“How can you claim to have the correct interpretation?”
This question has planted doubt in the minds of many a Bible-respecting Christian. So many fundamental doctrines are hotly debated by learned theologians that we may despair of ever really knowing the truth. However, God has provided the Scriptures for the purpose “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). We firmly believe it is possible to be confident yet humble in our understanding of God’s written revelation.
At Word of Grace, we do not claim to have a “corner on the market” of truth. However, we do apply a consistent method of study – theologically called a “hermeneutic”1 – in our handling of the Bible. We strongly believe that exegetical, expository, verse-by-verse preaching when coupled with a consistent method of study is the best protection against both anxious uncertainty and misplaced confidence.
At Word of Grace, we do not claim to have a “corner on the market” of truth. However, we do apply a consistent method of study – theologically called a “hermeneutic”1 – in our handling of the Bible. We strongly believe that exegetical, expository, verse-by-verse preaching when coupled with a consistent method of study is the best protection against both anxious uncertainty and misplaced confidence.
So what is our method of study?
In short, we approach the Scriptures with a normal, historical, grammatical understanding.
In our studies, we practice exegesis - seeking to draw out the meaning of the text. Verse-by-verse teaching with a normal, historical, grammatical method of study best protects the student of the Scriptures from reading his/her own views into the text.
We are humbled by the knowledge that many ministries which claim to exegete the Scriptures in fact use eisegesis, which places the desired meaning into the text rather than drawing the author's intended meaning out of the text. Even verse-by-verse teaching can fall into the "eisegesis" category any time a system of theology is given priority over the context and content of the Scriptures themselves. For this reason, we continue to be diligent students of the Word, "cutting in a straight line the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15 Darby's Literal Translation).
This approach to Scripture has led us at Word of Grace – along with a lineage of faithful Bible students and teachers of the past – to a dispensational, classical free grace understanding of the Scriptures.
For a practical overview of our approach to Bible interpretation, refer to Roy Zuck's helpful book, Basic Bible Interpretation.3
1 Hermeneutic: The science (principles) and art (task) by which the meaning of the biblical text is determined. (Zuck p. 20)
2 See our Doctrinal Statement for our understanding of inspiration, of dispensation, and of our understanding of key doctrines such as salvation, eternal security, and sanctification. Each of these doctrines flows from our hermeneutic.
3 Zuck, R. B. (1991). Basic Bible Interpretation. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook.
- Normal: We read the Scriptures as we would any other book. We assume the normal, plain, literal meaning wherever possible, including in historical, narrative, epistolary, and prophetic passages. That said, we allow for literary tools such as metaphorical language and poetic hyperbole.
- Historical: We approach the Bible as an accurate record of the events it records. We reject the dismissal of difficult passages as “allegorical” unless the context clearly supports this conclusion.
- Grammatical: We believe in the verbal, plenary, and inerrant inspiration of Scripture.2 As such, we believe that the Bible is the best interpreter of itself. Because the Bible, when correctly understood, never contradicts itself, we resolve difficult interpretive problems in Scripture by carefully studying the context of the passage (its paragraphs, chapters and book, along with the historical and cultural settings in which they were written), studying the content of the passage (its words and sentences), making a comparison with other clear passages, and finally, comparing the passage with axiomatic and fundamental truths.
In our studies, we practice exegesis - seeking to draw out the meaning of the text. Verse-by-verse teaching with a normal, historical, grammatical method of study best protects the student of the Scriptures from reading his/her own views into the text.
We are humbled by the knowledge that many ministries which claim to exegete the Scriptures in fact use eisegesis, which places the desired meaning into the text rather than drawing the author's intended meaning out of the text. Even verse-by-verse teaching can fall into the "eisegesis" category any time a system of theology is given priority over the context and content of the Scriptures themselves. For this reason, we continue to be diligent students of the Word, "cutting in a straight line the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15 Darby's Literal Translation).
This approach to Scripture has led us at Word of Grace – along with a lineage of faithful Bible students and teachers of the past – to a dispensational, classical free grace understanding of the Scriptures.
For a practical overview of our approach to Bible interpretation, refer to Roy Zuck's helpful book, Basic Bible Interpretation.3
1 Hermeneutic: The science (principles) and art (task) by which the meaning of the biblical text is determined. (Zuck p. 20)
2 See our Doctrinal Statement for our understanding of inspiration, of dispensation, and of our understanding of key doctrines such as salvation, eternal security, and sanctification. Each of these doctrines flows from our hermeneutic.
3 Zuck, R. B. (1991). Basic Bible Interpretation. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook.