Spiritual Interpretation of the Bible
Although an argument may be made that all spiritual meaning should be excluded from biblical interpretation in favor of a literal meaning, I do not. Accordingly, the following post presupposes the validity of spiritual interpretation, and I will yield arguments to the...Path to Learn Biblical Languages
Discussion Board 1: Question 3My previous experience in the formal study of biblical languages aligns with the typical language progression of a Master of Divinity program. First, I took two semesters of beginning Greek. The course followed William Mounce’s...Text Driven Preaching
Question 1: Text-Driven PreachingWhen discussing doctrinal fidelity, Ned Matthews (pp. 87-92) explains that a text-driven man will be less likely to dilute the gospel for fear of the consequences and less likely to shape the message to assure popularity. Provide at...How Did Apostles Interpret the Bible?
Regarding the concept of Abner Chou’s prophetic hermeneutic, an important question is how the New Testament apostles interpreted the Old Testament prophets. Did the apostles shift the meaning of the prophets, or did the apostles find a fuller meaning (sensus...Bible Interpretation: Historical Context
To begin, I want to thank all the participants for such great questions. I do agree with Osborne that the historical background provides a three-dimensional aspect to a sermon or any biblical teaching. The question posed regarding the dangers on delivering a message...Dialectical Bible Interpretation
Although John O’Keefe and R. R. Reno explore the dialectical strategies of the Church Fathers in combination with lexical and associative strategies that often inform the development of typological and allegorical readings, the question at hand is much more...Biblical Word Studies
Semantic Range StudyA traditional word study, also known as a semantic range study, first attempts to determine what a word could mean by identifying the word’s semantic range and then attempts to determine what the word does mean based on the word’s...Hermeneutical Virtues
Discussion Board 3: Hermeneutical VirtuesAndreas Köstenberger and Richard Patterson’s book, Invitation to Biblical Interpretation, provides twelve interpretive virtues in the spirit of 1 Peter 1:3-11.[1] Powerfully, Peter explains that whoever lacks these...Exposition of Jonah 3
Introduction Many pastors and teachers through the years have taught that the book of Jonah, and specifically chapter 3, represents powerful preaching, incredible missionary prowess, and extraordinary evangelistic results. However, the question of the efficacy of...Old Testament: Messianic Expectation
The Old Testament establishes a robust messianic expectation that becomes increasingly apparent through a careful biblical-theological analysis. The following essay briefly analyzes the biblical-theological approach and then mentions a few necessary theological...Theology of Jonah
Introduction The overall theological message of the book of Jonah has been debated throughout the centuries. The vast number of themes in Jonah surely contribute to the diversity of the debate. A popular proposal is to read the book of Jonah typologically where Jonah...Ecclesiastes and Psychoanalysis
The book of Ecclesiastes has a long and storied history of interpretation. From the arguments at the Council of Jamnia over canonicity, Jerome’s Neoplatonic allegorical reading, and the literal and theological readings of Luther and Melanchthon during the...Ancient Near East Background of the Bible
The similarities between ancient Near Eastern texts and the Old Testament are palpable, which has spawned a multitude of cross-cultural and comparative studies. Based on the significant relational connections, some conclude that the Bible is one of many ancient myths,...Ecclesiastes 9:1-10: Exegetical Analysis
The book of Ecclesiastes has a long history of interpretation. On the one hand, it would be easy for some scholars to suggest that significant portions of the text are heretical. On the other hand, it might be tempting for conservative scholars to contort...Figurative Language of the Old Testament
The abundant use of figurative language within the Old Testament’s prophetic corpus requires a thoughtful interpretive approach. The following essay first expounds on the metaphorical language in prophetic rhetoric in the Old Testament and then distinguishes...Jeremiah 20: Literary Features
Prophetic rhetoric utilizes the structure and form of language to effectively communicate a message, and the prophet Jeremiah represents one of the finest rhetoricians of all time. A key question for interpretation is how literary features inform understanding....Relevance of Prophetic Preaching
IntroductionThe issue of idolatry continues to pervade the life of many Christians. An important question is how the Old Testament prophets point to timeless, practical principles related to idolatry that inform and enhance a modern believer’s life. By ignoring...Ezekiel 36: Recovery of Honor
IntroductionIn Ezekiel chapter 36, Yahweh conveys a message to His prophet in the form of a divine monologue that evolves into a transformational message to the Israelites. Famously, the promised heart transplant continues to astound and amaze both its readers and...Background and Themes of Judges
Engaging any literary masterpiece requires more than a simple reading of the text. In the case of biblical literature, and especially with regard to the fascinating historical narratives in the book of Judges, an understanding of the broader landscape of the ancient...
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