Hermeneutics & Homiletics

1
 Hermeneuo – “To interpret or give the
sense of”
• Greek hermeneia
 1 Corinthians 12:10: . . .to another the
interpretation of tongues.
• Nehemiah 8:6-8: So they read in the
book in the law of God distinctly, and
gave the sense, and caused them to
understand the reading.

2
 The Science and Art of Proper Biblical
Interpretation

3
 “To pull out
Exegesis the meaning
of”

4
 “To put a
Eisegesis meaning
into”

5
 2Pe 3:15-16 KJV(15) And account that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our
beloved brother Paul also according to the
wisdom given unto him hath written unto
you;(16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in
them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are
unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the
other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
 2Co 2:17 KJV(17) For we are not as many, which
corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but
as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

6
 KJV: Studyto shew thyself approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
 NASB: Be diligent to present yourself
approved to God as a workman who does
not need to be ashamed, accurately
handling the word of truth.

7
Approach Study
Attitude to shew thyself approved unto
God,

Judgment a workman that needeth

not to be ashamed,

Method rightly dividing the word

of truth
8
 Observation
• What does it say?
 Interpretation
• What does it mean?
 Application
• What does it mean to me?

9
 Culture
• The study of a people’s manners and customs
 Geography
• The study of a geographical area and its impact
on our understanding
 Biblical Languages
• The study of the Hebrew and Greek languages
 History
• The background and history of a people

10
11
 Apokalypsis – An unveiling
• The divine self-disclosure of God of His nature
and purposes
 General Revelation
• Psa 19:1-2 KJV(1) To the chief Musician, A Psalm
of David. The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.(2)
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto
night sheweth knowledge.

12
 Special Revelation
• Psa 19:7-8 KJV(7) The law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is
sure, making wise the simple.(8) The statutes of
the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the
commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening
the eyes.

13
 Theopneustos – God-Breathed
• 2Ti 3:16-17 KJV(16) All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:(17) That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 God’s superintending through His Spirit the

human authors of the Bible, so that using their
own personalities they composed and wrote
without error or omission God’s revelation of
Himself.

14
 Liberal
• Listen to the words of
Paul
 Neo-Orthodox
• Listen for the word of
God
 Conservative
• Listen to the Word of
God

15
 All
scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable. . .
• For doctrine,
• For reproof,
• For correction,
• For instruction in righteousness:
 Thatthe man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.

16
 Gospels
• Joh 14:26 KJV(26) But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to
your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
 Acts
• Joh 15:26-27 KJV(26) But when the Comforter is
come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall testify of me:(27) And ye also shall
bear witness, because ye have been with me from
the beginning.

17
 Epistles
• Joh 14:26 KJV(26) But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things. . .
 Revelation
• Joh 16:13 KJV(13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for
he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew
you things to come.

18
The Bible in its entirety is God’s written word to man,
free of error in its original autographs, wholly reliable
in history and doctrine. Its divine inspiration has
rendered the book “infallible” (incapable of teaching
deception) and “inerrant” (not liable to prove false or
mistaken). Its inspiration is “plenary” (extending to all
parts alike), “verbal” (including the actual language
form), and “confluent” (product of two free agents,
human and divine).
Inspiration involves infallibility as an essential
property, and infallibility in turn implies inerrancy. This
threefold designation of scripture is implicit in the
basic theses of Biblical authority. –Clark Pinnock

19
The Chicago
Statement on
Biblical
Inerrancy

20
21
 Fact

Fact
An Idea or Is proven
Statement by
Fact

Fact

22
Fact

Fact
Leads to Conclusion
Fact

Fact

23
 3. One then interprets
the specific statements
1. One already has 2. One (often
of the Bible in the light of
assumptions, unconsciously) brings
prior ideas. One reads
generalizations, views, these ideas and views to
meaning into the text, or
etc. the text.
looks for support of prior
assumptions.

24
 3. One gets the meaning
from the text. One lets
1. One is open-minded 2. One consciously the specific statements
and recognizes one’s refrains from forcing of the Bible speak for
preconceived views. ones views on the text. themselves, and puts
these facts together and
induces the conclusions.

