Concepts of in the Bible Study, Glenview Presbyterian Church Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics is the theory and methodology of interpretation. As a philosophical discipline, it deals with the art of communication and understanding. Biblical hermeneutics deals with the principles and methods used to interpret the Biblical texts. Hermeneutics as a process of communication (by Manfred Oeming)

Author and historical context

Text

Message Reader Hermeneutical approaches

For example:

 Existential interpretation  Ethical/moral interpretation  Psychological interpretation  Social justice oriented interpretation Genesis 21:8-20 8 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the of God called to Hagar from , and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt. in the Old Testament  The name of God in the Old Testament: YHWH

 “The ” in English Bible translation

 Original pronunciation unknown, but assumed

יהוה my lord אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה  (“god”, but literally “”)

אֱֹלהִ ים

 Either used as a plural or as a majestic plural

 Singular Eloah, but rarely used and only in late texts

 Translated as “God” in English Bibles The religious world of the Levante  Judaism, Christianity and Islam are monotheistic

is the in one God that denies the existence of other gods.

 However, the texts of the Old Testament reveal a slow and complex development to Monotheism. The Old Testament is not a completely monotheist document!  : The belief in multiple which are usually related to each other and assembled into a pantheon.

: the temporary of a single which includes the belief in the existence of other gods.

 Monolatry: the permanent worship of a single deity which includes the belief in the existence of other gods.

 Monotheism: the belief in one God that denies the existence of other gods. Before the 10th c. BCE

 Polytheism and Monolatry

 Different deities are assembled in a pantheon

 Each deity has its “share” (land, tribes)

 YHWH is one of those deities Deuteronomy 32:8-9 When the Most High [Elyon] apportioned the nations, when he divided humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the gods; 9 the LORD’s [YHWH] own portion was his people, Jacob his allotted share.

Genesis 31:53 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor”—the God of their father—“judge between us.” Early monarchy (10th c. BCE)

 Polytheism and Monolatry

 Official worship of YHWH as state

 Practically, different deities are worshipped in the temple, cultic places and in the context of the family 1Kings 11:4-8 4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5 For Solomon followed Astarte the of the Sidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not completely follow the LORD, as his father David had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who offered incense and sacrificed to their gods. The early northern kingdom (9th/8th c. BCE)

 Polytheism and Monolatry

 Competition between YHWH and

 Begin of polemics against other deities 1Kings 18:20-40 20 So Ahab sent to all the , and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 then came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word. […] 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God.” 40 Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” Then they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there. Assyrian and Babylonian time (8th – 6th c. BCE)

 Influence of Assyrian and Babylonian religious tradition → Syncretism

 Emphasis of an exclusive belief in YHWH

 Apologetics of the belief in YHWH Jeremiah 7:16-20 16 As for you, do not pray for this people, do not raise a cry or on their behalf, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger. 19 Is it I whom they provoke? says the LORD. Is it not themselves, to their own hurt? 20 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: My anger and my wrath shall be poured out on this place, on human beings and animals, on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not be quenched. Time of the Babylonian Exile and afterwards (6th c. BCE and afterwards)

 Development of Monotheism

 Belief in the universal power of one God

 Denial of the existence of other gods Isaiah 43:10-11

10 You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 11 I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.

Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning when God created the and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.