Biblical Hermeneutics 2
What is wordplay?
A Tool that uses sounds, spellings, forms, and meanings of words for emphasis.
What are various ways the OT Jews and NT Christians (and even people today) use Psalms?
As Songs, Prayers, to be sung, prayed, meditated upon, and memorized.
Who wrote most of the Psalms, according to the superscriptions?
David
What OT groups of teachings/laws have been rescinded (Cancelled)?
Dietary Laws were rescinded by Christ.
How does a word's immediate context limit its meaning?
Example: The dogs around the crucifixion of Jesus. By understanding that the people around him were throwing insults at Jesus, we can infer that the dogs referred to were Connotative.
What are three different ways to translate a biblical idiom? Which of these is usually the worst way to translate a biblical idiom?
Examples would be for: It's raining cats and dogs. a. Word-for-word in the receptor language: almost impossible to understand so not effective. (Example: so just put "It's raining cats and dogs" but no one would understand this) b. Find a comparable idiom in the receptor language. (Example: Put "It's raining dog poop" in Cantonese or find a similar idiom of saying "It's raining cats and dogs" in that language. c. Simply tell the action with no idiom. (Example: Just say that "It's raining a lot".
When we interpret the Bible, what do we mean by host and receptor language?
Host Language (Language used): Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic. Receptor Language (Our Language): English
What does the statement mean that most words have multiple possible meanings?
In a specific context, they have one meaning; however, without context, there are multiple meanings. (Might not have to know this part) A. Some meanings can overlap with other meanings. (Example: the word cosmos) B. Some meanings can vary greatly. (Example: the word can) C. Some meanings can change over time. (Mean man meant common man in 1611).
How does studying the use of Hebrew and Greek words outside of the Bible help us in interpreting the Bible?
It will give you more context of the word.
Is there a difference between a NT letter and a NT epistle?
No
Do Hebrew and Greek words have a one-to-one correspondence with English? In other words, each Hebrew or Greek word can be translated into one word in English and vice-versa?
No. Some English words have translated multiple Greek or Hebrew words and vice versa.
What is fronting? Give some examples of fronting.
Putting a word, phrase, or clause at the front of the sentence for emphasis. Examples: When a subject precedes its verb ("I am the resurrection and the life", John 11:25) Examples: When an object precedes its verb ("they crucified him," John 19:18 (Him is normally put at the beginning for emphasis in Greek)) Examples: When a predicate nominative or predicate adjective precedes the subject or verb ("God is light" 1 John 1:5 (Light is normally put in front of is)) Examples: When a genitive noun/pronoun precedes the noun, it modifies ("truly this man was God's Son," Matt 27:54 (Normally would be ordered Son of God)) Examples: When a prepositional phrase precedes its verb ("Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" John 1:46 (In Greek, the out of Nazareth is first))
Name the four types of word meanings?
Referential, Denotative, Connotative, and Contextual
What is alliteration?
Repetition of similar consonant sounds in a textual unit.
What is assonance?
Repetition of vowel sounds in a textual unit.
Define synchronic and diachronic meaning. Which is the more important of those two for the Bible interpreter? Why?
Synchronic meaning (More important): Meaning "with time"- at the current time it is used. Diachronic meaning (Less important): Meaning "through time"- how its meaning changes over time.
How can a study of the Greek usage in the LXX (Greek Septuagint) benefit us in interpreting the Bible today?
The Septuagint is helpful to see: a. How 3rd Century BC- Jews translated the OT. b. How the NT writers were influenced by the OT. c. When NT writers quoted from the Greek Septuagint rather than the Jewish Masoretic text (Old testament). d. What Hebrew and Greek words were equivalent to each other.
What are Strong's numbers?
The number that shows up in Strong's concordances where you will find: a. An English Verse b. Find correct verse listed under the English Word. c. Find the Strong's number of the Hebrew or Greek word the English word translates. d. Look up the Hebrew or Greek word in one- or two-word lists in the back of the concordance. But a Bible study software such as Logos is quicker and recommended by Wicker.
How can a person reflect fronting in a translation or exposition of a biblical text?
Use italics in writing or use vocal emphasis when speaking.
What is the typical word order in Hebrew and Greek?
Verb, Subject, Object
When the same English word can be used to translate different Hebrew or Greek words, what challenges does this present?
When this occurs, determine the nuanced meaning of each Greek word to give a better understanding to its English translation. For instance, "I love" can translate the Greek verbs agapō and philō. (Semantic Domain Lexicons help with this).
