Exegetical Fallacies
by D. A. Carson is a very informative book on common mistakes and
misapplications drawn from the Biblical text generally from well-intentioned
but misinformed believers. Though we may be sincere in our efforts, good
intentions are not enough to insure clear and correct exegesis of the
Scriptures. Yes, the overall saving message of the Bible can be clearly
understood without having an insider’s look at the original languages and
cultures of the day, but there are indeed certain nuances within the text which
become even more explicit when placed under the light of the book’s first
context. Many students of the Word choose to submit themselves to learning the
language and culture of the first century to aid in their exegetical studies so
that they may be better equipped in the preaching and teaching of the divine
Word of God.
Strengths
Two
strengths of this book are found in both the writer’s list of many examples of
common fallacies among evangelical Christians and in the way he treats each
one. Carson seeks to humbly, but boldly, confront the wrong beliefs and
opinions which have been mistakenly drawn out from specific passages throughout
Scripture in regard to what certain tenses or nuances of the original Greek
language supposedly imply. He does this with a number of Bible interpreters who
seek to place more weight upon the aorist tense, for example, than is in fact
given. This can be seen very clearly in his quotation of Frank Stagg in his
article, The Abused Aorist, which is
found beginning on page sixty-eight.[1]
Weaknesses
However,
one of the major weaknesses of this book is the overall length of each
individual chapter. While the last couple are relatively normal in size, the
first few are simply way too long. It would have been nice for him, for
aesthetic purposes, to become somewhat more uniform in his writing by
maintaining the same amount of information distributed throughout more
chapters. Thus, the book would have basically remained the same size, just
visually more readable.
What I Learned
While
I did enjoy reading most of the book and learning certain valuable insights
into the Scriptures that I will certainly safeguard in my hero’s utility belt,
I did feel that the book was pretty high above my level of Greek understanding.
Much of what I read I felt as if I was just reading for the sake of reading
because I was not actually understanding what he was talking about. This is at
no fault to Carson, I just do not think that I am personally as far in my
knowledge of the Greek language to fully grasp some of his references.
Basically, this means that there may come a day when I return to this book in
order to walk back through its logical linguistical arguments. However, this
day may not come for several years of learning and growing in my Greek studies.
In
terms of how this will affect my personal reading and even teaching of God’s
Word in the future I will continue to humble myself to the wisdom and
knowledgeable aid of others. Though I do consider myself to be pretty strong in
my personal exegesis of the Scriptures, there is still an unfathomable depth of
learning and understanding to be gained from those of my contemporaries and
also of those who have gone before me in their walks with the Lord. As I study,
I want to make sure that what I am saying is accurate. Thus, I will access
commentaries and computer programs so that I can be assured that what I am
saying is not something totally foreign. I owe my entire Biblical understanding
to, ultimately the Spirit of God but also, the men and women who have taught me
the foundations of Scripture and its core message. Therefore, I must always
remember that I am indebted to the works of others because of God’s grace.
An
example of something that I gained intellectually from this book was the
fallacy of failing to recognize distinctions (pg. 92) and reading Scripture in
light of a purely emotional appeal (pg. 106). Though none of the information
was necessarily new to me, the way Carson described the distinctions between
men and women in the church and the gender specific roles was indeed necessary
to me as I grow more in the knowledge of grace and learn how to articulate
these concepts in a clear, correct and even considerate way. Did I benefit from
this book? Absolutely, and if you are at all interested in this topic, then I
would encourage you to read it as well.
[1] D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies,
2nd ed. (Carlisle, U.K. : Grand Rapids, Mich: Paternoster ; Baker Books, 1996)., p. 68.
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