#12 - Protestant Biblical Interpretation

When Sandy purchased and read Protestant Biblical Interpretation by Bernard Ramm, I didn't know that it was a standard introduction to hermeneutics for evangelical colleges and seminaries. That's the kind of wife I married - she reads seminary/college texts for fun.

I had heard of it, and it has been on my to-read list for years. Finally I got around to reading it. When I was in seminary, I took a hermeneutics course in my 2nd semester. Unfortunately, it was a lot like my seminary experience in the first couple of years - trying to drink water from a fire hose at full blast. There was so much fabulous, rich and deep biblical teaching that came fast and furious. My biblical and doctrinal knowledge was so shallow at that time in my life that it was hard to digest all of the great teaching I was receiving.

But this time around, 11 years after graduating seminary, it was a far different experience studying hermeneutics. Hermeneutics can be defined as the "science and art of biblical interpretation. It is a science because it is guided by rules within a system; and it is an art because the application of the rules is by skill, and not by mechanical imitation." Hermeneutics is important to pastors and elders, but it should be important to every Christian. "[Hermeneutics] is important, therefore, to determine how God's Word is to be understood that we may know what God has said. This is the chief and foremost need for hermeneutics." Every Christian needs to know what God has said in His Word.

Ramm divides the book into 3 basic sections. First, he describes the history of various types or schools of interpretation. This section was the least interesting to me because I spent most of my undergraduate years studying these liberal methods of interpretation. Second, Ramm explains the classic protestant system of hermeneutics. It was gratifying to read this section and know that I am at least attempting to apply all of these principles consistently. Lastly, the book concludes with some chapters on some more complicated issues such as the interpretation of types, parables and prophecy.

I especially appreciated his chapter on the devotional or practical use of the Bible. It seems that these days, many Christians are seeking to get specific direction for their life from the Bible every time they open it up. Ramm writes, "The Bible is more a book of principles than a catalogue of specific directions." While I believe that the Bible is immensely practical, that does not mean we set aside a normal reading and interpretation of the Bible in order to receive some fortune cookie like personal wisdom for our day. "In the intense desire to find something practical or devotional in Scripture, we are in danger of obscuring the literal or genuine meaning of the passage. It may sound harsh to so speak, but not too infrequently a very devotional message is conjured up from the Scriptures by a method of interpretation which is nothing short of trifling or tampering with Scripture."

I must say that this book wasn't the easiest reading, but it wasn't the most difficult either. If you are interested in gaining more knowledge of hermeneutics or sharpening your skills, I recommend this one.