Reading is always
interpretation. In any written text, ideas from the mind of one person are
translated into written language. Readers then translate the written text back
into ideas in their own minds, seeking to decipher the author's ideas from
words on the page or screen. Like other ancient writings, the text of the Bible
requires a bit more effort than newer works. The most recent biblical book was
written over 1,900 years ago in a language that is no longer spoken (Koine
Greek) by an author who is long since dead (John the Apostle) who lived in a
time and culture very different from our own (the first century in the Middle East). But unlike other ancient texts,
the Bible also had a Divine Author who is wholly other, so additional care must
be taken.
To understand the
biblical authors’ intended meaning, we
must do the hard work of interpretation, bringing our Spirit-illumined minds
and God-given capacities to the text, discerning the authors' intended meaning
and the significance of that meaning for life.
Interpretation
has two basic components. Hermeneutics
consists of the assumptions we bring to study and the principles we follow as
we study. Hermeneutical principles answer such questions as What is the measure of interpretation? Where
do we find meaning? What do we do about apparent conflicts among passages? We
will look at Hermeneutics more deeply in August.
Exegesis is the process of working out the
meaning the biblical author intended to convey and the significance of that
meaning today. Exegesis begins with the big picture, moves to the details, and
circles back to the big picture. It has two essential phases. Phase One asks, What did it mean? We answer this question by
studying the text, both the whole and its parts, and its context. Phase Two asks, What does it mean? We answer this question
by understanding the similarities and differences between our context and the
context of the original readers. We will look at Exegesis more deeply in
September.
Interpretation
takes time and effort. When we invest our time and effort doing the work and developing the skills, we will reap a bountiful harvest. So, we must commit
ourselves to do interpretation well,
living out what we discover and teaching others to do so.
Sources2 Timothy 2:15–19
F. F. Bruce and J. J. Scott Jr. Interpretation of the Bible. Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 611–615). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
