Bible Study Methods || Hermeneutics III

 

11) Don't make unnecessary doctrines based on any single passage or verse unless whole scripture verifies it.

 

E.g. God doesn't know future based on Genesis 6:6. This is merely an anthropomorphic language that God felt sad when he saw human disaster increasing. On the other hand, God too has emotions and he expresses them. The whole scripture affirms the fact that he knows future otherwise there wouldn't be prophecies, Matthew 24 and even the book of Revelation. It's like parents knowing their children wouldn't even study for exams and they will fail this time too. Yet they mourn and feel sad. There is nothing wrong for God to feel happy, sad or angry just because he knows everything.

 

12) Don't commit etymological error. The meaning of any word is determined by the context where the word appears. We cannot use a particular word every time just by its root meaning.

 

A good example is perhaps the meaning of "day" in Genesis 1. Although the Hebrew word Yom is generally used for day hour, it isn't necessary that every time where the particular word appears, it must be addressing to "day light hour". Simply, Genesis 2:4 uses the same word day but referring to whole 6 days.

 

13) The unexplainable ones doesn't always remain unexplainable. This one is what we must care about. Many passages in the Bible are obviously difficult to understand but that doesn't mean they can never be explained. As human development progresses, so does the research and investigations. Many stuffs that were considered once fable in the Bible has been now confirmed archaeologically.

 

One example could be Trinity itself. In Old testament, certain passages were difficult to understand and Jewish circle had a concept of two powers in heaven. However, after Jesus came, the Trinity concept of God started being clear.

 

14) Don't use any external evidences to support biblical events unless verified. This is important when you consider apologetics. Not every so-called evidence we see in internet are actual evidences. Don't even use controversial or oversimplified or oversighted topics for evidence. We must check everything. This includes so-called rock with a claim of being Lot's wife, ancient chariots found under red sea, shroud of Turin that is still under great debate, overemphasized topic like laminin as proof of cross, hoax of Joshua's missing day being found using computers, etc.

 

15) Don't rely too much on extra-biblical stuffs. It is true that Biblical authors certainly used extra-biblical texts to give weight on their messages. It could be book of Jasher in Joshua 10 or 1 Enoch quoted by Jude and has some possible good connection even with Genesis 6:1-4. But this doesn't mean we must consider them reliable and use them every time for biblical interpretation. The biblical authors used them to attract audience and teach them something greater points. They were just using them as reference the way preachers today might use a country's history, someone's biography or even movies so that audience can connect with their message.

 

E.g. one cannot assume that demons are disembodied spirits of Nephilim who were destroyed in the flood and teach them in the church just being based on book of Enoch. It was just a popular and important work during second temple period incorporating commonly believed things at that time about angelic rebellion, demons, giants and things talked about coming of a Messiah. This doesn't automatically follow that demons are such spirits.