Untitled Sermon

All Hermeneutics notes

INTRODUCTION TO HERMENEUTICS 

I. What is Hermeneutics?

A) Origin

Comes from the Greek ἑρμηνεύω (herméneuó) which means, “to help someone understand a subject or matter by making it plain, explain, interpret.”

B. Hermes was a Greek god: was regarded by the ancient Egyptians as the embodiment of the Universal Mind. While in all probability there actually existed a

great sage and educator by the name of Hermes, it is impossible to extricate the historical man from the mass of legendary accounts which attempt to identify

him with the Cosmic Principle of Thought.”1 

B) Scriptural use

Luke 24:27 – Road to Emmaus. Jesus explained on the road to Emmaus

I Cor. 12:10 – Paul refers to the gift of interpreting tongues.

Acts 14:12 – Paul was called Hermes in Lystra. 

D) THE DEFINITION …

The art and science of interpretation

Science—there are definite rules of interpretation, which if broken prevent communication. 

Unless noted otherwise, words should be taken as true and meaningful. 

A word cannot mean more than one thing at one time (unless, in rare circumstances, the author highlights double entendre).

Double entrende is utilized if the author intends to use a word in two different way simulaneously.

EXAMPLE John 3 “you must be born again” “You must be Born again”

Art—the application of some of the rules of interpretation differ by context, leading to the difficulty of applying the rules perfectly. 

For instance, what does someone mean when they say, “this pizza is bad, man.” Within the rules of interpretation (the science) there is flexibility of meaning. 

Examples 

When Jesus says, “All things are possible with God” (Matt. 19:26) does He mean to say that those who have “Fallen away” (Heb. 6:1-8) are still able to be saved by the grace of God? 

Matthew 19:3-12 

What are the grounds for divorce?

In what way are they committing adultery?

What happens if your spouse simply leaves you—are you liable to adultery if you remarry?

How do we take the last phrase about Eunuchs? Is it literal or figurative? 

II. Why study Hermeneutics? 

A. It is Unavoidable

We all have a hermeneutic even if we don’t know it. 

Craig Blomberg tells the story of a seminary student in a hermeneutics class on hermeneutics weeping aloud. When he stopped the class to console and question the student, the student responded, “I am crying because I feel sorry for you... It is hard for you to understand the Bible, but I just read it and God shows me the meaning.”2 

B. The Holy Spirit does not Interpret for us

If the Spirit interpreted for us, then why are there so many disagreements? (rhetorical question)

I will admit that people do not have to have a class in hermeneutics in order to understand the Bible, but I believe they will understand the Bible better if they do. 

C. The ‘obvious’ meaning of a text is sometimes hidden behind cultural, historical, or linguistic barriers. 

Historical: Sometimes the historical circumstances surrounding a text highly influences the way we interpret the text. For instance, one would not ‘obviously’ understand the mercy of God towards the Ninevites, nor Jonah’s response towards them, unless they knew the historical facts of their cruelty and barbarity. 

Cultural: we seem to think we are outside of cultural influence and can interpret things objectively. However, we are in a culture ourselves and our culture influences how we interpret (e.g., slavery). 

Linguistic: The Bible is written in three languages that have different vocabulary and syntax than our own. Things like idioms are not easily transferred from one language to another. Note KFC’s attempt to use their slogan “finger lickin’ good” in China. Rather than something appetizing, it was translated into Chinese (by some poor translators no doubt) as “Eat your fingers off.” 

Some people overdo study and never get to application (James 1). 

Others overdo application at the cost of study. The result is holding beliefs and convictions that are not taught in Scripture (e.g., 1 Thess 5:22: “abstain from the appearance of evil”). 

Some people overdo study and never get to application (James 1).

Others overdo application at the cost of study. The result is holding beliefs and convictions that are not taught in Scripture (e.g., 1 Thess 5:22: “abstain from the appearance of evil”). 

D. To recognize our own habits of interpretation and strengthen them 

E. Because God has made us keepers of the world’s greatest treasure 

F. Because application must be carefully balanced with study. 

III. Two kinds of hermeneutics 

A. General hermeneutics

Pertains to every type of literature. 

Considers cultural, linguistic, and chronological factors to determine how a text should be interpreted. 

Usually, when speaking of hermeneutics, the speaker is referencing general hermeneutics. 

B. Specific hermeneutics 

Specific hermeneutics focuses on literary styles (genres) of Scripture

How to read narratives, epistles, apocalyptic literature

After addressing general hermeneutics, this class will address specific hermeneutics. 

IV . Dispensational Interpretation

A.   Our hermeneutic can be described as a Grammatical-Historical–theological interpretation. 

B. The dispensational aspects simply affirms our resolve to take the text literally unless something in the text clearly indicates the text should be taken figuratively. 

C. Though I do not prefer the term “literal” many dispensationalists do. Accordingly, it is important to know what is meant by the term: 

“More Orthodox interpreters have emphasized the importance of a literal interpretation, by which they meant interpreting God's word the way one interprets normal human communication.”3 

“The literal method of interpretation is that method that gives to each word the same exact basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking. It is called the grammatical-historical method to emphasize the fact that the meaning is to be determined by both grammatical and historical considerations.”4 

V. The place of hermeneutics in Forming Theology

A. The process flows from determining which books to interpret (Canon) to the content of the books we are interpreting (text criticism) to ascertaining the pivotal issues in the text we are interpreting (historical criticism) to interpreting the passage. 

B. The conclusion of the path is the application of God’s revelation to our lives.  

FOUNDATIONS: NATURE OF SCRIPTURE 

I.  Scripture is Inspired (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) 

A. Inspired means, “breathed out by God” Human authors are not excluded, but the focus here is that the Spirit inspired and breathed through the human authors in such a way that the language is both human and divine. 

Teaching - promote the right path

Reproof- inform they are not on the right path

Correction- put the person back on the right path

B. Two doctrines follow from Inspiration. 

Scripture is Inerrant. 

Definition: The Scripture will not fail in communicating any truth

On any truth, whether spiritual, historical, chronological, numerological, etc. The Scripture does not err. 

This does not mean Scripture is comprehensive. We cannot blame Scripture for that which it does not seek to teach (e.g., Ez. 7:2 and the “corners of the earth”) 

Nor does it mean that Scripture is always maximally precise (e.g., “After this, Jesus . . . ”).

Scripture is Infallible. 

Definition: The Scripture will not fail in communicating spiritual truth. 

The almost unchallenged position of the church previous to 1800 was that the Bible is both inerrant and infallible because it’s source is found in God. 

Two types of infallibility (without inerrancy) 

Moderate Liberalism—holds that Scripture is true in spiritual matters, but has many geographic, numeric, and scientific errors. 

Neo-orthodox—holds that Scripture has many errors, but God’s revelation does not. God’s revelation is not the Bible, but His Word can be revealed by the Bible. 

Both of these are heterodox views which inevitably lead away from trust in Scripture. 

II. Scripture is revealed in normal human language. 

A) God condescends in His language to relate to mankind. 

B) God used regular people to write the Scripture. No golden tablets (like Joseph Smith) are necessary. People wrote in their own language with their own idiosyncrasies (2 Peter 1:20-21). 

C) Scripture was given in normal spoken Greek and not formal, sophisticated Greek.

At one time people believed biblical Greek was unique, and they called it “Holy Ghost Greek.” 

Later archaeological discoveries revealed that Scripture was written in the “vulgar” tongue, i.e., the common speech of the day. 

Significantly, this indicates God’s desire to communicate to the “common man.” 

III. Scripture is perspicuous (i.e., sufficiently clear) 

This does not mean it cannot be misunderstood or twisted 

Sin nature twists the revelation of God 

Human frailty often misinterprets Scripture, especially by attributing to oneself promises not promised to oneself. 

This also does not mean Scripture is always easy to understand. 

Peter admits this in reference to Paul’s writings (2 Pet 3:16) 

There are passages that remain opaque today, and will likely remain so until the Lord returns (Baptism for the dead [1 Cor 15:29]?) 

It does mean that its core message can be understood by all men. 

IV. Scripture is modern and historical 

A. It is modern in that it has perpetual and eternal significance.

Even passages concerning muzzling oxen have application today (2 Tim. 3:16-17). 

This is because these words are God’s words, and even when they don’t elucidate our circumstances, they give us a window into the divine mindset. 

B. It is historical in that its message is couched in a historical setting.

C. Navigating from original meaning to modern application is one of the chief joys of hermeneutics. 

V. Scripture is fixed in a canon. 

A. Canon means “list, rule, or standard.”

B. The canon is the standard of what is considered God’s revelation and what is not. 

C. It is evident why this is important. 

If the Scripture is inspired by God, and non–scripture is not inspired, then we must distinguish between the two. 

How would you read the Gospel of Thomas vs the Gospel of John? 

D. So why these 66 books and not others? 

The Roman Catholic Church includes the apocrypha. 

Some Eastern Churches also include additional texts. 

Protestants have, in the main, accepted the canon as it was widely recognized in the middle of the fourth century. 

E. The standards of canonicity

Apostolicity – Apostolic authorship or a close associate.

Antiquity––can trace back to the time of the apostles.

Catholicity––widely used in the church.

Orthodoxy––is consistent with the theology elsewhere revealed by the Spirit. 

F. The order of the canon

The canon is not organized chronologically; it displays topical and thematic order. 

The order of the books has differed over time. 

See notes for jeromes order vs the original

DANGERS OF IMPROPER HERMENEUTICS 

I. Introduction 

A. One of the chief ways of recognizing the importance of correct hermeneutical principles is by seeing what happens when they are not followed. 

B. The example expressed in this section of the notes is extreme, but it likely did not start that way. Neither is it abnormal in the history of the church. 

C. What I want us to see in the example of Harold Camping is the danger that wrong hermeneutics has for our entire understanding of God, the world, and theology. 

II. Harold Camping 

A. Precursors 

Millerites 

Believed the Lord would return in 1843, leading many of their people to sell homes and businesses. 

This was based on interpreting Daniel 8:14 as meaning years instead of days. 

When the Lord did not return in 1844 (the recalculated date), this was called the “Great Disappointment.” 

Ellen White

She argued that the Lord did return in 1844, but it was an invisible return. 

She founded the Seventh Day Adventists 

Charles Russell 

Believing 1844 correct, he suggested that this would be the last generation living. 

He calculated the generation at 30 years, but when 1874 passed, he suggested it must be 70 years. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses can be traced back to Russell and have embraced dates similar to his (and have modified them substantially). 

4. Edgar Whisenant

He published the book, “88 Reasons Jesus is Returning in 1988.” 

He ten published one from 89–94 before giving up. 

B. History 

Camping was a Reformed Presbyterian

He was also an engineer, with a lucrative construction business. 

When he began wandering from his orthodox roots, he sold his business, bought a radio station (Family Life Radio) and started producing radio recordings. 

C. Predictions

September 6th 1994 

Based on the number of swine drowned in the sea of Galilee and in the number of servants in Abraham’s house he calculated the date to be 1994. 

After the failure, he said 1994 was not entirely wrong, but he expected the grace of God to cut short the tribulation. He has not, so the entire time of tribulation (23 years) must come about, putting the date at 2011. 

May 21st 2011 

“In the Bible a wise man is a true believer, to whom God has given a profound trust in the authority of the Bible. True believers have been in existence since the beginning of time. But the timeline of history as it is revealed in the Bible was never revealed to the hearts of the true believers. For example, throughout most of the church age it was generally believed that Creation occurred in the year 4004 B.C. However, about 35 years ago God began to open the true believers’ understanding of the timeline of history. Thus it was discovered that the Bible teaches that when the events of the past are coordinated with our modern calendar, we can learn dates of history such as Creation (11,013 B.C.), the flood of Noah’s day (4990 B.C.), the exodus of Israel from Egypt (1447 B.C.) and the death of Solomon (93l B.C.) However, it was not until a very few years ago that the accurate knowledge of the entire timeline of history was revealed to true believers by God from the Bible. This timeline extends all the way to the end of time. During these past several years God has been revealing a great many truths, which have been completely hidden in the Bible until this time when we are so near the end of the world. – From tract “No man Knows the day or the hour” 

Outline of the events

World created 11,013 B.C. 

Flood occurred 4990 B.C. 

Genesis 7:6 says, “For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” -- but 

This shows that the second coming in judgment will occur exactly seven thousand years after this statement to Noah. 

“Because the year 2011 A.D. is exactly 7,000 years after 4990 B.C. when the flood began, the Bible has given us absolute proof that the year 2011 is the end of the world during the Day of Judgment, which will come on the last day of the Day of Judgment.” From tract ‘Judgment’ 

The leap is accomplished through 2 Peter 3:3-8: “A day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand days as a year.” 

D. … See original notes for more false prophecy’s

HISTORY OF ANCIENT INTERPRETATION

I. Importance of Knowing the History of Interpretation 

A. Santayana once said, “The one who does not learn from history is destined to repeat it.” 

B. By observing the product of past interpretive practices, we can learn what has led to a valuing of the text and what has led to a minimization of the text. 

C. Further, God has given us incredible knowledge that has amassed within His church. To ignore what has come before us would be a disservice to the truth that God has gifted teachers for the maturity of the body (Eph. 4:11–13). 

II. Ancient Biblical Interpretation 

A. Daniel 9:2

Daniel has read Jeremiah 25:12 which speaks of the seventy years of captivity. 

In Daniel 9:2 he shows that he literally expects the delivery of his people at the end of the seventy years. 

In other words, Daniel believed in a literal interpretation of Jeremiah’s prophecy. 

B. Nehemiah 8:1-8 

The people who had returned to the land, after the Babylonian captivity, were spiritually impoverished. Some of them had very little to no access to the Word of God. 

They congregated around the water gate to hear the Word publicly proclaimed for hours at a time (morning until midday). 

Nehemiah 8:8 indicates the methods they used: “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” 

Distinctly—may either refer to translating into Aramaic (the language of many of the people) or reading so that the words were not misunderstood. 

Gave the sense—indicates that they explained precisely what the text meant. 

Caused them to understand—this probably refers to Ezra making application of the text. 

C. These two examples show that the OT took the OT seriously. The prophecies were to be interpreted literally, and the very words were to be valued as written. 

III Ancient Jewish Interpretation

A. Two implications follow from the fact that the Jews believed the Scriptures to be God’s Word:

The text was preserved exceptionally well. 

Believing the text to be authored by God (a correct assumption!), Jews began interpreting the text in strange ways. 

B. Two important figures tower above all other interpreters in Jewish interpretation. They were contemporaries and were born a few generations before Christ. 

Rabbi Shammai

He believed in the inspiration of the Scripture. 

His method of interpretation was rigid and generally unforgiving. 

He felt endangered by the Romans and sought separation from them. 

Rabbi Hillel 

He also believed in the inspiration of the Scripture.

Hillel’s method of interpretation was more flexible than Shammai’s.

Paul learned under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), who was the grandson of Hillel. 

Comparison of their theology 

Both men were friendly contemporaries. It was their followers who brought much of the disputes. 

Examples of three issues of disagreement: 

White lies—is it acceptable to tell an ugly wife she is beautiful? Shammai said no. Hillel said yes, because all women are beautiful on their wedding day. 

Divorce—Shammai held to very strict standards concerning when divorce was allowable. Hillel granted divorce even when a bride burned a meal (cf. Matt 19:3). 

Admission to study the Law—Hillel said anyone could study with the hope of repentance for those who were not yet students. Shammai believed it should be reserved for the registered and confirmed students only. 

C. Developing problem

People began to uncritically follow the school of these renowned teachers. 

Hillel, in one of the popular stories, teaches a student the Hebrew alphabet. The next day he recites it backward to the student, who asks why he can no longer understand. Hillel answered by saying, “You now see that the Written Word alone is insufficient. We need the Oral Tradition to explain G- d's Word.” 

Following a teacher can be helpful, as God gave us teachers for our good. Nevertheless, all gifts can be misused. No one interpreter stands above Scripture, and all men fall short of perfect knowledge and discernment. 

D. Letterism

Another way the belief in the divine origin of Scripture presented a problem was called Letterism. 

Proponents believed that every element of Scripture was meaningful , including the numerical values of the Hebrew lettering. 

Examples: 

Though the text says Moses married an Ethiopian woman, he actually married a beautiful woman. This can be shown in that the Hebrew word “Kushith” is numerically 736, which is the same number as in the phrase “fair of form” in Hebrew 

Since the word for death (in Psalm 68:20) has the numerical value of 903, there are exactly 903 ways to die (Tan, p. 43) 

Letterism is dangerous for it substitutes the author’s meaning for the interpreter’s meaning 

Letterism is still alive today. 

Bible Code

Youtube has numerous examples (also see comments) 

New Testament Interpretation (0–100 AD) 

A. ~ 10% of the NT is composed of quotations or allusions to the OT. This is a rich minefield of interpretive study. 

B. Key to our interpretive methods is the example of how Jesus interprets Scripture. 

He attacked interpretive methods that devalued the Scripture in light of tradition (Matt 15:1-9; Mk 7:6-13) 

He believed the smallest aspect of the Scripture was significant (Matt 5:18; Mk 12:24-26). 

C. We will also discuss the uses of the apostles, which though debated shows a historical–grammatical interpretive tradition. 

Jesus makes a theological argument based on the tense of a verb in Mark 12:24  “‘I AM (present tense)

THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’?”

V. Patristic Interpretation (100–600 AD) 

A. Three kinds of interpretation are found during this period.

B. Allegorical Interpretation (associated mainly with the Alexandrian School) 

Allegorical interpretation is the process of finding meaning underneath and beyond the normal meaning. 

There are allegories (e.g., Pilgrim’s Progress), but Scripture as a whole is not written as an allegory. 

Interpreters differ regarding the amount of allegory in Scripture. 

Some suggest it is entirely absent. But this response is likely a noble attempt to restrain interpretation. 

Vlach suggests the following passages should be taken as proscribed allegory 

Hagar, Sarah, and Israel (Gal 4:21–31) 

Armor of God (Eph 6:11–17 

Jesus as the True Vine (John 15:1–6) 

The Lord as Shepherd (Ps 23) 

Israel as a vine (Ps 80; Is 5) 

Samaria and Jerusalem as prostitutes (Ezek 23)

c. Specifically applied to Scripture, allegory has often been considered the ‘spiritual’ understanding.

The literal interpretation was considered the ‘fleshly’ understanding. 

___

The origins of Allegorical Interpretation 

"Greek philosophers while appreciating the ancient Greek writings of Homer ... were embarrassed by the immoral conduct ... of the fanciful gods of Greek mythology . . . To get around this problem, the philosophers allegorized the stories, looking for hidden meanings underneath the literal writings. . . . The Greek writers in this way were using allegorizing for apologetic purposes, to keep the Greek poets from being ridiculed." 

The Jews in Alexandria were essentially doing the same for the Bible. They were embarrassed over depictions of God (e.g., that He repented, was angry, etc.) or were embarrassed by the dated law code or commands, and so they allegorized the text to make it more spiritual. 

Many Jewish interpreters are doing the same today (cf. Ben Shapiro’s interpretation of the Old Testament) 

Many of the church fathers had a different motive; they wanted to understand the OT as a “Christian Document,” especially excising many Jewish elements (cf. the historical tension between the early Jews and Christians). 

Examples of allegorical interpretation: 

The prohibition against swine, hawks, eagles, and ravens is actually a prohibition against lust for food, injustice, robbery, and greed 

The four rivers flowing out of Eden are the four Greek virtues: Prudence, temperance, courage, and justice. 

