2Frameworks

of Meaning

Frameworks of

Meaning

I. Intrinsic FrameworksI. Intrinsic Frameworks

II. Extrinsic FrameworksII. Extrinsic Frameworks

III. Our Orientation III. Our Orientation

Morpheme

Canon

Testament

Corpus

Book

Section

Chapter

Paragraph

Verse

Sentence

Phrase

Word

Levels of Intrinsic Concerns (2.1)

Morpheme

Canon

Testament

Corpus Corpus

BookBook

SectionSection

Chapter

Paragraph

Verse

Sentence

Phrase

Word

More Traditional

Focus

More Contemporary

Focus

Evangelical Practices (2.2)

Traditional Focus on Smaller Units

““World”World” ko,ko,smoj What does this word mean?

“everyone” “world system,” “the elect”?

“one and only Son” monogenh,jWhat does this word mean? “only”

“special”?

“believes in him” o` pisteu,wn eivj auvto.n Is this different from:

o` pisteu,wn auvto.n or o` pisteu,wn evn auvto.n ?

Does this verse teach that God loves everyone in the same way?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Contemporary Focus on Larger Units

How does this verse’s meaning depend on the surrounding context of the chapter?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

How does this verse’s meaning depend on this section of the gospel of John?

How does this verse’s meaning depend on the whole gospel of John?

How does this verse’s meaning depend on the whole NT?

How does this verse’s meaning depend on the whole Canon?

StructuralismIntrinsic Structuralist Focus (2.3)

Discerning structure is the key to meaning because meaning is derived from the relationships

between the elements of a text.

etc.

Discerning structure is an objective, quantifiable, scientific process avoiding

subjective matters such as authorial intention and historical circumstances.

Totalization (final, complete interpretation) results

from exhaustive inspection the structures of a text.

Structures

within

within

Structures

Extrinsic Post-Structuralist Focus (2.4)

Indeterminable number of extrinsic texts (e.g. books, speeches, etc.)

define the meaning of the text.

Indeterminable number of extrinsic non-texts (e.g. people, circumstances,

customs, etc.) define the meaning of the text.

Single Text

No text is autonomous. No text can be totalized.

Structures

Investigating Original Meaning

Countless Options for Consideration

Intrinsic AnalysisIntrinsic Analysis

Writer Document Audience

Intrinsic/Extrinsic Options (2.5)Intrinsic/Extrinsic Options (2.5)

SectionBook

SceneEpisode

GeographyReligions

Politics

Other TextsLanguage

History

In Israel - Outside Israel

Extrinsic AnalysisExtrinsic Analysis

Kingdom

Covenants

Books

Passages

Our Strategy (2.6)Our Strategy (2.6)

How should we handle scenes, steps, episodes, sections of books?

How should we handle whole books as units of meaning?

How do the biblical covenants help us understand OT passages?

How does the theme of the Kingdom of God help us understand

OT passages?