This study will come in sections for those who wish to read.
I. HERMENEUTICS IS THE SCIENCE OF INTERPRETATION.
Another word closely related is "exegesis." Exegesis is exercising or using the principles of hermeneutics.
In hermeneutics we are identifying principles.
2 Tim. 3:16,17. Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.
In exegesis, we are putting those principles to use. The purpose of exegesis is to bring out the intended thought or meaning the writer had as he wrote. The importance cannot be overestimated. A proper hermeneutic is essential in that it ensures us of a right view of the following:
1. Final things,
2. Counseling,
3. Philosophy of life,
4. God,
5. Man,
6. Sin, and
7. Salvation.
INTRODUCTION OF TEN SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES ESSENTIAL FOR UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE.
These principles are the foundation and will be studied in greater detail in the remainder of the discourse.
A. One must have true faith in the supreme authority of the divine inspiration of Scripture as the infallible word of God, thus the final authority for my life.
B. One must remember that the original Bible as God gave it came in the Hebrew language in the Old Testament and in Greek in the New Testament.
C. One must accept the scriptural fact that God gave the Bible to us to be understood, believed and obeyed, and God holds us responsible for knowing it.
D. One must realize that Scripture is understood by spiritual receptivity as much as by intellectual effort and scholarship.
E. One must meditate on the word of God day and night.
F. One must remember that it is necessary to get the whole counsel of God on any subject in order to have God's complete and whole will; part of the truth is not enough.
G. One must make proper use of the context of any statement of Scripture.
H. One must recognize that there are some temporary aspects in the Bible as well as permanent aspects which are binding on all of every generation.
I. One must draw only such conclusions as are warranted by the evidence (the Law of Rationality).
J. One must acknowledge that there are some things hard to be understood.
DETAILED STUDY OF THESE TEN SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES.
A. One must have true faith in the supreme authority of the divine inspiration of Scripture as the infallible word of God, thus the final authority for my life.
1. Without this all other rules of hermeneutics and exegesis fail.
2. Discussion of Thomas Warren's argument for Christianity is appropriate here.
That argument is as follows:
A. If men can know:
(1) That God is,
(2) That the Bible is the word of God, and
(3) That the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that, to be saved from their sins, men must believe in, love, and obey Him, then men can know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that to be saved from their sins men must believe in, love and obey Him.
B. Men can know:
(1) That God is,
(2) That the Bible is the word of God, and
(3) That the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that to be saved from their sins men must believe in, love and obey Him.
C. Therefore, men can know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that to be saved from their sins men must believe in, love and obey Him.
The implications of the Bible not being inspired, authoritative and infallible are far reaching. If we hold the view that it contains the word of God and the word of men then we must establish some criteria for determining what is the word of God and what is the word of men.
If it is not the word of God then there is no absolute and objective standard for living (thus no final authority). We are then ruled by our feelings of what is right and wrong and we must somehow account for such things as its:
(1) Prophecy and fulfillment,
(2) Unity,
(3) Historical accuracy, and
(4) Scientific accuracy.
B. One must remember that the original Bible as God gave it came in the Hebrew language in the Old Testament and in the Greek in the New Testament.
1. The original writings are the ultimate authority, not the various translations.
2. "The Greek New Testament is the New Testament. All else is translation."
3. God inspired the original writers, but not manuscript copiers nor translators. Yet we today have the message God gave us preserved accurately for all practical purposes.
4. Serious Bible students need either to know the original Bible languages or to make full and accurate use of the best translations with the help of those who do know the original language of Scripture.
5. One must know something of how to evaluate the many modern translations in order to make good use of their good points and to avoid being misled by their errors.
C. One must accept the Scriptural fact that God gave the Bible to us to be understood, believed and obeyed, and God holds him responsible for knowing it.
1. Isaiah 1:18.
2. Ephesians 5:17.
3. John 8:31,32.
4. John 20:30,31.
5. Matthew 4:4.
6. 2 Timothy 2:15.
7. 2 Timothy 3:14-17.
D. One must realize that Scripture is understood by spiritual receptivity as much as by intellectual effort and scholarship.
