[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.]
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Summary in 400 words or less:
The Bible is written by many human authors confluently with the Holy Spirit, across over 1500 years and three languages, using various literary genres. Some of these genres include selective biographies of Jesus’ life and teaching (Gospels), occasion letters (epistles), historical accounts, poetry, wisdom literature, theonomic laws, genealogies, narratives, and prophets as covenant bailiffs. Each genre has its own set of pointers for proper interpretation.
For instance,
SUMMARY OF HERMENEUTICS OF THE TORAH (or THE LAW):
1. Most elements of the Law are not meant for us; they were written for a society and people who were to be led by God, although many of these elements can be applicable to any society.
2. The elements reiterated in the New Testament are applicable.
3. We are not meant to live by a system of atonement sacrifices, for Christ is the final sacrifice.
4. Christ did not come to abolish the Law, but the fulfill it.
5. The Law is our “schoolmaster,” to show us how we have failed to live according to the standards of God.
6. However, there are still elements which are meant to be obeyed, for in them, we have description of the “righteous life.”
7. God does not change — so moral laws (such as not to murder, not to steal, not to covet, not to commit sexual immorality) should not change either.
Summary of Hermeneutics in Old Testament Narratives
1. Narratives tell stories, and God tends to reveal theology through them. (They tend to illustrate theology.)
2. The primary character in all narratives is God.
3. The secondary character is Israel, and God’s dealing with Israel as a nation.
4. The tertiary characters are the individuals involved in the stories.
5. Narratives are not meant to be exhaustive teachings of theology. Some problems are resolved, and some positive or negative examples of theology are recorded. Other stories may resolve other problems.
6. We should not over-spiritualize some application for ourselves, e.g., looking at Joseph, say, “We should all get some business experience in case we are thrown into prison.”
Summary of Hermeneutics in Wisdom and Poetical Literature:
1. Wisdom literature are often collections of adages or good sayings, practical advice.
2. They are not exhaustive. But they are good to keep in mind for righteousness.
3. Psalms are prayers: not necessarily the best of, but teach us how we can pray.
4. Job should be taken as a whole, and not little snippets. It teaches us that “suffering should not always be interpreted as a sign of displeasing God, but that it can bring us closer to God.”
5. Ecclesiastes should be taken in large chunks as well. It teaches us that “all under the sun is meaningless unless we are in right relationship with God, and then all things must be in proper relationship with God, including work.”
6. Song of Songs (or Songs of Solomon) operates on at least 2 or 3 different levels: God and the Church/Israel, God and human beings, and a man and wife.
Understanding the Prophets:
1. Prophets were often forthtelling (telling the truth as it is) rather than foretelling (predicting what will happen).
2. Prophets were seen as the bailiff, declaring the charges that the prosecutor-judge-jury-sheriff/policeman-prison warden God was leveling against His covenant breaking people, Israel.
3. All prophetic literature can trace itself back to the Deut. 4:25-31. Blessings for keeping covenant, curses for disobeying (including mention of “exile”).
4. Images of nakedness (sometimes very graphic – Hosea and Ezekiel) is not room for immorality, but the word in Hebrew for “naked” in the Piel conjugation is “exile”. It is a play on words of sorts. Nakedness is the metaphor for exile.
5. There are two major forms of the Covenant Lawsuit within the Prophets: the partial or broken form lists Evidence (for the sentence) and Judgment/Sentence. In the full form, we have a summons (to court), mention of parties, evidence, and then Judgment Sentence.
6. There are elements of the curses/judgment to Israel, and then restoration blessings – that the faithful remnant would be allowed to re-enter the promised land (516BC) and then some elements of the restoration blessings would be realized in the time of Christ.
7. Many of the Prophets have elements of the Messianic Promises/Prophecies intermingled with the prophetic statements against Israel.
8. These remind us that we need corrective measures in our own lives today, and that we need to act like prophets in our churches, with our friends, in our society. The prophets both rebuked (told us when we are sinning) and corrected (try to tell us when our hearts are wandering).
9. The Prophets also remind us that orthopraxis/orthopraxy (right actions) are as important along with orthodoxy (right belief). (It’s not enough to believe in the right God of Israel, our actions must also reflect that we believe!)
Hermeneutics to Gospels
Gospels are accounts of the life of Jesus, selective biographies by eye-witnesses and followers, not written directly by Jesus.
There is amazing similarity between Matt-Mark-Luke, and then one very unique account in John.
The authors of the Gospels were also interpreters, as they gave a meaning for some of Jesus’ sayings.
There are many hard sayings of Jesus included.
Christ as the fulfillment of the Law, and as the new Covenant mediator.
This is not a new Law, but how Christian Life should be.
The concept of the kingdom of God is key, central idea; which is both “already” established by the coming of Christ, and Christ is establishing his kingdom, but it is also “not yet” – until the second coming.
