HERMENEUTICS #6
#1 = Interpret LITERALLY.
#2 = Understand the HISTORICAL-CULTURAL background.
#3 = Analyze the GRAMMATICAL structure.
#4 = Use SYNTHESIS .
The FIFTH major principle of sound biblical interpretation is the PRACTICAL principle. This is where application does come in. This is the final question to be asked -- "So what?" or "What does all this have to do with me?" The problem in our day is that so many teachers AND students of the Bible want to jump directly to application, and bypass all the hard work involved in getting a proper interpretation first.
But application should be the LAST step, NOT the first! Otherwise, one has no basis for discerning whether a particular application is itself biblical and correct. I have seen this again and again -- people want ME to tell them WHAT TO DO on the basis of a particular passage, without even bothering to understand what the passage is even saying. And besides that, I am not the one who needs to be doing all the application for them. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. My job is to teach them what it means.
Jeff Hathaway -- a pastor and Ezzo supporter -- used to come in here from time to time to argue with us about spanking. Jeff and I disagreed sharply about this subject of biblical application awhile back. Jeff stated:
I believe that it is incumbant upon Pastors when The
Bible does not give any specifics to 1. Glean the Biblical
principles on the given subject, and 2. To develop a good
comprehensive method for applying those principles.
My response was:
I disagree vehemently. I believe this is the exact
problem with the Ezzos and with many others. They have
derived erroneous principles, and even if the principles
are not erroneous, they then set about to misapply them. I
believe it is presumptious and arrogant for a pastor to
take such an extensive role in application. The pastor's
job is to teach the word as clearly and carefully as
possible, and while some application may be appropriate --
I believe it is much better to let the Holy Spirit do the
lion's share of the application in the hearts of the
listeners.This whole 'comprehensive methods' approach goes to the
heart of my problem with Ezzo. It tends strongly toward
legalism and a formula-driven religion, rather than the
dynamic, relationship-orientation of grace. Well -- there
is MUCH more I would like to say about this -- but I don't
like long posts.
I usually refuse to even discuss application with anyone until I am assured that they understand the basic meaning of the text in the first place. The Holy Spirit may lead different Christians to apply passages in different ways. There are going to be many applications that are the same, of course, but not all. And it would be presumptious for me to attempt to force MY personal applications on others, unless I am convinced that this is an "across the board" application, so to speak.
All this being said, surely we can understand the logic that -- if I have MISinterpreted a passage in the first place, the odds are going to be pretty high that whatever application I make will be erroneous, as well. Accurate interpretation MUST be the basis for any accurate application.
And here, once again, we face the problem of Ezzo's faulty hermeneutic. He has twisted so many scriptures that his "applications" are consistently off-base. A faulty hermeneutic leads to faulty interpretations, which lead to false doctrines, which lead to erroneous applications, which lead to bondage, judgmentalism, elitism, extremism, and error after error after error. It all begins with hermeneutics.
#1 = Interpret LITERALLY.
#2 = Understand the HISTORICAL-CULTURAL background.
#3 = Analyze the GRAMMATICAL structure.
#4 = Use SYNTHESIS .
#5 = THEN you can APPLY the passage!
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