# Hermeneutics



## ChristianTrader (Feb 15, 2005)

What are the best books on proper hermeneutics?

CT


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## rmwilliamsjr (Feb 15, 2005)

i recently read: The Hermeneutical Spiral


and really recommend it, mostly for the organizational principles.

[Edited on 5/5/2005 by fredtgreco]

Reactions: Wow 1


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## ANT (Feb 15, 2005)

I have read a few books ... I'm not sure if they all would be classified as Hermeneutics or not but here they are ....

By the way, I have profited greatly by all and would recommend all of them.

*#1 - *Biblical Hermeneutics - A Treatise on the Interpretation of The Old and New Testaments
By: Milton S. Terry
Wipf and Stock Publishers - Lg. Softcover - 511p.

*#2* - Getting the Message - A PLan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible
By: Daniel M. Doriani
P&R - Lg. Softcover - 255p.

*#3* - Putting the Truth to Work - The Theory and Practice of Biblical Application
By: Daniel M. Doriani
P&R - Lg. Softcover - 342p.

*#4* - He Gave Us Stories - The Bible Students Guide to Interpreting Old Testament Narratives
By: Richard L. Pratt, Jr.
P&R - Lg. Softcover - 493p.

*#5* - Symphonic Theology - The Validity of Multiple Perspectives In Theology
By: Vern S. Poythress
P&R - Softcover - 128p.

*#6* - God Centered Biblical Interpretation
By: Vern S. Poythress
P&R - Softcover - 238p.

*#7* - Science and Hermeneutics - Implications of Scientific Method for Biblical Interpretation
By: Vern S. Poythress
Zondervan - Softcover - 184p.


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## ChristianTrader (Feb 15, 2005)

ANT are those in order of quality?

CT


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## ANT (Feb 15, 2005)

No ... I just numbered them to separate the titles. (Just a habit of mine.)


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## alwaysreforming (Feb 15, 2005)

Wow, Ant, you've really done some reading on the subject!

I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence, but RC Sproul's "Knowing Scripture" is a very helpful first step and overview.

I have a few more books, but they're all in storage right now, so I can't remember any more other than "Exegetical Fallacies" which I think is by DA Carson.


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## ANT (Feb 15, 2005)

> _Originally posted by alwaysreforming_
> Wow, Ant, you've really done some reading on the subject!



I feel the exact opposite. I feel like I've just touched the tip of the iceburg. There are soooo many books that I have lined up just waiting to read.



> _Originally posted by alwaysreforming_
> I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence, but RC Sproul's "Knowing Scripture" is a very helpful first step and overview.



I read Sproul's book Knowing Scripture as well. It is a very good book for an introduction to the Scriptures and hermeneutics.



[Edited on 2-16-2005 by ANT]


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## Puritan Sailor (Feb 15, 2005)

Some classics for the grammatical historical method:

Protestant Biblical Interpretion by Bernard Ramm.
Interpreting the Bible by A. Mickelson.
Principles of Biblical Interpretation by Berkof.

Classics for the more redemptive historical leaning methods (but haven't gone off the deep end yet):

The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text by Sidney Greidanus. 

Any works by Geerhardus Vos and Herman Ridderbos.


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## mrclm (May 4, 2005)

Hermeneutical Spiral as mentioned above is a great book, but a real headache giver. It's at a very high graduate level reading. Perhaps in parts even post-graduate. I really like Duvall & Hays' "Grasping God's Word". Fee and Stuart's "How to read the Bible for all it's worth" is a good introductory text. I have also found the collection edited by Craig Broyles called "Interpreting the Old Testament" to be helpful. Add to that "New Testament Exegesis" by Gordon Fee, Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson, "New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes" by F.F. Bruce, and "Renewing Biblical Interpretation" edited by Bartholomew, Green, and Moller. I also got a lot out of "The Art of Biblical Narrative" by Robert Alter.

The book I have found most useful is the Duvall & Hays' "Grasping God's Word". It's probably an entry level college text reading level. Good stuff.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (May 4, 2005)

> _Originally posted by puritansailor_
> Some classics for the grammatical historical method:
> 
> Protestant Biblical Interpretion by Bernard Ramm.
> ...


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## Myshkin (May 4, 2005)

"Christ-Centered Preaching" by Bryan Chapell

"An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics" by Walter Kaiser and Moises Silva?

Any thoughts on these two?


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## Contra_Mundum (May 4, 2005)

Berkhof's _Introduction_ is useful and compact. It gives you the basics, and orients you toward the historic Reformed position on interpretation. I myself would commend a classic work such as this to give yourself a good footing before reading something lile Poythress' _Symphonic Theology,_ that goes into discussions on what we can learn from, say, Pentacostal exegsis (!).

At the next level, I also second the valuable work by Carson on exegetical fallacies. This is must reading to help teach you how to avoid foolish applications of what you _think_ you now know with a smattering of language instruction and hermeneutical tools at your disposal.

Finally, I think that one of the best things you can do, after attending good, faithful, expository preaching on a regular basis, is read Calvin's commentaries and sermons (and others--he's just a genius who's grasp of the text is essentially timeless). This is the "better caught than taught" approach. Seeing it done and absorbing at the feet of a master is the best learning that can be had.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Robin (May 4, 2005)

> _Originally posted by RAS_
> "Christ-Centered Preaching" by Bryan Chapell
> 
> "An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics" by Walter Kaiser and Moises Silva?
> ...



Superb! Edmond Clowney, "Preaching Christ in All the Scriptures" too!

Very excellent.

Robin


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## AdamM (May 4, 2005)

The book "Let the Reader Understand" (A guide to interpereting and applying the Bible) by Dan McCartney and Charles Clayton is where you need to start.


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## fredtgreco (May 5, 2005)

I agree with Adam. McCartney & Clayton is a pretty good book.

As for Carson's book, it is good in spots, but I think it goes overboard in criticizing words studies. You can see the logical results of Carson's methodology in his support for the TNIV:

http://timbayly.worldmagblog.com/timbayly/archives/014453.html

http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/briefing/webextra/march04_critiques.htm

Much of _Exegetical Fallacies_ is warmed over James Barr.

Don't get me wrong, I like much of what Carson does. But it amazes me that there is almost no one who is willing to criticize any part of _Exegetical Fallacies_.

[Edited on 5/5/2005 by fredtgreco]


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## Philip A (May 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by fredtgreco_
> Much of _Exegetical Fallacies_ is warmed over James Barr.



Who is James Barr? Is this a good or a bad thing?



> Don't get me wrong, I like much of what Carson does. But it amazes me that there is almost no one who is willing to criticize any part of _Exegetical Fallacies_.



Is that your main criticism of _Exegetical Fallacies_, the word study issue, or is there more to it that that?

How then would you compare Carson's work to, say, Moises Silva in _Biblical Words and Their Meaning_?


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