Exegesis
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📖 [ĕk sə jēˊsəs] (Gk. exḗgēsis “bringing out”). The explanation and exposition of a text, with attention to such matters as determination of text, translation and paraphrase, and interpretation of structure, setting, and purpose. Concern for clarification of meaning, prompted in part by cultural and historical separation of author and reader, has necessitated exegesis of the Scriptures since biblical times; methods employed have been literal, allegorical, moral, anagogical or mystical, and, more recently, critical (e.g., literary, historical). In the most basic sense, exegesis is concerned with the meaning of a text as regards the author and ancient addressees, but it may also be conducted with a view toward application to the contemporary situation (sometimes called “exposition”).
This endeavor requires an understanding of the Bible’s historical, sociopolitical, and cultural milieu and a sensitivity to Hebrew and Greek thought. Personal interpretations (eisegesis) must be avoided, a difficult task since the scholar is often influenced by contemporary cultural theories as well as interpretations influenced by Jewish and Christian tradition. 1Myers, A. C. (1987). EXEGESIS. In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (p. 361). Eerdmans.
I know it says it’s in basic terms. But let’s try to make it even more so, without losing the meaning.
Exegesis means carefully reading a passage to understand what it actually says, based on its words, its setting, and how the original audience would have heard it. It’s the opposite of reading our own ideas into the text. Exegesis tries to let the text speak for itself.
This is what I try to do on my sites. Context matters.
The message to the people who first received these words matters.
Even who said/wrote the words – and those words were said/written – matter.
Only after we understand the original message can we begin to determine what God’s words mean for us today. If we skip the steps of understanding the original message, then we’re very likely just choosing what we want it to say to us today. That’s the personal interpretations (eisegesis) warned about above.
Related term: Exegetical — the adjective form. It simply means “about exegesis” or “based on exegesis.”
Footnotes:
- 1Myers, A. C. (1987). EXEGESIS. In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (p. 361). Eerdmans.
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