Bible Students

A reflection based on “Toward an Exegetical Theology” by Kaiser (chapters 1-2)

The primary crisis in preaching today is the vast gulf between learned theologians and layChristians. The gulf is not so much in the ability to learn theological concepts as it is in the concerns and terminology used. People who go to seminary often are removed from their listeners due to the layman’s lack of proper theological training. Additionally, the one who goes to seminary often is concerned with things their listener is not. While the theologian contemplates the finer points of Calvinism and Arminianism from the pulpit, the layman worries about job security and why God would allow the untimely death of his mother. The theologian has become too abstract to communicate with the layman. The theologian’s job is to translate the original meaning and implications of the biblical text to modern implications for the layman. The ancient understanding of the text must be applied in a modern context. 

Additionally, the meaning of individual words must be determined by their context. The meaning of the text will always supercede its author. Biblical texts communicate truth. The truth communicated is universal. This means the implications of the truth written will always be bigger than the intended meaning in the context given. While the author has a specific purpose for writing what they are writing, truth will always be able to be applied outside of the intended context. While the individual reader may not be able to understand an author’s text better than the author themself, the community of believers does have a better understanding of the vast array of implications than the original author did. 

The Old Testament is often not used in preaching, which is against the biblical purpose for the Old Testament. While the Old Testament is not written to New Testament believers, it is certainly written for their benefit. The meaning of the Old Testament is not only applicable for its original Jewish audience, but can be used in the Christian audience as well. 

Modern “exegesis” is almost a synonym for an introduction to a biblical text, rather than a deep dive of what the text means. The word does not exactly appear in the biblical text, but the concept of exegesis is certainly present in many Old and New Testament books. In fact, the primary example of exegesis in the Bible is Jesus. Jesus is the exegesis of the Father, the explanation and application of His being in the form of humanity. When preaching, the biblical text must be the main focus. 

The use of additional resources must be used in order to properly exegete a text. One must not rely only on themself. The use of background commentaries and examinations of the cultural context as extremely important to give adequate understanding of the biblical world the text takes place in. A point of great interpretive advice is to translate the text for oneself from the original languages. Additionally, preachers can look to the ancient church interpreters for their understanding of the text. However, one also must avoid the allegorical view of Scripture held by the ancients, as will be commented on below. Additionally, using the New Testament references of the Old Testament to interpret the Old Testament is very wise, as the New Testament authors had intricate understanding of the Old Testament text, as well as the direct aid of the Spirit. 

Church history has brought many allegorical methods which were not helpful to understanding what the biblical text meant to its original authors. Allegories are not helpful to understand what the original readers would have thought the text meant. Form criticism hypothesizes and speculates about what original sources were used for the creation of the biblical text. Additionally, form criticism attempts to understand what sort of influence oral tradition has played in the creation of the written account. 

Overall, these chapters have gone to demonstrate that the state of preaching in today’s religious climate is desperate. Preachers are having more and more difficulty appealing to their audiences due to the large cultural gap. In preaching, I must make sure to explain theological concepts for the purpose of getting through to layChristians, rather than drop theological terms in order to flex my ability to use them. Additionally, I will not focus on the finer points of abstract theology, but apply the theology in a down-to-earth, real way, which touches the life of the individual church member.