BIBLICAL EXEGESISBIBLICAL EXEGESIS

BIBLICAL EXEGESISBIBLICAL EXEGESISMTP VIMTP VI

JUNE 2008 VAJUNE 2008 VA

Ezra 7:10, Nehemiah 8Ezra 7:10, Nehemiah 8

• Study the Word• Understand the Word• Observe the Word• Teach and Preach the Word• Spark Revival!

Ephesians 4:12-14Ephesians 4:12-14

““to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

22ndnd Timothy 2:15 Timothy 2:15

““Do your best to present yourself to Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”handling the word of truth.”

SCHEDULE OF CLASSESSCHEDULE OF CLASSES•Friday•Saturday•Sunday

WHAT IS EXEGESIS?WHAT IS EXEGESIS?

WHAT IS EXEGESIS WHAT IS EXEGESIS AND WHY IS IT NECESSARY?AND WHY IS IT NECESSARY?

• ANCIENT GREEK WORD• “EX” MEANS “OUT OF”• “EGESIS” MEANS “TO LEAD” EX-EGESIS MEANS “TO LEAD

OUT FROM” THE BIBLICAL TEXT

GOAL OF EXEGESISGOAL OF EXEGESIS

• “WHAT DID THE AUTHOR INTEND FOR HIS ORIGINAL READERS TO UNDERSTAND?”• What did he say? (Content)• Why did he say it then and there? (Context)

THE OPPOSITE APPROACHTHE OPPOSITE APPROACH

• “EISEGESIS”, – where “EIS” means “Into”… thus – Eisegesis is leading our own preconceptions

into the Text• BE AWARE, HOWEVER, THAT NONE OF US

IS A BLANK SLATE!

MORE ABOUT EXEGESISMORE ABOUT EXEGESIS• EXEGESIS MAY BE DEFINED AS THE CAREFUL

HISTORICAL, LITERARY, AND THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF A BIBLICAL TEXT

• IT’S AN INVESTIGATION…. WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?• What situation seems to have been the occasion for

the writing of this text?• What kind of literature is this text, and what are its

literary aims?• What great theological question or issue does this text

engage, and what claims on the reader does it make?• IT’S MORE ART THAN SCIENCE

DO YOU INTERPRET?DO YOU INTERPRET?• “We don’t interpret the Bible, we just do what

it says”• “We simply let the bible interpret itself”• When we do take the time to carefully interpret,

we strive too much for the “unique” insights• We read the bible in translation (a form of

interpretation!)• We all bring preconceptions to the text• Exegesis recognizes and controls our

preconceptions, biases and worldviews

BUT I’M NOT BIASEDBUT I’M NOT BIASED

• PHILEMON 5• MATTHEW 25:14-30• HABAKKUK 1:15• MATTHEW 28:18

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

• ALL YOU NEED FOR EFFECTIVE EXEGESIS:• Prayerful Spirit• Reverent Awe• Good Translations• Bible Dictionary• Inquisitive Mind• Common Sense• A little imagination• And some hard work

EXEGESIS JARGONEXEGESIS JARGON

LET’S GET TECHNICALLET’S GET TECHNICAL

• Exegesis• Hermeneutics• Genre• Thesis• Hypothesis• Deductive Study• Inductive Study

• Textual Criticism• Lower Criticism• Higher Criticism• Rhetoric• Literal Equivalent• Dynamic Equivalent

THE EXEGETICAL METHODTHE EXEGETICAL METHOD

THE EXEGETICAL METHODTHE EXEGETICAL METHOD

1. Survey the Text

2. Investigate the

Context 3. Fine Tune the

Genre

4. Detail the

Content5.

Synthesize the Findings

6. Apply It

SURVEY THE TEXTSURVEY THE TEXT

SURVEY THE TEXT

• Read• Re-Read• Repeat• Take Notes• Craft a Preliminary

Thesis or Big Idea or Topic

• Read a Brief Intro to the Book

• Inductive Reading• Deductive Reading• Educated

Guesswork• Allow Guesses to be

Refined, Expanded, Corrected

HOW TO READHOW TO READ

“Think of yourself as a detective looking for clues to a text’s general theme or idea, alert for anything that will make it clearer”

- How to Read a Book. Page 36

BIBLE TRANSLATIONSBIBLE TRANSLATIONS

BIBLE TRANSLATIONSBIBLE TRANSLATIONS

KJV

NIV

NETNASB

JBGNB

MESSAGETNIV

NLT

LB

RSV

ESVNRSV

INVESTIGATE THE INVESTIGATE THE CONTEXTCONTEXT

INVESTIGATE THE CONTEXT

• Historical Context Notes:– "In what historical,

social, and cultural situation was the passage written?"

• Literary Context Notes:– "How does the

passage relate to what precedes and follows it, and to the document as a whole?"

– “Why THIS and why HERE?”

– “What is this text trying to DO to its original readers?”

CONTEXT IS KINGCONTEXT IS KING

• A Proof Text without a Context is a Pretext

• A lack of context is the chief cause of most heresy

• A text cannot mean what it never meant

• Do not allow the implicit to define the explicit

CONTEXT MATTERS!CONTEXT MATTERS!

DANGER OF DANGER OF IGNORING CONTEXTIGNORING CONTEXT

• THIEF ON THE CROSS• PRAY JESUS INTO YOUR HEART• CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH• BORN OF WATER AND SPIRIT

PRETEXT FOR A TEXTPRETEXT FOR A TEXT

“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” -William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

"If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

FINETUNE FOR GENREFINETUNE FOR GENRE

FINE TUNE THE GENREFINE TUNE THE GENRE

• What is the literary Genre of this text? What are the general principles for exegesis of this genre?

