Seeker sensitive individuals can, at times, accept what is imagined among people in the reading of the biblical text. If imaginations both creative and wild reach too far to form false ideas of theological relevance, the outcome can at best result in confusion or contradiction to Scriptural truths. The truths of Scripture that are made clear are often simple according to the author’s biblical genre and the Spirit of the LORD. A practice that is colloquially known as “twisting scripture” is a distortion of meaning without contemplation, careful thought, or proper biblical exegesis. It can become that which accompanies the absence of critical thought for questionable gain.
Honor Intended Meaning
To find Christ in every single area of the biblical text is to betray the intended meaning given by the authors of Scripture. The word of YHWH is precious and the source of life. It is written to save the souls of those who are His (James 1:21). It should be revered, loved, and honored with such a high view that interpretation never becomes a source of confusion to shapes misguided conclusions. It is possible to go too far in seeing Christ in the Bible.
Consider the context of Proverbs 6:6-8, where it is written, “Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, which having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.” Where is Christ in that segment of text?
We do have helpful guidelines to walk through and keep our conclusions coherent and on point. Specifically, with the intended meaning of Scripture. [1]
The principle should be reflected in the biblical text.
The principle should be timeless and not tied to a specific situation.
The principle should not be culturally bound.
The principle should be consistent with the teaching of the rest of Scripture.
The principle should be relevant to both the biblical and the contemporary audience.
Theological Criteria for Meaning
This outline serves as a criterion to identify a valid theological principle. If we seek to find correlations of Christ and foreshadows of Him in Scripture, we can apply this outline to assure we are on the mark to form reliable conclusions about what the LORD wants us to understand and accept.
It is especially useful to reference the Biblical Map of written text across genres. A principle we come upon using this guideline must fit or correlate with the rest of the Bible as indicated in our outline above. This criterion helps to qualify theological principles eligible for acceptable use. An overall effort to include relevant passages about the person and deity of Christ, His mission, and permanent status as our LORD and King.
[1] J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2012), 45, 262.
This post is about the gift of repentance. What it involves and how it applies to people according to Scripture. From Apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy his close companion, he writes about godly living and what that specifically looks like in practice. In context, Paul exhorts Timothy on conduct befitting him as the Lord’s servant. That by doing so, God may grant his adversaries or opponents repentance. This short post is a fresh look at John Piper’s lab about the topic and how repentance comes about in a person’s life.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. – 2 Timothy 2:24–26
Section One
There is a war happening for your soul. On one side, Satan is scheming to enslave you to sin and blind you to the beauty of God. But God, by His power, is able to lead you to faith, repentance, and freedom. How is the war won? John Piper looks at several key verses in this lab.
Repentance as Transformation (01:29–04:54)
Unrepentant people lack the knowledge of the truth, are captured by the devil, and have lost their senses.
God alone grants repentance. When it comes, it comes from him.
Repentance is a deep inner change in a person—change of mind, of heart, and of soul—that leads to a knowledge of the truth.
Knowledge alone is not enough. Unbelieving and unrepentant people even demons—can know a lot of true things about God.
True knowledge of God sees Jesus as beautiful, compelling, and infinitely valuable.
The kind of knowledge that leads to freedom and a right, vibrant relationship with God is grounded in repentance.
Salvation as Sight (04:54–08:32)
Coming to their senses (2 Timothy 2:26) corresponds with repentance (2 Timothy 2:25).
Repentance is a change of heart, in which we reacquire our ability to think and feel rightly.
Escaping from the snare of the devil (2 Timothy 2:26) corresponds with coming to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25).
The devil does not snare us by binding our hands against our will. When we’re under his power, we hate the right and love the wrong. No, the devil ensnares us through deception. He holds us in captivity by blinding us.
The Gift of God (08:32–10:51)
Our Condition: We were snared by Satan, and were blinded by him.
Our Repentance: God gives repentance, and restores our senses.
Our Knowledge: Repentance leads to knowledge that treasures Christ.
Our Freedom: We are now free from the captivity to do the devil’s will, and free now to do the will of God.
Study Questions
Based on 2 Timothy 2:25–26, how would you describe yourself before God granted you repentance? What language does Paul give to describe our condition?
Is there true knowledge of God that does not spring from repentance? Can you think of examples in the Bible?
How does the devil ensnare people? And how does God defeat their bondage to the devil?
Piper, J. (2014–2015). Look at the Book Labs (2 Ti 2:24–26). Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.
As referenced in Apostle Paul’s written letter to Timothy, we have what he specifically intended as to what repentance means and how his conduct is an agent toward the repentance of others.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. – 2 Timothy 2:24–26
Section Two
God makes the objects of the miracle of repentance agents of the miracle of repentance. In this section, John Piper established that it is God who decisively brings repentance for any sinner. Now, he asks what role, if any, we have in bringing about that repentance for others.
Introduction, Prayer & Review (00:00–03:10)
Only God gives repentance—a deep heart/mind/soul change.
This repentance leads to a true knowledge of the truth, beyond the knowledge of Satan and of unbelievers.
By this repentance (and the true knowledge it brings), we escape the snare of the devil, which is his deception.
Traits of the Agents of Repentance (03:10–07:50)
When God grants repentance, it leads to a knowledge of the truth. But where did that truth come from? The Lord’s servant. Repentance is always a response to truth. Therefore, we must speak the truth.
We must speak with clarity and competence.
