No Humility/No Hermeneutics

Our growth in the Word is inseparably linked to our relationship to other Christians. This is illustrated in 1 Peter 2:1-2. Verse 2 states that we are to grow in the Word by desiring it as a little baby craves its mother*s milk. However, before that can take place, Peter indicates in verse 1 that we must be in right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have no reason to believe we can profit from the Word if we are out of sorts with the body.

It is most basic, then, to see the vital link between uninhibited horizontal relationships and edifying hermeneutic activity in the body. Hermeneutics comes to expression in an accepting atmosphere where people love one another in the gospel (Romans 15:7, John 13:34).

This probably explains why there is such hermeneutic chaos among Bible-believers: there is very little unqualified acceptance among Christians. [1] We cannot expect further hermeneutic clarity until we come to grips with the imperative to receive one another as Cod for Christ*s sake has received us (Romans 15:7).

Hermeneutic activity will always be straight-jacketed when people are in bondage to a mold. It is a mark of substantial growth and maturity to be able “to be free from all human agencies and simply to look to Christ and not to any person, or to any systematized theology or denomination.“ [2] This does not mean that the more open-ended folks are “neutral,” while everyone else is “biased.“ But it does mean that we must be willing to listen to and learn from many sources, since no single human source has all of the truth.

Christians often jump on one another without carefully listening to what others are saying. Much attack provokes emotion from the listeners, but does not carefully articulate the facts. [3]

For example, Bolton Davidheiser employed guilt by association with a headline stating that Darwinism Leads to Amillennialism! Based on A.E. Wilder Smith*s observations, Davidheiser reports “that in England 50% or more of the Christians take the amillennial position, which he attributes mainly to the influence of Darwinism” (News & Notes, 9:5, 1972). We need honest dealing with one another, not half-truths and emotional catch-words.

One of the biggest stumbling-blocks before a watching world is the division among Christians. It must be admitted that an individualistic perspective of the Christian life has contributed to the confusion. A letter to Christianity Today in early 1984 captures the essence of the problem:

“Protestantism basically directs everyone to read the Holy Scriptures and then to form his or her personal opinion as to what the Scriptures say; the logical end of this process can be nothing more than chaos amplified.”

Have you ever been to a Bible study with other Christians, and had someone say when a disagreement Old Testamentarose, “but that*s your interpretation, my pastor says that it means....“ Or the leader might say, “What does this verse mean to you?,” and three or four contradictory answers follow. “To me, it*s saying....”

Is everybody right? Do we just live with the interpretation we like best? What is the answer to a rampant subjective individualism? Is there a way to avoid multiple-choice hermeneutics, and actually come to unity concerning the mind of Cod?

The “answer” will not solve all our dilemmas, but it is a key to the impasse of hermeneutics in isolation. We need to practice hermeneutics in fellowship with others. This idea was developed in the Autumn 1984 issue of Searching Together.

Doing hermeneutics with others will not guarantee “correct” interpretations every time. However, we have good reason to believe that such a methodology will be accompanied by increased unity and growth in the truth. Jesus promised His presence in a special way when believers are assembled (Matthew 18:20, 1 Corinthians 5:4).

The Holy Spirit*s work is powerful when the saints are together in harmony (Ephesians 4:29-31). Instead of hassling over the sense in which Christ is “present” in the Lord*s Supper, we ought to focus on “the real presence of Christ found in His visible body,” the church. [4]

“It is important to realize that in Paul*s view the community as such had an authoritative role in ordering its worship and affairs..... Paul never addresses himself to a leadership group within a community (apart from Philippians 1:1). His instructions and exhortations are generally addressed to the community as a whole. This can only mean that responsibility for responding to such exhortations lay with the congregation as such and not merely with one or two individuals within it. Hence the exhortations to all the members of different communities to teach, admonish, judge, comfort....” (James D C Dunn, Jesus & the Spirit, Westminster Press, 1975, pp 291-292).

Attempts at making the Scripture relevant for contemporary readers — the art of hermeneutics — usually have to do with the private reading of the texts by individuals. But the Scripture is first of all a church collection. These texts were written to be read by many hearers at worship, and so they are read in church today. They are also read for purposes of public discussion and discernment. The Scripture as Scripture is appropriated by a community. Therefore, the act of interpretation (the hermeneutic process) must also involve the community (Luke T. Johnson, Decision Making in the Church: A Biblical Model, Fortress Press, 1983, p. 35).

“We might, therefore, say that Christian ethics is koinonia ethics. This means that it is from, and in, the koinonia that we get the answer to the question, ‘What am I, as a believer in Jesus Christ and as a member of his church, to do?’” (Paul Lehman, Ethics In A Christian Context, Harper & Row, 1963, p. 47).

