Module 7: Protestant System of Hermeneutics Part 1
The Protestant System of Hermeneutics
Inspiration: The Foundation
The divine inspiration of the Bible is the foundation of historic Protestant hermeneutics and exegesis.
-We accept as our Canon the OT and the NT No Apocryphal books for our Catholic friends.
-2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Where Scripture separates from other writings.
-It has a moral or spiritual aspect. The Bible demands more of its readers than any other books.
-It has a supernatural aspect. We accept that there is an almighty God who performs miracles that are shown by the written testimony of the Word.
-It has a revelational aspect. There is added depth to the words in Koine Greek that are not in other writing of that time period.
Edification the Goal
The purpose of the Bible is “to promote the spiritual prosperity of man ". The Bible is not an end; it is a means.It is to make us wise unto salvation.
2 Tim. 3:16, 17
The end result is that we are men and women of God equipped for every good work. And also to have spiritual results in the listener.
The practical significance-to preach the word using the expository method. The pastor can then unfold the word to his sheep in a way that will help them to grow.
The Protestant Method of Hermeneutics
Theological Perspectives
These are extremely important to memorize when it comes to future testing. DS
1. The clarity of Scripture.
Luther talked of the external and the internal clarity of Scripture.
-External- the grammatical clarity. If one follows the rules of language ,then he will know what the passage is specifically saying.
-Internal- the work of the Holy Spirit illuminating the mind of the interpreter to see the truth of Scripture as the truth of God.
However, we cannot know all. There are many reasons for this such as not knowing the full context of the writing or the full cultural situation. “It is, therefore, no great thing nor something out of the ordinary that we should have words, concepts, and sentences that puzzle us in Holy Scripture."
2. Revelation as accommodated.
Holy Scripture is the truth of God accommodated to the human mind so that the human mind can assimilate it or to understand it.- written in a social environment and its analogies are drawn from that environment.- Revelation must have an anthropomorphic (using human characteristics, man-like qualities) character which is necessary for the communication of God’s truth to man.
3. Revelation as Progressive
- By this we mean that through the initiative of God He brings us from a state of theological infancy to the maturity of the New Testament.
- This is important in that one will expect the full revelation of God’s word in the NT, but must not try to force NT meanings into the OT. God revealed His will progressively ,but this does not make the OT any less inspired. It simply shows that it is to the NT that we must derive our theology in that it is the clearer revelation of God.
4. Scripture interprets Scripture.
“The obscure must give way to the clear.”- The Scripture in whole interprets the Scripture in specific.
“Everything essential; to salvation and Christian living is clearly revealed in Scripture.”- Our theology basically rests on those passages that are clear and not upon those that are obscure.
5. The analogy of faith.
Quote from Horn: the analogy of faith is the “the constant and perpetual harmony of Scripture in the fundamental points of faith and practice deduced from these passages in which they were discussed by the inspired penmen either directly or expressly, and in clear, plain, and intelligible language.”
-The assumption is that there is but one system that all doctrines or theologies must adhere to.
There are two different positions on the systematic study of the Scripture.
1. Theologies, but no theology. Many different writers with many different ways to understand God. Wrong!!!
2. Formal, systematic unity - to aim at a final system of theology deduced from a comprehensive study of scripture. This is what we believe and teach at GCD. DS
6. The unity of the meaning of Scripture.
This is a bit difficult to understand, but what Ramm asserts is that there is no room for eisegesis in that the Bible is unified to express just what it means to say. This is not to say that the Bible is a "woodenly" literal book, but that the language (figures of speech, typology, prophecy) give space for the Holy Spirit to speak to us creatively. Read this section carefully. It will make sense.
The Bible is unified in its meaning.
This is to deny the use of interpretation of the eisegete when he puts his meaning into the Scripture. Groups like: Allegorists, Cults, Protestant Pietism, in the end deform the word.
7. Interpretation and application.
The purpose of the Scripture is mentioned in 2 Tim. 3:16, but we must remember “Interpretation is one, application is many.”- There is only one meaning in Scripture, but this one passage may speak to a number of different issues. This is different than the "unity in the meaning of scripture" in that we are not talking about a dogmatic "this is what it means" but rather we extract the principle or the truth from what is being said.
For example: Jesus said, "Cast your net on the other side of the boat".
1. The intended meaning: Peter, stop doubting me and trying things in your own strength, and obey my voice. You will see that I am a miracle worker and , therefore, the Messiah.
2. Application: We need to stop doubting God and let him speak to us, obey His promptings and see that His ways are better than ours. Or...God can do anything.
3. Allegory or Eisegesis: You should stop what you are doing and go fishing...when you get out there, try fishing on one side and then switch to the other. There is a miracle waiting for you. Or...The boat represents your life, the net is your business, God is saying that if you switch businesses, you will experience a breakthrough. Or...The fishing journey is your marriage, stop fishing on one side and move to another. Time to get a new wife!!! (Ok. So that was really bad, but you never know. I have seen worse.
Lecture Question:
Please pick two of the "Theological Perspectives", explain them, and give an example of how it would affect the interpretation of scripture. Let's spread out and try to pick different ones so that we cover all seven.
