INTRODUCTION

The primary object that an author sets out to achieve when writing is that they
diligently investigate, because it often happens that in the light of
its main purpose is more clearly understood in the details of its
composition. Along with the object of a book, its composition must also be studied.

the form of its structure, as well as the logical relationship of its

various parts. A broad comparison of all related books
between each other, or of similar passages of writing, is of utmost value; hence,
often, the comparison of one passage with another is sufficient to
clarify everything. Especially important for the exegete is the
mentally transport oneself to the time of an ancient writer, study the
the circumstances surrounding him while writing and then looking at the world
from the writer's point of view.

These general principles are equally applicable to the interpretation of

the Bible like all other books. It is quite certain that the writers
biblical figures did not have the intention or desire to be misunderstood. Neither

It is also unreasonable to assume that the Holy Scriptures, given by

God's inspiration, may have the nature of an enigma in order to exercise the
ingenuity of the reader. Therefore, it should be expected that the healthy
principles of hermeneutics serve as elements of security and
satisfaction in the Study of the Word of God.

The historical-grammatical method is an interpretation of its language, such

as the laws of grammar and the facts of history demand. This is
the method that is most recommended according to the judgment and conscience of the

Christian students. Their fundamental principle consists of achieving

the Scriptures themselves the precise meaning that the writers intended to convey.

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 INDEX

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................Page 1

INDEX ……………………………………………………………Page 2
GRAMMAR-HISTORICAL METHOD ………………………………………Page 3
KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES ..........................Pg. 5
AUTHENTICITY OF THE TEXT ................................................... Page 9

CONCLUSIONES
BIBLIOGRAPHY

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 GRAMMATICAL-HISTORICAL METHOD

I. THE GRAMMATICAL-HISTORICAL METHOD

This method by object to find the meaning of a text based on what

his words express in their plain and simple sense in light of the context
historical context in which they were written. The interpretation is carried out according to the

common semantic and grammatical rules applicable to the exegesis of any text
literary, in the context of the author's situation and that of the readers of his time.

The grammatical-historical method, which already had its antecedents in the school of
interpretation of Antioch in the 4th century was revitalized by the reformers
of the 16th century. Both Luther and Calvin insisted that the function of
to interpret is to expose the text in its literal sense, unless the nature of
its content requires a figurative interpretation.

Luther wrote: "Only the simple, proper, original sense, the sense in which it is
written, makes good theologians. The Holy Spirit is the writer and the speaker most
simple that is in heaven and on earth. Therefore, his words cannot
having more than a simple and singular meaning, the literal meaning of what is written or

spoken.

The grammatical-historical study of a text includes its linguistic analysis.

(words, grammar, context, parallel passages, figurative language, etc.) and the
examination of its historical background.

According to M. S. Terry, the grammatical-historical method is the method that most

it recommends to the judgment and the conscience of Christian students. Its

the fundamental principle consists of obtaining from the Scriptures themselves the

precise meaning that the writers wanted to convey. The historical exegete-
a grammarian endowed with appropriate intellectual and educational qualities
morales will accept the demands of the Bible without prejudice or preconceptions; and without

any ambition to demonstrate them as true or false will investigate the

language and trends of each book with full independence and without fear of

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no class; it will take possession of the writer's language, of the special dialect that
she spoke, as well as her style and peculiar way of expression; she will find out the
circumstances in which he wrote, the ways and customs of his time and the
reason or object that he had in mind when writing. He has the right to assume that
No author in their right mind will knowingly be inconsistent with themselves.
he will try to mislead or deceive his readers.

A fundamental principle of the historical-grammatical exposition is that the

words or sentences cannot have more than one meaning in one
same connection. The moment we neglect this principle we
we launched into a whirlwind of insecurity and conjectures.

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II. KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGES OF THE BIBLE

A thorough interpretation of Scripture requires a solid understanding of the

languages in which their books were written, for no translation can
express all the fullness of nuances of the original texts. The great
Biblical exegetes must be true linguists who master Hebrew, the
Aramaic and Greek.

A) Hebrew:

In this language, the entire Old Testament is written, with the exception of
some portions written in Aramaic (Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Jer. 10:11 and Dan.
2:4b-7:28.