1. Proverbs 1:7.
2. We must be "noble" enough spiritually to "receive the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things" are so (Acts 17:11,12).
3. We must humble ourselves as "children" as we hear and study God's Word; if not, God will "hide" his truth from us (Matthew 11:25,26; 13:10ff; 18:1-4).
4. We must take heed "how" we hear the Word and have an "honest and good heart" into which the spiritual seed may be sown (Luke 8:9-18).
5. In God's sight we must be "of the truth" dominated by "the Spirit of truth" (John 18:37; 1 John 4:5,6; John 8:46,47).
6. We must "hunger and thirst" after God's Word, and "will (determine) to do His will" in order to know God's truth to the saving of our souls (Matthew 5:6; John 7:17. See Greek, ASV, RSV, NASV, NIV of John 7:17).
7. We must "give diligence" to "handle aright" or "rightly divide" (Greek "cutting straight") the Word, that we may please Him (2 Timothy 2:15. KJV; ASV; etc.).
8. We must have such absolute faith in God's Word that we will "let God be found true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).
9. We must remember that in God's Word "some things are hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsteadfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16,17).
10. We must remember that the "curse" ("anathema") of God is upon those who pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-10).
11. We must beware of "corrupting the word of God" or of "handling the word of God deceitfully" (2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2-4).
12. We must have a strong "love of the truth" of God lest God send us "strong delusion" ("working of error") and we believe a lie (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12; 1 Kings 22:8-23).
13. We must not approach God's Word with "idols" in our heart or any "stumbling-
block of iniquity" before our face lest we be "deceived" (Ezekiel 14:1-11;
33:30-33).
14. We must avoid "itching ears" spiritually in order to endure sound doctrine and to keep away from "fables" (2 Timothy 4:1-4).
15. We must remember that the Word of God is a sharp spiritual instrument that pierces to the depths of our souls, " to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12,13).
E. One must meditate on the Word of God day and night.
Some never discover the hidden treasures to be found in the Bible because they have not learned to look past the cover; and in order to obtain these precious gems a person must approach the Scriptures with the proper spiritual attitude and the fervency with which they would search for hidden treasures.
(1) Job 23:12.
(2) Matthew 4:4.
Why do people miss discovering these hidden treasures?
Spiritual Blindness:
(a) Jeremiah 10:23.
(b) Proverbs 16:25.
(c) Matthew 6:19-23.
(2) A False Balance:
Some do not recognize the genuine value of the hidden treasures of Scripture because they are using a "natural" balance to weigh "spiritual" blessings.
If we were to weigh these treasures on God's scale or measure them by His standard, we would find them worthy more than silver or rubies or gold and precious jewels.
1. Proverbs 16:16.
2. Proverbs 3:15.
3. Proverbs 20:15.
Some, like the man who tore down his barns to build bigger barns, do not seem to be able to fairly assess the value of material things over the worth of their own soul (Luke 12:13-21).
1. Jesus said "Take heed and keep yourselves from all covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (12:13).
2. Then He cautions us against laying up for ourselves treasures on earth, rather than being rich toward God (12:21).
"For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?" (Mark 8:37).
F. One must remember that it is necessary to get the whole counsel of God on any subject in order to learn God's complete and whole will; part of the truth is not enough.
Paul was pure from the blood of all men because he shrank not from declaring unto them "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:26,27). Paul knew that many times people are willing to receive part of the truth but are not willing to accept it all, because some of it convicts them of sin or error. The same principle is set forth in the record of Jesus' temptation by the devil, Matthew 4:1-11. After Jesus referred to Scripture "It is written," Satan did the same thing; but Jesus replied to Satan: "Again it is written" and cited another passage which showed that Satan was misusing, perverting the passage he referred to, making an extreme application which God never intended, and which contradicted Scripture elsewhere. Thus Jesus showed that it took the "whole" counsel of God on the subject in order to interpret correctly the passage which Satan offered.
It is not one Scripture against another, but one Scripture in the light of another or others. Generations of the best legal minds in our country have determined that testimony in courts of law should be presented on the basis of "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Not simply "truth," but the "whole truth," and "nothing but the truth." This is the only way to make it airtight for the whole truth only.
