Introduction

Exegesis and Eisegesis are both ways of studying the Bible. However it is important to know what these words mean, and the kind of Bible study that emerges from using them. In this article I will break down the differences between Exegesis and Eisegesis and what kind of study should be used to be sure of correct Biblical Understanding, a term called Hermeneutics.

Exegesis or Eisegesis for Proper Hermeneutics?

In the very definition of the word Exegesis we find it’s meaning to be literally- [Greek,  exegeomai, = ex “to explain”, or “to take from”; and hegeomai, “to lead”, “to guide”].

This means that Exegetical study and the conclusion of it come from simply reading the text, and taking note of what is revealed from a natural reading.

In the very definition of the word Eisegesis we find it’s meaning to be literally- [Greek, eisagogilos, from eisago, “to introduce” = eis, “in”, “into”, and ago = “to lead”].

This means the Eisegetical Bible study is when an interpreter or person in Bible study reads (introduces) their ideas into the text.

The picture below is from A Meme For A Day SDA’s Facebook page (SDA is Seventh-Day Adventist) and is a good and clear teaching of both Exegesis and Eisegesis. It looks specifically at Genesis 2:2-3 a key SDA verse used to teach that the Sabbath Day was instituted in Genesis. The SDA church uses Eisegesis as their way of studying the Bible, they inject their ideas into the text.

Here is the text of Genesis 2:2-3:

² By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. ³ God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation.

If we Exegete the text, the correct way to study the Word of God we get the following (as noted on the picture above):

1. God created the World in 6 days. (v 2)

2. By the seventh day creation was complete. (v 2)

3. God rested [Heb. Sabbatized] on the 7th day. (v 3)

4. He blessed the 7th day and made it holy. (v 3)

However an Adventist would bring all kinds of presuppositions into the study of these two verses. The Sabbath is Eternal, the Ten Commandments were in Heaven, Keeping the Sabbath is the Seal of God on the Believer, Jesus is our example, and on and on. Because of this they out of necessity Eisegete lead into their study of Genesis 2:2-3 with these presuppositions.

What do they find in the passage that isn’t really there:

1. That the text says that humans rested.
2. Since God rested we should also rest.
3. God told humans to rest.
4. God Taught Adam and Eve on the Sabbath.
5. God created the Sabbath, right here in these verses.
6. Humans kept the Sabbath.

The text in Genesis does not tell us what the Seventh-Day Adventists read into the text, or introduced into the text. Why is this, because it’s not in the text.

When you study the Bible by leading in with presuppositions you are using Eiesegesis or eiesegeting the text. This is dangerous and a very incorrect way of Bible Study.

When you study the Bible by taking out of the text what it says then you are using Exegesis or exegeting, using exegetical study. This is the correct way to divide the word of truth.

Proper Exegesis follows the following process:

1. What does the passage say? (Observation)
2. What does the passage mean? (Interpretation)
3. How does the passage relate to the Bible? (Correlation this is often very time consuming).
4. How should this passage affect my life? (Application)

The process of Eisegesis on the other hand goes like this:

1. What idea do I want to present? (Imagination)
2. How can I make this passage fit my idea? or What scripture passage fits my idea? (Exploration)
3. What does my idea mean? (Application)

What is most lacking in Eisegesis outside of proper reading of the text. There is no looking in depth into how the passage relates to the Bible in other places no correlation. (And if there is it is done with even more eisegesis). Why is there no correlation? No study of the original terms, the Hebrew or the Greek, and how these words are used throughout the entirety of Scripture?

It is because the person who studies with eisegesis has no real desire know the real meaning of any scripture passage. They want to simply use a scripture to prop up a preconceived idea or notion.

With this all finally laid out I think it is quite clear what sort of Bible Study to use for proper Hermeneutics and that would be Exegesis.

In Conclusion

So Exegesis is the way to go for proper Hermeneutics, but what is Hermeneutics?

The spiritual family, the Bride of Christ, I am a part of is worth the slight discomfort of disagreements on scripture with my friends and relatives.

In Christ,

Ross