Why and how can a word's meaning change over time? How does that affect biblical hermeneutics?
Word meanings can change over time: a. Hebrew word usage goes back around 3000 years ago while Greek word usage goes back around 2000 years. b. Etymology (how the word came to be) may be very different from its meaning. (Aw-ful does not necessarily mean full of awe). c. The original meaning may be very different from its meaning in a later context. d. Therefore, context determines the meaning of a text.
Can a Hebrew or Greek word translated by the same English word in different biblical contexts have different meanings? Why or why not?
Yes, use context or a lexicon (dictionary) which will show you the different meaning of each word. (The English word "Elder" can mean pastor or older man, use a lexicon or context.)
How many Psalms are in the OT? How many books is Psalms divided into?
a. 150 and 5.
What is X + 1?
a. A list is given, plus one more. i. "There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid (Prov30:18-19 NAS)."
What is a rhetorical pattern?
a. A rhetorical pattern is a technique that is used by a writer, or in some cases, a speaker, to communicate ideas in a way.
What is a superscription of a Psalm, and what can it tell us?
a. A slight intro to some Psalms for example, "A psalms of David....". b. It can tell us the author and the setting helping us interpret the Psalms.
1. What is climactic(synthetical) parallelism?
a. A step parallelism but there typically but it builds up to a climax. i. Example: "Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name Worship the LORD in holy array (Ps 29:1-2)."
What is a palindrome?
a. A word or phrase that says the same thing when read left-to-right or when read right-to-left. i. Example: "madam, I'm Adam,"
Cognate
a. A word that has the same connection linguistically with another word- in the same language (such as a common root) or in a different language.
Give some examples of OT types.
a. Adam is a type of Christ. b. Abraham is a type of God. c. Isaac was a type of Christ. d. Ram was a type of Christ. e. The Passover lamb was a type of Christ. f. The Cities of Refuge was a type of Christ. g. The Bronze Serpent was a type of Christ. h. The Day of Atonement was a type of Christ. i. Debated Type: Melchizedek (was he a type of Christ or a Christophany (Jesus Pre-incarnate).
Name and describe some cultural practices evident in the culture of the NT writings that are very different from today.
a. Ancient Betrothal (Engagement): Betrothal was much stronger in ancient times and needed to be broken by a divorce. b. They used the roof for many activities (rest, relax, eat, etc.) c. They were a highly stratified society: Most people in ancient Palestine were poor. i. Women and children were on the bottom of that list.
What is Unwarranted Semantic Restriction?
a. Being overly restrictive or technical about a word's meaning. b. Due to differences in language, there can be some overlap in the semantic range. i. Example: The Greek word chrēstotēs (Gal 5:22) can mean "uprightness," "goodness," "kindness," "generosity." 1. Just because one translation lists it as goodness instead of uprightness, does not mean that the translation was wrong.
What are Etymological Errors?
a. Bringing the etymological meaning into the current meaning although there is no valid connection. b. Example: Butterflies do not come from the understanding of "butter" or "flies". c. Example: The Greek word for Lasagna or lasonon (chamber potty) does not help us know what Lasagna means in English. d. Example: Nice comes from the Latin word nesclus (ignorant) which does not help us know what Nice means in English. e. Example: Good-by is a contraction of "God be with you", but no one thinks of that anymore. f. Example: The Hebrew word bread and war have the same root (lhm), but there is no connection between these two words.
What are catchwords?
a. Catchwords (aka chain-link): A pattern that has a series of words that are all linked together. Typically, the series of words, will lead to the next series of words. i. Example: James 1:2-4: trials> testing of faith> endurance> perfect and complete. b. These can appear with other patterns such as Chiasms.
Be able to define the six types of Psalms listed in class.
a. Celebration Psalms (Royal Psalms and Songs of Zion) b. Imprecatory: Calling out for judgement against one's enemy c. Lament: Crying out in distress to God (1/3 of Psalms) d. Penitential: Showing repentance for sin e. Praise: f. Thanksgiving: For individuals or groups g. Wisdom Psalms:
What is a chiasm and how does it relate to a palindrome?
a. Chiasm (aka chiasmus or inverted parallelism)- A common pattern throughout scripture has lines of successive elements, then it reverses in the 2nd half. (AB B`A`, ABC C`B`A`, or ABCB`A`) i. Example: A: Wait for the LORD, B: Be strong and courageous, A: Wait for the LORD (Ps 27:14) b. This is like a palindrome except chiasm is on a macro level while palindrome is on a micro level.