If men had been as careful in handling Scripture as they were in setting the standard in court procedure, the religious world would have been spared a vast amount of error and false doctrine. A large percentage of popular religious errors today are nothing more than taking some few favorite verses in Scripture, ignoring many other vital passages on the subject, and pressing them to an extreme position which conflicts with other points of truth (exactly what Satan did against Jesus in Matthew 4).
For example, Matthew 7:1 is endlessly quoted by many today ("Judge not, that ye be not judged."), and misapplied to mean that one must never criticize, condemn, or expose any sin or error, or "judge" in any sense whatever. But they do not know of or never refer to John 7:24 where Jesus said: "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." Again, in 1 Corinthians 5th chapter and chapter 6:1-4, the apostle commanded the Corinthian church to "judge" (put away) the fornicator. It is sinful perversion of God's word to abuse it in the manner above, yet it is practiced widely even by some in the church.
Three key elements in Biblical interpretation: the total evidence, handling the evidence, and the conclusions drawn.
The total evidence is that which purports to be supportive of the conclusions drawn and/or asserted. It involves all that the Bible has to say on a particular subject. This obviously requires a great deal of diligence by virtue of the fact that you must have a workable knowledge of the whole Bible.
For example, the general theme of the Bible ought to be known. The Bible: 66 books total. 39 O.T. (Law, Psalms, Prophets). 27 N.T. (Gospel, History, Epistles, Prophecy).
Periods of Bible History:
1. Each book of Scripture ought to be understood in light of the period to which it pertains.
2. One of the reasons many people find the Bible so difficult to read and understand is that they do not have a firm grasp on the fifteen periods of Bible history. With a workable outline, one can identify an event in history to a particular period of time. Without some understanding of the chronological structure of Bible history, names and events become obscure and significant correlations are missed.
G. One must make proper use of the context of any statement in Scripture.
1. "Context" is defined: "1. the parts of a sentence, paragraph, discourse, etc. that occur just before and after a specified word or passage, and determine its exact meaning...2. the whole situation, background, or environment relevant to some happening or personality."
2. Studying or understanding any statement in its immediate context is a principle widely understood even in the world. Common sense of man causes him to consider what he hears or reads in the context of the particular subject, conversation and circumstances.
3. At the same time, many have not learned to study and understand Scripture in its context and circumstances; or who pull the text out of its context and proceed to make it a mere pretext for almost any idea which they wish to believe or teach. This is violation of common sense and a sinful perversion of God's word, yet it is widely practiced by religious people.
4. One of the most serious flaws in the King James Version (and other versions) of the Bible is the making of a separate paragraph (structurally) for every verse of Scripture. This breaks up the unity and the context and the completeness of subjects, conversation and events, and has caused many to miss the unified connections of verses.
5. There is the immediate context of a statement, the words in the same sentence or paragraph or conversation or record of the event. Obviously, this is the first thing to study carefully.
6. Then there is the wider context of the whole narrative of an extended event (like John 13,14,15,16, and 17th chapters), or a whole book of Scripture (like Ecclesiastes in its peculiar qualities); books like Galatians and Romans – in fact, most Bible books have some important background, occasion or purpose which are important to know and remember as one ponders the meaning of individual statements in the book. For example, it is agreed that the Gnostic heresy was the particular reason for some of the statements in the books of Colossians and the epistles of John.
7. Then there is the context of the whole Bible itself, the unity of all Scripture, its harmony that must be remembered in interpreting any passage or narrative or book in Scripture. No exposition of any passage can properly be done which conflicts with plain teaching of Scripture somewhere else, even though it is far removed from the immediate context.
8. But sometimes the context of a Scripture passage is misused and excessively shortened or excessively extended in its application. Each context must be carefully studied to distinguish the temporary and the permanent items, the incidentals and the essentials, and the human customs or culture-items involved, if any, differentiated from the permanent laws or commands of God. This is not always easy, and constitutes one of the most difficult areas of hermeneutics and exegesis.
