Literal, Grammatical, Historical

 

Everyone uses “a” method of Bible study and interpretation, whether conscious or not. Some use what has been called the magic finger method. Others use the devotional approach, and make application before they are sure of what the verse actually means. Yet others are content to let others tell them what the Bible means… missing out on the joy of discovering truths in the Word for themselves. Unfortunately some others have given up on Bible study altogether, having concluded that it is just too complicated. There are better ways to approach the subject of Bible study.

 

The best method of interpreting the Bible is to understand this Book as you would any other piece of literature or human speech.

 

Dr. Henry Morris : “”The best interpretation of a historical record is no interpretation but simply letting the divine Author of the record say what He says and assuming He says what He means.” (The Revelation Record)

 

Walter Kaiser on the basis of human communication: “The general rules for interpreting oral or written speech are not learned, invented, or discovered by men; rather they are part and parcel of our nature as individuals made in the image of God. This art has been in use ever since God gave the gift of communication and speech itself. The person spoken to is always the interpreter and the person speaking is always the author.”

 

 

Presuppositions of the literal method of Bible interpretation:

1.   That the Word of God is true and does not  contradict itself

a.   Since God is the Author behind the human authors, the Scriptures are true.

b.   Even if what the Bible says contradicts what we have previously assumed to be true. It does contradict science false so called; psychology; anthropology; even geology. Don’t ever say, “The Bible couldn’t mean what it says, for everybody knows the earth is billions of years old… or everybody knows that men are born with a blank slate…”

c.    Let God be true and every man a liar.

2.   That God expects men to understand His Word

a.   God have given us all the equipment we need to understand His Word: minds; hearts; the Holy Spirit; illumination; etc.

3.   That God’s Word is to be understood according to the regular laws governing human communication

4.   That the Bible says what it means and means what it says

a.   Don’t make Bible interpretation more difficult than it is.

b.   Just take God’s Word at face value.

5.   That our goal is to understand what the author meant when he wrote it, not what we think it means to us or how it makes us feel.

 A.   Literal

1.   Definitions

a.   The word literal is defined by Webster as: “The natural or usual construction and implication of a writing or expression; following the ordinary and apparent sense of words; not allegorical or metaphorical.”  (Webster’s New Dictionary)

                                              i.     This is the way we communicate in ever day speech.

                                             ii.     We ALL employ this method of interpretation in speech, in reading literature, in legal contracts, and in other forms of communication.

                              iii.     Imagine if you bought a new car and the seller used the “spiritual” method of interpreting the contract? ($600.00 per month for five years doesn’t literally mean for five literal years. It means an undetermined length of time… and $600.00 means a large sum of money… which is to be determined by the interpreter.)

b.   “To interpret means to explain the original sense of a speaker or writer. To interpret literally means to explain the original sense of the speaker or writer according to the normal, customary, and proper usages of words and language. Literal interpretation of the Bible simply means explaining the original sense of the Bible according to the normal and customary usages of its language.” [1]

c.    “The literal method of interpretation is that method that gives to each word the same exact basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking.”[2]

 

2.   As stated in our definition, the literal method assigns to every word and phrase the same meaning it would have in its normal usage, whether employed in speaking, writing, or thinking.

a.   To understand the literal meaning of a word in the Bible, use a dictionary.

b.   Keep in mind that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament in Greek.

c.    Use a good Bible dictionary to discover the meaning of the word in the original language.

d.   The very words of Scripture were the exact words chosen by God to convey a specific meaning to the readers (I Cor.2:13). The words were God-breathed. (II Tim.3:16)

e.   Over time, words often change meaning.

                                              i.     Examples in the KJV:

ü  I Thess. 4:15 – prevent = precede

ü  I Cor. 13:1 – charity = love

ü  Gal. 1:13 – conversation = conduct

ü  Matt. 3:4 – meat = food

                                             ii.     Examples of ancient Greek terms:

ü  Eph. 1:13 – earnest – ἀρραβών – Earnest money, a pledge, something which stands for part of the price and paid beforehand to confirm the transaction.) 

ü  In modern Greek this term is the word for wedding band.

ü  What matters is what meaning the author attached to it; what it meant in his day, not what it means today.

f.     Therefore, it is necessary to understand the literal meaning of the term in its original language, and its literal meaning in the day in which it was written.

 

3.   The Evidence for a literal method [3]

a.   The literal meaning is the normal approach in all languages.

b.   All secondary meanings of documents, parables, types, allegories, and symbols, depend for their very existence on the previous literal meaning of the terms.

c.    The greater part of the Bible makes adequate sense when interpreted literally.

d.   The literal approach does not blindly rule out figures of speech, symbols, allegories, and types.

e.   This method provides the only sane and safe check on the imagination of men.

f.     This method is the only one consonant with the nature of inspiration. (The very words of Scripture were inspired.)

g.   Old Testament prophecies which have been fulfilled have been fulfilled literally.

