Spirit Hermeneutics Reading Scripture in Light of Pentecost Craig S. Keener WILLIAM B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 www.eerdmans.com © 2016 Craig S. Keener All rights reserved Published 2016 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 eISBN 9781467446150 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Keener, Craig S., 1960- author. Title: Spirit hermeneutics: reading scripture in light of Pentecost / Craig S. Keener. Description: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016013066 | ISBN 9780802874399 (cloth: alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Bible—Hermeneutics. | Bible—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Holy Spirit. | Pentecostalism. Classification: LCC BS476 .K45 2016 | DDC 220.601—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016013066 Translations of Scripture are the author’s own unless otherwise specified. Baker has granted permission for use of material from Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, volume 1, copyright © 2012, and volume 2, copyright © 2013; and for Craig S. Keener, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, copyright © 2011. Used with permission from Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Robert Danielson has granted permission for use of material from Craig S. Keener, “Scripture and Context: An Evangelical Exploration,” Asbury Journal 70 (1, 2015): 17–62. Regnum has granted permission for use of material from Craig S. Keener, “Biblical Fidelity as an Evangelical Commitment,” 29–41 in Following Jesus: Journeys in Radical Discipleship; Essays in Honor of Ronald J. Sider, edited by Paul Alexander and Al Tizon. Regnum Studies in Global Christianity. Oxford: Regnum, 2013. To my fellow scholars who value the works of the Spirit, including all my colleagues at Asbury, and particularly to Ben Witherington, who years ago took a young new scholar under his wings Contents Foreword, by Amos Yong Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction What This Book Is Not What Is Spirit Hermeneutics? Insights from Global Pentecostal Emphases on the Spirit Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Spirit Hermeneutics The “Pentecostal” in “Pentecostal Hermeneutics” Descriptive or Prescriptive? A More Prescriptive Approach The Wider Christian Hermeneutic of the Spirit How Does Illumination Function? The Wider Christian Tradition Affirms Illumination Interdenominational Consensus My Own Background My Own Development in Thinking A Legacy from Pentecostal Scholars I. A THEOLOGICAL READING TOWARD PRAXIS AND MISSION 1. Reading Experientially Early Pentecostalism’s Missiological Reading of Acts 2 Looking to Biblical Narratives for Models The Value in Reading Devotionally Reading Biblically Is Reading Experientially A Pentecostal Approach Experiential Reading in Other Charismatic Hermeneutics Experiential Reading Is Inevitable Experiential Reading Is Desirable Experiential Reading Is Biblical One-time Events Conclusion 2. Reading from the Vantage of Pentecost Knowing God’s Heart Reading Missionally Reading from within Spirit-filled Experience Reading with the Humble An Eschatological Reading On the Border of a New World The Last Days of Acts 2:17 Pentecost and Its Subsequent Revivals Noncessationist, or Continuationist, Reading Conclusion II. GLOBAL READINGS 3. Global Reading: The Biblical Model of Pentecost Reversal of Babel Narrative Function of Tongues in Acts Association with Baptism in the Spirit in Classical Pentecostal Interpretation Tongues and Cross-cultural Mission The Bicultural Hellenists (Acts 6) Conclusion 4. Global Reading: Contextualization and Scripture Introduction: Scripture and Context Scripture as a Cross-cultural Canon Insights on Scripture from Diverse Cultures Cross-cultural Communication within Scripture: A Case Study Contextualization within the Bible Recontextualization for a New Context in Scripture Conclusion 5. Needing Other Cultures’ Input Contextualization Is Inevitable Culture Shapes What We Think Is Cultural Blind Spots Prioritizing Texts Bible Teaching and Cultural Imperialism Hearing Today’s Global Church Brief Excursus on Method Conclusion 6. Some Valuable Majority World Insights Case Study I: Spirits Global Experiences concerning Spirits Western Academic vs. Indigenous Interpretations Witchcraft Case Study II: Miracles Sympathy vs. Antipathy Widespread Experiences Reading Miracles with the Global Church Challenging Western Skepticism about Miracles Conclusion III. CONNECTION WITH THE DESIGNED SENSE 7. The Measuring Stick The Shape of the Canonical Documents Interpretive Goals Dictate Methods Pentecostal Tradition and the Canon Fundamental Truths Charismatic Granola The Purpose of Canon Evaluating Other Revelations Discernment Biblical Spirit, Spirit-inspired Bible Respecting Scripture Requires Respecting the First-inspired Sense Spontaneity Is Not Identical to Inspiration The Spirit Gives the Gift of Teaching A Hermeneutical Circle Basic Principles The New Dynamic Conclusion 8. Do Ancient Meanings Matter? (Post)modern or Ancient Meanings? Postmodern Pentecostal Hermeneutics? Is Any Interpretation as Good as Any Other? Polyvalence? Potentially Ambiguous Nomenclature Wrong-headed Rejection of Ancient Context Texts’ Ancient Meaning My Pentecostal Testimony for Ancient Context Premodern as Well as Modern Way of Reading Greco-Roman Antiquity Reformation Interests Conclusion 9. Room Left for Authors? Authorial Intention Today? Listening to Communication Authorial Intention in Premodern Exegesis The Hirsch Debate Pentecostals and Authorial Intention Implied Authors and Limits in Ascertaining Authorial Intention Conclusion 10. Both-And Both Literary and Historical Approaches Need for Both Approaches Approaches That Draw on Larger Contexts Both Ancient and Modern Meanings The Usual Consensus Need for Ancient as Well as Modern Meanings Some Readings Are More Helpful Than Others Beyond the Ancient Meaning Ancient Foundations for Newer Significance Common Ground Conclusion IV. EPISTEMOLOGY AND THE SPIRIT 11. An Epistemology of Word and Spirit Traditional Epistemic Approaches and Their Limitations A Theocentric and Christocentric Epistemology Christ Re-presented by the Spirit in the Gospel Historical Particularity Experiential and Testimonial Evidence in Kerygmatic Epistemology Testimony and Experience in John’s Gospel Revelation and Reception Fallen Worldviews Faith as an Epistemic Commitment Some Examples of Faithful Reading Then and Now: Culture Reading Narrative Interpreting Miracles Worldviews under Judgment 12. Biblical Epistemology and Hermeneutics Bold Claims to the Truth Conflicting Views of Reality Faith and Truth The Spirit of Truth and Faith Unbelief as a Worldview Some Examples of Sin Darkening the Mind Blindness on a Corporate Level Degrees of Blindness Examples of Hostile Bias John’s Epistemic Dualism Misunderstanding Knowing through Encounter Johannine Dualism Uses Ideal Types Conclusion 13. Reading the Bible as Truth Trusting Scripture Truth Is Not a Genre One Case Study When Harmonizing Details Often Misses the Point Old Testament Puzzles What It Really Means to Have Faith in God’s Word Faithful Imagination Entering Narrative Worlds Suspending Disbelief Expectations Conclusion V. INTRABIBLICAL MODELS FOR READING SCRIPTURE 14. How Jesus Invites Us to Hear the Bible Jesus Presupposes Context Weightier Matters of the Law Jesus Applied Scripture to His Day More than the Law The Kingdom Restores God’s Ideal