Interpretation matters

The whole Course is based on the idea that interpretation determines perception and thus experience. “What you perceive is your interpretation” (T-11.VII.2:6). Thus, if we interpret something differently, our perception of it and experience of it changes accordingly. This is as true of the Course as anything else.

Jesus clearly cares a great deal about correct interpretation of the Course. In an article Robert Perry wrote titled “Interpretation and the Future of the Course,” he looked at a number of places in the Course in which Jesus displays a concern for right interpretation of his words and boiled these down to four points:

  1. The Course is not meant to be “open to more than one interpretation” (T-3.IV.7:2). Jesus has a particular meaning that he is trying to convey, and he does so unambiguously. “This course is perfectly clear” quote (T-11.VII.2:7).

  2. He is trying to express that meaning in the clearest way he can, making “every effort to use words which are almost impossible to distort” (T-3.III.6:3).

  3. The lack of clarity, then, doesn’t come from him, but from us. We are prone to “twisting” (T-3.III.6:3) his words, “interpreting against” them (T-11.VII.2:8), almost willfully misinterpreting what he says. As Jesus says, “The ego...is quick to cite the truth to save its lies” (W-196.2:2).

  4. To correct for this, we must be willing to “be very careful in interpreting this” (a comment Jesus made about one of the miracle principles). We must resist the temptation to “read this hastily or wrongly” (M-29.7:3), and instead read and “reread very carefully” (T-2.XII.1:2).

Example: Misinterpretation of Jesus’ life and teachings

When Jesus dictated the Course, there wasn’t time for serious misinterpretations to grow up around it, but he did display a great deal of concern about misinterpretations of his life and teachings. For example,

If the crucifixion is seen from an upside-down point of view, it certainly does appear as if God permitted and even encouraged one of His Sons to suffer because he was good. Many very devoted ministers preach this every day. This particularly unfortunate interpretation, which actually arose out of the combined projection of a large number of my own would-be followers, has led many people to be bitterly afraid of God. (T- 3.III.2:1-3)

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