Knowra Biblical hermeneutics Biblical hermeneutics Biblical hermeneutics is the theory and practice of interpreting the Bible. It examines how historical setting, literary form, language, and theological commitments shape readings of scripture.
Historical-critical method : A method that studies texts through their historical settings, sources, composition, and transmission. It reconstructs the circumstances and processes behind biblical texts.
Biblical canon : The collection of writings recognized as authoritative scripture within a religious community. Interpretation depends partly on which books a community treats as scripture.
Early Christian exegesis : The interpretation of Jewish scriptures and Christian writings by early Christian authors. Early Christian writers developed influential approaches to biblical meaning.
Allegorical interpretation : A way of reading a text as expressing meanings beyond its literal narrative or wording. It contrasts with readings that prioritize historical or plain-sense meaning.
Biblical exegesis : The close interpretation of a biblical passage using linguistic, historical, and literary evidence. It applies hermeneutical principles to specific passages.
Literary criticism : The analysis of literary form, structure, style, and narrative in written works. It examines how biblical genres and literary techniques shape meaning.
Biblical languages : The ancient languages in which biblical texts were composed, chiefly Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Original-language details can affect translation and interpretation.
Rabbinic literature : The writings of the rabbis, including the Mishnah, Talmud, and midrashic works. Rabbinic interpretation preserves distinctive Jewish practices of reading scripture.
Literal interpretation : An approach that gives primary weight to a text's direct or ordinary sense. Its priorities differ from symbolic and allegorical readings of biblical passages.
Biblical theology : The study of theological themes and claims as they develop across biblical writings. It synthesizes interpretations into accounts of scripture's theological patterns.
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