Essentials of Biblical Interpretation: From the Principles of Exegesis to the Practices of Exposition
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2024
Pages: 186
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2024
Pages: 182
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This book is intended for both students (primarily seminary and graduate) and pastors, both of whom face unique challenges regarding exegesis. Students, for example, are taught (hopefully) about the vital importance of sound exegesis and that interpreting God’s word must be taken with the utmost seriousness. To accomplish this, students take a variety of courses where they begin to acquire the skills necessary in the exegetical process such as: Studying the original languages, understanding grammar and syntax, learning how to diagram a passage and construct clausal layouts, applying the findings of linguistics, semantics, and discourse analyses, establishing the text through textual criticism, appreciating the background and cultural issues, building a theology, and interacting with a host of critical theories and alternative ways of approaching the text. This can seem overwhelming to many as they strive to master all the complexities of exegesis and faithfully interpret Scripture. For some students, they can soon become apprehensive and overwhelmed as they discover that rightly handling God’s word is extremely difficult. Rather than taking the easy way out, this book offers an easier way through the process of rightly handling the word of God.
The primary challenge for most pastors is time. Their weeks are full of numerous ministerial and administrative duties and they wonder when they will find the time to properly exegete the passage for Sunday’s sermon. Pastors who recognize that sound exegesis is the foundation upon which their sermons are built are often under enormous stress because they recognize the incredible amount of time needed to rightly analyze a passage in order to build their sermon. But the demands of their schedules can often consume their time leaving them discouraged and apprehensive wondering if their sermon is actually the result of sound exegesis, or something they may have created that has nothing to do with the passage they are preaching. As a result, pastors may be tempted to take short cuts in their study and preparation and avoid the hard but rewarding work of exegesis.
This book seeks to help alleviate these challenges and encourage both students and pastors to remain steadfast in the task of exegesis. We want students and pastors to approach the work of exegesis not as a chore or with a sense of dread, but with great excitement and anticipation immersing themselves in the fruitful study of Scripture in order to learn more about God and grow in their intimacy with Him. This in turn, should pro-duce a zeal for teaching others the truths of God’s word, so that they too will deepen their love for God and be transformed more into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. This book seeks to remind students and pastors not only of the principles and value of exegesis but also the joy and confidence that comes from it.
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Choosing a Text
Step 1: Read the Entire Book in One Setting
Step 2: Translate and Compare Multiple Translations
Step 3: Identify the Genre of the Book and Passage(s)
OT Genres
NT Genres
Chapter 2 Establishing the Text
Step 4.1: Textual Criticism and a Review of the Relevant Sources
Old Testament Sources
The Masoretic Text
The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Samaritan Pentateuch
The Septuagint
New Testament Sources
Greek Manuscripts
Papyri
Majuscules
Minuscules
Lectionaries
Versions
Quotations from Church Fathers
The Critical Editions of the Greek New Testament
Step 4.2: The Principles of Textual Criticism: Examining the External and Internal Evidence
Internal Evidence
Transcriptional Probabilities
Intrinsic Probabilities
External Evidence
The Reading Attested by the Earliest Manuscripts Is to Be Preferred
The Reading Supported by a Large Geographical Distribution and Found in Different Text-Types Is Preferred
Be Aware of the Genealogical Relationship of Text-Types
Step 4.3: Understanding the Schools of Textual Criticism
Reasoned Eclecticism
Rigorous (Rational, Radical, Thoroughgoing) Eclecticism
Majority Text (Byzantine Priority)
Step 4.4: Appraising and Evaluating Variants
Gathering External and Internal Evidence
Addressing Textual Variants
Chapter 3 Understanding the Text
Step 5.1: Establishing the Boundaries of the Text
Step 5.2: Utilizing Word Charts, Clausal Layouts, and Syntactical Diagrams
Word Chart
Clausal Layout
Syntactical Diagram
Step 5.3: Checking for Grammatical Fallacies
The Literal Fallacy
The Artificial Fallacy
The Fallacy of Neglect
The Fallacy of Negating Expectations
The Aorist “Once-for-All” Tense Fallacy
Fallacies Surrounding Colwell’s Rule and Construction
Step 5.4: Conducting Word Studies
The Significance of Lexical Analysis
Word Study Abuses
The Etymological or Root Fallacy
The Anachronistic Fallacy
Illegitimate Totality Transfer
Appeal to an Unknown or Unlikely Meaning
Misunderstanding the Use of Synonyms
General Steps for Lexical Analysis
Determine, Which Word(s) Require Detailed Analysis
Study the Various Meanings of the Word
Old Testament Sources
New Testament Sources
If Possible, Examine the Same Author’s Use of That Word
For New Testament Word Studies Make Sure to Analyze the Term throughout the MT/LXX
Determine the Correct Meaning Based on the Context in Which the Word Occurs
An Example Word Study
Decide Which Term(s) to Analyze
Become Familiar with the Term’s Range of Meaning
Diachronic Analysis
Synchronic Analysis
Knowing all the possible range of meanings for the κλητóς
For New Testament Word Studies, Analyze the Term throughout the MT/LXX
Determine the Correct Meaning Based on the Context in Which the Word Occurs
Conclusion
Chapter 4 Exploring Background Issues
6.1: The Value of Knowing the Historical Context
6.2: Areas to Explore for Historical Context
The Biblical Author
The Original Audience
Date
Geography
Cultural Practices
Religious Practices
6.3: Recommended Sources
OT Introductions
NT Introductions
OT/NT Customs
Archaeology, Inscriptions, and Numismatics
Maps and Geography
6.4: Examples from OT/NT
6.5: Romans 1:1-7
6.6: The Fallacy Associated with Extra-Biblical Sources: Parallelomania
Conclusion
Chapter 5 Theology: The Fruit of Exegesis
7.1: Biblical Theology
Consider the History of Redemption
Consider the Themes of the Individual Biblical Authors
Consider the Theme in Relation to the Testament You Are in
Consider the Theme in Relation to the Whole of Scripture
Consider Biblical Theology from a Trinitarian Perspective
7.2: Historical Theology
Scripture Alone Is the Final Authority, Not Church History
Be Familiar with the Major Time Periods and Persons throughout Church History
Historical Theology Familiarizes You with What the Church Considered Orthodox and Heretical
Knowing Historical Theology Can Help the Church Today Avoid Teachings That Are Trendy or Bizarre
Church History Offers Encouragement to Believers
7.3: Systematic Theology
7.4: Theology Is the Fruit of Exegesis: An Example from Romans 1:1-7
Marking the Goal of Biblical Theology
Mining the Raw Data for Biblical Theology
Maximizing the Content toward Biblical Theology
The Sonship of Christ and His Davidic Enthronement
A Summary of the Biblical Theology of Rom 1:3-4
Moving from Biblical Theology to Systematic Theology
Conclusion
7.5: Suggested Resources
Biblical Theology
Historical Theologies
Systematic Theologies
Chapter 6 From Exegesis to Exposition: The Fusing of Horizons
8.1: Expository Preaching Defined and Explained
8.2: The Primacy of Expository Preaching
8.3: A Suggested Preaching Outline
I. Introduction
II. The Exposition
III. Conclusion
8.4: Preaching from Romans 1:1-7
Exegetical Outline: Derived from Steps 1–6
Theological Outline: Derived from Steps 1–7
Homiletical Outline: Derived from Steps 1–8
The Theme of Romans 1:1-7
8.5: Beyond Preaching: The Role of Prayer
Conclusion
8.6: Suggested Sources
General Sources
Special Sources
A Checklist for Exegesis
Bibliography