Introduction to Hermeneutics Series: Session Ten: Context Part III: The Entirety of Scripture

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I.                    Why should Christians be able to reference the entire Book as context in interpreting passages?

a.       The importance of having the bigger picture

i.      Rather than grasping individual and isolated trees of facts, we need to have the ‘forest’ of Biblical truths.

b.      The verses in which an individual study, along with its immediate contexts, are part of a larger whole.

i.      The argument given in Session Ten could apply here as well.

c.       Progressive Revelation requires the entirety of Scripture as the context in interpreting specific passages

i.      See Hebrew 1:1-2

d.      Hermeneutic Principle: Knowing the context of what the entirety of Scripture teaches can correct faulty interpretation or aid in properly interpreting a passage of Scripture.

II.                 The relationship between Hermeneutics & Systematic Theology

a.       Systematic Theology is the orderly presentation of doctrines as taught throughout the entirety of Scripture

b.      Good hermeneutics require the context of the entirety of Scripture and its teachings

c.       Therefore, good hermeneutics require good systematic theology

III.               Knowing the context of the entirety of Scripture requires that one understand the Genres of the books of the Bible

a.       There are different Genres in the Bible

i.      Historical Narrative (Example: Genesis, Joshua, Judges, Acts, etc)

ii.      Laws (Leviticus, Deuteronomy)

iii.      Poetic (Psalms, Songs of Solomon, etc)

iv.      Wisdom (Proverbs, Job)

v.      Prophetic (Hosea, Joel, Amos, etc)

vi.      Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)

vii.      Epistles (Romans, 1Corinthians, etc)

viii.      Apocalyptic (Daniel, Revelation)

b.      Knowing the Genre aid us in interpreting the Bible

i.      Examples

1.      “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned and despised by the people.” (Psalm 22:6)

a.       Is David really a worm? Of course not!

i.      Psalm is a poetic book and we must remember the genre of this book in interpreting it.

2.      Objection: I don’t believe in the Genesis account of Creation, it was figurative language

a.       Genesis is a historical narrative and  historical narrative presents historical facts and events

3.      Question: Will the Anti-Christ rise literally out of the sea and have ten horns and seven heads as described in Revelation 13:1?

a.       This is an apocalyptic literature, and must be understood as not always being literal.

IV.              Do not forget that in interpreting Scripture according to the context of the entirety of Scripture, this is building upon the foundation of the six general principles as presented in Session Nine.

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