I. HERMENEUTICS IS THE SCIENCE OF INTERPRETATION.
Another word closely related is "exegesis." Exegesis is exercising or using the principles of hermeneutics.
In hermeneutics we are identifying principles.
2 Tim. 3:16,17. Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.
In exegesis, we are putting those principles to use. The purpose of exegesis is to bring out the intended thought or meaning the writer had as he wrote. The importance cannot be overestimated. A proper hermeneutic is essential in that it ensures us of a right view of the following:
1. Final things,
2. Counseling,
3. Philosophy of life,
4. God,
5. Man,
6. Sin, and
7. Salvation.
INTRODUCTION OF TEN SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES ESSENTIAL FOR UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE.
These principles are the foundation and will be studied in greater detail in the remainder of the discourse.
A. One must have true faith in the supreme authority of the divine inspiration of Scripture as the infallible word of God, thus the final authority for my life.
B. One must remember that the original Bible as God gave it came in the Hebrew language in the Old Testament and in Greek in the New Testament.
C. One must accept the scriptural fact that God gave the Bible to us to be understood, believed and obeyed, and God holds us responsible for knowing it.
D. One must realize that Scripture is understood by spiritual receptivity as much as by intellectual effort and scholarship.
E. One must meditate on the word of God day and night.
F. One must remember that it is necessary to get the whole counsel of God on any subject in order to have God's complete and whole will; part of the truth is not enough.
G. One must make proper use of the context of any statement of Scripture.
H. One must recognize that there are some temporary aspects in the Bible as well as permanent aspects which are binding on all of every generation.
I. One must draw only such conclusions as are warranted by the evidence (the Law of Rationality).
J. One must acknowledge that there are some things hard to be understood.
DETAILED STUDY OF THESE TEN SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES.
A. One must have true faith in the supreme authority of the divine inspiration of Scripture as the infallible word of God, thus the final authority for my life.
1. Without this all other rules of hermeneutics and exegesis fail.
2. Discussion of Thomas Warren's argument for Christianity is appropriate here.
That argument is as follows:
A. If men can know:
(1) That God is,
(2) That the Bible is the word of God, and
(3) That the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that, to be saved from their sins, men must believe in, love, and obey Him, then men can know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that to be saved from their sins men must believe in, love and obey Him.
B. Men can know:
(1) That God is,
(2) That the Bible is the word of God, and
(3) That the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that to be saved from their sins men must believe in, love and obey Him.
C. Therefore, men can know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that to be saved from their sins men must believe in, love and obey Him.
The implications of the Bible not being inspired, authoritative and infallible are far reaching. If we hold the view that it contains the word of God and the word of men then we must establish some criteria for determining what is the word of God and what is the word of men.
If it is not the word of God then there is no absolute and objective standard for living (thus no final authority). We are then ruled by our feelings of what is right and wrong and we must somehow account for such things as its:
(1) Prophecy and fulfillment,
(2) Unity,
(3) Historical accuracy, and
(4) Scientific accuracy.
B. One must remember that the original Bible as God gave it came in the Hebrew language in the Old Testament and in the Greek in the New Testament.
1. The original writings are the ultimate authority, not the various translations.
2. "The Greek New Testament is the New Testament. All else is translation."
3. God inspired the original writers, but not manuscript copiers nor translators. Yet we today have the message God gave us preserved accurately for all practical purposes.
4. Serious Bible students need either to know the original Bible languages or to make full and accurate use of the best translations with the help of those who do know the original language of Scripture.
5. One must know something of how to evaluate the many modern translations in order to make good use of their good points and to avoid being misled by their errors.
C. One must accept the Scriptural fact that God gave the Bible to us to be understood, believed and obeyed, and God holds him responsible for knowing it.
1. Isaiah 1:18.
2. Ephesians 5:17.
3. John 8:31,32.
4. John 20:30,31.
5. Matthew 4:4.
6. 2 Timothy 2:15.
7. 2 Timothy 3:14-17.
D. One must realize that Scripture is understood by spiritual receptivity as much as by intellectual effort and scholarship.