Hermeneutics to Parables
These were uttered by Christ to catch his audience by surprise, with a truth (a deeper truth – almost symbolic).
These were “hidden truths,” which would have been difficult to communicate otherwise. They were to communicate deeper reality than propositional, straightforward, and direct statements.
They were to call forth some form of response.
They came from some known (familiar) point of reference, and then some kind of turning point (“twist”).
They had a sense of urgency, and a call for response, including self-examination.
Hermeneutics to Acts
The difficulty is deciding whether they are DESCRIPTIVE (what actually happened) or PRESCRIPTIVE (if they are meant to be lived out in appropriate manner).
The Acts of the Apostles largely describes the Gospel being carried out, with a key to interpretation in Acts 1:8. (The Apostles were first in Jerusalem, and then carried the Gospel to Judea to the Diaspora Jews, and then to Samaria, and then to the Gentiles, ex., Cornelius).
A key theme is “the Gospel had progress.”
(A side issue that we could explore in the book of Acts is the concept of “creeds” – coming from Latin credo, I believe. What do we believe? What is core to the faith?)
Hermeneutics to Gospels
Gospels are accounts of the life of Jesus, selective biographies.
Yet, Jesus didn’t write them.
They were given in Aramaic originally, but they are in Greek in the New Testament.
There is amazing similarity between Matt-Mark-Luke, and then one very unique account in John.
The authors of the Gospels (who were apostles) were also interpreters, as they gave a meaning for some of Jesus’ sayings.
There are many hard sayings of Jesus included.
Christ as the fulfillment of the Law, and as the new Covenant mediator.
This is not a new Law, but how Christian Life should be.
The concept of the kingdom of God is key, central idea; which is both “already” established by the coming of Christ, and Christ is establishing his kingdom, but it is also “not yet” – until the second coming.
Hermeneutics to Parables
These were uttered by Christ to catch his audience by surprise, with a truth (a deeper truth – almost symbolic).
These were “hidden truths,” which would have been difficult to communicate otherwise. They were to communicate deeper reality than propositional, straightforward, and direct statements.
They were to call forth some form of response.
They came from some known (familiar) point of reference, and then some kind of turning point (“twist”).
They had a sense of urgency, and a call for response, including self-examination.
Hermeneutics to Acts
The difficulty is deciding whether they are DESCRIPTIVE (what actually happened) or PRESCRIPTIVE (if they are meant to be lived out in appropriate manner).
The Acts of the Apostles largely describes the Gospel being carried out, with a key to interpretation in Acts 1:8. (The Apostles were first in Jerusalem, and then carried the Gospel to Judea to the Diaspora Jews, and then to Samaria, and then to the Gentiles, ex., Cornelius).
A key theme is “the Gospel had progress.”
(A side issue that we could explore in the book of Acts is the concept of “creeds” – coming from Latin credo, I believe. What do we believe? What is core to the faith?)
Key Hermeneutics in the Epistles
The Epistles are letters written to the churches.
They are occasional documents, meaning that they have specific authors and specific recipients and audiences. They were also meant to be read to each other for mutual edification and benefit.
However, in keeping in mind that they are occasional documents, they speak to specific issues.
It is like Jeopardy, “receiving the Answers without the Questions.”
(To understand some of this, we need to do digging in Bible Dictionaries, encyclopedias, Historical contexts, commentaries, etc.)
The most difficult question to ask of the Epistles is, “How much applies to us?”
In answering this question, much division has been caused.
For instance:
2Timothy 2:3 – Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Obviously applies to us.
2Timothy 4:13 – Refusing to listen to the truth: does not apply directly to good Bereans
What about 1Timothy 5:23? (use a little wine because of Timothy’s stomach)
We must never read into the text what the author didn’t mean, or the readers would never understand it to mean.
General Guidelines
Whenever there is mention of IMMORALITY: we are not to act in such a manner
Whatever is not inherently IMMORAL: there is freedom in doing these things
Scripture for YouVersion:
Short audio/video:
Three questions (1 fill-in-the-blank, 1 multiple choice, and one discussion question):
References for further reading:
Fee, Gordon and Stuart, Douglas. “How to Read the Bible For All It’s Worth.”
Collaboration notes:
Collaborators: Chris Lee
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I agree with most of this. However, is it 400 words or less? Also, I might have missed it, is there a mention of there is a difference between “meaning” and “application” of some biblical texts. A text will have one meaning (which taking some hashing out some texts vs. others and all doctrines derived from Scripture are not all equally important). On another note, I totally affirm when the different interpretive approaches to different genre’s are listed within this part of the Catechism. This is very wise. Moreover, Gordon and Fee “How to Read the Bible For All it is Worth” is one of the best books for lay people to read to lead them to a hopeful more accurate conclusions in Scripture.