Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Seven important principles of inductive Bible study
I found this post on http://fide-o.blogspot.com/. These principles are widely taught and are not unique to this blog. They are principles that many advocate and I would certainly endorse.
Seven important principles of inductive Bible study that produces a genuine exposition:
1. The illumination principleOnly a Christian can truly understand and interpret the Scriptures, for they are taught by the Holy Spirit. The unregenerate cannot expound the Scripture acurately. First Corinthians 2:12-14 says - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, ut the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
2. The contextual principleEvery word must be interpreted in its context. Every context consists of words within sentences within paragraphs within chapters within books within Testaments within the Bible. Every word has a human author, who wrote in a historical context, to a particular audience, for a specific purpose. All of this matters as to what the interpretation of every text is.
3. The literal principleFirst, you should use the literal principles. That means you should understand Scripture in its literal, normal, natural sense. Now there will be figures of speech, but that’s normal language. There will be symbols, but that’s normal language too. When you study apocalyptic passages like Zechariah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Revelation, you will read about beasts and images. Now those are figures of speech and symbols, but they convey literal truth. Interpret the Bible in its normal, natural sense. Otherwise, you’re taking an unnatural, abnormal, nonsensical interpretation. So we must take the literal, normal, natural interpretation.
4. The synthesis principleThe synthesis principle is what the Reformers called the 'analogia scriptura' the Scripture all comes together. In other words, one part of the Bible doesn’t teach something that another part contradicts. So as you study the Scripture it must all fit together. There are no contradictions. What appear as contradictions can be resolved if we have the information, because the Bible comes together as a whole.
5. The historical principleThe Bible must be studied in its historical context. What did it mean to the people to whom it was spoken or written? It is said that a text without a context (historically) is a pretext. You have to understand the historical setting in many cases, or you’ll never really understand what’s in the writer’s heart.
6. The grammatical principleTo study the grammar we must look at the sentence, the prepositions, pronouns, verbs, and nouns. In school we had to learn how to diagram a sentence so we could find out what it was saying.
7. The practical principleThe final question is: So what? As you try to interpret the Bible, how do you find out what it means for your life? Make sure in your Bible study that you find the practical principles that transform daily living. Find out what spiritual principle is there that applies to you. But you can’t do that until you’ve gone through the other principles first: contextual, literal, historical, grammatical, and synthesis. You know what it means by what it says—now you come to how it applies to you.
Seven important principles of inductive Bible study that produces a genuine exposition:
1. The illumination principleOnly a Christian can truly understand and interpret the Scriptures, for they are taught by the Holy Spirit. The unregenerate cannot expound the Scripture acurately. First Corinthians 2:12-14 says - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, ut the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
2. The contextual principleEvery word must be interpreted in its context. Every context consists of words within sentences within paragraphs within chapters within books within Testaments within the Bible. Every word has a human author, who wrote in a historical context, to a particular audience, for a specific purpose. All of this matters as to what the interpretation of every text is.
3. The literal principleFirst, you should use the literal principles. That means you should understand Scripture in its literal, normal, natural sense. Now there will be figures of speech, but that’s normal language. There will be symbols, but that’s normal language too. When you study apocalyptic passages like Zechariah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Revelation, you will read about beasts and images. Now those are figures of speech and symbols, but they convey literal truth. Interpret the Bible in its normal, natural sense. Otherwise, you’re taking an unnatural, abnormal, nonsensical interpretation. So we must take the literal, normal, natural interpretation.
4. The synthesis principleThe synthesis principle is what the Reformers called the 'analogia scriptura' the Scripture all comes together. In other words, one part of the Bible doesn’t teach something that another part contradicts. So as you study the Scripture it must all fit together. There are no contradictions. What appear as contradictions can be resolved if we have the information, because the Bible comes together as a whole.
5. The historical principleThe Bible must be studied in its historical context. What did it mean to the people to whom it was spoken or written? It is said that a text without a context (historically) is a pretext. You have to understand the historical setting in many cases, or you’ll never really understand what’s in the writer’s heart.
6. The grammatical principleTo study the grammar we must look at the sentence, the prepositions, pronouns, verbs, and nouns. In school we had to learn how to diagram a sentence so we could find out what it was saying.
7. The practical principleThe final question is: So what? As you try to interpret the Bible, how do you find out what it means for your life? Make sure in your Bible study that you find the practical principles that transform daily living. Find out what spiritual principle is there that applies to you. But you can’t do that until you’ve gone through the other principles first: contextual, literal, historical, grammatical, and synthesis. You know what it means by what it says—now you come to how it applies to you.