1. Proverbs 1:7.
2. We must be "noble" enough spiritually to "receive the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things" are so (Acts 17:11,12).
3. We must humble ourselves as "children" as we hear and study God's Word; if not, God will "hide" his truth from us (Matthew 11:25,26; 13:10ff; 18:1-4).
4. We must take heed "how" we hear the Word and have an "honest and good heart" into which the spiritual seed may be sown (Luke 8:9-18).
5. In God's sight we must be "of the truth" dominated by "the Spirit of truth" (John 18:37; 1 John 4:5,6; John 8:46,47).
6. We must "hunger and thirst" after God's Word, and "will (determine) to do His will" in order to know God's truth to the saving of our souls (Matthew 5:6; John 7:17. See Greek, ASV, RSV, NASV, NIV of John 7:17).
7. We must "give diligence" to "handle aright" or "rightly divide" (Greek "cutting straight") the Word, that we may please Him (2 Timothy 2:15. KJV; ASV; etc.).
8. We must have such absolute faith in God's Word that we will "let God be found true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).
9. We must remember that in God's Word "some things are hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsteadfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16,17).
10. We must remember that the "curse" ("anathema") of God is upon those who pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-10).
11. We must beware of "corrupting the word of God" or of "handling the word of God deceitfully" (2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2-4).
12. We must have a strong "love of the truth" of God lest God send us "strong delusion" ("working of error") and we believe a lie (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12; 1 Kings 22:8-23).
13. We must not approach God's Word with "idols" in our heart or any "stumbling-
block of iniquity" before our face lest we be "deceived" (Ezekiel 14:1-11;
33:30-33).
14. We must avoid "itching ears" spiritually in order to endure sound doctrine and to keep away from "fables" (2 Timothy 4:1-4).
15. We must remember that the Word of God is a sharp spiritual instrument that pierces to the depths of our souls, " to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12,13).
E. One must meditate on the Word of God day and night.
Some never discover the hidden treasures to be found in the Bible because they have not learned to look past the cover; and in order to obtain these precious gems a person must approach the Scriptures with the proper spiritual attitude and the fervency with which they would search for hidden treasures.
(1) Job 23:12.
(2) Matthew 4:4.
Why do people miss discovering these hidden treasures?
Spiritual Blindness:
(a) Jeremiah 10:23.
(b) Proverbs 16:25.
(c) Matthew 6:19-23.
(2) A False Balance:
Some do not recognize the genuine value of the hidden treasures of Scripture because they are using a "natural" balance to weigh "spiritual" blessings.
If we were to weigh these treasures on God's scale or measure them by His standard, we would find them worthy more than silver or rubies or gold and precious jewels.
1. Proverbs 16:16.
2. Proverbs 3:15.
3. Proverbs 20:15.
Some, like the man who tore down his barns to build bigger barns, do not seem to be able to fairly assess the value of material things over the worth of their own soul (Luke 12:13-21).
1. Jesus said "Take heed and keep yourselves from all covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (12:13).
2. Then He cautions us against laying up for ourselves treasures on earth, rather than being rich toward God (12:21).
"For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?" (Mark 8:37).
F. One must remember that it is necessary to get the whole counsel of God on any subject in order to learn God's complete and whole will; part of the truth is not enough.
Paul was pure from the blood of all men because he shrank not from declaring unto them "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:26,27). Paul knew that many times people are willing to receive part of the truth but are not willing to accept it all, because some of it convicts them of sin or error. The same principle is set forth in the record of Jesus' temptation by the devil, Matthew 4:1-11. After Jesus referred to Scripture "It is written," Satan did the same thing; but Jesus replied to Satan: "Again it is written" and cited another passage which showed that Satan was misusing, perverting the passage he referred to, making an extreme application which God never intended, and which contradicted Scripture elsewhere. Thus Jesus showed that it took the "whole" counsel of God on the subject in order to interpret correctly the passage which Satan offered.
It is not one Scripture against another, but one Scripture in the light of another or others. Generations of the best legal minds in our country have determined that testimony in courts of law should be presented on the basis of "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Not simply "truth," but the "whole truth," and "nothing but the truth." This is the only way to make it airtight for the whole truth only.
