'The Law of First Mention'
Has anyone heard of this before? The idea is that, the first time we come across something in the Bible, that it is the inherent meaning for all other occurances. For example, when we read, 'And there was evening and there was morning, one day' (Gen. 1.5b), we should then understand that 'one day' consists of 'evening' and 'morning'.
Grace to you,
jak
'Unless I am convinced by scripture and plain reason, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience would be neither right nor safe. God help me. Here I stand, I can do no other.'~~Martin Luther, 1521
I've never heard of that before ... interesting. I'm not sure it's a good idea for hermeneutics though - especially when you consider the books of the bible aren't arranged in the order they were written.
Ditch the Garbage! - Too many people are proud of their humility - I, on the other hand, am not humble - and am proud of it!
"Luther's New Testament was so much multiplied and spread by printers that even tailors and shoemakers, yea, even women and ignorant persons who had accepted this new Lutheran gospel, and could read a little German, studied it with the greatest avidity as the fountain of all truth. Some committed it to memory, and carried it about in their bosom. In a few months such people deemed themselves so learned that they were not ashamed to dispute about faith and the gospel not only with Catholic laymen, but even with priests and monks and doctors of divinity." - A complaint by German humanist Johann Cochlaeus.
Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kraftb
Follow Predestinarian Network on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/predestinarian
Follow Predestinarian Network on Twitter: http://twitter.com/predestinarian
I have seen this in a lot of hermeneutics books. However, as you pointed out, the books in the bible are not written in order, so you would have to do some digging, I suppose.
Grace to you,
jak
'Unless I am convinced by scripture and plain reason, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience would be neither right nor safe. God help me. Here I stand, I can do no other.'~~Martin Luther, 1521
I'm nearly sure that A. W. pink mentions this as a valid means of interpreting in his book "Interpretation of Scriptures", but as grebel says it may not be the best idea in hermeneutics.
It may be useful or it may not. I don't think it can be applied rigidly.
johngc
Hello,Originally posted by Odyssey
'The Law of First Mention'
Has anyone heard of this before? The idea is that, the first time we come across something in the Bible, that it is the inherent meaning for all other occurances. For example, when we read, 'And there was evening and there was morning, one day' (Gen. 1.5b), we should then understand that 'one day' consists of 'evening' and 'morning'.
Grace to you,
jak
I've heard the law before several times. Mostly in reference in having a chronological understanding of the word being used. Charismatics used the law alot in their interpretation.
This could lead to all kinds of very, very odd things if you were consistent.
Sola Gratia,
WildBoar
For whatever strength of arm he may have who swims in the open sea, yet in time he is carried away and sunk, mastered by the greatness of its waves. Need then there is that we be in the ship, that is, that we be carried in the wood, that we may be able to cross this sea. Now this Wood in which our weakness is carried is the Cross of the Lord, by which we are signed, and delivered from the dangerous tempests of this world.--St. Augustine
Wildboar,
I remember five years ago, my friend Micad introduced me to a book from Dr. Charles Capps, who used that law alot in his book on Genesis/Revelation correltations. Capps is a noted WOF and charismatic author.
Grace and Peace to you,
Paul Schafer
Sorry, I just couldn't keep myself back from giving an example.
Mark 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
Now the word translated as unloose in this verse is the Greek word luo.
1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Now, if the law of first mention is correct, luo should not be translated as destroy but as release in 1 John 3:8.
I used to have fun with this word in my Greek 101 class. The word can mean to release, destroy, atone for, etc. We often read Aesop's fables and there was a story where a mouse chewed through some ropes to release a lion. I thought it was more fun to have the mouse destroy the lion or atone for the lion.
Sola Gratia,
WildBoar
For whatever strength of arm he may have who swims in the open sea, yet in time he is carried away and sunk, mastered by the greatness of its waves. Need then there is that we be in the ship, that is, that we be carried in the wood, that we may be able to cross this sea. Now this Wood in which our weakness is carried is the Cross of the Lord, by which we are signed, and delivered from the dangerous tempests of this world.--St. Augustine
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks