Principles of Interpretation - Hermeneutics

[Marilyn C]

Hermeneutics - Principles of Interpreting God`s word.

I thought it a good idea to present what I was taught regarding interpreting God`s word - Hermeneutics. These are the foundational principles specifically affecting predictive prophecy. Of course these are other principles and you may like to add to these.

 

EXPLICIT PRINCIPLE

By which any statement is to be taken at its literal meaning, unless otherwise clearly indicated. God says what He means, and means what He says.

The message of the Bible was inspirationally revealed in a clear and unmistakable manner, to be understood by ordinary people. Similarly then with the principle of interpreting it.

All historical portions are taken quite literally.

The doctrinal, the moral and the spiritual content are so interpreted.

Manifestly, then, by every logical and spiritual norm prophetical scriptures must be construed by the same pattern, applying common sense literal principles.

Figures of speech are employed on occasions to illustrate and amplify spiritual truths, however these are always readily recognized as such.

 

ETHNIC PRINCIPLE

By which the Word of God is rightly divided in relation to the three classes which it treats -

 `The Jew, the Gentile and the Church of God.` (1 Cor. 10: 32)

Governing law - To whom does the prophecy concern, and to whom said.

 

[Marilyn C]

The Bible quite clearly presents an obvious and unmistakable sequence which unfolds naturally and logically as an out working of the divine purpose for the above mentioned three classes of people recognized by God: -

 

(1) There is a time-slot for events that relate to the Church culminating in the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. An event which the Bible refers to as the `Day of Christ.`

 

(2) There is a time for world events, affecting the nations, leading up to the supreme dictator who will gather all people to the great battle Armageddon. There is a time for tribulation and judgment, upon the whole unbelieving world: but primarily upon Israel, to prepare them for the promised period of blessing and prosperity during the millennial reign of Christ. Scripture refers to this time period as the `Day of the Lord.`

 

(3) Finally, with the ultimate restitution of all things, time will become absorbed into the Eternal purpose in the `Day of God.`

 

Marilyn.

[Guest shiloh357]

Hermeneutics are an objective set of rules that govern literary analysis and they work not only with Scripture, but any other literary document.  The Bible obeys the rules of literature and so we can easily apply those rules to how we read Scripture.

Hermeneutics pertain to issues such understanding genre, the historical context, the cultural context and the literary context.  It involves understand that there are different rules that govern how we handle each kind of genre.  You don't read a historical narrative the same way you read prophecy or poetry.  To take the Bible literally means to read the Bible as literature and to use the rules that govern how each genre is to be handled. 

The purpose of hermeneutics is not to arrive a spiritual understanding of Scripture. The purpose is to arrive at the literal meaning that the author intends.  You cannot apply a passage properly in terms of a theological or spiritual application until you understand the meaning supplied by the author.  Many people confuse interpretation and application and it makes for a lot of confusion.

[Marilyn C]

9 hours ago, shiloh357 said:

Hermeneutics are an objective set of rules that govern literary analysis and they work not only with Scripture, but any other literary document.  The Bible obeys the rules of literature and so we can easily apply those rules to how we read Scripture.

Hermeneutics pertain to issues such understanding genre, the historical context, the cultural context and the literary context.  It involves understand that there are different rules that govern how we handle each kind of genre.  You don't read a historical narrative the same way you read prophecy or poetry.  To take the Bible literally means to read the Bible as literature and to use the rules that govern how each genre is to be handled. 

The purpose of hermeneutics is not to arrive a spiritual understanding of Scripture. The purpose is to arrive at the literal meaning that the author intends.  You cannot apply a passage properly in terms of a theological or spiritual application until you understand the meaning supplied by the author.  Many people confuse interpretation and application and it makes for a lot of confusion.

Hi Shiloh,

Thank you for your good comments. That was a good point to bring out that hermeneutics is used for all literary works. Even when we read the newspaper etc we actually use some of those `rules.` If there is a story concerning a person receiving a great sum of money we don`t take that on, as ourselves. And this actual point is what often stumbles believers, taking on bits and pieces of God`s word as to them when we need to read to whom it actually is written.

Of course when reading that newspaper we can learn of that person`s fortune, and when reading God`s word we learn of God and what He has done, is doing for others as well as ourselves. 

Hope you can contribute more bro. Marilyn.

