“...being a slave to the scriptures...”
That is a stretch. Scriptures are liberating. Still it is those who take them seriously like Lutheran Dietrich Bonhoeffer that have firm footing. Bonhoeffer was a strict constructionist...while so many of his fellow Lutherans saw no problem with the Nazi restructure of their church. Bonhoeffer’s gave the same advice as I am giving but lived it much closer than I ever have.
However, my point is that scriptures per se are dead language. An interpretation requires a soul which is ready.
The written word can lead to liberation, I won't deny that, but simply put; if it's not in the heart and awareness of an individual, plain letters won't bring about enlightenment of the soul and mind.