What Is Biblical Exegesis — In Biblical Context

The Biblical Context

Exegesis is the foundational discipline of biblical interpretation — the method by which we determine what the text actually says before we ask what it means for us today. The word comes from the Greek exegeomai, meaning 'to lead out,' 'to explain,' or 'to narrate.' Exegesis is the opposite of eisegesis, which reads meaning into the text rather than drawing meaning out of it. The goal of exegesis is to understand the author's intended meaning in its original context. This requires careful attention to several elements. First, the historical context — when was the text written, by whom, to whom, and under what circumstances? Understanding the political, social, and religious situation of the original audience illuminates the text in ways that modern readers might otherwise miss. Second, the literary context — what genre is this text? Historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, epistle, wisdom literature, apocalyptic, and parable each have their own conventions and require different reading strategies. Third, the grammatical context — what do the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek words mean? How do the verbs, nouns, and syntax function in the sentence? A single preposition or verb tense can change the meaning of a passage. Fourth, the immediate context — what comes before and after this passage? Scripture interprets Scripture, and the surrounding verses often clarify the meaning of a difficult text. Fifth, the broader canonical context — how does this passage fit into the whole Bible? The Old and New Testaments form a unified story, and individual texts must be read in light of the grand narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. The Reformers championed exegesis with their motto sola scriptura — Scripture alone is the final authority, and it must be interpreted according to its own plain meaning. They insisted on the grammatical-historical method: the text means what the words, in their grammatical construction, would have meant to the original readers in their historical setting. This method protects the church from two dangerous extremes. On one side, it guards against subjectivism — the idea that a text means whatever the reader feels it means. On the other side, it guards against authoritarianism — the idea that only experts or church traditions can access the text's meaning. The Bible is perspicuous in its main teachings; ordinary believers, using the grammatical-historical method, can understand the gospel and God's will for their lives. Exegesis is not merely an academic exercise. It is an act of worship — submitting our minds to God's Word rather than imposing our thoughts upon it. It is an act of humility — recognizing that the text was written for them but applies to us, and that we must first understand what it meant before we can faithfully apply what it means. It is an act of love — because to truly hear God's Word is to truly hear God Himself, and to hear God is the beginning of obedience and joy.

Where It Sits in Scripture

Supporting Passages