What’s a Hermeneutic and How Can I Get One?

What Is a Hermeneutic? Merriam Webster’s second definition of “hermeneutic” is, “a method or principle of interpretation.” For our purposes, a hermeneutic is a set of rules we can use to help us clearly understand what the Bible means.

Take It Literally First A good rule for interpreting anything someone says is to take it literally. The exception would be taking it literally would cause it to contradict some other clear instruction.

Commands Are Almost Always to be Taken Literally For instance, in Mark 16:15-16, we find, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Note: the words in bold must be taken literally.

Ask Who the Writer Is Moses was trained in the courts of Pharaoh. David was a shepherd. Luke was a doctor. Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel. Peter and John were fishermen.

Ask Who the Speaker Is Though the writer will tell the truth about things which were spoken, the speaker may not tell the truth. Moses records the words of the devil. The writer of Job records the words of Job’s three friends.

Try to Discover the Author’s Purpose In Ecclesiastes 2:3, the Preacher informs his readers that he is going to write of his search for something that was good for man. Much folly is recorded as he tells us what he told himself and how the experiment proceeded (1:16; 2:1, 15; 3:17-18; etc.). Using man's wisdom and approach, he pursued courses that would not result in a good end for man (2:17). His conclusion is that the key to man's happiness does not lie in man's pursuit of what he thinks is good, but in fearing God and keeping his commandments (12:13).

Determine the Time of Writing Some instructions were given in the age of the Patriarchs. Other instructions were given to the Jews through the Law of Moses. Still others were given following the death of our Lord.

Ask Who Was Being Addressed In what city did they live? What type of people were they? Which Pharaoh was addressed? One listened to Joseph. One refused to hear God’s words as delivered by Moses. Which Herod is being spoken to or about? What position did the addressee occupy? Luke wrote to “most excellent Theophilus.”

Determine the Nature of the Writing Is it poetry? Is it prophecy? Is it history?

Consider the Meaning of the Words Baptidzo, which is transliterated “baptism,” means to dip, plunge, immerse. Faith can refer to an individual’s faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith can also refer to the sum of all that is believed (Jude 3).