Biblical scholar Dr. Heiser teaches the importance of the examination of worldview, customs, and traditions of the original people, as well as maintaining an awareness of the literary context, before word analysis even begins.[1] Often, seminaries of all denominations, both liberal and conservative, place a great deal of emphasis on linguistic context and word meanings of the original documents, and fail to fully include the other two categories in their analysis. The literal translation of Scripture words requires the examination of all three areas, worldview, literary context, and linguistic context.
Professional Theologists should never interpret Scripture unless these three areas are considered. The literal translation of a passage and the words within it must be examined concisely before any effort is made to connect typology and mysteries. This requires a literal, deep study of word usage to find exact linguistic context. Typology and the literal interpretation of Scripture cannot disagree with God's full Truth.
When Professional Theologists explore the depths and mysteries contained within Scripture, they enhance literal translation and identify further Truths of God; typology can never dispute, disrupt, misrepresent, change, or challenge literal interpretation. The literal Truth of any Scripture passage speaks God's Word on the matter. As Professional Theologists drill down to the deeper parts revealed by God to mature and studious believers, the specific typology will unlikely challenge the specific verses of literal interpretation. Rather, deep word typological studies tend to group and organize different symbols together with the same type of meanings that contribute to literal interpretation magnified to deeper levels. As we get started in learning how to explore typology, symbology, and the mysteries of God revealed in Scripture, it will be easier to understand. Until then, one of the most crucial rules Scripture Interpreters and Professional Theologists must followed: DON'T CHANGE THE LITERAL MEANING TO FIT TYPOLOGICAL ORDERING.
Linguistic context is a critical element to insuring the literal meaning is first known. Word studies determine the literal meaning. At first, biblical scholars considered historical development to interpret the real meaning of the words in Scripture (See Michel Breal's writings in 1897)[2]. James Barr has an important work, The Semantics of Biblical Language (1961), that scientifically applied linguistic principles to word meaning interpretation [3]. Modern-day scholars have moved away from the approach, and apply linguistic principles with grammatical relationships to other words. But, both literary and historical contexts must be considered; one cannot override the other in semantic analysis, as both inform aspects that can transform the meaning into the closest Truth of interpretation that can be discovered [4]. Professional Theologists must remember that without grammatical relationships with other words, literal meaning cannot be fully understood. Without context, words are meaningless. Semantic errors occur in word interpretation when context is overridden by the combination of lexicon meanings. Sometimes, inexperienced biblical scholars will look at lexicons and combine the several different meanings of word possibilities into a super- meaning word that the original authors would have never written for its double or triple meaning aspects.
Another modern-day tendency is to seek the Greek meaning of the word from ancient Greek literature, with less focus upon the context. Barr calls this overemphasis on Greek meaning without the correct amount of context evaluation to be "illegitimate totality transfer."[5] Barr's approach analyzes the distinction between the word and the concept. It is this approach that becomes difficult for Professional Theologists to initially learn when typological exploration begins. On one hand, the interpretation of the word without the concept must be examined. On the other hand, deeper meanings of chosen, specific words by God relate to concepts that lead biblical scholars to places that is unrepresented fully in literal interpretation.
Other fallacies confuse the interpretation of Scripture even further through misrepresentation of the root of the word, the etymology of faulty origin and history, later meanings transferred backwards to biblical material, neglecting special one-time meanings, faulty parallels, either-or slippery slopes that influence the reader to choose with prejudice or bias, failure to consider the concept of the word, and ignoring context.[6] As you can see, linguistic context and identifying semantic fallacies are highly developed paths by leading biblical scholars; the best of brightest seminary students learn to follow a carefully laid, step-by-step, consistent pattern in order to find the meaning of a word before interpretation or typological exploration begins. Throughout your training as Professional Theologists we will be focused upon this important technique of word interpretation in great detail. But, in this initial, introductory class, simple rules of order will be apparent as we study the linguistic context of words.
Bibliography
Barr, James. The Semantics of Biblical Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1961.
Heiser, Michael S. BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources: LOGOS Bible Software.
Jones, Barry A. 1 Samuel 20:1-17. Interpretation 58, no. 2 (2004): 172-174.
Osborne, Grant R. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Rev. and expanded, 2nd ed. ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006.
Footnotes
[1] Michael S. Heiser, BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources (LOGOS Bible Software).
[2] Grant R. Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Rev. and expanded, 2nd ed. ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 82.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid., 82-83.
[5] James Barr, The Semantics of Biblical Language (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1961).
[6] Barry A. Jones, "1 Samuel 20:1-17," Interpretation 58, no. 2 (2004): 84-93.
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About the Author
Kathy L. McFarland is President and Founder of Becker Bible Ministries, Inc. and the Becker Professional Theology Academy. She is also a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, is on track for the Master of Divinity (Professional Ministries Track) degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary & Graduate School in 2016 and will be seeking a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Theology and Apologetics beginning in the fall of 2016. She is the originator of the newest theological movement to encourage Christian leaders to minister within the modern-day marketplace as Professional Theologists. She is also the Curriculum Developer for Becker Professional Theology Academy and a teaching faculty member. Kathy's favorite studies to teach include the connections between Old Testament exegesis, Christian Apologetics, and Bible typology and mysteries.
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