May 4

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:20

The word “private” points not to the interpreter but to the words being interpreted. It means that prophetic Scripture is not to be explained by its own context alone. For example, Matthew 24 should be read in the light of other Scriptures which bear on it. For no prophecy is self-interpreting; a given passage will be understood with the help of many other passages. To attempt otherwise is to fall into “private interpretation.”

Truly God’s Word is one. He has set it in writing in the Bible: hence we have no need to speak independently, but can check our words by what has already been spoken by God. No doubt God the Holy Spirit gives us new insights and discoveries of his will, but our safeguard is that all can he founded on what God has already spoken. We should never move away from that.