CHALLENGES OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION IN THE 21 ST CENTURY

SUBMITTED TO:

Rev. OCHENIA FAITH OPADE, Ph.D.

FACULTY OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

THE NIGERIA BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, OGBOMOSO.

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE COURSE

BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS

(MPH 802)

SUBMITTED BY

GUMAP, SHEM DANLAMI

MATRIC NO. 22/0366

NOVEMBER, 2022
 TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction

Contemporary Hermeneutics

Challenges of 21st Century Hermeneutics

Response to the Challenges of 21st Century Hermeneutics

Conclusion

Reference
 INTRODUCTION

The Bible is a valued book by all Christians and significantly contributes to the increasing growth

rate of Christianity worldwide. Biblical scholars have proposed hermeneutical methodologies to

relate the biblical message to its readers, which have raised many challenges that require

responses (Okanlawon 2016, 1). The disagreements on Bible interpretation have led to the

development of diverse approaches and methodologies of understanding determined by the

diverse presupposition of the interpreters. The Bible unites us as Christians, yet its

interpretation divides us. Christians believe the Bible is their source or reference book, but they

disagree so much about how the contents of the Bible should be interpreted. Various

hermeneutical approaches can sometimes lead to wildly different interpretations. That's why

even among notable theologians, there is a wide variety of opinions and teaching on some

Biblical texts. The history of hermeneutics, its debates, and its approaches is so complex that it

poses many challenges to the Bible's readers (Coleman 1999, 125 -143).

Therefore, this paper will examine some challenges confronting Biblical hermeneutics in the 21 st

century and respond to the challenges accordingly. But before then, the report will define the

concept of Biblical interpretation and look at some Contemporary hermeneutics or the way

some preachers interpret the Bible today.

DEFINITION OF HERMENEUTICS

Hermeneutics comes from the word Hermes, the Greek noun (Hermeneia) or verb

(Hermeneeuo). It means to interpret, translate, or explain. The primary meaning or dictionary

meaning of hermeneutics is translating one language into the other. Biblical interpretation is

explaining the importance of the text, and not only translation that is interpretation includes an

explanation. Technically, Hermeneutics is a science and art of biblical interpretation. It is a

science because it has rules, which can be classified into an orderly system. Also, it is an art

because it follows specific rules and regulations of communication; that is, it has both linguistic

principles and practices of communication (Baba 2010, 3).

CONTEMPORARY HERMENEUTICS

Many contemporary readers of the Bible interpret the biblical text through a particular lens to

gather further meaning in relating to their context, not minding the guiding principles of

interpretation. Nihinlola (2014, 12) states, "Unknown to many Christians, there are important

and specific guiding principles which must be followed If the scriptures are to be rightly

understood." The ignorance or rejection of Biblical principles of interpretation has led many

Bible interpreters to engage in some unaccepted way of Biblical interpretation. Most

interpreters interpret the Bible within their own experience".

It is glaring that Biblical interpretation is fast been removed from the pulpit today. Most of the

things we hear are nothing but human experience and philosophy. They talk about different

principles and give testimonies about their experiences, forgetting that God will only bless His

word, not philosophy or experience (Olagunju 2020, 1). Knowledge is good but should not

replace accurate exposition of God's word. Kuriah (1993, 18) notes, "The age of exposition is

passing away, and it is replaced by the age of show business and entertainment. Entertainers

are welcomed more into the pulpit than preachers. Psychological and motivational talk has
become the message of the Church than biblical preaching; it seems the glory of biblical

preaching is departing from the church".

Biblical interpretations are works that cannot be taken lightly. It required knowledge of

interpretation, time, energy, and commitment. Olagunju (2020, 2) states, "If you think

interpreting the Scripture is so easy that you can't just open any place in the Bible on Sunday

and say anything you want, you are mistaken. The Bible should not be used to say anything we

want to say or be used to support our carnal inclinations or emotions". Therefore, having

discussed little of the numerous contemporary hermeneutics, the paper will explore some

challenges confronting Biblical interpretation in the 21st century.

