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HERMENEUTICS
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Hermeneutics 101
Definition - Ground rules for studying (interpreting) the Bible correctly
WHY?
Why study the BIBLE?
2 Timothy 3:14-17
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Why study the Bible CORRECTLY?
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
But it’s JUST a Discovery Bible Study!
Is a Discovery Bible Study less important than a sermon or teaching?
HOW?
1. ASK
Psalm 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Ephesians 1:17
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
The Holy Spirit revealed the Word to those who wrote it and now the Holy Spirit will reveal the Word to those who read it AND ask for help.
2. THINK
2 Timothy 2:7
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
3. CONSULT
Study Bibles
Commentaries - EnduringWord.com / Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Walter Elwell)
Bible Handbooks / Bible Dictionaries
Call a friend / Karl - (813) 719-5397
4. READ
2 Timothy 3:16
ALL Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
WHAT?
Hermeneutics - Ground rules for studying (interpreting) the Bible correctly
The MAIN Ground Rule — Know the Context
As they say, “A text without a context is just a pretext”
The Context
The Bible
The History
The Literature
The Theme
The Book
The Sentence
The Word
The Bible
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
The Way’s emphasis on the Kingdom of God has implications for the whole storyline of the Bible. Here’s a quick rundown of that storyline:
CREATION
As Creator of all, God is King over all. God made humans in His image to have a loving relationship with Him and a caretaking relationship with the world and each other. God appointed humans as His royal representatives to be agents of His reign over creation on His behalf. In the Beginning, Heaven and Earth were united in fellowship and love.
REBELLION
The rebellion against God’s Kingdom rule that began in Heaven comes to Earth through Satan’s temptation of Adam and Eve. As God’s delegated rulers of creation, when Adam and Eve fell for Satan’s lie and disobeyed God’s will, they gave the authority and dominion of the Earth to Satan. In fact, not only did they, but the whole world became captives of Satan’s kingdom. All creation now groans under the curse of Adam and Eve’s sin. As a consequence of their revolt, Adam and Eve were banished from God's presence, leading to their deaths and the separation of Heaven and Earth.
RESCUE
1. ISRAEL
On the day of the Earthly Revolt in the Garden of Eden, God graciously promised He would defeat Satan through one of Eve's descendants. The nation of Israel was birthed to bring forth this Descendant and Rescuer (aka the Jewish Messiah) who would reestablish God's Kingdom on Earth. The covenants (Kingdom contracts with Abraham, Moses and David), the law, the tabernacle (temple), the priesthood, the sacrifices, the ceremonies, the feasts, the kings and the prophets all point to and prepare for the coming of this Rescuer King. Though God had blessed Israel to bless the world, they didn’t keep covenant with God and couldn’t be rescuers of the world.
2. JESUS
Birth - Jesus’ birth is the story of the rightful King’s invasion into enemy-occupied territory and the initiation of the restoration of God’s Kingdom on Earth. Amazingly, God sent His OWN Son to rescue us! In Jesus, Heaven comes down to Earth. Jesus is also God’s YES to all of His Old Testament promises. Therefore, Jesus comes as Eve’s Descendant, Abraham’s Blessing, the New Moses and King David’s Son.
Ministry - Having been filled with the Holy Spirit and affirmed by His Father, Jesus was tested by Satan in the wilderness. By resisting Satan’s temptation, Jesus is our New Adam who obeys and the True Israel who keeps covenant. Jesus’ teachings, healings, miracles and deliverances are power encounters attacking Satan’s kingdom. Through His perfect obedience to God’s law and His Father’s will, Jesus was qualified to be our substitute and the sacrifice for our sin. Jesus took personal responsibility for both our obedience to God’s law by living the life we should have and our disobedience of God’s law by dying the death we would have. Simply put, Jesus took our place as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Death, Resurrection & Ascension - What seemed to be the greatest Kingdom defeat—the King’s death on the cross—is revealed as the greatest Kingdom victory because the King came back to life. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, sinners are forgiven, rebels are reconciled with God and captives are set free from Satan’s kingdom. Having accomplished the Victory, Jesus ascends back to Heaven with all authority in Heaven and on Earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Lamb who was slain is also the Lion of Judah.
3. CHURCH
The Gift of the Spirit - The Spirit was given to the church to empower God’s people to carry on Jesus’ ministry of setting captives free from Satan’s kingdom. Through the Spirit, the church bears witness to the forgiveness and life of God’s Kingdom to the whole world. Through the Spirit, Heaven continues to come down to Earth through the presence and ministry of God's people. Through the Spirit, every Christian becomes a Kingdom Ambassador (a little “Jesus"), carrying His Kingdom authority into every sphere of life. We are blessed to be a blessing.
The Christian Life - When we repent and believe in Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we are given the righteousness of Jesus. We are rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred to the Kingdom of Light. We are reborn as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Christian life is learning to live like Jesus by assimilating the values, priorities and mission of this new Kingdom in a world that is still captive to the kingdom of Satan. This is why the Christian life is one of both abundant life and intense spiritual warfare.
RE-CREATION
God’s Kingdom has been reestablished on Earth by the ministry of Jesus and now by the ministry of the Spirit through the church. The kingdom of Satan, however, continues to have influence on the Earth. This influence will be completely broken when Jesus returns in glory and restores the Kingdom of God to Earth in all its fullness and perfection. All rebellion against God will be judged and punished and all loyal trust in Jesus will be acknowledged and rewarded. Then Heaven and Earth will be re-created and re-united in fellowship and love forever.
This is a synopsis of The Vineyard Statement of Faith and is covered in Follow The Way’s FAITH. For a brief summary of the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ see 2Kingdoms.org.
