1 1

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1 2

2

2

1 3

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1 4

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1 5

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1 6

• 6

6

ContextsNow and Then

5. What Do We Bring to the Text?6. The Historical-Cultural Context 7. The Literary Context8. Word Studies9. Bible Translations

Unit 2

What is:

‘Preunderstanding’?

• Preunderstanding

– All preconceived notions and understandings that are formed in us before we actually study the text. We get this “baggage” from: • Personal experiences• Cultural influences—e.g., music, movies, literature• Family • Church• Race• Nationality

What is:

‘Preunderstanding’?

‘Overstanding’?

• Our preunderstanding can easily take over and lead us to stand over God’s Word, dictating what it means, rather than placing ourselves under the Word.

What is:

‘Preunderstanding’?

‘Overstanding’?

‘Cultural baggage’?

What is:

‘Preunderstanding’?

‘Overstanding’?

‘Cultural baggage’?

‘Interpretational reflex’?

• Tendency toward “interpretational reflex”

– Our tendency is to fill in the gaps in the biblical texts with information from our own background and experience.

– Our cultural background can create a world of possible and impossible meanings for a biblical text before we even study the text.

• Presuppositions

– Total objectivity is impossible for any reader, but this is not our goal.

– Christians have faith commitments (what we call presuppositions) that do not change each time we study the Bible (in contrast to preunderstanding).

– What are some evangelical presuppositions about the Bible?