--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Make a mistake in the interpretation of…" description: "\"Make a mistake in the interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s plays, falsely scan a piece of Spenserian verse, and there is unlikely to be an entailment..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/d-a-carson-4044_accepting_make-a-mistake-in-the-interpretation-of_2261822.png" --- # Make a mistake in the interpretation of one of… ![“Make a mistake in the interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s plays, falsely scan a piece of Spenserian verse, and there is unlikely to be an entailment of eternal consequence; but we cannot lightly accept a similar laxity in the interpretation of Scripture. We are dealing with God’s thoughts: we…” quote by D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/d-a-carson-4044_accepting_make-a-mistake-in-the-interpretation-of_2261822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/d-a-carson-4044_accepting_make-a-mistake-in-the-interpretation-of_2261822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/d-a-carson-4044_accepting_make-a-mistake-in-the-interpretation-of_2261822.png) > “Make a mistake in the interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s plays, falsely scan a piece of Spenserian verse, and there is unlikely to be an entailment of eternal consequence; but we cannot lightly accept a similar laxity in the interpretation of Scripture. We are dealing with God’s thoughts: we are obligated to take the greatest pains to understand them truly and to explain them clearly.” [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Interpreting Scripture demands rigorous care; mistakes in literary analysis are minor, but errors in biblical understanding have eternal stakes. **In simple terms:** Bible study requires great precision. Key Takeaway Study Scripture with humility and diligence. Themes faith interpretation responsibility truth Mood serious reverent Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - Bible study groups - sermons - personal devotion Key Concepts theology exegesis epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What methods ensure accurate biblical interpretation? - How do we balance humility with confidence in understanding? A Different Perspective Human fallibility can lead to misinterpretation despite best efforts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Interpretation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation/) [Interpretation Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation-scripture-311461/) [Interpretation Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation-shakespeare-5208282/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Interpretation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-interpretation-5208283/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Shakespeare 's plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare-s-plays/) [Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlikely/) [Verse Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verse-unlikely-5208284/) [Verses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verses/) ## Related quotes > [An extraordinary and controversial interpretation of Shakespeare's origins, which certainly provokes much thought. A radical analysis of Shakespeare's text, leading to a conclusion which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-berkoff/an-extraordinary-and-controversial-interpretation-of-shakespeare-s/) [Steven Berkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-berkoff/) > [“I urge not that we assume that love will provide a reliable foundation for knowledge but that we nonetheless keep the requirements of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-b-martin/i-urge-not-that-we-assume-that-love-will-provide-a-reliable/) [Dale B. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-b-martin/) > [“There are good theological reasons to reject making authorial intention the goal of the interpretation of Scripture. First, we must recognize that what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-b-martin/there-are-good-theological-reasons-to-reject-making-authorial/) [Dale B. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-b-martin/) > [A false interpretation of Scripture causes that the gospel of the Lord becomes the gospel of man, or, which is worse, of the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/a-false-interpretation-of-scripture-causes-that-the-gospel-of-the/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Jesus said, 'Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's,' and part of that was to go to war, protecting whatever nation was under control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell-jr/jesus-said-render-unto-caesar-that-which-is-caesar-s-and-part-of-that/) [Jerry Falwell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell-jr/) > [“As part of our interpretive task, then, we must distinguish between kingdom values and cultural values within the biblical text. With every change in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-webb/as-part-of-our-interpretive-task-then-we-must-distinguish-between/) [William J. Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-webb/) > [The most charming of theories holds that someone other than Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare's plays -- that he was of too low a state, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-most-charming-of-theories-holds-that-someone-other-than/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Books have survived television, radio, talking pictures, circulars (early magazines), dailies (early newspapers), Punch and Judy shows, and Shakespeare's plays. They have survived World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-myron/books-have-survived-television-radio-talking-pictures-circulars-early/) [Vicki Myron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-myron/) > [Looking for God-or Heaven-by exploring space is like reading or seeing all Shakespeare's plays in the hope that you will find Shakespeare as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/looking-for-god-or-heaven-by-exploring-space-is-like-reading-or/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Let's say there was a burning building and you could rush in and you could save only one thing: either the last known copy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/let-s-say-there-was-a-burning-building-and-you-could-rush-in-and-you/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Learning (Shakespeare's plays) ...in school was a bit of a bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/learning-shakespeare-s-plays-in-school-was-a-bit-of-a-bore/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I have been right, Basil, haven’t I, to take my love out of poetry, and to find my wife in Shakespeare’s plays? Lips that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-have-been-right-basil-haven-t-i-to-take-my-love-out-of-poetry-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fiction-is-like-a-spider-s-web-attached-ever-so-lightly-perhaps-but/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [To put it one way, a collection of Shakespeare's plays is richer than a phone book that uses the same number of letters; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-von-baeyer/to-put-it-one-way-a-collection-of-shakespeare-s-plays-is-richer-than/) [Hans Christian von Baeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-von-baeyer/) > [Shakespeare's plays often turn on the idea of fate, as much drama does. What makes them so tragic is the gap between what his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/shakespeare-s-plays-often-turn-on-the-idea-of-fate-as-much-drama-does/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) ## More by D. A. Carson > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [God's wrath is not an implacable, blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/god-s-wrath-is-not-an-implacable-blind-rage-however-emotional-it-may/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Others have questions about how it is that God and human beings can both be speaking through the one document such that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/others-have-questions-about-how-it-is-that-god-and-human-beings-can/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The New Testament writers did not invent a doctrine of Scripture they inherited it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-new-testament-writers-did-not-invent-a-doctrine-of-scripture-they/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The Bible is not interested in precisionism unless the context indicates that precision is particularly important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-bible-is-not-interested-in-precisionism-unless-the-context/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Effectiveness in teaching the Bible is purchased at the price of much study, some of it lonely, all of it tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/effectiveness-in-teaching-the-bible-is-purchased-at-the-price-of-much/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Do you wish to see God's love? Look at the cross. Do you wish to see God's wrath? Look at the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/do-you-wish-to-see-god-s-love-look-at-the-cross-do-you-wish-to-see/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-focuses-on-the-fact-that-some/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Many of us in our praying are like nasty little boys who ring front door bells and run away before anyone answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/many-of-us-in-our-praying-are-like-nasty-little-boys-who-ring-front/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/christians-have-learned-that-when-there-seems-to-be-no-other-evidence/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Love the church because Jesus loves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/love-the-church-because-jesus-loves-it/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > ["Biblical theology" refers to something more precise than theology that is faithful to the Bible. It might be helpful to draw a contrast: at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/biblical-theology-refers-to-something-more-precise-than-theology-that/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We treat the Bible, not as if it's a magic book that has to be handled like a piece of abracadabra, make sure it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/we-treat-the-bible-not-as-if-it-s-a-magic-book-that-has-to-be-handled/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Most good evangelical Study Bibles have more in common than people sometimes realize. All of them are committed to explaining the Bible to lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/most-good-evangelical-study-bibles-have-more-in-common-than-people/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Not all Scripture is propositional, some of it is asking questions, some of it's rhetorical, but where Scripture is stating something, asserting something, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/not-all-scripture-is-propositional-some-of-it-is-asking-questions/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) [Explore all 117 D. A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Make a mistake in the interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s plays, falsely scan a piece of Spenserian verse, and there is unlikely to be an entailment of eternal consequence; but we cannot lightly accept a similar laxity in the interpretation of Scripture. We are dealing with God’s thoughts: we are obligated to take the greatest pains to understand them truly and to explain them clearly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D. A. 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