Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet

And a Light Unto My Path

Last week we asked the question,

... are we as “individuals,” and also as “Heads of households”

responsible, and even charged by God, to be personally diligent in His word so that

we might exercise faithfully the administration of our own particular appointments?

And the answer is still...

...Yes!Then, to see who was responsible and to what extent,

we looked at 6 passages related to;family, fatherhood, and relational discipleship

because family is the foundation of all society, and the fountain head of every other institution.

This is the good Option - Duet 6:1-9

(to the heads of house)Know the word

Do the wordPass it on

To posses the land-all thy long days(that’s the charge)

THEREFORE -->

God is LordLove Lord God

With ALL heart, soul, mightThese words SHALL BE in your heart

Teach DILIGENTLY to your kidsTalk WHEN YOU; sit, walk, lie down, rise up

SHALL BIND on thy handSHALT BE before thy eyes

SHALL WRITE on your gates and posts

This is the bad option-Psalm 78:1-8Give ear to the law

Incline ear to the words of my mouthWe’ve heard and known – our fathers told us

We wont hide it from THEIR childrenWe will show it to the generation to come;

God’s praises, strength, and wonderful worksGods testimony (people/reflection) in Jacob – His law in Israel;

It is commanded of fathers that this be made known to their childrenSo THAT they might; set hope in God, not forget His works, keep His

commands,

So THAT they might Not: be like their forefathers;Stubborn, rebellious, hearts not aright, spirits not steadfast

What is at The heart of these charges?

What is at The heart of these charges?

Yes, The word!And

Fathers and family!(relational discipleship)

Proverbs 22:6 • speaks to the intimate relationship as a beginning and basis for

training

Mal 4:4-6 - prophecy• Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, (apparently not)

• [with] the statutes and judgments. • I will send you Elijah the prophet • he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, (this is the fix

to the problem of not remembering)

• and the heart of the children to their fathers, • lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (or else)

Luke 1:17 - fulfilment (Jn Baptist)• thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son (Jn B.)• And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias,• to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, • and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; • to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Notice the order and responsibility

Wives submit to your husbands

Husbands love your wives, as Christ did;

THATYou might cleans with the word

AND present glorious to your self

Holy and without blemish

Children Obey and honor your parents

THATIt may be well with you

You may live long

FathersProvoke not your children to wrath

BUTBring them up in

Nurture and Admonition

The answer to the first question...

... are we as individuals really responsible to “gird up the loins of our understanding.”?

is, yes! (read 1st peter 1)

So then, a second question logically follows; what happens if we do not fulfill our individual responsibility in seeing that we personally become grounded in the doctrines of the faith

with precision, breadth, and depth, and specifically with regard to the details of our own lives and relationships?

Destruction !6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:

because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:

Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children Hosea 4:6 (KJV)

There is a connection between our responsibility with Gods word, and our children's future. God’s word defines that responsibility clearly!

2Pe 3:15b-18 The short version...

Paraphrased,•“Even Paul spoke some things that were hard to learn•The unlearned and unstable wrest them to their own destruction•Beware you too don’t follow the wicked’s error and fall from steadfastness•BUT, (instead) grow in grace and knowledge”

In both the old and new testament, God says that not accurately knowing (and doing) Gods word leads to destruction!

So then, regarding having teachers...

Acts 17:11 These (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Their attitude towards the word and teaching was receptive readiness. BUT they took personal responsibility for what they believed. They went to scripture to verify what they would embrace (or not)

It is not enough for us to “hear” the word preached. We must seek out if what we have heard is valid,

AND, we must study on our own to be fully equipped unto every good work.

We learned two new words;

Exegesis Exposition Application 

And why is it so important for everyone to study so carefully and diligently

Because our application depends on our study

“Observe to do, don’t be a hearer only, bear fruit in keeping with repentance, walk worthy of your calling”

The point of study is to do!

The point of study is to do!

