8. Hindrances to interpretation Virgil Warren, PhD
8. Hindrances to interpretation Virgil Warren, PhD
Several situations foster misinterpretation:
(1) adverse consequences would come from taking a certain position (persecution, being ostracized from a fellowship, loss of a ministry or a job)
(2) competition situations (debates)
(3) hurried circumstances (deadlines)
(4) emotional situations (anger, depression, fear)
(5) the believe that the Spirit is providing the interpretation
(6) partial information (starting to work on answers before assembling
all the information it.
a. Pride (attitude)
**John 8:37
**John 9:41: Pride blinds us spiritually. Thinking we already know
keeps us from learning, being receptive, and being perceptive.
**Romans 1:18: Sinful living holds back the truth.
**2 Thessalonians 2:8-12: Giving people up to what they want
**Genesis 3:1: Satan appeals to pride in his mis-hermeneutic on God’s
words to Adam and Eve.
**cp. 1 Corinthians 12:1-3?
People do not think clearly when emotions run high. As a psychological experience, pride has emotional overtones; consequently, humility fosters intellectual honesty. It means considering the material as expressing more than we already know and possibly correcting what we think we already understand. Humility guards against too hastily dismissing the truth or too quickly charging the text with error. Accurate exegesis means that we not argue with writers while trying to understand them. The underlying observation highlights “the impact of personality on interpretation.”
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