The task or goal of Bible study (the practice of hermeneutics) is twofold. First, to find out the meaning the inspired author intended to communicate to his first readers. That is the task of interpretation. Second, to find out what God says to us today through the passage. That is the task of application (evaluating and appropriating it).
The task of Bible study can be summed up with two questions. Â
- What exactly did the author intend to communicate to his original readers? Â
- What exactly does God intend to communicate to us today from that passage?Â
Memorize these two questions because they are at the heart of all Bible study and this book. The first is a question of meaning (authorial intent). The second is a question of significance (what difference does the passage make to us today).Â
