Did the apostles fully understand everything they wrote, or did divine inspiration outpace their comprehension? This post explores *analogia scripturae*—Scripture interpreting...

Did the Gospel Writers Fully Understand Everything They Wrote?—Maybe We Should Abandon Authorial Intent Hermeneutics

Did the Gospel writers fully understand everything they wrote? This post explores analogia scripturae, authorial intent, and whether Scripture unfolds its meaning over...

A Complete Guide to Bible Interpretation: Moving from “What Did it Mean” to “How Does it Apply”

Introduction One of the most foundational skills we can develop in our study of Scripture is the ability to move from understanding what the Bible meant in its original...

Seven Common Fallacies of Biblical Interpretation

1. Preunderstanding Fallacy Believing you can interpret with complete objectivity, not recognizing that you have preunderstandings that influence your interpretation. There is...

The Dangers of Learning Greek (or Hebrew)

In this post, we delve into the complexities of interpreting biblical texts with varying levels of Greek and Hebrew proficiency. We explore the risks associated with beginner...

by C Michael Patton

How to Study the Bible in a Nutshell

The following is a practical guide to biblical interpretation following a three-step process that I have used for years. The Bible is two-thousand years old and often seems...

by C Michael Patton

Hermeneutics

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Basic Hermeneutical Principles

It is both the privilege and responsibility of every Christian to interpret the Bible for himself/herself. This principle of private interpretation, based on the doctrine of...

John Shelby Spong on the Gospel of John

John Shelby Spong’s newest book, The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic, was released this week. For those unfamiliar with Spong, he is a retired Episcopal bishop of...

by Robert Bowman

Hermeneutics

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Eight Ways to Go Wrong in Bible Study

1. Lucky lotto: (eyes closed) – “Umm . . . I will read this verse” You may be tempted to simply ask God a question, open up the Bible, fix your eyes on the first verse you...

by C Michael Patton

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