Biblical Interpretation

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Biblical Interpretation

• The Interpretive Web

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Ways of Reading the Bible

• Devotionally
• Critically
• Academically
• Theologically

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Task of the Interpreter

• Historical where did idea originate?
• Dogmatic what is the teaching?
• Constructive how do we apply it?

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Ways It Has Played Out

• Behind the Text
• Within the Text
• In Front of the Text

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Finding A Roadmap

• Read Humbly
• Read Prayerfully
• Read Honestly
• Read in Community
• Read from the Center

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Important Concepts

• The entire Bible is eternal truth in cultural
  packages
• Every book of the Bible is occasional
  literature
• We are called to live out the story

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MAJOR STEPS IN THE PROCESS

• Step 1 Understanding
• What does it say?
• Step 2 Interpretation
• What does it mean ? Why is it here?
• Step 3 Application
• How do we put this into practice?
• Self, Community, and world

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THE BIG PICTURE

• Word
• Sentence
• Paragraph
• Chapter
• Book
• Author
• Testament
• Bible

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THE BIG PICTURE

• Contemporary Sources
• Larger Judeo-Christian World
• Larger Religious World
• Larger Secular Culture
• Commentaries
• Secular Studies

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THE BIG PICTURE

• Readers Context
• Gods Story
• Larger Church Context
• Specific Church context
• Individual Response
• Message