Hi,
Quick poll of this board.
So...my preparation for a Revelation Bible study has led me off on a study of hermeneutics. Which frankly might be a more important study, anyway. Learning right and wrong hermeneutics lays the groundwork for studying Revelation.
Let me explain my poll question:
Hermeneutics is basically the "rules of engagement" for interpreting the Bible. Such as, for example, our #1 rule of engagement is that we should sincerely seek God in all our study. After all, if we are not genuinely seeking God in all this, we will never interpret the right meaning out of God's Word.
Now, my question: do you believe it fair to say that whatever the author intended you to read, that is the correct meaning of the book? Put another way: assuming Moses wrote Deuteronomy, do you believe that whatever Moses was trying to say--that is the meaning of Deuteronomy?
OR: is it possible that, once the book became a part of the Bible and 2000 years have elapsed, that the Holy Spirit took over, and now the book, being a part of GOD'S Word, might mean something that the human author did not intend? For example: take Paul's letter to Philemon. When Paul originally wrote the letter, he intended the audience to be Philemon. But then a lot of churches also read the letter, and it became part of the Bible. Now, the letter becomes to ALL of us, and it takes on new meaning. But...does it take on new meaning that Paul never intended?
When I read about hermeneutics, I read that it is the former, i.e. you need to understand the author's intent. And I tend to agree with that. But I am also concerned of the possibility that maybe not everybody may agree with that, and that I am imposing all these "rules" on them which only serve to obscure the Bible's true meaning (which of course is neither my intent, nor that of hermeneutics). I hope I explained my question well?
Quick poll of this board.
So...my preparation for a Revelation Bible study has led me off on a study of hermeneutics. Which frankly might be a more important study, anyway. Learning right and wrong hermeneutics lays the groundwork for studying Revelation.
Let me explain my poll question:
Hermeneutics is basically the "rules of engagement" for interpreting the Bible. Such as, for example, our #1 rule of engagement is that we should sincerely seek God in all our study. After all, if we are not genuinely seeking God in all this, we will never interpret the right meaning out of God's Word.
Now, my question: do you believe it fair to say that whatever the author intended you to read, that is the correct meaning of the book? Put another way: assuming Moses wrote Deuteronomy, do you believe that whatever Moses was trying to say--that is the meaning of Deuteronomy?
OR: is it possible that, once the book became a part of the Bible and 2000 years have elapsed, that the Holy Spirit took over, and now the book, being a part of GOD'S Word, might mean something that the human author did not intend? For example: take Paul's letter to Philemon. When Paul originally wrote the letter, he intended the audience to be Philemon. But then a lot of churches also read the letter, and it became part of the Bible. Now, the letter becomes to ALL of us, and it takes on new meaning. But...does it take on new meaning that Paul never intended?
When I read about hermeneutics, I read that it is the former, i.e. you need to understand the author's intent. And I tend to agree with that. But I am also concerned of the possibility that maybe not everybody may agree with that, and that I am imposing all these "rules" on them which only serve to obscure the Bible's true meaning (which of course is neither my intent, nor that of hermeneutics). I hope I explained my question well?
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