Every month I typically see a few publications denouncing or advocating the new hermeneutic. Some parties state that there is no need for a new hermeneutic while other parties proclaim that the old hermeneutic is broken. Unfortunately, the old hermeneutic supporters have little knowledge of the new hermeneutical method which leads to a weak straw man argument that seems more intent on fighting change than some of the weaknesses of a new hermeneutic. While some of the new hermeneutic advocates denounce the old hermeneutic so throughly that one wonders if the church in the past was able to accomplish anything for the Lord. Often each extreme party picks the gross errors of the other side to highlight as the general rule. Instead of taking this issue too seriously between new and old, old and new, this or that. Everyone needs a good dose of following the commands that we have. Most of the churches that I have been involved with, as most of the churches you have been involved with, some of these congregations that are conservative or liberal or whatever you want to call them just need to practice the simple art of Christianity. We all need a good dose of “Going into all nations preaching the Gospel” which does not mean just sending money to a missionary, but walking across the road to visit a neighbor in the name of Christ. We all need a good dose of “visiting the orphans and widows” which does not mean just sending some money to a nursing home or a orphan’s home. All all need to handle the text properly, but I would be twice as happy if we practiced the text more than just handling it correctly.
Related posts:
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- Some of the Great Work at Waynesboro
- Sun Tans and Work
- A Little Church With A Large Work
- Read “A Work of Heart”
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About The Author
Matthew is originally from Nova Scotia, Canada. He has a beautiful wife named Charity and a precious baby named Gabrielle. He has graduated from the Brown Trail School of Preaching, Heritage Christian University with his Bachelors of Arts in Biblical Studies, Lipscomb University with his Master’s of Arts in Biblical Studies and his Master’s of Divinity at Freed-Hardeman University. He is presently working towards his Doctorate of Ministry at Harding Graduate School of Religion. His articles have appeared in the World Evangelist, the Highway to Holiness, The West Virginia Christian, The Christian Echo, The Firm Foundation, Church Growth, and the Gospel Advocate. He enjoys hockey, golf, boxing, and chess. In his spare time he enjoys reading numerous genres of books. Also, he is working on climbing all of the 14ers in Colorado. Matthew is the Pulpit Minister for the Castle Rock church of Christ.
Excellent thoughts here Matthew. I think one of the Campbell men or Stone has said that we should “be Christians only…”. Just practice simple Christianity. Thanks! God bless!
Thank you Zack, I always appreciate your comments and thoughts.
I wish we could just drop the word “hermeneutic.” Joe Schmo (um, me) doesn’t know what that word means.
When I see it in articles, I automatically discount what the writer is saying, honestly, because it says to me that they don’t want me to understand their point; they’d rather use big words.
Not you, though. I know you were using it tongue-in-cheek.
BTW, Jim Faughn, Adam Faughn’s dad, baptized me back in the day, and I’ve knew Adam when he was just a wee tot. It’s hard to believe he’s grown with a wife and child.
Lisa, yea I like to throw out the Herma word too every now and then to sound impressive, but yea, most people do not have a clue what it means. Adam is a great guy, he is going to do wonderful work in the kingdom of God.
Perhaps then, it might be nice to give a layman’s definition for those Joe Shmo’s in the world when you use a term like hermeneutics or exigesis, or any of those other $25 college words that bloggers seem so fond of. Why in the world do we have to use huge words anyway? Speak as Jesus did, in language and words that his audience could understand…
That way, you are not speaking in a tongue that is not understandable… I know you’ve got like 6000 hours of certified schooling, but I’d still like to hear what you have to say in English.
LOL!!!
Jimbo
I wrote this yesterday for my master’s thesis on 1 Timothy 4:6-16. I thought people would like it. It is dealing with this topic.
The use of the term godliness was on purpose because of “the terminology and concepts were at home in the wider world and helped to express the Christian faith in a way that would have been widely intelligible to both Hellenistic Jews and Gentiles” (414). On an interesting side note, Paul is purposely using terms that would connect to his audience. He chooses the words that his hearers would understand, while providing new insight into the application of the ideas. Unlike some preachers today who use complicated Biblical terms that some in society have difficulty understanding. The term godliness connected to the audience as Paul roots godliness in a life that is living according to the pattern of Christ.
Great observations, Matthew. I’m amazed at how easy it is to become so enamored with fine sound arguments about what the Scriptures say, rather than simply striving to be effectual doers of the Word. May God help us keep our focus on practicing the text. Thanks for the reminder!
Yes Paul used terms (along with concepts) that his readers could understand. He also used terms and concepts that were very complicated. I am all for refraining from academic language in the sermon or Bible class. However, there does come a point where words like “exegesis” or “hermeneutic” might be appropriate to use (and if that requires supplying a definition for some, then so be it). Since all churches/Christians use exegesis and hermeneutics (whether they know it or not), there is a place for teaching Christian how to read the Bible (exegesis) and how to apply the teaching (hermeneutic) to life. All Christians do this already but, as we all know, not all do it from the best exegesis and hermeneutic.
We should not fear learning new concepts or terms if they are helpful to our call to discipleship. The only thing we need to fear is a a fear of going beyond the basics (what the Hebrews writer calls “milk”).
As for using new words, difficult terms and concepts… It is not a matter or wrong or right. It is more of a matter of the preacher or Bible teacher knowing the audience and knowing what is appropriate for that audience. I happen to preach to a very well educated church that exists in a highly educated culture. The method of my communication here is certainly different from how I communicated the gospel in the White County Jail of Arkansas.
Rex
Ithaca Church of Christ
Ithaca, NY
Very good post, through specialization of language we can gain a better grasp on certain topics. If this was not so, why is there some many terms in most fields. It is up to the doctor to explain what he sees using language that I can understand, but I want him to have a deeper grasp on the material than I do.
