#Biblestudy #canon #bibleinterpretation #howe > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#1. Authorial Intent The Singular Meaning of Scripture]] > [[#2. Grammatical and Historical Context]] > [[#3. Scripture Interprets Scripture]] > [[#4. Literal Interpretation Within Literary Genres]] > [[#5. Application Follows Interpretation]] > [[#6. The Role of Logic in Interpretation]] > [[#7. The Analogy of Faith]] > [[#8. Divine Authorship and Human Responsibility]] --- # Grammatical-Historical Interpretation Principle Dr. Thomas Howe, a strong proponent of the Grammatical-Historical method of biblical interpretation, emphasizes returning to the original meaning of the text as intended by the author and understood by the original audience. His method is rooted in classical hermeneutics, championed by scholars like Bernard Ramm and Norman Geisler, and stands in contrast to modern reader-response or theological interpretive models. Here are the basic, practical, and actionable principles of Howe’s model: ## 1. Authorial Intent: The Singular Meaning of Scripture - **Principle**: Each verse has one meaning—what the original author intended, not what we feel it means. - **Biblical Example**: Galatians 3:16 – Paul bases an argument on a single word (“seed” vs. “seeds”). - **Scholar Insight**: Kevin Vanhoozer teaches that Scripture invites us into the mind of the author, not the imagination of the reader. - **Daily Action Step**: When reading a verse, pause and ask: “What would this have meant to the people who first heard it?” ## 2. Grammatical and Historical Context - **Principle**: Understand how grammar, word choice, and historical background shape meaning. - **Biblical Example**: John 1:1 – Knowing the Greek word “Logos” connects the text to both Jewish and Greek thought. - **Scholar Insight**: Vern Poythress reminds us that God speaks through ordinary human language shaped by culture and context. - **Daily Action Step**: Pick one unfamiliar word or reference in your reading and look it up in a study Bible or Bible dictionary. ## 3. Scripture Interprets Scripture - **Principle**: Let clearer parts of the Bible help explain more difficult ones. - **Biblical Example**: Genesis 3 is explained more fully in Romans 5:12–21. - **Scholar Insight**: Norman Geisler: “Logic is the basis of all knowledge of God.” - **Daily Action Step**: Use a cross-reference Bible or online tool to find one related verse to your reading and write it down. ## 4. Literal Interpretation Within Literary Genres - **Principle**: Interpret plainly unless the genre clearly signals figurative language. - **Biblical Example**: Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd” is metaphorical, but teaches real comfort. - **Scholar Insight**: Thomas Howe emphasizes genre helps us recognize figurative language but never changes authorial intent. - **Daily Action Step**: Ask yourself, “Am I reading a story, poem, command, or prophecy?” and adjust expectations accordingly. ## 5. Application Follows Interpretation - **Principle**: We must understand what a passage meant before we apply it to life today. - **Biblical Example**: 1 Corinthians 8 – Paul’s teaching on food offered to idols informs our approach to Christian liberty. - **Scholar Insight**: Vanhoozer: “The goal is not just to understand God’s Word but to be transformed by it.” - **Daily Action Step**: After reading, write one sentence that says: “Because this was true for them, I will…” ## 6. The Role of Logic in Interpretation - **Principle**: Because God is a God of order, His Word can be understood through sound reasoning. - **Biblical Example**: Jesus often used logical patterns: Matthew 22:29-32 – arguing resurrection based on verb tense. - **Scholar Insight**: Norman Geisler: “God is the basis of all logic.” - **Daily Action Step**: Look for connecting words like “therefore,” “because,” or “so that” and trace the logic between verses. ## 7. The Analogy of Faith - **Principle**: Scripture’s teachings must harmonize; no passage contradicts another. - **Biblical Example**: James 2 and Romans 4 both discuss faith and works, but in harmony. - **Scholar Insight**: Thomas Howe explains the “analogy of faith” keeps our theology coherent and rooted in all of Scripture. - **Daily Action Step**: When something seems to contradict another verse you’ve read, write it down and ask someone you trust about it later. ## 8. Divine Authorship and Human Responsibility - **Principle**: The Bible is fully divine and fully human—just like Jesus. God used human writers, but the message is His. - **Biblical Example**: 2 Peter 1:21 – Men spoke “from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” - **Scholar Insight**: A right understanding of inspiration gives us confidence that the Bible is trustworthy and knowable. - **Daily Action Step**: Begin your Bible time by praying: “Holy Spirit, help me understand what You meant in this passage.”