Interpreting Scripture: A General Introduction

 Interpreting Scripture: A General Introduction

Definition

Interpreting Scripture is the process of personally discovering what God through his human authors intended the biblical text to mean and effect. Through exegesis and theology one assesses, synthesizes, and applies God’s inerrant Word.

Summary

This study clarifies why we must interpret Scripture, synthesizes what presuppositions should guide our interpretation, and offers a process for how to interpret. Scripture plays a foundational place in all of life, and Scripture itself stresses the need to faithfully interpret in order to stand unashamed before the Lord. Interpreting Scripture faithfully necessitates that we view Scripture as God’s Word, assumes that Scripture’s truths are knowable, requires that we respond appropriately, and demands that we engage in the task depending on God. The interpretive process is about personally discovering what God through his human authors intended the biblical text to mean and effect. It includes assessing, synthesizing, and applying God’s inerrant word by means of exegesis and theology––both the narrow activity of identifying and drawing out what God was actually saying through his human authors in specific passages and the broader activity of relating this message to God’s overarching purpose in redemption culminating in Christ, with specific application to our present situation. 

The move from exegesis to theology includes at least twelve interrelated steps: 

(1) genre, 

(2) literary units and text hierarchy, 

(3) text criticism, 

(4) translation, 

(5) clause and text grammar, 

(6) argument-tracing, 

(7) word and concept studies, 

(8, 9) historical and literary context, 

(10, 11, 12) biblical, systematic, and practical theology.

圣经诠释：总论

定义

诠释圣经是个人发现上帝通过其人类作者所赋予圣经文本的意义和效果的过程。通过释经学和神学，人们可以评估、综合并应用上帝无误的圣言。

概括

本研究阐明了我们为何必须诠释圣经，总结了指导我们诠释的前提，并提供了一套诠释方法。圣经在生活的方方面面都占据着基础性的地位，圣经本身也强调，为了在主面前无愧，我们必须忠实地诠释圣经。忠实地诠释圣经要求我们视其为神的话语，假定圣经的真理是可知的，要求我们做出恰当的回应，并要求我们依靠神来完成这项任务。诠释的过程在于个人地发现神通过其人类作者所赋予圣经文本的意义和效果。这包括运用释经学和神学来评估、综合和应用神无误的话语——既包括狭义地识别和阐释神通过其人类作者在特定经文中实际表达的内容，也包括广义地将这一信息与神在救赎中的总体旨意（最终在基督里达到顶峰）联系起来，并将其具体应用于我们当下的处境。

从释经学到神学至少包含十二个相互关联的步骤：

(1) 文体，

(2) 文学单元和文本层级，

(3) 文本批评，

(4) 翻译，

(5) 从句和文本语法，

(6) 论证追踪，

(7) 词语和概念研究，

(8, 9) 历史和文学语境，

(10, 11, 12) 圣经神学、系统神学和实践神学。