Hermeneutics: Hermeneutics is the science and the art of biblical interpretation. It is a science because there are rules for interpreting Scripture. It is an art because Scripture is not monolithic; it contains multiple genres and was written over a vast period of time, by many authors, in different languages. It requires discernment to know which rules of interpretation to apply to any given text to find its intended meaning.
That, ultimately, is the goal of hermeneutics: to understand how to interpret the text to find its intended meaning.
Source: Ligonier Ministries What Is Hermeneutics?
Jesus & The Scriptures
Too long, please open your BibleLuke 24:13-49
What we believe about Jesus is important
It is not enough to believe in Jesus. We have to ensure that we believe the right things about Him.
The disciples clearly believed in the Messianic mission to redeem, but their hermeneutics did not accommodate His death on a cross. They considered His death a failure of the Messianic mission.
Jesus’ first step in curing their blindness was to change their hermeneutic lens to show that indeed, the scriptures tell that the Messiah was supposed to die, with His death being the entrance into His glory.
The Bible is how God wants to reveal himself
Jesus could have given them a unique experience to reveal Himself but He instead decided to it through the scriptures. Our faith has to be anchored on the scriptures. If scripture is insufficient, nothing will suffice.
For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sinsaccording to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
We have to really ask questions if we’re engaging scriptures and we consistently find things (including ourselves) other than Jesus.
The OT is a story that leads up to Jesus
Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
Luke 24:47
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me
John 5:39
The scriptures telling witness of Jesus isn’t just about finding messianic prophesies or finding types & shadows (although those are essential). It is about realising that the entire narrative is summed up, or leads up to Him.
God wasn’t just whiling away time in history till Jesus; the story of Israel (and of the world) actually led up to Jesus.
Jesus our model reader
Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”
Mark 1:14-15 (NET)
Mark gives us a summarizing statement of Jesus’ emphasis & mission in His earthly ministry; the kingdom of God has come.
The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as He rules over His creation and brings his plans to realization.
Every time Jesus had to interpret scripture or teach His disciples, He did in light of His mission; the kingdom of God
Too long, please open your Bible
Matthew 4:1-10
Satan will take advantage of perverted readings of scripture to work his will in us. We might not do things that we consider explicitly sinful, but we will in our lifestyle, actions and decisions stray farther from the ideals of God’s kingdom.
We have to screen everything about ourselves; our ambitions, desires, decisions, lifestyle e.t.c through the lens of God’s kingdom as seen in scripture. However, we can only have the correct understanding if we read correctly.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.
1 Corinthians 4:6
Our role as the church
But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15
Our primary responsibility as a body of believers is to uphold the truth of God’s word, and teach people to do same.
You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
The scriptures through which God has chosen to reveal Himself is ancient literature with different genres, styles, e.t.c.
In order to not miss Jesus & His kingdom, we have to at least make sure we understand what is written in its context.
Ligonier Ministries What Is Hermeneutics?