An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics
The Issues, History, and Principles of Biblical Interpretation
By W.R. Downing
Every Christian should strive to become a diligent student of the Scriptures. Apart from a right understanding of God’s Word, one would necessarily lose the objectivity of Divine revelation and often confuse interpretation with application, or be left with error and even heresy due to erroneous presuppositions. History reveals such to be common, even among those who seem to reverence the Word of God. As God Himself is intelligent and self–consistent, so is His Holy Word. Thus, there are principles of interpretation which are consistent with the Scriptures as the very Word of God inscripturated. Proper, self–consistent principles of interpretation will keep the student from natural ignorance, an unscriptural subjectivism and personal bias. The question of Philip to the Ethiopian Eunuch is most appropriate for every student of the Bible, “Undertsandest what thou readest?” (Acts 8:30). With a mastery of the principles of interpretation consistent with the Word of God, the student can answer in the affirmative. Can we answer in the affirmative?