It was a favorite classroom saying of the late Dr. B. B. Warfield that “all theologies divide at one point - does God save men or do they save themselves?” As truly it may be said that all systems of Bible interpretation divide at one point-is the Bible a self- interpreting book or does it require a humanly contrived system of interpretation in order to be understood? In other words, does the Bible contain its own hermeneutical laws which are sufficient, and capable, when rightly understood and followed, of guiding the student to a correct interpretation of its own disclosures: or is it deficient in such interpretational provisions, and therefore dependent upon the resources of human reason to supply that lack?In this paper Chafer notes that the socalled "Church Fathers" quickly departed from the scriptural hermeneutic used by Jesus and His Apostles, with the Gentile scholars interweaving Greek philosophical leanings into their uninspired methodlogy, and thus led the main bodies of Christendom far down the wrong path, until it was stopped by the Reformers.
Note that the RCC in its traditions is still stuck there, but its members who have started to use the Bible correctly are now coming away from it.
Please keep on helping them to interpret the Word as the Spirit intends us to, using a proper hermeneutic.
ping to Post #425. Sorry for leaving you off the list!
That’s a good read. Keeping that.