We must speak with love. The Lord’s servant is not quarrelsome—not easily angered. The Lord’s servant patiently expects and endures evil. The Lord’s servant is gentle, even when correcting someone.
Sent to Open the Eyes of the Blind (07:50–10:49)
Yes, God is sovereign in the granting of repentance.
But, we should never conclude that we do not have to do anything to bring others to faith and repentance. The Bible clearly says that the Lord’s servant—you and me—are essential for God’s saving work.
God makes the objects of the miracle of repentance agents of the miracle of repentance. (Acts 26:18)
Study Questions
Who is “the Lord’s servant” in 2 Timothy 2:24? List all the qualities Paul gives for the Lord’s servant in that verse.
If the repentance that God brings leads to a knowledge of the truth, what is that truth, and where does it come from?
Look again at 2 Timothy 2:24–26. If God sovereignly, decisively grants repentance, why do we have to do anything?
So what does it look like to search the Scriptures? And why would we do that? How does it work to get at valid meaning to accept its truths and let it reach our hearts, our minds, and our souls? As we get closer to Him by our understanding, we enjoy His presence, and our worship takes on new significance. Read on for the specifics about how to search the Scriptures and see what precious, and infinitely valuable words are available to us.
Finding Theological Meaning In Scripture
It is crucial to understand the relationship between general, universal theological truths, and context-specific theological truths. Because to know and love God at a deeper and more meaningful level, it is necessary to understand Him, His nature, and the way reality is in terms of how it is created, formed, or shaped.
The following thoughts are from quite a bit of time spent within the Grasping God’s Word text (pgs 195-201).
To elaborate, context-specific theological truths are subordinate to general, universal theological truths. Both general and universal truths about God, His character, and His actions become borne out of an overall theological principle and truth. Such as, God is holy. Or God is love. Or God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. These are examples of general, universal theological truths, among many others.
See the illustration here for the circled numbers, which correspond to the numbered outline here.
Step 1: Grasp the text in their town. What did the text mean to the original audience? Step 2: Measure the width of the river to cross. What are the differences between the biblical audience and us? Step 3: Cross the principlizing bridge. What is the theological principle in this text? Step 4: Consult the biblical map. How does this theological principle fit with the rest of the Bible? Step 5: Grasp the text in our town. How should individual Christians today live out the theological principles?
Migrating Meaning from One Era to Another
As we read and interpret the Bible, we seek to understand it as God’s word and apply it. To allow it to conform our hearts to Him. To allow it to steer our hearts toward Him in a new or more rooted love. As we understand what authors intended as written, we can understand the meaning of Scripture both generally and specifically. Scripture conveyed through text delivers meaning, but God derives or originates the meaning through the authors who wrote the Bible. As God chose to communicate to people across time, He did so through human authors.
Context-specific expressions of theological truths are often different among people as they relate to God and a general, universal theological truth about Him through Scripture. Depending upon the situation, people will experience a general theological truth about God in a context-specific way. As people gather context-specific truths from the Bible, they come to know more about the essential character of God as He is revealed when learning more about Him.
Making Sense of Theological Truth & Meaning
When reaching for context-specific theological truths in Scripture, we look for differences as described in Step 2 of the Interpretive Journey. The differences between the biblical, historical, cultural, and time-bound settings between the people and events to our circumstances, and settings. Then as we reach for general theological truths, we look for similarities in Step 2 of the Interpretive Journey. It is within these similarities of context-specific theological truths that we begin to find general and universal truths about God, what He requires, what He is like, what He has done and what He is doing. Theological truths as revealed about God in Scripture.
When in full consideration of the differences and similarities in Step 2 (the biblical context and our living context), we are prepared to recognize valid theological principles available to us as intended by God, the divine author of Scripture. Therefore, it holds that we move away from context-specific theological truths to general, universal truths that correspond to the rest of the Scripture without contradiction.
Purpose & Implication
To help with moving from context-specific theological meaning in Step 1 of the Interpretive Journey to general theological meaning, we must identify the purpose of the truth in Step 1. To ask what was the purpose of what the text meant to the original audience in Scripture. For example, what was the purpose of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament? What fitting theological principle could we draw from that? — What the LORD required was a blood atonement to cover for the sins of His people as necessary to become reconciled to Him. So reconciliation was the purpose of animal sacrifices among various types. Sacrificial offerings were among gift offerings and others, but the purpose holds true for atonement and reconciliation.
Once the purpose is understood, were then able to move from the context-specific meaning to the general meaning. In this case, the LORD requires a sacrificial sin atonement to become reconciled to Him. To cover our sin and return us to right standing before Him so that we could enjoy His presence and return to fellowship with Him. Understanding the purpose of context-specific theological meaning leads us to more general meaning.
So as this meaning often leads to characteristics of God (God is holy; God is love; God is all-powerful; etc.), some implications follow. It is in these implications that we act by faith to apply the theological principles as given in Scripture. We are free to take valid Old and New Testament theological principles and apply them to us as New Testament believers. To live out the LORD’s will for our lives to serve Him, honor Him, and love Him.
When we are reading or studying the Old Testament, this should lead us to find relevant theological principles through the lens of the New Testament. That biblical interpretation differences between the old and new covenants have a bearing on how we approach and apply Scripture. Especially for Mosaic law and narrative stories, but more generally by interpretive walkthrough as it concerns all genres.
Old Testament Genres
Reading and Interpretation of the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament.
