I know what you may be thinking. All you need is your bible and the Holy Spirit, right? Well, that is not exactly how the Holy Spirit works. Instead the Holy Spirit gives us illumination, or in another sense the capability to understand or comprehend scripture. But these should not be the end of learning biblical interpretation.
We will talk more on this in another article but for now, here are five books CC412 would recommend for a deeper biblical understanding. Simply click the titles to view the book.
Strong's Concordance offers an exhaustive index of every word in the King James Version of the Bible, paired with the original Hebrew and Greek words. This resource not only aids in locating specific verses but also deepens understanding by providing definitions and context of the original languages. This enables believers to grasp the nuances of scripture, leading to more accurate interpretation and a richer, more informed faith.
- Every word in the Bible is indexed.
- Includes the best of Vine's Expository Dictionary.
- Words of Jesus are highlighted in red for quick identification.
- Includes topical index of the Bible
- Cross References
This classic work by R.C. Sproul provides a foundational understanding of hermeneutics. It covers the basics of interpreting Scripture, including principles and methods grounded in the Christian faith.
A valuable resource for pastors and students, Interpreting the Psalms begins by explaining the nature of Hebrew poetry and the purpose of the Psalms. An accomplished scholar of the Psalms, Mark Futato explores issues related to properly interpreting Israel's songbook, and concludes with a sample of moving from interpretation to proclamation. A glossary is included
D.L Moody is no stranger to the Christian community. He has contributed an unless amount to providing resources to help Christians deepen their faith.
This book brings to light the necessity of studying the Scriptures, presents methods which help stimulate excitement for the Scriptures, and offers tools to help you comprehend the difficult passages in the Scriptures. To live a victorious Christian life, you must read and understand what God is saying to you. Moody is a master of using stories to illustrate what he is saying, and you will be both inspired and convicted to pursue truth from the pages of God’s Word.
The flagship of our recommendations. This book is used in our Biblical Interpretation course and offers students the best and most up-to-date information needed to interpret Scripture.
- Defines and describes hermeneutics, the science of biblical interpretation
- Suggests effective methods to understand the meaning of the biblical text
- Surveys the literary, cultural, social, and historical issues that impact any text
- Evaluates both traditional and modern approaches to Bible interpretation
- Examines the reader’s role as an interpreter of the text and helps identify what the reader brings to the text that could distort its message
- Tackles the problem of how to apply the Bible in valid and significant ways today
- Provides an extensive and revised annotated list of books that readers will find helpful in the practice of biblical interpretation
While it is possible for us to provide an extended list of book recommendations to help Christians understand their bible and the Christian faith, these hand picked books can be wonderful tools to help us go deeper into our Biblical reading.