Practice exercise: think of any other way we could interpret the four rivers 

Not every interpreter allegorized to the same level as others 

Main proponents 

Epistle of Barnabas (early 2nd century) 

Clement of Alexandria 

Origen - one of the most significant interpreters in his time

C. Literal Interpretation (Grammatical-historical; Antiochene School) 

Argued that the historical and literary context gives the only level of meaning. 

Also argued against dogmatic interpretation (determining what a text can mean before allowing the text to speak for itself). 

Proponents

Theodore of Mopsuestia––the “Prince of Ancient Exegesis” 

John Chrysostom––the “Golden–Mouthed Preacher” 

Theodoret––wrote good exegetical commentaries

Nestorius 

Unfortunately, Nestorius’s name is held in infamy for the Nestorian heresy, which separated the natures of Christ too much (making Him two people). 

In part, because of such a heresy, the school in Antioch became less influential. john 3, symbolism allegory, light darkness

D. Mixed Approach 

Augustine is the father of a more constrained allegorism. ( he has a “both and” approach suggesting that the text means what is says and has a “deeper meaning”

The GOOD

We must study the context to know the meaning. 

Obscure passages must be interpreted in light of clear passages. 

The BAD

Rule of Faith: Interpretation must be guided by and conform to the authoritative theology of the church. (his theology brought about the roman catholic church)

Scripture has four levels of meaning (Fourfold Sense of Scripture): 

Literal 

Allegory

Moral

Anagogical (Eschatological) 

Examples of the Fourfold use: 

Jerusalem: " Literally, Jerusalem refers to the historical city itself; allegorically, it refers to the church of Christ; morally, it indicates the human soul; and anagogically (eschatologically) it point to the heavenly Jerusalem."19 

“Let there be light” (Gen 1:3): Literally–God’s act of creating; Morally––Christ’s act of illuminating the Christian’s mind; Allegorically––Christ is love; Anagogically––we need to follow Christ to glory.20 

He suggested prophecy should be allegorized while other literature interpreted more traditionally. 

Father of Amillennialism

Augustine’s influence is vast on the church moving forward. 

One of the key components of his view was the allegorical interpretation of future prophecy, particularly the millennium.

The tradition of the church largely follows the direction of Augustine. 

E. Summary

The Mixed approach falls somewhere between full allegory and a strictly literal interpretation. 

The mixed approach prevailed in the following centuries. 

VI. Medieval Interpretation (600–1500) 

A. The Patristic age led the way to the allegorical interpretive practice of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). 

B. It can be argued that it was due to allegorical interpretation that the church endured such a long period of Roman Catholic rule. 

Believing that the text had hidden (allegorical) meaning meant that the normal laymen (who certainly were not so spiritual) could not properly interpret Scripture. Since this was for professionals, there was little reason to translate it into their language. 

Further, if the principle of the Rule of Faith is applied, there is little reason to go to the Scriptures anyway. Instead, the church holds the truth. Giving the people Scripture could only lead to their confusion, since they could not grasp the “real” meaning. 

Hugo of St. Victor, during this period, said, “Learn first what you should believe, and then go to the Bible to find it there.” (This is the ideology of the time)

C. Part of the beginning of the end for this period was the resurgence of literal interpretation.

For example, John Wycliffe (the “Morningstar of the Reformation”) said that “all things necessary in Scripture are contained in its proper literal and historical senses.”

VII. Reformation Interpretation (1500-1600) 

A. Renaissance influence

Emerging from the dark ages, the world was awakening to its history.

Erasmus complied the Textus Receptus, and a Hebrew grammar and Lexicon were also created. 

The interest in the original languages sparked a renewed interest in literature. 

B. Luther (1484-1546) He has OCD, thats why he was so obsessed with righteousness

His conversion seems to be the point where he broke with the tradition of the allegorical interpretation for a literal interpretation.23

. He brought the most significant challenge to the Rule of Faith, for he argued that the church was wrong, and Scripture right. To put this differently, Luther rightly saw that the legitimate rule of faith was the Bible itself, not the church.

Accordingly, he adopted what is sometimes called the Rule of Scripture—Scripture alone determines the meaning of Scripture.

He also argued that the Scripture was clear and could be interpreted by all men. This is a clear rejection of the belief that the Scripture has meaning that can only be grasped by the religious elite.

He called the allegorical method “dirt,” “scum,” and “obsolete loose rags.”24 This was because he saw the way such a method prevented people from seeing the true meaning of Scripture. 

C. Calvin (1509-1564) 

He disregarded the allegorical method calling it a ‘contrivance of Satan whereby he had obscured the sense of Scripture.’ Satans way of getting us to read the bible without reading the bible.

He allowed Scripture to speak for itself: “It is the first business of an interpreter to let the author say what he does say, instead of attributing to him what we think he ought to say. 

D. RCC

Maintained their medieval interpretative strategy.

Authority of Scripture subjugated to church.

The highest authority external to the church is in the Latin Vulgate translation. (When criticized they would assert that people are attacking an illegitimate version) like KJV only-ism

E. Summary of Reformational Interpretation 

Return to a literal sense of the text.

Return to the clarity and usefulness of Scripture for all mankind.

It Abandoned of the Rule of faith (look to the church for theology) for the Rule of Scripture (look to the Scripture alone for theology).

It failed to apply literal interpretation to prophetic literature; instead, it followed the traditional position that derived from the allegorical method.  

VIII. Post-Reformation Interpretation(1600-1800) 

A. After the reformation, a renewed interest in how to read the Bible arose. This was partly due to the vacuum in authority, and partly due to the focus on written texts. 

B. The Role of Confessions

Protestants, in order to express their doctrinal differences with the RCC, began writing Confessions

Confessions are simply an organized list of the doctrines a group believers. 

Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) Presbyterian

London Baptist Confession (1644) Charles Spurgeon Subscribed to this

3) Confessions and a Historic error 

a. Predictably, some began relying on Confessions rather than Scripture. 

Churches who had abandoned the RCC because of their insistence on the church’s authority over doctrine, began similarly insisting that their doctrine be held to.

No human document will perfectly embody the divine code. If we imagine one has, then it likewise becomes Scripture.

Rather, we should recognize that all human doctrinal statements are up to revision by the Word of God. We must always come to it looking not for what we think will be there, but what is indeed there. 

b. Confessions are helpful and sometimes necessary, sometimes necessary, but they must be open to emendation. 

C. The Danger of Doctrinalism

The focus on refining doctrine in the church was a huge blessing, yet it also opened the church to a significant problem.

Namely, some began reading Scripture for theology and not for personal advancement.

The multiplication of interpretations led to schisms, some of which may not have been necessary.

The plethora of denominations led to rivalry and a reading of Scripture that promoted true doctrine. In such circumstances, it was easy to allow doctrinal purity to overshadow godly character. 

D. Pietism A kind of response of the doctrinalism

As a response to the wars and bitter fighting over doctrine, the Pietists sought a way to unite once more around the work of God and good works of man.

The result was mixed. 

Positively, there was a reemphasis on the application of Scripture to life and not merely to a mental categorization of correct doctrine.

Negatively, pietism began to drift from proper exegetical methods as it sought application 

The OT did not seem pertinent enough, and so an allegorical impuse arose in order to make it directly applicable.

The search for meaning often shortcut the exegetical process with the danger of “this means to me” interpretive techniques. 

German pietism lead to liberalism

Liberalism tries to take the scriptures and conform them to the current cultural norm

E. Rationalism (the belief that human intellectual capital would solve mans problems)

Another response to the doctrinal debates was a focus on reason and the hope it provided.

Early philosophers were committed Christians who sought to use their mental abilities for the stability of the Christian way of life.

Nevertheless, by inserting human autonomy and stressing rational ability, they separated themselves from Scripture.

By stressing the rational nature of man, man came up against the supernatural claims of Scripture. Could one be modern and believe an axe–head floated, or a man rose from the dead?

Not all interpretive methods led to the extinction of faith; many of them attempted to modify beliefs to be more palpable to modern sensibilities. 

IX Lessons from past interpreters 

A. Embrace only the literal interpretation.

B. Avoid allegory.

Unless one is reading what was designed to be an allegory, allegorical interpretation removes authorial intention (i.e., divine intention!).

Allegory is often present when you think, “I never would have seen that!”

C. Read the Scripture as a book written to change your life, rather than a book to give you information.

D. Interpret according to the Rule of Scripture, relying on God’s Word as the authority.

E. Read the Bible as a supernatural book which will sometimes go beyond human comprehension and will sometimes not always accord with modern sensibilities. 

HISTORY OF MODERN INTERPRETATION 

I. Liberalism 

A. Following from the emphasis on rationalism, a new breed of Christianity arose, which challenged the historic form.

B. Liberalism used the same words as traditional Christianity, yet it redefined the words in such a way that the essence of the faith was fundamentally altered.

C. J. Gresham Machen, who went to get a doctoral degree in Germany, the center of liberal ideology, returned to write the book, “Christianity and Liberalism.” 

D. Rudolph Bultmann 

Bultmann was a famous liberal interpreter of the Bible. He claimed that modern man was no longer capable of believing Scripture.

Instead, man should look deeper into Scripture, where he will find that the miracle stories contain spiritual truths.

The problem with fundamentalists is that they take the book at face value, but the disciples surely knew people did not rise from the dead. Apostles wrote believing that later interpreters would know the stories were noble myths.

By “demythologizing” Scripture, we find the meaning tucked into the fantastical narratives.

For example, Jesus’ resurrection was merely a way of saying that the ideas of Jesus concerning love and acceptance will never die. 

E. The fruit of liberalism continues to influence theology today 

JEDP theory

Theories on the Gospels

Denial of apostolic authorship 

F. Liberalism is alive today. 

Every generation siphons new converts to liberalism

Liberalism itself is sterile, for it cannot produce its own disciples.

Liberal congregations are always seeking to change the Scripture to whatever modern ideas are prevalent. 

II. Neoorthodoxy 

A. In response to liberalism, some theologians (chief among them Karl Barth) began teaching a new form of orthodoxy.

B. Believing he was saving Christianity, Barth sought to put Scripture outside the reach of man.

C. Neoorthodoxy claims that the Bible is not the Word of God; instead, the Bible gives us access to the Word.

D. God is in control of Scripture, so He can make the Word come to men at any time and through any means.

E. The normal means would be the Word of God, yet one may not experience the Word of God when they read the Word of God.

This is because doing so would put man in control of God. 

III. Modern Debates on Meaning 

A. Interpretation has blossomed in the last few centuries providing three distinctive views of meaning. 

Text based—the text is an artifact which has independent meaning.

Reader based—the text is a game which allows all players to derive their own meaning.

Author based—the text is a channel of communication designed to reveal the author’s thought. 

B. Text–Based Meaning 

Overview 

The meaning of a text is independent of the author.

The text, once penned, has an authoritative meaning that cannot change (unless edited).

Even if Paul were to appear and contradict, we should not listen, since the book means what it says, not what he says it means. 

The primary problem with this approach is that a text—words and letters—cannot have meaning unless made meaningful by someone. Meaning takes reasoning and logic, but words and letters cannot reason by themselves. Thus, meaning must begin somewhere with a person. 

Though it is possible that a text can say something other than intended (e.g., the adultery Bible), the Spirit’s inspiration of Scripture guarantees that we have no errors. 

C. Reader–Based Meaning 

Overview 

The meaning of a text cannot be communicated from one speaker to another.

All communication is time–bound, culture–bound, and person–bound, so meaningful communication is impossible.

Thus, reading is a futile exercise unless we maximally personalize the test, producing our own meaning in our own time/culture/person. 

Reader based methods in Evangelical Churches? 

There is a danger of this with non–expository preaching, where a preacher determines what he wants to say and then seeks a text to reflect his preconceived message.

There is a danger of this in small group studies, which focus more on what people think than what the text says. 

Embracing a reader-centered hermeneutic destroys meaning. 

If the text means something unique to everyone, it cannot mean something to everyone!

“When critics deliberately banished the original author, they themselves usurped his place, ... Where before there had been but one author, there now arose a multiplicity of them, each carrying as much authority as the next. To banish the original author, as the determiner of meaning was to reject the only compelling normative principle that could lend validity to all interpretation.... For if the meaning of a text is not the author’s then no interpretation can possibly correspond to the meaning of text, since the text can have no determinate... meaning”28

Famous example—U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court (Roe v Wade)

D. Author–Based Meaning 

Prior to the present age, this has always been understood to be the proper way to interpret.

Reading a text is communicating with a person. If we value that person, we care about what they mean, not what their words could mean (text–based) or what I want their words to mean (reader based). 

IV. The Reader’s Involvement in Reading 

A. Despite the primary place the author has in the question of meaning, the reader does have a place in the communication event. 

Meaning is not from the reader, but application is. 

Meaning is different from application. 

Applications are ever changing. Though meaning never changes, the reader constantly interprets application to fit their own context. 

Meaning is not from the reader, but the discovery of implication is from the reader. 

When the Scripture says “do not be drunk with wine,” one implication is that we should not be drunk with beer either.

In other words, we need to go back to the principles and then expand the principles. This does not change the meaning, but it has a large impact on how we apply texts today.

Example: Thou shalt not kill (Matthew 5:21-22)

For a pregnant woman, it means I should not get an abortion

For someone angry with another man, it means he should not physically kill him

Jesus indicates that the text goes deeper than even these (Matt 5:22) 

Readers bring pre-understandings (i.e., presuppositions) 

There is no such thing as a “pure reading” without pre-understandings.

It is not even desirable that one read without presuppositions.

The question is not whether we read with pre-understandings,

the question concerns whether we are aware of our pre-understandings. 

Our pre-understandings can either help us interpret correctly or hinder us from interpreting correctly. 

Helpful pre-understandings: the Bible has no errors; God is speaking to me in His Word; all Scripture is given to me by God; I have a sin nature; God has created all people equal; no one deserves salvation; etc.

Unhelpful pre-understandings: man is morally good; some races are inferior; truth is relative to each person; differing gender roles indicates patriarchy; etc. 

Unfortunately, our pre-understandings can determine our understanding. That is, we approach Scripture thinking we will find something and sometimes twist the text into saying what we thought it should say. 

DISPENSATIONAL HERMENEUTICS 

I. Foundations for a Grammatical–Historical (Literal) Hermeneutic 

A. The rules for interpretation are God–given. 

The ability to communicate at the verbal level is an aspect of being made in the image of God.

As Zuck has said, “. The principles of interpretation are not invented or learned but are part of the very nature of man. . . . the principles for interpreting the Bible are simply descriptions of the way people think and read when they seek to understand the meaning of any writing. They are not inventions, they are discoveries. Rather than being created, they are observed. If they were arbitrarily devised by man, then each person could make up his own rules. But since these principles are part of the way man normally communicates, they are to be considered universal. They are not special rules applicable only to Bible study.”31 “Foreword,”

Moses Stuart agrees: “From the first moment that one human being addressed another by the use of language down to the present hour, the essential laws of interpretation became and have continued to be, a practical matter. The person addressed has always been an interpreter in every instance where he has heard and understood what was addressed to him. All the human race, therefore, are, and ever have been interpreters. It is a law of their rational, intelligent communicative nature.”

The point is that interpretation is not arbitrary; it operates according to certain principles that we intuitively understand yet must work to express. 

B. These rules lead us to a grammatical–historical (Literal) Hermeneutic for the following reasons (a given by Ryrie): 

Philosophically: "The purpose of language itself seems to require literal interpretation. Language was given by God for the purpose of being able to communicate with mankind. . . . If God is the originator of language and if the chief purpose of originating it was to convey His message to humanity, then it must follow that He, being all-wise and all-loving, originated sufficient language to convey all that was in His heart to tell mankind. Furthermore, it must also follow that He would use language and expect people to understand it in its literal, normal and plain sense."

Biblically: "The prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the first coming of Christ— His birth, His rearing, His ministry, His death, His resurrection— were all fulfilled literally."

Logically: "If one does not use the plain, normal, or literal method of interpretation, all objectivity is lost. What check would there be on the variety of interpretation that man's imagination could produce if there were not an objective standard, which the literal principle provides? To try to see meaning other than the normal one would result in as many interpretations as there are people interpreting. Literalism is a logical rationale." 

C. The Bible is both Divine and Human and this has implications for our hermeneutic 

The Human nature of the book has interpretive implications: 

It must be understood within its own time.

It must be understood within its own culture.

It must be understood within its own language(s). 

The Divine nature of the book has interpretive implications: 

Since God does not lie, the Bible is without error (see discussion above).

Since God is not fallible, the Bible never contradicts itself. 

This means we may interpret passages considering the whole Scripture.

This means we should use clearer texts to interpret the opaque. 

Since God is truthful, the Bible’s promises will be fulfilled as promised. 

This means we should expect a progress of revelation.

God’s plan was to reveal certain information over time, increasing our knowledge and building on the knowledge He previously gave 

The Divine–Human nature of the book has interpretive implications. 

The unity does not eliminate the diversity 

The nature of inspiration is that God spoke through people, using the individual person’s personalities and proclivities.

2 Peter 1:20–21: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The significance of this point is that each author should be interpreted individually. Yes, they share the same divine author, but the divine author does not override the personality of the author; instead, He communicates through that person. 

The meaning is fully shared between the divine and human author.

Some have suggested that the Bible is written with a human sense and a divine sense (sensus plenior).

If there is an additional sense, we should look for the human sense and the divine sense. But how would we know the divine sense?

Significantly, Jesus did not appeal to a divine sense of Scripture. He appealed to the words, which were the product of the divine–human synergy. They meant what they meant in their context, which is proscribed by the human author’s situation.

A distinction should be maintained between meaning and application. 

There is only one meaning, yet many applications. 

For example, a command not to be drunk means just that. Nevertheless, it has the implication that we are not to be influenced by illicit drugs that also limit mental function. 

God is certainly aware of more implications/applications of Scripture than the human author, yet they share the same meaning. 

1 Peter 1:10–12 

Some have suggested that this passage implies sensus plenior since the prophets searched their own prophecies.

 This need not follow, however, for one may know the meaning of one’s own prophecy and yet not know the full ways in which it will be implemented.

For example, Isaiah knew that a virgin was going to conceive, yet he did not know exactly when or under what circumstances that would take place. He searched his own prophecies, as well as those of others, to piece together the Messianic puzzle.

II. Distinctives of a Dispensational Hermeneutic 

A. We believe the human and divine author fully share meaning. 

“the text could never mean what it never meant”

We argued this above.

The significance is that an interpreter cannot insert meaning into a passage by suggesting that it was hidden there by God only to be discovered by later interpreters. 

B. We believe that when Jesus said the OT was about Him, He was speaking of specific passages or distinctive themes. 

Many claim that the whole OT was about Jesus, and they painfully seek to find Him in every narrative (e.g., Rahab’s red cord; Josh 2:18).

We do not deny that the OT leads us in the direction of Jesus, but if we can find Jesus everywhere, it is not clear that He is anywhere.

By “distinctive themes” I refer to types.

C. We believe in typology but not typological hermeneutics.

Defining Typology 

Typology comes from the Greek word τύπος, which means “a mark made as the result of a blow or pressure,

mark, trace.” This is then metaphorically used in reference to anything that is an image –likeness of another thing (BDAG). 

b. In Scripture, a type is a model after the likeness of a later, more substantial reality. They prefigure events or people that will come. In a sense, they are a form of analogical prophecy. 

Hebrews 8:5: “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern [type] shown you on the mountain.””

Romans 5:14: “Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern [type] of the one to come.” 

c. Type vs Antitype

The type is the OT (or prior) person or event that prefigures another person or event.

The antitype is the reality for which the type was the shadow.

For example, 

The Passover is a type (Ex 12), and Jesus is the antitype of the Passover (1 Cor 5:7). 

