Sunset International Studies · Biblical Hermeneutics
Biblical Interpretation
A systematic guide to Sacred Hermeneutics — the science and art of determining what the Bible means and how it applies to life today.
Sunset International Studies · Biblical Hermeneutics
A systematic guide to Sacred Hermeneutics — the science and art of determining what the Bible means and how it applies to life today.
Sacred Hermeneutics is the study of methods for determining the meaning of biblical text. The core thesis: the Bible can be understood — and understood alike — by all people who approach it rightly.
The view that "my interpretation is as good as yours" — driven by existentialism and the rejection of absolutes — has invaded the church. This position is both philosophically incoherent and spiritually dangerous.
God wrote scripture to communicate. He expects people to understand it — and to understand it alike. The goal of hermeneutics is to recover the author's intended meaning, not to generate personal meanings.
The idea that only the Holy Spirit directly enlightens each reader, making methodology unnecessary. This contradicts Paul's own instruction to "rightly handle the word of truth."
"Whatever it means to me is valid." This leads to as many interpretations as there are readers — which destroys any concept of authoritative scripture.
The view that since people disagree on scripture, agreement is impossible. But disagreement proves only that some are wrong — not that understanding is unachievable.
| Ch. | Topic | Core question |
|---|---|---|
| I | Introduction | Can we understand the Bible alike? |
| II | Proper Attitude | What mindset enables good interpretation? |
| III | Basic Assumptions | What must we presuppose before we start? |
| IV–V | Successive Readings | How do repeated, focused readings reveal meaning? |
| VI | Exegesis Process | How do we study the whole book before the passage? |
| VII | Fundamental Rules | What rules govern interpreting a passage? |
| VIII | Tools of the Trade | What reference materials should I use? |
| IX | Binding Commands | Which NT commands apply to us today? |
| X | Biblical Examples | When do examples become precedents? |
| XI | Silence of Scripture | Does silence permit or forbid? |
| XII | Differences | Why do sincere believers disagree? |
Chapter II argues that interpretation is not merely intellectual — it requires a spiritual posture. Wrong attitudes corrupt the process before it begins.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who diligently studied scripture yet rejected Him (John 5:39–40). The goal of Bible study is knowing the Father, not accumulating knowledge.
"What will He tell me today?" Approach the text expecting to hear from God — not merely to complete a task or confirm existing beliefs.
A healthy fear of God keeps the interpreter humble. "My flesh trembles in fear of you" (Ps. 119:120). This guards against treating scripture casually or manipulatively.
Willingness to be corrected. Bringing pre-formed conclusions to the text (prejudice) is one of the three chief reasons people misread the Bible.
Serious study takes time. The Bible is not a book to be skimmed. Psalm 119 returns repeatedly to the theme of meditating on God's word day and night.
The student must be willing to obey what is found. An interpreter who has already decided what they will and won't accept is not reading the text — they are using it.
Four foundational assumptions that all sound biblical interpretation must accept:
Scripture originated from God, not merely from human genius. This means it has unified, coherent meaning — and that meaning is authoritative.
The words Jesus spoke on earth — recorded in the four Gospels — are as authoritative as any other part of Scripture. He is the living Word made flesh.
Through careful canonicity review and faithful transmission, we have received the Scripture in substantially accurate form. Jewish copyists and NT manuscript traditions both support this.
While all translations have weaknesses, we have access to faithful English translations. The NAS is recommended for word-for-word accuracy. Use multiple translations to check against each other.
The core methodology: reading the same text repeatedly, each time with a different "angle" or focus.
Break the text into units of thought — not grammatical diagrams, but thought structures. Write out the passage in your own words, grouping ideas by their logical relationships (main assertion, support, qualification, conclusion). This "syntax" work makes the argument of a passage visible.
After studying each chapter, write a one-sentence theme summary. These accumulate into a structural overview of the whole book — the closest thing to an outline the author left you.
Chapter VII presents the core interpretive rules that govern reading any biblical passage. These rules govern all legitimate interpretation regardless of genre.
Every passage has one meaning — the one the author intended. A text may have many applications, but it has only one meaning. Multiple contradictory interpretations cannot all be correct.
Scripture was written by farmers, shepherds, and fishermen — to people like themselves. God was not hiding truth in obscure language. If the plain meaning makes good sense, seek no other sense. Reject allegorical readings that ignore the obvious.
