Table of Contents
Insights from Global Pentecostal Emphases on the Spirit
Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Spirit Hermeneutics
The “Pentecostal” in “Pentecostal Hermeneutics”
The Wider Christian Hermeneutic of the Spirit
How Does Illumination Function?
The Wider Christian Tradition Affirms Illumination
My Own Development in Thinking
A Legacy from Pentecostal Scholars
I. A THEOLOGICAL READING TOWARD PRAXIS AND MISSION
Early Pentecostalism’s Missiological Reading of Acts 2
Looking to Biblical Narratives for Models
The Value in Reading Devotionally
Reading Biblically Is Reading Experientially
Experiential Reading in Other Charismatic Hermeneutics
Experiential Reading Is Inevitable
Experiential Reading Is Desirable
Experiential Reading Is Biblical
2. Reading from the Vantage of Pentecost
Reading from within Spirit-filled Experience
Pentecost and Its Subsequent Revivals
Noncessationist, or Continuationist, Reading
3. Global Reading: The Biblical Model of Pentecost
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)
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
5. Needing Other Cultures’ Input
Contextualization Is Inevitable
Culture Shapes What We Think Is Cultural
Bible Teaching and Cultural Imperialism
6. Some Valuable Majority World Insights
Global Experiences concerning Spirits
Western Academic vs. Indigenous Interpretations
Reading Miracles with the Global Church
Challenging Western Skepticism about Miracles
III. CONNECTION WITH THE DESIGNED SENSE
The Shape of the Canonical Documents
Interpretive Goals Dictate Methods
Pentecostal Tradition and the Canon
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
8. Do Ancient Meanings Matter?
(Post)modern or Ancient Meanings?
Postmodern Pentecostal Hermeneutics?
Is Any Interpretation as Good as Any Other?
Potentially Ambiguous Nomenclature
Wrong-headed Rejection of Ancient Context
My Pentecostal Testimony for Ancient Context
Premodern as Well as Modern Way of Reading
Authorial Intention in Premodern Exegesis
Pentecostals and Authorial Intention
Implied Authors and Limits in Ascertaining Authorial Intention
Both Literary and Historical Approaches
Approaches That Draw on Larger Contexts
Both Ancient and Modern Meanings
Need for Ancient as Well as Modern Meanings
Some Readings Are More Helpful Than Others
Ancient Foundations for Newer Significance
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
Experiential and Testimonial Evidence in Kerygmatic Epistemology
Testimony and Experience in John’s Gospel
Faith as an Epistemic Commitment
Some Examples of Faithful Reading
12. Biblical Epistemology and Hermeneutics
Some Examples of Sin Darkening the Mind
Blindness on a Corporate Level
Johannine Dualism Uses Ideal Types
13. Reading the Bible as Truth
When Harmonizing Details Often Misses the Point
What It Really Means to Have Faith in God’s Word
V. INTRABIBLICAL MODELS FOR READING SCRIPTURE
14. How Jesus Invites Us to Hear the Bible
Jesus Applied Scripture to His Day
The Kingdom Restores God’s Ideal
Jesus’s Christological Interpretation
15. Reading the Torah as the Law of Faith
The Spirit of the Law: Continuing Principles, Adjusted Content
Spirit of the Law in Ancient Israel
Comparing Israel’s Laws with Those of Her Neighbors
Differences from the Approaches of Israel’s Contemporaries
Concessions to Human Sinfulness
Understanding and Applying God’s Law Today
Conclusion: The Old Testament God of Love
16. Christological Reading or Personal Application?
Stephen’s Christocentric Interpretation
Matthew’s Christocentric Reading
Matthew’s Interpretive Interests
Other Analogies in the Gospels
Personal Applications Consistent with Scripture
The Spirit Speaks through Scripture
Models for Personal Application in Scripture
Reading Biblical Narratives for Models
Patterns for Us, Not Just Annals
Consistency in How We Apply Scripture
VI. WHOSE CHARISMATIC INTERPRETATION ?
17. Naïve “Pentecostal” Readings vs. Biblically Sensitive Pentecostal Readings
The Wrong Kind of Experiential Reading
Some Examples of Misapplied, Popular Pentecostal Hermeneutics
Some Charismatic Television Preaching
Genuine Models of Faith in the Bible
A Positive Example: Rereading 1 Corinthians 14 Experientially
18. Global Pentecostal Community as a Safety Net?
Dangers in Appeals to Community
Apostolic Authority and Communities
Who Is the Pentecostal Community?
Making Charismatic Distinctiveness Superfluous
Charismatic Experience, Not Just Charismatic Doctrine
Conclusion: Scripture Speaking Personally—and Historically
Pentecostal Hermeneutics as a Christian Hermeneutic
APPENDIX A : Some Theoretical Attempts to Bridge Understanding
APPENDIX B : Postcolonial Approaches