The bronze serpent is a type, while Jesus is the antitype (John 3:14). 

2. How Many Types? 

a. Typological hermeneutics is the maximal view. 

Typological hermeneutics suggests that types are everywhere to be found. The problem here is like that of allegorical interpretation––the number of types is only limited by the imagination of the interpreter.

“While recognizing types and scripture, dispensationalism rejects typological interpretation. Typological interpretation is a hermeneutical tactic that views typological connections as the primary way to understand the Bible’s storyline––even over explicit statements in scripture.” 

b. The Denial of Typology. 

In reaction to the overabundance of typology and in response to the way typology has been used to structure theological frameworks, some dispensationalists have rejected typology altogether.

The problem here is evident; Scripture indicates they exist! 

Adam as a type of Jesus (Rom 5:14–21)

The law as a type of the New Covenant (Romans 10:1)

Ark is a type of Christian baptism (1 Pet 3:20–21) 

The Passover is a type of the sacrifice of Jesus (1 Cor 5:7) 

c. The Strict Limit View. 

This view suggests that types are only allowed if the NT draws our attention to them.

It is not clear, however, why we would be so limited except that it can curb excessive typology. 

d. The Constrained Exegetical View 

Virkler helps us here: “For a resemblance to be a type there must be some evidence of divine affirmation of the corresponding type and antitype, although such affirmation need not be formally stated.”36

In other words, we look for exegetical and theological warrant for a type, when such exists, we consider whether typology is appropriate.

In my view, Joseph is a type of Christ, yet nowhere is it explicitly mentioned in the New Testament. 

Consider the following ten points of comparison as provided by Kyle Dunham: 

“(1) Both are the subject of prophecy concerning their reign over their brothers/kinsmen (e.g., Joseph’s dreams in Gen 37:5–11; Jesus in Isa 9:6–7; Mic 5:2; Dan 7:13–14). 

(2) Both are hated, rejected, and “killed” by their brothers/kinsmen (metaphorically in the case of Joseph) (Gen 37:18–27; Mark 8:31; John 15:18, 24–25). 

(3) Both are sold by their betrayers for a price: Joseph for twenty pieces of silver (Gen 37:28), Jesus for thirty (Matt 26:15).

(4) Both are stripped of their robe prior to their going down to the “pit/death” (Gen 37:23; Matt 27:28; John 19:23).  

(5) Both resist temptation to establish their legitimacy for rule and their steadfast devotion to God (Gen 39:7–13; Luke 4:1–13). 

(6) Both experience the power and presence of the Lord and the Holy Spirit with them (Gen 39:2–3, 21, 23; 41:38; Luke 3:22; 5:17). 

(7) Both in their period of greatest suffering are associated with two criminals, one of whom is delivered, the other destroyed (Gen 40:1–23; Luke 23:39–43). 

(8) Both are thirty years old when they enter public service (Gen 41:46; Luke 3:23). 

(9) Both function as priests. This is the case for Joseph in that he likely shaves his body prior to entering Pharaoh’s court (Gen 41:14), a custom associated in ancient Egypt with the Pharaoh and the priestly caste (see L. Fried, “Why Did Joseph Shave?” BAR 33 [Jul– Aug 2007]: 36–41). This explains too his marriage to Asenath, the daughter of a priest (Gen 41:45). Jesus accomplishes his priestly ministry after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 5:5–56) as an atoning sacrifice for sin (Heb 2:17; 5:1) and as an intercessor for his people (Heb 7:23–25). 

(10) Both are exalted to reign as vice-regent over foreign nations (Gen 41:40; Pss 22:27– 28; 110:1–2).” 

3. Characteristics of Types

a. There is some resemblance between the type and the antitype. 

The role of Adam as the son of God and Jesus as the son of God is obvious, even if we did not have the explicitly typological connection made for us (Rom 5).

That Jesus is the antitype of the spotless lamb is also quite evident (John 1:29). 

b. Antitypes are heightened in significance from the type. 

Jesus is a greater lamb than the spotless lambs.

Jesus is greater than Melchizedek (Heb 10:11–17). 

c. Antitypes do not always eliminate the type. 

Some have suggested that where a antitype exists, the original type is done away.

On the contrary, Jesus notes that he will share a Passover meal in the kingdom, despite His sacrifice being the antitype to the Passover (Luke 22:15–16). 

d. Types and analogies are not identical.

Just because there is some correspondence does not mean there is a typological relationship.

The church is analogous to Israel, as both are the “People of God,” yet Scripture does not present the church as a typological fulfillment of Israel. 

e. Types can pertain to people, events, or things 

People (Melchizedek, Moses, David, Aaron, etc.)

Events (Passover, Day of Atonement, etc.)

Things (Sabbath, sacrifices, veil, etc.) 

4. Consider the potential abuses of typology: 

a. Is Israel a type of the church? 

b. Is the earthly kingdom a type for the heavenly Jerusalem?

c. Is the Abrahamic Promise a type of the New Covenant?

d. Is circumcision a type of baptism?

e. By means of examples like these, non–dispensationalists will often suggest that God’s program has changed,

and prior commitments have morphed into greater realities. 

D. We do not believe in New Testament Priority. 

New Testament priority suggests that the meaning of an OT passage is not known (in this age) unless correlated with the New Testament.

Why NT priority? 

a. Interpreters who maintain a NT priority suggest that only when you correlate with the NT can one have a “Christian interpretation” of the OT.

b. To read, preach, or teach the OT without reference to the NT is often viewed as unfaithful.

c. In addition, many claim that preaching the OT without reference to the NT would be mere moralism 

3. The Dispensational Response 

a. To speak this way denigrates the OT saints, whose revelation was sufficient for their needs. 

b. Of course, NT saints have more information, and it would be foolish to never reference the NT

(which sometimes acts as a commentary on the OT). 

c. But if we believe that a text can never mean what it never meant, then the NT is

best understood as helpful commentary on the Old Testament. 

In one of my doctoral classes, I was told that the resurrection of Christ opened a new hermeneutic. 

In other words, after the death of Jesus, the OT meant what it had never meant before. 

Ladd “Here is the basic watershed between a dispensational and a nondispensational theology. Dispensationalism forms its eschatology by a literal interpretation of the Old Testament and then fits the New Testament into it. A nondispensational eschatology forms its theology from the explicit teaching of the New Testament.” 

Feinberg: “Nondispensationalists begin with NT teaching as having priority and then go back to the OT. Dispensationalists often begin with the OT, but wherever they begin they demand that the OT be taken on its own terms rather than reinterpreted in the light of the NT.” 

“By reading the NT meaning into the Abrahamic covenant, if it differs from the historical- grammatical OT meaning, one has breached the hermeneutical principle of single meaning. Proper interpretation of the Old Testament begins and ends with the Old Testament before going to the New Testament.”

Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1–3) 

Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7:12–16) 

New Covenant (Jer 31:31–34)

4. The following quotes are instructive: 

5. The implications of Testamental Priority mean that we must take the covenants quite seriously 

E. We believe the NT uses the OT according to normal rules of interpretation. 

This is the heart of many debates concerning dispensationalism, for if it can be proved that the NT authors used a hermeneutic that prioritizes the NT or that reappropriates promises, then we must follow Scripture. 

It is not clear, however, that such texts exist. We discuss the Use of the OT in the NT below. 

F. Considering everything previously stated, we believe there is a future for Israel,

a distinction between Israel and the church, and a coming millennial kingdom. 

These doctrines are not starting points; they are conclusions.

In other words, these doctrines follow from our hermeneutic. They do not drive it. 

It is of great significance that the NT agrees (Rom 11:26; Acts 1:6)! 

NT USE OF THE OT 

I. Introduction 

A. In one sense, we might have covered this under dispensational hermeneutics.

B. However, since the topic is of such clear importance to interpretation, it is given its own section. 

C. The critical element is this: do the NT writers use the interpretive techniques suggested in these notes?

Do they use a grammatical–historical interpretation? 

If so, then clearly we should follow their lead.

If not, then we should probably follow their lead by embracing non–literal hermeneutics. 

II . Ways the NT Alters OT References 

A. One of the initially confusing and perhaps jarring realities serious Bible students encounter

is the freedom by which the NT writers quote the OT. They are certainly not quoting word for

word (even if we take translation into account). 

B. Zuck has suggested numerous modification the OT might use when citing the OT: 

Substitute pronoun for a noun (Is 40:3; Matt 3:3)

Nouns in place of pronouns (Ps 118:26; Lk 19:38)

Plural noun in place of singular noun (Ps 78:2; Mt 13:35)

Substituting a pronoun (Isa 7:8; Mt 1:23)

Personal reference in quote (Is 40:3; Jn 1:23)

Direct changed to indirect discourse (Hos 2:23; Rom 9:25)

Indirect changed to direct discourse (Is 29:16; Rom 9:20)

Verbal forms altered (Ex 20:13–16; Mk 10:19)

From general to more specific reference (Am 5:26; Acts 7:43)

Change extent of reference (Amos 5:27; Acts 4:23)

Order rearranged (Ex 20: 12–16; Lk 18:20)

Combining of quotations (Mal 3:1; Is 40:3; Mark 1:2–3)

Paraphrase (Ps 78:2; Matt 13:35)

Omitting portions of verses (Zech 9:9; Matt 21:5)

Partially quoting (Isa 61:2; k 4:18–19)

Using synonyms (Isa 40:3; Matt 3:3) 

III. Ways the NT uses the OT 

A. Michael Vlach’s Categories:

Literal prophetic fulfillment (Isa 40:3; Matt 3:3).

Affirmation that an OT prophetic text not yet fulfilled will be (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15). 

Literal application of timeless moral or theological point (Ps 51:4; Rom 3:4).

Literal reliance on an OT event or statement (Deut 25:5; Lk 20:28).

Divine correspondence between Israel and Jesus (Hos 11:1; Matt 2:15).

Divine correspondence between David and Jesus (Ps 41:9; John 13:18).

Sometimes proponents of Covenantalism will take principles 5&6 to develop their fully orbed theology

Generational fulfillment. 

B. Gregory Beale’s Categories: 

Direct Fulfillment

Indirect Fulfillment

Analogical or illustrative Use

Symbolic use

Abiding Authority use

Proverbial use

Rhetorical use

Blueprint/Prototype use

Alternate textual use

Assimilated Use

Ironic Use 

C. Roy B. Zuck’s Categories

To point up the accomplishment or realization of an OT prediction;

To confirm that a NT incident is in agreement with an OT principle;

To explain a point given in the OT;

To support a point being made in the NT;

To illustrate an NT truth;

To apply the OT to a NT incident or truth;

To summarize OT concept;

To use OT terminology;

To draw a parallel with an OT incident;

To relate an OT situation to Christ.

D. My Simplified Categories:

Direct Fulfillment

Analogical Fulfillment

An example are Israel and the church in that both are the people of God, however this is not a fulfillment or “type”

Rhetorical Use 

An example of this is Peters use in 1 Peter 2:3 referring to Psalm 34:8

IV. Principles for Interpreting NT use of the OT 

A. Πληρόω often translated, “fulfilled” does not always mean, fulfilled. 

The word has the meaning “to fill up” and is thus extended metaphorically to refer to filling up the content of a prophecy such that it is fulfilled.

Matthew, in particular, seems to use it in reference to further filling out the implications of a passage.

Psalm 41:9 in John 13:18 provides a great example. 

Typology can be seen as non-verbal prophecy, in that when Jesus says “this is to fulfill the passage” is a way to demonstrate the typological prophetic nature of David’s (David of course is a type of christ explicitly stated by scripture) experience which would be greater expanded in the life of Jesus, namely the betrayal from Judas Iscariot

B. Give priority to the older text. 

Before attempting to interpret the OT context through the lens of the NT passage that quotes it, look first to the OT passages.

This simple principle pays extreme dividends, for ancient exegetes were far more capable than many given them credit for.

By starting with the OT, we assume that the NT interpreter values the OT as an inspired document. 

C. Recognize that the NT Writers are Entering a Conversation. 

The point here is that the OT has already been interpreting itself. Often odd interpretations only appear to be so because we fail to recognize the flow of thought.

In other words, there are times that an author will quote a text, but he assumes that we understand he is referring to the passages the OT author is referring to. By missing his own theological trajectory, we imagine he begins a new trajectory. 

Examples

Matthew 2:15 uses Hosea 11:1 

Numbers 23:22 refers to God bringing Israel out of Egypt.

Numbers 24:8 refers to bringing the king out of Israel.

Thus, as Vlach argues, “While he primarily had the historical exodus event in mind, he also may have had the coming king of Israel in mind.” 

Psalm 40:6–8 in Hebrews 10:5–9 

In this case, David is stating a fact, which is picked up by the writer to the Hebrews who applies it to Jesus.

The way we get from David to Jesus is through an understanding that the ultimate Israelite king is Jesus, and so since Jesus is the antitype, what happens to the type can be predictively expressed in relation to the antitype 

Reference to Vlach, but there is supposed to be a reference to creation

Or third, perhaps Psalm 40:6–8 is directly predictive of the Messiah. This view might seem difficult to sustain since David is speaking in the first person (“I”). But the reference to “in the scroll of the book it is written of me” in Psalm 40:7 opens the possibility that the Messiah could be in view since the Messiah, not David, is the focus of several messianic predictions in previous Scripture (see Gen. 3:15; 49:8–10; Num. 24:17–19; and Deut. 18:15–18). Taking this third view, The Moody Bible Commentary asserts that Psalm 40:6–8 was originally messianic: “David remembered what was written in the scroll of the book about the future Deliverer (vv. 6–8). Quoting what that Deliverer would say, David used the first person, in the voice of the Deliverer, referring to the book of the Law (Torah).”19 If this third view is correct the quotation of Psalm 40 in Hebrews 10 is contextual since Jesus literally fulfilled what David predicted Jesus would say in Psalm 40:6–8....While acknowledging the complexity of this example, it is best to view the use of Psalm 40:6–8 in Hebrews 10:5–9 as contextual. As Kaiser says, “Psalm 40:6–8 contains fewer messianic clues and less promise phraseology than other messianic passages (e.g., Psalms 2; 22; 72; 89, or 110), but patient attendance on the text will reveal that the writer to the Hebrews was on strong exegetical grounds.”   1 Michael J. Vlach, The Old in the New: Understanding How the New Testament Authors Quoted the Old Testament (Woodlands, TX; Sun Valley, CA: Kress Biblical Resources; Master’s Seminary Press, 2021), 164.

WORDS 

I. Introduction 

A. The proper interpretation of words is critical to the task of interpretation. 

B. The following humorous church bulletin examples show what happens when words are misunderstood: 

Don't let worry kill you - let the church help.

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.

The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands.

Miss Charlene Mason sang "I Will Not Pass This Way Again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

The eighth graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7p.m. The Congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. 

II. Fundamental Truths about Words 

A. Words are the basic building blocks of meaning.

Words by themselves have no meaning.

Words combined in a structure produce communicable meaning. 

B. Words are arbitrary signs of reference.

Why is a ‘chair’ not a ‘Kosh?’

Because someone simply called it a chair, and everyone followed suit.

This means that language is incredibly flexible.

Example: soda/pop/coke 

C. Words change over time.

Awful used to mean ‘Full of Awe.’

Counterfeit used to mean a ‘perfect copy.’

Why is this important? 

Some words in Scripture occur only once.

Often these words can be found in Greek literature outside the Scripture.

The fact that words change is important because we cannot simply look at how a word was used in Greek culture three hundred years before the Scripture was written and assume the word means the exact same thing. 

D. Words have a range of meanings. 

The same word can mean multiple things, depending on the context (bark, nail, novel, etc.)

Often this meaning is similar, but sometimes it has nothing to do with one another.

To understand one another, we have to know what each word could potentially mean. 

E. Words ranges of meanings are not consistent across languages. 

Because words are arbitrary, there is no reason to assume there would be continuity between word ranges.

Luke 13:12-13 “And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (KJV).

What does make straight mean? You see that English words differ in range than Greek. 

F. Words have both emotional and intellectual content. 

Intellectual meaning is the dictionary definition of a word.

Emotional meaning is the impact a word has on the listener.

Examples:

Phil 3:2 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.”

Matt 16:24: “Take up your cross.” What is the emotional impact of the word ‘Cross?’ 

we need to try to feel the impact of his words not just read it

G. Words Have One Meaning in any particular use 

This principle has a limited exception (double entendre), but it is quite rare. If one argues for double entendre, there must be contextual reasons to suggest it was the author’s intent.

This principle is based upon the structure of communication. When we communicate we seek to be clear, and double entendre lacks clarity.

The import of this is that we cannot argue for multiple meanings for the same word. 

Does Peter call for our love to be earnest (ESV) or persistent (CSB) in 1 Peter 4:8?

In one sense, Peter would want the community to do both. There is no sense, however, that he wants us to understand both in this passage.

Do not confuse “this could mean these eight things” to “this means these eight things.” 

III. Word Study

A. Step One: Determine which words are important. 

Time prevents a detailed study of every word.

The following, when present, indicate which words are important to research: 

When versions differ on different interpretation of a passage (Is.7:14 )

When a word is repeated multiple times in a passage (I John 4:7-10)

When it is a pivotal word in the passage (I John 2:2

It is a word you do not understand, or you think could be interesting to study. 

B. Step Two: Find the range of meanings of a particular word.

We are looking for the range of meanings for the Greek word only!

How to find the possible meanings 

Find meanings by comparing other uses in the NT . 

Through Strong’s Concordance (or comparable tool), one can find the underlying Greek/Hebrew words. Using the Greek/Hebrew word, one can examine every context the Greek/Hebrew word is used.

One will have to try to understand the context of each passage to understand the exact meaning of the word in that passage. 

Find other meanings in a Bible Lexicon (Dictionary of Bible words)

This is most helpful when the Greek word is used only once or only a few times.

These resources will inform you how the word was used in extra-biblical language (for instance, they might show how Josephus, a Jewish historian, used the word).

These sources will also let you know how the LXX used the word. 

Etymology 

Etymology is searching for the meaning of a word by its origins or parts. 

Origins: Salary comes from ‘salt,’ which was a form of payment in Rome.

Parts: English gets the word malaria from Mal (bad) aria (air) [Italian]. 

Etymology can be helpful. 

Θεόπνευστος (Theopneustos) means “God–breathed” and comes from two words, “God” and “breath.”

“The relative value of this use of etymology varies inversely with the quantity of material available for the language.” 

Danger in etymology

Sometimes the parts of a word do not help (e.g., butterfly).

Sometimes words change their meanings, and their original etymological origin is useless.

An example of a problematic use of etymology comes from the “Etymological New Testament.” Here is John 3:16 according to this translation: “For Placer so loved the system, that he gave his uniquely-becoming son that whosoever is trusting into the same, should not be from-whole-loosed, but have life of unconditional-being.”48

Also be warned of reverse etymology.

This is taking today’s words and importing meaning into a word from the past.

Dynamis is a Greek word that means power.

We have named explosive material as ‘dynamite’ because of its power.

But we cannot then say that Paul meant the Bible was like dynamite. 

Through these means, determine the whole range of possible meanings. 

C. Step Three: Determine which interpretation best fits the context. 

Recognize that in only extremely rare cases will you be looking for more than one meaning. 

If there is more than one meaning the context will clearly indicate that more than one is required. 

Further, make sure not to import all possible meanings into a single word. 

The Greek word sarx means flesh.

The range of meaning for sarx is physical flesh, sensuous nature of man, and humanity dominated by sin

When the Bible says Jesus came in the flesh (John 6:53), it certainly cannot mean all of these things. 

Sometimes authors give the definition of the word in the text. 

