Survey of Biblical Hermeneutics: Session 3

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Session 3: Detailed Observations and Analysis
I. Session 1 & 2 Review
II. Pop Quiz
III. What is Detailed Observation
IV. Types of Detailed Observations
V. Purpose of Detailed Observations
VI. Guidelines of Detailed Observations
VII. Asking Questions for Interpretation.
VIII. Example of Detailed Observation & Analysis
I. Review: Session 1
Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics:
I. Terms and Definitions; Tools
II. History of the Bible: How the Bible came to be.
III. Theology of the Bible: What we believe about the Bible.
IV. Selection of Passage
Review: Session 2
The System of Biblical Hermeneutics:
I. What is Inductive Bible Study
II. Exegetical Fallacies
III. Overview of Inductive Bible Study
IV. Beginning the Process: Observation
V. Book Survey of the Book of Luke
II. Pop Quiz
Question 1:
What is the study of the methodological principles of interpretation of the Bible?
Hermeneutics
Question 2:
What is the act of careful watching and listening; the activity of paying close attention to someone or something in order to get information?
Observation
Question 3:
What is the difference between Exegesis and Eisegesis?
Exegesis means 'to lead out of.' and Eisegesis means to 'read into'.
Question 4:
What is the Term for the method of interpretation the scriptures that applies Christ as its meaning and ultimate fulfillment?
Christocentric Hermeneutic
Question 5:
Name 3 Hermeneutical Tools/Resources.
Bible dictionary
Concordance
Commentaries
Bible Atlas
Historical Texts
The Bible Project (https://bibleproject.com)
Logos (https://www.logos.com)
Blue Bible (https://www.blueletterbible.org)
Question 6:
The Criteria for the Canon:
Apostolic Authority-authors in relationship to Apostles.
Orthodoxy- consistent with Apostle teaching and common beliefs.
Relevancy- Was it relevant to the Christian life.
Use/Recognition- How is was utilizes/recognized among early Christians.
Question 7:
Authority- The authority of Scripture means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.
Question 8:
Sufficiency- the Scriptures are sufficient means that the Bible is all we need to equip us for a life of faith and service. No other writings are necessary for this good news to be understood, nor are any other writings required to equip us for a life of faith.
Question 9:
Inspired- God divinely influenced the human authors of the Scriptures in such a way that what they wrote was the very Word of God. In the context of the Scriptures, the word “inspiration” simply means “God-breathed.” Inspiration means the Bible truly is the Word of God and makes the Bible unique among all other books.
Question 10:
Inerrancy- is the belief that the Bible is without error or fault in all its teaching; or, at least, that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact.
Question 11:
What is the difference between Inductive and Deductive Bible Study?
Inductive is synonymous with evidential: that is, a commitment to the evidence in and around the text so as to allow that evidence to determine our understanding of the meaning of the text, wherever that evidence may lead.
Deduction is used synonymously with presuppositional: that is, a commitment to certain assumptions (whether stated or implicit) that we allow to determine our understanding of the meaning of the text.
Question 12:
Exegesis is the goal of Hermeneutics.
Question 13:
Define what an exegetical fallacy is.
Exegesis that is merely personal opinions, appeals to blind authority (the interpreter’s or anyone else’s), arbitrary interpretations, and speculative opinions that cannot be supported by reasonable justification.
Question 14:
What are the four steps of IBS mentioned in this course?
1. Observations- Observing what the text is saying.
2. Interpretations- Understanding what the text is saying.
3. Affirmations- affirming our interpretations are consistent with orthodoxy.
4. Applications- The implications of the meaning of the text.
Question 15:
What are the two major components to the process of Observation?
Structural Mapping
Structural Relationships
III. Detailed Observations & Analysis (Paragraphs and Verses)
Observations (Books and Chapters) Review...
Detailed Observations & Analysis (Paragraphs and Verses)

For detailed observation, one makes specific and descriptive observations about every significant detail in a (brief) passage.1 Then one raises interpretive questions of each observation made.

IV. Types of Specific Observations
Terms
Grammatical
Structural
Logical
Contextual
Literary

This category involves all observations relating to individual words in a passage, including such things as the root of the word (its basic dictionary or lexical form), its inflection (changes in the form of the word that indicate case, gender, number, tense, person, mood, voice), and type of term (whether the term is literal or figurative)

Grammatical observations pertain to the grammatical function, or syntax, of words or phrases within the sentence, for example, as a subject, predicate, or prepositional phrase.

Structural observations involve the literary structural relationships (e.g., contrast, substantiation, climax) that were discussed under “Major Structural Relationships”

Logical observations involve the logical function of a term or statement: the type of meaning expressed by the term or statement or the issue that it addresses.

Contextual observations have to do with identifying points of connection between details observed in the passage under examination and elements in the surrounding context.

Literary observations form a broad category pertaining to any features of the passage that may strike the reader as potentially significant in the communication of the sense of the passage.