This is where “Hermeneutics” comes in.Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation that allows us to accurately extract the original literal meaning from the text at hand. This type of studying is called exegesis..Hermeneutics consists of principals and “rules” by which we “rightly divide the word of truth” in order to extract the actual, factual, and originally intended message of the author, as given to his original audience. Hermeneutics is the means by which we discern through the bible passage’s original context, the relevant unchanging eternal commands and principles of God so that we might apply them to our lives - in our own context.

The term hermeneutics comes from the pagan god Hermes. He was

the messenger who brought messages from the pagan gods to the mortals, "translating" them so

that they could be understood.

Do you suppose he changed the message, or just the language?

Hermes “interpreted” the message of the Gods

... giving the actual intended/original meaning to the people. The Greek verb hermeneuo means, to bring someone to an understanding of what is conveyed in another language, making it clear and intelligible.

Hermeneutics then, is the science, mechanics, or process of interpretation.Interpretation is the rendering or translation of the same original truth to an understandable form

Therefore; our “hermeneutical” objective in study must be to;

Well then,

Understanding Gods word as it is relevant to us takes hard academic work!

But I guess we have to do it if we are going to know what God has really said!

All right then, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to it!

WAIT!Is there anything else we need?

Can unsaved people make sense of, and understand the bible?

Yes.

Can unsaved people make sense of, and understand the bible?

What is the difference between knowing about God

and actually knowing God??

The Holy Spirit.(salvation)

What is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God?

What is the difference between revelation/inspiration, and illumination?

What is the difference between revelation/inspiration, and illumination?

Revelation/inspiration - speaks to how Gods word got from Him, to the bible

Illumination - speaks to how it gets from the bible to our quickened minds/hearts

What is discernment?

Dividing or distinguishing between

2 or more things

What is discernment?

What is good Christian spiritual discernment?

What is good Christian spiritual discernment?

“Discernment is the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong; the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In

other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically.”

J.McAurther

God’s word, rightly divided +

the Holy Spirit’s illumination =

Discernment(wisdom in, context)

1st Thes 5:21-22 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. 2nd Ptr 1: 3-4 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

“What is the greatest need in the church today? What is the most compelling need? What do you see as the biggest problem in Christianity? The biggest problem in the church?

It's simple for me to answer that. The biggest problem in the church today is the absence of discernment. It's a lack of discernment. It's the biggest problem with Christian people, they make bad choices. They accept the wrong thing. They accept the wrong theology. They are prone to the wrong teaching. They're unwise in who they follow, what they listen to and what they read.

John McAurther

We would like to define a few more new words today; Exegesis - critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture.

o Trying to find the original meaning of the verse. Exposition - a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.

o The exposing of the one accurate interpretation of a passage Revelation - A divine revealing. An entirely supernatural disclosure from God. Inspiration - the Bible in the original documents is God-breathed. It is a divine product Illumination - critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture. Implicit - (cloudy) Implied though not plainly expressed Explicit - (clear) Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt. Didactic - intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive Pretext - a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason. Allegory - A literary device. A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a

hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

Before we get specific about hermeneutics in interpreting the bible.

Let’s clarify our “Presuppositional basis;” The Bible is complete The Bible is infallible Relevant doctrine (explicit commands. Eternal principles) is morally binding Christ is the theme, center, and end of Scripture (The Bible is Christocentric)

HermeneuticsThere are several methods of interpretation that are

painfully and tragically erroneous; the most common is “reader response”

i.e. what it means to me!

(We should wonder if it is a method at all, or perhaps just the lack of one?)

Two common errors; • what this means to me – mystical interpretation• Proof texting -

What This Text Means to Me...The view that all one must do is pray and read the Bible, and the Holy Spirit will provide the proper interpretation, or the view that one's own, idiosyncratic interpretation of Scripture is just as valid as that of any other ("what this text means to me...") renders the interpretation non-falsifiable. 

That is, if I say that the Holy Spirit provided me with the interpretation, or my interpretation, it is impossible for anyone to demonstrate that I have wrongly divided the Word.  The "truth" I have arrived at is self-contained and ultimately incommunicable to you.  You will have to "experience" the same personal revelation, and even then, we will may wonder if our two experiences really were identical, or if there were subtle differences that may affect our interpretation. 