2 Tim 3:16-17 “16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

The word perfect is defined by the explanatory phrase—thoroughly furnished unto good works. 

Sometimes parallelism provides the meaning of a word. 

We will talk about this later, but Hebrew poetry does not rhyme, but centers on comparing ideas.

Thus, one line of a poem can define the second line of the poem. 

Sometimes you can find a parallel passage. 

Gospels (KOG/KOH)

Historical books Kings, Chronicles, and Samuel

Ephesians and Colossians 

Most times you will find the meaning of the word by the process of elimination. 

Example: In Greek, Luow, can mean either ‘to loosen’ or ‘to destroy.’ Which does it mean in the following verses? 

Mark 1:7 “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to Luow.”

John 2:19 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Luow this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Rev 5:2 “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to Luow the seals thereof?” 

D. Example 1: Colossians 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:” 

Step One: determine which terms need examination (image and firstborn)

Step Two: Determine the range of word meanings 

Firstborn in a chronological sense

Firstborn as in before the beginning of the world

Firstborn as in a preeminent position 

Ps. 89:27 says that the king will be God’s firstborn son.

Rabbi Bechai said that “God is the firstborn of the world” [Pent. fol. 124:4].

Jer. 31:9 God calls Ephraim the firstborn, when it was actually Manasseh (compare with Gen. 48:14, where Jacob blessed Ephraim above Mannaseh) 

Step Three: Determine which word first best in context 

E. Example 2: John 3:3, 7 “3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again

, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again

Step One: determine which terms need examination—born, again

Step Two: Determine the range of meaning 

Again (as in more than once)

From above

From an earlier period 

Step Three: Determine which word first best in context 

HISTORICAL CONTEXT 

I. The Importance of Context 

A. Context is the combination of two Latin words:

“Con” (“together”)

“Text” (“woven”)

Together they mean that the context is something that weaves together a text. 

B. Without context, we misinterpret meaning. 

Illustration: Many people appreciate giving one another Mizpah necklaces. This comes from the Hebrew in Gen 31:49 

Illustration: what dopes Jesus mean by “judge not” (Matt 7:1)? 

C. Without proper context, we do not know meaning. 

Al Gore created the internet, correct?

“FOPATKITFOC,” or, “the Friends of People Against the Kicking in the Face of Children.” 

II. Historical-Literary Context 

A. Need for a proper understanding of the H-L context. 

Meaning cannot be contained in one word. 

Trunk––what does it mean?

“No,” stated publicly and loudly is meaningless without context. 

Meaning cannot be adequately contained in a sentence either. 

Continuing the trunk analogy, do we know what I mean simply by the sentence, “you can find it in the trunk”?

If as walking out of class you hear someone say, “she is cool,” do we know what they mean? 

Meaning cannot even be contained in a paragraph or a book. 

Meaning is tied to an historical context, which influences the way a text is read.

Without knowing the historical circumstances, people, and objects that surround a text, we cannot fully understand that text. 

B. Aspects of Historical Context 

Author 

Who was the author?

Importance

Authors have a style of writing one can expect (i.e., Paul frequently follows the pattern of theology->Application)

Authors also have distinctive terminology

Paul’s use of justification language pertains to what is needed for redemption. 

James’ use of the same language refers to what shows us to be redeemed. 

Test Case: Hebrews 

Who is the author here? 

Danger of assuming Pauline authorship—his term righteousness refers to a past event, but in Hebrews it seems to refer to an ongoing development 

b. What relationship does the author have with the audience? 

Did the writer plant the church?

Is the writer writing for another purpose? Paul and Romans seeking to make sure the church is right in theology so he can use it as a launching pad for ministry 

Who are the recipients?

c. What about the author’s past may be influential in understanding the text? 

2. Recipients 

Consider how understanding the audience of the Gospels helps you understand the Gospels. 

Matthew writes to the Jews

Luke to Theopholis

Mark to the Greeks

John to a general audience much after the events 

These differing audiences give us interpretive significance. 

b. In what spiritual state are the recipients? 

John is writing to unbelievers.

Paul in Galatians does not know the state of his audience. Hebrews is like Galatians but for different reasons.

Paul in 1 Cor is writing to carnal Christians. 

3. Situation (Historical Circumstances)

a. What caused the letter/book to be written?

b. What situation is the book addressing? 

Paul writes to Corinth to correct their sin.

Colossians is a critique of people getting their “wisdom” from sources other than Christ.

Deuteronomy is a second reading of the law right before the people enter the Promise Land.

Chronicles is written after the exile (potentially by Ezra) selectively focusing on Judah and how it will one day be revived into a kingdom.  

Does it matter to know when Daniel was written? 

Does it make a difference knowing when Lamentations was written? 

c. Why did Daniel receive third place in the kingdom (Dan 5:7). Belshazer was 2nd in the kingdom, but his dad was 1st

d. Why was Jonah upset about Ninevah? 

4. Time (Chronological Aspect) 

Does it matter to know when Daniel was written?

Does it make a difference knowing when lamentations was written?

5. Place (Geographical Aspect) 

What does a land “flowing with milk and honey” look like?

How big is the mountain Elijah ran down?

What is “sea” in the Bible? 

How do the customs of the people influence my interpretation?

Why does God walk between two pieces of ripped meat in Gen 15:9-21?

How did Jacob get conned into marrying the wrong girl?51

Who were the Samaritans and how does that influence our interpretation of the Gospels?

Why did Boaz receive a sandal from the nearer kinsman (Ruth 4:8, 17)? 

What was Corban (Mark 7:11)? 

Movies

The director starts with a scene that does not make sense. Over the course of the show, the viewers begin to understand the opening sequence.

Lost

Sixth Sense 

Stories

Mysteries like Sherlock Holmes

Oral Stories: Robert walks his dog and so does Bob. Robert has a beautiful wife, who is loving and caring. Bob is cheating on his wife, but does not want her to find out. Robert faithfully attends church and gives much of his money to church needs. Bob keeps taking money from work and believes he will never be caught. Robert and Bob are the same person, who uses two alternate names. 

Anticipation—looking forward. 

Anticipation happens when we are introduced to a topic, but we cannot understand the topic until more information is revealed later. We are left with an incomplete picture. Once we read the later data, it informs our understanding of the earlier passage.

Why does Paul speak harshly with the Galatians in the opening chapter? The rest of the book informs you. 

Retrospection—looking backward.

Retrospection happens when we are asked to look back at earlier data to inform current topics.

In Romans, Paul argues that we cannot understand justification by faith unless we look at the example of Abraham in Genesis. Having examined Abraham’s life, justification by faith is placed in a context where it can be understood. 

A circle is one where we never get anywhere. We end up at the same place after travelling a distance.

The spiral means we are progressing upwards to new and more mature questions. 

We must read and reread the Bible 

Because our understanding of Scripture grows with each new read, we have more knowledge to apply to the rest of Scripture.

Most often the change is almost imperceptible. We begin to grasp the unity of the message of Scripture by seeing it expressed in various ways throughout the Bible. 

We should alternate reading both small and large portions of Scripture at a time 

Short allow us to be in-depth  C. H. Spurgeon “You are retired for your private devotions; you have opened the Bible, and you begin to read. Now, do not be satisfied with merely reading through a chapter. Some people thoughtlessly read through two or three chapters—stupid people for doing such a thing! It is always better to read a little and digest it, than it is to read much and then think you have done a good thing by merely reading the letter of the word. For you might as well read the alphabet backwards and forwards, as read a chapter of Scripture, unless you meditate upon it, and seek to comprehend its meaning.” 

Large allows us to see how each section interacts with other texts.

We must be very careful about our conclusions, for they can have a domino effect 

One example of bad hermeneutical spiraling is infant baptism. One comes to the NT texts concerning church=Israel. Then look at OT texts talking about circumcision, then look and see Paul seems to use one as an analogy of the other. Maybe they are the same. Further, if we are the people of God, we must be in a covenant, like OT believers. Thus, babies enter the covenant not through circumcision, but baptism. Finally, when I read about the Philippians jailer, I read that his whole family was baptized. Most Likely his family included small children—so there it is! Further, when I read of Jesus being baptized, there is a gap. How was he baptized? I would see him being immersed, CT see John with a pot of water pouring it on Jesus’ head. We read into the text what we believe it is saying. This is a danger as well as the only way we can understand Scripture! 

We all speak and communicate in a logical order.

In fact, the more logically structured a message, the clearer and more satisfying (to a point!).

Example 

You do not hear people speaking like this: “There is a hamburger in the fridge. Did you wash the car’s interior? Four times three does not equal the number of people shot! I have a difficult test tomorrow.”

However, some people approach the Scripture this way. 

They desire small, contextless snippets that they can interpret according to their own understanding.

Fable with a Point: “We all have heard the story of the young man who wanted to know God’s will, so he picked up the Bible, randomly flipped it open, and read a passage... It said, ‘Judas hung himself.’ Thinking that odd, he opened it again. This time it said, “go and do likewise.” A little more distraught he tried once more, and he read ‘what thou doest do quickly!’” 

Did you know the Bible says, “There is no God”?

It actually does (Ps 14:1), but to make a claim like that is to take the passage out of context.

We recognize one must take into consideration the entirety of the passage: “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.” 

In the same way, when someone quotes a passage out of context it has no divine weight. 

In other words, it may sound like the Word, and it may use the (exact) same words as the Word, but it means something different than the Word. 

Example: Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

To apply this to all of life activities would be an abuse of Scripture and would lack divine defence. 

Of a Word is the Sentence

Of a Sentence is the Paragraph

Of a Paragraph is (often) a Chapter

Of the Chapter is the Book

Of the book is a Testament

Of the Testament is the Canon 

Does my understanding fit the words of the text I am reading?

Does my understanding agree with the surrounding context?

Does this make sense in the overall flow of the book?

Does this agree with the author’s other texts?

Does this agree with the rest of the testament?

Does this conform to the Bible as a whole? 

This can be gained by reading and rereading.

This can also be gained through commentaries or Study Bibles. 

In general, if you can show how your passage fits in the outline of the book it is likely a good interpretation.55

This takes knowing the outline in the first place!

Sometimes there is more than one treatment of a topic in a letter. For instance, Paul deals with the topic of faith multiple times throughout Romans. To attempt to interpret one passage without reference to the others would be foolish.

Sometimes there are parallels in other books from the same author. For instance, the books of Ephesians and Colossians (cf. 1 Timothy and Titus) deal with the same subject matters and were probably written at the same time. It can be instructive to interpret one book in light of the other. 

How do the customs of the people influence my interpretation?

Why does God walk between two pieces of ripped meat in Gen 15:9-21?

How did Jacob get conned into marrying the wrong girl?51

Who were the Samaritans and how does that influence our interpretation of the Gospels?

Why did Boaz receive a sandal from the nearer kinsman (Ruth 4:8, 17)? 

Who was corban (Mark 7:11)?

6. Cultural

7. Religious

LITERARY CONTEXT 

I. Hermeneutical spiral 

A. The HS refers to the fact that we understand one part of a text better as we read the other parts.

B. The spiral occurs in every form of communication.

Movies 

The director starts with a scene that does not make sense. Over the course of the show, the viewers begin to understand the opening sequence. 

Lost 

Sixth Sense 

Stories

Mysteries like Sherlock Holmes 

Oral Stories: Robert walks his dog and so does Bob. Robert has a beautiful wife, who is loving and caring. Bob is cheating on his wife, but does not want her to find out. Robert faithfully attends church and gives much of his money to church needs. Bob keeps taking money from work and believes he will never be caught. Robert and Bob are the same person, who uses two alternate names.  

C. Hermeneutical spiral includes two aspects 

Anticipation—looking forward. 

Anticipation happens when we are introduced to a topic, but we cannot understand the topic until more information is revealed later. We are left with an incomplete picture. Once we read the later data, it informs our understanding of the earlier passage. 

Why does Paul speak harshly with the Galatians in the opening chapter? The rest of the book informs you. 

Retrospection—looking backward.

Retrospection happens when we are asked to look back at earlier data to inform current topics. 

In Romans, Paul argues that we cannot understand justification by faith unless we look at the example of Abraham in Genesis. Having examined Abraham’s life, justification by faith is placed in a context where it can be understood. 

D. The spiral is not a circle. 

A circle is one where we never get anywhere. We end up at the same place after travelling a distance. 

The spiral means we are progressing upwards to new and more mature questions. 

E. Implications of the hermeneutical Spiral 

We must read and reread the Bible 

Because our understanding of Scripture grows with each new read, we have more knowledge to apply to the rest of Scripture. 

Most often the change is almost imperceptible. We begin to grasp the unity of the message of Scripture by seeing it expressed in various ways throughout the Bible. 

We should alternate reading both small and large portions of Scripture at a time 

Short allow us to be in-depth 

C. H. Spurgeon “You are retired for your private devotions; you have opened the Bible, and you begin to read. Now, do not be satisfied with merely reading through a chapter. Some people thoughtlessly read through two or three chapters—stupid people for doing such a thing! It is always better to read a little and digest it, than it is to read much and then think you have done a good thing by merely reading the letter of the word. For you might as well read the alphabet backwards and forwards, as read a chapter of Scripture, unless you meditate upon it, and seek to comprehend its meaning.” 

Large allows us to see how each section interacts with other texts.

We must be very careful about our conclusions, for they can have a domino effect 

One example of bad hermeneutical spiraling is infant baptism. One comes to the NT texts concerning church=Israel. Then look at OT texts talking about circumcision, then look and see Paul seems to use one as an analogy of the other. Maybe they are the same. Further, if we are the people of God, we must be in a covenant, like OT believers. Thus, babies enter the covenant not through circumcision, but baptism. Finally, when I read about the Philippians jailer, I read that his whole family was baptized. Most Likely his family included small children—so there it is! Further, when I read of Jesus being baptized, there is a gap. How was he baptized? I would see him being immersed, CT see John with a pot of water pouring it on Jesus’ head. We read into the text what we believe it is saying. This is a danger as well as the only way we can understand Scripture! 

II. Why must we study a passage in context? 

A. Context provides the flow of thought.

We all speak and communicate in a logical order.

In fact, the more logically structured a message, the clearer and more satisfying (to a point!). 

Example

You do not hear people speaking like this: “There is a hamburger in the fridge. Did you wash the car’s interior? Four times three does not equal the number of people shot! I have a difficult test tomorrow.” 

However, some people approach the Scripture this way. 

They desire small, contextless snippets that they can interpret according to their own understanding.

Fable with a Point: “We all have heard the story of the young man who wanted to know God’s will, so he picked up the Bible, randomly flipped it open, and read a passage... It said, ‘Judas hung himself.’ Thinking that odd, he opened it again. This time it said, “go and do likewise.” A little more distraught he tried once more, and he read ‘what thou doest do quickly!’” 

B. Context provides the meaning of words.

C. If we do not quote a passage in its context it has no authority. 

Did you know the Bible says, “There is no God”?

It actually does (Ps 14:1), but to make a claim like that is to take the passage out of context. 

We recognize one must take into consideration the entirety of the passage: “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.” 

In the same way, when someone quotes a passage out of context it has no divine weight. 

In other words, it may sound like the Word, and it may use the (exact) same words as the Word, but it means something different than the Word. 

Example: Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

To apply this to all of life activities would be an abuse of Scripture and would lack divine defence. 

Of a Word is the Sentence

Of a Sentence is the Paragraph

Of a Paragraph is (often) a Chapter

Of the Chapter is the Book

Of the book is a Testament

Of the Testament is the Canon 

Does my understanding fit the words of the text I am reading?

Does my understanding agree with the surrounding context?

Does this make sense in the overall flow of the book?

Does this agree with the author’s other texts?

Does this agree with the rest of the testament?

Does this conform to the Bible as a whole? 

III. The context... 

IV. To understand the Literary Context, we move from our text outward. 

IV. Examining the entire Book 

A. Know the overall theme of the book.

This can be gained by reading and rereading.

This can also be gained through commentaries or Study Bibles. 

B. Know the outline of the book. 

In general, if you can show how your passage fits in the outline of the book it is likely a good interpretation. 

This takes knowing the outline in the first place!

C. See if there are any parallel passages in the book that deal with the same topic. 

Sometimes there is more than one treatment of a topic in a letter. For instance, Paul deals with the topic of faith multiple times throughout Romans. To attempt to interpret one passage without reference to the others would be foolish.

Sometimes there are parallels in other books from the same author. For instance, the books of Ephesians and Colossians (cf. 1 Timothy and Titus) deal with the same subject matters and were probably written at the same time. It can be instructive to interpret one book in light of the other. 

D. Examining the entire Bible 

Study passages with same theme in the same Testament.

If Mark is explaining a parable, it might be important to compare that to Matthew’s use of the same parable.

If Paul is discussing faith, it will be important to know how James also understands faith. 

Finally study other passages with same theme in the other Testament 

The best commentary on the OT is the NT.

The minds of the NT writers were saturated with the OT. 

They memorized large portions of it They were a memorizing culture.

Remember 10% of the NT is composed of quotes and allusions to the OT.

Comparing the books of the Scripture with each other is appropriate for the following reasons: 

There is a shared authorship through the unity of the Spirit.

The NT saints knew the OT, and both the OT and NT saints were parts of communities that shared doctrine and theological values. 

E. Implications of Literary Context

We must be inundated with Scripture to know the entire context. 

One preacher noted that he reads a book of the Bible fifty times before he preaches it.

You can use resources to help you know context, however nothing will replace your time reading and re-reading God’s Word. 

The smaller the passage being studied the greater the chance for error. 

Never study a single verse without reading the verses surrounding it

Normally, the paragraph is the smallest unit of thought in prose literature. 

It is quite helpful to mentally grasp an outline of a book in the Bible. 

The outline helps us see what is in the immediate and surrounding contexts.

An outline helps us see the overall purpose of the book.

Example: Romans 8:28 

III. Sanctification: The Impartation of Righteousness (5:12–8:39)

A. The Reign of Grace Vs. the Reign of Sin (5:12-21)

B. The Rationale for Sanctification (6:1-23)

1. Union with Christ (6:1-14)

a. The Divine Reckoning (6:1-10)

b. The Believer’s Reckoning (6:11)

c. The Believer’s Responsibility (6:12-14)

2. Enslavement to Righteousness (6:15-23)

C. The Inability of the Flesh and the Law to Sanctify (7:1-25)

1. The Believer’s Relationship to the Law (7:1-6)

2. The Law is Good but Sterile (7:7-13)

3. The Flesh is Bad and Powerless (7:14-25)

D. The Power of the Spirit to Sanctify (8:1-17)

1. Over Sin (8:1-8)

2. Over Death (8:9-11)

3. Over Slavery (8:12-17)

E. The Goal of Sanctification (8:18-39)

1. Present Sufferings (8:18-27)

2. Future Glory (8:28-30)

VI. Literary Context Activity 

A. Take one of the following passages and examine its context and tell us why it is included in the book, “The Most Misused Verses in the Bible.”58

B. List of Abused Verses: 

“Plans to prosper you and not to harm you” – Jeremiah 29:11-13

“Where two or three are gathered” – Matthew 18:20

“Ask for anything in My name” – John 14:13-14

“If My people who are called by My name” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

“Jesus as the firstborn of all creation” – Colossians 1:15

“Money is the root of all evil” – 1 Timothy 6:10

“No more than you can handle” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

“Train up a child” – Proverbs 22:6

“An eye for an eye” – Exodus 21:23-25

“Prayer offered in faith” – James 5:15

“Repent and be baptized” – Acts 2:38

“Guard your heart” – Proverbs 4:23

“Where there is no vision” – Proverbs 29:18

“Lifting up the name of Jesus” – John 12:32 

BIBLE STUDY TOOLS 

I. Introduction:

A. You do not need any tools to understand the Bible. Many of the greatest truths you will find can be observed without the use of tools.

