Guidelines for Basic Hermeneutics

Transcription

1 1 Guidelines for Basic Hermeneutics Presented by Dr. James Wilcox, Jr. Director of Christian Education Omega Baptist Church Dayton, OH CSI Series 01/25/

2 2 Dear Co laborers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I pray that this guideline will serve you well. With so many doctrines and false teachers in the world, it is important that we strive to do our best to rightly divide the Word of God. This task we are about to undertake is very critical to the people we will serve on a daily basis. We are responsible for what we teach! We can no longer be led by unbiblical traditions or catchy clichés when studying or teaching the Bible. We must study. I am discovering in my Christian walk that it is not an easy task to correctly study; therefore, we can no longer continue to be lax in how we approach the Word of God, nor can we expect for anyone else to do the work for us. We must read and study the Word for ourselves. For the sake of a thriving, healthy ministry, I truly believe this method of study will help us grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yours in Christ, Dr. James Wilcox

3 3 DEFINITIONS 1. Hermeneutic: Study of interpretation of written text. 2. Exegesis: Critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. 3. Alexandrian School of Thinking: We do not ask what the Biblical writer wanted to say. We simply take the Biblical truth from anywhere in scripture and lend then into a given text, hanging specific meaning onto minor details. 4. Antiochian School: Interpret the Bible literally. We must always seek to establish what the author of the Biblical text wanted to say.

4 4 Let s Get Started After you have prayed about what God is leading you to study: STEP ONE: Empty yourself so that the Word of God can fill you. There are some things that we hold on to concerning certain passages of scripture. This is not a bad thing because we do need to hold on to biblical truths. However, when critically studying scripture, you do not want to put your biases into your scripture study. Let the scriptures speak to you; do not try to speak to them (the scriptures). A good CSI Christian Scripture Investigator, will never plant evidence. A good CSI is looking for the truth, and nothing but the truth. STEP TWO: Get a general ideal about the theme and nature of the book you are researching. A good CSI needs to know something about the author and the culture of the people. When researching books in the Bible, a CSI should ask these questions: who, what, when, where, and how. You will need to know the time (era) the book was written. You will need to know the setting or the situation in the life of the people. To whom and from what location was the book written? What is the backdrop? Consider the religious and cultural environment of other nations and races which may have influenced, or been influenced by, the characters in your passage. STEP THREE: Read the chapter before and the chapter after the selected passage. This will give you greater insight on the passage you will be examining.

5 5 STEP FOUR: Complete a word study when examining the text. Grammar is certainly a key to knowing the right meaning for the text. Verbs give the mood, voice and tense. Nouns give gender, names, items and locations. Articles and the lack of them may give us clues about the text. You will need to know basic grammar. Look for the order of words in the sentence. Look for which words are modified by other words. A good CSI will know that words can be used symbolically, figuratively, metaphorically, or in a figure of speech. Identify the word s spelling, root and grammatical identification. Discover the etymology (origin) of the word. Look the word up in Hebrew or Greek lexicons. A good CSI will know how the Biblical author uses the word in the book of the Bible under examination. Know how the same Biblical author used the word in other books. Know how other Biblical authors used the word in Old and New Testament books. Examine the word in its context and choose which meanings are applicable to the context. BE SELECTIVE IN WHICH WORDS YOU STUDY! Some words make more of a significant impact on the translation and interpretation of the scriptural message than others. Do not forget that time and location may be important to the text. Symbolism may be important in the passage: a symbol of a certain act, symbolic visions, material symbols, symbolic numbers, symbolic names, symbolic colors, and symbolic metals and raw material. This step will be the most time consuming, but it is very important. This will aid in the prevention of proof texting. Also, utilize different Bible translations.

6 6 STEP FIVE: Know the genre (style) of the passages. This will help you in how you approach the passage. Old Testament forms: Historical narrative Folktale Allegory Poetry Prophecy Drama Liturgy (public worship) Treaty Sermon Saga Formal Letter New Testament forms: Historical Narrative Allegory Poetry Prophecy Liturgy Sermon Personal Letter Public Letter or Discourse Paradigm (theory) Parable Didache (teaching) What is the relationship between the literary form and the content of your passage, and how does this relationship affect your hermeneutical approach to the passage?

7 7 STEP SIX: The exegetical process is not complete until you draw out meaning and intent from the passage. A good CSI will never eisegete (read into) the passage, which is simply the justification of a personal prejudice. Find the meaning of the passage for the first readers of the passage (the ancient audience), and then apply the principles to the modern church. If your exegetical process is strong, more than likely, your application will be as well. Divest yourself as much as possible of the modern perspective and return to the time of your passage. Put on the mind of the original reader and receive the Word of the Lord. Ask your passage the following questions: What central meaning(s) did the original readers most likely extract from the passage? Do not forget to add the results of your history, word search, grammar and your literary search. What theological impact did the author intend the passage to have on its original readers. What theological understandings about the passage have changed since earlier times? How did the setting or situation in the life of the author and readers throughout history influence these theological understandings?

8 8 STEP SEVEN: After you have completed steps 1 6, you must apply what you have learned to the modern church. Ask the passage the following questions: What central meaning can modern church people receive from this passage? Always keep in mind the meaning for the passage is for the original readers in their historical context. What impact would this passage have on today s church and society? What modern social, political, and economic views do you have that might influence your understanding and application of the teaching of your passage? After they have been identified, remove them from your application process to see what clearly remains of the passage s meaning. What picture of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is clearly portrayed in your passage? How does that picture help today s Christian understand the theology of the passage? What thought, feelings, or behavior does God, through your passage, require of us? What knowledge about living the Christian life emerges from the passage? STEP EIGHT: Pray about how you will present the passage in the area of teaching or preaching. After God reveals the teaching or sermon, pray after you have completed your task. STEP NINE: A good CSI will prepare to go before his or her peers for feedback and questions. Please be aware that your peers may ask questions about your process and application. STEP TEN: Be grateful unto God and share your knowledge with others. Right information will bring right transformation!