What I Would Do Differently
III. Why Hermeneutics
Christian Ministry
Hermeneutics is important because Christian ministry is about learning and application of the Bible. Whatever one does, hermeneutics is involved, whether it is youth ministry or missions, discipleship, pastoral, education/theological
training. As people go with great expectations when they get to see their doctors, mechanics so it applies to preachers and teachers of the Word; hence it takes great work and studying hermeneutics to meet those expectations.
Prayer of Dependence on the Holy Spirit
The interpretation of scripture begins with a prayer for guidance and
understanding of the text by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives information and insights from the text as well as enables the mind to comprehend the text in line with the author’s intent and brings transformation through the word.
Remember, John 5:39 the Jewish theologians, the world-class experts in
interpreting the Bible missed the point of the Scripture because the Holy Spirit did not show them how to respond to God’s word. “Unless the Spirit is at work within
1Robert Plummer, 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible, 40 Questions Series (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2010), sect. A, q. 8, para. 2, Kindle.
2Jason DeRouchie, How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2017), introduction, para. 2, Kindle.
us, we may hear the words of the Scripture, we will never understand Scripture rightly or apply the message in our lives (James 1:22-2:26).”3
Also, the fresh pastor, John Calvin once said, “Without the illumination of the Spirit, the Word will have no effect.” “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). The absence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person makes it difficult for him/her to understand the things of God including having the ability to interpret the Scripture accurately.
The Apostle Paul adds, “Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14) and “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18).
Besides, Jesus promised this to his disciples, “When the comforter will come, he will teach you all truth” (John 14:26b).
Someone said that reading the Bible without the Holy Spirit is like reading the Bible in a cave without a source of light, the map may be right in front of you but one will not figure out which way to go. As we read and interpret the Scripture, the Spirit shows us how the Word should reshape our lives. Certainly, God speaks to the reader/interpreter first as he showcases dependence on God through prayer for an understanding of the text and generates transformative results in his life and that of the church. If the author’s intent is not understood whatever one
teaches/preaches becomes lies before God and his people. Absolutely, lies destroy
3Timothy Paul Jones, How We Got the Bible (Peabody, MA: Rose, 2015), 19.
an individual and Christ’s church. Having said that, using the principles of
interpreting Scriptures are important in exegeting a passage. However, the starting point must be with prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit because the
teacher/preacher is just a messenger of God, not the sender. Therefore, prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit and the use of the interpretation principles must be engaged in order to interpret Scripture accurately.
Allow the Text to Speak for Itself
At times when it comes to biblical interpretation, readers bring something on the table while reading the text which causes them not to be objective. The reader needs to be aware of any baggage he brings to the table in view of his family, culture, training, or work backgrounds to avoid imposing personal meanings on the Scripture (“eisegesis, to “read into” a text what one wants it to mean”4) rather than allowing Scripture to speak for itself.5 If we manipulate the text to fit our preconceived message, it will no longer be the Word of God proclaimed but rather our ideas shared.6 The imposition of one’s presupposition on the Scripture leads to teaching/preaching fallacy to God’s people. Lies stick easily in people’s minds but are very hard to debunk. It can take a pastor five years to build the church spiritually whereas it takes a teaching/message of thirty minutes to destroy the work of five years. We remember Paul’s admonition in 1 Tim 4:16 regarding the negative effects of inaccurate interpretation of the Scripture on the
preacher/teacher and the church, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers – 1 Timothy 4:16.
4Grant Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, rev. and exp. ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 57, Kindle.
5D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 126, Kindle.
6Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral, 50.
Therefore, the reader/interpreter must allow the text to speak to him/her to avoid the spread of falsehood that will ruin the church.
A Good Grasp of the Passage
A good preacher/interpreter of the word ensures that he understands the passage very well according to the author’s intent before applying it. The interpreter first observes the text (what does it say); secondly, interprets it (what does it mean);
and then applies it (how does it apply to me). Observation beginning with reading the passage, identifying words, phrases/clauses, prepositions, verbs, adverbs, the figure of speech, etc, that draw one’s attention. The observation (what does it say) leads to interpretation, (what does it mean). The interpretation, explains what the author is saying. If the message of the author is not understood; the interpretation of the text and application will be wrong. After the interpretation is achieved, the application ensues. The application says, how does it apply to me? According to Zuck, the goal of the Bible is not only to determine what it says and what it means but to apply it to one’s life, if we fail to apply the Scripture, we will cut short the entire process and have not finished what God has asked us to do.7 DeRouchie also says, “Biblical interpretation is not complete until it gives rise to an application through a life of worship.”8
Exposure to Principles of Interpreting Scriptures and Its Application
In addition to prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit, allowing the text to speak for itself, and having a good understanding of the passage. It exposes a person to principles of interpreting Scripture and its application. Consequently, it sparks and deepens peoples’ love and desire for the Scriptures and its teachings as well as enhance their relationship with God toward maturity in the faith. The joy
7Roy Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation: A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1991), 13.
8DeRouchie, How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament, introduction, para. 4.
that goes with understanding and application of the Scripture draws a person closer to God and propels the person to teach others what he/she learned from God’s Word. Therefore it enhances discipleship making within and outside the church, makes pastoral work easy for the leadership team; as well as, reduces the influence of false teachers in spreading heresies in the society (Matt 28:19-20).
Great Biblical and Interpretation Framework
Biblical interpretation is a broad framework (big picture). The framework is the biblical history of redemption. The Bible is one big story (true) of events, not individual book standing on its own. The particulars fill in the whole and whole helps to understand the particulars (individual books). The books are connected to explain the whole Scripture. Though the Bible was written by at least forty
authors over the span of more than 1500 years does not mean it is fragmented or haphazard. The sixty-six books of the Bible intertwine to tell a glorious story of God’s creation, the fall and sinful nature of man, the provision of God for the redemption of his people through Jesus Christ. God’s covenant with humanity is the spine that ties the storyline together.
After the disobedience of Adam and Eve, God set in motion plans to restore what the fall destroy according to Genesis 3:15. The Bible tells one story of the
fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 pointing to Christ incarnation in human form to pay the penalty of our sins through death on the cross in order to reconcile people to God. The reconciliation happens in the lives of those who have a relationship with Christ as the Lord and Savior. The biblical storyline ends with Christ’s victory over evil on earth and restoration of the Eden destroyed by sin with the New Heaven and New Earth. God points to the redemption of mankind through Jesus from Genesis to Revelation.