Studies in Biblical Hermeneutics

Studies in Biblical Hermeneutics

"Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth" 2 Tim 2:15

Senior Sunday

School Notes

2 January 2000

INTRODUCTION.

1. Controversies arise because of different systems of interpretation

	The question of the Old Testament ceremonial laws in the context of Faith in Christ (Acts 15; Galatians)
	The question of "alternative" theological beliefs (Colossian, Thessalonians, Corinthians)

2. There are difficult passages which "untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures" 2 Peter 3:16

	An admission from a leading apostle
	A note of warning concerning the dangers of interpreting the Biblical text wrongly

3. The Challenge of "rightly dividing the Word of Truth"

	It is possible to rightly divide the Word of truth
	It will take diligent study of the Scriptures
	It will take knowledge and wisdom
	It will meet with God's approval and blessing

THE METHOD OF THE LORD JESUS Luke 24:13-53

Study of two separate occasions where the Lord Jesus demonstrates the way He taught His disciples

#1 Special Teaching Ministry to Two of His Disciples on the Road to Emmaus

1. The Occasion

	Two disciples travelling to a town Emmaus seven miles from Jerusalem
	They "talked together of all the things which had happened" Luke 24:14
	They "conversed and reasoned" (the word "reasoned" is better translated "disputed or "argued')
	These two disciples obviously could not come to a full and complete agreement as to how they should understand and interpret the "these things which had happened" Luke 24:14
	They needed to have some kind of a system that would help them comprehend and put together all the events, all that they knew and all that they felt (and they were struggling with feelings of sadness so obvious, their faces reflected their sorrow)
	They had all the facts, from the Life and Ministry of the Lord Jesus to the death and Resurrection of the Master Luke 24:19-24
	An intellectual comprehension of the facts is insufficient; they needed to know how to interpret things

2. The Lord Jesus draws Himself alongside and then began His Teaching session

The teaching session began with a rebuke that reveals much about the problem of comprehension of the Scriptures

i) The problem of being "foolish" (They were not using their intelligence)

ii) The problem of being "slow of heart to believe" (They were not exercising faith)

They were made to THINK! (Note interrogative statement, "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?") Luke 24:26

3. Important Principles of Interpretation Highlighted.

Careful reference to the Scriptures

i) Moses

ii) All the prophets

Exposition needed

i) The word expounded involves "interpretation" (hermeneutics" is derived from this word translated "expounded")

ii) The exposition is drawn from Scriptures alone

iii) The authority of the scriptures accepted without question

There is obvious harmony in the Scriptures

i) Moses and all the prophets were not interpreted in such a way that they "clashed"

ii) This principle of harmony of the Scriptures must be carefully maintained

The Scriptures must be related to the Person of the Lord Jesus Himself (Christocentric)

4. Responses of the Disciples

	"Their eyes were opened and they knew Him" Luke 24:31
	"Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:32
	"They rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem... and they told about the things that had happened on the road..." Luke 24:33,35