Some seem to expect the Word of God to hit them like a bolt of lightning each time they read or study it. Although the “jolt” may hit us at times, the benefits of the Word of God act more like vitamins. People who regularly take vitamins do so because of their long term benefits, not because every time they swallow one of the pills, they feel new strength surging through their bodies. They have developed a habit of consistently taking vitamins because they have been told that, in the long haul, vitamins are going to have a beneficial effect on their physical health, resistance to disease and, general well being. The same is true of reading the Bible. At times it will have a sudden and intense impact on us. However, the real value of reading Scripture is found in the collective effects that long term exposure to God’s Word will bring to our lives.
Bible Interpretation
There are four keywords to understanding any Bible passage – observation, interpretation, evaluation, and application.
- Observation: What are the facts? What do the words mean? What comes before and after to put the passage in context? Who is speaking? And to whom?
- Interpretation: What did the passage mean to the original audience two or three thousand years ago? Are we making the mistake of interpreting the passage through our own experiences rather than those of the original audience? Is the passage using literary techniques like allegory, hyperbole, metaphor or parable to make its point?
- Evaluation: What does the passage mean to us today? Can it be applied directly today, or do we need to apply the underlying principle to conditions very different than when it was originally written?
- Application: How should I apply what I learn from this passage to live a more godly life? Do I need to change my attitudes or actions as a result?
(Adapted from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Exegesis vs. Eisegesis
•Exegesis means drawing out the true meaning of a Bible passage, and it should be the goal of our Bible study. It means understanding the meaning of all the words in a passage. It means putting the passage in the proper historical and textual context to determine what it meant to its original audience. Finally, it involves thought and prayer to determine how it applies to today’s world and to our own lives.
•Eisegesis means reading one’s own ideas into interpretation of the Bible. We all have our own beliefs, world view and biases, and letting them influence our interpretation of the Bible is an ever-present danger! Sometimes we think we understand a passage and unintentionally read our own meaning into it without going through the steps required for proper exegesis. Emotionally charged topics like abortion, sex, salvation and church doctrine pose a great temptation to prove a point by quoting a verse out of context or quoting selected verses while ignoring other relevant passages. But we must let God speak to us through the Bible and not try to make it say what we would like to hear.
Which Translation Should I Read?
For Bible study, we need a Bible that accurately conveys the meanings of the ancient Hebrew and Greek writings to the modern reader. Here is a list of the most popular modern translations:
•The New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV), published by The National Council of Churches in 1989, is an update of the Revised Standard Version of 1952. The language is modern, but the style is more traditional than the NIV. The NRSV uses gender-inclusive language in places where it would have been understood that way in the original language. The NRSV is the Bible used in the pews here at PRPC.
•The New International Version of the Bible (NIV), a completely new translation of ancient Greek and Hebrew texts sponsored by the New York International Bible Society, was first published in 1978. Its clear, direct modern English makes it easy to read and understand.
•The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language (MSG), published in 2002, was created by Presbyterian Pastor Eugene H. Peterson and is an idiomatic translation of the original languages of the Bible.
•The New Living Translation (NLT), published in 1996, is a popular paraphrase by over 90 Bible scholars from various theological backgrounds.