Biblical Hermeneutics Presentation 1 Introduction.pptx

Hermeneutics

1. HERMENEUTICS Prepared by: Alfred E. Labadisos, MAR-New Testament

2. What is Hermeneutics? The term Hermeneutics is derived from the Greek word “hermeneia” which means “declaration”, “explanation”, “translation”, “communication”, “artistic elocution.” It is the science of interpretation. It is the study of the basic principles and procedures for faithfully and accurately interpreting God’s Word.

3. Perspective of Hermeneutics Hermeneutics as a science. Hermeneutics as an art. Hermeneutics as spiritual act.

4. Perspective of Hermeneutics It is a science because it provides a logical, orderly classification of the laws of interpretation. It is an art, for it is an acquired skill demanding both imagination and an ability to apply the “laws” to selected passages or books. It is a spiritual act because it needs the leading of the Holy Spirit.

5. Why is hermeneutics needed? Finite human beings, on their own, cannot comprehend the mind of the Infinite One. Sin has darkened and even blinded the minds of human beings. Separation of time, distance, and culture from the Scriptural autographs. Different languages--Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Aramaic, Biblical Greek—require translation and interpretation.

6. Why is hermeneutics needed? Different social customs; different civil institutions, military institutions, political institutions; different economic and technological conditions; different patterns of thought.

7. Major Tasks of Hermeneutics To understand what the human writers of Scripture intended to convey to their hearers or readers. To grasp what the divine Author intends to communicate through the words of Scripture. To learn how to communicate and apply both form and content of the Biblical message to modern humanity today.

8. Foundational Principles of Biblical Interpretation Sola Scriptura (by the Bible Alone) Tota Scriptura (Totality of the Scripture) Analogia Scriptura (Harmony of the Scripture) Spiritalia Spiritaliter Examinatur (Spiritual Things Spiritually Discerned)

9. Sola Scriptura - Isa 8:20 Corollaries of Sola Scriptura: The primacy of Scripture - the Bible is the final and ultimate standard of every belief, practice, and norm. Philosophy, tradition, science, etc. must be subjected to the authority of the Scripture.

10. Sola Scriptura - Isa 8:20 The sufficiency of Scripture - the Bible stands alone as the unerring guide to truth; it is sufficient to make one wise unto salvation (2 Tim 3:15). The Scripture is the standard by which all doctrines and experiences must be tested.

11. Tota Scriptura – 2 Tim 3:16, 17 It is not enough to affirm the primacy of Scripture but also accept the Scriptures in their totality. All Scripture–not just part–is inspired by God. The New Testament writers introduced statements from the Old Testament as an inspired, sacred, authoritative writings ( Luke 24:17, 32, 44-45; Rom 1:2; 3:2; 2 Pet 1:21; etc.).

12. Tota Scriptura – 2 Tim 3:16, 17 Also, some New Testament writers regarded the writings of Paul as part of Scripture (2 Pet 3:15, 16). The New Testament is the apostolic witness to Jesus and to His fulfillment of the Old Testament types and prophecies.

13. Tota Scriptura – 2 Tim 3:16, 17 Corollaries of Tota Scriptura: Inseparable Union of the Divine and Human (2 Pet 1:19-21) The prophet does not intrude his own ideas into the message. The Scriptures did not come directly from heaven, but rather God utilized human instrumentalities. The Holy Spirit imbued human instruments with divine truth in thoughts and so assisted them in writing that they faithfully committed to apt words the things divinely revealed to them (1 Cor 2:10-13).

14. Tota Scriptura – 2 Tim 3:16, 17 The Bible Equals, Not Just Contains the Word of God The OT declares that God has spoken: “the utterance [ ne’um ] of Yahweh” some 361 times “Thus says [’ amar ] the Lord” some 423 times “And God spoke” [ dibber ] some 422 times the “word [ dabar ] of the Lord” some 394 times

15. Tota Scriptura – 2 Tim 3:16, 17 Equivalency between the prophet’s message and divine message: The prophet speaks for God (Ex 7:1,2; cf. Exod 4:15,16) God puts His words in the prophet’s mouth (Deut 18:18; Jer 1:9) The word of the Lord comes to him (Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1; Mic 1:1; etc.).

16. Tota Scriptura – 2 Tim 3:16, 17 In the New Testament, the clause “it is written” is equivalent to “God says.” In Heb 1:5-13, seven OT citations are said to be spoken by God. Rom 9:17 and Gal 3:8 (citing Exod 9:16 and Gen 22:18 respectively) reveal a strict identification between Scripture and the Word of God.

17. Analogia Scriptura The two Testaments have a reciprocal relationship in which they mutually illuminate each other. Neither Testament is superseded by the other, although the later revelation is tested by the former.

18. Analogia Scriptura Aspects of Analogia Scriptura : Scripture is its Own Expositor The Consistency of Scripture The Clarity of Scripture

19. Analogia Scriptura Scripture is its Own Expositor One portion of Scripture interprets another, becoming the key for understanding related passages. Jesus interpreted the Law and the prophets with Scriptures (Luke 24:27, 44-45) “Comparing spiritual things with spiritual” 1 Cor 2:13 (NKJV)

20. Analogia Scriptura The Consistency of Scripture The Scripture has a single divine Author; the various parts of Scripture are consistent with each other. All the doctrines of the Bible will cohere with each other, and interpretations of individual passages will harmonize with the totality of what Scripture teaches on a given subject.

21. Analogia Scriptura The Clarity of Scripture The meaning of Scripture is clear and straight-forward, able to be grasped by the diligent student. The Scriptures are to be taken in their plain, literal sense, unless a clear and obvious figure is intended. There is no stripping away of the “husk” of the literal sense in order to arrive at the “kernel” of the mystical, hidden, allegorical meaning, that only the initiated can uncover.

22. Analogia Scriptura There is a definite truth-intention of the biblical writers in any given statement, and not a subjective, uncontrolled multiplicity of meanings. The clarity of Scripture corollary also involves the concept of “progressive revelation.” Progressive revelations means that the later revelation illuminates, clarifies, or amplifies the truths presented previously. The later revelation does not contradict or nullify previous revelation.

23. Analogia Scriptura The principle of clarity recognizes the increasing spiral of understanding as one passage illuminates another. A later passage may indicate echoes of, or allusions to, earlier passages, and the earlier passages in their context become the key to interpreting the fuller meaning of the later.

24. Spiritalia Spiritaliter Examinatur The Role of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit transforms the mind of the interpreter so that he can adopt and incorporate the presuppositions of Scripture and not their own. The Holy Spirit illuminates, shapes, and modifies the interpreter’s pre-understanding according to the Word, and to guard the interpreter’s understandings to remain faithful to the Word.

25. Spiritalia Spiritaliter Examinatur The Spiritual Life of the Interpreter The Spirit not only illuminates the mind, but also must have transformed the interpreter’s heart. The interpreter must possess an attitude of consent or willingness to follow what Scripture says, if he/she is to understand Scripture's meaning.