[Guest shiloh357]

28 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Shiloh,

Thank you for your good comments. That was a good point to bring out that hermeneutics is used for all literary works. Even when we read the newspaper etc we actually use some of those `rules.` If there is a story concerning a person receiving a great sum of money we don`t take that on, as ourselves. And this actual point is what often stumbles believers, taking on bits and pieces of God`s word as to them when we need to read to whom it actually is written.

Of course when reading that newspaper we can learn of that person`s fortune, and when reading God`s word we learn of God and what He has done, is doing for others as well as ourselves. 

Hope you can contribute more bro. Marilyn.

More to the point is that we don't read a newspaper and biography, or a fictional novel, the same way.  We don't read a biography like we read Shakespeare, as there are different rules for how we understand various genres of literature and we need to be careful not to mix genres. 

In the Bible there are historical narratives, prophecies, parables, proverbs, doctrinal instruction, poetry, prose etc., and we need to take care that we follow the rules for each and not try, in futility, to assign symbolism or figurativism where none is indicated in the text.

[Marilyn C]

17 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

More to the point is that we don't read a newspaper and biography, or a fictional novel, the same way.  We don't read a biography like we read Shakespeare, as there are different rules for how we understand various genres of literature and we need to be careful not to mix genres. 

In the Bible there are historical narratives, prophecies, parables, proverbs, doctrinal instruction, poetry, prose etc., and we need to take care that we follow the rules for each and not try, in futility, to assign symbolism or figurativism where none is indicated in the text.

Hi Shiloh,

So true bro. Sometimes we need to just open up a point so that we can think on it. Any examples you would like to give?

regards, Marilyn.

[Guest shiloh357]

29 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Shiloh,

So true bro. Sometimes we need to just open up a point so that we can think on it. Any examples you would like to give?

regards, Marilyn.

No, not particularly.

[Marilyn C]

2 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

No, not particularly.

Hi Shiloh,

That`s fine, I will think of some and maybe others will too.

all the best, bro, Marilyn.

[GandalfTheWise]

I tend to follow the same approach as @shiloh357 as a starting point to study.

Here's a suggestion for a non-controversial topic that should be fairly simple to address and illustrate the general method.  This might give a nice intro to hermeneutics without generating strong emotions and doctrinal fights.  Here are a handful of verses where something is explicitly commanded, but we really don't do it today, and indeed tend to discourage it as literally written, but try to implement it culturally appropriately.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the churches of Christ send greetings. Rom 16:16

All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.  I Cor 16:20

Greet one another with a holy kiss.  II Cor 13:12

Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. I Thes 5:26

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.  I Pet 5:14

 

[Guest shiloh357]

5 hours ago, GandalfTheWise said:

I tend to follow the same approach as @shiloh357 as a starting point to study.

Here's a suggestion for a non-controversial topic that should be fairly simple to address and illustrate the general method.  This might give a nice intro to hermeneutics without generating strong emotions and doctrinal fights.  Here are a handful of verses where something is explicitly commanded, but we really don't do it today, and indeed tend to discourage it as literally written, but try to implement it culturally appropriately.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the churches of Christ send greetings. Rom 16:16

All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.  I Cor 16:20

Greet one another with a holy kiss.  II Cor 13:12

Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. I Thes 5:26

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.  I Pet 5:14

 

That's one of those things that we understand is unique to that culture.   In American churches, we do not appropriate that cultural activity, as it would open doors that don't need to be opened.  It simply means to give warm greetings to each other.

It is important, when interpreting Scripture, to understand the difference between what is applicable and what is merely relevant.  The above verses are relevant, but not applicable.    This idea is especially true in the epistles where Paul is addressing specific issues that were directly affecting the lives of the first century believers. 

We read the Bible from a vantage point that the original audience didn't' have.  We read the NT from the vantage point of having the full body of revelation and often forget that the epistles were written to real people in history who had some questions about how their new faith was to be lived out in the context of their pagan culture.    We often just read them as commandments to "the church,"   but we can see that, in the case of I Corinthians, for example, Paul was addressing a list of questions sent to him by the believers in Corinth.  And they had a lot of problems to address and it appears he even addressed some issues they were having in addition to the questions they sent him.     So, it is up to us as the readers, to understand what was being addressed how those commands are relevant to us, even though they might not all be particularly applicable.