B. However, we would be foolish not to use the resources God has given us.  

Many believers have spent their lives developing these tools to make your Bible study more productive.

Do not take them for granted! 

II. Concordance

A. Alphabetical list of words used in a translation of the Bible.

B. Some concordances include every word in the Bible and some only contain some of the words.

C. Many Bibles contain a concordance in the back, though it is brief in its comprehensiveness

D. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance  

Therefore l the truth and peace.......................... Zec 8:19 157

Thou shalt l thy neighbor, and........................... Matt 5:43 25

Thou knowest that I l thee................................ Jn 21:15 5368

Hath prepared for them that l him....................... 1 Cor 2:9 25

III. Bible Dictionaries 

A. Sometimes we do not want to work through every passage on a particular topic. Or perhaps you want some information that would be historical,

though not contained in the Scripture. This is where Bible dictionaries shine.

B. Here is a list of things you would find in a Bible dictionary 

History (e.g., rise and fall of the Babylonian empire)

Geography and topography (e.g., large plains of Armageddon, winding Jordan River)

Culture (e.g., wedding feast customs) 

Doctrine (e.g., Trinity, even though the word does not appear in the Bible)

Person and place names (e.g., Herod, Cana, Antioch)

C. Qualifications 

No Bible dictionary is exhaustive in topics or in the treatment of a topic.

A Bible dictionary is a commentary on a topic and can be influenced by the interpreter’s bias. 

D. Examples of Bible Dictionaries: Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Zondervan’s Bible Dictionary,

and Smith’s Bible Dictionary 

IV. Background Resources 

A. Because the historical context of the NT and OT times impacts the way we understand the text, many people have devoted their lives to grasping the culture

and history of those periods.

B. We can benefit from their work by reading the books they have produced.

C. Here are a few things we might not know without the background study provided through faithful believers 

In the gospel of John, Jesus performs the miracle of turning the water to wine at a marriage feast. John was in Ephesus at the time of writing. Ephesus greatly honored a god responsible for success of feasts. Thus, Jesus was challenging a ‘god’ on its own turf.

In the gospels Jesus illustrated the principle of counting the cost by telling the story of those who would begin building a tower only to leave it incomplete because of a lack of funds. Herod the Great had begun many work projects that remained unfinished because of lack of funding. Jesus may have been pointing to those buildings as He talked.

In Revelation, God’s message to the church of the Laodiceans was that they were neither hot nor cold. The Laodiceans received their water from a heated spring, which would make the water lukewarm. Thus, they would have understood Jesus’ illustration well. 

D. Examples of Background Resources: 

IVP Bible Background Commentary, Craig Keener

The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times, Ralph Gower 

V. Study Bibles 

A. Study Bibles vary greatly from one another.

Some are topic specific—the Apologetics Study Bible, Creation, Prophecy, etc.

Others are general and large in size—ESV study Bible, NET Bible, etc.

Some are general but limited in size—Scofield, Ryrie, MacArthur, etc. 

B. The benefits of a Study Bible 

They view the whole Bible through a particular lens, which can be helpful or a hindrance depending on the context.

Provide maps, charts, etc. that help you to understand the text.

Give historical background to the books before you begin reading the book.

If you approach a study Bible as a limited commentary, then you will find it useful. 

IV. Commentaries 

A. Commentaries are comprehensive study tools available for specific passages.

B. Commentaries are beneficial for the following reasons: 

They seek to explain the cultural context, which is not always explicitly stated in the text.

They explain the linguistic context, which may not be evident on the surface.

They explain the work of canonicity, textual criticism, interpretation, and delve into application. 

We can become dependent on commentaries and fail to meditate. Wrestling with Scripture to understand it creates maturity, and commentaries can shortchange that process.

Commentators, though intelligent and learned, have biases and can mislead. 

C. Commentaries can be dangerous for the following reasons: 

We can become dependent on commentaries and fail to meditate. Wrestling with Scripture to understand it creates maturity, and commentaries can shortchange that process.

Commentators, though intelligent and learned, have biases and can mislead. 

D. Examples of Good commentaries 

Pillar New Testament Commentaries

New American Commentaries

Expositor’s Bible Commentaries

ESV Commentary Series

Thomas Constable’s Commentaries

Great comparison of translations

Excellent IVP commentary set 

VII. Online Tools 

A. The Bible Project (BiblePoject.com)

B. Bible.org

C. Textual tools

D. Biblegateway.com 

E. Biblestudytools.com 

Excellent Bible dictionary (Baker’s Evangelical dictionary).

Excellent Bible Encyclopedia (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

More extensive set of commentaries, though mostly of an older date. 

VIII. Electronic tools 

A. E-Sword

For those who want to try Bible software for free, E–Sword is a trusted program.

E-sword provides easy access to a multitude of Bible study tools. 

B. Logos

Logos is the best Bible software available, partly because of its extensive and ever–growing library.

The software will grow with you, so even the beginner can benefit. 

BIBLE TRANSLATIONS

I. Introduction 

A. It used to be that there was one major English translation accepted by everyone, but this is no longer the case.

B. Because there are differences in style, method, and principle concerning translations, it is important to know the principles that make good and bad translations.

C. We begin with an overview of the history of translations, which gives us more appreciation for the current landscape. 

II. History of Bible Translations 

A. LXX (Septuagint)

The first translation of God’s Word was the Greek of the Old Testament Scriptures

Abbreviated by the Roman numerals LXX

It received this name because the Letter of Aristeas spread a fabrication that claimed the Pentateuch of the LXX was translated in 72 days by 72 men.

Justin Martyr taught it was the entire translation completed in 72 days.

Philo further taught that each of the 72 translators reached their conclusions separately before coming together and finding them in perfect accord.

Need for the Translation

Alexander the Great had begun the process of Hellenization, which required all people in the kingdom to embrace the Greek language.

Soon, the non-religious specialized Jews were losing touch with the ancestral tongue.

Some points of importance from the LXX 

Jesus, the NT writers, and the church embraced the translation, showing that God approved of translations (contra Islam).

Most NT quotes are from the LXX, not the Hebrew. This shows that God intended Scripture to be used in the language of the people.

Even when the Hebrew text slightly differed from the LXX, Paul chose to use the LXX.65 This indicates that God, through Paul, approved a translation that was not “perfect.”

The LXX translators used both Formal Equivalence (Word for Word) and Dynamic Equivalence (Thought for Thought), which indicates that, to a certain degree, these methods are acceptable.

The theories surrounding the creation of the LXX point to the fact that, even in the earliest times, there was a desire for a perfect translation. 

B. Major Translation Two: Latin Vulgate 

When Rome began expanding, the Hebrew Scriptures had to be translated into the language of Rome (i.e., Latin). 

However, when Jerome began translating, he began taking significant criticism for his work. Notably, because it differed from the long accepted LXX.

“Is there a man, learned or unlearned, who will not, when he takes the volume into his hands, and perceives that what he reads does not suit his settled tastes . . . call me a forger and a profane person for having the audacity to add anything to the ancient books, or to make any changes or corrections therein?”66

To show the hostility towards the newer translation, I will mention the church that heard the public reading of the Vulgate in the book of Jonah. When gourd (Vulgate reading) was read rather than ivy (LXX reading), the people shouted “Ivy, Ivy, Ivy” until the pastor complied with their commands!  

Eventually, the Vulgate gained acceptance and it is why it is called the Vulgate (i.e., “common”). 

Points of importance from the Vulgate 

Primarily, we learn that even in church history there has been a reluctance to embrace different translations when they differ from our beloved text.

Secondarily, we begin to see with the Vulgate that people were comparing translation with translation rather than comparing the translation to the original languages. 

C. Major Translation Three: KJV 

There were a number of translations in English, but there was never one that was universally accepted until the KJV

The KJV was unparalleled compared to the other English versions

In writing style

In scholarship

In balance between Formal Equivalence (Word for Word) and Dynamic Equivalence (Thought for Thought) 

Notes about the original KJV 

It had 8500 marginal notes offering a “more literal meaning,” a textual variant, or noting that the translation choice was not without controversy. 

These are removed from nearly every edition of the KJV today.

The “Preface to the Reader” indicated that the translators were concerned that people would lose confidence in the translation because of the marginal readings. 

Note one of the paragraphs to the reader from the translators:

To those who point out defects in [the translators’ works], they answer that perfection is never attainable by man, but the word of God may be recognized in the very meanest translation of the Bible, just as the king’s speech addressed to Parliament remains the king’s speech when translated into other languages than that in which it was spoken, even if it be not translated word for word, and even if some of the renderings are capable of improvement. To those who complain that [the translators] have introduced so many changes in relation to the older English version, they answer by expressing surprise that revision and correction should be imputed as faults. The whole history of Bible translation in any language, they say, is a history of repeated revision and correction. 

The translators directly deny they have a perfect (or inspired) translation

They recognize the validity of thought for thought (dynamic) translations

They insist that revision is helpful

The KJV was not produced without controversy 

“[I] had rather be rent in pieces by wild horses than any such translation by [my] counsel should be urged upon the masses.”70 Dr. Hugh Broughton.

Many other writers claimed that the new translation was blasphemous, modernist, unfaithful to the original, and even denied the deity of Christ. 

Eventually, the beauty and power of the KJV won the day and it was unrivaled for more than 250 years. 

D. Post-KJV translations

The foothold for the KJV began eroding around 1881 with the RSV.

Since that point there have been many translations. The Major ones are listed alphabetically below. 

English Standard Version (ESV)

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), then Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New International Version (NIV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

New Living Translation (NLT)

New English Translation (NET)

The Message

Today’s New International Version (TNIV)

Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) 

III. The Modern Landscape 

A. Two Dangers to avoid

Believing every version is acceptable 

In the US we have a long history of King James Only advocates, some of whom believe the KJV corrects the Greek. 

In other cultures, other versions have taken the place of dominance, and are regarded by some Christians as the inerrant standard. 

“The Word on the Street (Genesis 1:1ff): First off, nothing. No light, no time, no substance, no matter.

Second off, God starts it all up and WHAP! Stuff everywhere! The cosmos in chaos: no shape, no form, no function– just darkness ...

total. And floating above it all, God’s Holy Spirit, ready to play. Day one: Then God’s voice booms out, ‘Lights!’ and, from nowhere,

light floods the skies and ‘night’ is swept off the scene.”

2. Believing any one version is inspired 

B. If no version is perfect, and if not all are acceptable, we need to spend some time working through the qualities of a good translation. 

IV. Criteria for Choosing a Bible Translation 

A. First: Why is it important to have a good Bible version?

Translators do a significant amount of interpretative work for you (e.g., James 1)!

They choose which of the variant readings is displayed in the text (e.g., 1 Cor. 7:36) 

KJV: But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin

NASB: But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter

NIV: If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to 

The KJV and the NKJV engage limited mss. 

When the KJV was translated, Erasmus (the one who produced the Greek text underlying the KJV) only had six manuscripts.

The KJV was never updated to reflect new mss. discoveries, though its language was gradually changed from 1611 to around 1900. From that point, not even the language has been updated.

The NKJV used the same mss. base, but used the Majority Text for some decisions.

M 

All Modern Versions 

All popular modern versions use the fulness of our mss. discoveries to determine the original readings.

Presently we have close to 6,000 mss. 

B. Criteria 1: Manuscript Inclusion 

C. Criteria 2: Translation Philosophy 

Formal translation (YLT, NASB)

A Formal translation seeks to replicate the original languages Word for Word.

At first this sounds entirely appetizing, but if there is too much Word for Word, the meaning can be lost, and the language can become stilted.

YLT (1 Cor. 5:1): Whoredom is actually heard of among you, and such whoredom as is not even named among the nations -- as that one hath the wife of the father! 

Dynamic Translation (Message, NLT)

Dynamic Translations seek to replicate the inherent idea of the text.

This sounds great as well, but often this means the translator is doing the work of interpretation for the reader.

Living Bible (Ps. 119:105) "Your Word is a flashlight to light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling." 

Balanced Approach (KJV, ESV, CSB, NIV) 

Translation Philosophy Diagram71

Formal Translation __________I ______________Dynamic Translation____________ I____________________ Loose ___

(NASB, KJV, LSB, ESV)________________________(NIV, NJB, NLT) _________________________________(GNB, Message) 

D. Gender neutrality 

This is a hot topic in translation philosophy.

Should we retain the general word “Man” or is it limiting to only half the population?

Some in the SBC publicly denounced the NIV because its update for 2011 embraced much of the gender neutral language of the TNIV 

John 14:23 KJV: 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

TNIV Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 

E. Readability 

Readability is a standard by which experts judge the reading level required to understand a text.

Readability Levels 

KJV 12 ESV 10 NKJV 7

NRSV 11 NIV 8-7 NLT 6

NASB 11 CSB 7 MSG 5-4

3. One major aspect of readability is one’s ability to understand the vocabulary of the text. Older translations which have not been updated become harder to read over time. 

F. Other Factors 

Paragraph marks

Cross references

Footnotes

Reading Editions 

IV. Conclusion 

A. What should you look for in a version? 

Who translated it?

What was their goal?

Which MSS does it come from

Did the translators use gender neutrality as a standard?

Do the translators lean towards dynamic or formal translation? 

What other factors are present in the text (do they give footnotes, cross-references, paragraph marks)? 

B. Today we do not have to choose one version. The riches of translation mean that we can benefit from many different versions. 

PERSONAL PREPARATION 

I. Introduction 

A. Because interpreting the Bible is an experience of relating to God, and because we are naturally resistant to His message (due to our sin nature),

we should talk about personal preparation. 

B. By preparation, we mean that there is a certain subjective state that makes reading Scripture most productive 

IV. Regeneration 

A. Regeneration is the Spirit’s work of renewing the believer in Christ.

B. Key Texts

I Cor 2:6-14

Rom 1:18-22

Ephesians 4:17-20

2 Cor. 4:4  

C. Two important concepts to keep in mind. 

The role of sin in interpretation 

Unbelievers can know Scripture in the same way you and I can except that they cannot put it into action, just as the demons who believe but tremble (Jas 2:19).

The source of the inability seems to have to do with knowledge itself. Satan has blinded the minds of men. They hear/read the Word, but they immediately suppress the knowledge so that they do not experientially grasp the truths. 

The role of the Spirit in illumination (John 16:8-15) 

The Spirit does not give new meaning to Scripture.

“The Spirit will enable the original meaning in the text to speak with power and conviction to each reader in his or her own circumstances.” 

D. In summary, an unbeliever can understand the meaning of Scripture. In fact, he may be able to write a better technical commentary on the text than a Christian could write.74

But he cannot live the truth, nor be transformed by the truth. 

III. Church Membership (The benefit of other believers) 

A. Key Text: I Tim 3:15 

B. Spurgeon “It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much about what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others.” 

IV. A Hungry Heart 

A. Key texts

I Peter 2:2 

Job 23:12 

Psalm 63

B. The only remedy for a lack of hunger is a genuine taste. 

V. Willingness to Obey 

A. Key texts

Psalm 119:98-100

Luke 19:26 

B. We come to have knowledge of God’s Word through obedience to His Word. 

C. Those who fail to submit to God’s Word will not experience the fullness of God’s work in their lives through Scripture. 

VI. Prayerfulness 

A. Key texts 

James 1:5

Psalm 119:34-37

B. We must approach the Scripture as God’s text, which He can give us assistance in understanding. 

TESTING INTERPRETATION

I. Can I ever truly know my interpretation is correct?  

A. Have I done enough historical research?

B. Have I studied enough context to recognize whether this accurately fits?

C. Do I really understand each word? Or could I have chosen one of the wrong meanings for a word? 

II. Bigger question: is my church mistaken? 

A. The Roman Catholic objection: The Protestant church, in leaving the RCC, has made interpretation useless, because everyone will disagree.

B. Modern day example: The Question to End All Questions 

“Hey Man,

Sadly the title above is accurate and this question may be the worst one I have ever asked you. It is mean and if you cannot answer it may destroy your life. Ok maybe an exaggeration, but not really.

So there are over 2000 Christian denominations which believe in what we call the cannon. Lets for safety sake say that 1000 of those believe sola scriptura. Now these denominations, even just the big ones (Methodism, Baptist, Lutheran, Calvinist, etc), differ on literally every single doctrine. Yet they all claim that all they use is scripture, and they all spend vast amounts of time working on their exegesis to make sure it is correct. Now these groups typically hold that they are right and others are not. Think of a doctrine, anything. Some Christian who has spent years in the word would disagree. What I am getting at is the plurality of interpretation. Obviously there are straight out statements of history and existence. Such as God is, he came, he died, and he rose again. Those things are undebatable because of the nature of the Biblical statements and the vast amount of text which reveals these incredibly simple ideas. But ideas such as salvation are definitely up for grabs interpretation wise, especially the mechanism (Calvinism vs Luther). If we know nothing beyond what we humanly construct out of the Bible (and as Baptist our tradition of interpretation is only 500 years old at most) what is true? Is there a way to know that one interpretation is better then another? Obviously you will say yes, but from what I learned from you and [a school] about the proper methods of interpretation, I see others use the same methods and come up with very different results.

The multiplicity of interpretive stances out of one passage with the same methods has to be worrying. How do we know we are right if they are doing the same thing and getting a different answer? That is the question.”

III. Hope for Correct Interpretation 

A. God gave us His Word. Would it make any sense if we had access to it, but not its meaning?

B. God has provided His Word in human language, which suggests He meant us to understand it.

C. God has provided His Holy Spirit in order that we might know the truth (John 16:13). 

Obviously, this does not mean that we will all come to the exact same place. If so, why have a Bible in the first place? All we need is the Holy Spirit.

It does mean that the truly regenerated will understand the essentials of faith, though we may disagree about secondary matters. 

D. We would expect that, in a sin cursed world, our interpretations will differ in minors ways. 

Again, the Holy Spirit guides true believer’s interpretations of the central elements of faith (though anyone can be confused for a season)

If we had not fallen into sin, we would not have error–filled presuppositions.

Today, we must try to squeeze out our false presuppositions—even when we are unaware of them. 

IV. Why do Disagreements exist? 

A. Often disagreements exist because there are conflicting norms of authority. 

Scripture must be the final rule for faith and practice.

The cults and many denominations/groups have their own source of authority, whether official or unofficial. 

The RCC believes in the rule of faith

Mormons believe in the teachings of Joseph Smith

Mormons believe in the authority of the church structure

B. Some disagreements exist because not everything is designed to be understood. 

Aspects of God’s nature and character are beyond human rationality.

Predictive prophecy is intended to be opaque, only revealing its fulness after the events have come to pass. 

C. Some disagreements exist because our sin nature twists our ability to interpret. 

We all must be careful not to allow our desires captive our understanding. 

Scripture indicates that sin makes us foolish, marring the clarity of our interpretive vision (Rom 1:18–32; Eph 4:17–20). 

Examples

Slavery was defended in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Homosexuality is defended in the present age.

Neither of these is biblically defensible, yet there are significant attempts to defend them 

V. Steps for Testing our Interpretations. 

A. Ask whether your interpretation would be acceptable to the person who received the letter. 

A text cannot mean what it never meant.

This step will help us to affirm historical–contextual exegesis. 

B. Ask whether you have accounted for every aspect of the text.

C. Ask whether your interpretation aligns with theology as it has been historically interpreted. 

Of course, we don’t put our trust in history, so this could mislead.

Nevertheless, the church is the pillar and ground of truth (1 Tim 3:15) and as such should not be taken lightly in such discussions. 

