The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.
Given the divine authorship of Scripture and the evident competency of God to provide a coherent and consistent revelation to men, it makes sense that we can use the clear teachings of Scripture to help illuminate passages that are not so clear. This idea is often termed the "analogy of faith." For an explanation of the term, I found a short Theopedia statement that serves well:
"In Romans 12:6, Paul says that each one was to exercise his gift of prophecy, i.e., of teaching, 'according to the proportion of faith.' The Greek word for proportion here is analogia, and hence the phrase analogy of faith. The meaning is, that the utterances of the 'prophet' were not to fluctuate according to his own impulses or independent thoughts, but were to be in accordance with the truth revealed to him as a believer. Following the Reformation, this phrase was used to mean that all Scripture was to be interpreted with reference to all other Scripture. In other words, no single text or expression of Scripture was to be isolated or interpreted in a way contrary to its general teaching."
Application of the analogy of faith complements, and should not supercede, other sound hemeneutical principles.
Tomorrow: The norm of norms.
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