OABS – FALL SEMESTER

HERMENEUTICS I

Class  –  September 21, 2002

ERRONEOUS METHODS

1)       The Mystical Method

-The interpreter is “en rapport” with God. Leads to the Priesthood.

- “called to preach” – divinely qualified to interpret

-tends toward division and sects (*inspired men cannot agree?)

*If the Bible does not mean what it says then we cannot know what it means!

2)       The Spiritual Method

-Differs from the mystical only in liberality (the “calling” is within everyone)

-Not bound by any Law of Language – only pious whims

-Spiritual meanings to coincide with established practice

3)       The Allegorical Method

-Views the Bible as a riddle

-Eisegesis – Statements of history are considered mere figures of speech

-Clement of Alexandria said the Law of Moses could be viewed in four different ways: 1- Natural  2- mystical  3- moral  4- prophetical

-He had a list of words and corresponding thoughts: sow=unclean lust for food; eagle=robbery; hawk=injustice; raven=greed

4)       The Hierarchical Method

-Assumes authority in Giving the interpretation

-the Church ha the authority to interpret (Priesthood)

-when priests do not agree – the higher rank settles the matter

-“infallible” Pope is the last stop

-not to understand the bible but to know what the “Lord” would have you do

-takes one back to the Dark Ages

5)       The Rationalistic Method

-Harmonize the Bible with the latest philosophies

-Nature is the standard and reason is the guide!

-Reason guides and the Bible is only to sanction

-No room for Jesus

-Reject Miracles, inspiration

-Human reason is superior to the Bible

6)       The Dogmatic Method

-Assumes doctrine or belief to be true; then look for that doctrine in the Bible; once found = proven.

-From Dark Ages – Philosophers would disagree – settle by 1- argumentation  2- tradition  3- Scripture

-any doctrine can be “read therein” and “proved thereby” in the Bible (CREED Language)

*The bible is not a book of proof for doctrines but is the Doctrine of God.

7)       The Apologetic Method

-Absolute perfection of ALL statements – ALL from God and truth

-*Unreasonable – much of the Bible spoken by the enemies of God (Are all the acts of David approved?)

8)       The Literal Method

-ALL the language of the Bible is literal (used by dogmatists)

-Does not regard the figurative nor the correct definitions of words

-*Will only deal with passages that are directly related to the doctrine or philosophy (DID David’s heart melt within him like wax? Or was David a worm and not a man?)