As discerning people; when we go to God's Holy Word for our spiritual truth we must understand how to extract that truth correctly lest we fool ourselves into false doctrines and lies.
There are two forms of extracting information and fact from the bible. One is correct, leading to all truth and knowledge while the other is false, leading to error and man-made theology. Let's look at them both in detail.
Exegesis (or hermeneutics)
analysis of texts: the explanation or interpretation of texts, especially religious writings
interpretation of specific text: an explanation or interpretation of a specific text
Eisegesis
an interpretation, especially of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.
As you can see from the meanings above; Exegesis would be the true and correct way to read and gain truth from the bible. It is the analysis of God's Word to see what it really says and means in full vs Eisegesis that would have a person trying to pull out only "what they want it to say" for their own beliefs and traditions.
The bible teaches us to use Exegesis in various verses such as :
“Present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2;15
Correctly handling the Word means..... using Exegesis techniques.
We also see in Acts 17 the Bereans were testing all that Paul said to them by studying the scriptures and not just taking his word for it. If Paul had used Eisegesis; those Bereans would have found him out indeed and Paul praised them for this approach to study. Don't ever be afraid to test or challenge anyone (especially modern pastors) in the truth of God's Word as your eternity and walk in Him is on the line.
Let me give you an example of the two different approaches to the study of God's Word that we commonly see most often.
Today we have many false modern pastors trying to promote and teach the tithe (giving 10% to them) to their people as the biblical norm. To do this they wrongly use Eisegesis and run to the Old Testament and pull out Malachi 3 where God told the Israelites to give His temple a tenth of their harvest of produce (not money) or they would be stealing from Him. These hireling pastors use that lone verse and pull it out of its context of being for the Israelites and for the Temple only. If they would use the correct Exegesis method and searched for what else God's Word says about giving; they would have to admit the New Testament doesn't teach the tithe for Gentiles as Paul says give out of ones own heart. (see our link HERE that goes into the tithe in great detail:)
Another example would be the commonly misquoted verse of 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Many people will try to claim this verse for America when in context it was given to the land of Israel. American is NOT God's chosen people and He did not promise to watch over us as He did the land of the Israelites.
Please go read Romans 1 where God talks about handing over a sinful evil nation to its own ways that will lead to its destruction. That is more like America's fate and future indeed!
Now could someone try to bend it to mean it could be for Christian believers today as we are grafted into the Jews? Perhaps or perhaps not! But we must always be careful to not add to the Word and make it say what it does not really say. The correct Exegesis and context would have them avoid making this error.
The other very important aspect of correct bible study is CONTEXT.
This means we must understand who it was said to, where and when it was said and does it still apply today or was it just for that time or people? A very good habit to get into is always read many verses before and many after the verse your looking at to better understand what is that true context.
Rev 22:18 warns of adding to God's Word
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book
A good example of this being misused would be 1 Corinthians 11 and the teaching on ladies head coverings. Most everyone we deal with and talk to about this important teaching will quickly run to it read and it and say "oh that was in a cultural context and only given to the churches at that time". Paul clearly explains in the beginning of the book that those cultural explanations cannot be true when we read in context as he said it is for all churches "everywhere". He also references the beginning of man and woman in other verses as well shooting down the cultural argument. (see our head covering post HERE with great detail on that subject)
Some people (out of ignorance) use these wrong techniques. But we can tell you for sure that most use it on purpose to exploit, deceive and to make their own man made theology work. How do we know this? Because we have gone back many times to biblically correct men in this ( like with the tithe or head coverings ) and they refuse to correct themselves or use Exegesis for a correct biblical understanding. Clearly they use it here to wrongly usurp money to support and run their unbiblical modern denominational system of mans religion. These men are to be rebuked (Prov 9:8) exposed (Eph 5:11) and then avoided (Rom 16:17) if they don't repent of such ways for God's glory.
So let us encourage you to go to the Word daily and do it not with your own spiritual ideas or what man has wrongly taught you to prove those views using poor Eisegesis. You must dig deep into God's Word to find all of the truth and verses regarding that topic and do it in context. Then build your theology on what God has said to be in a spirit and truth worshipful life. (John 4:24)
Jesus said in Matt 4:4 we live by every word from the mouth of God.
