Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Explaining Communication
If you have to explain a joke, it no longer is funny. Likewise, when you have to explain “hermeneutics”, it no longer is simple. For example, is the following text difficult to understand:
• “Some time later, David inquired of the LORD: “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?” The LORD answered him, “Go.” Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD replied.” (CSB 2 Samuel 2:1)
When I said “understand”, if you do then you interpreted the text. That is the essence of hermeneutics – understanding through interpretation.
Now let me explain it to show how it should stay simple. What are we to understand or interpret (meaning of hermeneutics) from this text?
1. AUTHORITY – David inquired of the LORD: “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?”
2. GENERAL AUTHORITY – The LORD answered him, “Go.”
3. SPECIFIC AUTHORITY – Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD replied.”
That’s simple to understand, right? David wanted authority for his next action which is something he often did at the beginning of his reign. Search for the phrase “inquired of the Lord” to see this pattern of seeking authority, which is seeking guidance and permission.
At first God’s answer is specific in the sense of “go”; but “go” where? What town of Judea? David seeks guidance (i.e. authority) again, and the specific town is Hebron.
What happened in this “hermeneutics” lesson? Common, everyday, communication. Is there much more to hermeneutics that this? Yes because there is much more to communication. Is it always this simple? No. But in its essence, God communicates to us in the same we communicate to one another. Even when communicating to one another, things like context, word meaning, type of language whether it is literal, metaphorical, poetic, and such all play a role in understanding, which is “hermeneutics”.
Sadly, because I am explaining it, this is getting more complicated but the reality is we do this every day without difficulty and complication: “Take out the trash” does not mean sit the trash bag on the front porch (although many a child has done that)! It’s implied. It’s not because they misunderstood, it’s because they didn’t want to do it. That’s not funny. And saying, “We don’t need authority” and “The Bible is too difficult for anyone to understand” is likewise not funny. What is funny is, when someone communicates those things, they expect us to interpret what they mean so as to understand.
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