Questions tagged [hermeneutical-approaches]
Particular philosophies and methodologies of textual interpretation.
240
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In Luke 18:36-37, why does the blind man say “Son of David” instead of “Jesus of Nazareth”?
In Luke 18:36-37 [NASB]:
Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have ...
8
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7answers
260 views
What is the best interpretation of the “finger of God” in the Old Testament?
The "finger of God" as used in the Old Testament seems to depict two diversely annotated acts of God.
First, in Exodus 8:16–20, during the plagues of Egypt, it is used by the Egyptian priests to ...
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2answers
55 views
Should οἰκοδομέω be interpreted literally or metaphorically?
οἰκοδομέω (oikodomeō), with the lexical entry STRONG NT 3618, is the Greek verb for "edify." In the gospels it often has the normal meaning of building a physical structure.
But in Acts and the rest ...
0
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1answer
42 views
Is 1 Timothy 3:11 referring to deaconesses?
The position of this solitary charge, respecting deacons’ wives, in the midst of regulations concerning “deacons,” is, of itself, almost decisive against the translation of the English version, ...
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5answers
305 views
Why did God hate Esau from the womb when he had done no evil?
In my effort to take a survey on the character of Esau, I seem to be running into more difficulties in unveiling why the All-loving God declared hatred for Esau right from the womb when he had done no ...
3
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2answers
95 views
What mountains is Isaiah 52:7 referring to?
I have read through Isaiah 52:7 time and again. I don’t seem to be coming to terms with how the feet of him that brings the good news are beautiful upon the mountains.
“How beautiful upon the ...
6
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4answers
331 views
Are “the treasures of darkness” in Isaiah 45:3 some forms of real blessings or apocalyptic coding?
Is the treasures of darkness, another reference to the hidden wealth of secret places in Isaiah 45:3.
I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret
places, that you may know ...
2
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3answers
110 views
The seventy rooms (of pictures) in the temple in Ezekiel 8:11-13?
As I read through Ezekiel Chapter 8, I took notice of the "seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel" mentioned in verse 11 and what they were doing in the dark.
"11 And before them stood ...
5
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0answers
79 views
Did biblical authors intentionally use repeated words to connect passages within their writing?
In my study of the gospel of Mark, as I try to uncover Mark's intent in various passages, I rely heavily on the literary device of repeated words. Specifically, I assume that if a Greek word only ...
0
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1answer
61 views
When Jesus said to Peter” Satan hath desired to have you…” what did he mean (Lk 22:31-34)
The famous passage spoken by Jesus unto Peter reads: “Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, ...
4
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2answers
93 views
In Genesis 27:19 what is the meaning of “that your soul may bless me”?
When Jacob responds to Isaac's call in Genesis 27:19 [NKJV], he says these words:
“...I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please
arise, sit and eat of my game, that your ...
5
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1answer
98 views
זֶרַע or זְרֹע in 1 Samuel 2:31
The MT 1 Samuel 2:31 reads:
הִנֵּה, יָמִים בָּאִים, וְגָדַעְתִּי אֶת-זְרֹעֲךָ, וְאֶת-זְרֹעַ בֵּית
אָבִיךָ--מִהְיוֹת זָקֵן, בְּבֵיתֶךָ.
Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, ...
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4answers
158 views
What is an exegetical understanding of ἀντίχριστ- / anti-chist?
The phrase "anti-christ" is specific to the works of the apostle John in 1John 2:18, 1John 2:22; 1John 4:3 and 2John 1:7.
These are the only places where the compound word and understanding of anti-...
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3answers
52 views
Is 1 John 2:15-17 talking about this life or the after life?
So, I've been wrestling with "love for the world" and what that has to do with the "afterlife"... We know we can't prove our love for God, because nothing good lives in us - Romans 7:18 - we may have ...
2
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0answers
52 views
What are the major differences between Heidegger's, Gadamer's and Ricoeur's hermeneutics?
Where would Heidegger, Ricoeur, and Gadamer disagree most on hermeneutic methodology?
I'm exploring this question or Quora and hoping to gather further insight and perspective.
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1answer
134 views
Why does Paul misquote the OT
I've been reading through Romans and noticed Paul does the following:
Romans 11:8 quotes Isaiah 29:10 and Deuteronomy 29:4. The same sentiment is found also in Isaiah 6:9-10. But this is not a word ...
4
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3answers
118 views
How do we decide if a biblical instruction is cultural or transcultural?
