Hermeneutics (How to interpret the Bible)
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Why I'm making this page on Hermeneutics (How to Interpret the Bible)
I'm making this page on Hermeneutics or "How to Interpret the Bible" because many people today don't really know how to Interpret the Bible, and as a Seminary graduate, I feel I can add something of value.
On the one hand, since the Bible is God's message to us, it should not be difficult for the average person to interpret--and besides, He's given us His Holy Spirit to help (See my module on "The Role of The Holy Spirit" below).
On the other hand the Bible was writen thousands of years ago and thus, there is a gap of culture and language between us and the Biblical writers.
One can read the Bible and receive much in the way of inspiration and instruction. (See my other lense "God's Success Principles.")
Yet, when it comes to really understanding and interpreting a particular verse or passage, one needs to apply certain principles of interpretation or as they are known technically, "Hermeneutics" (from the Greek God of interpretation, Hermes), Seminaries offer whole courses in Hermeneutics, otherwise defined as the art and science of Bible interpritation. All I can do here is to list the major principles of interpretation along with some specialty areas of the Bible which deserve special treatment, and referr you to some tools which you will certainly need in order to interpret the Bible for yourself.
On the one hand, since the Bible is God's message to us, it should not be difficult for the average person to interpret--and besides, He's given us His Holy Spirit to help (See my module on "The Role of The Holy Spirit" below).
On the other hand the Bible was writen thousands of years ago and thus, there is a gap of culture and language between us and the Biblical writers.
One can read the Bible and receive much in the way of inspiration and instruction. (See my other lense "God's Success Principles.")
Yet, when it comes to really understanding and interpreting a particular verse or passage, one needs to apply certain principles of interpretation or as they are known technically, "Hermeneutics" (from the Greek God of interpretation, Hermes), Seminaries offer whole courses in Hermeneutics, otherwise defined as the art and science of Bible interpritation. All I can do here is to list the major principles of interpretation along with some specialty areas of the Bible which deserve special treatment, and referr you to some tools which you will certainly need in order to interpret the Bible for yourself.
For starters, you may want to check out some of the over 42, 000 books on Hermeneutics available on amazon:
Or you may want to skip this for now and continue to my first point below. I just thought I'd mention it.
1. Context
The first principle of Biblical interpretation is context. It is the idea that you can't take one verse and build a doctrine on it without examining what surrounds it. As someone said a text without a context is a pretext.
To properly interpret any verse of Holy scripture, we must examine it in the light of an ever expanding circle of context. First we must notice the immediate context, that is the verses immediately preceeding and following our verse. Then we must notice the near immediate context, a wider area. Then we must notice the chapter context, that is the context of the particular chapter in which our verse appears. Then we must notice the book context, that is we must deteremine how our verse fits into the particular book of scripture in which it appears. Then we must notice the section context--that is, how does our verse fit in the particular section of the testiment in which it appears. Then we must see how it fits into the particular testiment (old or new) and then how it fits into the whole Bible.
This process may take some creative thinking but it will be well worth it.
To properly interpret any verse of Holy scripture, we must examine it in the light of an ever expanding circle of context. First we must notice the immediate context, that is the verses immediately preceeding and following our verse. Then we must notice the near immediate context, a wider area. Then we must notice the chapter context, that is the context of the particular chapter in which our verse appears. Then we must notice the book context, that is we must deteremine how our verse fits into the particular book of scripture in which it appears. Then we must notice the section context--that is, how does our verse fit in the particular section of the testiment in which it appears. Then we must see how it fits into the particular testiment (old or new) and then how it fits into the whole Bible.
This process may take some creative thinking but it will be well worth it.
For more on using context, read:
Scripture in Context: Essays on the Comparative Method (Scripture in Context)
Amazon Price: $29.79 (as of 05/26/2012)
List Price: $34.00
The only book I found on the subject of contextual interpretation
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
2. Language.
The second thing we need to consider in interpreting a verse of scripture is the language it was originally written in. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Coine Greek. There are vast differences between these ancient languages and our modern English, both in semantics (word meanings) and grammar (word usage). So to bridge the gap between our minds and the minds of the writers we either have to study the original languages or make use of some tools which can help us to better understand the original meanings
2.(continued) Language tools
In Leu of taking courses in the original languages, Hebrew and Greek, here are some tools you can use to help bridge the language gap.
3. Culture
Although the Biblical writers were Divinely inspired (IITim.3:16), they were still products of their culture. Thus, in addition to language, it is also important to understand the cultural differences between our time and that of the Biblical writers.
3 (continued). Some helpful tools for understanding the culture of the times
4. Speciality areas
Although much of the Bible can be understood and interpreted by applying the three principles of context, language and culture, because the Bible is compilation of many books with different styles and from different genres, there are several specialty areas which have their own rules of interpritation.