D. Ask whether other Christians in different countries, circumstances, and time periods hold the same. 

Imagine the sales of Joel Osteen’s books in China.

Why is congregational polity vigorous in the Americas but less so elsewhere?

Lewis’s advice

C.S. Lewis did not write on this directly, but by addressing the tendency of people to think according to their own age, his words have application here.

“Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. . . . The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books. Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction.” 

VI. What happens when true believers disagree? 

A. Because we do not have access to the author, and because we all approach Scripture with presuppositions, there will arise various interpretations among those

who truly know Christ.

B. Process of resolution 

What not to do: 

Immediately call the other a heretic.

Immediately believe they are seeking to destroy the faith.

Believe you are filled with the Spirit more than the other interpreter. 

What you should do: 

First, seek to find the fundamental disagreement between your interpretations.

Second, seek to truly understand the position of the other interpreter.

Third, seek to resolve the issue by reference to the text of Scripture.

Fourth, recognize that some differences are not going to be settled on this side of eternity.

Fifth, love the brother or sister even while you think he or she is mistaken. 

PRINCIPLES OF APPLICATION 

I. Introduction

A. All Scripture is given for application. 

2 Tim 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

I Cor. 10:6: “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.” 

B. Historical and Poor application techniques 

Ouija Board approach

Young man who chose to go in the Navy because he opened his Bible to Ezekiel 27:25, where it speaks of going to Tarshish in ships.77

The story that ran in the major Chicago newspaper—God’s Orders Sends Pitcher Packing— indicating that a minor league baseball pitcher was fired, because the Christian owner had flipped open the Bible and saw the phrase “Prepare thee stuff for moving.”

Ignoring the Context

Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic 

Proponents of this theory suggest that the Bible has a progressive trajectory, which continues into our ethic today.

Key Example used: Slavery79

We recognize an apparent development of thought from the OT to the NT 

Slaves in the OT were sometimes treated as property (Exod. 21:28-32; Lev 25:39-46)

Slaves in the NT are treated much better (I Cor. 7:21; Philemon) 

If we recognize a progression within revelation, might we expect that the progression to continue today? 

Today it is broadly recognized that slavery is altogether unacceptable. Had Paul lived in our age, he would have condemned it as well.

The historical circumstances prevented Paul from coming to and expressing a fully developed ethic on slavery. Nevertheless, we can see the progression and follow it to its ultimate end.

Consider the Redemptive–Movement Hermeneutic for women in ministry 

Claim: In the OT world women were often seen as second–class citizens. 

Trajectory: In the NT women were considered as spiritual partners, though they still lacked some opportunities.

Trajectory Followed: Today, we should recognize that women should be in all ministry positions. 

Consider the Redemptive–Movement Hermeneutic for Homosexuality? 

Claim: The OT punishment of death for homosexuality showed moral immaturity (Lev 20:13).

Trajectory: The death penalty shifted to mere shame as penalty in the NT (Rom 1).

Trajectory Followed: homosexuality is morally neutral or even courageous.

Taking every command as imperative and literal 

Some commands are figurative and should not be taken literally. 

Pluck out your eye, cut off hand, cut off foot, etc. (Matthew 18).

There are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. (Matt 19:12)  

Some commands are general and should influence your behavior but were never designed to be taken to their extreme. 

Sell all your possessions and give them to the poor (Lk 12:33).

Do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you (Mt 5:42) 

II. Basic aspects of personal application 

A. S.M.A.R.T.

Specific – Don’t be vague or general in your applications. 

Poor – “I will try to pray more often.”

Good – “I will pray for ten minutes each morning.”

Measurable – Be sure that you can review your compliance with your decisions. 

Poor – “I will write thank you notes as needed when blessed by others.

Good – “I will write at least one thank you note each week for the next month. 

Achievable – It doesn’t help to determine to do something unrealistic. 

Poor – “I will witness to everyone.”

Good – “I will seek to witness for the Lord to two people this week.” 

Relevant – The application should apply to your life, not to someone in the Bible. 

Poor – “People should offer their children to God, like Abraham did with Isaac.

Good – “I will offer my musical talent (or other treasured talent) to God in prayer, and will look for opportunities this month to use the talent for God’s purposes. 

Time Sensitive – It is easier to follow if you keep your goals short, not long term. 

Poor – “I will read the Bible fifty times in my adult life.”

Good – “I will read the Bible for twenty minutes each day this month.” 

B. The Bible applies to every issue of life. 

It does so, not by speaking of every issue by name, but by giving the principles whereby we can evaluate those issues.

We can answer every question the world provides by use of Scripture.

Examples: What does the Bible say about... 

Nuclear Weapons?

Artificial intellegence?

How to deal with a transgender convert?

C. The Holy Spirit’s role in Application can be summarized in three points: 

He gives the renewed mind to morally comprehend biblical principles (Rom 12:2).

He gives the conviction of life change based on biblical teaching (I Cor. 2:4).

He gives the power to live out Spirit–inspired commitments (Phil 2:13). 

III. The Basic Problem of Application 

Please indicate in the following blanks whether you believe that:

A. The command is universal and mandatory for all

B. The command is cultural and no longer mandatory in this age

C. The command is given to a specific individual and does not apply to others 

_______ God. . . said to them [Adam and Eve], ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ (Gen 1:28).

_______ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deut 6:5).

_______ When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce. . . you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow (Deut 26: 12).

_______ Greet one another with a holy kiss (l Cor 16:20).

_______ Women should remain silent in the churches (l Cor 14:34).

_______ Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman (Lev 18:22).

_______ Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28: 19).

_______ Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture (1 Tim 4: 13).

_______ Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material (Lev 19: 19).

_______ Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure (2 Pet 1: 10).

_______ Who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man (Gen 9:6).

_______ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet (Jn 13: 14).

_______ Heal the sick, raise the dead, . . . drive out demons (Mt 10:8).

_______ Sell your possessions and give to the poor (Lk 12:33).

_______ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work (Ex 20:9-10).

_______ A woman. . . should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head (1 Cor 11:6- 7).

_______ If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him (1 Cor 11: 14).

_______ Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife (1 Cor 7:27).

_______ Every male among you shall be circumcised (Gen 17: 10).

_______ Punish him [your child] with the rod and save his soul from death (Prov 23:14).

_______ Do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you (Mt 5:42).

_______ Bless those who persecute you. . . . If your enemy is hungry, feed him (Rom 12:14,20).

_______ Give strong drink to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more (Pro v 31 :6-7).

_______ Do not. . . put tattoo marks on yourselves (Lev 19:28).

_______ Praise God with tambourine and dancing. . . praise him with the clash of cymbals (Ps 150:4-5).

_______ Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly (Lev 19:32).

_______ Abstain from food sacrificed to idols, blood, meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality (Acts 15:29).

_______ A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing (Deut 22:5).

_______ I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer. . . . I also want women to dress modestly. . . not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes (1 Tim 2:8-9).

_______ Do not take interest of any kind from your countryman (Lev 25:36).

_______ Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord (J as 5: 14) 

Three Steps to Modern Application:

Step One: Find the Meaning and Application to original audience.

Step Two: Determine if the command or only its underlying principle is applicable today. 

Step One: Finding the meaning and application to the original audience.

We must ask, “How would an original hearer have applied this passage to his or her own life?” 

This step requires all interpretive techniques we have discussed throughout this class. 

If we do not understand the historical context, the literary context, the word meanings, or the grammatical connections, this task is impossible. 

We cannot skip this step, for the Bible can never mean what it never meant.

Step Two: Determine if the command itself or only its underlying principle is applicable today. 

Some commands are enduring through time: 

Thou shalt not kill

Thou shalt not lie 

Others are not enduring. Nevertheless, they have underlying principles that are applicable: 

Don’t Muzzle the ox while it treads the grain (Deut 25:4; 1 Cor 9:9; 1 Tim 5:18)

Don’t tattoo your flesh (Lev 19:28)

Whether you have determined that the command itself or only the principle should be passed on, it is imperative in application that you place the commandment in terms of your experience. 

Do not kill = Do not take someone’s life by... committing abortion, euthanasia, etc.

Do not steal = I should not take what is not mine by... downloading songs, cheating on a test, etc.

How do we express a commandment in modern terms? 

Using the meaning of the commandment, meditate on how that command or principle would apply in our current world. 

So, we must interpret both Scripture and our own world.

The task of interpreting our world is difficult and is the source of interpretive battles.  

What do tattoos mean in the present world?

Are there such things as “worldly hairstyles”?

How should Christians think of violent video games? 

Example 1: “Don’t glean the edges of your field” (Lev. 19:9-10)

Principle: Help the needy and hungry

Modern Application: Give some of my proceeds to food banks, etc. 

Example 2: “Do not move a boundary stone” (Prov. 23:10) 

Principle: Do not take what is not yours—or do not cheat a neighbor

Modern Application: . . . 

Determining Command or Principle

First, ask who received the commandment?

If given to an individual in a specific situation, it is probably not applicable today.

If given to a people group at a specific time, it is probably not applicable today.

Second, Determine the underlying reason for a command.

If based on the character of God, then it still has application today

If based on creation, it likely has application today

Example 1:Gender Roles (I Tim 2:12-13)

Example 2: Divorce (Matt 19:4-8)  

c. Step Three: Reword the command or principle in terms that are applicable today. 

FIGURES OF SPEECH 

I. Figures of Speech are statements that do not mean what they literally say. 

II. Types of figures of speech 

A. Sarcasm 

Sarcasm is making a biting statement you know the listener will understand is not spoken literally.

Paul in I Cor 4:8-10.

Elijah in I Kings 18:27. 

B. Simile and Metaphor

Simile is a comparison, usually using “like” or “as.” 

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. (Matt 13:44)

And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharoah" (Exodus 7:1). 

Metaphor is a comparison that directly relates two distinct ideas. 

Jesus said, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’ (John 10:11).

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

“The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23).

“Underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut 33:7)

“My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Gal 4:9) 

Care must be taken that comparisons are not taken as fact (e.g., Job 37:2–3). 

C. Symbolism 

Symbols are things that stand in the figurative place of something else.

Examples: 

Bread and wine, standing for the body and blood of Christ (Mk 14:22–25).

Serpent as Satan (Gen 3:15; Rev 12).

Babylon as Rome (1 Pet 5:13) 

Warning:

Unless explicitly noted, do not take numbers as symbolic

E.g., there is no reason to take revelation 20 as Figurative

D. Idiom––a phrase that means something different than its literal words convey. 

Examples

That’s a piece of cake.

Get on the ball!

Spanish: To hang oneself (to get married)

Russian: Not hanging noodles on your ear (to not joke)

Scriptural Examples 

“Hating” family (Luke 14:26; cf. Gen 29:30–31; Matt 10:37)

“Knowing” one’s spouse (Gen 4:1)

“Heart melts” (Deut 20:8)  

E. Personification 

Sometimes Scripture ascribes to non–animate objects characteristics of life. 

“The sun will be ashamed” (Isa 24:23).

“The trees will clap their hands” (Isa 55:12). 

Sometimes Scripture will ascribe to God human characteristics (anthropomorphism) 

Gen 3:8–10: “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”

Having fingers (Ps 8:3); ears (Ps 31:2); and eyes (2 Chron 16:9). 

Changing His mind (1 Sam 14:11, 35; cf. 1 Sam 15:29) 

F. Hyperbole 

When someone overstates the case intentionally (knowing that the reader will recognize it), this is called hyperbole.

Examples 

David in reference to Saul and Jonathan: “They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions” (2 Sam 1:23) 

I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with tears (Ps 6:6)” 

“To sleep” often refers to death (1 Cor 11:30). 

III. Figures of Speech and Grammatical–Historical Interpretation 

A. Figures of Speech, though they use language figuratively, do not contradict a Grammatical–Historical interpretation of Scripture. 

B. The author may be using a figure of speech, but he is expecting that the reader would understand his use of the figure.

This means that he is saying exactly and literally what he meant to say. 

C. Literal interpretation?

At times, the Grammatical–Historical method is called the Literal–Grammatical–Historical method.

The name was given to distinguish it from allegorical interpretation, which is nonliteral.

Most interpreters have moved away from such language because it fails to communicate well. 

Lord of the Rings

Toy Story

Thor

Nightmare on Elm Street

You’ve Got Mail 

GENRE 

I. Defining Genre 

A. “A category of writing distinctive in style, form, or content.”

B. Genres may be simply described as forms of writing. The difference between a Proverb and a Psalm is the difference between one genre and another. 

II. Analogy: Genre in movies 

A. Here are some popular movies, which can be classified according to various genres 

B. Notice that genre sets your expectations. 

You do not say, when watching Lord of the Rings, ‘Wow, I never knew trees talked before!’

When watching an action film, you are not surprised that a solitary bullet will make a vehicle explode, even if you know this is nearly impossible.

You should expect that eating McDonalds for a year will ruin your health, budget, and prospects!

In other words, the movie genre determines your expectations of what you will find in the movie. It also determines how you will interpret the data given in the movie.

The author writes according to the rules of his genre, so misunderstanding genre, leads to misunderstanding the message.

Some have attempted to redefine genre in such a way that the author’s intentions are harmed. 

What is the genre of the Gospels?

What is the genre of the book of Revelation? 

This means we should consider each genre, seeking what the rules of that genre were. 

C. There is danger here. 

D. Types of genres in Scripture 

Prophecy

Gospels (Personal-Historical Narrative)

Parable

Poetry

Narrative

Epistle

Covenant/Law 

GENRE: NARRATIVE 

I. Introduction to Biblical Narrative 

A. Narrative & Stories 

Biblical narratives are stories, but we will us the more technical term Narrative, since ‘Story’ is popularly understood as fictional.

Does it really matter if these are true narratives or merely fabricates stories? 

There has been a push in recent decades to ‘de-mythologize’ the Bible. This means to take away all of the supernatural ‘fluff’ and discover the elements of faith that hide behind the miracles. For instance, some say that Jesus did not really die and rise from the dead. Even though it is pure fiction, the story inflames a particular passion in your heart. The writer of the gospel did not want you to believe in a true resurrection (how silly!); he merely wanted you to feel impassioned about being a good person. 

This sort of thinking attempts to eliminate the most distinctive element of Christianity—it is based in historical fact. Though there are many faiths in the world, none depend on the truth of historical claims like Christianity. In fact, Christianity stands or falls on historical truths (like the virgin birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ––I Cor. 15) 

Narratives generally have a hero, and in Scripture God is always the Hero (try to think of a story where God is not the ultimate hero!). 

B. Scriptural Narrative

60% of Scripture is written in story form.

Old Testament Narrative: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, I & II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

New Testament Narrative: Matthew–Acts. 

II. Why Narratives? 

A. Narratives memorable.

If I asked, you would probably be able to describe many—if not most—of the Bible’s stories.

On the other hand, most people are incapable of describing the content of Leviticus, Ephesians, or any of the other non-story books. 

B. Narratives are interesting.

Imagine reading an entire Bible filled with only laws or expositions of theology!

God has given most of the Scripture in story form to engage us at every level of being. 

C. Narratives are felt as well as heard. 

Stories draw people in, lowering their defenses. Often stories are how God applies the Scripture to the heart, breaking the sinner’s defensive barriers (the reason evangelists often flower their messages with stories).

Take Esther as an example. That book is highly energetic and engaging, usurping everything Hollywood has to offer! By the end of the book, the reader has been drawn into the story, rejoicing in the victory for the Jewish people. 

D. Narratives provide a unique form of instruction. 

They allow us to see God’s character to a deeper extent. 

Bill Vs Bob 

Is there a difference in the way you consider Bill or Bob in the following two examples? 

Bill is a loving Father. 

Yesterday, Bob ran past the fire fighters and into a burning building to save his daughter’s life. He was succesful, but he is now suffering from third degree burns over his entire body. 

While we may believe someone who told us Bill loves his children, we know Bob does because we have heard about his actions.

In the same way, we can hear that God loves His people, or we can read about the ay that He preserved His people through Isaiah’ recounting of Sannacherib (Isaiah 36–37). The latter affirms and confirms the former. 

Through Narratives we come to know the Lord in ways that simple statements never convey

Psalm 77:7-20 

When depressed (7-9), the Psalmist remembers the history of God’s faithfulness (10-20)

He intentionally remembers and meditates on God’s wonderful works.

How do the Narratives concerning God’s faithfulness to OT Israel and to the church encourage you when you are in difficult times? 

Psalm 78:5-11 

The law and blessings of God were designed to be passed down to the children through the stories.

The purpose of giving the stories/law to the children is so that they... 

Might not forget the works of God.

Might set their hope in God.

Might be faithful to God. 

Second, they allow us to see (not just read) how faithfulness or unfaithfulness affects mankind. 

Paul argues that the Exodus generation serves as an example to New Testament believers that they might both hope (Rom 15:4) and be warned (I Cor 10:6, 11).

Hebrews 11 is one large history lesson, concluded by the encouragement to be faithful in our race (12:1-3). 

III. Three Levels of Narratives 

A. The Kingdom Level 

The Foundational Level involved in all Narratives concerns God’s Overall Plan for Creation.

Every single narrative relates to the creational plan—whether New Testament or Old.

The major themes of this section involve the perfect creation, the fall of man, the need for redemption, and the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, and the redemption of all. 

B. The People of God Level

This middle level concerns the people of God in the Old Testament and the New Testament

If the story is in the Old Testament, it concerns the Jewish people. If the story is in the New Testament, it concerns the church.

Themes in this section include the Exodus, the Babylonian Captivity, the Establishment and multiplication of the church, etc. 

C. The Individual Narrative Level

These are the various narratives throughout Scripture.

Those at this level are also involved in the other two levels. 

D. Examples

David & Goliath 

At the individual level, this is obviously an individual narrative expressing God’s power to show Himself strong in those who trust in Him

At the POG level, God preserved His people—Israel—through the activity of David.

At the Kingdom level, God preserved David, who He would use as a picture of His Son, and who He would use in the lineage. 

Abraham and Isaac 

At the individual level, this is a story expressing man’s need to trust God to fulfill His prdespitepite of the circumstances.

At the POG level, God preserved the lineage of Abraham, which He had promised to bless and multiply to become as the sand of the seashore.

At the Kingdom level, God preserved the line through which he promised to bless the world, but He also showed that sin would have to be paid for through the shed bled of the Son. This was necessary to restore His kingdom purposes. 

E. Since every individual narrative is part of the overall kingdom narrative, the story of Jesus––the King–– encompasses the whole Bible. 

Biblical support: Luke 24:44-46; John 5:39-40

Sometimes expositors will try to find Jesus directly every story of the Old Testament. Thus, the story of David and Goliath is really the story of Jesus and sin/Satan.

Instead of arbitrarily forcing Jesus into every passage (and subsequently allegorizing every historical event), we should recognize the historical account for what it is (see below).

When Jesus said, “everything written about Him would be fulfilled,” He did not say, “everything is written about Him” (Lk 22:44). 

IV. Principles for Interpreting Narrative 

A. Pay attention to context. 

The story of David and Goliath (I Samuel 17) is not about ‘Facing the Giants in your Life!’ Instead, it occurs within a series of chapters dealing with the ascendency of David. These texts show two facts: first, that God was with David, and second, that David was a man after God’s heart.

Stories within the gospel are almost always focused on the person of Jesus Christ. To believe that mud can make a blind man see is misinterpreting the passage! The point of the miracle is not to teach homeopathic healing methods, but to show the identity of the Messiah. 

B. Watch for Editorial Comments

Narratival interruptions are rare, but usually overweight in importance.