We ignore many instructions in the Bible, but keep some. For instance women do not stay silent in church or wear head coverings during prayer.
How do we decide if a verse was written for the culture ...
0
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1answer
52 views
Did Paul think that Isaiah was about the exile of the 6th century BC or that Isaiah intended it to be about the destruction of 70ad? [closed]
The question
It might (or might not) be useful to review this related question before tackling this one.
In this excellent but imperfect paper the author points to the many instances where Paul ...
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4answers
499 views
Are the 70 weeks of Daniel and Jeremiah prophecies about the Babylonian exile of the 6th century BC or about the age of the Messiah?
Jeremiah ostensibly predicted that Israel would be destroyed and be in captivity to Babylon for 70 years:
[Jer 25:11 NLT] 11 This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her ...
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1answer
39 views
In using a Koine lexicon, does only the first entry count? [closed]
It has been suggested on another site that only the first entry of a Koine lexicon "counts". In this example of neo-Platonism, the first lexeme matches the "Ideal Form" which in this case is an ...
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2answers
111 views
Do Greek and Hebrew words have only one meaning in scripture regardless of the context?
Is it a legitimate linguistic feature within scriptures that the words of scripture only have one meaning each?
For example, the KJV translates Strong's G1242 in the following manner: covenant (20x), ...
0
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1answer
29 views
Are the repetitions in Isaiah intended to reinforce the idea of “double retribution”?
In several places in Isaiah 43:11 to 52:11 (and I believe other places) he repeats phrases:
[Isa 43:11, 25 CSB] 11 "I -- I am the LORD. Besides me, there is no Savior. ... 25 "I -- I sweep away ...
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2answers
49 views
What Hermeneutical attributes are most important (For new Bible Tool)? [closed]
I'm a software engineer and I've built a bible analytics tool specifically to analyze various doctrines across denominations, ranking applicable verse higher based largely on the hermeneutics.
I'm ...
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1answer
46 views
Looking at scripture when do we receive the soul [closed]
When looking at scripture when does the soul enter the body
2
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1answer
408 views
In 1 Corinthians 11:3-10 what does it mean that the head of the woman/wife is the husband/man?
What is the Biblical basis for male headship per 1 Corinthians 11:3-10? From what I have studied, the meaning of the word "head" back in the time Paul wrote it meant "source". The definition "leader" ...
0
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3answers
67 views
How to determine scope and applicability of a passage, with focus on John 6:32-51?
What is the scope of the bread of life discourse in John? I have always, along with most commentators I've read, thought it was universal because of terms "world" (33, 51), "he who" and "anyone" (35, ...
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6answers
113 views
Eisegesis needed for correct exegeting of Scripture, with John 1:1-14 as question topic
So, I had asked a related question that was closed for it's lack of Scripture to apply a hermeneutically approach to, so I've re phrased to scripture which is very important to the Christian faith: ...
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1answer
45 views
Hermeneutics…? [closed]
How old is the word hermeneutics? How do I convey the fact that I keep the first in terms of greatest Commandments and for that reason your eyes have not seen ears have not heard nor has it entered ...
4
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1answer
77 views
Don't we need Biblically definitive eisegesis to Exegete properly?
I've been looking at some of the thoughts on eisegesis and it seems that the general tone is always negative when the term comes up. However, when we read the bible in an Exegetical way in order to ...
2
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3answers
915 views
Are the meanings of El and Elohe in Genesis 33:20 different or same? If different, how do they different?
Genesis 33:20
"ויצב שם מזבח ויקרא לו אל אלהי ישראל׃"
The context of Genesis 33:20 is Genesis 33:18-20
"18After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the ...
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2answers
141 views
In 2 Cor 10:3-5 what kind of war does he say a Christian must and must not wage?
In the following text by Paul what kind of "warfare" can Christians be involved in and what kind of "warfare" must Christians not be involved in?
KJV 2 Cor 10:3-5
"For though we walk in the ...
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1answer
198 views
Lord Jesus christ and his disciples,were they friends or enemies? [closed]
So far I have asked a number of questions such as:
For whom would it be better not to have been born (Matthew 26:24)?
Jesus curses or speaks the truth about life?
Consider the age of Jesus and the ...
2
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3answers
301 views
Are the principalities and powers in Titus 3:1 the same as in Ephesians 6:12?
