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Both of these books are written by outstanding reformed,
Presbyterian-theology writers. Poythress is professor of New Testament at
Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Longman, formerly professor of
Old Testament at the same institution, recently moved to California where he
continues to teach.
One of the most serious things we do is interpret
Scripture. If we are wrong there, then we will distort or altogether miss the
Bible’s message. I combine these two books in one review because, read
together, they complement each other and provide preachers, teachers, and other
leaders with a well-rounded treatment of hermeneutics (Bible interpretation).
I suggest beginning with Longman’s book. It is very
readable, even for an untrained laymen; however, those with seminary backgrounds
will also benefit. I have recommended Fee and Stuart’s How to Read the Bible
for All It’s Worth, which is helpful, but I believe Longman’s book is
superior and more usable for several reasons—not the least of which is his
reformed perspective. His basic thesis is that the Bible addresses both the mind
and the heart. We tend to go from one extreme to the other, but balance is vital
in understanding God’s Word. The Scripture is God’s chief avenue of changing our
lives, but if we do not read and understand, we will not be changed. I believe
casual observation of culture indicates that many who claim allegiance to the
Bible are not really changed by its message. Therefore, says Longman,
understanding the Bible with our minds is not enough to produce life-change.
Scripture must take hold of our hearts at the same time.
Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind will give the
reader some basic, key components for interpreting the Bible. Longman
understands the different literary styles of the Bible and deals with them
effectively from a biblically theological perspective. He believes that this
literary understanding and approach to interpreting the Bible is vital to
reading and interpreting with both mind and heart.
After reading Longman’s book I would round off my study of
this topic with God Centered Biblical Interpretation. Vern Poythress has
taught hermeneutics for more than twenty years. He knows his topic and ably
communicates it in oral and written form. He, like Longman, has written
extensively on this and other subjects.
Poythress sets forth a Trinitarian approach to interpreting
Scripture. He reminds us at the outset that if we read and interpret the Bible
as merely a human book, we distort the message. He uses alliterations to
illustrate some of the most common distortions, creating characters such as
Libby Liberal, Natalie Naturalist, and Norma Narratologist that make the reading
delightful and help the reader understand and apply Poythress’ points. Some
chapter titles that may whet your appetite for this book include: “God and
Biblical Interpretation,” “What is the Bible?,” “The Purpose of the Bible,” “The
Triune Character of Truth,” “Meaning,” “Communication,” and “Steps in
Interpretation.”
One thread the author weaves throughout the book, both
explicitly and implicitly, is the fact that our view of God impacts our
interpretation of Scripture. Poythress writes, “To know the author is to know
[God]. If we are darkened in our understanding of God, our knowledge of the
Bible will inevitably suffer, sometimes subtly, sometimes radically.” The
concluding chapter of the book, “Differences in the Doctrine of God among
Christians” clearly reminds us of this point.
Poythress also underscores the need to combine an
understanding of the speaker (writer), the audience addressed, and the discourse
or text in order to begin to comprehend God’s message to us. The chapter “Steps
in Interpretation” delineates three steps that help us study and interpret the
Word. Poythress also understands the weakness of the “Enlightenment,
scientific, and rationalistic” approach to interpreting Scripture—the assumption
that using all the right tools and logic will guarantee a correct
interpretation. He maintains that a sense of how the church throughout history
has understood a passage is necessary—essential—if we are to correctly interpret
the Bible.
Longman and Poythress remind us that we can get information
from the Bible and still miss God’s message. Both authors agree that to
understand the Bible we must involve both the mind and the heart; we must
exegete soundly but also wrestle with the application of God’s Word for today’s
setting. Both clearly grasp the strengths and weaknesses of post-modernism,
which makes their books valuable reading. These two books are extremely helpful
in teaching students how to correctly interpret the Bible.
- Charles Dunahoo, CEP Coordinator
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