The genres of Narrative, Law, Poetry, Prophets, and Wisdom books within the Old Testament can invite us to draw out meaning according to their typology. Each can also, in turn, somewhat overlap depending upon the author, historical conditions, cultural setting, and time frame of characters we read about. It is within these circumstances that the LORD uses the various biblical genres to record and convey meaning. So it isn’t a stretch to see that an interpretive effort itself serves as a grid or framework by which we can come to grasp God’s word.
Harvesting A Spiritual Substance
For example, think about the spiritual substance drawn from theological principles we find. While seeking and recognizing principles from the Old or New Testaments, we get to a place where we see, learn, and understand what Scripture presents as relevant to us. Not to get to the cultural or historical specifics within the OT or NT to apply them per se, but to understand basic or more involved characteristics of a total or guiding sense of a message. By whatever genre or form, it is what touches our whole person as we seek to know and understand the LORD and grow in our love for Him.
So the effort in all its forms with guidelines, questions, observations, and methods of interpretation by genre we can follow in our approach. That which is unique about Scripture types should adhere to a framework of study by which we get their meaning to understand them.
Recall when Jesus was watching Peter, His chosen apostle, deny Him three times. Three times declared, in front of all the people who were with him. Just a short distance away, Jesus was arrested and in the custody of the authorities. The crowds were there among them, and Peter was the man who Jesus said, “Upon this rock, I will build my Church.” The man who just denied him on three separate occasions while in the view of the Lord and God He loved.
Afterward, Jesus eventually permitted His Roman executioners to put Him to death. And yet, while found innocent during the Lord’s “trial,” the Roman ruler Pilate made it understood to everyone Jesus was without fault. The Roman authorities crucified Him anyway by choice of the religious leaders in Jerusalem.
After the Lord’s crucifixion, His body was placed in a tomb where, after 3-days, He rose again as promised. Then as recorded in Scripture, He shortly after that returned to His apostles. To those He loved, He restored. He brought them renewed hope.
Tend My Sheep
He revealed His presence and identity to His Apostles. The third time He did so, He fed them while on the beach at the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 21:1). At the break of dawn, they together had fish for breakfast on the coastline that day. Then what is yet even more astonishing is what happened next. Follow along.
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes Lord; You know that I love you.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me? “Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
– John 21:15-17
Love Renewed & Love Restored
Do you see what happened here? Simon Peter and others were out at sea fishing. Back to his livelihood, but wasn’t catching anything. He wasn’t attending the Kingdom of God that was just established on Earth among the nations. The Lord’s followers appointed to Peter were unattended as His mission was set before his disciples. “Do you love me more than these,” were Jesus’s words. More than these fish. More than Peter’s occupation, and more than Peter’s livelihood.
It was here that Jesus restored Peter, His chosen shepherd for the people of Israel. This is the Rock on which is built the Lord’s church.
Yet even while Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus restored Peter’s place through grace and forgiveness. In the act of incredible and infinite mercy, Jesus restores Peter by having him declare his love for the Lord three times. Even while Jesus knew Peter’s heart, his devotion, and his never-ending love, He got Peter back on his feet, spiritually speaking.
Francis Chan walks through a few key Scripture sections to bring to light the reality of Hell as described in all translations of the Bible. More specifically, what the Bible says about God’s historical execution of His justice. It’s real talk about Hell but from a biblical perspective. Right from the Bible, Francis offers a compelling appeal to reason about how God’s thoughts and His ways are utterly unlike our thoughts or our ways.
Afterlife In Hell
The appeal to reason is readings to consider what the Scripture says about the topic of Hell. Simply using stories and narrative descriptions as real-talk discussion about what Hell is, who goes there, and why it exists in terms of God’s justice foreign to us.
So, by way of contrast, here are some personal verse references I’m thinking about regarding the Book of Life (Php 4:3, Re 3:5, Re 13:8, Re 17:8, Re 20:11-15, Re 21:27). As a separate and comparative book from other books opened during judgment as written in Scripture. The Book of Life is opened and contains the names and deeds of those kept from the second death, spiritual death in the lake of fire.
“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.” – Rev 20:12
Warning from Scripture
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” – Rev 21:8
Spending time in this audiobook, I am dwelling on what this spiritual location is within the afterlife. How one gets placed there according to the Bible. Why punishment there lasts forever and how to keep from going there. Finally, and most importantly, ask what we can do now to permanently keep ourselves away.
Here is an article I found from my archives as a repeat from Discipleship Journal long ago. It’s more real talk about the doctrine of Hell, what it is about and why it is such a severe warning. Article: The Horrible Doctrine
It was more than fifteen years ago that I entered the laboratory of Professor Agassiz, and told him I had enrolled my name in the scientific school as a student of natural history. He asked me a few questions about my object in coming, my antecedents generally, the mode in which I afterward proposed to use the knowledge I might acquire, and finally, whether I wished to study any special branch. To the latter, I replied that while I wished to be well-grounded in all departments of zoology, I purposed to devote myself specially to insects.
The Student, the Fish, and Agassiz
“When do you wish to begin?” he asked.
“Now,” I replied.
This seemed to please him, and with an energetic “Very well,” he reached from a shelf a huge jar of specimens in yellow alcohol.
“Take this fish,” he said, “and look at it; we call it a Haemulon; by and by I will ask what you have seen.”
With that, he left me, but in a moment returned with explicit instructions as to the care of the object entrusted to me.
