Spinoza's Method of Interpreting Scripture

According to his own preface Spinoza describes a new and free method of interpreting Scripture from which he investigates issues related to this interpretation and which throughout his argument lead him to conclude in favor of the absolute freedom of reason and the separation between philosophy and theology. The method of interpreting Scripture allows him to develop all the arguments necessary for the reader of the Treatise to accept Spinoza's conclusion: freedom of thought is beneficial to the State and to religion itself. For Spinoza method is an instrument that the mind uses to investigate truth. The method of interpreting Scripture is the same as that of interpreting Nature. In Spinoza's interpretation the interpreter reveals himself in another role that of investigator. Previously this role was that of usurper when interpreters took advantage of the prejudices of the common people to usurp the meaning of the texts of the Bible for their own benefit. Spinoza's interpretive question focuses on meaning and no longer on the supposed truth of the texts.