Mosaic Lent Guide

Hermeneutics

Throughout Lent, this resource will be inviting you to exercise the muscles of hermeneutics when you read your Bible.

Hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. It’s science because it can be studied and tested. It’s art because it is dealing with language and culture which are fluid and changing so it takes a human artistic element use the science well.

Throughout Lent, this resource will be inviting you to exercise the muscles of hermeneutics when you read your Bible. Maybe you’ve had the experience of reading your Bible and thinking to yourself, “So what? What do I do with what I just read?” This resource will give you some steps for what to do next after you read a story or other passage so that reading from the Bible is less mystery and more learning God’s story and experiencing him through it.

At the beginning of each week, you’ll be reminded of the themes and structure of Luke that we’ve been thinking about since we first began reading the book in November. Keeping these big picture things in mind will help you answer questions like, “Why is the author including these details?” and “What do these stories have in common with one another?”

After that reminder, this guide will give you some steps for applying the science and art of biblical interpretation to what you’re reading. The goal is simply to practice good interpretive habits while you read so that the message that the author crafted into the book of Luke can come through to you and enrich your study of God’s word.