                           i.     Psalm 22; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2

                                           ii.     It should be noted that there are a handful of prophecies in the New Testament that “appear” to have a non-literal fulfillment, though that is debated. It may be that the authors had a different meaning for “fulfill.”

 

4.   The advantages of the literal method [4]

a.   It grounds interpretation in fact. (objective data; word meanings; etc.)

b.   It exercises a control over interpretation

c.    It has had the greatest success in opening up the Word of God

d.   It delivers us from human reasoning and mysticism

 B.   Grammatical

1.   We employ the literal, grammatical, historical method.

a.   This means that grammar must be analyzed in the interpretation.

b.   Grammar plays an important role in interpreting the text of Scripture.

 

2.   The study of grammar includes:

a.   lexicology (meaning of words)

                                              i.     It is necessary to look up the word in a good lexicon in the original language, not just in our English Bible.

                                             ii.     Rom. 5:11 – atonement = reconciliation (atonement = at-one-ment)

                                           iii.     I John 2:2 – world = kosmos (orderly system; not elect!)

                                           iv.     John 14:1 – “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” (Mansions means dwelling places – not a large estate with white pillars out front!)

b.   morphology (form of words)

                                              i.     I John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins.”  Is = estin, the present tense form of eimi, to be. He continually is the propitiation for our sins.

                                             ii.     Gal.3:16 – Paul’s whole argument is based upon whether the form of the word seed is singular or plural.

                                           iii.     In the Greek NT, an adjective agrees with the noun it modifies in number, case, and person.

                                           iv.     Eph.2:8-9 – What does “touto” (that) refer to? Does it refer to faith as the gift of God? However, faith is feminine and touto is neuter. Hence, it must refer to either a neuter noun OR to the subject in general – namely salvation.

                                            v.     There are good Bible commentaries and grammars that can help you with that – even if you are not a Greek scholar.

                                           vi.     It is necessary to follow the rules of grammar in interpreting a passage.

c.    parts of speech (function of words)

                                              i.     Rom. 4:25 – consider the meaning of the preposition “for”  (It can mean “because of” [He died for our sins] or “in order to” [I went to the store for a loaf of bread])

             d.   syntax (relationship of words)

                                              i.     This is a complicated study of the relationships between words, phrases, sentences… the structure of language etc.

                                             ii.     Language has rules. The Bible was written in a language that has rules.

                                           iii.     Sentences have structure – subject, verb, direct object,  indirect object; adverbial phrases, adjectival phrases, etc.

                                           iv.     A healthy dose of common sense is a must in considering the relationship of words and phrases to each other.

                                            v.     To properly interpret the Bible, the rules of grammar and syntax must be followed.

 

3.   Rules of grammar must be followed by the interpreter.

a.   Number: singular or plural?

b.   Conjugation of verbs: is determinate in interpreting many passages. (Past, present, future?)

c.    Knowing rules of grammar is extremely helpful in ruling in or out certain interpretations. (Ex: Titus 2:13 – God and our Savior – Granville Sharp Rule)

d.   A grammatical diagram is often helpful in interpreting a passage.

e.   Pay attention to prepositions.

                                              i.     They identify relationships of the nouns to other words in the sentence. (Was he in, on, outside, or under?)

f.     Pay attention to important connectors:

                                              i.     That… so that… in order that (purpose; reason)

1.   Gal. 5:17 – “so that ye cannot do the things that ye will” is connected to the fact that the Spirit and the flesh are contrary one to the other. (result)

                                             ii.     And/or

                                           iii.     But – Romans 12:2 – don’t be conformed BUT be ye transformed.

                                           iv.     Therefore/wherefore –

1.   Rom.2:1 – In light of what he said in chapter one about the depravity of the pagans…

2.   II Cor. 5:17 – because we do not know Christ after the flesh but as a Risen Savior… Therefore, all things are new to us as new creatures.

g.   Pay attention to words that indicate time:

                                              i.     Verb tenses

                                             ii.     Before, after, when, during, while, then, etc.

h.   Consider the sentence structure:

                                              i.     What is the subject of the verb?

                                             ii.     Does the verb express action or state of being?

                                           iii.     Does the verb express action that is past, present, or future? Is it an imperative?

                                           iv.     What action does the subject do?

                                            v.     What or who is the object of the verb?

                                           vi.     What are the modifiers? (of the nouns, verbs, clauses, etc.)

i.      Whether you have memorized the rules of grammar or not, you USE them every time you open your mouth.

 

C.   Historical

1.   We employ the literal, grammatical, historical method.

a.   Christianity is based on history

                                              i.     It stems from the history of the Old Testament

                                             ii.     It is based upon the historicity of Jesus Christ…

                                           iii.     It requires us to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection as historical facts

                                           iv.     Much of the Bible is a book of history

                                            v.     The Bible can only be understood in the context of history

 

b.   By historical interpretation we mean that a passage is to be interpreted in light of its historical setting and context.