Describe and give an example of connotative meaning.
a. Connotative- This is a special meaning that a certain group of people has for the word in certain contexts. i. Example: "For dogs have surrounded me" (Dogs mean Gentiles which Jews used this word in this context.)
Describe and give an example of contextual meaning.
a. Contextual: The immediate context (the words around a specific word) limits the meaning of the word to one of the above meanings. i. Example: The dogs around the crucifixion of Jesus. By understanding that the people around him were throwing insults at Jesus, we can infer that the dogs referred to were Connotative.
Describe and give an example of denotative meaning.
a. Denotative- This is the meaning most people understand for the word in most contexts. i. Example: The dog is outside my house. (In this case, the dog we think of is a loving house pet/ animal).
Explain the difference between when the Bible is descriptive and prescriptive.
a. Descriptive: Tells us what happened. Use descriptive passages as examples b. Prescriptive: Tells us what we should do. (May be limited to certain peoples.) Use prescriptive passages as teachings.
Describe at least five interpretive principles for interpreting the NT parables.
a. Determine the main truth (or truths) in the parable. b. Note what points in the parable are explained in the context. c. Look for the surprise element in the parable. The meaning of the parable is often connected with this surprise element. d. Notice the stock images in the parables. i. Father=God ii. Fig tree=Israel e. Note that parts of a parable may vary in other scriptures. f. Check to see if other Scriptures verify your interpretation of a parable. g. Note the intended and actual response of the original listeners. h. Avoid over-allegorizing parables.
Define doublet and triplet.
a. Doublet- 2 lines of a stich b. Triplet- 3 lines of a stich
What is acrostic ?
a. Each line starts with a different successive letter of the 22-letter Hebrew Alphabet. i. Each successive line starts with a successive letter: Psalm 9; 10; 25; 34 ii. Each set of three lines has a successive letter: Lam 3.3. iii. Each set of eight lines has a successive letter: Ps 119. b. Acrostic is only discernable in the Hebrew text and was most likely a memory aid.
What are the eleven common errors in interpreting Hebrew and Greek words (as given in class).
a. Etymological Errors (aka root abuse) b. Subsequent Meaning (aka anachronism) c. Previous meaning (aka obsolete meaning) d. Unknown or Unlikely meaning e. Unwarranted Semantic Overuse (aka semantic smorgasbord) f. Unwarranted Semantic Restriction g. Illegitimate Totality Transfer h. Improper Parallel (aka verbal parallelomania) i. Wrong Meaning j. Cognate Confusion k. Confusion of Sense and Referent
Give the three types of Hebrew Wisdom Literature, with OT book examples.
a. Gnomic: Short sayings of wisdoms (these are proverbs). b. Dramatic: Job and Songs of Solomon and one must always interpret any part of the book considering the entire book. c. Elegy (Lament): Ecclesiastes and Lamentations. (Ecclesiastes one should interpret considering the last two verses fear God and his commandments).
List some major themes of the OT.
a. God worked through covenants with all humanity (Adamic and Noahic) b. God worked through covenants with His people (Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic) that led up to the New Covenant c. God gave the law to His people as a custodian to care for them until Christ came (Gal 3:24-25) d. God works through nations to bring about His will
What is a trilogy pattern?
a. Groupings of 3. i. Example: 3 ungodly sinners (Cain, Balaam, and Korah, Jude 11)
What are the purposes for using a Gospel harmony or an Acts/Epistles harmony?
a. Harmony: Puts passages about the same event in side by side. i. They give a good chronology of the events. b. A harmony can help you determine when the same event or saying is recorded in more than one Gospel or in Acts as well as in any epistles.
