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Biblical interpretation - the Church needs to return to the Bible

Throughout history, several major revival movements have emerged as people returned to the Bible, becoming more attentive to God's message for their generation. In much of the world today, the Church needs to go back to the Bible and re-examine its texts to be able to understand its real meaning. Many people go astray because of a superficial reading of the Bible and thus give erroneous teachings. Only an honest and thorough study of the Scriptures will allow the message to be faithfully spread. This study on biblical interpretation mainly develops the notion of context; the context of the entire book, the cultural context of the Bible, and specific principles for understanding the various literary genres contained in the Bible. These principles are essential for learning what God wanted to communicate to early readers, a necessary step when knowing how to apply God's message today.

Craig Keener (Ph.D., Duke University) is professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky (USA). He has also taught in several countries, particularly in Africa. He is the author of 17 books, the most famous of which is The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. With his wife, Medina, he wrote Reconciliation for Africa.