Before We Talk Hermeneutics
Funny how life takes little turns. If you read my last Basics article (you can read it here), you’ll know that I mentioned how I see vacations as an opportunity to manage a change in rhythm when the setting is fun and easy-spirited. Well, we had a jarring change of rhythm when we got home from our vacation that was not fun or easy-spirited.
Welcome Home
According to the house sitter, the Günter had been frolicking like usual earlier in the afternoon, Güntering about and plunging his face into trees and bushes to fetch his ball for her. After his ball session, he spent 30 minutes pawing at his face and gasping. I do not want to go through all the details of that day, but the vet our friend took him to when he wouldn’t stop, dismissed her splinter-in-the-mouth theory and went straight for rabies. To the point that destroying my dog and sending his head away for testing was on the table.
Fast forward through over 24 hours of not being able to reach our normal vet and the Günter not eating or drinking on his own. Meanwhile his right eyeball was swelling up out of his head and developing a white film over it. Those were long hours of squirting small quantities of water through his back teeth and watching him get more and more lethargic.
Getting Desperate
Finally deciding to contact another vet in the little farming community where our regular vet works, I asked if he was still in business or what was going on. Those details aren’t important, but the information the nice lady on the phone gave me may have helped to save poor Günter. After hearing the convoluted story and my opinion that a poke in the face made more sense than the rabies for a diagnosis, she said, “Give him 3 Benedryl and watch him for an hour.”
An hour and a half later, I was trying to give the Günter his scheduled 25 mL of water when all of a sudden he opened his mouth and out fell a 4″ stick.
Why am I telling you this story? Partly because my normal rhythm was dramatically altered as I fought for my dog’s life and I can tell you once again that God is still on his throne. Partly because it is a good reminder that usually clear trumps vague.
Ockham’s razor. If you hear hooves, think horses rather than zebras. Or in the Günter’s case, don’t make the leap to unicorns.
When we read scripture, same holds. Reading scripture, our objective is to take the words (even if they are translated words) the biblical authors used and understand them as the norms of language and genre of literature allow. We don’t need to try find obscure or hidden meanings. There are no codes or numerologies. Clear trumps vague.
The Hermeneutics
What is the definition of hermeneutics? Dr. Stein defines it as,
The term “hermeneutics,” simply describes
the practice or discipline of interpretation
and the rules involved.1
Occasionally scripture is difficult to interpret and that is where the value of cross references, understanding literary devices or genres, and original language tools can make a difference. Especially the value of cross references since what is vague in one place is occasionally more clearly explained elsewhere.
An Example
Let’s take an example from Ephesians that we’ve already looked at once and will look at again in the course of our study. Here is Ephesians 1:9:
9 making known to us the mystery of his will,
according to his purpose,
which he set forth in Christ2
Do you know why I didn’t mention this mystery when we studied Ephesians 1:3-14? Because it wasn’t clear. Paul didn’t articulate what the mystery was at that point, but he did speak clearly about other topics. Since it wasn’t Paul’s main focus, it wasn’t my main focus. Even if I did want to know what the mystery was, I wouldn’t have sat there at my desk imagining what it could be.
I wouldn’t have speculated about how the mystery could be that I be able to eat pizza and ice cream every day with no ill effects on my health. No need to wonder if the mystery might be that I have smooth sailing and no more family drama in my life ever again. Or any other possible scenario I could fathom.
Is Paul clear about what he’s talking about in Ephesians 1:9 when he mentions a mystery? No.
Is Paul clear about what the mystery is somewhere else in Ephesians? Yes.
Clear teaching trumps vague teaching.
In Ephesians 3:6, Paul defines what the mystery is in clear Greek. Which the translators made clear in English for us.
6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs,
members of the same body,
and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.3
Another Example
If we were to read what many scholars identify as a hymn in Colossians, we would read this:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.4
Do you notice in the course of the text, there is a rhythm and symmetry present? Even in our English translation? Do you notice how many times the word all is used?
- All creation (Col 1:15)
- All things (Col 1:16, 17, 20)
- All the fullness (Col 1:19)
All in all, I can see all is used 7 times in the section in English. Paul is using an ancient hymn to praise God the Son in creation. In one of his lectures, I’ve heard Dr. Stein talk about details regarding hymns of that era which we will not cover here at length. But consider how rhythmic or powerful the hymn would be if the writer had said, “and through him to reconcile to himself some things, whether on earth or in heaven.” It wouldn’t have the right flow, would it? Not in English and not in the original Greek.
Can You See Why Genre of Literature is Important?
When I write about the genre of poetry in another Basics, we will return to this this particular section of scripture because there are other factors at play. Right now, we want to consider this song as Paul intended it: a song rejoicing in the creative work of God. First and foremost, it is a song about creation and its relationship to Jesus.
Once again, if it’s the author’s main point, it should be my main point.
As hard as it is for us linear thinking, 21st century Westerners to understand, it is not a theological song about how Jesus saves everyone. Paul used the genre of literature of poetry with the knowledge that his audience would hear or read it and apply the appropriate rules of the genre for interpretation.
How do we know Paul didn’t mean all things will be reconciled to himself theologically? Because the teaching about only some being saved is clearly taught elsewhere in scripture, in multiple locations, and not between the lines of a possible piece of poetry. It is clearly taught elsewhere in prose. Just a few examples are Rom 2:6-10, 1 Thess 5:9, 2 Thess 1:19, and Jesus himself in Mt 26:28.
28 for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.5
Wrap Up
Clear trumps vague. Whether the topic is veterinary practice or Bible study, clear trumps vague.
When the dog comes in having just had a lovely session of fetch but is suddenly dragging his drooly, bubbly Boxer face on the ground and has a one degree “temperature,” and the pet sitter thinks he has a splinter in his mouth, the first rock to look under is not rabies. The rock to look under is in the roof of the dog’s mouth! Where a 4″ stick is lodged and is pushing on his eyeball from the back side.
Yes, that is what the second vet found when he sedated Günter, opened his maw, and looked. There was a 3/8″ hole in the roof of his mouth right under the eye that was popping out. I won’t gross out sensitive people, but I have a picture. I can’t imagine the excruciating pain my poor dog was in. He was taken to the place that should have provided help and healing and instead was sent away with the wrong diagnosis of his situation.
Horrific pain and suffering can also occur if we fail to focus on the obvious, the clear, the major. We both know there are theological differences between brothers and sisters in Christ because of verses like we examined briefly in Colossians. We’ve heard someone, even ourselves, say, “I read scripture literally and it says ‘all things will be reconciled.'” Except that Paul literally meant that to be part of his worship of Christ in creation. We need to take Paul’s words as he literally meant them rather than press them into what we decide is literal.
Please pause a moment and think about that. We need to read Paul’s intention, not what we decide was his intention. For more about how to read genres of literature, go to this Basics. And when I get around to writing a Basics about poetry as a genre, we will learn more about this.
Our Bite for today is that we would be careful to analyze all the data, not just the one section of scripture we like, and we would cling to the clear presentations of truth. What is the author’s main point or purpose? Let that be our main point and purpose.
By the way, the Günter is on the mend thanks to clear thinking of the receptionist Tricia and Dr. Rohn at Bayfield Animal Hospital. If you’re ever in southwest Colorado and need emergency or any other kind of pet care, please avoid Riverview Animal Hospital. They may very well consider euthanizing your dog for having a stick lodged in his head.
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- Stein, R. H. (2011). A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules (Second Edition, p. 5). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
- Ephesians 1:9 (ESV)
- Ephesians 3:6 (ESV)
- Colossians 1:15–20 (ESV)
- Matthew 26:28 (ESV)