Name three tools that can help one to identify and interpret Semitisms.
a. Hebrew and Greek Lexicons b. Hebrew and Greek grammars c. Hebrew and Greek theological dictionaries/word book
What is hendiadys? Give some examples.
a. Hendiadys: (Two for one) when two words or phrases express the same thing, while the second word or phrase intensifies the first. b. Example: "Multiplying I will multiply" (Gen 3:16 literal) i. "I will greatly multiply" (NASB, KJV, NKJV) c. Example: "A city and a mother" (2 Sam 20:19 KJV describing Abel Beth-Maacah) i. Trying to say that Abel Beth- Maacah was a metroplex rather than a city. d. Example: "Born of water and Spirit" (John 3:5) i. Both words refer to the same event (not baptism): a spiritual rebirth. e. Example: "Pastor-Teacher" (Eph 4:11) i. This is one spiritual gift (A pastor who is also a teacher) but most translations do not make it clear that this is one spiritual gift. f. Example: "Answered and said" (Matt 4:4 also used 186 times in the Bible) g. Example: "This ministry and apostleship" (Acts 1:25) probably means "this apostolic ministry"
Etymology
a. How a word came to be. (The word's origin and the historical development of meaning)
Define: idiom. How is an idiom a dead metaphor?
a. Idiom: This is a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words. (A more "Colorful" way of depicting something) b. Idioms are a dead metaphor because Idioms are so well known that the metaphorical connection has been dropped or forgotten. (An example would be "it's raining cats and dogs")
What are the emphases of chiasms (the main parts)? What is a danger in looking for chiasms?
a. In an extended chiasm, the primary emphasis of the passage is the center element, and the next emphasis is on the outer frames (A and A'). b. One must beware of using eisegesis in finding chiasms. Some people seem to find them everywhere.
What are ascending pattern and descending patterns?
a. In both these patterns, each section leads to the next section either in an ascending order or descending order (Mostly ascending and descending from a moral standpoint). i. Example: 1 John ascends from the testimony of John and others bearing witness to Christ (1:1-4) to the readers bearing witness to Christ (5:13-21).2 Samuel 13:3-20 descends from Amnon's lust after his half-sister Tamar to his terrible violation of her.
What is an alternating pattern?
a. In this pattern of 4, the 1st and 3rd correspond to each other, and the 2nd and 4th correspond to each other. i. Example: Psalms 31:20: A- in the shelter of your presence, B- You hide them, A`-in your dwelling, B`- you keep them safe ii. Example: Job 1:13-19: A- Catastrophe by humans, B- Catastrophe by natural disaster, A`- Catastrophe by humans, B`- Catastrophe by natural disaster 1. Emphasizes that in this case, natural disasters had its causes.
What is inclusio?
a. Inlusio (aka bookend)- A text that is framed: it begins and ends similar words, phrase, subjects, events, etc. One should look for a singular-thematic element that is emphasized. i. Example: The story of Moses is framed beginning with the wickedness of humanity (6:1-8) and ends with the wickedness of Ham. ii. Example: Luke framed the birth of Jesus with events at the temple. (Gabriel's visit with Zachariah (1:5-23) and Jesus' Temple visit when he was 12 (2:41-51)). iii. Example: Psalms: repetition of blessed (1:1-2:12), repetition of refrain (8:1-46:1), etc. iv. Example: Jude framed his epistle with reference to God the Father and the Son (vv. 1 and 25)
What is intercalation?
a. Intercalation (aka sandwich technique)- Like chiasm but only uses ABA. It is a way to tell a story in which story A is interrupted by story B, then one must find the connection between A and B once the story A is resumed. i. Example: A: Joseph is sold into slavery (Genesis 37), B: The sin of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38), A: The story of Joseph is continued. (Genesis 39). ii. Example: A: Jairus comes to Jesus to save her daughter, B: Jesus heals the woman with the blood issue, A: Jesus brings Jairus' daughter back to life (Mark 5). 1. The connection is that everyone needs Jesus, the poor (woman), and the mighty (Jairus) iii. Example: A: Jesus curses the fig tree, B: Jesus cleanses the Temple, A: The fig tree was withered (Mark 11) 1. This was to prophecy what is going to happen to the temple.
List the meta-narrative of the Bible. List a bad meta-narrative of the Bible.
a. It is Christocentric. The Triune God made humanity, by grace prepared for its redemption since the fall, and by the atonement of Christ offers salvation to anyone who believes in Him. b. A wrong meta-narrative: Judaism and Christianity were derived from copying other religions of their day—just a product of their culture.
Give some examples of anomalies/changes from the Gospels or Acts that are not directly applicable to today.
a. Jesus told the Apostles to only share the Gospel with the Jews. b. Jesus wore a prayer shawl. c. Jesus and the Apostles ate the Passover meal. d. Casting lots. e. Worshiping in the Synagogues on the Sabbath. f. They shared the gospel in the temple. g. God judged Ananias and Sapphira immediately. h. Some Christians were delayed in receiving the Holy Spirit. i. Some Christians spoke in tongues when receiving the Holy Spirit. j. The early church went through transitions and changes. k. The early church went through a lot of persecution. l. They did not have the entire bible.
