Chapter Thirteen
The Work of the Spirit in the Interpretation of Holy Scripture from the Perspective of a Charismatic Biblical Theologian*
Clark H. Pinnock**
Introduction
One would expect that Pentecostals and charismatics, given their pas- sion for all things pneumatological, would take a keen interest in Spirit- hermeneutics. It would be only natural. More than most believers, they would be familiar with the promise and perils of doing it. Keen to hear a contemporary word of the Lord, they should approach the possibility with great expectations, while (at the same time) being wary of another possibility, the possibility of drowning in a sea of subjectivity. Apparently (however) this did not dissuade the early Christians from entertaining the idea in more than a rudimentary way. They were after all, accord- ing to the apostle Paul, ‘not lacking in spiritual gifts but were enriched in Christ with speech and knowledge of every kind’, including prophecy (1 Cor. 1.4–7). It sounds as if they would be very interested in what I am calling ‘Spirit-hermeneutics’. They would be keen to know, not just what God said to people long ago in the scriptures, but what the Spirit is saying to the churches now. It is important to remember that Pentecostal and charismatic believers, ancient and/or modern, are people of the Spirit and not yet people of the book only.1
* First published in the Journal of Pentecostal Theology 18.2 (2009), pp. 157–71. ** Before his death in 2010, Clark H. Pinnock (PhD, University of Manchester) was Pro- fessor Emeritus of Theology at McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 1 Clark H. Pinnock ‘The Work of the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics’, Journal of Pentecos- tal Theology 2 (1993), pp. 2–23. James K.A. Smith, ‘The Closing of the Book: Pentecostals, Evangelicals, and the Sacred Writings’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology 11 (1997), pp. 49–71. 234 clark h. pinnock
Part One: A Rational-propositional Model
Some believers, however, shy away from Spirit-hermeneutics. The very idea of it makes them nervous because they see the text in ‘cut and dried’ terms and because they emphasize the Bible’s rational/propositional character. This makes it awkward for them to show interest in any ‘fuller’ meaning of texts or in their acquisition. Any dynamism in hermeneutics could prove to be irresponsible and lead the church into uncontrolled subjectivity. Therefore, they keep Spirit-hermeneutics at arm’s length despite the rich plurality of meaning that is conveyed by language. Earlier in my own life, I did not think much about Spirit-hermeneutics because I was myself committed to scholastic habits of thinking and did not welcome exegetical liberties. I was committed to a rational-propositional model of biblical authority and more than a little suspicious of human subjectivity. I wanted no part in any possible diminishing of the objec- tive authority of the Bible as I understood it. I was working with a model which claimed that the meaning of texts is discovered by using reason and the best scholarly tools, linguistic and otherwise. I thought that the Spirit had fulfilled his obligations to his people millennia ago through inspira- tion, when he delivered the Bible to the church. What else was there for the Spirit to do now, I wondered.2 After a decade of struggling with rational-propositionalism, I came across something more promising. Why not, instead of attempting to derive a doctrine of biblical inspiration from the ‘proof texts’ which are not (one has to admit) really up to the task, why not take a different tack? Why not look to the hermeneutical practices of Jesus for insight into a doc- trine of Scripture, evidence which has often glossed over and neglected for so long? The fact is, that the proof texts of inspiration do not rise to the challenge. There are four such proofs.3 The favorite text, 1 Tim. 3.15–16 (for example) is content to say that Scripture is ‘inspired and profitable’ and leave it at that. It says nothing about inerrancy but places the focus on the practical benefits which the scriptures offer. 2 Peter 1.20–21 tells us that the Spirit inspires prophecies. Well and good but it does not say anything about what is the case when it comes to non-prophetic verses. Nor does
2 On my pilgrimage in this area, see Roy C.W. Roennfeldt, Clark H. Pinnock on Biblical Authority: An Evolving Position (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University, 1993). 3 See B.B. Warfield, The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible (Philadelphia: Presbyte- rian and Reformed, 1948), ch. 3.