Challenges of 21st-Century Hermeneutics

Most times, our ideologies inform our reading and interpretation of the Bible. Therefore, the

first identifiable challenge is the imposition of cultural elements into biblical texts in the process

of understanding. Nihinlola (2014, 27) states, "Native intelligence is good, but it is not enough

for accurate Biblical interpretation." McCartney and Clayton (2002, 69) also observe that

"imposition of cultural elements in the biblical texts can be blinding and binding." As

interpreters of the Scripture, we need to know that the Bible was written within a cultural

setting; therefore, it would be wrong to interpret it in our cultural setting as if the Bible was

written to us.
Another identifiable challenge is that of Contextualization. Contextualization has been defined

variously, but it is the process of making the biblical text incarnational as Jesus Christ took flesh

among a particular people (the Jew). In the same way, the biblical text must find embodiment

among people of every culture. The concern is what to contextualize, how to contextualize, and

when to contextualize. If these issues are not resolvedContextualization may result in over-

contextualization or under-contextualization. Three languages were used in writing the Bible

(Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) with different structures and forms. Considered the distortion in

Contextualization that may result. (Virkler 1981, 20). Contextualizing the Bible message has

been a problem for most preachers of the word.

Also, there is the challenge of the interpreter. It has been aptly stated that the interpreter

comes to the Scripture with presuppositions. So, the meaning deduced from a particular biblical

text may be influenced by the interpreter's presuppositions ( Bonino, 1975, 20). It is observed

that many people come to interpret the Bible text with their presuppositions. So, the critical

problem in Bible interpretation is presupposition or biased mind. Therefore, our presupposition

or bias influences our interpretation (Baba 2010, 5-6).

Another issue to worry about as Biblical interpretation challenges are our Preachers'

educational background (Pastors). One fundamental problem with most pastors today is the

lack of knowledge of interpreting the Scripture correctly. Some of them, and even Church

members, believe that when you receive a divine call, there is no need for theological training

and interpret the word of God deceitfully for personal gain. A lack of proper understanding of
the word of God has created interpretational difficulties and, as such, led many Bible believers

into various errors. (Baba 2010, 1).

There is likewise the challenge of translating the Bible into an indigenous language without

losing the term's meaning in its original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek rendering. As Marshall

(1980, 5) opines, "…translation is a result of exegesis, since the aim of the translation is to

express in another language the meaning of what the author said in his language. Thus,

translation is a form of interpretation". Silva (1990, 133-134) states that "it is impossible to

translate a passage from language X into language Y unless one knows language X and

understands what the original text says. Bible translation conveys the translators' theological

presuppositions.

The other compelling challenge to biblical hermeneutics is the application challenge. This

challenge hinges on the fact that some biblical texts are directed to specific situations that are

normative to the particular situation (s) they speak about. In contrast, others talk universally

about problems (s) bound to specific cultures or conditions. For instance, God told Joshua, "I

will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses" (Joshua 1:3 NIV). This

bible verse is normative to that context (military conquest and geographical expansion of the

Israelites) and applies to Joshua. To pick this Scripture and use it universally will harm the spirit

of that letter of Scripture.

Therefore, these are a few of the many challenges of Biblical hermeneutics. With these

challenges in mind, it has become necessary for the paper to respond to these challenges so

that it can be a help to those who are still in the dilemma of biblical interpretation.
 Response to the Challenge of 21st-Century Hermeneutics

The response to the challenges of biblical hermeneutics is the responsibility of biblical

theologians who seek to discover what the biblical writers, under divine guidance, believed,

described, and taught in the context of their times (Yarbrough, 1996, 61). Consequently, biblical

theologians consider the historical context very important when interpreting the biblical text.

Therefore, these responses are proffered based on making interpretations within the context of

the Bible.

Examining the nature of the Bible, the events recorded, and how it was written, it is possible to

interpret its content reasonably and without controversies. The Bible is a historical book

and must be interpreted historically because it records people and events in history.

