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Hermeneutics

by Fred Shewmaker

Where I was born and lived the first 10 years of my life, big words were called 4 bit words.  If while talking to a group, someone used a big word, one of the group probably would ask, "What does that mean?"  If another knew the meaning, he probably would answer, "Aw, it's just a 4 bit word for_________ - (the meaning in simple words) -."  Of hermeneutics he would say, "Aw, it's just a 4 bit word for the science of interpretation."

The folk, among whom I spent the first 10 years of my life, may not have know the meaning of the word hermeneutics, but by reading their Bibles some of them had a good, practical, working knowledge of the will of God for man. Hermeneutics was an applied science with them. They discussed the meaning of the Scriptures with their friends and neighbors. Yea, verily some of them argued with their friends and neighbors about the meaning of certain passages. They were not preoccupied with trying to apply a method of hermeneutics to what the Bible says, but rather were occupied with attempting to conform their lives to what the Bible requires.

Today hermeneutics is a word often used among us. Between 35 and 45 years ago many brethren began promoting sponsoring church arrangements in evangelism and benevolent endeavors. When other brethren spoke out in opposition to their promotions, they attempted to prove the things being promoted were scriptural. Debates were held all over the country. Although it probably was apparent to most brethren that the debating brethren held differing opinions regarding how the Bible gives authorization for a practice, very little was said regarding hermeneutics.

As time went by, some promoting brethren began to argue, "We do many things for which we have no authority."  This was not an abandonment of the hermeneutical methods brethren had been using, but rather an admission that the use of those methods does not produce biblical authorization for the things they were promoting and practicing.

During the last decade there has been a movement among Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ to form a union with those they term "non-instrumental Churches of Christ."  A number of meetings have been held around the country to discuss the differences which divide those groups. A publication named "One Body" was started to promote such a union.

The upshot is that spokesmen from the Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ convinced a number of preachers in "non-instrumental Churches of Christ" that the introduction of a missionary society and mechanical music was not what divided brethren in the last half of the 19th century, but rather that the division was caused by the use of a faulty hermeneutic by the ones who opposed the introduction of those and other things.

There is nothing new in the position of the spokesmen of the Independent Christian Church and Churches of Christ.  From their beginning spokesmen for that church have advocated the same position.  However, the words in which they dress their argument are new and preachers in non-instrumental Churches of Christ gullible enough to be sucked into buying it are new.

The "union fever" which afflicts those non-instrumental preachers led to a suggestion being made to brethren who take a more conservative approach to biblical interpretation that the two should meet and discuss their differences.  A meeting was arranged and conducted. Conservative brethren coming to a clear realization there is a strong effort among less conservative brethren to find a new hermeneutic was probably the best thing that came out of the meeting. If there ever was a common ground between us and our less conservative brethren, it has been severely eroded by men who never had an appreciation for the science of interpretation and now go around preaching a need for a new hermeneutic.

Calling for a new hermeneutic is like calling for a new science of machinery.  the science of machinery deals with 6 basic machines: 1. Lever; 2. Wheel and axle; 3. Pulley; 4. Inclined plane; 5. Wedge and 6. Screw.  You cannot abandon these and still practice the science of machinery. The science of interpretation deals with 1. Who spoke; 2. To whom does the speaker speak; 3. The context; 4. Circumstances; 5. Harmony (a. View hard passages in the light of plain ones, b. Base conclusions on all available information - do not reject information which does not fit your conclusion) and 6. A passage authorizes only what it specifically requires and that which is essential or incidental to fulfilling the requirement.  You cannot abandon these and still practice the science of interpretation.

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