Biblical interpretation final
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This document discusses different methods of biblical interpretation and translation. It covers literal versus dynamic translations, as well as the importance of understanding historical context. The interpretation process involves close observation of the text, including facts like events and characters, followed by determining the historical-cultural background to understand the original meaning.
Biblical interpretation final
- 1. A Class Presented By: Jerry F. Hutchins, Pastor Timothy Baptist Church 380 Timothy Road Athens, Georgia 30606 (706) 549-1435 www.jerryhutchins.org
- 2. Start With A Good Translation
- 3. Literal translations attempt to translate by keeping as close as possible to the exact words and phrasing in the original language, yet still make sense in the receptor language. The King James Version and the New American Standard are considered literal translations.
- 4. Translated in 1611 by 47 scholars This remains a good version of the Bible. It has been the most reliable translation for over three centuries, but its Elizabethan style Old English is difficult for modern readers, especially youth, to understand. The King James Version (KJV)
- 5. Translated in 1971 by 58 scholars Academic in tone The New American Standard Bible is said to be the most exact English translation available. The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
- 6. Free Translation , also called paraphrase, attempts to translate the ideas from one language to another, with less concern about using the exact words of the original. Free translations are good for casual reading but should not be used for the interpretive process.
- 7. The Amplified Bible is a translation that, by using synonyms and definitions, both explains and expands the meaning of words in the text by placing amplification in parentheses and brackets after key words or phrases. The Amplified Bible is free of personal interpretation and is independent of denominational prejudice. A very popular paraphrase translation is the Amplified Bible.
- 8. Kenneth Taylor, not being a scholar, was unable to translate from Hebrew and Greek. He used English versions as the basis of this paraphrase. Taylor created this paraphrase as help for those who wanted to read the Bible to children without having to stop and explain many things. The Living Bible Paraphrased is also a free translation.
- 9. He founded Tyndale House Publishers for the purpose of publishing the work, beginning with the Epistles as Living Letters in 1962. The Living Bible Paraphrased is also a free translation.
- 10. Dynamic equivalent translations attempt to translate words, idioms, and grammatical constructions of the original language into precise equivalents in the receptor language. These translations keep the historical distance on all historical and most factual matters, but updates matters of language, grammar, and style.
- 11. The New International Version is a translation of the Holy Bible made by over a hundred scholars working directly from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. It had its beginning in 1965 when, after several years of exploratory study by committees from the Christian Reformed Church and the National Associations of Evangelicals. The New International Version is considered a dynamic equivalent translation.
- 12. The best approach to Biblical interpretation is to begin with a dynamic equivalent translation and a literal translation. A dynamic equivalent will use equivalent words that are more easily understood in the receptor language and when used along side a literal translation hermeneutics becomes an exciting endeavor.
- 13. The literal translation may be more challenging to read. If you must choose between a King James Version, New American Standard Version, or New King James Version for your literal translation, use the New American Standard Version and New King James Version first.
- 14. The Observation Process Read the text for what it says
- 15. After you have read the text, read the text again. After you have read it again, read it some more. After you have read it some more, read it over. Read it at least ten times before you even begin to try understanding the meaning. You are reading the text to see what it says. This is called the observation phase of Biblical interpretation. Now that you have Bibles at your disposal, read the text being examined
- 16. During the observation phase of Biblical interpretation, interrogate the text. Bombard the text with questions. The 5 W’s and an H that you have applied in other interrogations are just as effective in Biblical interpretation. Observe the Facts
- 17. Observe the Facts Who is the writer? Who is speaking? Who are the major and minor characters? Who is the speaker talking to? Who is the speaker talking about?
- 18. Observe the Facts What are the main events? What are the major ideas? What is the context of the text? What are the major teachings? What is the theme of the passage?
- 19. Observe the Facts What is God (or the trinity) doing in this passage? What type of genre is this? What does this word mean? When was it written? When did the event take place?
- 20. Observe the Facts Where did the event occur? Where are the people? Where is the writer? Where is the speaker? Why was the text written?
- 21. Observe the Facts Why is so little or so much space devoted to this event? Why is it mentioned here? How did the event happen? How will the event happen? How did the people in the text receive this teaching ?
- 22. Observe the Facts Observe Repetitions Observe Contrasts Observe Cause and Effect Observe the Need for Definition Observe Explanations Observe General/Particular
- 23. Observe the Facts Observe Interrogation Observe Descriptions Observe Climax Observe Verbs Observe Pronouns Observe Interchanges Observe Quotations
- 24. Methods Of Interpretation
- 25. The allegorical method is motivated by the thought that the text has a hidden meaning. Preachers and teachers often feel a need to dig beyond the literal meaning of a text to expose, what they consider, a spiritual truth. When the text is read, the allegorical approach inserts spiritual meanings in place of literal things and often the insertion says what the text never intended. Allegorical Method
- 26. The allegorical method uses inserts or replacements performed without any Biblical proof of its relevance. Typology is a preordained representative relationship, which certain persons, events, and institutions bear to corresponding persons, events, and institutions occurring at a later time in salvation history. Allegorical method is different from Typology
- 27. The literal method assumes that the words of Scripture in their plain evident meaning are: Reliable God intended His revelation to be understood by all who believe; The words of Scripture communicate what God wants man to know; and God based the communication of truth on the regular laws governing written communication Literal Method
- 28. The Interpretation Process
- 30. The meaning of the text is always the author’s intended meaning. There are many applications of a text but only one true interpretation. The text always means what it has always meant. Determining what the text means first and foremost demands that we determine what it meant to the original recipients. Do not approach a Biblical text asking, “what does the text mean to me.” Determine the Historical-Cultural Background of the Text
- 31. Historical-cultural context gives us a into God’s original meaning as reflected in the text. Window Why Bother? Because…
- 32. We must recapture God’s original intended meaning Reflected in the text Framed by the ancient historical-cultural context Once we understand the meaning of the text in its original context, we can apply that meaning to our lives in ways that will be just as relevant. Since we live in a different context...
- 33. Guiding Principle Our interpretation of any biblical text to be valid, it must be consistent with the historical-cultural context of that text.
- 34. Our Priority If our interpretation would not have made sense back then, we are probably on the wrong track. We must determine what a text meant in “their town” before we can determine what it means and how we should apply it in “our town.”
- 35. The immediate context The book context The Whole Bible context The Testament Context The Context
- 36. Understanding the Words in the Text
- 37. It is impossible to understand the meaning of a passage without understanding the meaning of the words that constitute the passage. Literary context goes beyond simply knowing what a word means. It is imperative that we know what the word means in the context of its usage in the passage being studied.
- 38. If the writer is referring to an action that happened in past time, he could refer to it as either progressive by using the imperfect tense or as merely a simple occurrence, with no emphasis on the action's progress by using the aorist tense. For action happening at the present time, only the present tense is available. The future tense primarily refers to the future time. Greek Verb Tense
- 39. The perfect tense has to do with the completed progress of an action and its corresponding finished results. The past perfect (pluperfect) tense is the same as in the perfect tense. The explanation of the future perfect is much like the past perfect, only the completed state will exist at some time in the future rather than in the past. Greek Verb Tense
- 40. For Information on Custom Presentations Contact Jerry F. Hutchins Ministries, Inc. P.O. Box 81879 Conyers, GA 30013 www.jerryhutchins.org ©2004 Jerry F. Hutchins Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved Thank You For Attending