Dungan - Hermeneutics

D. R. Dungan's Hermeneutics: A Text-Book: Chapter I.
of any one. Skepticism is a plant that may be grown, nay, that is grown. It is suited well to a barren soil,
and luxuriates in afoul heart. Many things are believed because men wish them to be true, while others
are disbelieved for a like reason. In such cases, it would matter but little what the evidence might be, they
would not accept of the gospel.
(2.) But false interpretation is a strong support of unbelief.--Some one has well said that "the Bible is
its own best defense." But in order that it may be any defense at all, its teachings must be understood;
and this can never be without a correct knowledge of the principles of interpretation. Before we assume
that Geology and Genesis are at variance, we ought to be absolutely certain that we have accurately
interpreted both. For the want of a correct hermeneutics, men have imagined [8] that they have found
discrepancies, and even palpable contradictions, in the Bible. They would find any other book equally
contradictory if they should treat it in the sauce way. But men know that the laws of language must be
observed in reading any other book. If they would use the same care and common sense when reading
the Bible, infidelity would find no place to set the sole of its foot. Hence it becomes evident that a correct
exegesis will greatly weaken the power of infidelity, if not utterly destroy it.
SEC. 5. THE LAST GREAT NEED OF A SOUND EXEGESIS, OF WHICH WE NOW SPEAK, IS THAT WE
MAY FIND OUR WAY TO HEAVEN.
(1.) Inquirers discouraged by the different answers given.--The question, "What shall I do to be
saved!" receives so many different and conflicting answers, that the seekers after eternal life are
confused and disheartened, and they do not know what to do. They are told that there is nothing they can
do, that they must wait for the Lord to come and save them; and that they can not do anything that will
conduce to their salvation. Others tell them that they can and must give themselves to Christ, that they
may be saved; and that unless they do, they will certainly be lost. Still they do not tell them how to give
themselves to Christ. If they are sent to the word of God to learn the way of life, they are not told how to
read it or where to look for directions on the subject. They would be as apt to go to the book of Job as to
the Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles, to find the way of salvation in Christ. If men were inquiring into
any question of law or history, they would be told where they could get the desired information-what
book treated on that subject. They would not only be pointed to the [9] book containing the desired
intelligence, but to the chapter and section where the information might be found. If the Scriptures were
studied in this way, there would be but little difficulty on this most important of all questions.
(2.) Not only is the question of salvation involved, but the assurance of pardon also.--Persons who
have had the same religious experience, differ widely as to the import of what they have heard, and
desired, and felt. One believes he is a child of God, and no doubt lingers to chill the ardor of his soul.
Another, who has had the same experience, hopes that he has a hope, but is only certain that he is not
certain of anything respecting his standing with God. It is vain to say that this must be the direct teaching
of the Holy Spirit, or that a Christian knows by his feelings just what his relations are with God. For if
God taught one of these servants in this direct way, He certainly would not have left the other to grope
his way in darkness, doubt and uncertainty on the same subject. The truth is, one has had the same joys
and sorrows that are known to the other, and the reason that the one regards himself a favorite of heaven
and the other is in doubt as to his standing with God, is in the creeds of the two men. They are equally
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