If men had been as careful in handling Scripture as they were in setting the standard in court procedure, the religious world would have been spared a vast amount of error and false doctrine. A large percentage of popular religious errors today are nothing more than taking some few favorite verses in Scripture, ignoring many other vital passages on the subject, and pressing them to an extreme position which conflicts with other points of truth (exactly what Satan did against Jesus in Matthew 4).
For example, Matthew 7:1 is endlessly quoted by many today ("Judge not, that ye be not judged."), and misapplied to mean that one must never criticize, condemn, or expose any sin or error, or "judge" in any sense whatever. But they do not know of or never refer to John 7:24 where Jesus said: "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." Again, in 1 Corinthians 5th chapter and chapter 6:1-4, the apostle commanded the Corinthian church to "judge" (put away) the fornicator. It is sinful perversion of God's word to abuse it in the manner above, yet it is practiced widely even by some in the church.
Three key elements in Biblical interpretation: the total evidence, handling the evidence, and the conclusions drawn.
The total evidence is that which purports to be supportive of the conclusions drawn and/or asserted. It involves all that the Bible has to say on a particular subject. This obviously requires a great deal of diligence by virtue of the fact that you must have a workable knowledge of the whole Bible.
For example, the general theme of the Bible ought to be known. The Bible: 66 books total. 39 O.T. (Law, Psalms, Prophets). 27 N.T. (Gospel, History, Epistles, Prophecy).
Periods of Bible History:
1. Each book of Scripture ought to be understood in light of the period to which it pertains.
2. One of the reasons many people find the Bible so difficult to read and understand is that they do not have a firm grasp on the fifteen periods of Bible history. With a workable outline, one can identify an event in history to a particular period of time. Without some understanding of the chronological structure of Bible history, names and events become obscure and significant correlations are missed.
G. One must make proper use of the context of any statement in Scripture.
1. "Context" is defined: "1. the parts of a sentence, paragraph, discourse, etc. that occur just before and after a specified word or passage, and determine its exact meaning...2. the whole situation, background, or environment relevant to some happening or personality."
2. Studying or understanding any statement in its immediate context is a principle widely understood even in the world. Common sense of man causes him to consider what he hears or reads in the context of the particular subject, conversation and circumstances.
3. At the same time, many have not learned to study and understand Scripture in its context and circumstances; or who pull the text out of its context and proceed to make it a mere pretext for almost any idea which they wish to believe or teach. This is violation of common sense and a sinful perversion of God's word, yet it is widely practiced by religious people.
4. One of the most serious flaws in the King James Version (and other versions) of the Bible is the making of a separate paragraph (structurally) for every verse of Scripture. This breaks up the unity and the context and the completeness of subjects, conversation and events, and has caused many to miss the unified connections of verses.
5. There is the immediate context of a statement, the words in the same sentence or paragraph or conversation or record of the event. Obviously, this is the first thing to study carefully.
6. Then there is the wider context of the whole narrative of an extended event (like John 13,14,15,16, and 17th chapters), or a whole book of Scripture (like Ecclesiastes in its peculiar qualities); books like Galatians and Romans – in fact, most Bible books have some important background, occasion or purpose which are important to know and remember as one ponders the meaning of individual statements in the book. For example, it is agreed that the Gnostic heresy was the particular reason for some of the statements in the books of Colossians and the epistles of John.
7. Then there is the context of the whole Bible itself, the unity of all Scripture, its harmony that must be remembered in interpreting any passage or narrative or book in Scripture. No exposition of any passage can properly be done which conflicts with plain teaching of Scripture somewhere else, even though it is far removed from the immediate context.
8. But sometimes the context of a Scripture passage is misused and excessively shortened or excessively extended in its application. Each context must be carefully studied to distinguish the temporary and the permanent items, the incidentals and the essentials, and the human customs or culture-items involved, if any, differentiated from the permanent laws or commands of God. This is not always easy, and constitutes one of the most difficult areas of hermeneutics and exegesis.
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