Suzanne Nicholson on “What Makes a Good Biblical Scholar or Theologian?”

I always tell my students, “Context is everything!” Without understanding
the historical and literary contexts, it is impossible to interpret the
passage well. Words have different meanings in different contexts, and it
is very difficult to understand irony or the overall tone of a passage
without knowing the situation that the author addresses.

You can’t be a good biblical interpreter without looking at the text
closely and seeing what is really there. Take time to suck the marrow out
of the text! But be careful not to read 2,000 years of Christian theology
into the passage; see what THIS author says. Every word matters. Ask why
the author made the choices that he did. Sometimes asking why something
ISN’T in the text can be helpful: why did the author choose this word and
not another? Look at the structure of the passage; why is it organized in
the way that it is? How does the structure highlight the meaning? Consider
the book as a whole: how does a single passage reinforce the themes of the
book? When looking at a text, don’t jump straight to application. Make
sure to observe and analyze the passage in its own historical/cultural
setting before trying to apply it to the 21st century–often adjustments
need to be made to apply the universal principle to our own cultural
context.

For preachers, remember that the Holy Spirit is involved in the
preparation of the sermon, not just the delivery. Good exegesis is the
most important part of a sermon. It doesn’t matter if you speak well;
without preaching the Gospel, you’re just giving another TED talk.

~Suzanne Nicholson, Professor of Biblical Studies, Chair of the Department of Bible, Theology, and Ministry, Malone University

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Written by
Tavis Bohlinger

Dr. Tavis Bohlinger is Editor-in-Chief of the Logos Academic Blog and Creative Director at Reformation Heritage Books. He holds a PhD from Durham University and writes across multiple genres, including academia, poetry, and screenwriting. He lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and three children.

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7 comments
  • I agree wholeheartedly with this as far as it goes. Additionally, I try to get my students to focus on their own context, and ask themselves what questions they are asking of the text and why.

  • Right on! Context is key. The Bible was written FOR us but not necessarily TO us. What was God, via the original author, saying to the original audience? That’s the starting point. Beware of cross-referencing. NT authors did not have access to the rest of the NT when they wrote, so let Galatians interpret Galatians, for example.
    Too many devotionals and sermons start with a great application and then try to find support from the text. That is backwards.

    • Perhaps, but Paul did have access to his mind when he wrote, thus, Galatians CAN BE interpreted with reference to Paul’s other writings. In addition, you make a statement that is not necessarily true, in that a later NT text could have been written at a time when the author had access to earlier texts. Clearly, Peter had access to Paul’s writings when he wrote 2nd Peter.

  • Dr Heiser has brought this truth to the forefront of my time in His word. It is amazing just how much i have “filtered” His words to us in the “Christian” context. I am so thankful for Father leading me into really getting into Logos to know Him more and understanding the essentials of walking with Him.

  • Much of our contextual understanding is influenced by the studies done by Scholars/theologians that went before us.
    your statement. It is not a simple task to “Take time to suck the marrow out of the text! But be careful not to read 2,000 years of Christian theology into the passage; ” This is as valid regarding these scholars writing as it is to the Holy Scriptures… and even of the translators of the text that was influenced by the sermons they heard, given or form part of their tradition. I see this influence regularly in translations and even good scholarly works. We must also constantly be aware of our fallibility to interpret the context and need to also understand the context of the scholars that provide commentaries and translations in their context . This is true of the authors of the gospel, Josephus, Tacitus, Origen, Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Andrew Murray, John Wesley, Karl Barth, and every other scholar pre modern , modern or post modern..

    All the above was fallible people trying to describe/interpret an infallible truth. The true “Word of God”. Most of these authors is separated from 30 to 2000 years from the actual context. Even Paul have accepted this fallibility and his reliance on the Holy Spirit in spite of his wide knowledge and Jewish education. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit provides heavenly treasures for us through all these works (canonical and non-canonical) which teaches us both about the true nature God and man. Even the process of studying the Bible!

    “It is a wise man that knows that he knows not”
    Calvin said that Wisdom is when knowledge and your current reality resonate. “Paraphrased”.

    Thanks for your insights. It helps me. It is a great discussion.

Written by Tavis Bohlinger
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