This hermeneutic methodology (or really lack of methodology) provides ample opportunity for me to twist Scripture to my own destruction, and to that of any others who would follow my interpretation (2 Peter 3:16 wresting to their own destruction). 

The noble-minded Bereans in Acts 17 diligently searched the Scriptures, seeking to learn if the Gospel Paul was preaching to them was true. 

The significant problem of a “mystical” approach to scripture...

... is not just the huge potential we have to misinterpret the bible’s message. The greater peril of believing that God speaks to us individually outside of or beyond the word is found in this, that when we have separated ourselves from accountability to any absolute outside standard, or a scientific process, we have separated ourselves from being corrected... self-deception is hard to escape without divine intervention (uh, a holy spanking!)

Here is a second erroneous approach commonly practiced today.

Proof-texting - In the proof-text approach, verses and short sections of text are used to support a particular topic or position. Compared with the historical-grammatical method, interpretations based on the proof-text method are often isolated from the context surrounding the verse. Critics claim it often neglects the historical setting and type of literary genre. They also claim that the proof-text approach can be utilized in support of heterodox (non-orthodox) teachings, and that applications tend to be allegorical (hidden) in nature.

How many of us “know what we believe”

but can’t define, defend, or even find it

in the bible?

Speaking of error...There are different schools of interpretation (Different, “philosophies” and sets of, “rules”)

Were going to take a quick look at four1. Allegorical2. Devotional3. Liberal4. Literal

The Allegorical Schools of Interpretation

This method of interpretation came from the Helenized Jews and Christians who were influenced by the Greek’s Platonic philosophies.  Clement of Alexandria and Origen are two early church "fathers" who viewed Scripture, particularly the Old Testament, as being symbolic rather than literal. The allegorical school teaches that there is a hidden symbolic spiritual message underneath the apparent meaning of each sentence or statement. 

The Devotional Schools of Interpretation

emphasize the edifying aspects of the scriptures and their interpretation, with the goal of developing one's “spiritual” life. The devotional school often leads to reading the scriptures as a means of obtaining a mystical experience

The Liberal Schools of Interpretation;

Theological liberalism is prevalent today. Liberal theologians do not accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God and reject the verbal inspiration of the Bible. With the liberal school, the risk is in that once we reject the verbal inspiration of the Bible, our own intellect (or motives) becomes the determining factor in question of, “what is truth.”  Relativism is the inevitable result. And we are the ultimate authority. (playing God)

The Literal Schools of Interpretation(literal interpretation principle #1)

With the literal method of interpreting the Bible, we accept the literal rendering of each sentence unless by virtue of the nature of the sentence, or phrase, or a clause within the sentence, it is impossible to take it literally. For instance, figures of speech or fables of allegories do not present themselves as being literal statements to be interpreted literally.

I.e. 1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore. 1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my

mouth. Or

Isaiah 52:10 The LORD has made bore his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations (Accommodation principle #5)

Literal interpretation doesn't mean reading the words and just doing what it says. Literal interpretation is taking the Bible at face value

and reading it as literature.

Literal interpretation also requires analyzing the literary genre of the passage in the Bible. Literal interpretation recognizes the differences

between a historical narrative and a parable, or the difference between written laws and poetry. In another words, literal interpretation is not

just reading and doing, it is reading with common sense, because it takes in consideration the real form or style of the passage.

Literal interpretation is what we do everyday, we differentiate between an instruction from our boss and a joke we hear from him,

and we interpret them accordingly.

Literal interpretation......employs an interpretation based on the type of text itself.. (Genre principle #8) Some texts are in fact allegorical, or prophetic, or parables, and are not to be taken literally. It is the context that reveals this, as well as comparing scripture with scripture.

Remember, there are no contradictions. (Harmony, or non-contradiction principle #7) An allegorical passage cannot mean something that contradicts a clear statement on the same apparent doctrine.

So then, the 1st foundational rule of biblical hermeneutics is:

?• 

So then, the 1st foundational rule of biblical hermeneutics is:

the Bible

Is to be interpreted

literally.• 

The Golden rule of literal interpretation;

“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary,

ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths indicate clearly otherwise.”