So use all of His Word and use proper "Exegesis in context" to set your feet and spiritual training fully on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ; lest you be deceived. (2 Cor 13:5)
God be praised
www.dontperish.com
******************************************************************
There are two forms of extracting information and fact from the bible. One is correct, leading to all truth and knowledge while the other is false, leading to error and man-made theology. Let's look at them both in detail.
Exegesis (or hermeneutics)
analysis of texts: the explanation or interpretation of texts, especially religious writings
interpretation of specific text: an explanation or interpretation of a specific text
Eisegesis
an interpretation, especially of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.
As you can see from the meanings above; Exegesis would be the true and correct way to read and gain truth from the bible. It is the analysis of God's Word to see what it really says and means in full vs Eisegesis that would have a person trying to pull out only "what they want it to say" for their own beliefs and traditions.
The bible teaches us to use Exegesis in various verses such as :
“Present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2;15
Correctly handling the Word means..... using Exegesis techniques.
We also see in Acts 17 the Bereans were testing all that Paul said to them by studying the scriptures and not just taking his word for it. If Paul had used Eisegesis; those Bereans would have found him out indeed and Paul praised them for this approach to study. Don't ever be afraid to test or challenge anyone (especially modern pastors) in the truth of God's Word as your eternity and walk in Him is on the line.
Let me give you an example of the two different approaches to the study of God's Word that we commonly see most often.
Today we have many false modern pastors trying to promote and teach the tithe (giving 10% to them) to their people as the biblical norm. To do this they wrongly use Eisegesis and run to the Old Testament and pull out Malachi 3 where God told the Israelites to give His temple a tenth of their harvest of produce (not money) or they would be stealing from Him. These hireling pastors use that lone verse and pull it out of its context of being for the Israelites and for the Temple only. If they would use the correct Exegesis method and searched for what else God's Word says about giving; they would have to admit the New Testament doesn't teach the tithe for Gentiles as Paul says give out of ones own heart. (see our link HERE that goes into the tithe in great detail:)
Another example would be the commonly misquoted verse of 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Many people will try to claim this verse for America when in context it was given to the land of Israel. American is NOT God's chosen people and He did not promise to watch over us as He did the land of the Israelites.
Please go read Romans 1 where God talks about handing over a sinful evil nation to its own ways that will lead to its destruction. That is more like America's fate and future indeed!
Now could someone try to bend it to mean it could be for Christian believers today as we are grafted into the Jews? Perhaps or perhaps not! But we must always be careful to not add to the Word and make it say what it does not really say. The correct Exegesis and context would have them avoid making this error.
The other very important aspect of correct bible study is CONTEXT.
This means we must understand who it was said to, where and when it was said and does it still apply today or was it just for that time or people? A very good habit to get into is always read many verses before and many after the verse your looking at to better understand what is that true context.
Rev 22:18 warns of adding to God's Word
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book
A good example of this being misused would be 1 Corinthians 11 and the teaching on ladies head coverings. Most everyone we deal with and talk to about this important teaching will quickly run to it read and it and say "oh that was in a cultural context and only given to the churches at that time". Paul clearly explains in the beginning of the book that those cultural explanations cannot be true when we read in context as he said it is for all churches "everywhere". He also references the beginning of man and woman in other verses as well shooting down the cultural argument. (see our head covering post HERE with great detail on that subject)
Some people (out of ignorance) use these wrong techniques. But we can tell you for sure that most use it on purpose to exploit, deceive and to make their own man made theology work. How do we know this? Because we have gone back many times to biblically correct men in this ( like with the tithe or head coverings ) and they refuse to correct themselves or use Exegesis for a correct biblical understanding. Clearly they use it here to wrongly usurp money to support and run their unbiblical modern denominational system of mans religion. These men are to be rebuked (Prov 9:8) exposed (Eph 5:11) and then avoided (Rom 16:17) if they don't repent of such ways for God's glory.
So let us encourage you to go to the Word daily and do it not with your own spiritual ideas or what man has wrongly taught you to prove those views using poor Eisegesis. You must dig deep into God's Word to find all of the truth and verses regarding that topic and do it in context. Then build your theology on what God has said to be in a spirit and truth worshipful life. (John 4:24)
Jesus said in Matt 4:4 we live by every word from the mouth of God.
So use all of His Word and use proper "Exegesis in context" to set your feet and spiritual training fully on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ; lest you be deceived. (2 Cor 13:5)
God be praised
www.dontperish.com
******************************************************************
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