Pre-Reformation History of Biblical Hermeneutics: Part II

The previous post in this series gave an introduction to the history of Biblical hermeneutics, while taking a close look at Nehemiah 8. That chapter set the stage for what is, arguably, one of the earliest (c. 445-420 B.C.) canonical references to hermeneutics. Nehemiah 8 also gives us the three main steps in studying the Bible: observation, interpretation, and application. This post will examine the hermeneutical principles laid out in Nehemiah 9.

While the exact exposition of the Law that the Levites gave to the Israelites (Neh. 8:8) is not written in the text, a summary is presented in chapter 9… in the form of a prayer to God. In this prayer, the Levites begin by proclaiming:

“Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.” (verses 5-6)

In the previous chapter, the Levites read to the people the books of the Law – the Pentateuch. Now, in this prayer, they are praising the Lord for all He has done, while giving a summary of the first five books of the Bible! In verse six, they begin at the beginning – the Creation story, in the book of Genesis.

“Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.” (verses 7-8)

The Levites describe here God’s call of Abraham, and God’s covenant with him.

One important thing stands out – as they pray, they are taking the text very literally! In verses seven and eight, the Levites interpret the events in Genesis 12 as if that chapter is actually describing real people (Abram, Chaldeans), places (Ur), and things (land, promise). Remarkable!

“And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea; And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters. Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go." (verses 9-12)

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Part I: A Man Named Ezra || Part II: Prayer of the Levites

Part III: Religious Leaders and Medieval Theologians