Read the scriptures literally, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise

So then, the 2nd foundational rule of biblical hermeneutics is

Context Is KING!

“context is king”. (Contextual principle #2)

The rule of context, with regard to the accurate interpretation of a verse or passage, is that the passage must be interpreted according to its own contexts; The historical/cultural context, the literary context - with regard to its immediate literary setting, and the grammatical context.

Historical / cultural interpretation refers to understanding the culture, background, and situation which prompted the text.

Literary / Contextual interpretation involves always considering the surrounding literary context of a verse or passage when trying to determine the meaning of a specific word or phrase.

Grammatical interpretation recognizes the Hebrew or Greek rules of grammar and applies those principles to the interpretation of a passage (grammatical principle #9)

 What do we have when we assert a “conviction”

by taking a verse and not its context?

A pretext - a fictitious or false reason or motive given in order to conceal the real one, or in order to justify an action. Note: We can “prove” almost anything with the Bible if we ...

... “isolate the texts from their contexts and turn them into pretexts”

This is “proof-texting”

Historical and Cultural contextOne common mistake we western Christians often make is in reading scripture through the “me, here and now” frame of reference. The bible is an ancient book, written in a Middle Eastern – oriental world; by, about, and often to, many different people of different cultures and persuasions.

If we are to understand the bible accurately, we must consider each book or passage by looking back through the lens of that peoples times and culture. (Historical principle #10)

The common, “who said what to whom, when, where, and why”

is a good place to start

Extra-biblical resourcesOften, we can benefit from sources other than the bible to understand the historical and the cultural distinctives of a certain time and place. Some study bibles, and even commentaries have useful information. Bible handbooks, bible dictionaries as well as other more specific “cultural reference books like Fred H. Wight’s, “Manners and Customs of Bible Times”, or something By A. Edersheim, may also provide invaluable information.

Literary / Contextual context;

Remember; a text out of its context is a pretext… You don’t want to interpret a word outside of the sentence it is in,

Nor or a sentence outside of its paragraph,Nor a paragraph outside of its chapter,

Nor the chapter outside of it book!

We must look not only at the big-picture context of history and culture, but also at the closer literary context of the language itself, as it is written; the sentences, paragraphs, chapter etc. We must be sure that we understand a verse according to the context with the train of thought that the author presented it in.

Note: We must not assume that the words we read have the same meaning to us as the words used

originally by the authors, or by the translators. We must use the context to help determine the proper

word meanings. We also use dictionaries and lexicons if it is still unclear. Additionally, we must

use Scripture itself to verify the meaning we determine; there are NO contradictions!

One important rule that helps us be sure that we are not reading our own meaning into a passage is to “compare scripture with scripture. If we think we have discovered a new and amazing meaning, that no scholars for the last 2000 years have seen… uh, maybe we misread something…

Scripture NEVER contradicts scripture(Harmony of scripture principle #7)

Not only is the immediate context (paragraph, chapter, and book) surrounding a verse important, but the context of the entire Bible is also helpful in accurately determining the intended meaning of a particular passage, verse, or word.  At the very least, take the time to examine the paragraph in which a verse it is found before you try to determine what that verse actually says. Then compare the determined meaning against the rest of the bible; against clear, known doctrines. If there is a contradiction… it’s you this is know as, “analogia Scriptura” A related principal is that we cannot take a vague, unclear passage and use it to contradict a clearer one on the same subject. Let the clear passages clarify vague ones.

Where do you find the Scriptures to compare to the passage you are studying? Practically speaking, there are two common sources (1) The cross-references in the margin of your Bible. (2) The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK)

The grammatical context; (grammatical principle #9)

Our English bible was translated from another language. For the New Testament, this language was mostly common Greek. When making a translation, you have to accommodate the fact that words only communicate ideas and concepts. Languages tend to be specific to peoples and culture; all are different, some being more precise and explicit than others. Often, there are words in one language that have no exact counterpart in another. Even more difficult is that some words get their meaning from the grammatical context of the sentence structure. These are some of the things that make “Translating” accurately very difficult.

