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Interpreting the Bible

Outline​

  1. Introduction
  2. Points of Understanding
  3. Outcomes of Understanding
    1. Dispensationalism
    2. Futuristic Premillennialism
  4. Sources

Introduction​

A hermeneutic is the method of interpretation. This is what this article is all about, how we interpret the Bible.

We'll talk about some important points of understanding when reading the Bible then we'll go over some specific examples that show using the hermeneutic to arrive at a specific conclusion.

One important note is that some people change their hermeneutic so that they end up with the predetermined conclusion they already had. We have to this in mind and not do this.

Points of Understanding​

  1. Interpret the Old Testament (OT) with itself, and don't reinterpret it based on the New Testament (NT).
    1. Later revelation on something does not change the meaning of the first revelation. We must keep the original intent of the OT passages.
  2. The Church and Israel are distinct; the Church is not the new Israel.
    1. There is no difference as far as salvation is concerned, but there is an ethnic difference.
    2. "The Church" and "Israel" are terms that are never used interchangeably. These terms are distinct throughout the entire old testament and even in Revelation.
  3. Taking the Bible at face value (or literally), unless given good reason otherwise. This can apply to other literature as well
    1. Taking the Bible at face value means
      1. Reading it plainly
      2. Interpret it in it's context
      3. Recognizing symbolic language and figures of speech
      4. Use clear texts to help interpret the more unclear or difficult texts.
    2. The following are the reasons that you could take a passage figuratively:
      1. "Does it possess a degree of absurdity when taken literally?"
      2. "Does it possess a degree of clarity when taken symbolically?"
      3. "Does it fall into an established category of symbolic language?" (figures of speech: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, anthropomorphism, etc.)

We do not interpret the Bible ultra-literally but read the language as we normally would other texts. Carefully interpreting it as it was meant to be interpreted.

Outcomes of Understanding​

Dispensationalism​

You can read about a detailed description of dispensationalism here: https://www.gotquestions.org/dispensationalism.html

But, for our purposes, we will be referring to the part of dispensational theology that teaches that Israel and the Church are 2 distinct people groups. And more specifically, dispensationalists say that the Church has not replaced Israel. Dispensationalists believe not only in a salvation of Israel but also a restoration of the nation.

Our hermeneutic can influence this point of scripture but here are some good points about why the Church and Israel must be separate.

  • God's promises to whom he made them to need to be kept. God's character demands that he must fulfill his promises exactly as he has made them, meaning the promises he made to Israel must be fulfilled to Israel.
  • God has a purpose for nations and there will even be nations in the eternal state (Revelation 21:24-26). We don't all become Israel.
  • "The purpose of God for Israel as revealed in the Bible was that they would be a vehicle to shine forth the light of his revelation to the nations and the delivery system for God's savior, the Messiah." (CPP. pg. 109).
  • Deuteronomy 30:1-6 outlines God's plans for Israel. Isaiah 49:3-6 outlines the servant (Jesus) and what he will do for Israel.

Futuristic Premillennialism​

Futuristic Premillennialism expects there to be a literal fulfillment of the promises God made to Israel. It also teaches that, in the future, there will be a literal millennial kingdom after the rapture and great tribulation.

A literal hermeneutic leads to this view. Here are some reasons why

  • After being under Christ's teachings and having a literal millennial viewpoint, the only question the disciples had was when the things would take place because they understood the things as literal.
  • I will not go into detail about the history portion (read chapter 9 in the book "Christ's Prophetic Plans") but history show that Premillennialism is the oldest viewpoint in church history and was the primary viewpoint in the early church. "History is not authoritative like Scripture is, but it does affirm the Premillennial position".
  • An interesting point about the timing of the second coming is that Christ early on says in Matthew 24:3, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." then later in Acts 1:7 "He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority." He uses more general words for the time which could mean a broader timeline. We cannot know the time, specific or general.
  • One of my favorite things in the "Christ's Prophetic Plans" book is they ask a question: "if God had wanted to communicate that the reign of Christ would last for a literal thousand years, how else could He have done it? What else could He have said?" This just highlights that when things do need to be taken figuratively, we are given reason to do so.

I won't go into too much detail about the different end times views but here is a a few notes on some of them.

  • Amillennialism
    • This view is developed from an allegorical hermeneutic
  • Postribulational Rapture
    • If God is going to preserve his people through the tribulation, then what is the point of the rapture?
    • The Church is warned against many other things but the tribulation is not one of them.

Sources​

Christ's Prophetic Plans - A Futuristic Premillennial Primer - John MacArthur, Richard Mayhue