HERMENEUTICS
LESSON 15
BIB 121
Lillian Trasher
Mother of the Nile
“Lord, if I can ever do
anything for You, just
let me know –I will do
it.”
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Interpreting, Using,
and Applying Scripture
◦Lillian Trasher’s story: Became an orphanage worker in the
Midwest helping with sewing, cooking, etc., learning to live by
faith working with hundreds of children. Left to go to Bible
School for 1 year then returned to the orphanage and met
Tom. They fell in love and were engaged. A burden for Africa
grew in her heart became life determination after reading Acts
7:34. She knew God was calling her to Egypt...Tom did not feel
the call to Egypt so 10 days before their wedding, she left for
Africa. From 1910 –1961 she ministered to thousands of orphans
in Egypt... Living by faith for the needs of the orphanage and
children. Her Spirit-led life changed the Nation of Egypt...
◦Acts 7: 37 –context = Stephen was being killed because
of his faith and he was preaching to the Sanhedrin,
giving a theological context for Christ’s coming... He
reviewed God’s message to Moses about the Jews’
captivity...“I have indeed seen the oppression of My
people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have
come down to set them free.”
◦Through the Spirit and prayer, Lillian knew she was being
led to go to Africa...the Lord used these verses to
confirm her ministry would be specifically in Egypt...
◦Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would help us. The Lord said about
the Spirit’s role in interpreting Scripture: “But the Counselor, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things
and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all
truth” (John 16:13).
◦Six Principles: The Holy Spirit’s Role in Interpreting Scripture:
1. The Holy Spirit helps those who are born again to understand.
Jesus said, “‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned,
and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your
good pleasure’” (Matthew 11:25–26). Here – “children” is a metaphor
for believers
Why do children seem to understand somethings better than
adults?
◦The Holy Spirit enables believers to understand, grasp, and
know spiritual truths that are beyond mere human knowledge.
He helps us know truths in our hearts and spirits, not just our
minds. Theologians refer to this spiritual knowledge as
illumination—the result that occurs as the Spirit puts a truth
within us and we experience it. We see it with spiritual eyes and
experience it within our spirit.
◦Paul wrote about this spiritual knowledge that goes beyond
human knowledge. “And I pray that you, being rooted and
established in love, may have power, together with all the
saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the
love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”
(Ephesians 3:17–19).
2. The Holy Spirit helps believers as they study the Scriptures:
Paul said to Timothy, his son in the faith: “Until I come, devote
yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to
teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you thru a
prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on
you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so
that everyone may see your progress”(1 Tim 4:13–15).
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a
workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly
handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
3. The Holy Spirit guides us to interpret a Scripture in a way that
agrees with all Scripture:
“All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). We know
that God does not contradict Himself. We understand
that the Spirit leads us to interpret a verse in the light of all
other verses. We need the Bible to interpret all verses and all
personal experiences.
4. The Holy Spirit guides us to interpret Scripture in ways that
others confirm:
Be ware of those who preach “new thoughts” or “new
theology”! “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many
advisers make victory sure.” Prov 11:14
Ecc. says there is nothing “new under the sun...”
5. The Holy Spirit shines more light on some passages than others:
Peter said that Paul’s letters “contain some things that are
hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16).
Letters that contain visions, prophecies, and teachings on
the end times are hard to interpret.
6. The Holy Spirit uses teachers to help believers interpret
Scriptures:
What does I John 2:27 mean? Does this conflict with Eph 4:
11 –12?
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Using and Applying Scripture:
*Be ware of people who often says, “God told me...” Some say
this breaks the 1st Commandment... “do not take the Lord God’s
name in vain...”
*Remember Peter’s big mistake on the Mt of Transfiguration?...
*Jesus said that His sheep know His voice (John 10:4). It is possible,
but not normal, for God to tell a believer to do something that
does not make sense. This reminds us of Peter’s words: “Master,
we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But
because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5). Mary’s
advice to the servant at the wedding is good advice to us: “Do
whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
*Even though there are those rare times when God speaks in
unusual ways, there are principles that can guide us at all times.
6 Principles: The Holy Spirit Uses and Applies Scriptures:
1. Holy Spirit addresses personal need: There are many ways the
Spirit speaks to believers: thru His Word; dreams; visions;
prophecy; tongues and interpretation; thru a song; a teaching;
or a sermon (I Corinthians 14:26 – 33) “Were not our hearts
burning within us while he talked with us...and opened the
Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24: 32)
2. The Holy Spirit gives unique application: Lillian Trasher & Act
7:34; John Wesley in 1709 –last to be rescued from a burning
home – personally held on to Zech 3:2, “Is not this man a burning
stick snatched from the fire?” As believers, we should rejoice
when the Holy Spirit applies verses to us personally in His efforts to
communicate specifically with us.
3. The Holy Spirit guides application of Scriptures: Only the Holy
Spirit can help us know which promise or verse to focus on at a
particular time. Even though He might choose a verse that we
would not have chosen, we should let Him guide us. “In the
same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know
what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for
us with groans that words cannot express. And he who
searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will”
(Romans 8:26–27).
◦The Holy Spirit’s infinite wisdom will feed and guide you as
you take time to listen to Him. Remember this: Nothing takes
the place of daily time with the Spirit in the Word.
4. The Holy Spirit uses principles of Scripture to guide us: Look at I
Corinthians 9: 12-27...muzzling the ox...The Holy Spirit uses
principles to apply Biblical truth.
5. The Holy Spirit always applies Scriptures in harmony with
others:
6. What the Holy Spirit says to one, He will confirm through others:
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy
Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to
which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and
prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them off.” Acts 13:
1- 3)
Done!
