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Essay on Biblical Hermeneutics
A part of the broader hermeneutical question, relates to the problem of how one is to understand Holy Scripture. By definition, this is a theological act, ie. part of the discourse of a faith-community. This does not mean that it is of no relevance to those who do not consider themselves to be part of that community, but rather that it is an issue that arises out of the particular needs of that community.Therefore one ought to differentiate between Christian and Jewish Biblical hermeneutics: although there is an overlap between the two (and some form of dialogue), since they share part of their scriptures, they do arise out of different faith traditions and thus developed their own notion of hermeneutics.
It must also be stressed that theological differences within these faith communities preclude any 'definitive' statement on Biblical hermeneutics.Until Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher, Biblical hermeneutics was usually seen as a form of special hermeneutics (like legal hermeneutics): the status of Holy Scripture was thought to necessitate a particular form of understanding and interpretation. Since early days, the concept of 'hermeneutics' has acquired at least two different (related but nevertheless distinct) meanings, both of which are in use today: firstly, in the older sense, Biblical hermeneutics may be understood as the theological principles of exegesis; in fact, it is often virtually synonymous with 'principles of biblical interpretation', or methodology of Biblical exegesis.
Secondly, the more recent development is to understand the term 'Biblical hermeneutics' as the broader philosophy, linguistics, etc. underpinnings of interpretation - in other words, the question is posed: how is understanding possible? The rationale of this approach is that while Scripture is more than just an ordinary text, it is in the first instance 'text', which human beings try to understand; in this sense, the principles of understanding any text apply to the Bible as well regardless of whatever other specifically-theological.......
