Exegesis or Eisegesis by Minister Owen Mitchell

Inspiration

Exegesis or Eisegesis

Exegesis and Eisegesis are words used to describe how we interpret the word of God. These words were very strong in my thoughts when I heard a Pastor speak about the Church today. He explained how many of our Pastors and Ministers of the Gospel interpret the Bible wrongly.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, righty dividing the word of truth.” This scripture totally debunks the idea of eisegesis. Eisegesis is having a preconceived interpretation of a text in the Bible. Exegesis on the other hand is righty dividing the word of truth. It is Greek word for meaning to lead out. It emphasizes critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term investigates the history and the origin of a text, it also includes historical and cultural background.

Step out by faith, is a statement we hear so regularly but how can we step out without God’s direction? “Trust In the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths,” Proverbs 3:5-6. Are we interpreting the Bible according to our belief, according to what we want the scriptures to mean?

I pray today that we will interpret the word of God correctly. I pray our Pastors and leaders will minister the word based on interpretation, observation, correlation and application. It’s not what we want the text to mean but what God wants is to mean.

God Bless.