The Purpose of Hermeneutics

To understand the meaning of the text.

Protestants have often called this the plain
meaning.

Notanesoteric(mysterious,obscure)meaning
Notapreconceivedmeaning
Notthemostcreativemeaning
Notthemostpersonalmeaning

But whose meaning are we talking

about?

The locus of meaning

Where does the meaning of the passage
reside?
In the mind of the text writer?
In the teacher or preacher?
In the audience?
In the cultural context of the original author
and audience?
Or in the words of the text itself?

We can assume that the

words

Do your best to present yourself to God as one

approved by him, a worker who has no need to be
ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro
and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by
peoples trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful
scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must
grow up in every way into him who is the head, into
Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit
together by every ligament with which it is equipped,
as each part is working properly, promotes the bodys
growth in building itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:14-16
Apply yourself wholly to the text; apply the text
wholly to yourself.
Johann Albrecht Bengel
(1687-1752)

Our view of the Bible

dramatically affects the
way we
interpret the Bible.

6 Conservative/Evangelical
Commitments Regarding the Bible
The Bible is divine revelation.
The Bible is inerrant.
The Bible is authoritative.
The Bible has unity.
The Bible has mystery.
The Bible can be understood and
communicated.

Why is Hermeneutics
Necessary?
The nature of the reader

Subjective
Particular background
Particular experience
Level of education

The nature of Scripture

Ancient
Diverse
Types of Literature
Authors
Historical Contexts

Language

What makes interpretation difficult?

The Bible is old.
The culture of the Bible is vastly different
from the interpreters culture.
Many biblical passages were written to
apply to specific occasions in history.
The biblical languages are foreign to most
interpreters.
The Bible is about God and His dealings
with mankind.

Why is Hermeneutics
Necessary?
Two horizons - difference in perspective
between biblical writers and modern
interpreters.

Why is Hermeneutics
Necessary?
Two horizons - difference in perspective
between biblical writers and modern
interpreters.

Why is Hermeneutics
Important?
Foundational in spiritual growth and
ministry.
Ultimate purpose is not just information
but transformation.
Foundational in biblical and theological
study.

Why is Hermeneutics
Important?
Exegesis

Gettingmeaningoutofatext.

Greekex

Eisegesis

Puttingmeaningintoatext.

Greekeis
Avoid Eisegesis,
Work at Exegesis!

Things You May Already Know...

We all interpret, consciously or unconsciously.
Only question is whether we do it well.
Our assumptions and our method guide our
interpretation -- especially if we arent
aware of them!
Our respect for Scripture obliges us to
approach it with as sound and consistent a
method of interpretation as we can bring to
the task.

Things You May Already Know...

Youwanttoavoidthisscenario

Thatwassomesermon,Honey!Themanacrossthe
aislefrommewasintears!

Things You May Already Know...

Thatwasmyoldhermeneuticsteacher!