historical interpretation makes the following demands on the
c. It is impossible to understand an author and to interpret his words correctly unless he is seen against the proper historical background. It is true that a man, in a sense, controls the circumstances of his life, and determines their character; but it is equally true that he is, in a large measure, the product of his historical environment. For example, he is a child of his people, his land, and his age.
d. The place, the time, the circumstances, and the prevailing view of the world and of life in general, will naturally color the writings that are produced under those conditions of time, place, and circumstances. This applies also to the books of the Bible, particularly to those that are historical or of an occasional character. In all the range of literature, there is no book that equals the Bible in touching life at every point.
2. DEMANDS ON THE EXEGETE. In view of these presuppositions, historical interpretation makes the following demands on the exegete:
a. He must seek to know the author whose work he would explain: his parentage, his character and temperament, his intellectual, moral, and religious characteristics, as well as the external circumstances of his life. He should likewise endeavor to acquaint himself with the speakers that are introduced in the books of the Bible, and with the original readers.
b. It will be incumbent on him to reconstruct, as far as possible, from the historical data at hand, and with the aid of historical hypotheses, the environment in which the particular writings under consideration originated; in other words, the author's world. He will have to inform himself respecting the physical features of the land where the books were written, and regarding the character and history, the customs, morals and religion of the people among whom or for whom they were composed.