25
 Interpretive
Examination Aids

The Indirect Interpretation

(dependent)
Approach

26
 Examination

The Direct Interpretation

(independent)
Approach

Interpretive
Aids

27
 Observation
• What does it say?

 Interpretation
• What does it mean?

 Application
• What does it mean to me personally?

28
 Analysis of tone of the passage
 Identification of the theme of the passage
 Outline of the passage
 Questions asked which aid observation
• Who?
• What?
• Where?
• When?
• Why?
• How?

29
30
 Concordance – A book that lists
occurrences of the words in the Bible in
dictionary form.
• Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
• Young’s Analytical Concordance
 Lexicon – A dictionary of the words of the
Bible including the references where the
words are found and various shades of
meaning
• Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon
• A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament

31
 Dictionary – A book which amplifies the
word by looking at its etymology,
definition, usage, synonyms, and
translations.
• Vine’s Expository Dictionary
• Dictionary of New Testament Theology
• Theological Word Book of the Old Testament

32
 Encyclopedia – An extended discussion
of the etymology, usage, background, and
meaning of biblical words.
• Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible
• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

33
 Commentaries – A book which seeks to
give a person’s interpretation of the
meaning of the Bible
• Devotional – An effort to emphasize the
application of the Bible
• Homiletical – An effort to discuss the Bible as it is
used in sermons.
• Historical – An examination of the historical
background of the text.
• Exegetical – An examination of the meaning of
the text.

34
 Quote from e-Sword computer Bible
 Rom 3:25 WhomG3739 GodG2316 hath set forthG4388 to be a
throughG1223 faithG4102 inG1722 hisG848
blood,G129
 E-Sword Strong’s Concordance Listing
• G2435 – The Hebrew or Greek word number
• ἱλαστήριον – The word in original characters
• hilastērion – The word transliterated
• hil-as-tay'-ree-on – Word pronunciation
• Neuter of a derivative of G2433; an expiatory (place or
thing), that is, (concretely) an atoning victim, or
(specifically) the lid of the Ark (in the Temple): – Term
defined with any derivatives.
• mercyseat, propitiation. – The term translated.

35
36
A method of selecting a given subject in
the Bible and tracing the occurrences of
that subject as it relates to its context.

37
 Biographical
 Thematic (Theological)

38
 Look
 Assemble
 Organize
 Apply

39
 Keys to look for. . .
• Meaning of Name
• Ancestry
• Shortcomings
• Training and Conversion
• Accomplishments
• Effect of Life upon Others
• Periods of Life
• Spiritual Life
• Spiritual Principles Illustrated
• Death, Impact of Life

40
 Organization of the Material
• Chronological
 Birth to Death
• Events
 Moses – Ruler in Egypt
 Moses – Shepherd in Desert
 Moses – Leader in Wilderness
• Principles
 Moses – The Man of Prayer
 Moses – the Leader of God’s People
 Moses – The Meekest of Men

41
42
 Historical Context – Events which have
historical ties to the surrounding events.
Mark 9:2.
 Historical-Theological – A theological
section of teaching that is connected to an
historical event. John 6:1-14; 26-27.
 Logical – When thoughts or arguments are
presented together. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
 Philosophical – the context depends upon
the association of ideas. Hebrews 5:11ff.

43
 Parentheses – Details of time, place, or
secondary details are placed into the
sentence. Genesis 23:2.
 Digressions – Extended deviations from
the line of thought being pursued to
parallel topics. Ephesians 3:2-13.
 Anacolutha – An unexpected change
from one construction to another for
emphasis or to show strong emotions.
Luke 5:14; 1 Timothy 1:13.
44
Immediate
Context

Same Book

Parallels

All of
Scripture

45
 Definition: The principle by which God
gives light upon a subject through either
near or remote passages bearing upon
the same theme. Every sentence or verse
in the bible has something that proceeds
it and follows it—except for Genesis 1:1
and Revelation 22:21.

