The Grammatical-Historical Method I

we will look at practically applying grammatical-Historical method of interpreting scripture to specific passages.

We will look at ten important points and that are important for this method of interpretation.

1. Biblical History

To understand the historical meaning of a passage, we must understand the historical context in which it was written.

Because text will not always speak directly to the 21st century living. So we must understand the conditions that prevailed when the text was written.

We should ask what political, economic, cultural, philosophical, and religious forces were at work in order to understand the references and relevance of the text.

Simply by studying the fulness of scripture we can gain some knowledge. But extra biblical resources can also aid in our understanding.

in the book the example of Nineveh of utilized.

Nineveh

If we study the culture of Nineveh we would understand that it was the capital of Assyria, which was a powerful empire that threatened the children of Israel and would ultimately conquered it.

The Assyrians were known for their extreme cruelty in warfare, including their practice of impaling defeated foes on stakes.

By learning more about Nineveh, we can gain deeper understanding as to why Johan was reluctant to travel there to preach, and why he was unhappy when God averted His judgment upon the city.

Biblical history gives us a depth to preach on a given topic that would not be there if we did not do further study into the Biblical History.

2. Biblical Geography

Knowledge of Bible lands and topography also aids in the interpretation of scriptural statements.

Studying the topography of biblical cities, landmarks and their relationship to one another provides us with greater insight into the context of scripture.

One example used in the book is having an understanding of Palestine and the insight that can bring to the ministry of Jesus Christ.

The map of Palestine in Biblical times

For example, looking at topography, we would find that Palestine included Galilee in the North, Samaria in the middle, and Judea in the South.

In John 4, when Jesus and his disciples returned from Jerusalem in Judea to their home in Galilee, the most direct route led through Samaria. Most would detour, rather than going through Samaria…because their was such social prejudice. Just chose to go directly through Samaria, demonstrating his overcoming social prejudice and Just how intentional Jesus was about meeting the woman of Samaria.

3. Biblical Culture

A study of the culture of Bible days helps us understand the thinking of the people and illuminates many passages of scripture.

For a study of the New Testament, we need information about the following:

Languages - Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin

Politics - Roman Empire, emperors, governors, Herodian dynasty, tax collectors, political institutions, legal system.

Sociology - Family structure, customs, rituals, education, social classes, social institutions.

Economics -Farming, fishing, shepherding, merchandising, commerce, occupations, finances,

Philosophical beliefs

Religious beliefs - Greek and Roman paganism, first-century Judaism

Jewish institutions and parties - Torah, synagogue, Pharisees, Sadducees

The Parables of Jesus are rooted in the culture of first century Palestine. Thus knowledge of farming and fishing practices at that time can help us understand them.

4. Literary Category (Genre)

The Bible contains different genres, or categories of composition identified by distinctive styles, form, and content. The type of writing will affect the way that we approach certain passages.

History or Narrative

Many books of the Bible are narratives. They tell us a story of historical happenings, but not just for the sake of history for history’s sake. They teach us by practical example.

The bible records examples both good and bad, so we must discern what the Bible merely records as opposed to what the Bible approves. (not everything that is in there is approved of God).

When reading Old Testament History we must keep in mind the progressive nature of revelation. There are things that God’d people participated in that God allowed, or at least did not judge, even though his plan was to supersede these practices by greater moral revelation.

Law

When interpreting legal passages, we find that some proclaim ceremonial laws which served as types and shadows of greater New Testament truths. Now that we have the truths to which they pointed, we no longer observe the ceremonies.

Some laws regulated civil life in Israel under the old covenant and so do not apply directly to the church under the new covenant.

Some passages express moral truths, and since God’s moral nature is unchanging, these teachings apply to God’s people of all ages. In such cases, we find New Testament endorsement.

Law generally takes one of two forms:

(a) precepts - General rules or principles that prescribe a course of conduct; Use deductive reasoning; Reasoning from specific to general.

(b) case law - Specific instances used as precedents for future situations of a similar nature. Inductive reasoning From General to specific.

Poetry

Biblical poetry is not about rhyme or cadence, but about parallelism or what we would call thought rhyme.

Typically, a poetic passage will contain two or more lines that deal with the same theme in different words.

It is helpful to classify psalms according to type: hymns, Psalms of praise and thanksgiving, psalms of lament, penitential psalms, messianic psalms, wisdom psalms.

Wisdom Literature

These do not record direct commands of God so much as reasoning about God and the practical issues of life. Much of it is helping us to learn the inadequacy of human reasoning without God’s perspective. Therefore, we must ascertain when a book is recording an inadequate human view and when it is expressing God’s point of view.

Prophecy

A prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God. Prophecy is a direct message from God to humanity usually exhorting them to practice righteous conduct, avoid or repent of unrighteous conduct, and prepare for judgment to come. Prophecy often includes vision of the future.

Gospels

Epistles

Letters written to Christians who had already been converted according to the pattern in the book of Acts. They contain direct instruction for believers which apply to us today.

Apocalypses

This genre is a special form of prophecy that uses highly symbolic language to explain the present and reveal the future.

Preaching and teachings

5. Settings

By setting we mean the immediate background or situation. To understand a passage fully, we should examine the following

Speaker and author (who)

Original audience (whom)

Means (what)

What mechanisms were used to transmit the message, such as oral discourse and letter writing

Occasion (When, where, how)

Purpose (why)

Special Literary Forms

Usage of idioms, figures of speech, and special literary forms to communicate.

idioms - Expression or phrase that must be treated as a whole; the meaning cannot be derived by considering each element separately.

Figures of speech: Metaphors, similes, Hyperbole, personification, metonymy, Synecdoche, irony, among others

Larger forms of special expressions: Parable, Allegory, Fable, Proverb, Illustrative comparison or analogy, riddle.