflict, even wars have ignited over interpretations as each great council gives its own bits of misunderstanding which eventually leads to complete alterations and falsehoods of the original meaning and intent. The world is so divided in spiritual matters. What on earth is going to unite us? Think of all the hundreds of so-called Christian churches in this world, and how they all came into existence because they couldn't agree in their interpretation of the Bible. Even if it were possible to get all of these churches united in one meeting, how could we hope that they could ever reconcile their differences, and even if they did, where would they get their authority to act in the name of God? This brings us to a real significant conclusion. One of the fundamentals of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we believe in modern day revelation; that the heavens are not closed and that we do have a living prophet on the earth who has been called of God to guide us in these latter days, receives inspiration from on high and has the authority to interpret the words of God correctly. Absence of this revelation has drifted humanity into many differences of opinions with regard to what the original Gospel meant. We need a prophet now just as much as they did in Biblical times. Why? Paul gives the reason; that we may all "come in the unity of the faith, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13) That is the purpose of a ministry. But without continued revelation, being left with our good old Bible alone, look what the results have been. Multiplied confusion and unbelief! Despite all the differences of opinions, I cherish the Bible. I love to read it. Some of my favorite scriptures are written in this great book. But as we all know, so many different interpretations are put upon its teachings and doctrines that we need some new light from on high so that we may see eye to eye. This is why I'm so glad to know that we are not left to our own devices. We still do receive revelation, but we do through the proper channels of authority. Sincerely, Donny Osmond See related multimedia presentations

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