Hermeneutics week 2

This week we are going to take some time to look things that play a huge part in hermeneutics.

Last week we saw that we have to interpret as Christians because our main source of revelation is found in the bible, a book.

So, let’s take a look at the bible and examine some things that we must keep in mind as we go to it for information.

First, we have to realize that the bible is a piece of literature and must be interpreted as any other piece of literature would be, but we also must remember that this piece of writing is from the very lips of God. The words that we read in our bible are breathed out by God, so we must treat these words with the utmost care and honor.

What we must do next is examine the piece of the bible that we are trying to interpret. Our bible is one unified whole that is made up of many different parts. The parts are sixty- six separate books that can all be arranged into several separate genres.

Recognizing the genre of a book is one of the key factors to interpreting that book. When we determine what genre a book falls under we can understand the type of information that is going to be given to us and also we can understand how that information will be presented to us.

For example a passage from the book of Ephesians will present things much differently from the book of acts, and that is because they are in different genres of literature. So even though these two books cover some of the same topics they look completely different. That is because Acts is a narrative which means that it will tell us a story that has a meaning that must be determined and Ephesians is an epistle which means that it will present us with a direct argument that we can understand more readily.

The main genres found in the bible are
Narrative- like Genesis or Luke
History- like Ezra, Nehemiah, or Acts
Poetry- like Psalms and Lamentations
Wisdom- like Ecclesiastes and Proverbs
Prophecy- like Isaiah and Zachariah
Apocalyptic- like Ezekiel and Revelation
Epistles- like Galatians and Titus

If you notice I said that the book of Acts is both narrative and history. There are two reasons for this.

First, because it is not as simple as just putting these books into one category and keeping them there. There is a blending of genre that is done within each book of the bible. What we have done above is recognize the overall genre of particular books, but within each one of them we can find several other genres mixed in.

Secondly, I wanted to show this because we can never think of the stories told in the bible as fiction. All of the narratives found in the bible, with the exception of parables, are historical. We must never forget that what we are reading is true.

This week what I would like for us to do as homework is to read a few chapters in Daniel.
Daniel is a book of prophecy, but I want us to read a few chapters of it and see if we can find any mixing of genre within this one book. Then if we do see some mixing of genre which ones are present? How would this change the way we interpret these different sections found in this one book?

Have fun

Hermeneutics

First things first, let’s start with what hermeneutics is and why it is so important.

What is hermeneutics?
Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpretation. The particular type of hermeneutics we will be discussing is biblical hermeneutics, or the art and science of interpreting the bible.

If you’re like me you are thinking to yourself, “Why didn’t he just say that in the first place?” Why is it that we in the field of biblical studies always have weird names for things? Are we just trying to sound smart?

Well let me tell you it is not all about exclusivity. These words, like hermeneutics, have very rich meanings behind them, and not just simple definitions. For example the word “hermeneutics actually comes from the classic Greek word hermeneus, which means an interpreter, or someone who explains things.”

Also in Greek mythology the character Hermes was a messenger between the Gods and man. His job was to deliver the message of the Gods to the people. He served as an interpreter for the message of the Gods. In much the same way biblical hermeneutics is the way in which we interpret the word of God.

So, as we look into the background of the word we start to understand why the word hermeneutics was chosen for the study of interpretation. Also as we look into the background of the word we start to understand what it is we must do to use it to our advantage.

Why is hermeneutics important?
It is important because we as Christians have to interpret. So, we must do our best to interpret correctly, that is to see what it true.

God has chosen to reveal Himself to man in many ways, the greatest of which was in His son Jesus the Christ. God literally walked the earth and spoke to people. He taught and answered questions that people had which allowed them to understand things that they had misunderstood at first hearing. This was God’s greatest revelation; He would correct those around Him when they misunderstood what He was saying.

We as Christians today do not have this benefit. Our revelation comes mainly from the bible. The bible is static; it is the same today as the day when it was inspired, minus minor errors between original manuscripts and the copies we have today. This means that we cannot simply ask a question and expect a clarifying statement to be made, as the disciples did. The bible will never respond when we ask it to clarify something for us.

However, we can look at the text of the bible as it is and find answers to questions that are already present in the text. This is what makes us interpreters, we have to look into a text that is not changing ask a question of it and then find an answer for that question within it without clarification or guidance from the source.

This means two important things. One, we will only find answers for the questions that we ask of the text, which means we are limited by our own ability to interrogate. Two, we will find answers to the questions that we ask by our own searching and by our own interpretation.

Do you see why this stuff is important? It is not all theological mumbo jumbo. This is one of the contributing factors in understanding who God is, and who we are. This matter of hermeneutics is a matter of life and death.

I hope that we all understand the weight that this matter has not only in this life, but in the one to come. With this new or renewed understanding I hope and pray that we will all devote ourselves to the careful matter of interp… I mean hermeneutics.

Next week we will go over some important principle to keep in place when you are interpreting.

HOMEWORK- read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 1 Peter 1:19-21