Getting Acquainted with Hermeneutics

Let’s take a moment to get acquainted with an important Christian discipline—Hermeneutics. You may have heard this term during sermons or encountered it while reading various spiritual books that speak about studying the Word of God, interpreting the Bible, or explaining specific passages of Scripture.

Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpreting the biblical text. Hermeneutics is a tool or servant of anyone who studies Scripture. Even if a person does not know what hermeneutics is, he still uses some form of it whenever he reads and interprets what he has read or heard, using certain principles and rules.

But it is important to note that the goal of any reading, sermon listening, or studying of Scripture should not be simply to learn how to read and study the Bible, but to learn to do so in a way that correct interpretation leads to the practical application of biblical truths. A correct or good interpretation is not the uniqueness of the interpreter’s own ideas, but a humble submission to the Word of God. The interpreter’s aim should be to see the clear meaning of the text, not to showcase the uniqueness or originality of his ideas.

Think about it: the Bible is a book! It is not a video recording, not an audio recording, not a digital or encrypted record, but a simple and easily readable text of a book. Therefore, whether we want to or not, we must learn the principles of proper interpretation.

Paradoxes of Scripture:
 

• The Bible is the Word of God, but it came through human authors.
• The Bible is very simple and clear, yet we cannot understand everything at once.
• The Bible can be understood only when the Holy Spirit opens its meaning to a person, and yet great effort is required from the individual studying it.
• The Bible is objective, yet interpretation is often connected with the presuppositions that the interpreter brings to the table.

Hermeneutics defines the methods, approaches, rules, and principles that help connect interpret any biblical text. The word comes from the Greek hermeneuo, meaning “to explain, to interpret.” The verb itself in Greek is directly connected to the Greek mythological god Hermes, who conveyed and interpreted massages from the gods to people. In the Bible, the root of this word appears in Luke 24:27, where a compound word diermeneuo is used. In this passage, Jesus Christ explains and interprets the Old Testament to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Proper interpretation (hermeneutics) can lead to a burning heart (v. 32). The apostle Paul in Lystra was called “Hermes” by the people—he too was a strong interpreter of Scripture, which is why he was named after the Greek god of speck, writing, and eloquence.

Friends, may this short article encourage you to reflect, re-evaluate, and perhaps seek ways to enrich and sharpen your approach to reading, studying, and listening to Scripture. As in every age, many winds of doctrine circulate today, and one of the reasons lies in incorrect approaches to interpreting the Bible. I pray that you will be diligent and precise interpreters of the Word of God, and even more diligent in obeying the truths!

A request from elders: Dear Church, if you are sick or know of someone who is sick and cannot attend services and be in fellowship with other believers, please let us know so we can visit them.

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"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 3:16-17