The work of the expositor is to bring out the grammatical and spiritual meaning of each verse

Now one or two brief observations and we conclude. The work of the expositor is to bring out the grammatical and spiritual meaning of each verse he deals with. In order to do that he must approach it without bias or prejudice, and diligently study it. He must neither assume that he knows its meaning nor take his doctrinal views from others. Nor is he to form his own opinions from a few detached verses, but carefully compare his ideas with the entire Analogy of Faith. Each verse requires to be critically examined, and every word thoroughly weighed. Thus he is to note the “is accepted” of Acts 10:35, and not “shall be,” and the “are” (rather than “shall be”) in Hebrews 3:6, 14—to change the tense mentally in those verses would inculcate false doctrine. Minute care is needed if we are to observe the “the Lord and Savior” of 2 Peter 2:20 (not “their”), and the “our” and not “your” of 1 Corinthians 15:3. Finally, it is not the interpreter’s province to explain what God has not explained (Deuteronomy 29:29), i.e., His “ways” (Romans 11:33), miracles, etc.

END OF THIS BOOK

Arthur W. Pink-Interpretation of the Scriptures