Lights to God's Words
by: Hank Hanegraaff
| Here
are the L-I-G-H-T-S to the Word of God: |
|
| L |
Literal Interpretation |
| I |
Illumination by the Holy Spirit |
| G |
Grammatical Principles |
| H |
Historical Context |
| T |
Teaching Ministry |
| S |
Scriptural Harmony |
Principles of biblical interpretation ought to be determined before
developing one's theology, but in practice the reverse is often true.
Cultists in particular consistently read their deviant theologies into
the biblical text instead of allowing the text to speak for itself.
Faith teachers are also guilty of this practice, as I document in my
book "Christianity in Crisis".
In view of this growing problem, it would be productive to consider
some of the primary principles of hermeneutics. Before you run off
because of the formidable sound of this term, however, let me quickly
point out that hermeneutics is simply a "fifty-cent" word that
describes the science of biblical interpretation. The purpose of
hermeneutics is to provide the student of Scripture with basic
guidelines and rules for "rightly dividing the word of truth"
(2
Timothy 2:15). To help ensure that you will remember these
principles, I've developed the acronym L-I-G-H-T-S. Just remember that
the science of biblical interpretation "LIGHTS" your path as
you walk through the Word.
Literal Interpretation
The L in LIGHTS will remind you of the literal principle of biblical
interpretation. In simple terms, this means that we are to interpret the
Word of God just as we interpret other forms of communication - in its
most obvious and literal sense. Most often, the biblical authors
employed literal statements to communicate their ideas (such as when the
apostle Paul said of Jesus, "By Him all things were created, both
in the heavens and on earth" - Colossians
1:16). And where the biblical writers express their ideas in literal
statements, the interpreter must take those statements in a literal
sense. In this way, the interpreter will grasp the intended meaning of
the writer.
Of course, this is not to deny that Scripture employs figures of
speech. Indeed, the biblical writers often used figurative language to
communicate truth in a graphic way. And, in most cases, the meaning of
such language is clear from the context. When Jesus says He is "the
door" (John
10:7), for example, it is obvious He is not saying He is composed of
wood and hinges. Rather, He is the "way" to salvation.
Illumination by the Holy Spirit
The I in LIGHTS will remind you of the illumination of Scripture that
can only come from the Spirit of God. First
Corinthians 2:12 says: "We have not received the spirit of the
world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God
has freely given us." Because the author of Scripture - the Holy
Spirit (2
Peter 1:21). - resides within the child of God (1
Corinthians 3:16), he or she is in a position to receive God's
illumination (1
Corinthians 2:9-11). And, indeed, the Spirit of truth not only
provides insights that permeate the mind, but also provides illumination
that can penetrate the heart.
Grammatical Principles
The G in LIGHTS will remind you that Scripture is to be interpreted
in accordance with typical rules of grammar - including syntax and
style. For this reason, it is important for the student of Scripture to
have a basic understanding of grammatical principles. It is also helpful
to have a basic grasp of the Greek and Hebrew languages. If you do not
know Greek or Hebrew, however, don't panic. Today there are a host of
eminently usable tools to aid you in gaining insights from the original
languages of Scripture. Besides commentaries, there are
"interlinear" translations that provide the Hebrew and Greek
text of the Bible in parallel with the English text. As well, Strong's
concordance has a number-coding system by which you can look up the
Greek or Hebrew word (along with a full definition) behind each word in
the English Bible. Moreover, there are dictionaries of Old and New
Testament words that are keyed to Strong's concordance. Tools such as
these make it easy for the layperson to obtain insights on the original
Hebrew or Greek of the Bible without being fluent in these languages.
Historical Context
The H in LIGHTS will remind you that the Christian faith is
historical and evidential (Luke
1:1-4). The biblical text is best understood when one is familiar
with the customs, culture, and historical context of biblical times.
Thankfully, there are a host of excellent Bible handbooks and
commentaries to aid us in the process of understanding the people and
places of the Bible.
Teaching Ministry
The T in LIGHTS will remind you that even though the illumination of
Scripture ultimately comes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, God
has also provided the church with uniquely gifted human teachers (Ephesians
4:11). Therefore, as we seek to rightly interpret God's Word (2
Timothy 2:15), we would do well to consult those whom God has
uniquely gifted as teachers in the church (cf. Titus
2:1-15). Of course, following the example of the Bereans (Acts
17:11), we should always make sure that what human teachers say is
in line with Scripture (cf. 1
Thessalonians 5:21).
Scriptural Harmony
The S in LIGHTS will remind you of the principle of Scriptural
harmony. Individual passages of Scripture must always be in harmony with
Scripture as a whole. The biblical interpreter must keep in mind that
all of Scripture - though communicated through various human instruments
- has a single Author (God). And, of course, God does not contradict
Himself.
Studying the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits, and
rightly understanding it, the highest of all goals. The six principles
listed above can help you attain this goal. And as the science of
biblical interpretation continually LIGHTS your path through Scripture,
you will find yourself growing in your understanding of Him who is the
Light of the world - Jesus Christ (John
8:12).
To learn more and become better equipped to defend the faith, go to www.equip.org.
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