Class #1 – “The Word and How to Read It”

Romans 1:11-13

(11)For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; (12)that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. (13)And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. (NASB; emphasis is mine)

In Reading God’s Word, We Need Good Hermeneutics to Resolve Difficult Interpretive Issues What does “some spiritual gift” mean in v. 11? Possible meanings: What does “some fruit” mean in v. 13? Possible meanings:

Good Hermeneutics Points us to Good Interpretive Methods Hermeneutical Point #1: “Meaning comes from the Top Down” Method #1: Hermeneutical Point #2: “Let the Biblical Authors Speak for Themselves” Method #2:

Let’s Use Our Interpretive Insights to Solve the Interpretive Issues in Romans 1:11-13:

Harvest Christian Fellowship The Word of God and How to Study It Walt Russell, Ph.D.

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Meaning comes from the

Top

Down

Meaning comes from the Top Down,

from the text’s larger units to its smaller units.

Genre

of thought

(type of communication)

Big idea of the

Sentence

Word

Decreasing size of units

paragraph

Word

Sentence

Big Idea of the

Big Idea of the unit

of thought

Harvest Christian Fellowship The Word of God and How to Study It Walt Russell, Ph.D.

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Hermeneutical Point #2: “Let the Biblical Authors Speak for Themselves”

Interpretive Method#2:

Look up “fruit” in a concordance

Look for the closest occurrences

1

st Romans

2nd

Pauline Epistles

3rd

Rest of the N.T.

4th

The Septuagint

Last Extra-biblical Greek

Harvest Christian Fellowship The Word of God and How to Study It Walt Russell, Ph.D.

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Another Interpretive Opportunity:

Matthew 18:19-20

19Again I say to you, that if two of agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst. (NASB)

In what Christian settings do we apply these verses?

Let’s interpret these verses together in light of today’s two hermeneutical principles:

Hermeneutical Principle #1: “Meaning comes from the top down”

Hermeneutical Principle #2: “Let the biblical authors speak for themselves.”

In light of the 1st principle and meaning coming down from the larger units, what are the next two larger units we should consult?

What is the MINIMAL LARGER UNIT we must ALWAYS consult?!

What are the verse numbers of this minimal larger unit?

Does this context give you any insight into the topic that Matthew 18:19-20 addresses?

How does applying the 2nd principle – “Let the authors speak for themselves” – help us understand the numbers “two” and “two or three” in verses 19-20?

Now, give your interpretation of Matthew 18:19-20!

Harvest Christian Fellowship The Word of God and How to Study It Walt Russell, Ph.D.

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