I like to prove that to myself by reading Tanach, deciding what the words mean, and then embarassing myself over and over again when I read the comments and find out what it actually means. Every now and again a Rabbi says my idea is possible though. If I read comments first I don't come up with my own ideas, how could I compete? It's why in a Jewish court, the most junior Rabbi speaks first and the wisest last. Definitely if I didn't read the comments after though, the Torah I think I know would be a series of mostly pathetic distortions, as with anyone alive today.