Hermeneutics

"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1: 5-7 KJV)

Hermeneutics is the science of "interpretation." It is applicable to many fields of science, including the bible, theology and religion.

What does it mean to "interpret" a thing? Surely the answer to such a question depends greatly upon the precise thing being "interpreted."

For instance, there is the art, knowledge, and skill of interpreting words, of giving their meaning and definition, particularly in relation of one language to another. In this instance, the word "interpret" is synonymous with the word "translate." This is the common meaning of the word "interpret" in the bible, especially of the New Testament.

Examples of this use of the word "interpret" (Greek - 'hermeneuo') in the New Testament are these:

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1: 23 KJV)

"And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull." (Mark 15: 22 KJV)

"He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." (John 1: 41 KJV)

"And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." (John 1: 42 KJV)

"For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." (Hebrews 7: 1-3 KJV)

"And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet." (Acts 4: 36, 37 KJV)

"And Simon he surnamed Peter; And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder..." (Mark 3: 16, 17 KJV)

Examples of interpretation in various areas of science and of daily life.

"He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?" (Luke 12: 54-56 NIV)

Here Jesus called "weather forecasting" the "interpreting" of the "appearance of the earth and sky." Today this art and skill of interpreting weather signs is very well advanced, so that most "interpretations" or "prognostications" are correct. But, even in weather interpretation, not every interpreter ('meteorologist') gets it right 100% of the time.

But he clearly alluded to another kind of spiritual hermeneutics wherein a believer and bible student may come to be able to properly "interpret" the events of his day and time, being able to foresee consequences.

"A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." (Proverbs 22:3 & 27: 12 KJV)

Why does he "foresee" the evil? Is it not because he has wisdom to be able to properly "interpret" the "signs of the times"?

Others did not have this wisdom to interpret the "signs," be they "signs of the times," or "signs" that are personal to the individual, and so the Psalmist says:

"We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet (interpreter): neither is there among us any that knoweth how long." (Psalm 74: 9 KJV)

"We see not our signs" is all the same as saying "we do not properly interpret our signs" or "we do not see the significance in our signs."

For instance, there are physical signs of aging. Do we see and interpret them correctly? Do we mistake ordinary signs of aging for something else? Perhaps we see a sign or symptom and do not properly interpret its appearance. This is a case of bad hermeneutics, is it not? Perhaps we are hypochondriacs and interpret a simple acne pimple as a sign of cancer. That would be a case of a false interpretation of a sign, would it not? Really, all physicians, like weather forecasters, are "interpreters of signs."

Who else looks for and tries to "interpret" the various "signs"? Besides weathermen and prophets? Besides the ordinary individual in regard to signs that are personal to his own life?

Psychologists are always looking for signs and trying to "interpret" them, are they not? One of them wrote a book on "dream interpretation." And, even the bible speaks of such a science throughout the Book of Daniel in particular, for Daniel was called therein an "interpreter of dreams."

Economists and businessmen are always looking for and interpreting what they think are business signs (or indicators of change).

And, who could possibly leave out lawyers in this matter of "hermeneutics"? Courtrooms are the place where attorneys "split hairs" and argue over the meaning of words, over the correct "interpretation" and application of the words written in the statute books.

Many other examples could be offered to highlight how broad a field is this science of "hermeneutics" or "interpretation."

Not all attempt at "interpretation" is good. There are some areas where interpretation is forbidden or taboo. So, we read of those whom Jehovah condemned for "interpreting omens" or supposed "signs (or 'portends') in the earth and skies."

"When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead ('necromancer' KJV)." (Deuteronomy 18: 9-11 NIV)

But oh how we have all kinds of these religious wizards and prognosticators today who will, for a fee, properly "interpret" the events in the heavens, as they supposedly relate to us, and properly "interpret" the events occurring in one's life! How many people go to such people and ask - "is this person the right person for me to marry?" And other such questions?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12: 1 NKJV)

This is a prayer that each individual Christian would come to know what God wills for him relative to his daily personal experiences and to the choices that he is regularly called upon to make. It is a prayer that each Christian would discover God's secret will relative to his life, and not a general prayer for the Christian to know the bible, or the revealed will of God.

Thus, everyone, especially the Christian, is called upon to "interpret" or to "properly understand" the events of his life, of God's working in his life. This is nothing else but an individual searching for an "understanding of what is the will of the Lord" in relation to his own individual and personal daily happenstance.

A Christian often asks himself - "why did that happen?" And, - "what is God telling me by this event?" And, - "what does all this mean?" And, when he says these things, it shows that he is seeking wisdom to "interpret" events in his life. Oftentimes he is looking for a way to "interpret" the "leadings of the Spirit" in regard to important decisions.

"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation." (II Peter 1: 20 NIV)

Finally, this is the most discussed aspect of modern "hermeneutics," and it certainly is important. The bible writers do speak of the subject and give guidance upon it. No one is to think that the bible can be "interpreted" in any way a person chooses. This is a common and fatal mistake.

The bible is a dangerous book of sorts. Though it is the means of salvation, it is also a means of bringing great harm to many, to those who "handle it deceitfully" (II Corinthians 4: 2) or who "corrupt the word of God" (II Corinthians 2: 17), and such who are false "interpreters" of the bible.

The bible ought to be interpreted according to the laws of interpreting other books. The bible was written in language that ordinary men and women could understand, and is not a book given to errors involving eqivocation. The bible is not as hard to understand and "interpret" as it is to accept. Oftentimes a person who otherwise likes most of what the bible is saying will find a few verses that he does "not agree with," or perhaps we should say, "does not agree with him," and thus he is forced either to change his mind or to change the text. Many change the text by altering the meanings of words. And, once one begins to do it, it becomes easier and easier to do, a kind of "slippery slope."

Besides, good hermeneutics alone will not bring one to saving understanding and enlightenment of the holy scriptures, for a man needs the blessing of Christ to "open the eyes" as it is stated he did for his disciples.

"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." (Luke 24: 44-48 KJV)