Inductive Bible Study: A Comprehensive Guide to the Practice of Hermeneutics (Purposes for Detailed Observation)
First, these observations may be significant in producing specific evidence that will be used as we interpret the passage.
Second, the process of detailed observation will typically enable students to identify the primary overarching concern of the passage and the precise ways in which that major concern or issue is developed.
Third, these observations serve as the basis for developing questions; answering them constitutes interpretation.
VI. Guidelines for Detailed Observation:
Avoid premature interpretation. As a general principle, observations should include only the things that are incapable of being challenged by any reasonable person.
2. Students should aim at specific and descriptive observations, over against simply quoting or paraphrasing the text.
3. Students should always be clear and explicit in making observations. They should err on the side of specificity and explicitness so as to leave nothing to the imagination regarding what they mean by their observations.
4. Students will find making a distinction between routine and nonroutine observations helpful. A routine observation pertains to elements in the text that are typically found in all passages and seem to be relatively insignificant in communicating the message of the passage. Usually basic conjunctions such as and or articles (both definite the and indefinite a or an) or the copula (a form of the verb to be) fall into this category. (caution: exegetical fallacies)
VII. Asking Questions

These questions serve as the bridge between observation and interpretation. They arise from observations made (in this case, from structural observations pertaining to the book-as-a-whole), and they form the basis for interpretation.

The three primary types of questions correspond (as we shall see) to the three major phases of interpretation:

• The definitive or explanatory question: what does this mean?

• The rational question: why is this included, and why here?

• The implicational question: what does this imply?

There are also four auxiliary questions:

• The identificational question: who or what is involved?

• The modal question: how is this accomplished?

• The temporal question: when is this accomplished?

• The local question: where is this accomplished?

Recurrence

Recurrence: repetition of the same or similar terms, phrases, or other elements

Questions: What is the primary meaning of this recurring element (specify what recurs)? How do the individual occurrences relate to and illumine one another? Why this recurrence? What are the implications?

Semantic Structures

Contrast: association of things whose differences are stressed by the writer

Key terms: but, however

Questions: What major differences are here emphasized by the writer? What is the precise and specific meaning of each of these differences, and why did he deal with them as he did? What are the implications?

Comparison: association of things whose similarities (likeness) are stressed by the writer

Key terms: like, as

Questions: What are the major points of similarity here? What is the precise and specific meaning of each? Why did the writer stress these similarities, and why did he deal with them as he did? What are the implications?

Climax: movement from lesser to greater, toward a high point of culmination and intensity (implicitly involves an element of contrast, and usually of causation)

Questions: How does this unit reach its climax in (specify the climactic passage)? How does this climactic development illumine the climactic passage and the material leading to it? Why did the writer include this climax? What are the implications?

Particularization: movement from the general to the particular (implicitly involves preparation/realization)

Questions: What is the meaning of this general statement? How is the general statement particularized in the material that follows? How do the particulars illumine the general statement? Why did the writer include this movement from general to particular? What are the implications?

Generalization: movement from the particular to the general (implicitly involves preparation/realization)

Questions: What is the meaning of the particular statement? How is the particular statement generalized in the material that follows? How does the general statement illumine the particulars? Why did the writer include this movement from particular to general? What are the implications?

Causation: movement from cause to effect (implicitly involves preparation/realization)

Key terms: therefore, consequently

Questions: How does this cause produce this effect? What are the major elements involved in this movement from cause to effect, and what is the meaning of each? Why did the writer include this causation? What are the implications?

Substantiation: movement from effect to cause (implicitly involves preparation/realization)

Key terms: for, because, since

Questions: How does the substantiatory passage cause (that is, support or give reason for) the preceding passage? What are the major elements involved in this movement from effect to cause, and what is the meaning of each? Why did the writer include this substantiation? What are the implications?

Cruciality: device of the pivot to produce a radical reversal or complete change of direction (implicitly involves recurrence of causation and contrast)

Questions: How does this cruciality illumine the material on both sides of the pivot? Why did the writer include this cruciality? What are the implications?

Summarization: an abridgment (summing up) either preceding or following a unit of material (sometimes similar to a general statement, but contains more specifics than a general statement)

Questions: How does this passage summarize the material that precedes (or follows)? How does the preceding material illumine this summarization? Why did the writer include this summarization? What are the implications?

Interrogation: a problem or question, followed by its solution or answer (implicitly involves preparation/realization, and often causation; problem/solution type involves contrast)

Questions pertaining to problem/solution type: What is the meaning of the problem presented here? How is this problem solved? What are the major elements involved in the movement from problem to solution, and what is the meaning of each? Why did the writer include this interrogation? What are the implications?

Questions pertaining to question/answer type: What is the meaning of this question? How does the answer address this question, and what is the full and precise meaning of this answer? Why did this writer include this interrogation? What are the implications?

Preparation/realization: background or setting of the events or ideas

Questions: What is the meaning of this background material? How does it prepare for what follows? Why did the writer prepare for what follows? Why did the writer prepare for what follows in this way? What are the implications?

Instrumentation: movement from means to end (implicitly involves causation), which takes the forms of either statement of purpose or description of means

Key terms: in order that, so that (statement of purpose); by, through (description of means)

Questions pertaining to statement of purpose: What is the meaning of the purpose statement itself? How does it illumine the means? How does it illumine the end? How does the means cause or produce the end? Why did the writer include this purpose statement? What are the implications?

