Hermeneutics

2008-10-16

It is extremely important to be able to interpret the Bible properly. How we interpret the Bible, or “hermeneutics” as it is most often called, will determine much how we define God and humankind in our worldview.

Context, Context, Context

It has been said that the three most important rules of Bible interpretation are: context, context, and context. If we take isolated verses from the Bible and use them to formulate doctrine, without first seeing the overall context in which they are written, we can produce all kinds of idiotic conclusions. An example:

“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9).

According to this verse, if we worship Satan, we will be able to possess all the kingdoms of the world. But the overall context is showing how Satan is trying to use trickery to manipulate Jesus into sin. When you read any story, do you read a sentence in the middle of the book and then stop? You may say that this goes without saying, but you have no idea how many cults and other weird religious sects have started because of this.

The Plain Reading

Another danger is allegorical interpretation. Many have said: “when you spiritualize, you tell spiritual lies.” This little proverb is well said. An example:

“That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).

It has been said a multitude of times that God magically hears our prayers if two or three people are gathered in prayer. First, this passage is dealing with a testimony against someone who is sinning (i.e. church discipline). But God hears our prayers when we are by ourselves! It is important to pray in a group in one accord, but we should not undermine the importance of personal prayer as well. This passage is not about prayer; it is about confronting someone in sin, and if they remain in that sin, then your collective decision to not have fellowship with a purposeful sinner is binding.

To use a more absurd example of allegory, Joseph wore a coat of many colors in Genesis 37. If somebody were to say that he wore such a coat, and then suggested that had some special meaning that the text does not allow for, then this is allegory. I can already hear a sermon concluding, “We all must wear our coats of many colors...”

When you read the Bible, you should read it normally, without adding your own allegory and inserting your own thoughts [Note: there is something called typology, where a story or personage prefigures something else, usually Jesus Christ, but that subject is for another day]. You need to know something about the whole book when you are reading a selected portion of it. For example, when you read Acts 3, you should know something about the previous two chapters, as well as the Gospel of Luke, since they were written as a two-part work.

Difficult Readings

Lastly, we should never allow the more difficult portions of scriptures interpret the very clear portion of scriptures, but vice versa. An example: when it says 99 times in the Gospel of John that salvation is by faith alone, along with the multitude of verses in other books that support this, we cannot say that James 2 is saying something different. In fact, this James passage supports that salvation is by faith alone, but that it is useless if it not being lived out. A careful reading of the whole unit in James (not to mention the whole book!) is necessary.

Summary

Remember:

Get reading!