Dungan - Hermeneutics
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D. R. <strong>Dungan</strong>'s <strong>Hermeneutics</strong>: A Text-Book: Chapter I.<br />
the Lord, and that the truth was to be had by the same methods of study that were applied to any other<br />
branches of knowledge.<br />
Ezra vii. 10: "For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach in Israel<br />
statutes and judgments."<br />
Deut. xxix. 29: "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed<br />
belong unto us and to our children forever, that. we may do all the words of this law." Nehemiah viii. 1-8<br />
shows how they had to learn [4] the law, Ezra reads the law from morning till noon, and is assisted by<br />
chosen men, who go among the people and explain to them the meaning of any words which they did not<br />
understand.<br />
From Psa. i. 1, 2; xix. 7; cxix. 39-105 we shall get David's idea of coming to the knowledge of the<br />
will of the Lord. They must read that word, study it day and night, get all its precepts in the mind in this<br />
way, and then may they assure themselves that they have more knowledge than the ancients--than all<br />
their teachers.<br />
Jesus makes Abraham say to the rich man, respecting his five brothers: "They have Moses and the<br />
prophets; . . . if they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the<br />
dead" (Luke xvi. 29-31).<br />
Paul holds this view of the question. He says to Timothy, that although he has known the Holy<br />
Scriptures from his childhood, which were able to make him wise unto salvation, he must study to show<br />
himself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly setting forth the word of<br />
truth. Hence he must give attention to reading, to, exhortation, to teaching.<br />
SEC. 3. A CORRECT HERMENEUTICS WOULD GO FAR TOWARD HEALING THE DIVISIONS OF THE<br />
CHURCH.<br />
(1.) A wrong interpretation is not the only cause of divisions.--That the followers of Christ should be<br />
one, does not admit of a doubt. Jesus prayed for the unity of all those who should believe on him through<br />
the word of the apostles. The apostles condemned divisions on all occasions; even in an incipient form,<br />
they were regarded as being carnal, and proceeding from hearts not [5] in unison with the will of Christ.<br />
Men who were division-makers were regarded as unworthy of a place in the church, and after the first<br />
and second admonitions were to be avoided. They were spoken of as not serving the Lord Jesus, but their<br />
own passions. But while we regard carnality, in the form of unsanctified ambition, as the great cause of<br />
the divisions that now serve to mar the beauty of Zion and destroy the peace and power of the kingdom<br />
of Christ, it is not the only cause.<br />
(2.) Selfish ambition can not be removed by rules of interpretation.--Even in the days of the apostles,<br />
in the presence of divine inspiration, in the presence of the divine authority which had been committed to<br />
the chosen twelve, ambitious men rose up to draw away disciples after them, ready to make merchandise<br />
http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/ddungan/hatb/HATB01.HTM (3 of 6) [30/08/2003 11:31:54 p.m.]