The word "exegesis" comes from the Greek verb εξηγησις (from εξηγεισθαι "to lead out"), which means "to draw out." Simply put, exegesis is about drawing out from the text the true meaning of a biblical verse or passage. “Exegesis
does not take a quote from the Bible to prove the Bible. It
scientifically scrutinizes the text according to historical context,
cultural context, literary context and usage, multiple languages that
might have been used, archeological finds, etc. A good way to support
your thesis is to ignore all evidence to the contrary."1 Exegesis, then, is an investigation. It attempts to determine the historical, cultural, and geographical context within which a particular verse exists. The questions we always have to be asking are: Who is doing the speaking? Who is being spoken to? What is being said? What is going on here? When observing the external context, proper exegesis examines the surrounding verses (immediate context), the surrounding chapters (sectional context), and other passages (canonical context). It lets the
Bible speak for and interpret itself. Today's reader must try to enter the world of the biblical author and seek to understand what the author was saying. If we fail to pay attention to the world in which the Bible was written, we will simply read biblical texts and infuse them with meaning from our social world and circumstances. "The interpreter must come to the Bible as open as possible, without any theological bias or presuppositions."2 Exegesis utilizes "hermeneutics," which means "the art and science of biblical interpretation."
In contrast to this, what many do instead is what some theologians refer to as "front-loading;" i.e., they read their own personal, political, or ideological beliefs back into the Bible instead of reading out from the Bible what the original authors were saying. This process of reading one's own presuppositions, agendas, biases, and/or ideas into the interpretation of the Bible is called "eisegesis," from the Greek εις, which means "into." "It is the interpreter’s job to represent the text, "not the prejudices, feelings, judgments, or concerns of the exegete. To indulge in the latter is to engage in eisegesis, 'a reading into' a text what the reader wants it to say.""3 Eisegesis occurs when a reader imposes his/her interpretation into and onto the text. There is only ever one interpretation to a text; but there may be many applications to a text.
Personal experience does not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. Personal feelings and opinions do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. Presumptions, inferences, assumptions, and conclusions drawn from assumptions do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. Personal presuppositions, prejudices, agendas, biases, and/or ideas do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. The practices and acceptances of our day and age do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. All of this is to engage in eisegesis. Eisegesis is at best unwise, and at worst extremely dangerous.
Exegesis and eisegesis are conflicting approaches to interpreting the Bible. Why? Exegesis is reading out from the Bible what the original authors were saying. Eisegesis is reading into the Bible one's own ideas or prejudices. Exegesis is about drawing out the true meaning of a Bible passage. Eisegesis is about putting into the text something never intended by the author. Exegesis tends to be objective when employed effectively while eisegesis is regarded as highly subjective. The Bible gives us a clear example of exegesis: "They read from the book...translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading" (Neh. 8:8). Exegesis, however, is not an easy task and is not for the faint of heart. Like most things of value, it requires some work on our part.
1 Manfred T. Brauch, Abusing Scripture: The Consequences of Misreading the Bible, 293.
2 Mal Couch, An Introduction to Classical Evangelical Hermeneutics, 169.
3 Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward an Exegetical Theology, 45.
In contrast to this, what many do instead is what some theologians refer to as "front-loading;" i.e., they read their own personal, political, or ideological beliefs back into the Bible instead of reading out from the Bible what the original authors were saying. This process of reading one's own presuppositions, agendas, biases, and/or ideas into the interpretation of the Bible is called "eisegesis," from the Greek εις, which means "into." "It is the interpreter’s job to represent the text, "not the prejudices, feelings, judgments, or concerns of the exegete. To indulge in the latter is to engage in eisegesis, 'a reading into' a text what the reader wants it to say.""3 Eisegesis occurs when a reader imposes his/her interpretation into and onto the text. There is only ever one interpretation to a text; but there may be many applications to a text.
Personal experience does not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. Personal feelings and opinions do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. Presumptions, inferences, assumptions, and conclusions drawn from assumptions do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. Personal presuppositions, prejudices, agendas, biases, and/or ideas do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. The practices and acceptances of our day and age do not interpret or determine what the Word of God says. All of this is to engage in eisegesis. Eisegesis is at best unwise, and at worst extremely dangerous.
Exegesis and eisegesis are conflicting approaches to interpreting the Bible. Why? Exegesis is reading out from the Bible what the original authors were saying. Eisegesis is reading into the Bible one's own ideas or prejudices. Exegesis is about drawing out the true meaning of a Bible passage. Eisegesis is about putting into the text something never intended by the author. Exegesis tends to be objective when employed effectively while eisegesis is regarded as highly subjective. The Bible gives us a clear example of exegesis: "They read from the book...translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading" (Neh. 8:8). Exegesis, however, is not an easy task and is not for the faint of heart. Like most things of value, it requires some work on our part.
1 Manfred T. Brauch, Abusing Scripture: The Consequences of Misreading the Bible, 293.
2 Mal Couch, An Introduction to Classical Evangelical Hermeneutics, 169.
3 Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward an Exegetical Theology, 45.