How to soundly interpret the Bible part 2

how to soundly interpret the Bible part 2

this is a 5 part series on how to interpret the Bible. i learned these principles in my hermeneutics class. this particular list comes from the Bible teacher John MacArthur.

part 2: The Historical Principle

As we have noted, one of the crucial steps in understanding what a text means is to have some grasp of the cultural, geographical, and political setting in which the passage was written. If one understands the historical context, the passage often will practically interpret itself.

As we come to any book of the Bible, we have to understand the history involved. If it is an epistle to one of the churches, what were some of the characteristics of the city in which those believers lived? What were the political and cultural conditions at the time? Who was ruling where? What social pressures were involved and to what degree? What were the tensions, problems and crises of the community? What was the culture of the day really like? What were the customs of the people?

For example, it is virtually impossible for the modern reader to make sense of Peter’s admonition in 1 Peter 1:13: "Gird up the loins of your mind." But when you realize that soldiers in New Testament times wore long flowing tunics, and they had to tie them up around their waists so that they wouldn’t trip over them when they went into battle, Peter’s meaning becomes immediately clear. He is saying, "Prepare your minds for battle. Trim up whatever is holding you back or slowing you down."

To answer the cultural and historical questions we can use Bible dictionaries, Bible handbooks, commentaries, history books, and books about Bible customs. They enable us to reconstruct the setting of a Bible passage, and from the historical context will usually flow the clear meaning.