List some major themes of the NT.
a. Jesus' first coming was as Suffering Servant: the sin bearer for the world b. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus showed and taught His followers how to live a godly life c. The early church was victorious when they lived in the power of the Holy Spirit d. Jesus' second coming will be as Judge
Define: Levirate marriage, honor and shame culture, patron-benefactor culture.
a. Levirate marriage: If a husband dies without a male heir, the next relative (brother) should produce an heir who would be a legal son of the husband. b. Honor and shame culture: If you do something, you could shame your family. (Herod promised to cut off John the Baptist's head because he made a public promise). c. Patron-benefactor culture: Owing a favor to someone that gives you favor. (Luke might have written his gospel who may have been his patron).
How do organizing categories, major OT/NT themes, and meta-narrative relate? How does one's knowledge of them help a person to interpret a focal text?
a. Meta-narrative>OT/NT Themes> Organizing categories b. Use all three to see how to interpret questions you may have such as "is it ok to have multiple wives". Compare with the Meta-narrative: one man and one woman for life, OT/ NT Themes: OT Law states kings should not have multiple wives and NT verses states to have monogamy.
What does the practice of mirroring mean when used in interpreting a NT epistle?
a. Mirroring: cautiously speculating on the other half of the communication. (NT Epistles typically only included the half on the writer's end, not the church's).
Give examples of background information that a person must discover before properly interpreting the OT.
a. One must learn ancient Cultural passages. i. Levirate Marriage: if a husband dies with no male heir, his brother should create an heir. ii. Leaders also met at the city gate. iii. Kings led army during the springtime, so their enemies were not able to harvest their crops. iv. The law states to leave the corners of harvest so that poor people could glean from the field. b. Examine the geography. i. Abram, Sarai, and Lot traveled about 1000 miles (huge distance) from Ur to Canaan to obey God. ii. Ancient name vs (modern): Assyria (Syria), Babylon (Iraq), Persia (Iran), Asia (Turkey), Achaia and Macedonia (Greece). c. Understand the Historical and political climate of the time of the focal text: i. 8th century BC Assyrian Crisis: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah. ii. 7th century BC Babylonian Crisis: Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Nahum, Habakkuk. iii. 6th century BC Exile Crisis: Daniel, Ezekiel, Obadiah iv. 1st century AD Roman Crisis: NT
What is parallelism and what are the 8 types of parallelism?
a. Parallelism: A phenomenon whereby two or more successive poetic lines dynamically strengthen, reinforce, and develop each other's thought. i. 8 types: Synonymous, antithetical, step, climatic, incomplete, ballast variant, illustrative, X+1, and acrostic.
Explain the six main elements of OT narrative.
a. Plot: The story line that tells what happened and how it happened. Typically has 3 elements b. Setting: Tells where and when the story happened. c. Characters: They are who is in the story. d. Narrator: The storyteller who convey the meaning of the story. e. Comparison or Contrast: with other stories in the bible. f. Figures of Speech: Sometimes are used.
Name and describe four ways to interpret the book of Revelation (note: this question is not asking about the four millennial views).
a. Preterist: Revelation refers only to the 1st century Roman persecution of the church. b. Historicist: Revelation is a continuous chronicle of the church history from apostolic times until Christ's return. c. Idealist: Revelations omits reference to history and time. It is the symbolic picture of the ongoing struggle between good and evil in the church and world history. d. Futurist: Revelations 4-22 refers to future events.
What is principlizing the text? What are the five steps in principlizing a text?
a. Principlizing: Trying to find a principle from a text. i. Determine what it meant to the original recipients. ii. Ascertain the difference between the original recipients and Christians today. iii. Determine the theological principle in the focal text. iv. See if the NT teachings modify that theological principle. v. Apply the modified theological principle in your life.
