From Hermeneutics to Exegesis by Malcolm Matthew;

Author:Malcolm, Matthew;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2018-03-13T00:00:00+00:00

Mission

The mission of the text is its broad performative orientation. One might ask, “To what broader mission does a Lee Strobel book about Jesus contribute?” or “What might be the broad project of Bart Ehrman’s work?” or “How might we characterize the larger enterprise of which Martin Luther was a part?” The more familiar we become with a text and its contexts, the better attuned this sense will become. This is bigger than the “occasion” of a text, and it might be unconscious for the author. (For example: would Strobel, Ehrman, and Luther agree with your assessment of their broad projects?) Perceiving the mission of a text will involve careful attention to subtle elements within the text, as well as factors outside of the text. The interpreter who is especially attuned to this dimension will be well equipped to read between the lines of the text or think imaginatively about where the trajectory of a work’s ideas might lead.

At the same time, the interpreter participates in some sort of “reading mission” in interpreting the text. There is, of course, no such thing as an objectively neutral reader. This is especially true with regard to biblical texts, though it is not always the case that the reader is self-critically conscious of what outcomes he or she hopes will arise from each encounter with the text. For example, one reader might look up some song lyrics as a fan, with the intention of being better able to sing along. Another reader might look up some song lyrics as a suspicious parent, expecting to find questionable material. These respective reading missions will impact the way the lyrics are read. The same could be said with regard to readers of the Bible.

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