Lesson 1 Flashcards
Give a brief explanation of the difference between hermeneutics and interpretation.
“Hermeneutics” is a philosophy and methodology of interpretation.
Examples:
1. Should I use Romans to clarify Galatians even if I think Galatians was written first?
2. Is it legitimate to ask if Genesis has anything to say about evolution knowing that Moses was not concerned with evolution?
3. Should I separate Luke and Acts knowing they are written by the same person to the same person?
4. If I have been divorced, does this help or hinder me while interpreting Rom 7:1-6?
“Interpretation” is associated with conclusions concerning a text based on hermeneutical assumptions
Everyone has hermeneutical assumptions
Explain Dr. Cara’s distinction between the original meaning to the historical audience and original meaning to the reading audience. Give at least one example.
Meaning to the original historical audience
What did Solomon’s prayer mean in 950 B.C. to Solomon and the first Israelites who heard it?
Meaning to the original reading audience (sometimes called “literary perspective” or “narrative criticism”)
a. What did Solomon’s prayer mean in 550 B.C. to the first readers of the book of 1-2 Kings?
b. The first readers of 1-2 Kings would have been constantly flipping in their mind between 950 B.C. and 550 B.C.
c. Most Sunday school lessons look at meaning to original historical audience
d. In order to have a full-orbed view of the original meaning, consider both original historical audience and original reading audience
** Examples: **
1. Luke 9:23
a. “Take up his cross daily” -> Historical Level = Interpreted metaphorically
b. Reading Level = Metaphore that turned literal
2. Luke 9:33
a. “He did not know what he was saying” -> said by Luke
i. Only said to the reading audience
3. Acts 1:1-3, directed to reading audience
Three things to keep in mind when interpreting Scripture:
1. Original Historical Meaning
2. Original Reading Meaning
3. Modern Meaning
“Original meaning” is God’s intention to the first audience of Acts and Romans (or any biblical situation or biblical text)
“Modern meaning” is God’s intention to the modern audience of Acts and Romans (or any biblical text)
All post-original meanings are organically related to the original meaning
Briefly explain Dr. Cara’s views of BT, R-H, and ST.
What is Biblical Theology (BT)?
A. Biblical theology is a technical term used by biblical scholars
B. BT looks at what individual writers say about particular topics in a given textual body (whether a corpus, such as the Pentateuch, or an individual book, such as Exodus)
C. Usually there is an emphasis on the theological terms and themes that the writer himself uses (e.g., Kingdom of God in the Synoptics, or suffering in 1 Peter)
D. BT does not mean “an idea that is biblical.”
E. Some scholars and ministers use BT to mean a combination of what Dr. Cara would call BT plus R-H. Hence, BT is a more narrow category for Dr. Cara than for some; but Dr. Cara understands when some use BT more broadly
What is “redemptive-history” or R-H?
A. Acknowledging that God’s redemptive actions and Scripture have been progressively revealed through time, this term has a variety of related meanings
1. The big R-H events of history including: creation, fall, covenants, exodus, Davidic kingship, Christ’s birth, death, resurrection, ascension, now/not yet, second coming
2. What the Bible says about a particular topic through time
B. What the Bible says about a particular topic through time
C. Emphasizing that all sections of the Bible have a redemptive message centered on Christ
D. Dr. Cara adjusts this slightly to: What does every text explicitly and implicitly say about the Triune God - his character (person) and actions (work) - with an emphasis on Christ?
What is Systematic Theology (ST)?
A. ST looks at what the whole Bible says about a particular topic (and usually also includes how it relates to today), and how the various doctrines (i.e., “system”) are interrelated
1. What does the Bible say about divorce?
2. How is Christ’s atonement related to his ascension?
B. Some use ST for the standard categories such as God, Man, Christ, Sin, Salvation, etc. Many call these the “traditional ST categories.”