Define the eight organizing categories mentioned in class.
a. Promise Fulfillment: One must determine: is the focal text in the promise part of Scripture or the fulfillment part, and how does that affect the interpretation of the text? b. Kingdom Anticipated—Kingdom Inaugurated—Kingdom Consummated: One must determine: at which stage of God's Kingdom does the focal text fit, and how does that affect the interpretation of the text? c. Old Covenant—New Covenant: One must determine: during which covenant does the focal text fit, and how does that affect the interpretation of the text? d. Covenant Theology. This typically-Calvinistic, Christocentric view believes there are three groups of covenants:(1) the Covenant of Redemption, when God the Father elected a bride for His Son to redeem, (2) the Covenant of Works, seen in the Adamic and Mosaic Covenants, and (3) the Covenant of Grace, first mentioned in Gen 3:15, and seen in God's covenants with Abraham and David as well as in the New Covenant. God's people in the OT are Israel and in the NT are the Church (composed of Gentile and Jewish believers). e. Law-Gospel. One must determine: does the focal text fit within the Law or Gospel section of the Bible, and how does that affect the interpretation of the text? f. Classic Dispensationalism. This view says there are 7 dispensations in which God worked differently with His people:(1) Innocence (Gen 1:3-3:6) -Creation to the Fall, (2) Conscience (Gen 3:7-8:14) -Fall to the Flood, (3) Civil Government (Gen. 8:15-11:9) -Covenant with Noah to Tower of Babel, (4) Patriarchal Rule (Gen 11:10-Ex. 18:27) -Abraham to the Exodus, (5) Mosaic Law (Ex. 19:1-Acts 1:26) -Moses to Christ's death, (6) Grace (Acts 2:1-Rev 19:21) -Pentecost to the 2ndComing of Christ, and (7) Millennium (Rev. 20:1-15) -The 1,000-year reign of Christ. A key belief is that Israel and the church are separate entities: the church has not replaced Israel. One must determine which millennium the focal text is in as well as how that affects the meaning of the text. g. Progressive Dispensationalism. This recent revision of Dispensationalism offers fewer dispensations and gives the biblical covenants more influence in biblical interpretation. One must determine which millennium the focal text is in as well as how that affects the meaning of the text.
How and why is a proverb not usually a promise?
a. Proverbs are what normally happen, but God can make an exception. Only the ones that talk about God's qualities are promises.
What are Subsequent Meanings (Anachronism)?
a. Reading a later meaning of a text back into the textual meaning. b. Example: The early church being "in one accord" (Acts 1:14) had nothing to do with a Honda Accord. c. Example: When Jesus said, "take up your cross daily" (Luke 9:23), it has nothing to do with putting jewelry of a cross around your neck. d. Example: "The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sins." (1 John 1:7) refers to His atoning, violent death on the cross, not a scientific way of blood cleansing human cells of impurities.
Describe at least four interpretive principles for interpreting the NT epistles.
a. Recognize the typical 1st century AD Epistolary form: i. Prescription ii. Thanksgiving iii. Body: 1. Opening 2. Doctrine 3. Application iv. Travel log (where the author planned to go) v. Subscription (conclusion) b. Understand the occasion (purpose) the author had for writing the focal letter. c. Determine the main themes of the letter to see where the focal text fits. d. Be slow to play the culture card (to claim that a teaching was only for the culture back then.) e. Most of our theology is based off the NT Epistles.
Describe and give an example of referential meaning.
a. Referential- This is the object, action, or idea to which the word refers, called the referent. i. Example: The dog is outside my house. (Here the dog is not actually the dog outside, it is only a referent to that dog outside.)
List characteristics of Hebrew Wisdom Literature.
a. Religious b. Terse: There are few words chosen carefully c. Poetic: Well suited for figures of speech d. Memorable e. Emotional f. Subjective
Why is it helpful to harmonize OT passages? What are three ways to reconcile them (as given in class)?
a. Rounding off numbers. b. Different perspectives or emphases of the authors. c. Different cultural practices.
What OT groups of teachings/laws are now obsolete (Out of date)?
a. Sacrificial Laws were made obsolete after the atonement of Christ. b. Feasts and Festivals are obsolete after the death and resurrection of Christ. c. Social Laws d. Worship and Ritual Laws are obsolete because of the death and resurrection of Christ. e. Unknown Cultural Practices
What are semantic domains? How do they help a person better understand a word?
a. Semantic domain: a range of potential meanings of a word. b. You can compare words in its domain and contrast words that are out of its domain.
Define Semitism. Are biblical Semitisms easy to identify and interpret without any help?
a. Semitism: Language tendencies of the Jews b. It is difficult to identify and interpret biblical Semitisms without help.
Contrast between a word's sense and referent.
a. Sense: Meaning of the word in its context. b. Referent: The object to which the word is referring to.
