Jimmy the Greek
Puritan Board Senior
Do we still hold to the single-meaning principle in interpreting Scripture? I assume that the purpose of hermeneutics and exegesis is to determine the "singular" meaning of a text, which of course may have multiple applications. Here are some relevant quotes:
Bernard Ramm has stated the following: “But here we must remember the old adage: ‘Interpretation is one, application is many.’ This means that there is only one meaning to a passage of Scripture which is determined by careful study.” Protestant Biblical Interpretation (Baker, 1970) p. 113.
Prior to Ramm, Milton S. Terry expressed the same principle, "A fundamental principle in grammatico-historical exposition is that the words and sentences can have but one significance in one and the same connection. The moment we neglect this principle we drift out upon a sea of uncertainty and conjecture." Milton S. Terry, Biblical Hermeneutics (Zondervan, n.d.)
My point is this principle seems to have gotten progressively ignored or ejected in evangelical circles over the last 20-25 years. I refer to the following as an example: "An author may intend a text to convey multiple meanings or levels of meaning." Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Dallas: Word, 1993.
What say ye?
Bernard Ramm has stated the following: “But here we must remember the old adage: ‘Interpretation is one, application is many.’ This means that there is only one meaning to a passage of Scripture which is determined by careful study.” Protestant Biblical Interpretation (Baker, 1970) p. 113.
Prior to Ramm, Milton S. Terry expressed the same principle, "A fundamental principle in grammatico-historical exposition is that the words and sentences can have but one significance in one and the same connection. The moment we neglect this principle we drift out upon a sea of uncertainty and conjecture." Milton S. Terry, Biblical Hermeneutics (Zondervan, n.d.)
My point is this principle seems to have gotten progressively ignored or ejected in evangelical circles over the last 20-25 years. I refer to the following as an example: "An author may intend a text to convey multiple meanings or levels of meaning." Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Dallas: Word, 1993.
What say ye?
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