Category: Biblical Interpretation

Principles of Interpretation Seminar These are notes from a seminar given prior to the Great Commission Churches Pastor’s Conference, June 13, 2011. This seminar represents my own views and not necessarily those of Great Commission Churches.  — David Bovenmyer In 2002, I took a course offered by BILD International entitled Interpreting the Word I: Principles…

Victory in this battle begins with understanding the truth of God, and this can only happen as we properly interpret and understand God’s word. Indeed the devil’s most subtle and often most effective strategy is to deceive us through the use of God’s own Word, as he attempted to do when he tempted the Lord…

The goal of interpretation is to understand the meaning of the passage as the author intended it to be understood by the audience he was writing to. The Bible is to be interpreted by the same rules as other books and other communication.  God has communicated to us in human language and in a manner…

 The Epistles: 1) Recognize the customary letter form: 1) name of writer, 2) name of recipient, 3) greeting, 4) prayer or thanksgiving, 5) body 6) final greeting and farewell. 2) The epistles are occasional in nature, so it is essential to try to understand the historical situation that was being addressed.  A good procedure might…

Begin by asking God for wisdom. Ask for God’s understanding of the book. Ask God to reveal any cultural or theological biases I may have. Read the book and identify portions that may be threatening to my current theology or lifestyle.  Ask God for grace to receive anything these passages may be saying in contradiction…

This is Dave Bovenmyer’s summary of Chapter two of Hermeneutics, Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation, by Henry A. Virkler