3:7: Basic Law of Hermeneutics For Studying Scripture

Today, while driving home, I was listening to a Christian polemicist who was attempting to validate his Trinitarian views by attacking verses from the Quran. It struck me that his entire methodology involved taking either allegorical verses or ones open to multiple interpretations and using these verses to draw sweeping conclusions that fundamentally contradict the core of the scripture. Interestingly, the person uses the same flawed approach to understand both the Quran and the Bible.

This epiphany immediately made me think of Sura 3, verse 7 of the Quran, which warns that those with perversity in their heart use this approach. Yet, it dawned on me that this way of studying scripture is not limited to the Quran but applies to all of God’s scriptures (Torah & Gospel).

[3:7] He sent down to you this scripture, containing straightforward verses—which constitute the essence of the scripture—as well as multiple-meaning or allegorical verses. Those who harbor doubts in their hearts will pursue the multiple-meaning verses to create confusion, and to extricate a certain meaning. None knows the true meaning thereof except GOD and those well founded in knowledge. They say, “We believe in this—all of it comes from our Lord.” Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ

As fate would have it, right after listening to a Christian polemicist’s arguments and contemplating this idea, I came across a clip from Rabbi Tovia Singer that had just been uploaded the day before and beautifully articulated this exact point.

In this clip, Rabbi Singer emphasized a fundamental rule of hermeneutics: using clear and unambiguous passages to interpret more ambiguous ones. This point was articulated in response to a listener who called in to “paint a picture” that Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son was an inference to God sacrificing His son Jesus for the sins of mankind. Rabbi Singer countered that such an interpretation contradicts the clear verses which state that no innocent person can die for the sins of the wicked (Ezekiel 18). Therefore, a person has a choice to accept reality or to “paint pictures” with inferences.

Rabbi Singer argued that the honest approach is to use clear passages (“in the light”) to interpret ambiguous ones (“in the dark”), avoiding the pitfalls of misinterpretation and false beliefs. He criticized the tendency to rely on human-created interpretations or “paintings” rather than the explicit words of God. This practice leads many religions to reinterpret clear texts with ambiguous passages, resulting in misleading doctrines.

The key takeaway is that individuals should use the clear teachings from straightforward scripture verses to interpret less clear passages, rather than the other way around. This method avoids the pitfalls of reinterpreting explicit texts with ambiguous ones, ensuring a more accurate and faithful understanding of the scriptures.

Gospel Contradictions