Biblical Exegesis

[Dennis1209]

Have you ever studied and struggled with some NT biblical passages to understand their meaning, who the speaker is, who the speaker is addressing, who it applies to, and how it applies to you personally?

Critical passages seem to be mysteries meant for us to understand. Passages with at least four significant views from pastors, theologians, scholars, and laymen through the centuries are divided in meaning, with some eventually changing their opinions.

Do you have a particular NT Biblical passage you have studied that is still unsettled in its meaning and application? It seems to conflict with other Biblical passages, namely, Salvation and Eternal Life.

In addition, other than the Book of Revelation, what NT book of the Bible is the most difficult for you to understand? If there is consensus and interest, we can develop this further. If not, I’ll conserve my cyber ink for another day.

— Blessings

[Ausie 52]

Romans chapter 9.

[nebula]

I wanted to make a prayer out of Eph. 1, but I couldn't tell which "he" referred to God the Father, and which "he" referred to God the Son.

[missmuffet]

3 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Have you ever studied and struggled with some NT biblical passages to understand their meaning, who the speaker is, who the speaker is addressing, who it applies to, and how it applies to you personally?

Critical passages seem to be mysteries meant for us to understand. Passages with at least four significant views from pastors, theologians, scholars, and laymen through the centuries are divided in meaning, with some eventually changing their opinions.

Do you have a particular NT Biblical passage you have studied that is still unsettled in its meaning and application? It seems to conflict with other Biblical passages, namely, Salvation and Eternal Life.

In addition, other than the Book of Revelation, what NT book of the Bible is the most difficult for you to understand? If there is consensus and interest, we can develop this further. If not, I’ll conserve my cyber ink for another day.

— Blessings

"Have you ever studied and struggled with some NT biblical passages to understand their meaning,"

Oh, yes a lot of times.

Exegesis is the process of carefully analyzing and interpreting a biblical text.

It is a part of the science of hermeneutics. It can help remove false teaching.

[farouk]

2 hours ago, missmuffet said:

"Have you ever studied and struggled with some NT biblical passages to understand their meaning,"

Oh, yes a lot of times.

Exegesis is the process of carefully analyzing and interpreting a biblical text.

It is a part of the science of hermeneutics. It can help remove false teaching.

Sound exegesis gets the meaning out of a passage that is already there. Sadly, not a few put meaning into a passage that is not there in the first place.

There is the verse:

"Wonderful things in the Bible I see

Especially what's put there by you and by me..."

[Who me]

5 hours ago, farouk said:

There is the verse:

"Wonderful things in the Bible I see

Especially what's put there by you and by me.

That is eisegesis.  The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.

 

[AnOrangeCat]

9 hours ago, farouk said:

Sound exegesis gets the meaning out of a passage that is already there. Sadly, not a few put meaning into a passage that is not there in the first place.

There is the verse:

"Wonderful things in the Bible I see

Especially what's put there by you and by me..."

You're quite right. Even though we have separate terms for searching for existing meaning vs inserting our own I think the distinction is often tricky to work with when it comes to mass opinion.

15 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Do you have a particular NT Biblical passage you have studied that is still unsettled in its meaning and application? It seems to conflict with other Biblical passages, namely, Salvation and Eternal Life.

I don't, but I am very much interested in this thread. This sort of topic is something I very much enjoy as it offers us a chance to give each other Biblical things to think about. It's really a breath of fresh air.

[Dennis1209]

When I initiated this thread, I was thinking about the Book of Hebrews in general and Hebrews 6:4- 8 in particular. These are a few profound verses with serious emphasis and consequences, along with the unpardonable sin.

I have studied Hebrews 6:4-8 and the related Hebrews 10:26 and other scripture for a long time now, not gaining much insight. The Biblical study rule of letting the Bible explain itself does not provide any parallel explanations in the New Testament other than Hebrews and some figurative language of 1 Peter 2:3 and 1 John 5:16.

The next option is to check on how some of the best Biblical minds through the ages interpret the warnings and to who, why, and when. With four different critical interpretations to influence your understanding, which view is correct or the closest? If these same brilliant minds were to read, say, Tom Sawyer, would they still have a wide divergence of opinion?

The other day, restudying those verses, I had one of those "Ah ha" moments where a light bulb came on, ever had one of those. It would be too lengthy to fully detail how I now understand what those verses tell me. Other than to say, I do not believe those verses imply anything associated with Salvation.

When one Biblical verse seems to conflict with ten others, there is no conflict other than how I perceive that verse(s) and need to reexamine it or those. I believe that once given eternal life, eternal is eternal; otherwise, eternal was not eternal to begin with.

So, as the title of the book Hebrews suggests, the author of Hebrews is talking to the Jews, messianic Jews, and Christians.

Salvation, Heaven, or Hell is not the topic of discussion. Reading from Hebrews verse one is the principles of the doctrine of Christ, maturing on to perfection, not reverting to Judaism and animal sacrifice under Jewish and Roman persecution. These Jews possess common Salvation:

Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Keywords: Enlightened, heavenly gift, partakers, tasted, and world to come. These are not Jews on the fence about receiving Christ as their Messiah; they are Messianic Jews. The issue lies in verse six, falling away (abandoning) the common grace, "seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

In other words, their lives would become much easier reverting to Judaism because of persecution from both sides, the Sanhedrin and Romans, crucifying Christ anew, reverting to animal sacrifices.

The book of Hebrews alone (the Bible explains itself) finally answered my questions and eased my understanding.

Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Hebrews 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:  Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation. Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Hebrews 6:7-8 is the partial explanation:

Hebrews 6:7-8 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: ⁸ But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Both pagans and Christians receive common grace in everyday life. There are blessings and curses administered to people by the Lord. For everyone, common grace is mentioned in verse seven, and we see works and labor involved.

Verse eight cannot be an analogy for Hell; it is the fruits of our labor for the kingdom of God, a cleansing. Akin to the earth to be cleansed by fire. It is not "he" that which beareth thorns and briers, but that which beareth is rejected.

1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Has anyone else had difficulty trying to divide the truth of Hebrews rightly, or am I the exception? How do you understand these scriptures?

[missmuffet]

9 hours ago, Who me said:

That is eisegesis.  The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.

 

No we are talking about"exegesis". That is different than eisegesis.

[Who me]

And I commented on the verse that is about eisiegis.