Hebrew thought was not abstract, like that of the Greeks, but rather concrete.
The immaterial is often expressed through the material; the feeling,
through action, and action, through the instrument. Hence the use
frequent anthropomorphisms. These expressions and many other analogous ones do not
they are my own metaphors of poetic language in any literature. For
The Israelites have a more literal meaning than for us, since they do not
they made an absolute distinction between animated and inanimate nature. The
the natural world constitutes a whole of which man is a part (see Ps.
104:23 in light of the context).

The first features that stand out and distinguish Hebrew

the written texts are read from right to left and from the end towards the
principle and that all its letters are consonants. This last characteristic
it came to cause problems over time. In the period
intertestamental Hebrew was replaced by Aramaic as the language of the
village. Despite this, the pronunciation of the sacred texts was
carefully preserved and passed down from generation to generation in the
synagogues and rabbinical schools, However, the moment came when,
due to serious discrepancies arising from sects of Judaism, it was made
it is urgent to definitively establish the traditional pronunciation.

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To achieve this purpose, the Jewish Masoretes introduced into their texts
signs that were placed above, inside, or below the consonants to
indicate the vowels.

Hebrew grammar does not conform to the structure of Greco-Latin languages.

It is characteristic of the Semitic type. The words belong to three classes of
categorías: nombres, que indican realidades concretas o abstractas; verbos,
that express action, and particles, that indicate the various types of relationship
between nouns and verbs. Nouns, which include adjectives and the
pronouns, they only have masculine and feminine. All objects, including the
inanimate objects appear to be endowed with life. The mountains, the rivers, and the seas,

For being representative of majesty and strength, they are masculine, and in not a few

texts, personified. The names of cities, lands, or localities,

considered as mothers of their inhabitants, they are feminine.

The Hebrew plural often expresses, more than an idea of plurality of

individuals, that of fullness, abundance or majesty. The first word of
Psalm 1 is a plural name. It would literally translate to 'the
blessings of man,” which seeks to exalt the supreme happiness
of the man who "does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, etc.", The word "life" in the

The Old Testament is frequently in the plural, as in Gen. 2:7. "He breathed in
"his nose breathed lives" Similarly, in verse 9 we find "tree of
lives". This form of plural has a special modality in what has been
denominated plural of excellence, especially applied to the name of God
(Elohim). The verb is characterized by its triliteral root in all cases. In its
conjugation is distinguished not only by number and person, as in Spanish, but
also gender. One cannot properly speak of tenses, but rather of
states of the subject and of the complete and incomplete action. The idea of
Past, present, or future is not inherent to the forms of conjugation. In everything
In this case, such an idea must be deduced from the context. This explains the observed diversity.

in the versions of the Old Testament, especially in the translation of the

poetic texts. Thus, while in the Reina Valera version it has been translated

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"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Ps. 23:1), in others it has been chosen for the

Present: "I lack nothing. An analogous observation can be made regarding the
first verse of Psalm 1, in which the verb has taken on various
translations of the forms of 'anduvo' or 'anda'. This last form, in present,
it seems more coherent with the following verse.

Time for him was a series of moments (the opening and closing of eyes) of character
continuum. The past was always introduced into the future and the future was lost in the
past." This way of understanding and expressing facts is extremely
valuable for capturing the glorious perspective of God's works throughout the
history. In such cases, the future event is conceived as something already
consummated; it has become a foregone conclusion and a purpose of
God assured. Thus, for example, in the Hebrew text of Gen. 17:20 it reads: 'In
As for Ishmael, I have also heard you, and behold, I have blessed him and I have
I have made it fruitful and have multiplied it greatly. All this was to be
to take place in the future, but here it is presented as something already completed. It was

determined in the divine purpose, and from an ideal point of view, the future was
seen as something that had already happened.

The particles or invariant parts of the grammatical sentence, due to their richness of
Nuances are of great importance in Hebrew and must be taken into account.

consideration. The syntax is comparatively simple. The normal order in the

phrases are the following: predicate, subject, complement, and words
specifications, However, it can vary the placement of subject and predicate,
putting in first place the one that should have the most emphasis. The sentences are

generally simple and brief, and even compound sentences are clear.
There are no long periods structured by a construction.
complicated. A good example is chapter 1 of Genesis. Putting aside
the difficulties that this text may entail in other aspects, its structure
grammar cannot be simpler. Taking into account the distinguishing features
from Hebrew, it is evident that this language constituted the most suitable means for

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communicate simply the great deeds of God and His message
recorded in the Old Testament.