What does the Semitic idiom "son of ___________" mean? What are two meanings for the Semitic idiom "to break bread"?
a. Son of ______: You are a great _______ or have a lot of _______. i. Example: Son of man means fully man. ii. Example: Son of peace means peaceful man. b. To Break Bread could mean two things: To eat a meal, or to break bread literally because they are participating in the Lord's supper.
Define Stanza.
a. Stanza- One or more strophes.
Define Stich and Colon
a. Stich or Colon- These both mean the following: a line of Poetry. Most Stichs are 1-3 lines but some can be 4-5 lines.
Define Strophe.
a. Strophe- The combination of multiple Stichs.
What is Improper Parallel (aka verbal parallelomania)?
a. Taking the meaning of the same word in a different context and applying that meaning to the focal context. b. For instance, a woman being "saved" in childbirth (1 Tim 2:15) is not the prevalent meaning of sōzō. It means they are "preserved" (see 1 Tim 4:16) through their role of motherhood. (A woman will find fulfillment through being a mother, not that they gain salvation by becoming a mother).
What is step (synthetical) parallelism?
a. The 2nd line adds information to the 1st. i. Example: "The eyes of the LORD are in every place Watching the evil and the good (Prov15:3).
What is antithetical parallelism?
a. The 2nd line contrasts the 1st line. i. Example: "A joyful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Prov17:22)."
1. What is illustrative parallelism?
a. The 2nd line illustrates the 1st line with an example or symbol. i. Example: "Do not hold back discipline from the child Although you beat him with the rod, he will not die (Prov23:13)."
What is synonymous parallelism?
a. The 2nd line says something like the 1st. i. Example: "As a ring of gold in a swine's snout so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion (Prov11:22).
What is ballast variant parallelism?
a. The 2nd line says something synonymous, but it adds an element to the 1st to make up for the missing element of the 1st. i. Example: "He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me (Ps 18:17)."
1. What is incomplete parallelism?
a. The 2nd line says something synonymous, but it omits an element from the 1st. i. Example: "The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains The world, and those who dwell in it (Ps 24:1)."
Name three NT-related events that changed how God works among His people.
a. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. i. More gentile believers as a result. 1. Explains the drop off in miracles (Gentiles seek wisdom, not miracles.) b. The Holy Spirit came upon ALL the believers after the ascension of Christ. i. Shows that Gentiles can be saved as well. ii. There was no need to cast lots anymore to find God's will. c. The canonization of the NT (mid AD 300) i. Christians had access to the full Word of God. 1. Previously, Christians needed miracles or a special revelation from God to verify God's word to the church.
What is word repetition?
a. The poet repeats the same word or similar forms of a word. i. Example: "Let me sing (shir) now for my well-beloved (lididi)A song (shir) of my beloved (dodi) concerning His vineyard (kerem). My well-beloved (lididi) had a vineyard (kerem)on a fertile hill (Isa 5:1)."
Semantic range
a. The possible meanings of a word.
What is Cognate confusion?
a. The problem of taking an English cognate and expecting insight into the Greek word. b. Example: Dynamite comes from the Greek word dunamis (power), but Jesus was not saying that Christians would get "explosive" power in Acts 1:8. c. Example: The Greek hilaron meant cheerful, and it did not mean hilarious even though the English word has almost the same letters (2 Cor 9:7).
What is onomatopoeia?
a. The word sounds like its meaning. (Example Bee buzzing, cow mooed, baby babbled, etc.)
How are words arbitrary signs?
a. They are arbitrary because the user of the language can randomly assign the meaning assigned to each word. b. They are signs because they use semantic sounds, (Sounds that come out of your mouth), symbols, or thoughts that communicate a concept.
Why does the Bible interpreter need to know the major themes of the OT & NT as well as the meta-narrative of the Bible?
a. This will help them in understanding and interpreting a focal text and certain cults have risen because they fit certain micro themes but ignore the macro themes.
What is a pun?
a. Three types: A root wordplay, change in vowels, or similar sounding words. i. Root wordplay: Changes consonants in reverse order 1. Example: "All my enemies shall be ashamed (yeboshu) and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back (yashubu), they shall suddenly be ashamed (yeboshu) (Ps 6:10)." ii. Changes in vowels: Uses same consonants but different vowels. 1. "And I said, 'I see a rod of an almond tree (shaqed).' Then the LORD said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching (shoqed) over My word to perform it (Jer 1:11b-12).'" iii. Similar sounding words: 1. a. Jesus used this pun in Matthew 16:18a - "And I also say to you that you are Peter (petros), and upon this rock (petra) I will build My church."