One way to resolve this might have been to write pages upon pages to thoroughly express every possible nuance of the verse in question… not exactly efficient, and wrought with the potential of “more words-more error”… Note; the Amplified bible” is a reasonable attempt at this idea.

Another way is for the skilled translators to do all the exegetical work of determining as closely as possible the best rendering of the original meaning according to contexts. This is what they did. (they “interpreted”)

So, about the grammar…? Now we have the option of, “digging” deeper and “fleshing out” the fuller meaning” … NOT a hidden meaning… just a more explicitly accurate one, if possible, by looking at things like the entomology of words, the verbs and their voice, tenses, and moods, and at the other dynamics of the grammatical (Parts of speech) structure of a passage.

Most study bibles are limited in these types of help and we need to use other resource books, or computer programs.

Below is a list of the more common tools used.• Greek / Hebrew lexicons• Strong’s concordance• Bible programs; esword, logos, etc

Note: You have a Handout on Greek verb voice, tense, mood

Here are some other common

extra biblical references;

• Dictionaries• Lexicons• Vines word studies• Historical reference tools• Conservative commentaries

A word about commentaries;Commentaries are not scripture. They are a man’s interpretation of scripture, and all men are fallible. Additionally, all men have doctrinal (denominational?) presuppositions, and even (less doctrinal) biases. That being said, we can generally assume that these men are scholarly and sincere, and they very well may have training and resources well beyond our own. Never-the less. We are responsible ourselves to “search the scriptures” first, and to grow in our ability to “rightly divide. One of the significant advantages of a good commentary are all the cultural historical and grammatical details they contain. Another advantage is their big picture, outline perspectives. Commentaries are helpful but remember to do your own study first, and be careful to research what (who’s) commentary you use, considering their “doctrinal” presuppositions, and the nature of their writing; is it simplified and conversational, or a systematic exegesis…

McQuilkin rightly advises that...It is best to consult the commentary after one has made his own independent study. There are several reasons for that. •First, no commentator is infallible, •nor is any commentator an expert on every passage of Scripture. Often a commentator will rely on the work of earlier commentators.

Therefore, to preserve one's independent judgment and the integrity of one's own work, it is best to do personal study first by exegeeting or drawing out the meaning of the passage with the basic tools.

On the other hand, it is never wise to conclude one's study without referring to several of the best commentators on a given passage. In that final stage of study...•the commentator provides a check for one's own conclusions •and also provides additional insight before one's work is complete. •Furthermore, the commentator provides appropriate background sources that can be checked

A couple last points:•What is therefore there for?

• For whatever was before there!

•What is that there for • for whatever was before that?

In summary,• We as individuals are responsible for what we ourselves believe.• We are as heads of houses are responsible to teach, and to guard the

doctrine in our families;• as husbands are responsible to “wash our wives” with the word• as fathers are responsible to teach and nurture our children with the word

• We as members in particular are responsible to “do the work of the ministry” amongst ourselves

• We are responsible to admonish, rebuke, instruct, correct each other...• We are also all responsible to “hold up the word of truth” before the

watching world (Phil 2)• We must do all this with sound doctrine wrestled from the bible by diligent

study and the Spirits illumination. • Not shamefully 2nd Tim 2:15, Not to our own destruction Hosea 34:6. 2nd Ptr 3:18

God’s word is written in common language

to be plainly understood... BUT• We must approach bible study carefully, with good hermeneutics, if we are

to find; the one correct interpretation, who it is binding upon, and how we must then respond.(apply)

• We must start with a literal approach to interpreting• We must recognize the different types of literature and interpret them

accordingly• We must look at the passage in all its contexts• We must consider history and cultures• We must compare scripture with scripture to confirm and establish a

doctrine• We must resolve apparent contradictions with other scriptures. The clear-

didactic over the vague, or allegorical...• We must look for the one original meaning intended by the author.

And then...

Having “observed to do”

Do it!Because you can , and you want to!

Well, that’s Hermeneutics in a nut shell...

We went over most of the basic principles.

I have also given you 3 different lists from different authors, for your binders