Interpretation-Hermeneutics

The name Lucifer commonly refers to Satan, but I looked for it in my Bible and I couldn't find it. What am I overlooking? This is a case in which finding what you are searching for depends on which Bible translation you use. The name "Lucifer" shows up in the King James Version in Isaiah 14:12 ("...

Irony is not only encountered in every-day life, we also find it in Scripture. “In common parlance, irony is the statement of one thing with the intention of suggesting something else. . . Ironic incongruity underlines both the teachings of Jesus . . . and his fate . . . As literature the scriptu...

We are accustomed to getting from Jon Paulien useful materials on the interpretation of the book of Revelation and this volume is no exception. It is basically a guide to the study of the book and the principles of biblical interpretation that will help the investigator obtain a proper understand...

The phrase “image of God” is found four times in the OT–Genesis 1:26, 27 and 9:6. In the Pentateuch the Hebrew term “image” occurs also in Genesis 5:3 and in Numbers 33:22. Whereas Seth is son of Adam according to his image (Gen 5:3), the text in Numbers talks about idolatrous images, in which we...

How shall we approach Scripture? With what hermeneutic shall we conduct our theological investigations? A bewildering array of past and current hermeneutical theories confronts us. These range from the allegorical hermeneutic of the Alexandrian school and the medieval Church, to the literal-histo...

INTRODUCTION Sin is not my favorite subject; I would much rather write about the love of God, about Jesus, or the prophecies. However, sin plays a major part in the Great Controversy, and the Bible speaks much about sin, as do theologians. Among G. C. Berkouwer’s nineteen volumes on dogmatics the...

Introduction The subject of whether the day, and therefore the Sabbath, begins in the evening or in the morning has been debated by scholars for a long time. The theories on this subject are in several different forms. Sunset to sunset: J. P. Lange (Commentary on Genesis, Zondervan edition), B....

Introduction Since the Biblical Research Committee’s earlier inserts in the Ministry magazine have drawn favorable response, the committee is pleased to present this paper on “The Unity of the Bible,” by Dr. Gerhard F. Hasel, professor of Old Testament Studies and chairman of that department at...

Introduction Seventh-day Adventists have often been inclined to become key-text exponents in their doctrinal and prophetic presentations. They have likewise been sensitive to problem texts which on the surface seem to contradict the messages of the key texts. Throughout the history of the church ...

Yes, the Hebrew text uses the verb “bless” (bērak) and not the verb “curse” (qillēl or ’ ārar ). But in this case a short answer is not enough. When studying the meaning of a biblical word, we have to examine its different usages within its specific context. What complicates your question is ...