46
1. Observe carefully the immediate context—that which
precedes and follows the passage.
2. Observe carefully any parallels in the same book.
3. Observe carefully any parallel in another book by the same
author or in other books by different authors.
4. Bear in mind that the smaller the quantity of material to be
interpreted, the greater the danger of ignoring context.
5. Look for how the passage fits into the author’s argument.
6. Distinguish between descriptive and proscriptive language.
7. Distinguish between incidental details and the point of the
passage.
8. Identify the persons or category of persons who are being
addressed in the passage.
9. Remember – “A text without context is a pretext!”

47
48
 The Lower Level  The Upper Level
• Phoneme • Paragraph
• Morpheme • Section
• Word • Book
 The Middle Level
• Phrase
• Clause
• Sentence

49
 Present – The action is described as a
process
 Imperfect – An ongoing action in the past
 Aorist – A simple completed action
 Perfect – A completed past action with
abiding results
 Future – A future action

50
 Active – The subject producing the action
of the verb
• Luke 16:15: But God knoweth your hearts:
 Middle – The subject participates in the
results of the action
• Matthew 27:5: And he went and hanged himself.
 Passive– The subject receives the action
of the verb
• John 1:3: All things were made by him;

51
 Indicative – A simple statement of fact
• John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word,
 Subjunctive – Uncertain about reality
• Hebrews 4:14: Let us hold fast our profession
 Imperative – Command
• Matthew 5:44: But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you,

52
53
 History – The events which make up the
life of an individual, group of individuals,
nation, group of nations.

 Culture – The ways, methods, manners,

tools, institutions, and literary
productions of any people.

54
 Personalcharacteristics of the author
 Circumstances at the time of writing
 Circumstances peculiar to the writing
• Characteristics of the reader
• Purpose of the Author
• Historic situation surrounding the writing

55
 The interpreter should make use of all
possible material, both internal and
external
 The interpreter should recognize that the
historic situation is more important than
the precise historic date
 The interpreter should search for the life-
setting of the text. (Sitz-in-laben)

56
 Universal
God’s Nature

Supra-
Cultural

Cultural Cultural Cultural

57
 Know the people or peoples who are
involved in the section being interpreted.
 Determine what period is the most likely
temporal setting for the materials to be
interpreted. Remember that it is more
important to know the historical situation
than the precise historical date.
 Check the place or places which provide
the geographical setting.
58
 Note the customs, objects of material
culture, or social-religious relationships that
are evident in the narrative or that lie
behind the narrative.
 Recognize how the history took place
before the times of the original hearers or
readers influenced their responses and
attitudes.
 Examine the forces that brought about
stability or instability of the economy.

59
 See how the narrative transcends its
surroundings. Some scholars who are well
trained in history and culture spend most of their
time showing similarities between the Biblical
narrative and the surrounding history and
culture. The differences are important too.
 Be aware of the similarities and differences
between the historical-cultural elements
surrounding the original writer and his readers
and the historical-cultural elements surrounding
the interpreter. We must recognize these
similarities and differences if we are to convey
the message to our contemporaries.

60
61
 The purpose of Application is to take the
truths seen in Observation and
understood through Interpretation and
accurately Apply them to our lives.

62
 Fellowship with God

 Direction from God

 Godly Living

 Preaching/Teaching

63
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness: That the
man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.

64
 Reflection – Acknowledgement of the
truth – Profitable
• Doctrine
• Reproof
• Correction
• Instruction in Righteousness
 Incarnation – Live it out – Adequate
• Be fit or furnished unto every good work.

65
 The specific My specific
Biblical situation situation
The specific
example which took
place in that My application in my
particular situation, own circumstances.
or the specific
command given to fit
that particular
situation. determines
determines

The General Principle

66
 What is the Central Message?

 What is my Personal Need?

 What is my Actual Plan?

 What is my External Check?

