Hermeneutics Lesson 2

Principles of Interpretation 1

When studying scripture, we should seek to understand what the scripture says in its historical and cultural context and then apply its message to our context.

There are three elements involved in the interpretation of scripture

Author

Text

Reader

Author

Traditionally, the goal of biblical interpretation is to understand the intention of the original author of the scripture and ultimately of God in inspiring the text.

The focus is simply upon the text itself, not on what that text means to us.

Postmodern interpretation comes from the vantage point that the meaning of the text is based upon the impact the text has on the reader.

There is one valid point that postmodernism makes that traditional interpretation does not validate. - Everyone comes to the text with presuppositions, assumptions and beliefs.

While this point is valid, we must trust the authority of the scripture to correct our pre-conceived notions about scripture.

One example would be of Martin Luther, who through study of scripture realized that the foundation of medieval theology were incorrect.

Another would be the Pentecostal movement that started in 1901 when people studied the scripture and saw that the initial sign of receiving the Holy Ghost was speaking with other tongues.

Their experience did not lead to a new belief, rather it was their study of the text itself convincing them of this new understanding, contrary to their own theology and previous beliefs.

Postmodernism thus instructs us that the truth lies within us and our beliefs, not within the authority of the Word.

Traditional interpretation of the scripture was simply to understand what the scripture meant.

New Approaches to Interpretation of text

By recognizing the validity of this argument of postmodernism (that we come to the text with our own formed understandings and biases), new approaches to interpreting the text begin by understanding the intent of the author, but then working to understand how it speaks to our lives today.

Benefits of new approach to interpreting text

It teaches us to be humble in our claims to understand the true meaning. We must acknowledge that our interpretation of the text must be bound by divine intention and grounded in divine revelation

Helps us to recognize that every interpreter comes with their own theological, cultural and personal presuppositions, biases and agendas.

We develop a greater awareness of the richness of meaning and the multiple applications that a text can have. As time goes on, the meaning of a text can have a more full application, than even the writer understood.

Example: joel’s prophecy of the outpouring of the spirit was originally understood to be for the House of Israel. Even though it declared to be “for all flesh” it was a prophecy understood to be for Israel. Even when Peter declared this promise in Acts 2, his understanding was still limited to the Jewish people. God had to reveal to him, through a vision, that this “al flesh” was for the Gentile’s as well.

While traditional forms of interpretation focus simply on the meaning of the text, which is important, the new forms of interpretation help us to understand what the text means and how it can be applied to our lives today.

The Hermeneutical Spiral

this hermeneutical spiral comes from approaching the scripture with an attitude of learning. They allow the Bible to inform and correct their beliefs.

We start with a preunderstanding, use it to interpret the text, modify our preunderstanding based on what we learn from the text, and then go back to the text for a new interpretation based on our modified understanding.

We continue to the process until our understanding fits the expression of the text.

If we acknowledge that the Bible is the Word of God and the revelation of eternal truth, we must strive to continue for our understanding to grow closer to the truth of the Word of God.

We cannot avoid having pre-understanding, as postmodernism accurately argues. If we simply continue to read the text from our presuppositions, we will never draw closer to the truth. Thus, we must start by identifying and acknowledging our preunderstanding and then test it and correct it by our reading of the text.

By diligent, humble, multifaceted, and holistic study of the biblical text, we can understand God’s message to us.

Hermeneutics includes both the understanding and applying of the scripture.

Exegesis is bringing the meaning out of the text that the writers intended to convey,

Exposition is applying its meaning to men and women today.

The Grammatical-Historical Method

Grammatical-Historical method is studying the scripture to find the meaning the writers intended to convey. - Exegesis

Vs. eisogesis…which is where we put meaning into the text.

We should approach the text by asking:

what did the text say?

What did the author intend to communicate to the original audience?

What did God intend by inspiring these words?

We should not start by saying…How does it support my view? What do I want it to say?

The opposite of the Grammatical-historical method is the allegorical method.

This method is not seeking to find what the writer meant, but to impose upon the text , deeper spiritual meanings that were not the intention of the author, nor the Spirit that inspired them to write.

One example that is used in the book was that of the fifth-century Cahtolic writer jerome. When interpreting the parable of the sower, he interpreted the figures into the setting of marriage. He said that The plants that produced 100 fold were virgins, those that produced 60 fold were widowed and those that produced 30 fold were married.

Of course, those interpretations have no Biblical basis, but were the thought of Jerome, imposed upon the passage.

Imposing our own interpretations upon scripture is not stewarding the truth of the word of God with care.

the doctrine of inspiration shows us that the grammatical-historical method is correct and the allegorical method is not. Since God inspired the Bible, interpretation must be rooted in the intention of God, not in the intention of the interpreter.

Illumination By the Spirit

the illumination of the Spirit is necessary for us to fully understand the meaning of scripture.

Illumination refers to the ministry of the Spirit by which the meaning of scripture is made clear to the believer.

By using the grammatical-historical method, anyone can potentially understand the meaning of scripture…even an unsaved believer. This method does not guarantee that such a person will integrate the concepts properly and make the appropriate application to their life.

In a spiritual sense, carnal people cannot grasp the significance of God’s Word unless they turn to God, accept His Word by faith and seek spiritual understanding. Romans 8:7

Romans 8:7 KJV 1900

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

We need God’s Spirit to enlighten our minds and lead us into truth. John 14:26

John 14:26 KJV 1900

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13 KJV 1900

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

These promises do not mean that spiritual illumination will supersede biblical truth or get rid of the need for Biblical preaching and teaching.

Summary: We should seek to interpret scripture from what the perspective the author intended and thus what God was inspiring and we should pray for the spirit to bring illumination and understanding for how the truths of his word apply to our lives.