Interpretation

Issues of Contention: Part 3A—Hermeneutics

(Read Part 4) In this fifth installment in our series, we begin looking at the last of the major "Issues of Contention" between dispensational and covenantal theology and thought. Hermeneutics The final important issue to mention is hermeneutics. Though some have used the phrase dispensational hermeneutics,[1] that is an unfortunate combination of a doctrinal position (covering ecclesiology, eschatology and soteriology, as already noted) and how we practice exegesis of the text of Scripture. The student of Scripture is not free to practice his [...]

Concluding Thoughts

(Read Part 6) We have been considering four essential principles that are necessary to holding a proper understanding of literal interpretation. These are the univocal nature of language, the jurisdiction of authorial intent, the unitary authorship of Scripture and the textually-based locus of meaning. Here are some concluding thoughts about the entire subject we have been studying. Conclusion What do these factors of literal interpretation mean for certain aspects of current dispensational interpretation? They rule out double fulfillment, near and far fulfillment, [...]

By |2018-01-09T20:05:33-06:00June 14th, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |0 Comments

The Textually-Based Locus of Meaning

(Read Part 5) To review very briefly, there are four essential principles that we must keep in mind if we are going to have a proper understanding of literal interpretation. The first three are the univocal nature of language, the jurisdiction of authorial intent and the unitary authorship of Scripture. The final element for literal interpretation is the textually-based locus of meaning. We began studying that topic in the previous installment of this series, and pick up with it here. The Textually-Based [...]

By |2018-01-09T20:06:50-06:00June 7th, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |1 Comment

The Unitary Authorship of Scripture

(Read Part 4) There are four essential principles that must be considered in order to understand literal interpretation. We looked at the first two, the univocal nature of language and the jurisdiction of authorial intent, in the last installment in this series. This time we will study the third element and then introduce the fourth and final one. The Unitary Authorship of Scripture It is commonly asserted that the Bible has a “dual authorship” and from a certain perspective this may have [...]

By |2018-01-09T19:03:05-06:00May 31st, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |0 Comments

The Components of Literal Interpretation

(Read Part 3) While it is true that “literal interpretation” is not the private property of dispensationalism, the claim is actually the consistent use thereof. A case can still be made that traditional dispensationalism can make good on this claim. There is no lock-step consensus on what “literal interpretation” really is. In the 19th century, E. R. Craven, the American editor of Lange’s Commentary, with unusual clarity made the point that literal interpretation is better termed “normal” since both literal and figurative [...]

By |2018-01-09T18:59:02-06:00May 24th, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |1 Comment

The Purposes of Human Language

(Read Part 2) Human language had a disruption at the incident of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-10). There was an initial unity of human language; there was “the same language and the same words” (Gen. 11:1). (The KJV has “of one language, and of one speech” [Gen. 11:1]. The NIV has “one language and a common speech” [Gen. 11:1].) There was an organic unity of speech. Vocabulary and syntax were a comprehensible unit understood by all.  Communication was swift. Philologists and [...]

By |2018-01-09T18:56:07-06:00May 17th, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |0 Comments

Language Requires a Rational Mind

(Read Part 1) A third component of the image of God in man is morality. This has to do with powers which inform one of right and wrong and enable him to act accordingly. A fourth aspect is spirituality. This is the capacity for fellowship with God, to understand and participate in spiritual things, the capacity for eternal life, and the like. A last capacity in the image of God has to do with physical considerations. There seems to be a physical [...]

By |2018-01-09T18:53:01-06:00May 10th, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |0 Comments

The Origin Of Human Language

For decades, one of the sina qua non of dispensationalism has been the consistent use of a literal interpretation of the Bible.[1] In fact, it proved to be the ultimate and most primitive of the irreducible minimum of dispensational tenets. Dr. Charles Ryrie said that one’s hermeneutical principles should be determined before one’s theology is formed.[2] Earl Radmacher later forcefully contended that literal interpretation was the “basic principle” of dispensationalism.[3] Principles of Biblical interpretation are indeed the first order of concerns in [...]

By |2018-01-09T18:49:54-06:00May 3rd, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Featured Posts, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |0 Comments

A Renewed Understanding of Hermeneutics

(Read Part 2) Principles of Biblical interpretation are the first order of concerns in structuring a doctrine or a comprehensive method of interpreting the Bible, foundational to correct exegesis itself. Often the order is reversed. It is often asserted with vigor that Biblical hermeneutics must come from interpreting the Bible itself, i.e., a simple matter of exegesis. But this appears to be a circular procedure, i.e., using hermeneutical principles on the Bible in order to find the Bible’s hermeutical principles (to be [...]

By |2018-01-09T18:18:51-06:00February 16th, 2016|Categories: Dispensational Theology, Hermeneutics|Tags: , |3 Comments

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