An example concerning deception 

Sometimes people lie within Scripture. Of course, the Scripture does not indicate that the lie is true, but usually it does not explicitly point out its falsity either. For instance, when Satan told Eve that the fruit would make her wise, the Bible does not include a disclaimer, “THIS STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE.” Instead, it expects you to understand that sometimes people within narratives lie (cf. Judg 11:24).

Whenever the Narrator breaks into the story, however, he speaks inspired truth.86 The Narrator can always be trusted.

Examples  

We know that the man is lying in II Samuel 1 about killing Saul, since we know from the Narrator that Saul killed himself I Sam 31:1-6.

Mark 7:19 indicates that Jesus was arguing that all foods are declared clean.

We know what Saul is thinking about the women’s song, when it said that he was angry (I Sam 18:8). 

C. Watch for Repetition 

Modern stories are filled with fluff. For instance, here is the introduction to the main character in Angels and Demons by Dan Brown: “Although not overly handsome in a classical sense, the forty-year-old Langdon had what his female colleagues referred to as an ‘erudite’ appeal — wisp of gray in his thick brown hair, probing blue eyes, an arrestingly deep voice, and the strong, carefree smile of a collegiate athlete.”

Biblical narratives are different. Because of the need to be short (no printer or even printing press!), they have no place for fluff. Instead, they conserve as much space as possible.

When you see the repetition of a phrase or a theme, that phrase or theme is particularly important. In fact, since ancient language did not use bold or italics, they emphasized through repetition.

Another use of repetition in a narrative reveals the character of one of the main characters by showing what part of a statement they chose to include/exclude. (I Kings 21:2-3, 6)

Examples

“They had no King in Israel in those days” (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).

The king “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (throughout Kings and Chronicles).

2 Kings 7:1-2 & 7:18-19 where the statement by Elisha is repeated for emphasis. 

D. Watch for Selectivity 

“One of the most productive approaches to the study of biblical history books is to ask what issues and concerns fuel and guide their author’s choices.”88

Because of the limited space, Narrative writers only focus on important themes they want to highlight (John 21:25).

This especially pertains to the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and the parallel histories (I & II Samuel and I & II Kings), since we can see what narratives those author’s chose to include and which they excluded. Further, we can see the order of events they chose, which also gives us a clue to their overall purpose. 

E. Recognize Different Levels of Narrative 

There are some stories within stories that have little moral instruction other than advancing the overall story.

For instance, while there are many elements of the Joseph story that are instructive on their own (how to be so prideful that your brothers want to kill you, how to get out of jail, etc.), the overall message depends on all of the stories combined into one cohesive unit. To abstract one story from the whole would be to miss the major point. 

F. Do not moralize every element of a story! 

Seeking morals at every turn often results in finding what the author never intended.

Plummer gives the illustration of hearing a preacher argue that children should be kept in cribs since Jesus was placed in a manger (Luke 2:7)!

Examples

Does the story of Moses being called to be God’s prophet teach that God wants people with speech challenges to become preachers?

Should a church cast lots to see who the next pastor will be since the apostles did so to determine the 12th apostle?

Is it acceptable for us to worship another god if it is necessary for our occupation (II Kings 5:17- 19)? 

G. Indirect Not Direct 

Stories do not generally teach directly (do not commit adultery). Instead, they make points indirectly (by showing the results of adultery).

For instance, nowhere does the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 indicate that David did wrong in committing adultery. You, the reader, are supposed to know that what he did was wrong from other portions of Scripture (and from the results!). 

H. Scripture records what the Bible character did not always what the character should have done. 

Thus, we should abstract moral commands from stories.

Instead, we should seek to find moral commands grounded in other literature types. Narratives may provide helpful illustrations of those commands, but they should not be the solitary source of those commands.

Examples:

Should Moses have killed the Egyptian taskmaster?

Should Abraham have lied about Sara’s identity?

Should men have more than one wife? 

I. Do not expect God to always act in the same way He did in a biblical narrative. 

We are never in the exact situation the characters of Scripture were in. Therefore, we cannot assume that God will always act towards us in the same way He acted towards those in Scripture.

Examples: 

If you mock a bald man, you will probably not be eaten by a bear (2 Kings 2:23-24).

If God has taken away something you love dearly, do not expect Him to give it back in double after a testing period (Job). 

V. Examples of Interpreting Narrative 

A. Joseph (Gen 37, 39-50)

Joseph begins as a proud young man—though the text does not directly point to pride (37:10,11).

When Joseph worked his way to the top in Potiphar’s house, the point is not the skill of Joseph; rather, the point is that God was blessing Joseph (mentioned multiple times [39:2-5]).

When Joseph works his way to the leading inmate, it is not because of his innate ability, but because of God’s gifts (39:21, 23).

When Joseph is finally released and placed into the position of authority in Egypt, it is not because of his own ability; rather, it is because God has given him a supernatural gift (40:8; 41:16).

Genesis 50:20 gives the point of the entire Narrative: “But as for you, you intended evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people.” 

God delivered Joseph through providential means (individual narrative)

He did it for the sake of Israel (Gen 50:24; POG narrative).

This is a picture of future redemption, and preserves the Messianic seed for the coming kingdom (Kingdom narrative). 

B. Esther

This text shows the power of indirect communication in Narrative.

The main character—God—is never even mentioned by name! Nevertheless, God is present in almost every scene, sovereignly guiding the events.

The purpose of the narrative is to show the sovereign way in which He guided to preserve the POG for the sake of the future kingdom (4:13). 

VI. Final Suggestion 

A. Stein gives the following suggestion: Whenever you read a narrative, fill in the following: 

“I, [the biblical author], have written [this narrative] because _______________”92

For example, “I, Moses, have written the story of Joseph because I wanted people to trust in God’s providence even in the midst of difficult times.”

B. Using this formula helps us try to get at the main point of every narrative. 

GENRE: POETRY 

I. Introduction to Hebrew Poetry

A. Poetry in the Bible

Where do we find poetry in the Bible?  

Obviously, the book of Psalms and Proverbs are poetic books

Less obvious (unless you have a Bible that section poetry into poetic form) is the fact that the books of Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Job are large poems.

Very often the prophets would give their prophecies in poetic form. 

Much of Isaiah

Some of Jeremiah 

The New Testament has its fair share of poetry as well. 

Mary’s praise when she was told she would bear the Messiah – Luke 1:46-55 Paul’s meditation on love – I Corinthians 13

Paul’s meditation on the benefits of salvation – Romans 8:31-39

Paul’s meditation on the humility of Christ – Philippians 2:6-11

Paul’s praise to God for His wisdom – Romans 11:33-36 

There is so much poetry in the Bible that if it were all compiled in one place, it would be larger than the New Testament.

Difference between English and Hebrew (biblical) poetry 

Popular English poetry centers on rhyme and meter 

Hickory dickory dock . . . .

Jack and Jill went up the hill . . . .

Little Jack Horner sat in the corner . . . . 

Hebrew poetry centers on ideas rather than form. That is, they are not as directly concerned with rhyme and meter, but with placing ideas in a structured order.

If English poetry is mostly known by rhyme, Hebrew poetry is mostly known by parallelism. 

B. Types of Parallelism 

Synonymous Parallelism 

Defined—The second line heightens or adds another element to the first line. They speak of the same subject, but picture it in different terms. In other words, it is a comparison of ideas. 

Examples

“The heavens declare the glory of God; The firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.” Psalm 52:8

Antithetical Parallelism 

Defined—Contrasts the first line with an opposite statement in the second line. This helps define something by comparing it to its opposite.

Examples 

“A wise son makes a glad father: But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” Proverbs 10:1

“He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and [He has] exalted them of low degree.” Luke 1:52 

Synthetic Parallelism 

Defined––when a second line complements in some way the former line. The author seems to be asking us to consider the relation of two lines (sometimes comparison, contrast, inference, etc.).

If other categories of parallelism do not match, this is likely the one being used.

Examples 

“Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord — how much more do human hearts!” (Prov 15:11).

“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much” (Prov 20:19). 

C. Other Artistic Poetic Expressions 

Acrostic 

Defined—Creating a message using a pattern consisting of the first letters of each word or strophe.

Examples 

Eerie stories and poems Decorate our imagination. Both Good and evil Are challenged along with Reality. Also, Love and insanity Lurk through the pages and Anthologies. You will Never know what is to happen next. Problems of murder and mystery, Oddities and wonderment are Expressed with such peculiarity only he could achieve. 

Proverbs 31—expresses the Virtuous Woman alphabetically.

Psalm 119—After every eight verses it switches to a new letter of the alphabet. 

Chiasmus 

Definition––where a biblical author organizes lines of poetry (and sometimes narrative) to emphasize parts of the message. 

Examples: 

Isaiah 6:10 

A. Make the heart of this people fat, 

B. and make their ears heavy, 

C. and shut their eyes; 

C*. lest they see with their eyes, 

B*. and hear with their ears, 

A*. and understand with their heart, and return, and be healed." 

2. 1 Peter 3:8 

Finally, all of you,

A. Have unity of mind,  

B. sympathy

C. Brotherly love,

B*. a tender heart,

A*. and a humble mind.

II. Elements of Poetry 

A. Concise expression 

In everyday speech, we tend to repeat ourselves and get off-topic. Overall, we are somewhat unreflective concerning our words.

On the other hand, poets are much more careful with every word they choose.

Example:94 Psalm 23:1 ‘The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.’ 

Try to write out the meaning of this verse in prose (non-poetry). How long would the explanation be?

But in Hebrew this entire verse is only four words!

In other words, poets carefully craft their literature to be concise and packed with meaning. 

Application: Poetry was not designed to be read quickly. Rather, poetry is designed to lead us to meditation. 

Application 2: Read poetry with a looser translation philosophy than one you use for study. 

Precision of translation sometimes loses the power of poetic speech. Those with a less–strict word for word translation philosophy can retain the emotive power. 

 Because poetic speech rarely contains direct commands or the main imperatives of Scripture, a more dynamic translation is more than appropriate. 

B. Poetry Awakens the imagination. 

One way that poets invoke the imagination is by using powerful comparisons. They take two dissimilar things and compare them, showing that in some way they are similar.

Example: List the comparisons Scripture makes to God. (i.e., God is a ...) 

Fortress

Strong Tower

ShepherdRock

Mother caring for her young (Psalm 131:2)

Like a drunkard awakening (Psalm 78:65) 

Application: Slow down and meditate on the picturesque comparisons the Scripture provides. The result of such meditation is well worth the labor. 

C. Poetry inflames emotion. 

Poetry is addressed ‘to the mind through the heart.’96 Therefore, one of its most powerful elements is its ability to speak past the rational to the emotive part of our being.

Seeing the difference

Exodus 14 expresses intellectually what God did at the Red Sea: 

26And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 

Exodus 15 expresses emotionally what God did at the Red Sea: 

In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. 8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ 10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

“God as poet teaches us something about His character by His choice to speak to us in this artful way. We learn that God is interested in our emotions and in beauty, as well as in our minds and our intellect.”

GENRE: WISDOM 

I. Defining Wisdom

A. The word wise in Scripture is used to reference skill in executing a job. 

Wise in architecture (Exodus 31:3)

Wise in navigation (Ezekiel 27:8-9)

Thus, wisdom is skill in execution of a task.  

B. In the Bible, wisdom is skill in fruitfully living in God’s world. 

II. Purpose of Wisdom literature 

A. Instruction for Fruitful Living 

The Proverbs particularly deal with mundane matters such as money, marriage relationships, work habits, etc.

This provides a helpful corrective for those who imagine the world is created solely for spiritual purposes.

In fact, some of the Proverbs are similar to those discovered in the Egyptian book of Amenemope. This is unsurprising given Solomon’s accumulation of both wisdom and wives. 

The first chapter The Instruction of Amenemope: Give your ears, hear the sayings, It profits to put them in your heart, Woe to him who neglects them! Let them rest in the casket of your belly May they be bolted in your heart; When there rises a whirlwind of words, They'll be a mooring post for your tongue. If you make your life with these in your heart,You will find it a success; You will find my words a storehouse for life, Your being will prosper upon earth. 

B. Instruction for Proper Living

Wisdom literature is designed to lead one to contemplate the role that the current life has in the future life.

The value of wisdom is not derived solely from its ability to help in the present, but also in its promise of everlasting rewards.

For this reason, Scripture says that wisdom should be the highest goal of humanity 

Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Proverbs 8:11 ‘For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.’ 

III. Two Types of Wisdom Literature 

A. Speculative Wisdom 

Speculative wisdom is a type of Wisdom literature that expresses an entire story or comprehensive lesson that is derived from experience. That is, someone has gained wisdom through experience, and they are sharing it with someone else.

Examples 

Job—This book shows the path Job had to take to gain wisdom. He—as well as his friends— initially expected God to always work in favor of the righteous. When tribulation came, it had to be because of sin. However, Job came to learn that God does not always work the way that man believe He should. Rather, God’s ways are sometimes mysterious to man. Nevertheless, God is always working. We are encouraged to learn the wisdom of the book by recognizing that God is still in control of our circumstances even when we cannot see how He could be. In this way, Job is one large lesson.

Ecclesiastes—This book is almost the exact opposite of Job. Job’s counselors argued that God is involved in a detailed and understandable way in the world. Ecclesiastes argues that God is not involved in the details of life at all. Throughout the book, the writer expresses the vanity of life. Whether one lives righteously or unrighteously, death is the final end. The writer assumes that there is no after-life. In many ways, the writer of Ecclesiastes expresses the atheistic worldview. The end of the book gives the lesson—“13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” In other words, do not live like the book expresses (i.e., as atheists), because there is meaning to life. While it may seem to those who do not recognize the Creator that all men end in the same place, the truth is that man will live eternally, and he will be judged by an Awesome God.99 The conclusion to Ecclesiastes is the starting point for the book of Proverbs—Fear the Lord!100

Proverbs 1-9—The first nine chapters of Proverbs present the reader (you!) as the main character. You are being taught how to choose wisdom rather than folly. The assumption is that you are a simple person, who must make a decision between two paths. Lady Wisdom, who cries out in the streets inviting all to eat and drink true wisdom and life, defines one path. Lady Folly also cries out inviting you to choose her path. Her path is more enticing: ‘Stolen water is sweet, and food eaten in secret is delicious!’ Though Lady Folly’s words are smooth as silk, her path is a highway to death. These chapters provide a realistic picture of the choice each person makes in life—will they choose true life or a counterfeit that seems real, but brings death? Will they choose the broad, easy, and attractive path to death, or will they choose the narrow, hard, and ultimately rewarding path to true life? Lady Wisdom, along with the writer (Solomon), will teach you to walk the right path which begins with the fear the Lord. 

B. Proverbial Wisdom 

Proverbial Wisdom is short, pithy statements. Like Learned Wisdom they are based on experience, but they do not seek to give a comprehensive story. Rather, they express truth in short, memorable ways.

Examples: Proverbs 10-30 

IV. Book of Proverbs 

A. Purpose (Proverbs 1:1–7)

To provide maturity to all 

To give initial wisdom to the simple

To add further wisdom to the wise

To bring all to true wisdom––the Fear of the Lord 

B. Organization of Proverbs 

Proverbs 1-9—Provides the purpose for the Proverbs and places them in their context: A Father giving wisdom to his son.

Proverbs 10-24—Collection of seemingly random proverbs written by Solomon. There does seem to be a loose organization of themes.

Proverbs 25-29—Collection of seemingly random proverbs compiled by Hezekiah, though written by Solomon.

Proverbs 30—The proverbs of Agur, which seem to have a higher level of organization than the proverbs of Solomon.

Proverbs 31—The proverbs of Lemuel (an unknown king—some believe it is another name for Solomon.)

The first nine verses are general wisdom from Lemuel’s mother.

The following verses are a description of the “virtuous woman.” 

V. Characteristics of Proverbs  

A. In order to understand the nature of Proverbs, it is helpful to study our own Proverbs

‘Many hands make light work’

‘Eat well, stay fit, die anyway’

All that glisters is not gold

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Pen is mightier than the sword

‘A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory’

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (Pilgrim’s Progress) 

B. Modern Proverbs share these characteristics with ancient proverbs 

They are short and memorable

They are highly figurative and pictorial

They are general observations about the way the world works

They can be quite humorous 

C. Example: Proverbs on slothfulness 

The slothful man saith, There is a lion without/outside, I shall be slain in the streets. (22:13)

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. (6:6-8)

14As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. (26:14)

19The way of the slothful man is as an hedge/path of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. (15:19) 

The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. (The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. ESV) (26:15) 

VI. Application points of Wisdom Literature 

A. Wisdom given to fools is counterproductive. 

Proverbs 26:7, 9 “7The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools... 9As a thorn goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.” 

The text seems to suggest two things:

Fools are incapable of using wisdom—like a cripple is incapable of using his legs.

That when they try to use wisdom, they use it wrongly like recklessly grabbing at a rose.

B. Wisdom statements are not absolute promises, guarantees, or commands. 

Two types of Proverbs are absolute. 

Those that deal with God’s character or nature: “A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” (11:1)

Those that deal with eternity: 

Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivers from death. (11:4)

When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. (11:7) 

Examples of Non–Absolute Proverbs 

We are not promised that the lazy will become poor (Prov 10:4).

We are not guaranteed that our children will follow the Lord (Prov 22:6).

We are not guaranteed to never go hungry (Prov 10:3).

We are not commanded to refrain from co-signing a loan (Prov. 17:18).

Proverbs gives conflicting Proverbs, which shows that they are not absolute. 

Proverbs 10:4 that ‘the hand of the diligent makes rich,’ but Proverbs 13:23 indicates that injustice can sweep away diligent work.101 

Proverbs 26:4–5––should we answer a fool or not answer a fool? 

C. Wisdom literature is figurative and worded to be memorable not for technical precision. 

In fact, the Hebrew word for proverb means, “figure of speech, parable, or contrived saying.” 

If you find that a doctrine is only defended from wisdom literature, you should doubt the validity of the doctrine. 

D. Wisdom literature, as a poetic form, is packed with meaning. 

Example: “As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.” (10:26) 

Vinegar wears on the teeth and is irritating; smoke is terrible for the eyes and is irritating.

The point is that the person who sends a sluggard will be continually irritated.

E. Wisdom literature must be read in its broad context. 

We cannot understand the meaning of Job without understanding the whole of the book. Imagine taking a simple phrase from one of the accusers in Job. If you embrace that phrase as though it is true, you have misunderstood the book. Throughout, the three counselors give bad advice. One who does not understand the conclusion of the book will misunderstand Job’s foolish counselors for wise friends. 

We cannot understand the meaning of Ecclesiastes without understanding the last element of the text. If we take any portion without reference to the conclusion, we will justify a meaningless, vain life. We will assume the end of the righteous and the unrighteous is the same. We might think there is no afterlife. 

Proverbs 10-30 cannot be understood except in light of the book’s overall context. 

Proverbs 1-9 provides the overall context for the book. These are written to make simple, young people wise. 

Taking solitary Proverbs out of the large context allows them to be misused. As Fee and Stuart say, “[Misunderstood proverbs] can provide a basis for selfish, materialistic, short-sighted behavior—just the opposite of what God intended.”104 For instance, the world can certainly use much of the wisdom of Proverbs to succeed in life, but they cannot embrace the entirety of the Proverbs. In Scripture, it is not successful living to have riches and not righteousness. 

Application Principle: Each Proverb should be studied in light of the other proverbs on that subject. For instance, it is profitable to take the entire teaching of Proverbs on a subject as a whole. This will give a broader picture of God’s wisdom concerning that topic 

The Psalms divide into five books.

