Exegesis or Eisegesis

[1stCenturyLady]

What is the difference of exegesis and eisegesis?


Exegesis is legitimate interpretation which "reads out of' the text what the original author or authors meant to convey. Eisegesis, on the other hand, reads into the text what the interpreter wishes to find or thinks he finds there. It expresses the reader's own subjective ideas, not the meaning which is in the text.

Friends of the Forums:

We need to know there is ONE Author of the Word of GOD. Therefore there is ONE correct interpretation of every scripture. That is Exegesis.

By not asking God what He means by His Spirit, we wind up with our own false doctrines. That is Eisegesis. James 1:5-6.

The most corrupt eisegetical interpretations come from the bad habit of reading out of context, and ignoring key words used by the apostolic author. The two chapters in the Bible that are the most abused are Romans 7 and 1 John 1. Both chapters are easy to accurately understand when read in the context of Romans 7:5 to Romans 8:9, and 1 John 1 is easy to understand who is not of God by the key word used in chapters 1 and 2 - "say," "says." Also, by reading chapter 2 first, and using the same usage of "says" to chapter 1 "say."

 

[Enoch111]

The two chapters in the Bible that are the most abused are Romans 7 and 1 John 1.

As a matter of fact, it is you who has been denying what is plainly revealed in Romans 7, and falsely claiming that you are sinless, which even Paul does not claim below. So let's go to the relevant portion of Romans 7:

"THE FLESH" IS IN EVERY CHRISTIAN AND IS PRONE TO SIN
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

PAUL CALLS HIS SIN NATURE "SIN"
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

THERE IS A CONSTANT BATTLE BETWEEN "THE FLESH" AND THE SPIRIT
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

PAUL CALL HIS SIN NATURE "THE BODY OF THIS DEATH"
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

THE "LAW OF GOD" IS "THE LAW OF CHRIST" APPLIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

What this means is that while the sin nature ("the flesh") exists in every Christian, the indwelling Holy Spirit empowers the believer to overcome sin. Thus "SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU".

 

[farouk]

Good subject...........

Out of the Renaissance and the Reformation came historical-grammatical interpretation: the meaning of words in their proper context is pivotal to proper Bible study.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

As a matter of fact, it is you who has been denying what is plainly revealed in Romans 7, and falsely claiming that you are sinless, which even Paul does not claim below. So let's go to the relevant portion of Romans 7:

"THE FLESH" IS IN EVERY CHRISTIAN AND IS PRONE TO SIN
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

PAUL CALLS HIS SIN NATURE "SIN"
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

THERE IS A CONSTANT BATTLE BETWEEN "THE FLESH" AND THE SPIRIT
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

PAUL CALL HIS SIN NATURE "THE BODY OF THIS DEATH"
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

THE "LAW OF GOD" IS "THE LAW OF CHRIST" APPLIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

What this means is that while the sin nature ("the flesh") exists in every Christian, the indwelling Holy Spirit empowers the believer to overcome sin. Thus "SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU".

Folks, This is what happens when eisegesis runs rampant. Romans 6 already points out that we are dead to sin. Romans 7:5 (if he had read the CONTEXT!) says a Christian is not in the flesh, because the flesh is past tense ("WHEN we were in the flesh") and Romans 8:9 agrees that "but a Christian is not in the flesh but in the Spirit.") Enoch, wise up. Learn the difference. You have tunnel vision and can't see the whole. Paul said in Romans 8:1-9 (AGAIN, CONTEXT!) that the Spirit FREED HIM from sin. So Paul is NOT saying that presently he has sin.

This is exactly what happens with some who are ignorant of the rules of CONTEXT play with the meaning of the Word of God!

Enoch, how many times does this need to be pointed out to you for you to not be blind to plain English. Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Who is Paul talking about? Who is free? PAUL!!! Romans 7:14-23 is Paul BEFORE CHRIST. You may not be free from sin, but stop saying that Paul wasn't. Why would he write this if he wasn't??? And if you respond again to his saying "chief of sinners" without reading the CONTEXT that that was his FORMER life killing Christians, I'll scream and send the men in white coats after you. Follow the instructions for context in the OP and hopefully God will allow you to see it. Stay stiff-necked and you won't be allowed and will remain in darkness. 1 Cor. 2:9-16

 

[David Boyer]

What is the difference of exegesis and eisegesis?


Exegesis is legitimate interpretation which "reads out of' the text what the original author or authors meant to convey. Eisegesis, on the other hand, reads into the text what the interpreter wishes to find or thinks he finds there. It expresses the reader's own subjective ideas, not the meaning which is in the text.

Friends of the Forums:

We need to know there is ONE Author of the Word of GOD. Therefore there is ONE correct interpretation of every scripture. That is Exegesis.

By not asking God what He means by His Spirit, we wind up with our own false doctrines. That is Eisegesis. James 1:5-6.

The most corrupt eisegetical interpretations come from the bad habit of reading out of context, and ignoring key words used by the apostolic author. The two chapters in the Bible that are the most abused are Romans 7 and 1 John 1. Both chapters are easy to accurately understand when read in the context of Romans 7:5 to Romans 8:9, and 1 John 1 is easy to understand who is not of God by the key word used in chapters 1 and 2 - "say," "says." Also, by reading chapter 2 first, and using the same usage of "says" to chapter 1 "say."

The most misread/eisegesis verse in the Bible, for my money, is Matt:18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middle of them.

This is in the middle of two sections about church discipline... and is it really dividing the two sections. Nope.

My rough re-Englishing
"When you disagree with someone in the Church, even a pastor/elder/etc. Don't worry. If two of you agree to the details of the error, I(Jesus) will back you up. Correct your pastor/elder/etc in love and know I am with you."

Otherwise if you are thrown into jail/prison/lions den ... and you are all alone... God may not be with you. If this is your truth verse for God being with you in times of trouble, beware. I prefer Heb 13:5b+6

5b ...for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.