The simplest Hermeneutical statement is that theology must result from a Grammatico/Historical/Cultural interpretation. The application of the rules of Biblical interpretation is known as exegesis.
Exegesis; the application of the laws of interpretation to arrive at the exact concept or idea God intends to convey. (Exegesis makes an analysis. Theology correlates these analyses. Exegesis reveals the meanings of text. Theology interrelates those meanings.)
The Basic Rules of Biblical Interpretation
I do not want to put numbers on these rules of Scripture interpretation less, through that means, we emphasize one of these rules
above the other. They are each equally important and each must be used to guide the other. Together they formulate a system of checks and balances to insure that we arrive at God’s intended meaning of what He says in His Word.
ØThe Law of Contradiction
Since God is immutable, He must be consistent in the revelation of Himself and in the revelation of truth.Any conclusive concept or idea that is contradictory to another concept or idea must be rejected as in error or a misinterpretation because God is consistent in truth (I John 2:21, II Timothy 2:13 and Titus 1:2). Since all truth interrelates, all systematizing of truth must be congruous (in harmony).
ØScripture Interprets Scripture
Sola Scriptura means the
Bible alone. We should be very careful to avoid philosophical methods. Therefore, we must reject the concept of reason, human logic, higher reason or higher criticism such as relativism or existentialism, as means of understanding what God has said (I Corinthians 2:9).
Read I Corinthians 2:9-13.
Instead of human logic or rationalism, we must rely solely upon the Spirit of God to enlighten (illuminate) our understanding of the Scriptures both in its parts and as a whole. That does not mean that our conclusions should be illogical, alogical, or irrational. God does intend for us to use the minds He gave us. We should be extremely careful that all of our ideas and understanding come solely from Scripture and that we do not add to or take from what God’s Word says (Deuteronomy 4:2).
Read II Peter 1:19-21.
God has not intended that the Scriptures be understood only by a group of educated elitists. God said what He said in simple language and intended that language to be understood by anyone through the illumination of His Spirit. This means we must read the Scriptures literally.
Literal: normal, plain, or literal: since it is God Who seeks to communicate with man, and not confuse man, it is assumed and presupposed that He would do so in the normal, plain, and simplest way of communication, not with hidden, mystical meanings (allegories).
ØSeek the Plain, Literal Meaning of a Text
A simple rule has been, “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.” This refers to the
primary,
ordinary and
literal meaning of words. In other words, we should not make words say more than what they say (
primary). We should see words in the way everyday people of the time
(historical context) would have understood them (
ordinary). We should not give allegorical, metaphorical or parabolic meaning to words unless we are directed by the text to do so (
literal).
ØText Out of Context is Pretext
The Bible is a book of 66 individual books. Each book comes with its own purpose and context. However, each book lies within the unity of the larger context of the whole. The Bible is a book of unified Truth. Although we often see it in parts and divisions of Truth, as a whole it reveals a unified Godhead. Therefore, the
historical context must be taken in consideration with the
grammatical context. What is the overall message the writer is talking about? Word meanings certainly determine context, but we should carefully consider how the context affects the meaning of words. That context often determines the meaning of words. We should never interpret a word in a way that contradicts that context.
Unfortunately, failure in maintaining the context of a book or the whole Bible is a common failure in the verse-by-verse exposition of a particular book of Scripture. There is a tendency to
fractionalize the Word of God and take verses out of context in expositional preaching and Bible study. In order to avoid taking a verse out of context, the exegete must first read the whole book and determine the main theme of the book finding key verses. Then, the book can be broken down into subcategories of that main theme of the book. This is known as
outlining. Each verse must carefully be viewed through the
lens of the main theme (context) of the whole book and, ultimately, of the context of the whole Bible because the Bible is
harmonious truth. The
harmony of the Bible simply means that each book is connected as a
Choir to all other books, none of which can be out of
harmony with the others if
harmony is going to be achieved. To take any verse or book out of context will destroy the
harmony of the
Choir.
In Ephesians 4:13, God speaks of “the faith” as a “unity.” “The faith” is the all-encompassing teaching of the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) from cover to cover; every “jot and tittle” (Matthew 5:18). The believer keeps “the faith” (II Timothy 4:7) when he maintains the Bible’s unity in teaching and practice.
Read Ephesians 4:3-6 & 11-13.
History, Culture and Dispensations
Word meanings change down through the years. Cultures change. Dispensations change. In various parts of the world and at different times, cultures were/are radically different from one another. If we are going to understand what God is saying in a given point of history, we must understand that history and the culture of the time of the writing of that book of the Bible. This often requires a great deal of research and effort. What God said in any given book was not difficult to understand by the people of the time and culture to which it was addressed.
The operations (dispensations) of God change, which in turn changes the way God’s people are governed. There are a number of instances where understanding these dispensational transitions are critical to understanding the meaning of a particular portion of Scripture. One example is Christ’s statement regarding John the Baptist.
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[/FONT] The Law of First Mention
Often people give meaning to words that are not consistent with God’s original use (especially readers that begin reading the Bible without Old Testament foundations of understanding). The
Law of First Mention understands that every
doctrine of Scripture in its simplest form finds its origin in the book of Genesis. The
Law of First Mention requires the exegete to begin with the first mention of any doctrine in the Bible to discover the fundamental meaning inherent in that first occurrence. Although later occurrences may add clarity, meaning, definition or extension, the later occurrences will never change the original meaning to be different from the original intent. The original meaning is always present within the later occurrence. The fundamental truth of the
original occurrence will always be the dominant meaning. The doctrine may expand in clarity and definition, but it will never change in that God does not change.
ØThe Law of Recurrence
The Law of Recurrence is an inseparable partner to the Law of First Mention. Often in the Bible, we find a new historical account of something previously revealed in Scripture. The repetition of such an account may give added details that the previous account did not provide. Each mention of such historical events, doctrines or word use must be carefully researched to discover the context and if added details are provided. This is also known as an
inductive methodology (not to be confused with
deductive/inductive logic). An accurate understanding will come when we gather all the Scriptural evidences to a particular subject or doctrine. This process is what defines a doctrine and what allows the exegete to become dogmatic about any given subject or doctrine. An
inductive methodology reasons from parts to the whole; from particulars to the general; a conclusion is drawn from the weight of
all the evidence.
An
inductive methodology is primary to avoiding eisegesis. Systematic Theologies are conclusive and dogmatic statements based upon the weight of Scriptural evidences arrived at through the inductive exegesis of
every Bible text relating to that theological statement. This is categorically different than Proof Texting or a
deductive methodology.
