There are 320 Greek New Testament direct quotations passages from the Hebrew Scriptures. According to a listing published by Westcott and Hort, the combined total of quotations and references is some 890. (The New Testament in the Original Greek, Graz, 1974, Vol. I, pp. 581-595)
What Is Hermeneutics and Why Is It Important?
What did the Bible authors mean by the words that they used? How can Christians determine this instead of imposing their modern-day opinions into the text? What implications does a text have for Christians today? How can Christians rightly apply the Bible in their lives?
Interpreting 1 Timothy 4:13-15 In Light of Timothy Being an Experienced Elder
Before we delve into this verse we must first ask, who is Timothy and why would the apostle give him such exhortation as we find in the above text? The Roman province of Galatia was home to the young boy Timothy. It was here that several Christian congregations were organized in the decades after Jesus’... Continue Reading →
HOW IS BEING AN INEXPERIENCED AND UNSKILLED BIBLE STUDENT a Roadblock to Regular and Consistent Bible Reading and Study?
Psalm 119:165 Updated American Standard Version (UASV) 165 Abundant peace belongs to those loving your law, and for them there is no stumbling block. Literally billions of men and women have a Bible. However, while they may own a Bible and even carry the Bible to their church meetings, can they honestly say that they love God’s Word?
Help in Understanding the Bible
The irony is that hundreds of millions of Christians are humble enough to recognize that the Bible is difficult to understand, it is a deep and complex book. There are tens of millions, who believe they understand everything they read, and for them, the Bible is easy to understand. The sad part is that many... Continue Reading →
Why Is Deeper Bible Study Important?
The Bible is a revelation from our heavenly Father, about our heavenly Father, i.e., his will and purposes. (1 Thess. 2:13) If we take the things we learn and apply them in our lives, we will live a life far more beneficial than those who do not. As we grow in knowledge, we will draw... Continue Reading →
BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION Literary Forms of God’s Word
Poetry Song of Songs This book, also known as The Song of Solomon, it extols the beauty of romantic and sexual love. Some parts of the Bible are much better known than others. One of the more neglected parts of the Bible is the Song of Songs. It is rarely read and hardly ever used... Continue Reading →
The History of Biblical Hermeneutics
Until the Enlightenment, biblical hermeneutics was usually seen as a form of special hermeneutics. It was thought that Scripture required a special form of interpretation. In the nineteenth century, it became increasingly common to read Scripture just like any other writing. Schleiermacher argued against a distinction between “general” and “special” hermeneutics. He proposed a general... Continue Reading →
Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics
With commentary by Norman L. Geisler Reproduced from Explaining Hermeneutics: A Commentary on the Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics. Oakland, California: International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, 1983. Preface Summit I of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy took place in Chicago on October 26-28, 1978 for the purpose of affirming afresh the doctrine of the inerrancy of... Continue Reading →
BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION – Keys to Understanding
Recognize the Christocentric focus of the Bible The New Testament writers primarily viewed the Old Testament as Christological documents. They understood the Hebrew Scriptures as ultimately pointing to the person of Christ and the redemptive-historical fulfillment that he would bring: And He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up... Continue Reading →