THE HISTORY OF HERMENEUTICS

THE HISTORY OF HERMENEUTICS

1st Century Interpretation Focus - Christological focus

Study was heavy on typology - Colossians 2:16–17 = “Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days—these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!”

Messianic Prophecies

Genesis 3:15 “ And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:15 is the thesis statement of the bible.

200 AD to Reformation Interpretation Focus:

Two schools of interpretation:

Alexandrian = Allegorical reading of the text

Text has a deeper meaning than what is on the surface.

Catholic church famous for this.

This is different from typology (the bible itself tells you the type).

Example:

Eve is a type of Mary (Jesus mother)

Antiochene = Literal/Historical reading of the text

Protestant Reformation Interpretation Focus:

Authorial Intent

Understanding Genre (To determine Literal from figurative)

Calvin & Luther moved the church away from allegorical interpretation.

Modern Day Hermeneutics:

Skeptical

Existential

Mystical

Philosophical

SAME THEME - DENYING THE MIRACULOUS AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Trajectory - God is progressive (Homosexuality not a sin anymore is an example of this)

Rob Bell follows this hermeneutic

Black Liberation Theology

Numerology:

Equidistant letter sequence (system):

Omega Code

Bible (Torah) Code

Gamatria - Hebrew and Greek letters are assigned numbers (When you read the bible it reveals hidden messages)

Reader-Response Method - Responding however you want to. No wrong way. The way you feel about it is all that’s important.

This is where authorial intent is very important