Inspiration: The Foundation
The divine inspiration of the Bible is the foundation of historic Protestant hermeneutics and exegesis.
-We accept as our Canon the OT and the NT No Apocryphal books for our Catholic friends.
-2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Where Scripture separates from other writings.
-It has a moral or spiritual aspect. The Bible demands more of its readers than any other books.
-It has a supernatural aspect. We accept that there is an almighty God who performs miracles that are shown by the written testimony of the Word.
-It has a revelational aspect. There is added depth to the words in Koine Greek that are not in other writing of that time period.
Edification the Goal
The purpose of the Bible is “to promote the spiritual prosperity of man ". The Bible is not an end; it is a means.It is to make us wise unto salvation.
2 Tim. 3:16, 17
The end result is that we are men and women of God equipped for every good work. And also to have spiritual results in the listener.
The practical significance-to preach the word using the expository method. The pastor can then unfold the word to his sheep in a way that will help them to grow.
The Protestant Method of Hermeneutics
Theological Perspectives
These are extremely important to memorize when it comes to future testing. DS
1. The clarity of Scripture.
Luther talked of the external and the internal clarity of Scripture.
-External- the grammatical clarity. If one follows the rules of language ,then he will know what the passage is specifically saying.
-Internal- the work of the Holy Spirit illuminating the mind of the interpreter to see the truth of Scripture as the truth of God.
However, we cannot know all. There are many reasons for this such as not knowing the full context of the writing or the full cultural situation. “It is, therefore, no great thing nor something out of the ordinary that we should have words, concepts, and sentences that puzzle us in Holy Scripture."
2. Revelation as accommodated.
Holy Scripture is the truth of God accommodated to the human mind so that the human mind can assimilate it or to understand it.- written in a social environment and its analogies are drawn from that environment.- Revelation must have an anthropomorphic (using human characteristics, man-like qualities) character which is necessary for the communication of God’s truth to man.
3. Revelation as Progressive
- By this we mean that through the initiative of God He brings us from a state of theological infancy to the maturity of the New Testament.
- This is important in that one will expect the full revelation of God’s word in the NT, but must not try to force NT meanings into the OT. God revealed His will progressively ,but this does not make the OT any less inspired. It simply shows that it is to the NT that we must derive our theology in that it is the clearer revelation of God.
4. Scripture interprets Scripture.
“The obscure must give way to the clear.”- The Scripture in whole interprets the Scripture in specific.
“Everything essential; to salvation and Christian living is clearly revealed in Scripture.”- Our theology basically rests on those passages that are clear and not upon those that are obscure.
5. The analogy of faith.
Quote from Horn: the analogy of faith is the “the constant and perpetual harmony of Scripture in the fundamental points of faith and practice deduced from these passages in which they were discussed by the inspired penmen either directly or expressly, and in clear, plain, and intelligible language.”
-The assumption is that there is but one system that all doctrines or theologies must adhere to.
There are two different positions on the systematic study of the Scripture.
1. Theologies, but no theology. Many different writers with many different ways to understand God. Wrong!!!
2. Formal, systematic unity - to aim at a final system of theology deduced from a comprehensive study of scripture. This is what we believe and teach at GCD. DS
6. The unity of the meaning of Scripture.
This is a bit difficult to understand, but what Ramm asserts is that there is no room for eisegesis in that the Bible is unified to express just what it means to say. This is not to say that the Bible is a "woodenly" literal book, but that the language (figures of speech, typology, prophecy) give space for the Holy Spirit to speak to us creatively. Read this section carefully. It will make sense.
The Bible is unified in its meaning.
This is to deny the use of interpretation of the eisegete when he puts his meaning into the Scripture. Groups like: Allegorists, Cults, Protestant Pietism, in the end deform the word.
7. Interpretation and application.
The purpose of the Scripture is mentioned in 2 Tim. 3:16, but we must remember “Interpretation is one, application is many.”- There is only one meaning in Scripture, but this one passage may speak to a number of different issues. This is different than the "unity in the meaning of scripture" in that we are not talking about a dogmatic "this is what it means" but rather we extract the principle or the truth from what is being said.
For example: Jesus said, "Cast your net on the other side of the boat".
1. The intended meaning: Peter, stop doubting me and trying things in your own strength, and obey my voice. You will see that I am a miracle worker and , therefore, the Messiah.
2. Application: We need to stop doubting God and let him speak to us, obey His promptings and see that His ways are better than ours. Or...God can do anything.
3. Allegory or Eisegesis: You should stop what you are doing and go fishing...when you get out there, try fishing on one side and then switch to the other. There is a miracle waiting for you. Or...The boat represents your life, the net is your business, God is saying that if you switch businesses, you will experience a breakthrough. Or...The fishing journey is your marriage, stop fishing on one side and move to another. Time to get a new wife!!! (Ok. So that was really bad, but you never know. I have seen worse.
Lecture Question:
Please pick two of the "Theological Perspectives", explain them, and give an example of how it would affect the interpretation of scripture. Let's spread out and try to pick different ones so that we cover all seven.
posted by dschmaltz | 12:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home