“Only within communities of faith should one expect to find the variety of gifts essential to perceive fully and interpret adequately the biblical teachings” (Willard Swartley, Slavery, Sabbath, War & Women, p. 217).

Old Testament“It is a basic novelty in the discussion of hermeneutics to say that a text is best understood in a congregation” (John Yoder, “The Hermeneutics of Anabaptism,” MQR, Oct. , 1967, p. 301).

“We must do theology in community, not competition. The present pluralism-in-isolation that characterizes much of evangelical thought must give way, as an initial step in the consensus-building process, to a pluralism-in-dialogue. We must face diversity openly and in love, as evangelicals together seeking theological consensus” (Robert K. Johnson, “Facing the Scriptures Squarely,” Christianity Today, 4/18/80, p. 27).

“The believing brother commits himself and his interpretation of the Scriptures to the separated community His interpretation is community-centered” (H. Carl Shank, “The Hermeneutics of Anabaptist Thought,” ST, Autumn 1978, p 44).

Perhaps we can now better understand why Paul in his shift to some specific outworkings of the gospel (Ephesians 4:1-6) begins with proper attitudes with reference to relationships in the body. A “life worthy of the calling” is immediately attached to the maintenance of unity in the body.

“Therefore, as God*s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (vs. 12-14).

If there is no humility, there will be no fruitful hermeneutics. As Vernard Eller put it, “much more important than having the truth is being in a position to receive the truth” (Searching Together, Spring, 1983).

[1] Geoffrey Paxton, “The Radical Basis of Christian Fellowship,” Verdict, p. 15. Cf. Kirk Bottomly, “erasmus at the gate,” reformed Journal, 28:3, 1978, for a tragically funny account of Erasmus’ appearing before the C.E.E.B. (Celestium Entrance Examination Board).


