The Bible

The Bible is the most published, studied, translated, and quoted book in history. Yet, at the same time, it is also one of the most misused and misinterpreted book of all time.

The Bible is a unique book written over a period of 1,500 years by approximately 40 different authors who represent over 19 different occupations (shepherds, soldiers, farmers, fishermen, a tax collector, a medical doctors, kings, etc.).

The first 39 books of the Bible (old testament) were written in Hebrew over about 1,000 years. Following this, there was a 400-year gap where no Scriptures were written. After that, the last 27 books of the Bible (new testament) were written in Greek over a period of 50 years. 

What makes the Bible a divinely inspired book is that the individual writers could not have collaborated as they did not live during the same time period. Furthermore, their writings perfectly fit together with no contradictions / errors as they describe the story of God’s eternal plan for the redemption of mankind from the beginning to the end.

It is astonishing how even though there are various authors for the books of the Bible; every word is still divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit of God as He worked through them. 

Therefore as we study and read the Scriptures, it is key that we investigate and interpret each passage correctly to understand what it says accurately.

Hermeneutics

We should interpret the Bible using proper hermeneutics.

Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpreting the Bible by using one or more methods to understand the meaning of the text.

The term hermeneutics is derived from the Greek word ἑρμηνεύω (hermeneuō), which means “to interpret” or “to translate.”

Exegesis

Is the study of Scripture in an objective way to discover the intended meaning of the text. This is achieved by carefully analysing the original language and context involved.

Exegesis comes from the Greek word “exēgeisthai” which means to draw out / lead out or to explain / interpret. 

Exegesis is the correct way of interpreting the text of Scripture by understanding the author’s true intent. When we read Bible verses in their immediate context, we can get a clearer picture and meaning of the text to understand what it says and does not say. 

Eisegesis

Is the study of Scripture in a way that allows for a subjective meaning to be implied into the text.

Eisegesis is a way of reading Scripture in which the reader imposes their own presuppositions and perspectives onto the text, resulting in a meaning that suits the reader’s preferences rather than what the text actually conveys. Eisegesis is not a satisfactory way of understanding the biblical text.

Purpose of this blog.

The primary purpose of writing this blog is to address the Eisegesis type (the incorrect way) of Bible interpretation, as it very easily lends itself to error.

Today in the church, there are many misinterpretations of God’s word. Many emotionally charged preachers use the Bible to make it agree with their sermon rather than allowing the Bible to be the basis of their sermon.

We all have desires; thoughts, wants, and traditions and what we naturally end up doing is going directly into the Scriptures with all our preconceived ideas, and we try and justify or prove a case by taking the verses out of context.

Some interpreters consciously or unconsciously impose an incorrect or subjective meaning to a text in order to dull out the message so that their listeners are not directly offended by the implications of the text of Scripture.

Other interpreters eagerly use Bible verses to affirm their personal views and beliefs or even to support their slogans to launch their various church programs. 

What essentially happens is we end with interpretations that force the Bible to agree with us rather than allowing us to agree with the Bible.

When we force the Bible to agree with our interpretations, we can abuse the scriptures to mean anything we want it to mean. Whether it is on the matter of divorce, marriage, buying a mansion, or even hating someone. We could almost justify anything by isolating a given verse out of its proper context.

More importantly, Eisegesis affects the thinking of people who can no longer determine absolute truth consistently, which often leads to doubt and unbelief concerning biblical doctrines.

We may all need to unlearn some bad reading habits regarding the sacred scriptures. But, most importantly, we need to be able to read the scriptures in their ‘context’, which is what this book will help you do.

I pray that through this blog, believers will be able to rid themselves of improper hermeneutics and begin to learn to interpret the word of God accurately. 

What can you expect from reading this blog?

In this blog, we will first give you a basic understanding of the Do’s and Dont’s when it comes to the interpretation of Scripture. Following which, we dive directly into some of the common verses that are taken out of context, and explain why they are wrongly applied along side the true intended purpose for which it is written.

The aim here is to help you learn how to properly read the Scripture in context, which will enable you to exposit the beauty and true meaning of the text of scripture.

We want everyone to use proper Exegesis in their study of scriptures allowing the Holy Spirit to renew their minds with a Biblical worldview.