Unclear passages are best illuminated by clearer ones. No doctrine should rest on a single difficult verse. If your interpretation of one passage contradicts what the Bible teaches elsewhere, reconsider your interpretation.
A text without its context is a pretext. Understand the immediate context (surrounding verses), chapter context, book context, and historical context before drawing conclusions.
Ask what the text meant to the original readers before asking what it means to you. The gap between original meaning and contemporary application must be crossed deliberately — not collapsed.
The original language (Hebrew/Greek) is the authoritative text. When precision matters, use a concordance to check the actual word used and its range of meaning in that era.
The reference library a serious student should build. Key principle: use tools to support your reading of the text — never let them replace it.
| Tool | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Study Bible | Primary text with notes, maps, cross-refs | Use a different Bible for study than for worship. Wide margins for notes help. |
| Concordance | Find every use of a word; access original Hebrew/Greek (Strong's) | Essential for key word study. Know what the original said. |
| Bible dictionary | Historical, cultural, geographical background | Helps fill in what original readers already knew. |
| Bible atlas | Geography of events | Location profoundly shapes meaning — know where things happened. |
| Multiple translations | Compare renderings | NAS for accuracy; compare 2–3 to see where translators made judgment calls. |
| Interlinear translation | See original language word-by-word | Useful even without knowing Greek or Hebrew. Shows exact word order. |
| Commentary | Scholarly interpretation and background | Read after your own study. Commentaries can become a crutch — use carefully. |
Chapter IX addresses one of the most debated hermeneutical questions: which New Testament commands apply to Christians today — and how do we determine that?
The NT commands were spoken/written almost 2,000 years ago. But Jesus said "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15) — without a time limit. The apostles wrote with the expectation that their letters would be read, understood, and obeyed (Ephesians 3:2–6; 2 Thessalonians 2:14–15).
Commands addressed to "the church," "brothers," or "all who call on the name of the Lord" are broadly binding. Commands to specific individuals in unique situations may not be.
If the reason behind the command is culturally bound, the command's application may be culturally limited — but the underlying principle remains. Separate the principle from its cultural expression.
A command understood as universally binding should be consistent with, not contradictory to, the broader teaching of the New Testament.
Chapter X asks: when do actions described in scripture become binding practices — not just illustrations?
Examples explicitly endorsed by apostolic teaching or practice carry authority. The Lord's Supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) is an approved example — binding on the church today.
Paul sailed to preach — sailing is incidental. The church evangelized as they scattered — evangelism is essential. Ask whether the example fulfills a universal command or is just the method used in one circumstance.
The "holy kiss" greeting (Romans 16:16) expressed the principle of showing brotherly affection — the principle is binding, the cultural form is not. Hugs, handshakes, and words of warmth fulfill the same principle today.
A practice that appears across multiple books, churches, and contexts carries stronger weight than a single occurrence. Consistent NT practice suggests universal intention.
Chapter XI addresses a uniquely contested question: when the Bible doesn't mention something, does that silence permit it or forbid it?
When God gives a general command without specifying the means, the silence on specifics permits freedom. "Go into all the world" doesn't specify transportation — any means may be used. Having a church building, using a sound system, choosing song books — these fall under the silence that permits.
When God specifies the means, what is not included is excluded. God told Noah to build from gopher wood — no other wood was authorized. If a command specifies the category and God specifies within it, alternatives in that same category are excluded unless authorized elsewhere.
The "authority pattern": required specifics commanded → alternatives in that category are excluded. General commands without specification → freedom in the specifics. The key is identifying whether a command is generic or specific, and what category it governs.
Sincere, diligent Christians still disagree. Here is a framework for understanding why — and how to respond.
Most disagreements stem not from bad intent but from insufficient work. Conclusion-drawing before thorough successive reading and context study produces premature interpretations.
What we have been taught shapes what we see. Breaking free of inherited interpretations requires courage and a willingness to follow the text wherever it leads.
People using fundamentally different methods will reach different conclusions even reading the same text. The solution is not to tolerate all methods, but to agree on the right method — historical-grammatical interpretation.
Sometimes the text is clear — but the interpreter is unwilling to accept the conclusion. This is not a hermeneutical problem; it's a spiritual one.
Unity in the body of Christ is not achieved by tolerating all interpretations — it is achieved by all parties returning to the text and following the method faithfully. Jesus prayed "that all of them may be one" (John 17) — and Paul grounded that unity in shared submission to scripture, not in agreeing to disagree.