“No man is fit to be a naturalist,” said he, “who does not know how to take care of specimens.”
I was to keep the fish before me in a tin tray, and occasionally moisten the surface with alcohol from the jar, always taking care to replace the stopper tightly. Those were not the days of ground glass stoppers and elegantly shaped exhibition jars; all the old students will recall the huge, neckless glass bottles with their leaky, wax-besmeared corks, half-eaten by insects and begrimed with cellar dust. Entomology was a cleaner science than ichthyology, but the example of the professor who had unhesitatingly plunged to the bottom of the jar to produce the fish was infectious; and though this alcohol had “a very ancient and fish-like smell,” I really dared not show any aversion within these sacred precincts, and treated the alcohol as though it were pure water. Still, I was conscious of a passing feeling of disappointment, for gazing at a fish did not commend itself to an ardent entomologist. My friends at home, too, were annoyed, when they discovered that no amount of eau de cologne would drown the perfume which haunted me like a shadow.
In ten minutes I had seen all that could be seen in that fish, and started in search of the professor, who had, however, left the museum; and when I returned, after lingering over some of the odd animals stored in the upper apartment, my specimen was dry all over. I dashed the fluid over the fish as if to resuscitate it from a fainting-fit, and looked with anxiety for a return of a normal, sloppy appearance. This little excitement over, nothing was to be done but return to a steadfast gaze at my mute companion. Half an hour passed, an hour, another hour; the fish began to look loathsome. I turned it over and around; looked it in the face — ghastly; from behind, beneath, above, sideways, at a three-quarters view — just as ghastly. I was in despair; at an early hour, I concluded that lunch was necessary; so with infinite relief, the fish was carefully replaced in the jar, and for an hour I was free.
On my return, I learned that Professor Agassiz had been at the museum, but had gone and would not return for several hours. My fellow students were too busy to be disturbed by continued conversation. Slowly I drew forth that hideous fish, and with a feeling of desperation again looked at it. I might not use a magnifying glass; instruments of all kinds were interdicted. My two hands, my two eyes, and the fish; it seemed the most limited field. I pushed my fingers down its throat to see how sharp its teeth were. I began to count the scales in the different rows until I was convinced that that was nonsense. At last, a happy thought struck me — I would draw the fish; and now with surprise, I began to discover new features in the creature. Just then the professor returned.
“That is right,” said he, “a pencil is one of the best eyes. I am glad to notice, too, that you keep your specimen wet and your bottle corked.”
With these encouraging words he added —
“Well, what is it like?”
He listened attentively to my brief rehearsal of the structure of parts whose names were still unknown to me; the fringed gill-arches and movable operculum; the pores of the head, fleshly lips, and lidless eyes; the lateral line, the spinous fin, and forked tail; the compressed and arched body. When I had finished, he waited as if expecting more, and then, with an air of disappointment:
“You have not looked very carefully; why,” he continued, more earnestly, “you haven’t seen one of the most conspicuous features of the animal, which is as plainly before your eyes as the fish itself. Look again; look again!” And he left me to my misery.
I was piqued; I was mortified. Still more of that wretched fish? But now I set myself to the task with a will and discovered one new thing after another until I saw how just the professor’s criticism had been. The afternoon passed quickly, and when, towards its close, the professor inquired,
“Do you see it yet?”
“No,” I replied. “I am certain I do not, but I see how little I saw before.”
“That is next best,” said he earnestly, “but I won’t hear you now; put away your fish and go home; perhaps you will be ready with a better answer in the morning. I will examine you before you look at the fish.”
This was disconcerting; not only must I think of my fish all night, studying, without the object before me, what this unknown but most visible feature might be, but also, without reviewing my new discoveries, I must give an exact account of them the next day. I had a bad memory; so I walked home by Charles River in a distracted state, with my two perplexities.
The cordial greeting from the professor the next morning was reassuring; here was a man who seemed to be quite as anxious as me that I should see for myself what he saw.
“Do you perhaps mean,” I asked, “that the fish has symmetrical sides with paired organs?”
His thoroughly pleased, “Of course, of course!” repaid the wakeful hours of the previous night. After he had discoursed most happily and enthusiastically — as he always did — upon the importance of this point, I ventured to ask what I should do next.
“Oh, look at your fish!” he said and left me again to my own devices. In a little more than an hour he returned and heard my new catalog.
“That is good, that is good!” he repeated, “but that is not all; go on.” And so for three long days, he placed that fish before my eyes, forbidding me to look at anything else or to use any artificial aid. “Look, look, look,” was his repeated injunction.
This was the best entomological lesson I ever had — a lesson whose influence was extended to the details of every subsequent study; a legacy the professor has left to me, as he left it to many others, of inestimable value, which we could not buy, with which we cannot part.
A year afterward, some of us were amusing ourselves with chalking outlandish beasts upon the blackboard. We drew prancing star-fishes; frogs in mortal combat; hydro-headed worms; stately craw-fishes, standing on their tails, bearing aloft umbrellas; and grotesque fishes, with gaping mouths and staring eyes. The professor came in shortly after and was as much amused as any at our experiments. He looked at the fishes.
“Haemulons, every one of them,” he said; “Mr. ____________ drew them.”
True; and to this day, if I attempt a fish, I can draw nothing but Haemulon.
