What this is all about?...Part 2 More Hermeneutics

Oh how glorious it is to study the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, which bring us the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord, God, and King!!!! Now, I said I would get into Exegesis, but I must first go into some principals under hermeneutics to better help us students of the Word out here. These are five basic principals of proper hermeneutics I received them from the sermon archives of my friend, John E Coleman. The principals are:

1 – Literal principle – Understanding scripture in its natural normal sense. As humans we all interpret language literal first. We all look for literal meaning. Now the bible contains scriptures that are written figuratively and symbolically, but there purpose derives a literal meaning. Again, this is where many shotgun their hermeneutics when they start traveling off scripture and see scripture from a different angle than others. For example, John Piper, and John MacArthur disagree on the Book of Revelation when it comes to their Eschatological beliefs. Why? Simple, their hermeneutic goes in a different direction. The literal principal emphasizes the importance of pulling out literal meaning. For we know that not all prophecies are fulfilled (some written in symbolic language) yet each one has a literal fulfillment as prophecies concerning Jesus Christ were and are being literally fulfilled.

2 – Historical principle – When studying the bible we must recreate the historical setting, which actually helps sometimes bring out literal meaning (in aligning with the context of the verse). The biblical passage will interpret itself when we investigate the things like: what was the cultural of that time, who was ruling, where a city located etc etc. By using good bible dictionaries, bible handbooks, maps and the like, scripture text can be illuminated to us by the Holy Ghost looking at the history aspect.

3 – Grammatical principle – This is the understanding of certain words and meanings in the biblical text. The bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages (this total destroys KJV only supporters). The bibles we have in English are not the original manuscripts of the biblical canon. They are translations from the original text. The original languages contain grammar, tenses, and meaning that do not follow English. These words also have a flow of thought that our normal English is not similar to. Words must be transliterated to truly be understood. For example, where do we get our word hermeneutic from?

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. (John 1:42)

The Greek transliteration of interpretation is hermēneuō which means to expound or explain in words. How did I know this? Well, you don't even have to go to seminary to learn Hebrew or Greek. Blue Letter Bible, http://bible.cc/ and other websites give you accurate transliterations from the original languages. In fact you can buy a Strong's Exhaustive Concordance with Hebrew/Greek, or a good expository dictionary (Vine's or Thayer's) that will breakdown meanings better and you're on your way. I have found websites that give you how to pronounce the Hebrew/Greek words. Bottom line it takes work, my beloved, we must be diligent in studying the Word. And the resources are available to you!

4 - Synthesis principle – This can be called the analogy of scripture. This holds that there is absolute no contradictions in God's Word. The bible is inerrant and the whole book is inspired by the Holy Ghost! Every dot and every word is God-breathed.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

5 – Practical principle - Applying the bible to our lives. This principal holds that the doctrine of the bible is divine truth, or the principal of fact of any aspect the bible teaches. The bible is applicable to our lives today as it was 1000 of years ago to men who studied it. Through proper hermeneutic, we kind find out the correct application to our lives as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Again, when digging deep into the bible, error comes on the part of us. Churches in America fault in these 3 major errors alone, which I will briefly address. From pastors down to church members, churches and so-called Christians have gone off the deep end because they slide right into these errors. Even the best bible theologian, has fallen at one time in these errors. These errors are what every bible student should avoid:

1 – Don't try and make your point at the price of proper interpretation. – Don't sacrifice what a scripture really means in order to get a point across. For example, I have done some major Eisegesis to this text:

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

I recall times I have been teaching this text and stuck in there that this is for all those who are sick and need healing. No, what is the context of this verse? What is the true meaning? By correct bible interpretation, it has nothing to do with everybody being sick getting healed by Jesus Christ stripes.

2 – Avoid superficial study - Don't just surface a bible text. "We'll this is what this scripture means to me!" No, go deeper my friend. Go deep into the word of God. Don't try and adlib the Word, but be diligent in studying the Word to pull out a text's meaning. This is what your bible teachers and leaders should be doing with you as well. If he is saying that the Holy Ghost told him to say what this means, get your tail up out of that church, house church, you maybe on your way to shipwreck.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

3 – Avoid spiritualizing/allegorizing what the bible is saying – In other words don't come to the scripture reading what you want to read in to it. I have done this many times, especially when trying to defend an argument. I search quickly in a scripture and pull out what is needed to disarm someone. No, no, don't forfeit bible meaning for this. I've heard pastors take bible texts and flip them to mean going out a buying a new car. No, that pastor read into it what was not there, and you believed it because you did not do your homework. Get it?

Now in the next post, I shall cover a bit on Exegesis. God bless you all my beloved.

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)