Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods used to interpret the Bible correctly. While it sounds like a complex academic term, it simply refers to the “science and art” of understanding what God intended to communicate through the human authors of Scripture. By applying sound hermeneutics, we ensure that we are not reading our own ideas into the text, but rather drawing out the timeless truths God has revealed for our lives today.
The Goal of Proper Interpretation
When we open the Bible, we are entering a world that is ancient and culturally distinct from our own. The primary goal of biblical hermeneutics is to bridge the gap between the original audience and the modern reader. We want to discover the “original intent” of the author. If we ignore this, we risk making the Bible say whatever we want it to say, which can lead to confusion or even false teaching. Proper interpretation helps us handle the Word of Truth with the respect and accuracy it deserves.
Think of hermeneutics as a bridge. On one side, you have the ancient world with its unique languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), customs, and historical events. On the other side, you have our modern world. To get the message across that bridge safely, we need to understand the context of the person who wrote it. Without this bridge, we might take a verse like “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and think it means we can win a football game, when Paul was actually talking about finding contentment while starving in a prison cell.
Let the Bible Interpret the Bible
One of the most vital principles of hermeneutics is the idea that “Scripture interprets Scripture.” This means that the Bible is its own best commentary. Because the Bible is inspired by one primary Author—the Holy Spirit—it possesses a supernatural unity. If we find a passage that seems difficult or obscure, we should look to clearer passages that deal with the same topic to help shed light on the meaning. We never want to build a major doctrine on a single, isolated verse that seems to contradict the rest of the Bible.
2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
By letting the Bible interpret the Bible, we protect ourselves from “eisegesis,” which is the act of forcing our own meanings into the text. Instead, we practice “exegesis,” which is drawing the meaning out of the text. This requires looking at the whole counsel of God. For instance, if you read a verse about “works” in James, you must balance it with what Paul says about “faith” in Romans. When we see how these pieces fit together, we get a beautiful, balanced picture of God’s truth that doesn’t rely on our own cleverness or opinions.
Context Is Everything
The golden rule of hermeneutics is that context is king. To understand a specific verse, we must look at the verses surrounding it, the book it belongs to, and the overall story of the Bible. There are three main types of context we consider: historical, literary, and theological. Historical context asks what was happening in the world when the book was written. Literary context looks at the genre—is this a poem, a historical record, a letter, or a prophecy? You wouldn’t read a love poem the same way you read a legal document, and the same applies to the Bible.
2 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
Theological context reminds us that the Bible is a unified story that points to Jesus. Every individual passage should be understood in light of the whole. This prevents us from taking “proof texts” out of context to support a personal bias. When we see how a passage fits into the bigger picture of God’s redemption, the meaning becomes much clearer and more powerful. We aren’t just looking for “nuggets” of wisdom; we are looking for the heart of God.
Moving from Meaning to Application
Once we understand what a passage meant to its original audience, we can then ask what it means for us today. This is the “application” phase of hermeneutics. A common mistake is jumping straight to “What does this mean to me?” before asking “What did this mean to them?” If we skip the first step, our application will be shaky. True biblical hermeneutics seeks to find the universal principle within the specific historical command.
For example, when the New Testament tells believers to “greet one another with a holy kiss,” the universal principle is about showing warm, sincere Christian affection and hospitality. In our modern Western culture, a handshake or a hug might be the appropriate way to apply that same principle. We keep the heart of the command while expressing it in a way that makes sense in our current setting. This ensures the Bible remains a living, breathing guide for our daily walk with Christ.
Jesus Is the Key
The most important principle of evangelical hermeneutics is that Jesus is the center of the story. In Luke 24, Jesus walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus and explained how the entire Old Testament pointed to him. This tells us that we should look for Christ-centered themes throughout the Scriptures. Whether we are reading about the Tabernacle in Exodus or the Davidic Kingdom in Samuel, these shadows find their substance in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
When we interpret the Bible through the lens of the Gospel, the “rules” of hermeneutics become more than just academic exercises. They become a pathway to knowing Jesus more intimately. We see his grace in the Law, his sovereignty in the Prophets, and his love in the Epistles. A healthy approach to the Bible doesn’t just fill our heads with facts; it transforms our hearts as we encounter the living Word.
The Takeaway
Biblical hermeneutics is the essential process of interpreting the Bible accurately by looking at its original context and letting Scripture interpret Scripture. By using these tools, we avoid the trap of making the Bible say what we want and instead listen to what God is actually saying. When we approach Scripture with humility and a Christ-centered focus, the Bible becomes a clear map that leads us into a deeper relationship with God and a better understanding of our place in His story.
