Books, Movies, and Hermeneutics

I commented on Steve Duer’s blog a few days ago that our family here in Togo is way ahead of those of you in the States, having been treated to a pre-theatrical release version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  I explained that, as I was reading the book to Jeremy, he told me that it was just like watching a movie in his head!

Today at Jeremy’s school is “dress-as-your-favorite-character” day, and one of the boys plans to come as Huckleberry Finn.  Maureen mentioned to Jeremy that he should read that book, but Jeremy’s response was, “I’d rather just see the movie.”  I explained to him that it was better to read the book first and to use his own imagination, and then he could see the movie to see how it compares.  I also explained that the movie was just someone else’s imagination, and that if he had seen things differently, it didn’t mean that he had been wrong.  I didn’t go into detail with Jeremy about how everyone brings their own experiences to any book and they understand the author’s descriptions in terms of those experiences.  Right now I’m reading To Kill a Mockingbird.  I’m from Alabama, so I think that I have a pretty good idea of the places Harper Lee is describing.  But I’m not from south Alabama, so my mental images probably do not match up exactly with the ones in her head as she wrote the book.  Of course, if I read carefully and pay close attention to her descriptions, my vision and hers will be closer, but never exactly the same. 

All of this got me thinking about how different people can read the same Bible and yet come out with such different understandings of God’s vision for the world, for his kingdom, and for his people.  We all come to Scripture with different backgrounds, experiences, and—for lack of a better word—presuppositions.  When we encounter God’s vision in Scripture, our vision is never exactly the same as his.  Not only are our worlds vastly different from the original human authors, but our vision is infinitesimally small when compared to God’s.  Does that mean that we can never see what God wants us to see?  No, for that would mean that God had failed as a communicator.  It does mean, however, that we will never see all that he wants us to see, and that others may have clearer vision in some areas than others.

When I read Harper Lee’s descriptions of the lawns, houses, and people in a small, south Alabama town, certain images are conjured in my head.  My mind, too, will supply details that she leaves out.  An African may read those same descriptions, just as carefully as me, and have a totally different vision.  His mind, too, will fill in gaps, and in much different ways that I will.  One of ours will be closer to the author’s original vision, but neither will match exactly, and neither is wrong.  In biblical interpretation, it is helpful to know as much as we can about the world in which the authors lived.  We can, however, have a true—but never complete—understanding with only limited knowledge.  And our knowledge will always be limited.

There are some applications that I think I can draw from this little analogy.  First, I need to be diligent in my study of Scripture so that I see as much as I can of what God wants me to see.  Second, I need to hold my vision with humility, knowing that it only begins to approach God’s.  Third, we need a community hermeneutic.  I need to learn from other’s understandings, especially those who come from different backgrounds, because their experiences will allow them to see elements of truth that I cannot.  Finally, we want to understand any writing, we need access to the author.  When it comes to the human authors of Scripture, we can only access them indirectly—through their writings and what we know of their circumstances.  But with the divine author who reveals himself through the sacred writings, we can actually talk with him, listen to him, and wait for him to make clear to us what he has revealed.