How NOT to Read the Bible | Don’t Misunderstand the Words

Season 2, Episode 109

In this episode, Michael and Zach begin a new series on common mistakes Christians make when interpreting Scripture by tackling one of the most abused areas of Bible study: word studies. Drawing from insights popularized by scholars like D. A. Carson, the discussion explores how helpful tools can quickly become misleading when words are ripped from their context or overloaded with meanings they were never intended to carry.

The conversation walks through several major interpretive errors, including the root fallacy, semantic range fallacy, illegitimate totality transfer, and the over-spiritualizing of Greek and Hebrew terms. Along the way, Michael and Zach examine popular examples involving words like dynamis, ekklesia, sarx, agapao, and phileo, showing how sermons and Bible studies sometimes create “deeper meanings” that the biblical authors themselves never intended.

The episode also offers practical guidance for doing word studies responsibly—paying attention to context, usage, genre, grammar, and how words function across Scripture. Rather than discouraging deeper study, the goal is to help listeners avoid interpretive shortcuts and gain greater confidence in reading the Bible carefully and faithfully. The takeaway is simple but foundational: the goal of Bible study is not discovering hidden meanings, but understanding the meaning the author intended to communicate.

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