Book 1: Psalms 1-41

Book 2: Psalms 42-72

Book 3: Psalms 73-89

Book 4: Psalms 90-106

Book 5: Psalms 107-150 

GENRE: PSALMS 

I. Psalmists 

A. David is the most prolific Psalm writer. However, there are other Psalmists. 

B. The following chart enumerates the authors with the number of Psalms they authored. 

Psalmist # of Psalms

David 73 Asaph 12

Sons of Korah 12

Solomon 2

Heman the Ezrahite 1

Ethan the Ezrahite 1

Moses 1

Anonymous 48

II. Structure of the book of Psalms 

III. Purpose of the Psalms 

A. Psalms are the recording of man’s inspired speech to God.

Most of the Scripture is God’s speech to man. The Psalms reverse the order and present man’s speech to God

Are these words inspired (i.e., breathed out by God)? 

Yes, every portion of Scripture is inspired.

This means that we have recorded for us how God wants us to speak with Him. In other words, Psalms are, in one important sense, instructions on how to pray.

B. Psalms are written as a worship book 

The Psalms are songs written for use in worship.105

It is likely individual psalms or groups of psalms took a regular place in worship.

Examples: 

“Songs of Ascent” (Pss 120–134) were songs designed to be sung when people were heading up towards Jerusalem, probably during feasts.

Psalm 136 (containing deliberate repetition) was likely repeated at certain special events.

IV. Classification of the Psalms  

A. Lament Psalms 

Laments are the most common Psalms occurring more than sixty times in the Psalter.

Individual laments chronicle the struggles, fears, failures, and disappointments of individual believers (3, 22, 31, 39, 42, 57, 71, 120, 139, 142).

Corporate laments chronicle the struggles, fears, failures, and disappointments of the corporate people of God (i.e., Israel) (12, 44, 80, 94, 137).

Laments are helpful for a number of reasons. 

They accurately reflect life. The Christian life—like the Israelites’ before us—is not always easy. There are unwelcome and major, life-altering circumstances that blindside us. We are continually afflicted from the outside and the inside. The Lament Psalms capture this disappointment with life and provide comfort that we are not alone. 

They provide helpful guidance concerning how we should approach God with our disappointments. Remember, the Psalms are designed for you to learn how to speak to God. 

They provide a helpful corrective to Western, 21st century Christians. That is, we sometimes fail to realize that church is a place where both our victories and our defeats can be expressed. Israel incorporated more Lament Psalms into the Psalter than Praise songs. This provides a healthy corrective to modern worship trends. 

B. Psalms of Thanksgiving 

Thanksgiving Psalms are the opposite of Lament Psalms. Rather than expressing the pain of unfortunate circumstances, these Psalms give thanks for God’s provision and providence.

Like Lament Psalms, Thanksgiving Psalms are both corporate and individual. 

Corporate ( Ps: 65, 67, 75, 107, 124, 136)

Individual (Ps: 18, 30, 32, 34, 40, 66, 92, 116, 118, 138) 

C. Psalms of Praise 

Psalms of praise celebrate the character of God.

Celebration of God as Creator (Ps: 8, 19, 104, 148)

Celebration of God as Protector (Ps: 66, 100, 111, 114, 149)

Celebration of God as Lord of History (Ps: 33, 103, 113, 117, 145-147) 

Praise Psalms can also express an extended history of God’s love and concern for His people. (Ps: 78, 105, 106, 135, 136). 

Often these Psalms rehearse God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt. 

These Psalms also praise God for His providential love and kindness in selecting Israel as His chosen possession. 

D. Psalms of Trust

These psalms express trust in God—even amid difficult circumstances (Ps: 11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 63, 91, 121, 125, 131). God is glorified when His people express their confidence in Him to Him. 

This sets precedence for taking our confidence in God to God Himself. We are given confidence in God even as we express our confidence in God. In this way, our doubts and fears are dissolved. 

E. Imprecatory Psalms 

Imprecatory Psalms are passionate expressions of anger and outrage at sin and sinful people (69, 109).

These Psalms can be quite upsetting to the modern Western mind.

How should we understand imprecatory Psalms? 

First, recognize that these emotions are being expressed to God. David is seeking justice from the one who said, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’ (Deut. 32:35; Rom 12:19).

Second, recognize that David still loved his enemies even while he prayed that God would bring judgment on them.106

Third, recognize that David was inspired when he penned these words. Therefore, we cannot conclude that David sinned in penning these words.107

Fourth, recognize that David does not ask God to do anything that God in other contexts has not said He will do. 

Should we pray imprecatory Psalms? 

Remember that David was inspired when he wrote these Psalms. David is speaking for God, who could righteously demand the death of sinners.

We can still pray for God’s temporal judgment on sinners and their evil works; however I think we should fall short of asking for their death.

We should pray God’s will, which we know is that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, we can pray that God will bring His judgment in order that He might be glorified—especially through the salvation of unrighteous people.

Praying imprecatory prayers can allow your anger to be expressed righteously. In this way, we can be angry and yet sin not; we can make sure the sun does not go down on our wrath (Eph. 4:26). In other words, God has allowed a way for us to express our genuine and sometimes unavoidable emotions to Him. 

V. Practical Tips for Reading and Interpreting the Psalms 

A. Pray the Psalms back to God

Sometimes it can be quite helpful to actual pray the exact words as your own back to God.

Other times we should be praying these categories back to God. 

Do you pray prayers of Lament?

Do you pray prayers of Thanksgiving?

Do you pray prayers of Praise?

Do you pray prayers of Trust?

B. Take time to meditate. 

Psalms are intricate and beautiful pieces of art. One can only become acquainted with its depths by spending much time in meditation, comparing each analogy and digging into each metaphor.

I suggest reading only one Psalm at a time. This may prevent getting through the Psalms quickly, but it will result in getting from the Psalms continually.  

C. Feel the Psalms 

Try to stand in the shoes (i.e., sandals) of the writer. Try to feel what he feels. Is he outraged at sin? Then meditate on the consequences of sin until you likewise are outraged at sin.

Allow yourself to experience the full range of emotions the Psalmist employs. In doing so, you can recognize that God wants us to come to Him in every emotional state.

He wants to hear from us when we are loving life (23) and when we are sorrowful (51). When we are filled with joy (100), and when we are angry (109). When we have gained victory (73), and even when we are losing faith (88). When we see the range of emotions the Psalmists had in approaching God, we recognize that God wants to have a personal relationship with people—not robots. He wants to speak with us in our pain and not just be approached when everything is good. 

D. Study the full range of Psalms. 

We can all be guilty of spending most of our time on the ‘good Psalms.’ Usually, these Psalms are the Psalms of praise to God for His mighty acts and promises.

The improper emphasis on these Psalms causes one to obscure the nature of the Psalms altogether. Rather than seeing the Psalms as the deepest expressions of human emotions towards God we can see them as great promises of God to man. 

VI. Form of the Psalms

A. Some of the Psalms follow a strict pattern. Just like a letter normally has an address, intro, body, and conclusion, so some of the Psalms have regulated patterns as well.

We will note two of the 5 types of poetry that have patterns—the Lament and the Thanksgiving Psalm 

B. Lament Psalm Pattern 

Address—The Psalmist addresses the Psalm to God.

Complaint—The Psalmist honestly and forthrightly expresses the problem.

Trust—The Psalmist declares that he trusts God (often despite the circumstances).

Deliverance—The Psalmist pleads that God would deliver in a specific way.

Assurance—The Psalmist declares that he believes God will answer the prayer.

Praise—The Psalmist ends by thanking God for past/present faithfulness. 

C. Thanksgiving Psalm 

Introduction—The Psalmist summarizes how God has been faithful/loving/kind.

Distress—The Psalmist expresses a complication he had experienced.

Appeal—The Psalmist declares the prayer he made to God concerning the complication.

Deliverance—The Psalmist describes how God has listened to and answered the prayer.

Praise—The Psalmist thanks the Lord for God’s loving act. 

VII. A final note about Psalm Headings 

A. Some argue that Psalm headings were added at a later date and are therefore not inspired.

B. However, the earliest manuscripts contain the headings, and it appears that headings like these would often be included in literature like the Psalms.109

C. Further, New Testament use of the Psalms presupposes the authenticity of the headings

(Matt 22:43, 45; Mark 12:36, 37; Luke 20:42; Acts 1:16; 2:25; Romans 4:6; 11:9; Heb. 4:7).

GENRE: PROPHECY 

I. Introduction to Prophecy 

A. Broad categories of Prophecy

Foretelling—Looking forward to future events.

Forthtelling—Speaking for God in present circumstances.

Apocalyptic Prophecy 

Apocalyptic works are highly figurative and are much more picturesque than normal prophecy.

Apocalyptic books—Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation.

General characteristics:

Pessimism about the direction of the world

Optimism about God’s future purpose

Providence through the chaos of the world to accomplish God’s purposes. 

Specific characteristics

Obscure symbolism (e.g., strange beasts)

Angelic mediation

Direct revelation through transportation 

B. Specific Categories of Prophecy 

Woe Speech 

Woe speeches are condemnatory speeches concerning the actions of an individual or group.

They have their origin in funeral services, where someone would pronounce a woe against the perpetrator who committed the crime against the deceased. In other words, it was a curse against a murderer.113

Thus, these are expressions of prophetic outrage at sinful behavior.

Example: Micah 2:1-3 

Prophetic Dirge 

A dirge is a funeral lament, which is to indicate that Israel is already considered as good as dead.

Example: Amos 5:1-3

Prophetic Lawsuit  

The people of Israel were a theocracy. The constitution was the OT law.

The prophets would often portray their speeches in the form of a covenant lawsuit. That is, when one party failed (of course the Israelite party), the other would take them to court to settle the dispute.

Example: Micah 6:1–5 

Prophetic Action Messages 

These are strange activities that the Lord asks the prophets to do to picture an upcoming judgment or blessing

Examples

Hosea taking a wife of prostitution (Hos 1:1)

Ezekiel packing all of his belongings and appearing to go on a long journey (12:1-7)

Ezekiel sieging a clay city (Ezk:4:1–8)

Ezekiel not mourning his wife’s death (Ezk: 24:16-18)

Isaiah walking without proper clothing (Isaiah 20:2-4) 

When seeing these strange acts, recognize that there is a message inherent to the image. 

Prophecy of Disaster 

Prophecies of judgment come after much sin and no repentance.

Often these prophecies are directed at surrounding nations, but when Israel had abandoned the Lord, God sent these prophecies towards His own people.

Example: Jeremiah 28:12-14 

II. Prophecy of Salvation 

A. Key Point: We should interpret prophecy with a grammatical–historical hermeneutic, just as the rest of Scripture. 

B. General characteristics to keep in mind

OT prophets generally organized prophecies into two categories: the current and latter days. 

However, we recognize today that the ‘Latter Days’ are composed of distinct periods.

These periods can broadly be broken into these periods: 

First coming of Christ,

church age,

second coming of Christ,

Millennium,

and eternal age.

OT prophets have a telescopic view of future events. 

Telescopic view indicates that they see things close together when they are actually far apart. As an illustration, the Rocky Mountains from a distance look extremely close to one another, but as you get closer you recognize that they are sometimes hundreds of miles apart. The prophets envision future events this way. 

Examples 

Isaiah 9:6-7—Was the Son given at the same time as the government was put on His shoulders?

Isaiah 61:1-2—This text splits between Jesus’ first and second comings. 

Sometimes there is a near and far “fulfillment” of a prophecy. 

We need to be careful here because we can get on dangerous ground. Later we will talk about how we know whether there is more than one fulfillment.

Examples

Isaiah 7:14—who was the virgin/young maiden?

2 Sam. 7:12-16—is this Solomon or Christ?

Acts 2:16–21––Joel and Acts. 

Prophetic fulfillments can be conditional or unconditional. 

Sometimes conditions are explicitly given (Lev 26:3–4).

Sometimes conditions are understood. This follows the principle expressed in Jeremiah 18:7–10 (cf. Jonah and the amazing grace of God). 

God always fulfills His promises.

2 Corinthians 1:20––“All the promises of God find their Yes in him.”

Numbers 23:19––“ God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

Joshua 21:45––“ Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.” 

Though the referent of a prophecy may be expanded, it cannot be changed. 

This issue surfaces regarding promises to Israel.

Though debated, the best way to interpret the New Testament is that some of God’s promises (e.g., the New Covenant) are given to the church in order to drive Israel to jealousy (Rom 11:14). 

Prophetic fulfillments can be frustrating until the final climax 

Who will the future, blessed king be?

Who will the Messiah be?

Who will the antichrist be? 

Prophetic fulfillments occur at strategic points in history. 

Thus, we should not expect prophetic fulfillment outside of the two advents of Christ.

We should not look at current events and claim that they are fulfillments of prophecies.

We may be able to see some current events that indicate a progression towards fulfillments of prophecy, but without the return of Christ, there will be no fulfilled prophecy. 

The prophets are quite often speaking to a covenant community. 

Since we are not part of that community, we cannot outright claim their blessings (e.g., the covenant promises) nor their curses (e.g., the covenantal curses). 

Nevertheless, some of the prophecies are analogically related to us. That is, we are—like Israel— a community of God’s people. As such, some of the principles underlying the prophecies pertain to us today. 

III. Interpreting Apocalyptic Prophecy 

A. First, we must understand the purpose of apocalyptic prophecy. 

It is not designed to entertain.

It is designed to give comfort that God is in control.

Between the two visions of beasts in Daniel, there is a vision of God on His throne (Dan. 7-8).

After referencing the future rapture, Paul tells the believers to comfort one another with these words (I Thess. 4:18).  

It gives motive for holiness. 

2 Peter 3:14 

2 Cor. 5:10-14

B. Second, find peace in the chaos. 

Some of the worst abuses of Scripture come from poor interpretation of prophecy.

We should seek to understand the prophecies, but we must always recognize that we do not know the day nor the hour.

Rather than seeking an answer to every question (e.g., what are the seven thunders of Revelation), seek to be swept away with the big picture (e.g., God wins in Revelation!). 

GENRE: PARABLE 

I. Introduction 

A. 1/3 of Jesus’ teaching is in parables.

B. Yet, there is much debate and misunderstanding about how to understand the parables. 

II. General Characteristics of Parables 

A. – Means, “To put beside”

Putting something well known beside something less known (analogy)

Mostly putting spiritual truth beside earthly truth 

B. The maxim, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like . . .” aptly describes the analogous nature of parables. 

Landowner (Matt 20:1), a treasure (Matt 13:44), a mustard seed (Matt 13:31-32)

A merchant (Matt 13:45-46), and a net (Matt 13: 47-50). 

III. Parables in the Old Testament 

A. Great Eagles – Ezekiel 7

B. Nathan and David – 2 Sam. 12:1-10 

IV. Why did Jesus teach in Parables? 

A. Parables maintain interest.

B. Parables are easy to remember. 

They were a memory culture. Literacy was not high among Jesus’ listeners. Even if someone could read, he would not have a personal copy of a book. Therefore, important information was memorized.

Today we struggle with memory, because we do not have to retain much. The proliferation of books, internet, etc. allow us to avoid the hard task of memorization.

Jesus’ audience would have had minds capable of remembering, but He was making sure they retained the important elements.

C. Parables activate the imagination. 

D. Parables demand a response. 

Joachim Jeremiah says of parables, “For the most part, though not exclusively, they are weapons of controversy. Every one of them calls for a response on the spot.”

The response is often mental, but is also emotional and volitional.  

E. Parable Hide the truth - Matt 13:10-17; 34-36; Mark 4:11-12 

To grasp what Jesus means by ‘hiding’ the truth, we must understand the context.

In Mark 3 religious leaders were accusing Jesus of being in league with Satan.

Jesus was “hiding” truth from those who had already hardened their hearts against the truth. 

F. In other words, the context concerns people who have deliberately rejected Jesus. The truth is spoken in parables so that they would hear, but not understand and be changed. They have rejected God and now God is rejecting them. 

V. Four kinds

A. Simile parable (Matthew 10:16) I send you forth as sheep...

B. Metaphorical parable (John 10:7) I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.... Similitude parable (Matthew 13) The kingdom of heaven is like...

C. Story parable (Luke 10:33) When a Samaritan came...  

IV. The Challenge of Interpretation 

A. How many points are inherent within a parable? 

Many points 

One of the earliest forms was the allegorical form.

Remember Augustine’s interpretation of the Good Samaritan? 

One Point per

To cease arbitrary speculation concerning what each element in a parable stood for, it was stated that parables only have one main point.

The problem concerns parables that evidently have more than one point (i.e., Parable of the Soils). 

One Point per Character 

The class instructor is most comfortable with this approach. It seems that each main character in Jesus’ parables has a specific reason for being in the text.

Notice it specifies main characters. This does not mean that minor characters cannot make a point, but it does indicate that we do not have to make main points for every character. 

VII. Guidelines to follow when interpreting a parable. 

A. Pray! (Mark 4:33-34) 

B. Study context 

Literary Context 

The flow of the book is quite important. The Gospel writers often do not intend their writing to be understood chronologically. Rather, they organize their material thematically. Understanding the flow of the book, then, provides significant clues as to the meaning of the parable.

Further, some parables are often taken out of context. There is a purpose for every parable Jesus speaks. To ignore who Jesus is speaking with and to simply enjoy the story will limit your ability to interpret why Jesus spoke the parable in the first place. 

Historical context 

Since parables rely so heavily upon analogous comparison, it should be no wonder that historical context is essential study.

A modern farmer might laugh at the inadequacies of the farmer who wastes seed, but in biblical times they spread the seed before they ploughed the land. Thus, one did not know the underlying state of the new land until after the seed had been scattered.

Pharisees, Sadducees, Publicans, etc. are important characters that there would have been an immediate reaction of either distaste or appreciation. Modern readers do not always share the same tastes, so we must be cognizant concerning how we differ. 

C. Try to find one main truth per character – but how do you find it? 

Find “surprises” in the text 

McCartney notes, “It is this surprise element which provokes a hearer into a reexamination of his worldview, and thus which is the ‘main point’ of the parable.”116

The main point of the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard is revealed by the shocking fact that they get paid the same amount.

One main point in the Prodigal Son is shown by the fact that the father ran!

Pay careful attention to the last quote, statement, or person mentioned (e.g., Matthew 21:33–42). 

D. Check the parable against the other synoptic parallel parable(s):

Consider the different contexts of the parable of the lost sheep: Matthew 18:12–14; Luke 15:4–7.

Consider how the details are fleshed out only by reading both accounts of the parable of the soils: Matthew 13:3–8; 18–23; Mark 4:3–8; 14–20. 

E. Check theological conclusions with other Scripture. 

Parables are not designed to teach doctrine. Their language is not designed to be precise like the language of an epistle (Romans, Galatians, etc.).

For instance, the Parable of the Prodigal Son should not be taken to prove that one can lose their salvation and regain it later.

Also, the Parable of the working servants should not be the basis for your business nor your work ethic! 

F. Retell the story in modern form. 

Retelling the story in modern form allows us to experience what the original audience would have felt when they heard the parable. Remember, Parables are meant to invoke the imagination, emotions, and will of the listener.

To tell a modernized parable, however, takes great skill and creativity.

Consider this retelling of the parable of the Good Samaritan.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF INTEPRETATION

Thou Shalt Not Import Meaning.

Thou Shalt Not Allegorize.

Thou Shalt Not Prooftext.

Thou Shalt Not Take a Text out of Context.

Thou Shalt Not Steal Promises from Israel.

Thou Shalt Not Replace Israel with the Church.

Thou Shalt Not Embellish.

Thou Shalt Not Make all Texts Normative.

Thou Shalt Not Make Uncomfortable Texts “Cultural.”

Thou Shalt Not Over personalize.