                                              i.     Consider the historical setting of the author

1.   For example, the Old Testament prophets are unintelligible apart from the knowing something of the history.

                                             ii.     Consider the historical setting of the readers

1.   The book of Hebrews

2.   The (very Jewish) gospel of Matthew

c.    One problem we face in interpreting the Bible is that it was written thousands of years ago in a culture that is foreign to ours.

                                              i.     If we lived in Bible times, the language, culture, and customs would come naturally to us.

                                             ii.     But since we do not, we have to incorporate the study of language, culture, customs, and history into our study of the Bible.

                                           iii.     We want to discover what the author/speaker meant by the words and expressions he used in the Bible in the day they were written/spoken.

d.   For many years scholars thought that the Greek of the New Testament was a special form of Greek used only in the Bible. (A holy language)  It was later discovered that it was actually the Greek of the common man, and thus was called Koine Greek (common Greek).

e.   We want to discover the ordinary meaning of what is written… what the author meant and what he expected his readers to understand.

 

2.   To properly interpret the Bible, it is helpful (if not necessary in some cases) to be familiar with the history, the culture, the geography, and the customs of the day.

a.   If you are reading a portion of Scripture, it is important to know what TIME period it covers. Is it the church age? Is it during the Law? Is it before the Law? Is it before or after the cross?

b.   Ask yourself the following questions: Who said it? To whom was it said? When was it said? What were the circumstances?

c.    If you are reading about Joshua in the Bible know WHICH Joshua!

d.   Chronology is important. History unfolds in time.

e.   Reading New Testament truth back into the Old Testament is not the proper way to understand the Old Testament.

 

3.   Look at “Manners and Customs of Bible Lands.”

a.   Matt. 9:17 – bottles were not glass, but made of skins of animals. Thinking in terms of a modern glass bottle would make this passage unintelligible.

b.   Consider the term “wine.” It is necessary to know the customs of the Jews. They always mixed their wine with between 3-10 parts water. Unmixed wine was called “strong drink” and was forbidden. They did not have hard liquor in those days. The distillation process was a Middle Age invention.

c.    Prov.19:13; 27:15– a contentious woman is likened to a leaky roof (the roofs were sod and continued to drip for days after the storm was over)

d.   The parable of the ten virgins is understood when the marriage customs are known.

e.   Ruth 4:8 – so he drew off his shoe

f.     Prov.20:14 – we cannot understand this proverb if we are thinking of the way we purchase products today. Solomon is speaking about haggling for prices as was the custom of his day in the open markets. (more like yard sales – not a modern mall)

 

4.   The goal is to discover what the author meant when he wrote it, not what folks in the 21^st century think it means to them!

a.   It is the job of the interpreter to discover what the author actually said, NOT what we think he would have said if he lived in the 21^st century.

 

5.   This is the same problem we are facing in our country today in interpreting the constitution.

a.   Joseph Story, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and the leading constitutional scholar of the nineteenth century, in a book entitled Commentaries on the Constitution (1833), he called for interpreting the constitution according to the intent of its authors as revealed in the plain meaning of their language. He noted, “The first and fundamental rule in the interpretation of all instruments is to construe them according to the sense of the terms, and the intention of the parties.

b.   Thomas Jefferson similarly observed, “The Constitution on which our Union rests, shall be administered by me according to the safe and honest meaning contemplated by the plain understanding of the people of the United States, at the time of its adoption.

c.    They predicted that in future generations men would be tempted to interpret the constitution in a sense other than what it actually said… reading in to it…

d.   The goal in interpreting either the constitution or the Bible is to determine the author’s objective meaning, and resist the temptation to add the interpreter’s subjective views.

e.   In the context of United States constitutional interpretation, originalism states that the Constitution has a fixed and knowable meaning which is established at the time of passage or ratification.

f.     One theory, original intent, is the view that interpretation of a written constitution is (or should be) consistent with what was meant by those who drafted and ratified it.

g.   These are issues those who deal with written documents consider all the time (lawyers).

6.   It is interesting to note that two of the most prominent and influential dispensational writers (Darby and Scofield) had legal backgrounds.

a.   Both were lawyers before entering the ministry.

b.   Their legal backgrounds allowed them to see more clearly than earlier interpreters the nature of a contract or covenant as expressed in Scripture.

c.    It gave them a healthy understanding of language and the hermeneutics of law… contracts… etc.

d.   A major ingredient of Dispensationalism is a proper understanding of the unconditional nature of the Abrahamic Covenant.

e.   Sir Robert Anderson wrote a brilliant commentary on Daniel 9 (The Coming Prince). He too was trained as a lawyer. He understood language for precisely what it said – and ended up unfolding one of the most spectacular prophecies in the Bible, by employing the literal method of interpretation! He served as chief of the criminal investigative department of the Scotland Yard.  

7.   Three helpful hints in interpreting speech:

a.   Seek the ordinary meaning of the language

b.   Identify the literary style

c.    Seek the author’s intended meaning