Questions pertaining to description of means: How does the writer describe this means or agency, and what is the meaning of this description? What is the meaning of the ways in which this means produces the end? Why did the writer thus present this means in such a way as to produce this end? What are the implications?

Rhetorical Structures

Interchange: exchanging or alternation of blocks of material (a-b-aʹ-bʹ)

Questions pertaining to contrast by interchange: What are the major differences presented here, and what is the meaning of each? How does this interchange strengthen this contrast, and how does it illumine the major differences? Why did the writer emphasize these differences? Why did he thus support or strengthen the contrast by this use of interchange? What are the implications?

Inclusio: repetition of the same word(s) or phrase at the beginning and end of a unit, thus producing a bracket effect

Questions pertaining to comparison by inclusio: What are the major similarities presented here, and what is the meaning of each? How does this inclusio strengthen the comparison, and how does it illumine the major points of similarity? Why did the writer emphasize these similarities? Why did he thus support or strengthen the comparison by this use of inclusio? What are the implications?

Chiasm: repetition of elements in inverted order (a-b-{c}-bʹ-aʹ)

Questions pertaining to contrast by chiasm: What are the major differences presented here, and what is the meaning of each? How does this chiasm strengthen this contrast, and how does it illumine the major differences? Why did the writer emphasize these differences? Why did he thus support or strengthen the contrast by use of chiasm? What are the implications?

Intercalation: insertion of one literary unit in the midst of another literary unit

Questions pertaining to comparison by intercalation: What are the major similarities presented here, and what is the meaning of each? How does this intercalation strengthen this comparison, and how does it illumine the major points of similarity? Why did the writer emphasize these similarities? Why did he thus support or strengthen the comparison by use of intercalation? What are the implications?

VIII. Detail Observation and Analysis Example
Detailed Observation of Luke 24:32-35
DO1- This passage deals with the two men traveling on the road towards Emmaus from Jerusalem (13). Jesus had just revealed himself to them (31) after breaking bread with them (30) and then vanished (31). The two men began to converse with each other about how their hearts burned within them while Jesus, referenced as “He”(32) and who has not revealed Himself to them (16), was speaking to them; explicitly explaining the scriptures concerning what the prophets had spoken (25). The two men seem to be processing their encounter with the risen Jesus, who had just vanished (31). Their "burning hearts" resulted from having the scriptures explained to them concerning the things that had taken place in Jerusalem (14), namely the death and burial of Jesus.
DOQ1- What is the meaning of their hearts "burning," and what is its significance? How is the “explanation of the scriptures” connected to their “hearts burning”? What are the implications?
DO2- The Author continues the account of these two men with immediate action, "That very hour" (33a), the men "got up" and traveled back to Jerusalem (33b). Their "hearts burning" (31) seemed to provoke action to go back to Jerusalem. We are told the journey from Emmaus to Jerusalem is 7 miles (13b). There is no evidence why they decided to return to Jerusalem, but the author informs the reader that they found gathered the 11 apostles and others (33b).
DOQ2- What is the connection between their “hearts burning” and the immediacy of returning to Jerusalem? What does it mean that they "found gathered together the 11 and those who were with them", and what is its significance? Why did they return to Jerusalem? What are the implications?
DO3- Upon arriving in Jerusalem, the two men found gathered together the eleven apostles and others (33b) and reported to them that: 1) the Lord “really’ has risen (34a) and 2) “has appeared to Simon” (34b). The use of the word “really” may indicate that the two men were validating earlier claims of the tomb being empty and that Jesus was alive (22-24). There is no evidence in the passage that Jesus appeared to Simon though it is mentioned by the author here in 34b. The author could include this detail to clarify the "Some of those who were with us" in 24a.
DOQ3- What does the word "really" emphasize, and what is its significance? What is the relationship between "the Lord has really risen" and the statement "has appeared to Simon"? Why does the author provide the detail concerning Jesus appearing to Simon? What is its significance? Why did the two men report these things to the eleven and those gathered with them? What are the implications?
DO4- The author reveals to the reader that the experience of the two men encountering the risen Jesus on the “road” (35a) was related to the eleven and those who were gathered with them (35). Specifically, they mentioned their experience with Jesus when they were prevented from recognizing Him (16) and when they did recognize him in the "breaking of the bread" (35b). The author seems to use the word "began" (35a) to imply that the two men, after saying the Lord has risen (34), related their experience in order to validate their claim that Jesus is alive.
DOQ4- What is the connection between (34) "The Lord has really risen," and (35a) "they began to relate their experiences? What is its significance? What is the relationship between their experiences on the “road” and in the “breaking of bread”? Why did they recognize Jesus in the breaking of bread (30-31) and relate it to all those gathered together in Jerusalem (35)? What are the implications?
Most potentially promising questions to pursue interpretation.
1. What is the connection between their “hearts burning” and the immediacy of returning to Jerusalem?
2. Why did they recognize Jesus in the breaking of bread (30-31) and relate it to all those gathered together in Jerusalem (35)? What are the implications?
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