B) The Greek:

As is well known, the Greek of the New Testament is not that of literature.
classical, but the koiné or common dialect, spoken since the times of Alexander
Magno (4th century BC) to those of Justinian (6th century AD)
approximately. It was the language of the people and was used all over the world
Mediterranean. Although the vernacular languages were still being spoken in the

different regions, the koiné was the only means of communication among all
she was like a bridge between the different linguistic islands.

There are Hebrew or Aramaic words in the New Testament that have been
literally transcribed into Greek. For example, Abba, father (Mr. 14:36; Ro.8:15);
Hosanna, save now (Jn. 12:13); sikera, alcoholic beverage (Le. 1:15); Satan (2
Approx. 12:7), etc.

Especial mención merece también el hecho de que no pocas palabras griegas

they receive a new meaning in the New Testament. Thus parakaleó, which
originally meant 'to call' or 'to summon', in the New Testament
it also expresses the ideas of begging, comforting, encouraging, strengthening. The word
Peace, as an expression of a state opposite to that of war, is elevated by the way
from the Hebrew concept (well-being in its broadest sense) to the heights of
supreme well-being achieved in the new relationship that man can have
with God through the mediating work of Christ and by faith.

This fact makes it necessary for the interpreter of the New Testament to be in
conditions of knowing not only the original or common meaning of the lexicon
Greek, but also the new nuances acquired by many words such as
inheritance of Hebrew thought and by imperative of new concepts
arisen with Christianity.

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III. AUTHENTICITY OF THE TEXT

One of the first tasks of the exegete is to examine the biblical passage that
to be interpreted in light of textual criticism, which aims to bring us closer
to the maximum of the original text.

The mission of experts in textual criticism is to gather and compare the diverse
manuscripts, as well as ancient versions and quotes, following principles and
rules for detecting text corruption and determining with
sure or with a high degree of probability what the original text was.

Regarding the corruption process of the early texts, a series of events

and circumstances make us understand the practically inevitable nature of the
alterations that were introduced in the successive copies of the books
from the Bible over the course of centuries. Some of these alterations were
totally involuntary, due to the great similarity of certain letters,
especially in Hebrew, or even of words. The change -very easy- from a
a single letter by another similar one could result in a different word, and a
a word different from the original generally expresses an idea as well
different. The transposition, repetition of letters or words, the
similitud de algunas frases, las abreviaturas mal interpretadas y la incorporación
The text of marginal notes was also a cause of involuntary corruption.

At other times, the modifications could have a certain intentionality: the desire
to clarify, expand, or even piously correct what the author had written,
if the copyist deemed that the text was not sufficiently conspicuous, complete, or
"orthodox". In those cases, the alteration could consist of the suppression of
difficult phrases, in the substitution of a dark word or phrase for another one more
clear or in the addition of a new phrase. Some of these forms of corruption
they undoubtedly responded to a dogmatic zeal, as happened with the text of 1 John.
(for there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Spirit; and these three are one"), which did not appear in any manuscript of

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the first centuries. The correction of the corruptions is carried out following
technical procedures of great scientific rigor. In all critical research there
both external and internal factors are taken into account.
external the date, the character, and the value of the manuscript. Of internal character, the

style and content.

It is essential that whoever interprets the Bible, whatever their level of

specialization, have a refined text of the Scripture at your disposal and work
the greater the respect for the authentic Word of God,
the greater the effort will be to benefit from the achievements of textual criticism.

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IV. CONCLUSIONS:
The grammatical-historical method consists of obtaining from the Scriptures
the same precise meaning that the writers intended to convey.

The grammatical-historical method is one of the most

recommended for the interpretation of the Bible and/or any type of
text.

For the application of this method, it is necessary to have a great

dedication and study of the history, languages, and contexts of the text of
study.

The importance of knowing what the author really wants to say is

achieving by placing ourselves in their context, knowing their language, knowing

its history, its culture, etc.

V. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Martínez, J. M., (1984).Hermenéutica Bíblica, Barcelona, España, Gráficos

from the M.C.E. Horeb.
Terry M. S., (1883). Hermenéutica, España, Editorial Clie.

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