Why did Paul say we should wrestle against "principalities and powers" in Ephesians 6:12 and obey them in Titus 3:1?
ESV Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against ...
4
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1answer
109 views
What does Hosea 12:1 mean by “Ephraim feedeth on wind?”
It seems Hosea 12:1 was referring to the covenant that Ephraim made with the Assyrians. If that is what "feeding on wind" implies in the verse, then how does that relate to "carrying oil into Egypt"?
...
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3answers
121 views
Interpreting Daniel's prophecy (most of which Daniel didn't understand)
"The best way to interpret a Bible passage is to understand it the way the original writer and recipients understood". Agreed. This principle is helpful. But what about texts like Daniel's ...
2
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4answers
624 views
In 1 Corinthians 10:4, in what sense was Christ the rock that followed the Jews and how did he/it follow?
Is Paul saying that the rock trailed behind the wandering Jews? And was the rock literally Christ in a different form? Or is he calling attention to its value as a metaphor for Christ?
KJV 1Co_10:4 ...
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2answers
155 views
Are there non-Rabbinical hermeneutics that recognize deliberate, non-chronological ordering of texts in the Pentateuch?
In Rabbinic Literature there is a principle of Biblical interpretation known as אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה (Ein Mukdam U'me'uhar B'Torah), which postulates that the Pentateuch does not (necessarily) ...
5
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2answers
221 views
Other than as a memory aid what is the alleged hermeneutical significance of chiastic structure?
Whether or not chiasmus is something intended by an author or whether it is simply serendipity is a question about which there is no settled opinion. People disagree. Some see it everywhere and are ...
3
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2answers
379 views
In Genesis 9:20-24 why is Ham, the second born, referred to as the “younger son”?
Genesis 9:20-24 NKJV
And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he
drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw ...
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3answers
97 views
Is Jesus' “gospel of the kingdom” obsolete? [closed]
Jesus proclaimed and taught "the gospel of the kingdom" as mentioned in Matthew 24:14:
Mat_24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all nations; ...
0
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1answer
61 views
“Unbiased” Intro to Old Testament [closed]
I teach Intro to Old Testament at a community college. I am looking for something that may be a unicorn.But, I am going to ask anyway. Does anyone know of an Intro to Old Testament that does not ...
3
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2answers
90 views
The proper reading of Exodus 31:17
This is a follow up question to a question i've asked a few months ago.
In the linked question (and until recently) i have assumed that Exodus 31:17 is to be taken as a complete sentence,
It ...
0
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1answer
125 views
How does the NKJV apply 2 Samuel 7:14 to 2 Corinthians 6:18?
2 Samuel 7:14 New King James Version (NKJV)
14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
2 ...
1
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1answer
83 views
How to read Joshua 5:14?
The Hebrew in Joshua 5:14 reads
וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי אֲנִי שַׂר צְבָא יְדוָד עַתָּה בָאתִי
A literal translation of the text would render this:
And he replied "No. For i am the commander of ...
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3answers
435 views
Fulfillment of Jacob's request regarding the inheritance of the land (Genesis 48)?
In Genesis 48:5-6 Jacob transfers the firstborn right from Reuben to Joseph (see 1 chronicles 5:1), and adopts his sons Ephraim and Menasseh as his own, and gives them prioritized standing in ...
2
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3answers
938 views
Proverbs 11:15 - “put up security for a stranger” and “striking hands in pledge”
Proverbs 11:15
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
I don't really understand 2 phrases:
"put up security for ...
1
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3answers
103 views
In/for what intention the Angels declared peace on earth?
When someone is dying how can we greet peace on them?
So many children were killed when Jesus was born, and many people went through lament/mourning. In that situation how the Angels declared peace on ...
2
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2answers
865 views
What does “branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire” mean in John 15:6?
What does "branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire" mean?
John 15:6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and ...
3
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2answers
240 views
Is 'darkness upon' in Genesis 1:2 cosmic, rather than merely terrestrial, despite that the central subject and Biblical grammar suggests the latter?
Is 'darkness upon' in Genesis 1:2 cosmic, rather than merely terrestrial, despite that the central subject (Earth) and Biblical Hebrew grammar (ex:Luke 23:44, Exodus 14:20, Deuteronomy 4:11, Joshua ...
1
vote
2answers
113 views
On which day was the wave offering made in Leviticus 23:10-11?
Leviticus 23:10-11 New International Version (NIV)
10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf ...
