Give a definition of hermeneutics and then offer a discussion of the importance of 1 of the

following components in interpretation – the role of the author of the text. What kind of impact
does this particular participant provide on an attempt to discover the meaning of a text? How
important is this component?

Simply put, hermeneutics is about making sense of Scripture; to unravel them. Hermeneutics has
long been concerned with unraveling the meaning of the ancient texts.1 Hermeneutics provides a
strategy that will enable us to understand the meaning and significance of what an author or
speaker intended to communicate.2

You and I have probably sat through a sermon where the preacher destroys the text for a
lack of understanding. So much bad doctrine has been developed when churches or Christians
take one verse and make it a stand-alone doctrine. The error in this is when text is taken out of
context it makes it a pretext – and often a false one. Good, biblical hermeneutics reduces the
chance for doctrinal error. For example, 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself
to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of
truth.” The words “rightly handling” means that we handle the Word of God in a right manner,
for its original intent or purpose. The truth is that all Scripture is written for believers but not all
Scripture is written to believers because before the Word of God was the Word of God for you, it
was the Word of God for someone else.

Hermeneutics can help us understand the original intent of the Scripture, give us a proper
interpretation, allow us to understand it more deeply and thus, apply it to our everyday lives. It
actually allows us to see what the author of the Word says; that author being the Holy Spirit and
of course, each respective author. It is impossible to ask the original author(s) for any type of
insight and meaning since they are no longer among the living. Klein states: “Although we
cannot ask the authors directly for clues to the meaning they intended to convey, an examination
of their respective contexts (historical setting, general social values and conditions, and specific
life circumstances), when known, can provide helpful information for interpretation.” 3

Hermeneutics agrees with how we can discern difficult to understand passages or

verse. We can use the adjacent Scriptures, the chapter itself, or even the entire book to see the
specific purpose of one verse. For example, the hard sayings of Jesus allow us to look at the
broader picture and understand that He is using hyperbole or an extreme exaggeration to make a
point that gets our attention. When Jesus speaks the name of a person twice like Martha, Martha,
Saul, Saul, or Simon, Simon (Peter), we realize that Jesus is not just repeating the name for no
good reason. When a name is repeated twice, it is symbolic of an intimate relationship.

Works Cited:
1
Klein Blomberg (2017). (p. 34). Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Third Edition.
Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com]
2
Ibid., 43.
3
Ibid., 49.