Interpretation: Seeking a Biblical Hermeneutic
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August 30, 2021(Updated September 7, 2021)
Category: Announcements
39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. 40 These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life! —John 5:39–40 (NIV)
Biblearc is all about studying the Scriptures diligently. We provide tools like arcing and phrasing that allow you to dig deeper. We teach courses that equip you for serious study. But tools and methods for diligent study are not enough. As Jesus makes clear in John 5, we can spend ourselves studying the Scriptures, but such study merely condemns us unless it leads us to Christ. Fruitful Bible study interprets the Bible as the Bible itself demands to be read. Thus it leads us to see and savor God’s glory in Christ (Jn 5:40).
That’s the vision behind Interpretation: Seeking a Biblical Hermeneutic, which we've now launched as a self-paced path course. This course lays the foundation for all our other path courses. Our other path courses aim to equip you with tools for diligent study. But this course calls us to learn from the Bible how to study the Bible. Interpretation: Seeking a Biblical Hermeneutic equips you to study the Bible as the Author intends (2 Tim 3:16–17) as we learn to follow what John Piper calls ”Scripture's own way of reading Scripture.” Because at the end of the day, tools like arcing and phrasing are not about sculpting the Bible to fit the whims of our day and the sinful bents of hearts. Instead these tools are all about digging into the Scriptures to uncover the treasure trove of gospel wisdom that is already there in Christ (Prov 2:4; Col 2:3).
What Our Students Say
By the Lord’s grace this is exactly what students are finding as they take this course:
“Take the interpretation Live course! Even if you think you know how to interpret Scripture already or have taken other courses- there is nothing like this one where you are literally shown step by step why we need to interpret Scripture - and that it can be done accurately and how to do this- all to the glory of God in Christ!” —Cecilia Low
“This course has begun to change the way I understand the Bible – I'm now excited to see new things in it that I never thought were there!” —Graham Wintour
“This course has given me a confidence and excitement to dig deeper into Scripture, having been shown that so many of the keys to greater understanding are in the Bible itself.” —Hilary Townshend
Interpretative Principles from the Bible
Interpretation: Seeking a Biblical Hermeneutic accomplishes its aim in ten lessons. Each lesson draws one primary interpretative principle from the Bible, explains the principle with biblical examples, and equips students to interpret the Bible in light of that principle. You can find all ten primary interpretative principles below:
- The Bible demands that we interpret it according to its nature as the Word of God.
- The Bible demands that we interpret it as disciples, not as critics.
- The Bible demands that we follow its own hermeneutic, which it teaches both by principle and by example.
- The Bible expects us to interpret it within its historical-cultural context.
- The Bible demands that we recognize and appreciate the significance of its literary genres.
- The Bible demands that we interpret it theologically.
- The Bible demands that we interpret it with Christ as the key.
- The Bible demands that we follow its example in using Scripture rightly.
- The Bible demands that we apply it to our lives.
- The Bible demands that we labor to interpret Scripture faithfully.
Seeking a Biblical Hermeneutic
In all this, we are seeking to help our students develop a biblical hermeneutic. We hope and pray that Interpretation will equip you to read the Bible as the Bible itself demands to be read.
My prayer is that God would use this course to bring more and more people into the sway of Scripture’s own way of reading Scripture.
Pastor John Piper