1. The Basics of H E R M E N E U T I C S
A LAYPERSONS INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCIPLES OF SOUND BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION
SELF STUDY ASSIGNMENTS
BY GORDY CUCULLU

2. Weekly Assignments You should spend 1-4 hours on assignments
Bible Passage
Study Assignment 1
Jude
Create a Book Chart 2
Habakkuk 3
Matthew 18:19-20
Meditative Writing 4
Acts 4:32-37 5
Ephesians 1:16
You should spend 1-4 hours on assignments
Use as devotional time
Get some good reference books!
I can provide copies from books for the purpose of this class.

3. How To Create A Book Chart
Briskly read through the entire book in one sitting to determine the theme. (Big Picture)
Write a one sentence summary of the main theme of the book.
Repeat (in a different translation, if possible)
End with a crisp, concise 1-sentence statement of the purpose of the book.
Develop the skeleton of the book
Answer: how did the author develop the main theme I determined?
Determine the the major arguments or summary points that make up theme.
Look for the parts that make up the whole.
Chart vertically for more detail or horizontally to make a visually orient chart.
The goal of the chart is to show the interrelation of the parts to the whole of the book, as the argument of the book unfolds.
See example.
Read to get big picture
Determine the structure of the book
Decide the structure of your chart
Two hand outs: (1) Jonah book chart (mine) and (2) Walt Russell’s “How to Chart a Biblical Book”

4. Example of a Book Chart - 1
Verses
1:1 – 1:5
1:6 – 1:23
2:1 - …
These
sho u ld
span
the
entire
book
Description
Pertinent details in this section related to verses
Examples
Brief anecdotes
References to other parts of the Bible
Record Key Persons
Some of these may be blank too. Not this one ..
..or this one, but the following two..
Minor Summary
Minor summary 1
Minor Summary 2
Minor Summary 3
You get the idea
Some of these may be blank
Major Summary
Major Theme 1
Major Theme 2
These should also be a single sentence. There may be many or few depending on the book. Should feed into the theme.
Major Theme … N
Major Theme #
THEME
This is where you write the theme in a single sentence (it may be a long sentence) that summarizes the entire book. All the major themes should feed into this one theme (though one major theme may have the exact same theme as this if it summarizes the book).

5. Nineveh Tarshish Joppa X X X N Gordy Cucullu,CSAP-527
God’s demonstration of redemption, long suffering mercy, persistent love & discipline of his followers and the lost. ( see Jonah 4:2)
Go to Nineveh!
Jonah so rejects
God’s mercy that
he is willing to bring death & judgment upon himself and others than to obey
2. Jonah repents, God shows mercy & Jonah Worships God
3. Repentant Jonah,
obediently preaches repentance to Ninevites & They repent!
4. …but Jonah Pouts & God disciplines Jonah.
Repent, OR… NO
2.1 Mercy
3.1 Obedience in Action
4.1 Disobedience at Heart
v1:17-2:1 God saves Jonah from death.
v3:3-4 Jonah delivers God’s message to the Ninevites.
v4:1-3 Jonah is angry and asks to die!
1.1 Jonah disobeys God; God disciplines him.
v4:4-6 God is merciful.
2.2 Praise & Worship
Only
40 days until destruction
3.2 Repentance
v3:5-9 The Ninevites believe God’s Message, and Repent!
v1:1-4 Jonah, the prophet disobeys God’s direction.
v2:2-9 Jonah praises God &
reaffirms vows
Nineveh
3.3 Mercy X
v1:5-11 Jonah’s disobedience brings judgment upon his companions & him.
Tarshish
v3:10 God Relents. X
1.2 Redemption,
Repentance & Worship
A graphic example.
4.2 Discipline of Attitude
v4:7- 10 God disciplines Jonah.
v2:10 God causes the whale to vomit Jonah onto dry land
v1:12-13 Jonah thrown overboard to save his companions. X
Joppa
v4:11 God is merciful, and points out Jonah’s error.
Go to Nineveh!
2.3 Call To Follow
Gordy Cucullu,CSAP-527
KEY: Read Top to Bottom, Left to Right
THEME
MAJOR SUMMARY
MINOR SUMMARY
EXAMPLES & DESCRIPTION
v1:14-16 His companions seek God, and worship Him! OK
v3:1-2 God directs Jonah back to Nineveh N

6. Scripture Interpretation Methodology
Genre:
Gospel Narrative, Historical Narrative, Law, Poetry, Wisdom Literature, Epistle, Apocalyptic
Generic Conception: A single sentence theme of the whole book that gives meaning to every part of the passage.
Ideally done with the book before approaching a passage.
Four, single spaced paragraphs of observations
Use dictionary and Bible background commentaries
Literary-see list, use only these terms.
Grammatical-structure and word use.
Historical-places, events, dates
People and practice oriented
Step 4 is your final interpretation of the passage.
Make a bulleted list of application.
Spend some time and meditate on the final interpretation.
Limit the entire exercise to two pages, not less than 1.5 pages.
Steps 1, 2 & 4 are single sentences.
1. Identify the Genre
2. Generic or Intrinsic Conception
3. Make Observations:
-Literary -Grammatical -Historical -Cultural
4. Meditate & Interpret
5. Application
Three hand outs: (1) Daily Scripture interpretation sheet, (2) Some “Structural and Literary Relationships”, and (3) an example of this process from one of my papers.

7. Some Recommended Reading & Resources
Do not use commentaries or study Bible notes at all!
These will bias you before you’ve had a chance to approach the text.
Resources for scripture interpretation
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Zondervan Bible Commentary, One-Volume Illustrated Edition, F.F. Bruce
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary by Arnold
The IVP Bible Background Commentary (2-books)
NT by Craig S. Keener
OT by John H. Walton, Victor Matthews, & Mark Chavalas
Translations: Bible Gateway
Multiple Bible translations available on-line (no charge).
Other resources: Study Light:
Interlinear Bible, Dictionaries & Encyclopedias can be found at this site.