Hawaii (photo from trekearth.com)
ExJesus or Exegesis?
An interesting play on words, but this article concerns the word exegesis. Do not worry, there is no crazy cult here, although I do not control my usually wonderful blog commenters.;) I am thankful for blog moderation, because of a very small minority though.
W.R.F. Browning explains that the term exegesis is found in the LXX (Septuagint) and is not in the New Testament. Today it refers to commentary on the Biblical text, which attempts to relate words and verses and sections of Scripture to others in order to formulate proper understanding. Modern exegesis makes use of textual criticism and literary disciplines as well as archaeology. Browning (1997: 125). Browning points out that mistakes made in the area of exegesis could result in false exegesis. Browning (1997: 125). False exegesis could be related to the idea of eisegesis, which is a negative term used to describe the practice of imposing preconceived meanings into Biblical texts, even when clearly they are not the original meanings. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 49). Exegesis can also be defined as the process of seeking to understand what a text means and communicates on its own. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 49).
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart write that the first job of the Biblical interpreter is called exegesis and this is to find the original, intended meaning. This is a historical task to read the Scripture and find out how the original writers intended it to be understood. Fee and Stuart (1982: 21). The use of the original Biblical languages in doing exegesis is important and learning how to deal with original manuscripts, which have variant readings, is also very useful. Fee and Stuart (1982: 22). But, Fee and Stuart state that good exegesis can be done even without these tools. Fee and Stuart (1982: 22). The implication is that with a good translation, a contextual, exegetical review of Scripture should bring accurate results.
With the use of texts and tools, I do examine Scripture from the original language, and review the writings of actual linguists in order to better understand particular Biblical writings. I find that many of the modern translations, such as the New American Standard Bible, are so accurate that when I exegete the English text, and then examine and exegete texts which feature the original languages, the same basic results are produced.
Hermeneutics is a related discipline, which studies principles and theories of how a text should be interpreted, and reasons out relationships between the Biblical author, the text itself, and original and future readers. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 59). Exegesis or eisegesis would be done within certain rules of hermeneutics. Fee and Stuart write that the hermeneutics usually covers the entire field of interpretation including exegesis. It is also used for seeking the present relevance of ancient texts. Fee and Stuart (1982: 25).
It is the weekend, and I have had a tedious, but rewarding week of PhD dissertation revisions. I wish to present a couple of fun things for the weekend.
Below are my two most expensive comics in my collection, from kingpinned in links. They are both worth approximately $30 each, and so obviously I am not a major world-class comic book collector.
Each of the photos are of the comic I own, but not the actual copy. I have graded both of my books shown here as very fine, which is one level below near mint by my grading.
Batman 256 (1974)
Doctor Strange 179 (1969)
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) ‘Exegesis’ in Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
FEE, GORDON D. AND DOUGLAS STUART (1982) How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.
GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2008/03/nature-receives-
red-card.html