4a. First Speciality area: Parables
Jesus told many parables during His earthly ministry. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. These have their own rules of interpritation. For example, one rule which we learned in seminary is that can't make a parable "stand on all 4's" or in other words, you can't make every little thing in a parable stand for something, since parables are generally meant to convey one main point or spiritual lesson. For more on interpreting parables, check out these books:
4b. Second specialty: Poetry
The psalms and other portions of the old testament are written in poetry, which has it's own rules of interpretation. For example, Hebrew poetry is famous for its parallelisms (one line saing the same thing as the former line but with different emphases,) There are several types of parallelism in Hebrew poetry. For more, check out one of these books:
4c. Third speciality area: Prophecy
Bible Prophecy is another specialty area which carries it's own rules of interpretation. The Old Testament prophets looked forward to both of the comings of Christ (His first coming as baby and his still future second coming) but the saw these as two mountain peaks without seeing the valley of our time in between. Of course the book of Revelation also carries its own prophecy rules. For more, check out these books:
4d. Fourth speciality area: Typology
Typology is the study of Biblical types and is a whole area of study by itself, although in one sense typology could be considerd to fall under the heading of prophecy, since a type could be considered to be a physical prophecy. A type is a literal person place or object in the Old testament which pictures something spiritual in the New Testament [the anti-type])
Typology is a legitamate and ueseful means of interpreting the Old Testament, as uese and endorsed by the Apostle Paul in several places, especially, I Corinthians Chapter 10. I Galations 3, Paul evey uses allegory. Allegory could be included with typology, as an allegory simply an extened type.
Typology is a legitamate and ueseful means of interpreting the Old Testament, as uese and endorsed by the Apostle Paul in several places, especially, I Corinthians Chapter 10. I Galations 3, Paul evey uses allegory. Allegory could be included with typology, as an allegory simply an extened type.
4d. (cont.:) Interpreting Old Testamet Types
As with the other specialty areas, typology has its own rules of interpretation, and actually all Bible scholars aren't agreed on these. For examples, check out some of these books and search for more on Amazon and check out my tabernacle lens below:
Multiple types in The tabernacle:
The tabernacle in the wilderness is God's great object lesson, containing many types both of Christ and of the Church. For more, check out this lens:
4e.-Fifth specialty area: Numerology
The meanings of numbers in the Bible
Actually, by rights, this should also fall under the general heading of typology, but some have made it a separate study of its own. I feel it must be linked to typology as the numbers in the old testament looking forward to and representing spiritual truth in the new. For example the number 7 is the perfect number representing prefection or completion, so the fact that the priests had to undergo a consecration that lasted for seven days speaks of the pefect consecration of Christ as our great high priest.
It is my opinion that numerology should only be applied to the old testament as part of typology, but check out these books for various views on the subject:
It is my opinion that numerology should only be applied to the old testament as part of typology, but check out these books for various views on the subject:
The Role of The Holy Spirit
By now, some of you are probably thinking, "--but I thought the Holy Spirit would teach us." Yes, but the Holy Spirit doesn't work in a vacuum. He will use your God given mind and your dilligent study and application of these principles and tools and put them together in ways that may surprise you. The Holy Spirit will shed illumination upon your dilligent study of the word but, since the cannon of scripture is closed, he does not an longer give direct revelation of truth. Thus He will not immedately zap you with an interpretation. Yet, it is a good idea to pray before you begin your study and even during your study. It is also a good idea to check your conclusions with other Bible scholars from the past by the use of commentaries.
More on the role of the Holy Spirit
Search for Bible commentaries
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Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics
Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation
Amazon Price: $18.00 (as of 05/26/2012)
List Price: $29.00
Used Price: $22.54
While there are many books on hermeneutics, Graeme Goldsworthy's perception is that evangelical contributions often do not give sufficient attention to the vital relationship between hermeneutics and theology, both systematic and biblical.
He gives a very practical guide for using Biblical Theology through the lens of the gospel to arrive at the much yearned-for meaning of Scripture. This book is worth reading for anyone who desires to read his Bible with hope of understanding it.
Release Date: 12/31/1969
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Reader Feedback
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James43302
Nov 1, 2010 @ 2:50 pm | delete
- Hey, good lens. My pastor talks all about Hermeneutics. Lots of good information here. If he was a computer guy I would show him this page. God bless :)
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SmBizGuru Oct 27, 2010 @ 10:51 am | delete
- Thank you for doing a lens on this topic. Lots of resources.
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mikebeb1
Feb 12, 2010 @ 5:01 pm | delete
- Hi
excellent read,would have bid for one of the books you promote on eBay,but he charges $12 for postage,I can send a 3 piece suit to the u.s.from the UK for that price.Will have to get a hermeneutics one day I suppose,4 years a christian,and have never even purchased a concordance,have good study bible though.
Mike.
Mike.
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dcarrington
Dec 14, 2009 @ 5:48 pm | delete
- What a great lens! I'm glad you're out here helping people better understand how to...well...understand the Bible!
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ideadesigns
Nov 20, 2009 @ 1:44 pm | delete
- Glad for lenses submitted to the Everything Biblical Group, but they are changing the way groups are done, right now I can't add any more lenses... See on SquidU - hope to get something going soon. So far all past submitted lenses are still there! God bless!
Everything Biblical and Christian Group.
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Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning
Amazon Price: (as of 05/26/2012)
This book is distinctive from others on hermeneutics in that the authors, rather than writing from a single viewpoint, hold differing opinions on many issues. ..So the readers are invited , in effect, to eavesdrop on a vibrant dialogue between two scholars and to reach their own conclusions.
