Exegesis Not Eisegesis... A Fundamental Error In Understanding Scripture
Besides getting a great laugh from this video there are some interesting things that we can learn from this gentleman's approach to scripture. There is a fundamental error to his understanding and use of the scriptures. In the most simplistic terms he is doing eisegesis rather than exegesis. These are fancy words that theologians use to simply say, "Is the interpreter attempting to derive his understanding from the text, rather than reading his meaning into the text?" Do we interpret scripture or does it interpret us?
Here is what he did in the video, trace it with me.
1) Koine Greek to Semantic Aramaic:
He took a New Testament passage that was originally written in Koine Greek and then says that Jesus most likely spoke these words in Aramaic. This is most likely true but how did he choose the Aramaic words that correspond to the written Koine Greek? To go from Greek to Aramaic is not as simplistic as it sounds. Greek and Aramaic are two profoundly different languages...
2) Semantic Aramaic to Old Testament Hebrew:
To make things even more interesting he then goes from the Semantic Aramaic words (that supposedly correlate to the Koine Greek) then to Strong's Dictionary of Old Testament Hebrew. Yet another jump from Aramaic to Old Testament Hebrew.
3) Presto Obama?
In review: Koine Greek to Semantic Aramaic to Old Testament Hebrew, then presto... Obama!
This is what we call eisegesis, bad biblical interpretation and lousy biblical scholarship! The interpreter is reading his or her meaning into the text rather than deriving an understanding from the text.
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The Video basis its claim on Luke 10:18.
Looking to the context of Luke 10:17-20 we see that these verses are some of the most powerful words of assurance to us as Christians in the realm of spiritual warfare.
These verses say:
-Demons are subject to the Name of Jesus
-Satan has fallen
-The Evil One Cannot hurt us
-We have protection in Spiritual Warfare
-Our Names are written in Heaven
Wow, this text is all about victory and assurance. No ounce of fear in this passage. Nothing but assurance, confidence and victory in Jesus!
Now, how did the video use this text. Did the video and speaker expound on this text to grant us victory, assurance, confidence in Jesus? Did the video speak out of the text to grant us hope and confidence or did the video speak into the text to deliver us fear, doubt, pressure, worry, etc... Did the video deliver what was consistent with Luke 10:17-20?
Couple of Random Thoughts on This Video...
-I have also seen all sorts of videos where Bible Codes have been used to validate similar assertions. Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Prince Charles, etc... They are all implementing eisegesis. If the biblical correlations are so evident why weren't they made before these people were in office?
-Paul condemns and cautions Timothy and the church to have nothing to do with irrevervent, silly myths that promote speculations and controversies rather than God's work--which is by Faith. (1 Timothy 1:4, 4:7)
-Where does this video point us? To Fear or Assurance in Christ? Too often teachings on end times doctrines produce the fruit of fear and anxiety. For instance, we take the book of Revelation and other end times passages and miss the point that in the very end God Wins! In other words, the purpose of the book of Revelations and much of the end time teaching is to comfort Christians and encourage our witness with prophetic portraits of the victory that is already ours in the risen and living Lamb of God, Jesus Christ... (TLSB, 2195)
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