Hermeneutics Quiz

What is translation?

Transferring a message in one language into another language

What is the basic progression that lead to out English translations?

Original Text —> copies —> critical text —> translation —> readers

What language where the OT and NT written in primarily?

Hebrew and Greek

What did Jerome do?

Translated Bible from Reek to Latin (Vulgate AD 400)

What are the difficulties in translation?

• No two words are exactly alike

• Vocabulary will vary in size

• Syntax varies

• Different styles

• Literal does not mean accurate

What are the two main approaches to translation of the Bible?

• Formal - tries to follow the wording and structure ("forms") of the original language

• Functional - tries to express meaning or original text in today's language

What are examples of the "river of differences"

Culture, language, time, situation, and covenant

How do we find the true meaning of the text?

We do not create meaning; rather, we seek to discover the meaning that is already int eh Bible

Know the five steps of "crossing h river"

1. Grasping the text in their town

2. Measuring the width of the river

3. Crossing the principlizing bridge

4. Consult the biblical map

5. Grasping the text in our town

What are the two main or forms of context?

Literal context and historical-cultural context (background)

Why do we need historical-cultural context?

• We study the historical-cultural context to see what God says to the biblical audience

• Once we understand the meaning of the text in its original context, we can apply that meaning to our lives in ways that will be just as relevant

Know the guiding principles for historical-cultural context

For our interpretation of any biblical text to be valid, it must be consistent with the historical-cultural context of that text

In regards to historical context, what kinds of questions should we ask about the author?

• Who was the author?

• What was his background?

• When did he write?

• What was the nature of his ministry?

• What kind of relationship did he have with his audience?

• Why was he writing?

What are the dangers of studying historical-context?

• Not studying historical-cultural context at all

• The opposite dance is to sty it exclusively

• We may also get bad information

• Focusing on background matters to the neglect of meaning and application

Know the difference between presuppositions and preunderstandings and examples of these

• Presuppositions - christians have faith commitments that do not change each time we study the Bible; scriptures are infallible, scriptures are God's word to us, scriptures are authoritative, scriptures are clear, and scriptures speak of Christ

• Preunderstandings - all preconceived notions and understandings that are formed in us before we actually study the text; personal experience, cultural influences, faintly background, church, race, nationality, familiarity

Be familiar with Equidistant Letter Sequencing, what it is, is it legitimate, etc.

Uses computers to string together the text of the Bible without spaces and search the string for hidden message

• Consensus of biblical scholarships that ELS is a sham

• Problems with probability

• Unaware of variations in the Hebrew text of the OT

What is topology?

• Event or person in the OT that serves as a prophetic pattern or examples of a NT event or person

• OT sometimes foreshadows or points to what is fulfilled in the NT

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in interpretation?

• Does not make valid interpretations automatic - no "autopilot interpretation"

• Does expect us to use our minds, proper interpretive methods, and good study helped to interpret the bible accurately

• Does not create new meaning or provide new meaning, secret information

• Does help us grasp the meaning of God's word by discerning theological principles and applying them to our lives

• Does not change the Bible to suit our purposes or to match our circumstances

• Does bring the meaning of the Bible to bear on our lives

Be able to define "meaning" and "application" as it relates to the text

• Meaning - what the author intended to communicate when he wrote the text; same for all Christian

• Application - the response of the reader to the author's meaning communicated in the text; vary from Christian to Christian

What should we remember if there are apparent "inconsistencies" in the narrative?

The writes makes mistakes, and we should not take everything in the Bible as literal

Be able to recognize the "characteristics of historical narrative"

• History

• Artistic

• Entertaining

• Anthological

• Unified

• Romantic

• Realistic

• Relevance