Exegesis Over Eisegesis Tee

Exegesis and eisegesis are two terms used in the context of interpreting the Bible. Exegesis refers to the process of drawing meaning out of a text. It’s about understanding what the text itself says, based on its original context, language, and intent. Think of it as letting the text speak for itself—focusing on what the author meant at the time it was written. For example, an exegetical approach to a Bible passage would consider the historical setting, the original Hebrew or Greek words, and the cultural background to uncover the intended message.

Eisegesis, on the other hand, is the opposite—it’s reading meaning into a text. This happens when someone imposes their own ideas, biases, or assumptions onto the text, regardless of what it actually says or its original context. It’s more about what the reader wants the text to mean than what it was meant to convey. For instance, if someone interprets a scripture to fit a modern political agenda without evidence from the text itself, that’s eisegesis.