Interpreting the New Testament Text: Introduction to the Art and Science of Exegesis
Overview
With the explosive increase in availability of English Bible translations, the question can easily be asked, “Why bother with the hard work of biblical exegesis?” Computers can translate foreign languages and our English texts can take us very close to the original meanings, so why exegete? Answer: because the deepest truths of the Bible are found through the deepest study. This book teaches the principles, methods, and fundamentals of exegeting the New Testament. It also has examples of textual exegesis that clearly and helpfully show the value of exegeting a text well. Any serious student of Scripture would benefit from utilizing this book in the study of the Bible.
Top Highlights
“1. The exegete must initially pursue the meaning intended by the author for his original audience.” (Page 137)
“3. Words operate in a context and receive meaning from that context.” (Page 138)
“2. To establish the precise meaning of a word, one must recognize its possible range of meanings.” (Page 138)
“The third element of the definition appeals to the use of sound hermeneutics. Here we read a text with sensitivity to its vocabulary, its grammatical expression, its historical setting, its literary genre and expression, its sociocultural context, and its theological scope.” (Page 25)
“Fifth, do I understand clearly the view(s) I am rejecting and why I am doing so? Finally, does the view adopted make the most sense in terms of the immediate context?” (Page 159)