What questions should one ask about an OT law, command, or promise, in order to properly interpret it?
a. To whom was the OT law, command, or promise written to. i. Also, to whom is this applicable. b. Has the promise been fully fulfilled or not? c. Is it in the Old Covenant, and what difference does that make? i. In general, the New Covenant overrides things form the Old Covenant. d. Determine if the focal text law or command has been rescinded, changed, or made obsolete. e. Determine if the focal text is in a category still to be followed today. i. Moral Laws are still in effect. ii. Health Laws (for our sake) f. If the teaching/ law not practiced today because it is obsolete or rescinded, we can principlize it.
Define: type, apostrophe (as a figure of speech).
a. Type: A real person, place, thing, or event that bears likeness to a future antitype. b. Apostrophe: Addressing someone or something as present even though they are not.
What are Unknown or Unlikely Meanings?
a. Using a textual meaning that was unknown when the text was written or was unlikely to have been used by the writer. b. Example: the claim that authenteō means "to proclaim oneself the author of man" rather than "to have authority" (1 Tim2:12). For there is no known use of the first meaning. c. Example: it is unlikely Paul used nomos in Romans3:21 to mean "legalism" or in 1 Corinthians14:34 to mean "rabbinical teaching" because all other times he used nomos to refer to "the Mosaic law" or "the Mosaic law covenant."
What is Confusion of Sense and Referent?
a. Using an irrelevant aspect of the referent as part of the textual meaning. b. Sense: Meaning of the word in its context. c. Referent: The object to which the word is referring to. d. Example: Euodia and Syntyche were also 'co-workers' with Paul (Phil. 4:2), but this does not mean that they were also pastors.
What are Previous Meanings (aka obsolete meaning)?
a. Using an older meaning that was no longer in use at the time of the biblical text. b. Example: kephalē could mean "head, authority, source, or origin" in Classical Greek, it meant only "head" or "authority" by the time period of Koine Greek
What is Illegitimate Totality Transfer?
a. Using every characteristic of a referent into the meaning of the word even though that goes far beyond the context. b. Example: "All of us like sheep have gone astray" (Isa 53:6) focuses on the waywardness of sheep. Brining other sheep characteristics (dirtiness, dumbness, etc.) into the passage would be wrong. c. Example: "My sheep hear my voice" (John 10:27) focuses on the quality of sheep knowing and following the voice of their shepherd, but not on other sheep characteristics. d. Example: "Receive the kingdom of God like a child" (Luke 18:17) focuses on children's faith and humility; rather than their naïve, weak, imaginative qualities.
What is Unwarranted Semantic Overuse (aka semantic smorgasbord)?
a. Using every meaning of a word as legitimate in one context. b. Example: The Greek word kosmos has eight possible meanings. There is no use of kosmos in any context that has all or even a few of the meanings. c. Keep in mind this important rule: context determines the meaning of a word.
What is Wrong Meaning?
a. Using the wrong meaning of a word in each context. b. Example: Phoebe in the early church was mentioned as a diakonos which either means Deacon or Servant; however, it would be a wrong meaning to state that Phoebe was a deacon because there were no instances of women deacons in the early church.
Name and define three types of Hebrew Semitisms (as covered in class).
a. Word Order: Verb, Subject, and Object format; however, will be fronted for emphasis. b. Hendiadys: (Two for one) when two words or phrases express the same thing, while the second word or phrase intensifies the first. c. Idiom: This is a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words. (A more "Colorful" way of depicting something)
What are possible pitfalls of using a Gospel harmony or an Acts/Epistles harmony?
a. You may miss the theological emphasis in each specific book which can only be gained by focusing on one of the gospels. b. You might study the difference so much that you miss the main message. c. If you harmonize passages of two different events, you will lose the message of one of the events.
What are the three main elements of a narrative plot?
i. The introduction: Story begins, and characters are introduced. ii. Conflict: The internal or external problem. iii. Resolution: This is where the conflict is resolved.
What is an interlinear (in the field of biblical hermeneutics)?
Bible where the English Translation is on the bottom and the Hebrew and Greek are on the top.
What is a reverse interlinear? How does it differ from an interlinear?
Bible where the English Translation is on the top and the Hebrew and Greek are on the bottom. (It follows the English way of speaking while the Interlinear would sometimes mix around words to respect the Hebrew or Greek way of speaking.)