Yes, but it seems that in most cases for your doctor to explain an illness or medical procedure in an understandable manner will still require him/her to use some professional/medical terminology. As I tried to point out in my other comment, the use of language in communication of the gospel is not a black and white issue. It requires wisdom and knowledge of the audience to know what is appropriate.
Any ways, that is way off the original post. I aggree that before we get all hot and bothered by certain issues, we better being doing those simple to understand but difficult to do commands like loving God, neighbor, and enemies.
Rex
“Yes, but it seems that in most cases for your doctor to explain an illness or medical procedure in an understandable manner will still require him/her to use some professional/medical terminology.”
True, and in every case of that I make the doctor tell me in plain English what he has just said. If he is insulted at needing to explain to me (the paying customer) that an endoscopy means to put a tube down my throat, send in a small camera, and then look around for problems, then perhaps I will look elsewhere for my medical business.
I don’t want anyone to think that using big terms is wrong, it isn’t… but Exegesis, Hermeneutics, and now Praxis has popped up on another blog, I have to wonder, “Am I just that stupid, or is there a real good reason to make it that complex in a general discussion format?”
Matthew and I don’t discuss hockey here, with all of it’s high falutin’ terms like goon, Hansen brothers, deek, or enforcer because it would likely exclude the majority of those who might come here to talk. Not that hockey and biblical discussions aren’t apples and oranges, but I would rather you use 100 words that all of us can understand rather than 5 that most of us can’t… does that shed any light on my point?
We got hosed on that call, the winger clearly skated off-side in the line change, then took an illegal 2 line pass to the top shelf… time to pull the keeper for an extra attacker, eh?!
oot and aboot in a boot…
Jimbo
I appreciate your suggestion toward simplicity. We, too often, have made the good news too complicated. Jesus narrowed the “dos and don’ts” down to just two–Love God and Love Others. He then set out to serve. It’s that simple.
If we are to recapture men’s hearts fot Jesus, we must do it through these simple instructions given by the Master.
I think a medical doctor is a better one if he has been through medical school and an internship. In fact it is required.
Far too many preachers and teachers opt for the method “just open your mouth and the Lord will fill it”.
My humble opinion is that many of our “brotherhood preachers” would do well to learn how to study the Bible, learn things like literary style, context both in text and culture, weight of scripture, etc. Only then are they able to “exegete” a section of the Bible.
It is unfortunate that many people just believe something because it is what they have always heard, not because they can prove it up from an honest look at the Bible.
His peace,
Royce Ogle
Jim,
It is good that you ask your doctor to explain a term that you do not understand. In fact, it is good for anyone to ask anyone to explain a term or concept that is not clear or understood.
However, the fact that you know what the word “endoscopy” means that the doctor has done his job by giving you the proper term for the procedure he/she wishes to perform — at least for the purpose that you can go home and do your own research on an endoscopy so that you understand a little more about what your doctor is going to do you. The next time you take your car to the auto garage, do you wish for your mechanic to just tell you that he needs to do some work on your brakes or do you wish for him to explain tht you ‘brake calipers’ our in need of repair?
There is nothing wrong in not knowing certain terminology from the various “professional” (for lack of a better term) fields. The only thing wrong or unitelligent is not know and not wanting to know. It is sort of like the old elementary school wisdom “there is no such thing as a dumb question” or “the only dumb question is the question never asked.”
One practical reason for using certain less common terms like ‘exegesis’ is that exegesis is very different from eisegesis. Explaining each term and the difference between the two might help some people change for the better in the way they read scripture. And for the record, I have heard the terms exegesis and eisegesis used in an undergraduate history class, English literature class, and I hear them used even on nightly news programs like CNN and FOX, which just goes to show that such terms are not isolated to the field of theology.
Rex
My plea isn’t for myself, it is for those who might wander/surf through and get perhaps only this first look at the discussion to decide whether or not it is worthy of their time to read and understand. It isn’t a dumbing down of the Gospel, it is a concerted effort to make this a discussion that any and all who may read it into a thing of value to them.
It matters not that a bunch of well educated men and women can understand it, likely we are already convicted and convinced. My concern is for the guy who loads pallets in a warehouse, or the truck driver who sits down and wants to learn about God by visiting a blog that I may have recommended to them and having them come away thinking that it is way over their heads. Christianity is not way over anyone’s head, but some of the blogs that I read anymore seem to try so hard to be doctoral thesis material and that is almost to the point that a simple man might as well be trying to read another language.
It isn’t for me guys… it is for those who are looking to grow and understand that I plead for.
Jimbo
Matthew,
I believe this is one of the best posts you have done.
I love it!
Keep up the great blogging brother.
I love reading your blog everyday.
Yes, I read it everyday even though I may not comment.
It is a source of strength and encrouagement to my life. I want to say thank you.
I pray that God will bless you in ways you have never known.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
Just like anything else, not all blogs are for all people. But I hardly doubt that anyone is going to search out this blog and make a decision on Christianity simply from reading this blog one time. But if that is really your concern then, with no disrespect to the owner of this blog and the posts he writes, I would not recommend this blog to a seeker. Many of the posts loaded on to this blog are not for the seeker nor for the new convert.
Rex
Hot topic! And that’s just in the comments!
Back to the post, I think the entirety of our generation (Y’ers and PoMo’s and whatever you want to call the 30 and under crowd) feels this strong need to fulfill what may be called the “social aspects” of the Gospel- the tangible, everyday “needs fulfilling” parts of God’s Word.
Let us remember balance in everything. Paul was all things to all men, but that did not mean that he did not practice sound interpretation and deeper thinking.