The fourth day a second fish of the same group was placed beside the first, and I was bidden to point out the resemblances and differences between the two; another and another followed until the entire family lay before me, and a whole legion of jars covered the table and surrounding shelves; the odor had become a pleasant perfume; and even now, the sight of an old six-inch worm-eaten cork brings fragrant memories!
The whole group of Haemulons was thus brought into review; and whether engaged upon the dissection of the internal organs, preparation and examination of the bony framework, or the description of the various parts, Agassiz’s training in the method of observing facts in their orderly arrangement, was ever accompanied by the urgent exhortation not to be content with them.
“Facts are stupid things,” he would say, “until brought into connection with some general law.”
At the end of eight months, it was almost with reluctance that I left these friends and turned to insects; but what I gained by this outside experience has been of greater value than years of later investigation in my favorite groups.
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz (1807-1873) was a famous scientist and Harvard professor. American Poems 3rd Edition; Boston: Houghton, Osgood & Co., 1879, 450-54
This post is about how to gather, sort, filter, and orchestrate words from root Scripture languages to get at a New or Old Testament author’s intended word meaning. It’s about how to do Bible word analysis and avoid false interpretation or erroneous meaning from Scripture.
Method of Biblical Word Study
For purposes of consistency and as a repeatable exegetical methodology, it is an efficient use of time and effort to do Bible word studies with a proven and well-developed process. This post outlines a process where the analysis guidelines are given by the “Grasping God’s Word” [1] text is adapted to this Bible word analysis method with Logos software.
This walk-through is a highly useful method for carrying out Bible word studies, and it is now central to a personal workflow. The same process is suitable for both the Old and New Testaments and can be done both manually or automatically to a limited extent.
Select Word for Study
Words that are crucial to a Scripture passage.
Repeated words.
Figures of speech.
Words that are unclear, puzzling, or difficult.
The outline given below makes trial use of the chosen word “confidence” in Hebrews 4:16 NASB and ESV.
“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ” – Hebrews 4:16
Determine Semantic Range
Gather a listed range of all possible word definitions using a standard English dictionary.
Do Concordance Work
Determine what the word could mean from the original Hebrew or Greek language. This is a further narrowing of the semantic range as it becomes recognized what the words mean in that language. From the original manuscript word, isolate the other word terms to identify their meaning from the reading of the text. In this example, the Greek word for “παρρησία” (parrēsia) could mean “confidence,” “plainly,” “boldness,” “public, publicity,” or “openly, openness.”
Several modern Bible translations can now align with one another as the word chosen for analysis become compared between text translators. All translations taken together in the concurrently listed form should translate from the same original word.
Drill down into the circular word definition segment to separate the term given in Greek. By extracting this term for greater precision, it then becomes possible to see the differences among all variability. By process of elimination, we can from there conclude the word has a “confidence, boldness, plainly” meaning. As compared, for example, to “persuade” or “convince,” which isn’t the rendered word used by the author. We can, therefore, understand from the word choice that a person isn’t to approach the throne of grace of the LORD Most High to “persuade” or “convince”.This method can sometimes reconcile rendered word differences between various formal or informal Bible translations.
Examine the Context of Word Analysis
This is a crucial step to determine what the word could mean. From the chosen word for study, examine other sources of context located among biblical passages, as indicated in this diagram below. Imagine this diagram as a 3D Venn-type illustration. With the chosen word study at the top and its surrounding concentric circles of context beneath, examine progressive levels of context while extending outward. Each circle supports or reinforces its suitable meaning.
Look up all verses associated with the separated word to identify commonalities in meaning elsewhere. With the same author and then all verses together that make use of the specific word through the same covenant (OT or NT).
To assure faulty logic is not applied to word analysis and arrive at a false conclusion, test, or screen the rationale for a prospective and interpreted meaning. Specifically, this is to check tentative findings against any potential pitfalls. If the word-analysis fails any of these tests, the process must begin again. The process must remain iterative until there is a high degree of certainty about a word’s interpreted meaning.
Watch for Fallacies of Interpretation
English-Only Fallacy
This occurs when you base your word study on the English word rather than the underlying Greek or Hebrew word.
Root Fallacy
Falsely concludes that the real meaning of a word always comes from the original root or etymology of the word. For example, a butterfly is not a fly soaked, or coated in butter.
Time-Frame Fallacy
This occurs when the definition or meaning of a term in modern use is read back into Scripture, or applied to biblical times.
Overload Fallacy
An acceptance that a word means every definition within its semantic range.
Word-Count Fallacy
To conclude that a word has the same meaning every time it occurs.
Word-Concept Fallacy
A false assumption that the full meaning of a concept is the same as the meaning of a single word. The meaning of a concept is bigger than a single word.
Selective-Evidence Fallacy
Choosing an interpreted word that matches our preference while we dismiss evidence that contradicts our view.
Conclude the Author’s Intended Definition and Use of the Word
Specifically, for the verse interpreted inside the passage and within context, it is safe to conclude and accept the intended meaning of the word.
[1] J Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 163 – 184. [2] Ibid. 177. [3] Ibid. 164 -166.
Throughout the pages of “Scripture as Communication,” we read and learn about concepts and methods around biblical communication and interpretation. We explore hermeneutical principles and perspectives from various schools of thought. From both a theoretical and practical frame of reference, readers become informed through illustrations, definitions, outlines, and models that educate students of Scripture on what it is to bring about a full and more productive study of God’s word.