	Restoration Ministries \| home by Jon Zens _______________________________________________________________ Our growth in the Word is inseparably linked to our relationship to other Christians. This is illustrated in 1 Peter 2:1-2. Verse 2 states that we are to grow in the Word by desiring it as a little baby craves its mothers milk. However, before* that can take place, Peter indicates in verse 1 that we must be in right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have no reason to believe we can profit from the Word if we are out of sorts with the body. Hermeneutics Must Occur in A Setting of Acceptance It is most basic, then, to see the vital link between uninhibited horizontal relationships and edifying hermeneutic activity in the body. Hermeneutics comes to expression in an accepting atmosphere where people love one another in the gospel (Romans 15:7, John 13:34). This probably explains why there is such hermeneutic chaos among Bible-believers: there is very little unqualified acceptance among Christians. [1] We cannot expect further hermeneutic clarity until we come to grips with the imperative to receive one another as Cod for Christs sake has received us (Romans 15:7). Hermeneutics Must Be Done in a Setting of Freedom* Hermeneutic activity will always be straight-jacketed when people are in bondage to a mold. It is a mark of substantial growth and maturity to be able “to be free from all human agencies and simply to look to Christ and not to any person, or to any systematized theology or denomination.“ [2] This does not mean that the more open-ended folks are “neutral,” while everyone else is “biased.“ But it does mean that we must be willing to listen to and learn from many sources, since no single human source has all of the truth. Hermeneutics Must Be Done with A Listening Ear Christians often jump on one another without carefully listening to what others are saying. Much attack provokes emotion from the listeners, but does not carefully articulate the facts. [3] For example, Bolton Davidheiser employed guilt by association with a headline stating that Darwinism Leads to Amillennialism! Based on A.E. Wilder Smiths observations, Davidheiser reports “that in England 50% or more of the Christians take the amillennial position, which he attributes mainly to the influence of Darwinism” (News & Notes, 9:5, 1972). We need honest dealing with one another, not half-truths and emotional catch-words. Strange as it might seem, I would recommend as primers for serious hermeneutics the following three books: (1) David Augsburger, Caring Enough to Hear & Be Heard* (Herald Press, 1983), (2) Mortimer J. Adler, How to Speak/How to Listen (Macmillan, 1983), (3) M. J. Adler, How to Read A Book. “But That*s YOUR Interpretation”: Multiple-Choice Hermeneutics One of the biggest stumbling-blocks before a watching world is the division among Christians. It must be admitted that an individualistic perspective of the Christian life has contributed to the confusion. A letter to Christianity Today in early 1984 captures the essence of the problem: “Protestantism basically directs everyone to read the Holy Scriptures and then to form his or her personal opinion as to what the Scriptures say; the logical end of this process can be nothing more than chaos amplified.” Have you ever been to a Bible study with other Christians, and had someone say when a disagreement Old Testamentarose, “but thats your interpretation, my pastor says that it means....“ Or the leader might say, “What does this verse mean to you?,” and three or four contradictory answers follow. “To me, its saying....” Is everybody right? Do we just live with the interpretation we like best? What is the answer to a rampant subjective individualism? Is there a way to avoid multiple-choice hermeneutics, and actually come to unity concerning the mind of Cod? An Untapped Resource: The Hermeneutic Community The “answer” will not solve all our dilemmas, but it is a key to the impasse of hermeneutics in isolation. We need to practice hermeneutics in fellowship with others. This idea was developed in the Autumn 1984 issue of Searching Together. Doing hermeneutics with others will not guarantee “correct” interpretations every time. However, we have good reason to believe that such a methodology will be accompanied by increased unity and growth in the truth. Jesus promised His presence in a special way when believers are assembled (Matthew 18:20, 1 Corinthians 5:4). The Holy Spirits work is powerful when the saints are together in harmony (Ephesians 4:29-31). Instead of hassling over the sense in which Christ is “present” in the Lords Supper, we ought to focus on “the real presence of Christ found in His visible body,” the church. [4] Consider the following remarks which illustrate this point from several angles: “It is important to realize that in Pauls view the community as such had an authoritative role in ordering its worship and affairs..... Paul never addresses himself to a leadership group within a community* (apart from Philippians 1:1). His instructions and exhortations are generally addressed to the community as a whole. This can only mean that responsibility for responding to such exhortations lay with the congregation as such and not merely with one or two individuals within it. Hence the exhortations to all the members of different communities to teach, admonish, judge, comfort....” (James D C Dunn, Jesus & the Spirit, Westminster Press, 1975, pp 291-292). Attempts at making the Scripture relevant for contemporary readers — the art of hermeneutics — usually have to do with the private reading of the texts by individuals. But the Scripture is first of all a church collection. These texts were written to be read by many hearers at worship, and so they are read in church today. They are also read for purposes of public discussion and discernment. The Scripture as Scripture is appropriated by a community. Therefore, the act of interpretation (the hermeneutic process) must also involve the community (Luke T. Johnson, Decision Making in the Church: A Biblical Model, Fortress Press, 1983, p. 35). “We might, therefore, say that Christian ethics is koinonia ethics. This means that it is from, and in, the koinonia that we get the answer to the question, ‘What am I, as a believer in Jesus Christ and as a member of his church, to do?’” (Paul Lehman, Ethics In A Christian Context, Harper & Row, 1963, p. 47). “Only within communities of faith should one expect to find the variety of gifts essential to perceive fully and interpret adequately the biblical teachings” (Willard Swartley, Slavery, Sabbath, War & Women, p. 217). Old Testament“It is a basic novelty in the discussion of hermeneutics to say that a text is best understood in a congregation” (John Yoder, “The Hermeneutics of Anabaptism,” MQR, Oct. , 1967, p. 301). “We must do theology in community, not competition. The present pluralism-in-isolation that characterizes much of evangelical thought must give way, as an initial step in the consensus-building process, to a pluralism-in-dialogue. We must face diversity openly and in love, as evangelicals together seeking theological consensus” (Robert K. Johnson, “Facing the Scriptures Squarely,” Christianity Today, 4/18/80, p. 27). “The believing brother commits himself and his interpretation of the Scriptures to the separated community His interpretation is community-centered” (H. Carl Shank, “The Hermeneutics of Anabaptist Thought,” ST, Autumn 1978, p 44). The Fruit of the Spirit Undergirds Body Hermeneutics Perhaps we can now better understand why Paul in his shift to some specific outworkings of the gospel (Ephesians 4:1-6) begins with proper attitudes with reference to relationships in the body. A “life worthy of the calling” is immediately attached to the maintenance of unity in the body. This same pattern is seen in Colossians 3 as Paul unfolds some implications of our new life in Christ: “Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (vs. 12-14). If there is no humility,* there will be no fruitful hermeneutics. As Vernard Eller put it, “much more important than having the truth is being in a position to receive the truth” (Searching Together, Spring, 1983). Can you see how important these basic spiritual issues are to the broader task of understanding Scripture? _____________________________________________________________________________ Notes for “No Humility/No Hermeneutics [1] Geoffrey Paxton, “The Radical Basis of Christian Fellowship,” Verdict, p. 15. Cf. Kirk Bottomly, “erasmus at the gate,” reformed Journal, 28:3, 1978, for a tragically funny account of Erasmus’ appearing before the C.E.E.B. (Celestium Entrance Examination Board). [2] Curtis Dickinson, “Breaking the barriers of sectarian thought,” The Witness, 9/1981. [3] Jon Trott, “Stomping Satan with Style: How Christians Get Their Rhetorical Kicks,” Cornerstone, 13:70, 1984, pp. 29-30. [4] Dale W. Brown, “Communal Ecclesiology: the Power of the Anabaptist Vision,” Theology Today, 36:1, 1979, p. 25. ________________________________________________________ Return to "Essays on Hermeneutics" index