67
68
 Thescience and art of organizing,
preparing, and delivering sermons

69
 God has spoken

 Christ has come

 The Spirit will illuminate

 Souls hang in the balance

70
 Ritualist – Sermon is a part of the order of
service
 Huckster – Preacher is simply trying to
sell the Gospel
 Foreman – Preacher simply chews
everyone out
 Lecturer – Information dumping
 Persuader – Sermon demands a decision
from the hearer
71
 Lives of piety/prayer

 Knowledge of scripture and theology

 Overwhelming sense of mission

 Difficult personal situations

72
 The communication of truth by man to
man. It has in it two essential elements,
truth and personality. . . .it must have both
elements. . . .It is the absence of one or
the other elements that a discourse
ceases to be a sermon, and a man ceases
to be a preacher altogether.
—Phillips Brooks

73
 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the
dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach
the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; And they shall turn away
their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables. But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full
proof of thy ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5 KJV)

74
 Kerygma – The content of the Apostolic
preaching
 Kerusso – To preach, that is proclaim, announce
or herald
 (Ephesians 3:8 KJV) Unto me, who am less than
the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I
should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ;
 (2 Timothy 4:2 KJV) Preach the word; be instant
in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
75
 The age of fulfillment has arrived
• Acts 2:16-21
 A rehearsal of the ministry, death, and
triumph of Jesus
• Acts 2:22-24
 Citation of OT scriptures to prove who
Jesus is
• Acts 2:25-32
 A call to repentance
• Acts 2:33-35

76
 Parakaleo – To address, speak to, (call to,
call upon), which may be done in the way of
exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction,
etc.
• (Titus 2:15 KJV) These things speak, and exhort.
 Kataggello
– To announce, declare,
promulgate, make known
• (Colossians 1:28 KJV) Whom we preach, warning
every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom;
that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus:

77
 Propheteuo – To speak in such a way that
the church is edified, comforted or exhorted
• (Acts 15:32 KJV) And Judas and Silas, being
prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren
with many words, and confirmed them.
 Laleo– To use words in order to declare
one’s mind and disclose one’s thoughts
concerning the Word of God
• (Acts 16:6 KJV) Now when they had gone throughout
Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were
forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in
Asia,

78
 Didasko – To teach with special reference
to the explanation, ethics, and application
of the Kerygma
• (1 Timothy 6:2-3 KJV) These things teach and
exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent
not to wholesome words, even the words of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is
according to godliness;

79
 Euaggelizo – To share the good news of
the coming of the kingdom of God, and of
the salvation to be obtained in it through
Christ, and of what relates to this
salvation
• (Romans 1:15 KJV) So, as much as in me is, I am
ready to preach the gospel to you that are at
Rome also.

80
 Reading – A sermon is presented from a
carefully prepared manuscript

 Recitation
– A sermon is presented from a
memorized manuscript

 Extemporaneous – A sermon is
presented without a manuscript or with
only an outline
81
 “It
is possible to preach a quite
unbiblical sermon on a Biblical text; It is
also possible to preach a biblical sermon
on no text at all.”

82
A sermon which is concerned with an
exposition of a portion of scripture that
seeks to make plain and apply to the
modern listener the essential meaning
that was in the mind of the Biblical author.

83
 Contains a clear statement of the primary
Biblical idea from the text
 The structure of the sermon must be
consistent with the text
 The sermon must be relevant to the
listener
 Applications and illustrations must flow
from the text

84
A sermon in which the subject is known
by the preacher either from a text or by
selected texts and one in which the
subject determines the divisions, not the
text.

85
 The topic must be Biblical
• The authority of the Bible must prevail

 Care must be taken to not distort the text

• Not all aspects of the text will be dealt with

 It must preach the Gospel

• While not the essence it must be seen

86
A sermon in which an account from the
scripture is cast in the form of a story
with a plot which is used to bring out the
practical implications of the text to the
listener.

87
 The narrative framework follows the text.

 Theapplications are drawn from the

principles revealed in the account.

 The
story has a “Once upon a time” and
“Happily ever after” sense.

88
 Pastors Be Shepherds, Not Sheep
 By Tom Blackaby
 Published in SermonCentral.com, March
24, 2008

89