Book Review
Within this book review, various subjects covered among both practical and theoretical sections in Dr. Brown’s book reflect her walkthrough about what interpretation and meaning are and what they involve. Much of Dr. Brown’s use of technical language and prose to guide readers through these subjects is distilled in this review to gain a clear understanding of what a student of Scripture learns within her book about biblical hermeneutics. The first half of the book’s theoretical topics cover the roles of biblical authors, readers, and texts to arrive at conclusions intended for communicative purposes. A reader could view this first section as a survey of internal interest about textual meaning, its implications, historical development, and interest to both readers and authors of Scripture. The second half of the book pertains to practical or external applicability and relevance to what readers understand from the prior section.
Theoretical Perspectives on Scripture as Communication
Terminology & Context
The book begins with definitions and terminology that set up a foundation of understanding within its chapters to follow. Specifically, the author builds upon various terms as new topics are introduced or reinforced. To further understand the definitional meaning of hermeneutics, exegesis, genre, literary context, social setting, and contextualization. These terms become further and progressively explored in-depth to one another. To bring understanding about how they are relevant to the interpretation and application of Scripture as intended.
Dr. Brown defines hermeneutics as the study of activity involving interpretation. It is a meta-textual analysis process that enables a reader or study to arrive at accurate and meaningful conclusions about what becomes communicated. This process gets applied across various genres to interpret and grasp meaning successfully. As readers, we reach an understanding of poetry, narratives, epistles, and legal texts of the Bible. While attending to literary and social contexts in which an author intended. Particularly in their original settings at the time, written works occur for transmission and delivery to readers centuries later.
The introductory topic of exegesis carries more practical relevance in later chapters. However, it is of significant interest from a theoretical perspective because it pertains to the historical context of Scripture as written. Dr. Brown refers to this as an “exegetical process” that is culturally significant concerning a gap between a modern reader and the author of Scripture during the time events, or literary occurrences become committed to text. Exegesis is a practice that a reader applies to get at the closest interpreted meaning of Scripture, most notably concerning its genre, literary context, and social setting.
Communication Models of Interpretation
A greater depth of theoretical understanding becomes developed across numerous models with their historical backgrounds. With examples of their usage, Dr. Brown describes each model in summary and detail. Among the first introduced is speech-act theory while accompanied by language theory, relevance theory, and literary theory. The speech-act theory stands out among all others in Dr. Brown’s further written work among later chapters. In due course, it then becomes necessary to refer back again to the definitions and descriptions associated with this theoretical model to get at its relevance and applicability.
Speech-Act theory calls attention to the functional nature of language. In that, there are specific purposes of language recognized and put to use during a communicative process. There are four critical points of interest — First, a locution as defined by what is said. Second, an illocution to describe what is accomplished by what is said. Third, a perlocutionary intention is an intended response by hearers or readers. Finally, an unintended perlocution is what is accomplished by what is said, but not intended. In an effort to hold together these technical concepts for later reference, students of Scripture can find these terms of limited interest as they appear meant for academics or scholars. Still, the purpose of their definitions within this theoretical model helps to better understand the context of textual work completed thousands of years back in history.
To further draw into the various additional theoretical models of interpretation, Dr. Brown calls attention to their histories, academic contributors, and rationale about their suitability within the exegetical process.
Authors, Texts, Readers
There is a three-way contrast made between each functional role of communicative participants. Introduced are an original author, an implied or actual reader, and an autonomous text that bears its meaning in a free-standing way. It is here that “authorial intention” is introduced as a way to describe and emphasize meaning as best derived from what an author intends or expects. All essential attributes associated with an author such as language, social, economic, and political realities have a bearing on meaning. This meaning, in turn, contributes to the context that conveys understanding, research, application, and contextualization as further explained later in the book.
Further attention has been given to what form of meaning as developed from a reader’s perspective. Where what prevails is the subjective view and preferences of readers with their own biases, traditions, and influences. Over time, this emphasis on a reader’s interpretation to establish meaning has developed but does not hold weight among modern expositors.
Meaning becomes further categorized as intentionality types along a scale or continuum. Between transmissive and expressive intentionality, there are various Scripture genres to bring about outcomes that align with authorial intent — either expressive as apparent among works of poetry, or transmissive and instructional works found among epistles. The Bible’s authors have communicated meaning in their texts to convey intent. Whether in the narrative form or through instructional and emotive style, the method of communication chosen fits the purpose and substance of that which is conveyed. In a context of textual coherence appropriate to what a reader should come to understand and accept.
Developing Textual Meaning
There is a distinction between implicit and explicit meaning as covered by Dr. Brown to probe patterns of communication. Moreover, her book refers to inference beyond explicit intentions. To come closer to what an author intends by written Scripture, we can interpret patterns of meaning that are otherwise less available if we read and understand the Bible at a surface level. This poses certain risks toward false interpretation, but if a reader adheres to literary and historical context according to the purpose of Scripture, they become mitigated or reduced.
Of particular interest is the notion that authors can and do communicate beyond what they consciously express, where there is a (sub)meaning of context which holds validity to a pattern of meaning an author willed or infers. What is striking is that these authors are unaware of meaning and inference, which still carries validity. As explained, an author cannot explicitly attend to all expressive or transmissive meaning toward communicative intent because he or she is unable to pay attention to all aspects of meaning. Inferences and implications, therefore, emerge to further the body of work authors produce to communicate with their readers. Thus, implied meaning from New Testament sources compared to implied meaning from Old Testament sources provides opportunities for careful exegetical analysis less evident to many readers.
