Biblical Studies
The scholarly study of Scripture—its text, context, and interpretation as God's written Word.
Interpretation
Hermeneutics—the science and art of interpretation. How do we understand what Scripture means?
Good interpretation attends to historical context, literary form, and theological message. Scripture interprets Scripture; the clearer passages illuminate the obscure.
- Historical Context: Understanding the original setting illuminates meaning. Who wrote it? To whom? When? Why? What was happening?
- Literary Analysis: Attending to genre, structure, and literary devices. Poetry differs from narrative; apocalyptic from epistle. Form shapes meaning.
- Theological Reading: Reading Scripture as a unified witness to Christ. The Old Testament anticipates Him; the New Testament reveals Him.
- Sensus Plenior: The fuller sense—Scripture may mean more than the human author consciously intended. The divine Author sees the whole story.
Old and New Testaments
The two testaments form one story. The Old Testament is promise; the New Testament is fulfillment.
Augustine: 'The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.' Christ is the key that unlocks the whole Bible.
- Old Testament: Creation, fall, covenant, law, prophets—preparation for Christ. The story of Israel is the story of God's faithfulness and humanity's need.
- New Testament: Gospels, Acts, Epistles, Revelation—the fulfillment in Christ. Jesus is the climax of the story; the church continues His mission.
- Unity: One story of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. One God, one plan, one Savior, one people, one destiny.
- Typology: Old Testament persons, events, and institutions prefigure Christ. Adam, Moses, David, the temple, the sacrifices—all point forward to Him.
Related Papers
1 paper in Biblical Studies
Communist Theology as Anti-Christ: A Theological Analysis
A rigorous theological analysis arguing that communism, understood not as an economic system but as an abstract theological template, constitutes the most comprehensive anti-Christ structure in histor...