All posts tagged Exegesis

A Text Without A Context Is A Pretext For A Prooftext

By On March 5, 2012 In Exegesis, Rob Bell, Scot McKnight With No Comments Permanent Link to A Text Without A Context Is A Pretext For A ProoftextPermalink

I was just listening to a talk by Greg Boyd where he was saying, “A text without a context is a pretext for a prooftext” . I don’t know if it is orignal to Boyd, but it was a punchy and well placed statement within what are usually really encouraging sermons by Boyd. He was talking about the importance of exegeting the scriptures within their original and occasional contexts.  Greg was talking about how so many verses and sentences from the bible are often quoted with total disregard for the meaning and context from which they come from.  It really is a good message. Listen to it over at Woodland Hills’ website.

It reminded me of the great blog post I was reading this week over at Jesus Creed.  Scot Mcknight was registering his disappointment along with Ed Stetzer about the mismanaged journalism concerning a recent interview of Rick Warren . It reminds me of what happened on the blogosphere when Rob’s Love Wins hadn’t been released yet.   It turns out it was a simply “a text without a context” that became “a pretext for a prooftext”.

Hermes, Hermeneutics, Exegesis

Hermes is considered the inventor of language and speech

Why Not Women? A Fresh Look at Scripture on Women in Missions, Ministry, and Leadership.

By On June 25, 2011 In Bible Study, Exegesis, New Testament, Women With No Comments Permanent Link to Why Not Women? A Fresh Look at Scripture on Women in Missions, Ministry, and Leadership.Permalink

Two Authors, both apart of the world missions organization Youth With A Mission have put their hearts and minds together in this important book, “Why Not Women”.

Loren Cunningham, the founder of Y.W.A.M (pronounced, y-wam), and David Hamilton, a dedicated student of Christian scripture have brought light to this critical debate within Christian praxis.


Loren starts out the book by putting a great focus on the suppression of women within both church history and the modern mission movement. He questions the majority opinion that Leadership is Male. He talks about Deborah, both a leader and a Prophet, the head of state. He notes Miriam’s leadership as well. In the New Testament Loren points out Phoebe a minister, and Junias an Apostle. Apparently 886 verses of Scripture are from that of Women. He then articulates a principle of allowing for Women to teach if they have the God given and recognized gift. Simple logic says, if God gifted them, then they ought to teach. Sometimes simple logic works best. Of course, it doesn’t always win out the detailed skeptic. That is where Hamilton compliments this book’s message so well.

As David Hamilton begins his contribution to this work, he talks about the overwhelming oppressive sexist ideas and beliefs that have pervaded in both the “Gentile” and “Hebrew” cultural backdrop to the historical context of the books of the bible. Hamilton finishes up the remaining majority of the book with in depth exegesis of all the key relevant passages. He works through the Timothy, Corinthians, and other passages in great detail. There is quite a bit of great detail within these chapters that would at least give “traditional” readings and translations much pause and cause for a reevaluation on this subject.

Youth With A Mission Logo

How to READ the BIBLE BOOK by BOOK

By On May 27, 2011 In Bible Study, Exegesis With No Comments Permanent Link to How to READ the BIBLE BOOK by BOOKPermalink

Have you ever just got finished readying something in the Bible and left feeling like you had no idea where that came from, why it is in the bible, and how it matters to you? Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart did an excellent job in their book, “How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour“. In it they give a guided tour to each and every book of the bible.

I learned to study the bible using the Inductive bible study Method, as we called it, in YWAM Kona’s School of Biblical Studies. Many of the same methods I learned through S.B.S. are consistent with the overall pursuit of this book. They treat each book of the bible individually presenting an overall context, some background information and simple structural outline. This is followed up with a very short summary of the different sections of each book attempting to point out to the student the overall continuity of the Author’s message. I highly recommend this book as a bible reading aid to anybody wanting to understand the whole bible in its whole context.

If you want to learn more about the Inductive Bible Study Method, check out another book by the same authors, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
“. Of course if you have 9 months available, I strongly recommend just going through an S.B.S.

Bible Resource Blog

Bible resource Blog