• What kind of structure does this genre employ – repetition, contrast, parallelism, inclusion, chiasm, classic rhetorical argument, comedic or tragic narrative? Why would the author choose this form for his intended affect?

• How does the text “move” from beginning to end?

BIBLICAL GENRESBIBLICAL GENRES

• EPISTLES• NARRATIVES• PARABLES• LAWS• PROPHECY• PSALMS• WISDOM• REVELATION

DIG INTO THE CONTENTDIG INTO THE CONTENT

INVESTIGATE THE INVESTIGATE THE DETAILS OF THE CONTENTDETAILS OF THE CONTENT

“It is not in the interest of extravagant ambition that we trouble ourselves with this detailed exposition, but we hope through such painstaking interpretation to train you in the importance of not passing over even one slight word or syllable in the Sacred Scriptures. For they are not ordinary utterances, but the very expression of the Holy Spirit, and for this reason it is possible to find great treasure even in a single syllable.”

- John Chrysostom 4th Century AD

INVESTIGATE THE INVESTIGATE THE DETAILS OF THE CONTENTDETAILS OF THE CONTENT

• What does the text communicate and how?• What are the key terms and images? Are these

terms or images consistent in the major exegetical translations? What do they mean?

• Are there any key terms or ideas whose meaning may be explained by looking elsewhere in the book?

• Are there any literary or rhetorical devices (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, repetition, irony, particularization etc.) and if so, what it their effect?

INVESTIGATE THE INVESTIGATE THE DETAILS OF THE CONTENTDETAILS OF THE CONTENT

• What kinds of sentences are used? What are the major components of each sentence? What verbal actions or states appear in these sentences, and what subjects are associated with them?

• Does the text include appeals to tradition or Scripture, such as stories, beliefs, laws, and well-known historical figures? If so, how doe these appeals function?

CONTENT DETAILSCONTENT DETAILS

• Does the text appear to use any other earlier sources, whether written or oral? If so, how do these appeals to tradition function?

• Does the text appear to use any other earlier sources, whether written or oral? If so, how do these appeals to tradition function?

• If the text is a narrative, what elements of setting, plot (conflict, suspense, resolution), and character development does each part of the text convey?

CONTENT DETAILSCONTENT DETAILS• Which elements of the text work, individually

or together, to instruct, delight, convict, or move the reader?

• What is the tone, or mood, of the passage, and what elements convey that tone?

• How do the various parts of the passage reflect and/or address the situation of the readers?

• How does each part of the passage relate to the other parts?

CONTENT DETAILSCONTENT DETAILS

• How does each Part contribute to the whole?

• How does my emerging understanding of the whole affect the meaning of the parts?

• Does the author use any technical terms?

• If I enter the narrative world of this text, what do I see and hear and feel?

CONTENT DETAILSCONTENT DETAILS

• If I join the community that is receiving this letter, what am I being urged to do?

• If I join the psalmist in prayer/song, what are we imagining about God?

• If I am among this crowd encountering Jesus, how do I view Him?

SYNTHESIZE IT ALLSYNTHESIZE IT ALL

We shall not cease from exploration, And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we startedAnd know the place for the first time.

- T. S. ELLIOT, FOUR QUARTETS

SYNTHESIZE YOUR FINDINGSSYNTHESIZE YOUR FINDINGS

SYNTHESIZE YOUR FINDINGSSYNTHESIZE YOUR FINDINGS• What is the main point of each part of the text?• Why do you think the passage was included in this

biblical book? For what main function?• What claims did the text make upon its original

hearers or readers? What response might the author have desired from the readers?

• What is the main idea that the author talking about? (Subject)

• What is he saying about what he is talking about? (Complements)

• What is the big idea of this passage – stated in a single sentence?

……UNTIL WE THE TEXT AGAINUNTIL WE THE TEXT AGAIN

“And now the end has come. So listen to my piece of advice: exegesis, exegesis, and yet more exegesis!”

- Karl Barth, in his farewell to his students before his 1935 expulsion from Germany

APPLY ITAPPLY IT

IT’S NOT OVER UNTILIT’S NOT OVER UNTILYOU APPLY ITYOU APPLY IT

“Search the Scriptures, not as though thou wouldst make a concordance but an application

- John Donne

UNTIL WE MEET UNTIL WE MEET THE TEXT AGAINTHE TEXT AGAIN

“And now the end has come. So listen to my piece of advice: exegesis, exegesis, and yet more exegesis!”

- Karl Barth, in his farewell to his students before his 1935 expulsion from Germany

PROBLEM PASSAGESPROBLEM PASSAGES

• Be content with our lack of understanding; therefore, be less dogmatic

• Even without certainty of details, we can still know the point of the whole passage (“baptizing for the dead” passage of 1 Cor 15 addresses resurrection issues rather than baptism issues)

• Still ask “What can be said for certain”• Consult a good, balanced commentary• Admit when you are only guessing

HERMENEUTICSHERMENEUTICS

• WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US?• ALL “DO” HERMENEUTICS, EVEN WITHOUT

EXEGESIS AS WE BRING AN ENLIGHTENED COMMON SENSE TO THE TEXT

• THE BIG ISSUE: CULTURAL RELATIVITY

CULTURAL RELATIVITYCULTURAL RELATIVITY

Cultural2 Tim 4:13

Eternal2 Tim 2:3

HERMENEUTIC RULESHERMENEUTIC RULES• THE BASIC RULE

• A text can’t now mean what it never could have meant!

• THE SECOND RULE• When we share comparable life situations with

the 1st century setting, God’s word is the same for us, too

HERMENEUTIC PROBLEMHERMENEUTIC PROBLEM

• OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE SECOND RULE:

•Extended Application•Not Comparable Life Situations•Cultural Relativity•Task Theology