Spirit Hermeneutics : Reading Scripture in Light of Pentecost.

661 Pages·2016·4.8 MB·English

by  Craig S.

Spirit Hermeneutics
Reading Scripture
in Light of Pentecost
Craig S. Keener
WILLIAM B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505
www.eerdmans.com
© 2016 Craig S. Keener
All rights reserved
Published 2016
22 21 20 19 18 17 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
eISBN 9781467446150
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Keener, Craig S., 1960- author.
Title: Spirit hermeneutics: reading scripture in light of Pentecost / Craig S. Keener.
Description: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references and
index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016013066 | ISBN 9780802874399 (cloth: alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Bible—Hermeneutics. | Bible—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Holy Spirit. | Pentecostalism.
Classification: LCC BS476 .K45 2016 | DDC 220.601—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016013066
Translations of Scripture are the author’s own unless otherwise specified.
Baker has granted permission for use of material from Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary,
volume 1, copyright © 2012, and volume 2, copyright © 2013; and for Craig S. Keener, Miracles: The
Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, copyright © 2011. Used with permission from Baker
Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Robert Danielson has granted permission for use of material from Craig S. Keener, “Scripture and Context:
An Evangelical Exploration,” Asbury Journal 70 (1, 2015): 17–62.
Regnum has granted permission for use of material from Craig S. Keener, “Biblical Fidelity as an
Evangelical Commitment,” 29–41 in Following Jesus: Journeys in Radical Discipleship; Essays in
Honor of Ronald J. Sider, edited by Paul Alexander and Al Tizon. Regnum Studies in Global Christianity.
Oxford: Regnum, 2013.
To my fellow scholars who value the works of the Spirit,
including all my colleagues at Asbury,
and particularly to Ben Witherington,
who years ago took a young new
scholar under his wings
Contents
Foreword, by Amos Yong
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
What This Book Is Not
What Is Spirit Hermeneutics?
Insights from Global Pentecostal Emphases on the Spirit
Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Spirit Hermeneutics
The “Pentecostal” in “Pentecostal Hermeneutics”
Descriptive or Prescriptive?
A More Prescriptive Approach
The Wider Christian Hermeneutic of the Spirit
How Does Illumination Function?
The Wider Christian Tradition Affirms Illumination
Interdenominational Consensus
My Own Background
My Own Development in Thinking
A Legacy from Pentecostal Scholars
I. A THEOLOGICAL READING TOWARD PRAXIS AND MISSION
1. Reading Experientially
Early Pentecostalism’s Missiological Reading of Acts 2
Looking to Biblical Narratives for Models
The Value in Reading Devotionally
Reading Biblically Is Reading Experientially
A Pentecostal Approach
Experiential Reading in Other Charismatic Hermeneutics
Experiential Reading Is Inevitable
Experiential Reading Is Desirable
Experiential Reading Is Biblical
One-time Events
Conclusion
2. Reading from the Vantage of Pentecost
Knowing God’s Heart
Reading Missionally
Reading from within Spirit-filled Experience
Reading with the Humble
An Eschatological Reading
On the Border of a New World
The Last Days of Acts 2:17
Pentecost and Its Subsequent Revivals
Noncessationist, or Continuationist, Reading
Conclusion
II. GLOBAL READINGS
3. Global Reading: The Biblical Model of Pentecost
Reversal of Babel
Narrative Function of Tongues in Acts
Association with Baptism in the Spirit in Classical Pentecostal
Interpretation
Tongues and Cross-cultural Mission
The Bicultural Hellenists (Acts 6)
Conclusion
