Subtitle: Essential Principles for Reading Scripture Accurately.

Course Description

Welcome to ITP 201! This essential course lays the foundation for responsible biblical interpretation, a field known as hermeneutics. Have you ever wondered how to properly understand a difficult passage, or how to get the true meaning from a verse without taking it out of context? This is the course for you. Here, you will learn the principles necessary for accurately discerning the meaning of Scripture. We will focus on the indispensable skills of analyzing context, understanding grammar, and recognizing different literary genres within the Bible. This course will equip you with the foundational tools to read, understand, and apply the Word of God with greater confidence and accuracy.

Course Structure

This course is composed of five chapters, each building upon the last to provide a comprehensive introduction to biblical interpretation. Each chapter includes a detailed summary, five in-depth lessons, a chapter test, and an optional “Deep Dive” for further study. The course culminates in a final course test.

• Course: Syllabus + Interactive Syllabus + 5 Chapters + Course Test
• Chapter: Summary + 5 Lessons + Chapter Test + Deep Dive

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define Hermeneutics: Articulate a clear definition of biblical hermeneutics and explain its critical importance for sound doctrine and healthy Christian living.
• Analyze Context: Evaluate the historical, cultural, and literary context of any biblical passage to determine its original meaning.
• Apply Grammatical Principles: Use basic principles of grammatical analysis, word studies, and syntax to understand the biblical text more deeply.
• Identify Biblical Genres: Recognize the major literary genres of Scripture (e.g., Narrative, Law, Poetry, Prophecy, Epistle) and apply genre-specific rules for interpretation.
• Bridge to Application: Develop a sound, repeatable method for moving from the original meaning of the text to its valid contemporary application.
• Recognize Fallacies: Identify and avoid common errors and fallacies in biblical interpretation.

Course Outline

Chapter 1: The Foundation of Interpretation

• Lesson 1: What is Hermeneutics and Why Does It Matter?
• Lesson 2: The Goal of Interpretation: Understanding Authorial Intent
• Lesson 3: The Indispensable Role of the Holy Spirit
• Lesson 4: Our Presuppositions: Recognizing Our Starting Point
• Lesson 5: A Brief History of How People Have Read the Bible

Chapter 2: The Supremacy of Context

• Lesson 1: The Golden Rule: Context, Context, Context
• Lesson 2: Investigating the Historical and Cultural Setting
• Lesson 3: Tracing the Literary Flow of Thought
• Lesson 4: Understanding the Bible’s Big Story: Covenantal Context
• Lesson 5: Essential Tools for Contextual Analysis

Chapter 3: Getting into the Text: Grammar and Words

• Lesson 1: The Building Blocks: How Sentences and Paragraphs Work
• Lesson 2: How to Do a Word Study That Works
• Lesson 3: The Power of Conjunctions and Connecting Words
• Lesson 4: An Introduction to Figures of Speech
• Lesson 5: The Value of Using Multiple Bible Translations

Chapter 4: Understanding Literary Forms (Genres)

• Lesson 1: Interpreting Old Testament Narrative: More Than Just Stories
• Lesson 2: Interpreting The Law (Torah): Its Purpose and Place
• Lesson 3: Interpreting Hebrew Poetry and Wisdom
• Lesson 4: Interpreting The Prophets: Forth-telling and Foretelling
• Lesson 5: Interpreting The Gospels and New Testament Epistles

Chapter 5: From Ancient Meaning to Modern Application

• Lesson 1: The Principlizing Bridge: Moving from Then to Now
• Lesson 2: Asking the Right Application Questions
• Lesson 3: The Role of the Community in Application
• Lesson 4: Common Application Errors to Avoid
• Lesson 5: Building Your Personal Interpretation Framework

Assessments & Grading

• Chapter Quizzes: Short quizzes will follow each lesson to assess comprehension.
• Chapter Tests: A test at the end of each of the five chapters will review the material covered.
• Final Course Test: A comprehensive final exam will cover the key ideas from all five chapters.
• Passing Requirement: To successfully complete this course, you must achieve a score of 80% or higher on each of the five Chapter Tests and the Final Course Test.