For the past 7 weeks, I have been explaining a passage out of the book of Isaiah through a series of blogs. The passage is Isaiah 14:3-23. This is the 7th blog in the series, but it is actually the 8th. Eight weeks ago, I wrote a blog titled “What Does This Passage Mean: Isaiah 14:12-15.” Vv. 12-15 are in the center of the greater passage of Isaiah 14:3-23.
Therefore, that blog that I wrote eight weeks ago serves is sort of a prologue to the interpretive journey. This blog would then serve as an epilogue to that journey. The prologue was based on my presuppositions.
I read Isaiah 14:12-15, then wrote what I thought that it meant without doing any research; I took both an intuitive and spiritual approach in my interpretation. Today I would like to compare what I thought that the passage meant eight weeks ago with what I have come to understand it to mean through "a 5-step interpretive journey."[1] To read the Prologue from eight weeks ago click on:
Therefore, that blog that I wrote eight weeks ago serves is sort of a prologue to the interpretive journey. This blog would then serve as an epilogue to that journey. The prologue was based on my presuppositions.
I read Isaiah 14:12-15, then wrote what I thought that it meant without doing any research; I took both an intuitive and spiritual approach in my interpretation. Today I would like to compare what I thought that the passage meant eight weeks ago with what I have come to understand it to mean through "a 5-step interpretive journey."[1] To read the Prologue from eight weeks ago click on:
“What Does This Passage Mean?”[2]
My thoughts on this passage did change as a result of the 5-step interpretive process.[3] The change began in step 1 which is reflected in blogs 1 and 2.
In step-1, I began to understand the passage in its historical-cultural-literal context. No one in Isaiah’s day would have interpreted the passage to mean “a taunt against Satan at the eschaton.”[4] They would have understood this passage to predict the physical death of a tyrannical king yet to come.[5]
Then in steps 4 and 5 I saw the differences between the audience in Isaiah’s day and our day. Having noted those differences I was able to write three timeless-theological-principles from the text that is both true for them and for us:
The 5-step interpretive journey taught by Duvall and Hays is fantastic. It is imperative to have a historical-cultural-literary understanding of whatever Biblical text that you are going to interpret. This allows us to accurately come to a timeless-theological principle that can be applied in our lives and the lives of those whom we may be teaching.
How My Understanding of the Passage Changed
My thoughts on this passage did change as a result of the 5-step interpretive process.[3] The change began in step 1 which is reflected in blogs 1 and 2.
In step-1, I began to understand the passage in its historical-cultural-literal context. No one in Isaiah’s day would have interpreted the passage to mean “a taunt against Satan at the eschaton.”[4] They would have understood this passage to predict the physical death of a tyrannical king yet to come.[5]
Then in steps 4 and 5 I saw the differences between the audience in Isaiah’s day and our day. Having noted those differences I was able to write three timeless-theological-principles from the text that is both true for them and for us:
1. A ruler can be cruel, because of pride and sinful desire.[6]Having come up with these three timeless-theological-principles being taught in the text I was then able to see how the New Testament modified these principles so that they could be applied with regards to Christians today.
2. When an evil ruler is taken out of power the people and earth rejoice.[7]
3. The Lord God is omnipotent and eternal; therefore, death is the leveler of all men.[8]
Final Thoughts
The 5-step interpretive journey taught by Duvall and Hays is fantastic. It is imperative to have a historical-cultural-literary understanding of whatever Biblical text that you are going to interpret. This allows us to accurately come to a timeless-theological principle that can be applied in our lives and the lives of those whom we may be teaching.
[1] J. Scott Duvall
and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s word:
A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
[2] Michael Peek, What Does This Passage Mean: Isaiah 14:12-15,
a paper presented for M-BS2400 Introduction to Hermeneutics, Mid-Western
Baptist Theological Seminary, August 2017.
[3] J. Scott Duvall
and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s word:
A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
[4] Ibid, last sentence.
[5] Michael Peek, Blog #2 Isaiah 14:3-23 Verse-by Verse
Commentary, a paper presented for M-BS2400 Introduction to Hermeneutics,
Mid-Western Baptist Theological Seminary, September 2017, 14:12-15.
[6] Michael Peek, Blog #4 Cross the Principlizing Bridge,
a paper presented for M-BS2400 Introduction to Hermeneutics, Mid-Western
Baptist Theological Seminary, September 2017, The Cruel King.
[7] Ibid, The People and the
Earth Rejoice.
[8] Ibid, Descending to Sheol.
Bibliography
Duvall, J. Scott and Hays,
J. Daniel, Grasping God’s word: A
Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
Peek, Michael, Blog #2 Isaiah 14:3-23 Verse-by Verse
Commentary, a paper presented for M-BS2400 Introduction to Hermeneutics,
Mid-Western Baptist Theological Seminary, September 2017.
Peek, Michael, Blog #4 Cross the Principlizing Bridge,
a paper presented for M-BS2400 Introduction to Hermeneutics, Mid-Western
Baptist Theological Seminary, September 2017.
Peek, Michael, What Does This Passage Mean: Isaiah
14:12-15, a paper presented for M-BS2400 Introduction to Hermeneutics,
Mid-Western Baptist Theological Seminary, August 2017.