4. Global Reading: Contextualization and Scripture
Introduction: Scripture and Context
Scripture as a Cross-cultural Canon
Insights on Scripture from Diverse Cultures
Cross-cultural Communication within Scripture: A Case Study
Contextualization within the Bible
Recontextualization for a New Context in Scripture
Conclusion
5. Needing Other Cultures’ Input
Contextualization Is Inevitable
Culture Shapes What We Think Is Cultural
Blind Spots
Prioritizing Texts
Bible Teaching and Cultural Imperialism
Hearing Today’s Global Church
Brief Excursus on Method
Conclusion
6. Some Valuable Majority World Insights
Case Study I: Spirits
Global Experiences concerning Spirits
Western Academic vs. Indigenous Interpretations
Witchcraft
Case Study II: Miracles
Sympathy vs. Antipathy
Widespread Experiences
Reading Miracles with the Global Church
Challenging Western Skepticism about Miracles
Conclusion
III. CONNECTION WITH THE DESIGNED SENSE
7. The Measuring Stick
The Shape of the Canonical Documents
Interpretive Goals Dictate Methods
Pentecostal Tradition and the Canon
Fundamental Truths
Charismatic Granola
The Purpose of Canon
Evaluating Other Revelations
Discernment
Biblical Spirit, Spirit-inspired Bible
Respecting Scripture Requires Respecting the First-inspired Sense
Spontaneity Is Not Identical to Inspiration
The Spirit Gives the Gift of Teaching
A Hermeneutical Circle
Basic Principles
The New Dynamic
Conclusion
8. Do Ancient Meanings Matter?
(Post)modern or Ancient Meanings?
Postmodern Pentecostal Hermeneutics?
Is Any Interpretation as Good as Any Other?
Polyvalence?
Potentially Ambiguous Nomenclature
Wrong-headed Rejection of Ancient Context
Texts’ Ancient Meaning
My Pentecostal Testimony for Ancient Context
Premodern as Well as Modern Way of Reading
Greco-Roman Antiquity
Reformation Interests
Conclusion
9. Room Left for Authors?
Authorial Intention Today?
Listening to Communication
Authorial Intention in Premodern Exegesis
The Hirsch Debate
Pentecostals and Authorial Intention
Implied Authors and Limits in Ascertaining Authorial Intention
Conclusion
10. Both-And
Both Literary and Historical Approaches
Need for Both Approaches
Approaches That Draw on Larger Contexts
Both Ancient and Modern Meanings
The Usual Consensus
Need for Ancient as Well as Modern Meanings
Some Readings Are More Helpful Than Others
Beyond the Ancient Meaning
Ancient Foundations for Newer Significance
Common Ground
Conclusion
IV. EPISTEMOLOGY AND THE SPIRIT
11. An Epistemology of Word and Spirit
Traditional Epistemic Approaches and Their Limitations
A Theocentric and Christocentric Epistemology
Christ Re-presented by the Spirit in the Gospel
Historical Particularity
Experiential and Testimonial Evidence in Kerygmatic Epistemology
Testimony and Experience in John’s Gospel
Revelation and Reception
Fallen Worldviews
Faith as an Epistemic Commitment
Some Examples of Faithful Reading
Then and Now: Culture
Reading Narrative
Interpreting Miracles
Worldviews under Judgment
12. Biblical Epistemology and Hermeneutics
Bold Claims to the Truth
Conflicting Views of Reality
Faith and Truth
The Spirit of Truth and Faith
Unbelief as a Worldview
Some Examples of Sin Darkening the Mind
Blindness on a Corporate Level
Degrees of Blindness
Examples of Hostile Bias
John’s Epistemic Dualism
Misunderstanding
Knowing through Encounter
Johannine Dualism Uses Ideal Types
Conclusion
13. Reading the Bible as Truth
Trusting Scripture
Truth Is Not a Genre
One Case Study
When Harmonizing Details Often Misses the Point
Old Testament Puzzles
What It Really Means to Have Faith in God’s Word
Faithful Imagination
Entering Narrative Worlds
Suspending Disbelief
Expectations
Conclusion
V. INTRABIBLICAL MODELS FOR READING SCRIPTURE
14. How Jesus Invites Us to Hear the Bible
Jesus Presupposes Context
Weightier Matters of the Law
Jesus Applied Scripture to His Day
More than the Law
The Kingdom Restores God’s Ideal