Yes — knowing to whom a passage is written is essential for interpreting it correctly.
Les Feldick teaches that the whole secret of Bible understanding is remembering to whom a particular portion is writing or speaking. This prevents readers from forcing what God said to Israel onto the church today. When readers keep Israel and the church distinct, the contradictions and confusion that often plague Bible reading disappear.
Romans 15:4 — Paul explains that earlier Scripture was written for our learning, which shows why identifying the original context of a passage matters.
2 Peter 1:20 — Peter's warning that no Scripture is of private interpretation supports the need to interpret passages in their intended setting, not as isolated statements.
Paul writes that 'whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope' (Romans 15:4). Peter likewise says, 'Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation' (2 Peter 1:20). The Bible itself indicates that not every part of Scripture is addressed directly to every reader, but that earlier writings are preserved for the instruction and encouragement of later generations.
Les Feldick says the Bible is not difficult to understand if readers 'always remember to whom is a particular portion writing or speaking.' He warns against taking what God said to Israel and treating it as automatically apropos for Christians today. At the same time, he makes clear that God has not changed; His moral character remains the same, but the way He deals with believers today rests on different circumstances — resurrection ground.
Les says this is the whole secret to understanding Scripture. You must not confuse what God said to Israel with what necessarily applies to Christians today. Even though God's character has not changed, His dealings with believers are different because believers today live on resurrection ground.
Les teaches that you have to separate two entities in God's dealing: the nation of Israel and the church, which is His body. When you separate what God does with Israel from what He does for us Gentiles, the contradictions disappear, major questions vanish, and the book becomes 'so understandable and not all that difficult.'
Les says people get hung up on the Bible when they treat one verse as if it stands alone. No passage of Scripture has a private interpretation. Trying to build a doctrine on one verse here and one verse there can lead to any conclusion. The answer is to compare Scripture with Scripture and let all of it fit together from Genesis through Revelation.
Les says Romans 15:4 means the things written in the Old Testament were written for our learning. When Paul wrote, 'the Scriptures' referred to the Old Testament because the Gospels had not yet been brought together. Les also says he has never told anyone not to read the Old Testament or the Gospels; they are for the believer's learning, even if they are not all written directly to the church.
Why the Gospel Changes After the Cross — Romans 3 Explained
and dealt with the time period of 606 B.C., and Nebuchadnezzar came in, you remember, and overran the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the temple and got everything ready then so that the nation of Israel was taken out. Then they came back under Ezra and Nehemiah, and we covered all that. And we were just ready then to come into vice earthly ministry.
Remembering the Original Audience
Les says the whole secret to understanding the Bible is to remember to whom each portion is writing or speaking, and he warns against treating what God said to Israel as automatically applicable to believers today.
Old Testament Written for Our Learning
Les uses Romans 15:4 to explain that the Old Testament was written for our learning, providing the background for the doctrines later revealed through Paul.
Separating Israel from the Church
Les teaches that readers must separate God's dealings with Israel from the church, which is His body, so that contradictions disappear and the Bible becomes sensible.
No Private Interpretation
Les says no Scripture is of private interpretation and that people get hung up when they expect one verse to carry the full meaning instead of comparing Scripture with Scripture.
Separating Israel and the Church Makes Scripture Understandable
Les encourages readers to separate what God does with Israel from what He does for Gentiles, saying the Bible becomes understandable and not all that difficult when they do.
What 'Scripture' Meant When Paul Wrote
Les clarifies that when Paul wrote about 'things written aforetime,' he was referring to the Old Testament, since the Gospels were not yet compiled, and that he has never told anyone not to read the Gospels.
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Les advises comparing Scripture with Scripture because no Scripture is a private interpretation, and a doctrine cannot be built on isolated verses.
Romans 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
This verse shows that earlier Scripture was recorded for the instruction of later readers, which is why identifying the original audience matters.
2 Peter 1:20: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
This verse teaches that no passage of Scripture should be interpreted in isolation, supporting Les's point that readers must consider the intended audience and context.
No. Les says he has never told anyone not to read the Old Testament or the Gospels. Everything written before Paul wrote is for the believer's learning, even though it may not all be addressed directly to the church.
Yes. Les says God has not changed. The God of Israel and Genesis is the same God believers deal with today, but He deals with us under different circumstances — on resurrection ground.
Les says contradictions disappear when you separate what God does with Israel from what He does for the church. The apparent contradictions come from mixing passages that were written to different audiences.
Les says to compare Scripture with Scripture. Since no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation, you cannot build a doctrine on one verse here and one verse there. All Scripture from Genesis through Revelation should fit together.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Gospel Changes After the Cross — Romans 3 Explained