In All the Scriptures – The Three Contexts of Biblical Hermeneutics

No one reads the Bible without some interpretive principles, or hermeneutics, in place. The question every student of Scripture needs to ask, then, is this: Are your interpretive principles and methods legitimate and ethical? In this accessible introduction to biblical hermeneutics, Nicholas G. Piotrowski presents an approach that explores three layers of context: literary, historical, and christological. Because no text exists in the abstract, interpreters must seek to understand a passage's ecology: the flow and argument of the entire biblical book, the world of the original author and audience, and the movement of redemptive history that culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Careful interpretation is both a science and an art, Piotrowski argues, and it has powerful implications for what we believe and how we apply God's Word. Featuring numerous examples, further reading lists, and a glossary, In All the Scriptures equips students, pastors, and thoughtful readers to build a solid foundation for interpreting the Bible.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Graeme Goldsworthy Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Text as a Mirror 2. What Did Jesus Do? 3. In the Text 4. Around the Text 5. The Things Concerning Himself 6. Through the Text 7. In, Around, and Through the Text 8. Be Doers of the Word Conclusion Glossary of Hermeneutical Terms Bibliography Figure Credits Scripture Index

About the Author :
Nicholas G. Piotrowski (PhD, Wheaton College) is the president and academic dean at Indianapolis Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he also teaches hermeneutics and New Testament studies. Piotrowski is the author of Matthew's New David at the End of Exile.

Review :
"This is not just another book on hermeneutics but rather a wake-up call to meet the challenges of the present. It addresses us in a rapidly changing post-Christian world in a way that covers all the bases for Bible-believing Christians. I commend it for its firm convictions about the inspiration and authority of Scripture. I commend it for the application of evangelical and Reformed presuppositions to the comprehensive range of matters involved in reading ancient texts. I commend it for the clear trinitarian and christological dimensions that inform our understanding of the unity and the distinctions between Old and New Testaments, between type and antitype, between prophecy and fulfilment, between the first readers and ourselves, and between the objective gospel of Jesus of Nazareth and the present inner working of the Spirit to connect us with that gospel." "Dr. Piotrowski has written a wonderful book introducing readers to the topic of biblical interpretation. I truly cannot wait to get it into the hands of my seminary students! It will be extremely helpful, especially as I and others train pastors-to-be in sermon preparation. This work is truly a gift to the church." "The Bible may be the divinely inspired Word of God, but it is misread and misinterpreted more than any other book. In response, Nicholas Piotrowski has written an exceptionally helpful guide to foster interpretations of the Bible that are 'legitimate and ethical.' This accessible, informative study is essential reading for anyone who wants to handle Scripture in a way that is both christocentric and God honoring." "Accessible, engaging, easy to digest. These are not typically the words used to describe a book about the weighty topic of biblical hermeneutics. Yet Nicholas Piotrowski has given us just this kind of useful introduction to studying the Bible accurately and ethically. He guides readers toward the importance of reading Scripture with their antennas attuned to its multiple contexts (literary, historical, and christological). Filled with insightful illustrations and examples, In All the Scriptures is a great entrée for all who want to understand the Bible better." "Books on hermeneutics can be dense and technical—important, but seemingly impenetrable to the person just becoming acquainted with the field. In place of this, Nicholas Piotrowski has given us just what we need: an accessible, practical, and even devotional understanding of what goes on when we read the Bible. This new introduction to hermeneutics addresses the challenge of reading the Bible well with awareness of context—not just the Bible's context but also our own—preparing us for the challenge of reading the Bible well in our modern world. Highly recommended!"