Knowing Scripture

"How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103). God's Word is truly sweet, yet many people get discouraged from reading because it can be hard to understand. Knowing Scripture is an excellent primer in biblical interpretation, and would be great for every Christian to read. It has withstood the test of time and is still one of the best short books on hermeneutics. Will appeal to young and old alike.

Dear Friends,

In the (65) plus years that I have lived. I have attended many church services and not all at the same church. Something unnamed has always been amiss. Using simple words this book tells the reader how to please God and be happy. God designed man and God knows the key to his/her happiness. This book draws a line between pleasure in this world and happiness that can be now and forever. -I now understand how people can have everything pleasurable on earth and be unhappy unto death.

This book did not tell me anything that I did not know, but it sets words and facts in order allowing me to understand my knowledge. -It is like the difference between noise and music!!!


Warmest regards to all,

Dwight Woodruff

R.C. Sproul does it again with an awesome book covering the basics of biblical Hermeneutics (The science of biblical interpretation). I would add the forgotten science of biblical interpretation. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in studying scripture. Though the book is not as in depth as what someone would get from seminary, this book covers the basic. How have we come up with so many different interpretations of scripture, such as the Health, wealth and prosperity gospel? Because not many seem to follow the ancient traditions of biblical interpretation. This includes, language, historical context, literary styles, etc.

If you're a pastor or seminary student who needs a good but basic book on Scripture and hermeneutics then this book is a great place to start. R. C. Sproul Sr. does a good job telling his readers the nature of Scripture and how to interpret it. The reason why Sproul insists that all Christians must have a good understanding of Scripture is because "No Christian can avoid theology. Every Christian is a theologian. Perhaps not a theologian in the technical or professional sense, but a theologian nevertheless. The issue for Christians is not whether we are going to be theologians but whether we are going to be good theologians or bad ones" (p. 22). What a statement! That statement should be imprinted in the minds of every born-again Christian. In this age where many professing Christians are seduced into false philosophies and depraved ideologies this statement should jolt them into shaking them out of their theological and exegetical complacency. In this book Sproul does a good job showing how we as Christians can have a proper understanding of Scripture.

The book consists of six chapters. The first chapter pretty much goes over the basics of Scripture and why we should study it. Here, Sproul gives us a good summary of how we are to apply Scripture in our personal Bible studies (those immersed in the prosperity or seeker-friendly movements should definitely read his section on "The Sensuous Christian").

The second chapter deals with personal Bible study and private interpretation. In this chapter Sproul helps us to see what kind of pitfalls to avoid when doing personal quiet time. Too often Christians read a particular passage in the Bible in the way THEY want to understand it. Sproul reminds us that such a narrow privatistic interpretation of biblical passages can lead to doctrinal subjectivism (this is a serious problem these days for many Christians).

The third chapter is a short lesson on the meaning of hermeneutics. Though it is not deep and comprehensive for those doing indepth biblical studies, it is still scholarly enough for laypeople to get their feet wet on the issue of biblical hermeneutics. Here, Sproul goes over the basic issues of hermeneutics like the analogy of faith, literal interpretation, the Medieval quadriga, the grammatico-historical method, source criticism, etc. Though the issues discussed in this chapter are topics that primarily biblical scholars are deeply involved with, Sproul writes in a matter so that the layperson can even understand what those issues mean.

The fourth chapter is basically the "meat" of the book. Sproul goes over every issue you can think of in regards to the practical rules of biblical interpretation. This chapter is a must read for seminary students or bible study leaders who want to get a good grasp of how one should read and apply the biblical text. Though it is not extensive and deep, readers will still find this chapter very helpful for their personal use (if one wants a more scholarly book on exegesis he or she should check out the works by Gordon Fee [NT] and Douglas Stuart [OT]).

The fifth chapter deals with the relationship between culture and the bible. Here, Sproul basically tells the reader the two pitfalls common to modern-day Christians: 1) reading the Bible totally outside of its original historical and cultural context, and 2) reading the Bible without any regard for how it can apply to the modern-day Christian. Both extremes are to be avoided if we are to properly interpret and apply Scripture.

The sixth chapter is basically a resource list of what tools (translations, concordances, commentaries, etc.) can aid in proper biblical interpretation. This is the only chapter I had a problem with. The main reason being is that this book was originally published in 1977 and, therefore, many resource suggestions by Sproul will be outdated. I also found it to be too shallow and unhelpful. (Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart do a much better job on exegetical resources in their respective works.)

Overall, I would highly recommend this book for pastors, seminary students, and even laypeople who want to get a good understanding of Scripture and hermeneutics. It is also easy to read and accessible. It will surely help you in your personal bible study and public ministry.

A well-written and organized study of the historical-gramatical methodology in simple terms. Once again Dr. Sprould takes a somewhat difficult and complex topic and brings out the essential elements important to all Christians. A must have for understanding the common reformed protestant approach to interpretting scripture. Every bible teacher and preacher will find it useful in their ministry for digging deep into the text and brining it out for others. It is an immensely helpful work for everyday bible study as well.