Types of bad hermeneutics

Types of Bad Hermeneutics

Why can’t I Read the way I want?

Throughout the years, numerous preachers and writers have understood and interpreted individual Bible verses in ways that are contrary to their original context. In doing so, they have suggested meanings and formed doctrines that are not supported by the text itself, and neither is their meaning found in any standard commentary by reputable authors.

Below is a list of certain types of bad hermeneutics that are being used today.

A) – Isolationism: is the practice of isolating a verse of scripture from its proper context so as to change its meaning or support an unbiblical doctrine.

Example: Quoting Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”) to justify unrealistic personal ambitions without considering the context of enduring hardship.

B) – Spiritualizing: is the reading of a spiritual idea or concept into the text even though the particular text does not support it.

Example: Claiming the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) represents hidden symbols about end-times prophecy rather than a call to love one’s neighbor.

C) – Culturalizing: Interpreting a scripture verse in light of changing culture instead of going back to the cultural context in which it was written.

Example: Dismissing the biblical teaching on marriage in Ephesians 5:22–33 as outdated rather than understanding its cultural and theological significance.

D) – Nationalizing: Reading one’s own country into a warning and/or promise that was given specifically to the nation of Israel.

Example: Applying 2 Chronicles 7:14 (“If my people… humble themselves and pray… I will heal their land”) to a modern nation without recognizing it was addressed to ancient Israel.

E) – Redefining: Assigning new meanings to biblical terms to suit one’s own theology.

Example: Changing the definition of “sin” to mean only societal injustices, ignoring its broader biblical meaning of rebellion against God.

F) – Generalizing: Assuming that a historical event or promise in scripture is normative and universally applicable today.

Example: Believing that God’s promise of land to Abraham (Genesis 12:7) applies directly to individuals or nations today.

G) – Emotionalism & Experientialism: Interpreting the Bible subjectively based on one’s emotions and personal experiences.

Example: Deciding God’s will based on feelings after reading a verse, without considering its intended meaning or broader context.

H) – Individualizing: Reading oneself into the text of scripture and claiming that the elements and characters in the text are about oneself.

Example: Seeing oneself as David in the story of David and Goliath, interpreting every “giant” as personal struggles to overcome.

I) – Numerological eisegesis: Taking various numbers in the Bible out of their context and assigning irrelevant meanings to them.

Example: Claiming that the number of fish caught in John 21:11 (153 fish) holds hidden codes for predicting end-times events.

J) – Assuming a false premise: Quickly jumping to conclusions about the meaning of a certain verse or passage of scripture, thereby resulting in a false interpretation.

Example: Interpreting Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not, that you be not judged”) as forbidding all judgment, without considering the call for righteous judgment elsewhere in Scripture (John 7:24).

Consequences of improper hermeneutics

Out of Context

Consequences of improper hermeneutics

The main problem with taking verses of context is that it distorts our view of God and can cause major issues in one’s faith and their walk with the Lord.

Here are 4 main consequences of improper hermeneutics;

(1) Limited or incomplete view of God

When verses are picked out of the context in which the author wrote them, we fall in danger of retrospectively changing how we view God and His word.

By plucking verses out of their proper context, we can miss out on the true intended meaning of the Scripture, end up with partial truth, and miss out on important theological concepts that the Bible teaches us.

The misinterpretation of the Scriptures is precisely how believers end up with a view of God as a “cosmic vending machine” as described in the prosperity gospel, or a God that is “only about love with no justice” as portrayed in “the progressive Christianity movement.

These are unfortunate consequences of misinterpretations that focus on the gifts and blessings of God rather than on Christ, who has provided them for us.

(2) An exalted view of self

When the text of scripture is misapplied, the consequence is that people may end up with an exalted view of themselves. Therefore, it is only natural that when people have an incomplete view of God, it intrinsically leads to glorifying men.

People love to feel good about themselves, and so they end up focusing solely on scriptures concerning God’s love, peace and joy. While these are essential components of Christianity, it is unfortunate when that is all a Christian knows about the faith. Because when trials, pain or persecution comes, they may end up devastated because they don’t fully understand the whole counsel of God.

Furthermore, those who develop an exalted view of themselves also struggle to submit to the exclusivity of Christ because they are being taught that the Bible revolves around them. On the contrary, the Bible’s purpose is to continually redirect our attention to the nature of God, the work of Jesus and the continuous work of the Spirit in this world.

The scriptures should lead us to have a greater view of God and a lesser view of ourselves.

(3) Surface-level understanding of Scripture

When people skim through Scripture only to obtain an immediate solution or application, it merely leads to a surface-level understanding of Scripture.

The Bible is not a self-help book or a manual for instant solutions and easy answers. Rather, it is a means to know God and the mechanism through which God has chosen to reveal Himself to us.

We must read the Bible in its entirety and not simply read individual verses in isolation.

The proper study of the Scriptures takes time and effort on behalf of the believer, which, unfortunately, many shy away from doing.

When we take time to read and understand the scriptures, we can fully the God’s whole counsel of God and get a better and truer understanding of the nature of God.

(4) Missing out on the full meaning of God’s Word

When Scriptures are misused, misquoted and misapplied, it can cause believers to miss out on the full meaning of God’s word.

Christians today are more focused on cliche one-off statements that can be printed on t-shirts or tattooed on rather than being motivated to study scripture to grasp the fullness of God.

Once saved we must strive to become diligent seekers of God through the sacred Scriptures and trust the Holy Spirit to give us the understanding and application we need.