Page 22 - Homiletics I Student Textbook

2. Interpretation answers the question, “What does this mean?”

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Closely tied to the way a person seeks to interpret scripture is his exegetical method. The more
thorough one’s exegetical method, the more accurate his interpretation will be. A thorough exegetical
method should include the following six steps.

Context Study

Study the historical-cultural context (anything outside of the text – the author, the
recipients, the time in history, the geographical, social, economic, political, and spiritual
setting, etc.) and the literary context (anything inside of the text – the general and
immediate context, the type of literature, etc.) to gain a better understanding of the time
and situation in which the author was writing.

If our interpretation would not have made sense back then, we are probably on the wrong
track…We must first determine what a text meant “in their town” before we can determine
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what it means and how we should apply that meaning to our time and culture.

When it comes to interpreting and applying the Bible, context is crucial. In fact, we
would go so far as to say that the most important principle of biblical interpretation
is that context determines meaning.
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Word Possibilities

Study the possible meanings of each word in their original context and language with the
use of a concordance or lexicon. Give close attention to the verbs used, the grammar, and
the syntactical arrangement of the text.

Word Choice

Choose the best possible translation for each word based on their usage and meaning in
the passage in question. Look for how the words are used in the immediate context, in the
same book, by the same author in other books, by other authors, and in the rest of the
Bible until you determine the best possible translation for the text you are studying.
Express why you made the choice that you did.

Translation

Translate the entire passage based on the translation choices made in Step 3. Make a block
diagram of the text to better visualize the flow of the author’s thoughts.

Significance

For each part of the translation, explain and prove the author’s intended meaning to the
original audience with an emphasis on the eternal principles being taught. Focus on the

32 Exegesis is the determination of the meaning of the biblical text in its historical and literary context (pg.1)
33 Duvall & Hays, 100.
34 Duvall & Hayes, 119.
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