Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05

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B I B L E I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

I. The Importance of Tools in Biblical Interpretation

Video Segment 1 Outline

A. Their purpose : to help bridge the gap between the biblical world and our contemporary world

Always the Need for Interpretation

An acceptance of the claims of Scripture concerning its own truthfulness does not

1. The Three-Step Model is rooted in connecting the ancient world and our contemporary world.

guarantee true interpretations.

2. In order for the model to work correctly, we must strive to understand the meaning of the biblical authors in their original context.

Human interpreters can make, and have made, mistakes. Thus the meaning of Scripture has been disputed in many important and less important areas. ~ E. J. Schnabel. “Scripture.” New Dictionary of Biblical

3. Tools in biblical interpretation are invaluable in connecting us with the idioms, cultures, languages, and historical events connected with the biblical world (i.e., “You Are There”).

B. Their occasion : an explosion of biblical resources has occurred since the 1950s.

Theology . T. D. Alexander, ed. (electronic ed.).

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InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001.

C. Their benefit: fidelity to the message of the Word of God on its own terms

1. Understanding of the original context

2. Better able to identify and discover the meanings of the text as the original audience would have understood the message

3. Less susceptible to make historical, grammatical, and cultural blunders as we seek to interpret the Word of God for our own lives