At the core of textual meaning is perlocutionary intention. Where it becomes recognized that words do things and say things. It is an extension of meaning as it helps form a theological hermeneutic. Both locution and illocution constitute meaning with perlocutionary intention giving activity to what becomes communicated. From this constructed view of Scripture, core textual, its extension, and continuing meaning together represent a total body of substance to interpret implications of written Scripture from an author and transmissive or expressive genre. In a context of textual coherence appropriate to what a reader should come to understand and accept.
Invitation to Active Engagement
It is somewhat surprising that each person who studies Scripture has an individual hermeneutic. There is a single hermeneutic, or linear formula as a checklist of sorts to exegete Scripture for consistent outcomes. We all have our own individual “location” of perspective and influence that affects our interpretive efforts. These are blind spots that keep us from gaining a clear understanding of Scripture. We have our traditions and preconceptions that predispose us to eisegesis of Scripture — all to keep original and intended meaning out of view. Worse yet to arrive at conclusions from Scriptural misinterpretation.
There is an additional discussion about the differences between an implied reader and an actual reader where the actual reader is at a separation some distance in meaning from an implied reader. This is where the implied reader is who an author intends to communicate. However, since there is a necessity for communication that involves interpretation with all of its exegetical issues, the actual reader applies the best effort to get at meaningful understanding. The closer an actual reader is to intended and accurate meaning, the more that the reader becomes an implied reader as biblical authors form their written work across various Scriptural genres. With this difference drawn in Dr. Brown’s book, it becomes apparent that a well-developed hermeneutical interpretation process should include an effort to get as close as possible to original meaning. As an implied reader, rather than an actual reader who takes a superficial view of engaging genre.
It is a mistake to assume that readers are free to read in isolation without any attention to a community at large. Such as a community or group of people who together read and interpret Scripture with various perspectives. Who can, in turn, more accurately apply hermeneutical practices, which contribute to contextualization of those who seek the truth of the Bible. Moreover, either individually or in a group setting, a biblical hermeneutic must attend to biblical genres, languages, social settings, and literary contexts.
Practical Guidance for Interpreting Scripture
Genre and Communication
There are three genres in which Dr. Brown chooses to focus. Poetry, epistles, and narrative are the genres, and she goes into thorough detail about their function and role within Scripture. First, Poetic utterance and meaning as a communicative act involve various devices, imagery, and metaphor. Example after example, Dr. Brown highlights Psalms and Proverbs as a way to form concrete meaning from emotive expression in context with the cultural or traditional setting of biblical authors.
While we as readers tend to prefer prose in narrative form, we do accept and make use of poetry along with more modern expressions. Such as found within music and other forms of entertainment. Imagery called upon to communicate sense and comparison provide the metaphors that bring about added depth and richness in meaning that gets even closer to what an author has conveyed.
The genre of epistle is one of coherent thought within social and cultural settings to affect how biblical meaning and principles are formed. As epistles are explicit letters to individuals and groups of people, there are found within the stories of interpersonal relationships and deeply theological subject matter. Common among all of them is a stream of thought from writers to communicate direct meaning with less room for ambiguity. Often these letters are instructions to early churches within development to include numerous people new to their faith in Christ. New to fellowship, church practices, worship, and other disciplines characteristic of what Jesus set in motion with Peter, His apostle.
Narrative types of Scripture are about stories and discourse. For example, the synoptic gospels are side-by-side perspectives of a common story about the life and ministry of Christ. As a subset to a narrative story, some discourses serve to communicate levels and shapes of Scriptural meaning. Either as thematical, chronological, or rhetorical devices to render comprehension of story participants and readers. With our understanding and interpretive efforts, learned principles, facts, and events of narrative Scripture must become recognized as having profound theological relevance. Gospel urgency, life lessons, spiritual guidance, kingdom awareness, missionary efforts, and so forth get their communicative depth from religious narrative discourse. All are originating from stories that come from gospel writers. They extend out to more immediate readers in their cultural setting as well as those of us who seek to learn and accept their truth and meaning to act upon.
The Language of the Bible
In her effort to share relevant guidance of communication involving languages of the Bible, Dr. Brown collects and records facts and opinions about linguistic challenges, academic perspectives, and the pragmatic inter-workings of biblical languages. Dr. Brown’s technical views about languages of the Bible are strenuously difficult to follow. As an effort to mindfully bring into structured order corresponding usefulness to the overall aim of understanding introductory hermeneutics.
It is widely understood that the Bible is written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. The absence of topics such as the Septuagint, Masoretic Text, and translations in this section is a point of wonder. Most especially concerning formative languages for interpretative examples. Since New Testament writers read Greek and earlier forms of the Old Testament, it would be highly enlightening what their interpretive process was to demonstrate examples for generations to consider or apply. Or at least to give added credence to the models earlier presented in her book. While much more attention gets placed upon the nature and function of language itself, its thereafter Biblical applicability is bolted on as having viable and legitimate suitability.
Dr. Brown’s book on Scripture as Communication is written for seasoned academics and linguistic scholars. Or at least this section of “Language of the Bible.” While we are presented with an explanation about how language works, various linguistic terms follow and have a considerable bearing on an interpretive process from a scholarly and peer-reviewed perspective. The density and concentration of subject matter in this section are extraordinarily broad and comprehensive and should take several days of full absorption to grasp its informative and educational value. A first-pass read-through doesn’t do it justice with an outcome of limited retention in a short duration of time.
