EXEGESIS AND EISEGESIS Polar Opposite Approaches to Biblical Interpretation

COMPARE AND CONTRAST Exegesis (Good Practice)  The exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis  Literally means “to lead out of”  The interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text.  Does justice to the text  Concerned with the true meaning  Grammar  Syntax  Setting Eisegesis (Poor Practice)  The interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading  Literally means “to lead into”  The interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.  Mishandling of text  Often leads to misinterpretation  Concerned only with making a point  Not concerned with true meaning of words

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?  2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  This verse commands us to use exegetical methods.  Exegesis  Allows the text to speak for itself  Allows us to agree with the Bible  Eisegesis  Easily lends itself to error  The would-be interpreter attempts to align the text with his own preconceived notions  Seeks to force the Bible to agree with us

WHAT’S THE PROCESS?  Exegesis  Observation  What does the passage say?  Who is speaking? Who is being spoken to?  What is being said?  Interpretation  What does the passage mean?  Why is it being said?  When was it being said?  Correlation  How does the passage relate to the rest of the Bible?  Where else in the Bible is this addressed?  Application  How should this passage affect my life?  Eisegesis  Imagination  What idea do I want to present?  Exploration  What Scripture passage seems to fit with my idea?  Application  What does my idea mean?  No examination of words in the text or their relationship to each other  No cross-referencing with related passages  No real desire to understand the actual meaning  Scripture serves only as a prop to the interpreter’s idea

EISEGESIS SERMON PREP  Interpreter decides on a topic  “The Importance of Church Attendance”  Interpreter searches for passage which seems to fit his idea  2 Chronicles 27:1-2  Compares/contrasts King Uzziah and King Jotham  Discovers both were good kings  King Uzziah went to the temple; however King Jotham did not  Emphasizes importance of passing on Godly values to next generation  Doesn’t always mean that next generation will follow them  Many young people today turn from their parents’ training  Church attendance drops  Decides on concluding question:  How many blessings did Jotham fail to receive simply because he neglected church?

2 CHRONICLES 27:1-2  (1) Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.  (2) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.

EXEGESIS MODEL  Interpreter reads the passage  Reads the histories of Uzziah and Jotham  2 Chronicles  2 Kings 15:1-6;  Discovered both were good kings  Uzziah, however, disobeyed the Lord  Went to the temple and offered incense on the altar  Only a priest had the right to do this  Disobedience resulted in leprosy  Jotham did not enter the temple; thus, he was more obedient  Studies Leviticus 13:46 for leprosy isolation  Does more research on leprosy  Compares illness as a punishment in other passages  2 Kings 5:27; 2 Chronicles 16:12; 2 Chronicles 21:12-15  Must decide on sermon emphasis  The Lord’s Discipline of His Children  Learn Vicariously From the Mistakes of Others