{"id":18163,"date":"2021-01-04T04:49:30","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T12:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=18163"},"modified":"2021-01-05T17:14:10","modified_gmt":"2021-01-06T01:14:10","slug":"let-my-people-think-rightly-dividing-scripture-according-to-the-hebraic-rules-of-biblical-interpretation-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2021\/01\/04\/let-my-people-think-rightly-dividing-scripture-according-to-the-hebraic-rules-of-biblical-interpretation-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Let My People Think\u2014Rightly Dividing Scripture According to the Hebraic Rules of Biblical Interpretation (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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(Author\u2019s note: This is the updated and completely rewritten version of an article that I wrote in the early 2000s. The information contained therein is based largely on the booklet entitled, Hermeneutics: How to Understand the Scriptures<\/em> by James Scott Trimm [http:\/\/www.nazarene.net<\/a> or http:\/\/www.lulu.com\/shop\/james-trimm\/nazarene-jewish-manifesto\/paperback\/product-403845.html<\/a>], although I have added many of my own insights and new information to the original material.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When reading the Bible, how do we properly interpret it,<\/strong> so that we arrive at the author\u2019s intended meaning? This has proven to be a daunting task for both Christians and religious Jews. There is a saying: Put three Jews in a room will have five opinions. The same could also be said of Christians. Perhaps the fundamental principles of biblical interpretation as laid out in this article, if followed, will help to bring some unanimity among truth-seeking Bible believers. Who knows?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the millennia, differing views on the meaning of many Bible verses have resulted in countless church splits and the founding of thousands of religious denominations. This is a problem than can be mitigated if not largely alleviated if YHVH\u2019s people learn to follow Paul instructions to the young Timothy to \u201cstudy to shew thyself approved unto Elohim, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth<\/strong>\u201d (2 Tim 2:15, emphasis added). How do we do this? This will be the subject of discussion below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is a right way to divide the word of truth as 2 Timothy 2:15 states, then it follows logically that there must also be a wrong way to do it. As a matter of fact, we actually have biblical record of this occurring among the first-century believers. In 2 Peter 3:16 we read, \u201cAs also in all [Paul\u2019s] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [or twist], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.\u201d In this case, some believers were twisting Paul\u2019s writings to say something other than what the author meant. Sadly, this practice still goes on today. Whole denominations, sects and even cults have been founded on the twisting of scriptures resulting in countless biblical heresies and millions of people being deceived. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twisting or improperly interpreting Scripture can lead to one\u2019s spiritual ruination if the result is a false \u201csalvation\u201d or the loss of one\u2019s salvation. This is no small matter! Over the years, there have been whole denominations that claim to justify through their erroneous biblical interpretation such heinous abominations and sinful practices as abortion, homosexuality (sodomy), torture and even genocide. Scripture warns very clearly that \u201cno prophecy [or divinely inspired utterance] of the scripture is of any private interpretation.\u201d YHVH Elohim will judge false teachers severely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive [or damnable, KJV] heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction\u2026and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Pet 2:1, 3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So with all these warnings and admonitions in mind how can we insure that we will not fall into the trap of misinterpreting Scripture and coming up with the \u201cdamnable heresies\u201d and false teachings as we read about in 2 Peter 2:1\u20133 that lead many people astray? This now brings us to our study of the rules of biblical interpretation that were extant in the first century during the time of Yeshua and the apostles, as well as the universal rules of simple logic that every honest scholar and truth seeker follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we shall discover below, during the first-century there were specific rules of scriptural interpretation that were taught and well-known among Bible students and scholars. These had been developed over the centuries by leading learned Jewish biblical sages to ensure that false teachings and twisting of Scripture would not occur. We can learn from the wisdom of those who have gone before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Bible student seeking to reconnect ourselves with the Hebraic roots of our Christian faith, we realize that much twisting of Scripture has occurred from the time of the last apostle until now in Christian theology. Grossly aberrant teachings have been promoted in churchianity where, for example, it is taught that Messiah Yeshua and Paul came to \u201cdo away with\u201d the Torah-law. Sabbath has been changed to Sunday and Passover to Easter. Christmas, Lent, Halloween and other Christian holidays have replaced YHVH\u2019s commanded and blessed feasts. Moreover, the church has set aside many biblical standards of holiness such as the Torah\u2019s dietary laws and now permits the eating of what the Bible refers to as abominable things (e.g. pork and shellfish). In these lasts days as the saints prepare to be the spotless or sin-free bride of Yeshua in anticipation of his second coming, it is time for us all to awake from our spiritual sleep and to repent of our errant ways and return to scriptural Truth. It is time that YHVH\u2019s people search out the Truth and come into alignment with it. This involves learning how to properly interpret Scripture, so that we will have the tools to separate the spiritual wheat of Truth from the chaff of unbiblical doctrines and traditions of men. Currently, YHVH is raising up a spiritual priesthood who is learning to separate the holy from the profane, the precious from the vile (Jer 15:19; Ezek 22:26; 44:23), as his saints extricate themselves from the spiritual Babylon of religious confusion in which they find themselves (Rev 18:4). For too long YHVH\u2019s people have been feeding from the serpent\u2019s tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of from the tree of life. The former is contains the evil the doctrines and traditions of men that have made of none-effect the Word of Elohim (Mark 7:9, 13). \u201cCome out of her my people\u201d and \u201cbe separate, do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you,\u201d is YHVH-Yeshua\u2019s cry to his end time saints (Rev 18:4; 2 Cor 5:17), who love him and keep his commandments (John 14:15, 21; Rev 12:17; 14:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectivity Versus Subjectivity <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first rule in proper Scriptural interpretation is to know the difference between objectivity and subjectivity. The word objective<\/em> means \u201cto exist outside of or independent of the mind, something which is observable or verifiable by facts, not by emotions or feelings of the individual.\u201d By contrast, the word subjective<\/em> means \u201csomething relating to the mind of the individual as the subject of experience.\u201d James Trimm states succinctly that objective<\/em> means \u201cexisting independent of the mind,\u201d while subjective<\/em> means \u201cthat which comes from a person\u2019s point of view.\u201d Facts are objective while opinions are subjective. Trimm goes on to say that many in Christendom, however, have developed a \u201cdo-it-yourself, do-your-own-thing\u201d approach to biblical interpretation. Christians will often have Bible studies in which they ask, \u201cWhat does this verse mean to you?\u201d In response, many Christians will often say, \u201cTo me this verse means\u2026.\u201d By contrast, the truth-seeking approach is to ask, \u201cOkay, so if you were not here what would this verse mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exegesis Versus Eisegesis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These complicated sounding terms relate to the idea of subjectivity versus objectivity. \u00adEisegesis<\/em> (subjectivity) is interpreting a text by reading one\u2019s own ideas into the text and pulling out a subjective meaning. Exegesis<\/em> (objectivity), on the other hand, is an explanation or critical interpretation of a text by drawing the author\u2019s intended message out of the text, and letting the text speak to you. The former approach is an inaccurate reading of a text and misses the author\u2019s message, while the latter approach is an accurate reading of the text and catches the author\u2019s message correctly. Many biblical examples can be given of how both mainstream Christian and Jewish religious systems have interpreted various Bible passages subjectively (or using an eisegetic approach). Here are some examples of this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n