Adewale (n.d. 29) opines that "the meaning of a text cannot be interpreted with any

degree of certainty without historical-cultural and contextual analysis." Historical

interpretation refers to understanding the culture, background, and situation which

prompted the text. The interpreter can use books in biblical introductions and knowledge

of the Old and New Testaments. The Bible was written in human languages (Hebrew,

Aramaic, and Greek). Therefore, we can interpret it correctly by understanding the

language in which it was written. The biblical interpreter who is not versed in biblical

languages can use the multitude-authored Bible commentaries, Bible dictionaries, and

Bible atlases. These materials will aid the interpreter in understanding the historical

background behind the statements and events the Bible records (Anderson 1997, 21-24).
Concerning the challenge of Contextualization, the divine nature of the Bible would make it

have universal appeal. Stewart (1991) posits, "God would choose writers that would

communicate in such a way that people would be able to understand the message of the Bible

no matter what language they spoke or what culture they come from. Notwithstanding,

applying the rules of interpreting ancient literature, especially the tradition of interpreting in

context, would help us understand the biblical message without any cultural distortion.

Gwamna (2008, 29) highlights; our effort to contextualize the Bible message should fall within

certain parameters, such as biblical theology preceding our interpretation, that interpretation

should be made within the ambit of universal biblical Christianity, that the Bible in its original

setting remains the main source of any biblical interpretation.

About the challenge of imposition of one's bias in the interpretive process, Adamo (2001, 1)

validates the challenge by stating that it is unrealistic to talk of a uniform, unconditional,

universal, and absolute interpretation or hermeneutics. But we must note that biblical

interpretation should not be made with a biased mind.

The Bible is a theological unit (interconnectedness of the two testaments in their teaching

about God). Oladejo states that "Biblical hermeneutics takes place within the Bible itself.

Authors of the psalms and the prophets often looked back to the books of the law and

incorporated their understanding. As it is, Biblical hermeneutics were in effect even in the time

of the psalmist and Prophets and continued with various Jewish sects up to the time of Jesus"

(2022, 2). Therefore, in our interpretive task, we should integrate the theological dimensions of
the Bible. In essence, the interpretation of a Bible verse or passage must not contradict the

whole biblical revelation or any other part of Scripture. Hence, to interpret the Bible correctly,

we must concern ourselves with the place the portion of the Bible under focus occupies within

the timetable of revelation in which a biblical writer lived. In this, the biblical text is taken

holistically, and we can reduce all ambiguities and contradictions to a minimal level. When we

understand the Bible in its context, we can transpose such understanding to our present

context (4).

The challenge of applying the biblical text in our context is based on the premise that each

biblical passage has only one correct interpretation but may have a range of applications. But

before we can tell the present reader or audience how the Bible applies to them, we must first

come to the best possible understanding of what the Bible means to its original audience by

following biblical exegesis rules (Gorman, 2001; Stein, 1994). Marshall (1980, 5) opined that

exegesis (finding out what a text means in its context) leads to exposition (understanding the

significance of a text) and application. It is when we make exegesis our tool that we can relate

the Bible to the condition of its own time. Then, we can apply the features of its teachings

which are valid for all times to our times.

For instance, John 14:13 says, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may

bring glory to the Father" Reading this passage out of context would seem to indicate that if we

ask God anything, we will receive it as long as we use Jesus' name. But interpretation in context

will reveal that the immediate audience is Jesus' disciples. It is essentially a promise to his
disciples that God will provide the necessary resources for them to complete their tasks. The

application is that if we pray in Jesus' name and according to God's will, God will give us what

we need to accomplish His word in us and through us.

CONCLUSION

Christian ministry has been sought after in recent times by more people. No wonder Christians

are springing up almost every day. The demand for interpreting the word of God is growing day

by day. It is a welcome idea since the Bible is open to all, educated or uneducated. Biblical

hermeneutics must be handled using the valid standard principles of biblical interpretation,

especially by the people the rules to avoid wrong interpretation of the Scripture. (Baba 2010,

243). Bible interpretation is necessary for all the people of God but most especially for those

whom God has called into the teaching and preaching ministry. Much attention must be

devoted to interpreting the scriptures by this category so that one can teach and preach the

truth.

Therefore, in this paper, the writer has revealed some challenges confronting our pulpit preachers

(Pastors) on interpreting the Bible; some responded accordingly. The document also defines

Hermeneutics as a concept and examines some contemporary hermeneutics.

 References

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