Context and Contextualization
Having read at length and depth through this entire section, primary and secondary sources of material to support the exegetical study of Scripture is outlined and explained to become oriented about what is most suitable for a given purpose. There are various suggestions about skills to develop toward the study of Scripture. Of outstanding value are the sections about outlining, summarizing, identifying themes, and identifying functions.
This is probably the most crucial topic throughout Dr. Brown’s book. While spanning across 41-pages of text at the end of the book, there are exceedingly useful tools covered here. Such as macro-contextualization that provides guidelines about how to traverse across scripture elements to interpret and study for meaning. To include principles and methods that have a bearing on the spiritual development and health of a believer in Christ.
An inquiry into scriptural interpretation is such a crucial question to answer and get correct. It goes right to the heart of not only what we understand about who Jesus is and what His interests are, but how we understand what God is saying to us in our local and time-specific context. All of Scripture calls attention to Jesus from the earliest of Old Testament times right up to what Scripture communicates today and beyond.
The practice of reading and searching the truth of Scripture comes with an obligation to understand it in its unique context. Specifically, to interpret and get relevant and accurate meaning from the text. While reading through a message of specific interest, it is necessary to view and understand the surrounding circumstances of a story or discourse.
While the Holy Spirit helps to bring awareness to presuppositions that affect understanding of His Word, we are to recognize linguistic use, social reconstruction, culture, traditions, preconceived assumptions, political realities, and historical facts conveyed to us. So our hermeneutical methodology during study or even devotional time must attend to the breadth and depth of the Word revealed by the LORD.
How we come to understand and apply the Word of the LORD is hypercritical. We must believe the LORD provided and preserved His Word for us to get to the messages and principles He intended. In practice, by attending to events, occurrences, or writings from biblical authors among various genres. We seek to grasp the who, what, where, when, and why of meaning in the original context. It is a conscious effort to sustain a viable understanding of His eternal Word and apply it.
To effectively contextualize meaning from Yahweh through the authors of Scripture, the biblical reader eventually comes to recognize that God inspires all Scripture (2 Tim 3:16). Where along with an indwelling Spirit, a reader gets at intended meaning that takes into account a biblical context. Specifically to appropriate original meaning in a powerful, relevant, and truthful way.
Across time, worldviews, and cultures, a reader takes a position from authorial intent to recognize scriptural specifics and principles. To appropriate and contextualize meaning for his or her circumstances over a lifetime.
An absent or disconnected author from textual communication with multiple potential language conflicts can allow for numerous possibilities in meaning from nonsense to that which goes well beyond linguistic intent. Furthermore, communicative intentionality can become lost along a spectrum between what is transmissive or expressive. Such as a range of biblical Epistles, and Poetry to a narrative storyline somewhere in the middle.
While poetry and some forms of narrative communication are relatively safer to accurately interpret and get at relevant meaning without authorial intent and control, an author’s objective and transmissive intent are not. Transmissive meaning that is instructional or objective at its surface is independent of an author, as illustrated on Brown’s communication spectrum of intent.
While there are often presuppositions between an author and reader that affect textual meaning. With those, there are risks of misinterpretation from a reader to suit intended or unintended personal interest. A misreading can, in turn, result in unfavorable or harmful outcomes. Whereas, eventually, readers of text become the authors and assert all-powerful ownership of meaning. “The reader becomes the god of the text whether through assimilation or mastery.”
There are three broad areas of thought about where the meaning of Scripture is best originated. In that meaning either comes from the author, text, or the reader of Scripture in a more effective way to understand the communicative intent of what is written in the Living Word. To develop a reliable and effective hermeneutic, Dr. Brown has developed a Scriptural communication model that evaluates the merits of each approach and ties together a coherent way of developing a personal and community-based hermeneutic that honors the intent of the Bible and our LORD.
By spending a lot of time in Dr. Brown’s book, I have developed some opinions about what is largely of interest to the personal and structured study of Scripture and its relevance.
The meaning of Scripture best lies with the author. More specifically, meaning rests with Yahweh through various authors throughout Scripture.1 As Biblical writers communicate in their local contexts, they demonstrate perlocutionary intentions to their audience. Their literary expressions go beyond a full understanding of what becomes communicated.2 Their communicative act to warn, advise, praise, inform, invite, and so forth calls for interpretation and actualization among those who would listen or read what they have to say. Regardless of verbal and literary form, meaning becomes adapted and transposed to new contexts among listeners and readers. Meaning retains its purpose and integrity as to how it becomes applicable rests with individuals and communities.
Dr. Brown’s communication model about meaning comes with several affirmations.3 Her arguments throughout the book were summarized as having various contributing factors, one of which specifies meaning as “author-derived but textually communicated.” Subordinate to the communicative intention of Biblical authors, readers attend to Scripture by contextualization. Readers who appropriate Scripture in their local culture by interpretation and “illumination” form settled and reliable meaning for relevant use as communicated from authors of the Bible.
These affirmations that Dr. Brown wrote coincides with what I have come to understand and accept as the root and origin of meaning. Primarily because of my newly developed view about the subjective nature of reader interpretation and the limits to what autonomous texts can provide without arbitration from an author.
1. Brown, Jeannine K. Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007, 92 2. Ibid, 114 3. Ibid, 99