Why is knowing the storyline of the Bible important for knowing the context of a passage?
Example
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
When was this prophecy given and written?
When was the law given? When was the Spirit given?
What’s the relationship between the Spirit and the law?
The History
This is similar to knowing the Bible’s storyline, but gets into more historical details
Example
Deuteronomy 17:14-16 (NIV)
14 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15 be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”
What’s the historical context?
Why not too many horses?
Why not from Egypt?
The Literature
What kind of literature are you reading?
Narrative
Law
Poetry
Wisdom
Prophecy
Parable
Letter
1. Narrative
Genesis, Joshua, Judges, Ruth 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Esther, Gospels, Acts, etc.
Stories and history
Ask the 5 Journalistic Questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why?
What’s descriptive (describing something that did happen then) versus what’s prescriptive (prescribing something that should happen now)?
What’s the main point of the story?
Don’t just moralize the point. Connect the story within the broader storyline of the Bible
Example
Genesis 39
The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife
Is Joseph’s running from temptation descriptive or prescriptive?
1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
Yes, there’s a moral point, but there’s a bigger point too.
Joseph fled from sexual immorality not only to save his integrity but to save his family and the world (from a severe famine) and ultimately to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah (Jesus) through the continuance of his family line.
2. Law
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
What’s moral?
Flows from God’s character, and therefore, applicable to all people at all times. It will usually be reiterated in the New Testament by Jesus or the Apostles.What’s ceremonial?
Related to Temple and sacrificial system, and therefore, fulfilled in Jesus.What’s civil?
Related to the nation of Israel, and therefore, not necessarily applicable to other governmentsWhat’s the principle behind the law?
An enduring truth that still applies todayWhat does this law say about the character of God?
Example
Deuteronomy 17:1-7
1 Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.
2 If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the LORD gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God in violation of his covenant, 3 and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, 4 and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.
What’s moral, ceremonial, civil and the enduring principle? What does this say about the character of God?
3. Poetry
Psalms, Job, Song of Songs, prophets
Note the personal or historical context
Unpack the figuratively language
Enter into the passion of the poetry
Keep in mind that Hebrew poetry often repeats itself for emphasis or contrast
Look for truths about God and His relationship with us
Example
Psalm 23:1-3
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
What’s the personal context? Is God a shepherd? Am I a sheep?
4. Wisdom
Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
Not promises, but proverbs—wise sayings that make common sense, but don’t guarantee outcomes
Look for other proverbs related to the theme
Let the proverb lead you into a deeper contemplation of life. Let them simmer.
Example
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Promise or proverb?
5. Prophecy
Old Testament prophets, Revelation
What’s the historical setting?
What’s the poetic form? Standard Hebrew poetry or apocalyptic literature?
What’s literal and what’s figurative?
What has been fulfilled? What is being fulfilled? What will be fulfilled?
Example
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
What has been fulfilled? What is being fulfilled? What will be fulfilled?
6. Parable
Gospels
What’s the context of the parable? A question? A teaching?
What’s the main point of the parable?
Don’t push the details too far
Example
Matthew 13:44
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
7. Letter
New Testament Epistles
What’s the historical context for the letter?
Read the letter in it’s entirety—in one sitting—read it out loud
Where does the passage fit into the letter (doctrinal or practical section / theology or responsibility / what we need to know about God, ourselves and salvation or what we need to do in response to God’s grace)
What’s the main point of the passage?
Example
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
What’s doctrinal? What’s practical? Why is the order important?
The Theme
There are major themes throughout the Bible—words, concepts, teachings.
Though there are many human authors to the Bible, there is just One Author.
Therefore the Bible will not contradict itself.
Therefore, use the Bible to interpret the Bible.
Keep in mind that there is such a thing as progressive revelation throughout the Bible.
For example, the concepts of the Messiah, Satan and heaven and hell all develop more and more clarity as you read through the Bible.
Example
Righteousness
Romans 4:1-3
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
James 2:20-24
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
Are Paul and James contradicting each other? Was Abraham declared righteous by faith without works or by faith plus works?
Abraham was not declared righteous by faith plus works, but by a faith that works. Paul is stressing that it is faith alone that saves us. We can’t save ourselves. So we can’t boast about our works before God. James, however, is stressing the faith is never alone. True faith is demonstrated by acts of obedience.
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Faith alone saves us. But faith is never alone. Faith flows into good works.
The Book
Read the entire book
Know where the passage fits in the book
As they say, “A text without a context is just a pretext”
Your classes in literature can help you here
The Sentence
We’re drilling down deeper
Sentences are important
Your classes in grammar can help you here
The Word
Your dictionary or better yet Bible dictionary can help you here
Example
John 8:31-32 (NIV)
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 (NAB)
31 Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The Greek text is literally, “If you remain in my word.” Where else is the word remain used in the Gospel of John? Why should we stick with the word remain in translating and interpreting the book of John?
LIVE / LEAD
What did you discover in this training session?
What is your “I will …” statement flowing from this training?
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Hermeneutics printable PDF
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Extra Sessions
Praying Paul’s Prayers (Lead)
Replicate (Lead)
Disciple-Making Movements (MicroChurch)
Financial Giving (MicroChurch)
Meal and The Meal (Worship)
Baptism (Worship)
Hermeneutics (Discovery)
Stages of Community (Community)
Spiritual Gifts, Prophecy and Tongues (Community)
Doing the Stuff - 1 (Mission-Part 1)
Doing the Stuff - 2 (Mission-Part 1)
Doing the Stuff - 3 (Mission-Part 1)
A Guide for Guides (Mission-Part 2)