Biblical Hermeneutics

PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL HERMENETICS ; M. M. NINAN
IV
BASIC HERMENEUTICAL PRINCIPLES
At least eleven times in eleven different verses in the New Testament alone, the phrase
“being interpreted” or “by interpretation” has been rendered from the original Greek
language;
• “being interpreted” Matthew 1:23, Mark 5:41, Mark 15:22, Mark 15:34, John 1:38,
John 1:41, and Acts 4:36
• “by interpretation” John 1:42, John 9:7, Acts 9:36, and Acts 13:8
These indicate that some amount of interpretation is inherent in any literature and this
applies to scripture as well. In fact all documents being written in words needs interpretation
and interpretation needs ruless.
Hermeneutically the following categorization can be made:
PRINCIPLE #1:
THE ELECTION PRINCIPLE
Corinthians 2:12-15: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is
of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also
we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned. ("appraised" in NASB) But he that is spiritual judgeth
all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (KJV)
This principle says that only those who have the Spirit of of God within them will be able to
discern the spiritual things. The idea is that just as only those who have the five senses can
sense physical realities, only those who has senses within the Spiritual dimensions can sense
Spiritual things.
53