Exegetical Fallacies [Paperback]

D. A. Carson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

Updated explanations of the ''sins'' of interpretation teach sound grammatical, lexical, cultural, theological, and historical Bible study practices.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

D. A. Carson (PhD, University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author or editor of more than forty books and is one of the leaders of The Gospel Coalition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic; 2 edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801020867
• ISBN-13: 978-0801020865
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

D. A. Carson (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author or coauthor of over 45 books, including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book The Gagging of God and An Introduction to the New Testament, and is general editor of Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns and Worship by the Book. He has served as a pastor and is an active guest lecturer in church and academic settings around the world.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 100 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for Pastors and Scholars April 21, 2004

By John Botkin

Format:Paperback

D. A. Carson is research professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. This book began as a series of lectures sponsored by Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, OR. Carson also explains that much of what went into the lectures, and so now the book, began as part of his notes given in various classes over the years. This is the second edition of the book, which finds it slightly revised and expanded form the previous edition. Carson divides his book into four chapters that deal with various kinds of fallacies and a fifth chapter that offers some concluding thoughts.

The first chapter deals with word-study fallacies. Here, Carson gives a list of the mistakes related to linguistics studies. All of these fallacies occur when interpreters misunderstand the use of certain words by an author. Some involves reading back into the word the meaning of another word which has the original as its root, though the root did not originally mean what its derivative does. For example, while our word `dynamite' may have the Greek 'dunamous' as its root, Paul certainly was not thinking of blasting powder when he spoke of the 'dunamous' [power] of the gospel. Others involve finding a root to words which simply isn't there. For example, we not should interpret the word `butterfly' based on its apparent root words - `butter' and `fly'!

Chapter two examines grammatical fallacies. These sorts of mistakes many times come from basing arguments on the mood or tense of words when the language is more flexible than the one arguing will allow. For example, the aorist tense is often abused by some who insist that it always means an `once for all action' that occurs in the past. Heikki Räisänen makes this mistake when commenting on Romans 3:27.

Logical fallacies are the focus of the third chapter of this book. Here, Carson attacks the erroneous ways in which one justifies the way he or she may interpret Scripture. These can come in one's inability to recognize distinctions, or perhaps draw distinctions where none exist. Still yet, another fallacy can come when one improperly frames the question he is trying to answer. For example, "When did you stop beating your wife?" is a mis-framed question, for almost any answer will get the innocent man in trouble!

The fourth chapter outlines some presuppositional and historical fallacies that often plague exegetes. Some of these mistakes result when one ignores the Bible's storyline. For example, some today would see the Song of Songs as pornographic literature. Obviously, they have missed the point of the book, in part because they have failed to take the plot-line of the Scripture in mind. Some of the historical fallacies that Carson speaks of involve uncontrolled reconstructions of ancient settings, attempted explanations of an author's motive, and the desire to relate the Bible to other disciplines (e.g. sociology or psychology).

Carson has put together an excellent handbook on mistakes to avoid in interpreting Scripture. And while Carson himself sees this book as only being supplemental reading, I think that it should be required reading for anyone who studies (or practices!) hermeneutics and Scripture interpretation. The only critique I have to offer is the book's brevity. I would love to see Carson do yet another revision of the book, elaborating further on the various fallacies he has outlined along with adding a comparable section on positive elements for interpreting Scripture.

Overall, I found Carson's book to be an excellent read. Granted this is not light reading that one would want to take on vacation with him or her, it is a book that repays serious study and contemplation. On a personal note, I was fortunate enough to meet Carson once. When I did, I told him how much this book sacred me when I read it. He made the comment that he supposed the book was not all that "edifying." After reflecting on the short conversation, I think he was wrong. In fact, the book is very edifying because it teaches the reader that he or she is not interpreting just another book, he is handling the Word of God and great care must be taken. The book is edifying in that it reinforces the value of God's Word.

59 of 63 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the effort to utilize this book December 3, 2001

By E. Johnson

Format:Paperback

As others have said, this book is short, but Exegetical Fallacies is well worth your effort to learn how to properly exegete scripture. Written in a systematic way, I appreciate the work Carson has done. He is obviously a scholar and makes great points, especially on those texts that preachers massacre to make them say something that they really don't. I appreciated the fact that Carson was not only critical with others' interpretations but some of his own as well. I thought that this was admirable.

My criticism of this book (why it loses a star) is that there are times Carson could have been so much simpler while still saying the same thing. Several times I had to read and then reread his writing, and still I came away confused. No, it wasn't the use of the original languages that gave me problems, but rather just his manner of using awkward works or saying too much without properly expounding. (Could this have been because he was condensing? Probably.) One example is on pages 51ff regarding the use of agapao and phleo in John 21. I understand his point on page 53, but he (at least in my opinion) was most difficult to follow in these pages. (I'm still scratching my head.) While I'm no scholar, I believe that many average and even above average readers could have been serviced better with a clearer presentation in several parts of the book. But still, the book is worth fighting through, so don't let that discourage you.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars maybe 4.5 stars February 23, 2006

By W. cornett

Format:Paperback

In a lengthy introduction Carson shows the need for this study, warns of the dangers of this study, and sets the limits of this study. His purpose for writing this book is to cause awareness of common exegetical blunders. He hopes this will provoke the reader to examine his own exegetical practices, causing the reader to both handle God's Word with care and avoid these errors. He points out that it is a focus on the negative, meaning what not to do. The hope is that by knowing what to avoid the reader will be able to make use of the wealth of material available that inform on the methods of exegesis. The author limits his scope to exegesis and not hermeneutics. He aims to write this book at the semi-popular level with the practitioner in mind. Carson addressees a total of forty-eight different exegetical fallacies. He discusses them under four major headings: word-study fallacies (27-64), grammatical fallacies (65-86), logical fallacies (87-124), and presuppositional and historical fallacies (125-136). A fifth chapter is also included which contains some concluding remarks.

Carson, through a no holds barred approach, draws attention to common exegetical fallacies forcing the reader to examine his own exegetical practice. In almost every instance Carson does not simply write about a particular exegetical fallacy but provides a specific illustration of that fallacy. He also provides some advice on how to avoid it in interpretation. No theological school escapes Carson's critique. His index of authors for the most part looks like a who's who of the theological world. He reveals errors of conservatives and liberals, prominent scholars and less prominent ones, his former dean, and even himself twice. This diversity of sources informs the reader that no theological persuasion is void of every fallacy. This is a warning that he should not think he is above the same pitfalls. While this approach can cause the Bible student a little bit of anxiety, as Carson himself warns, it causes the reader to humbly come to the Word of God and desire to correctly handle it. Thus, through a relentless approach of focusing on the negative Carson successfully achieves his main goals.

One weaknesses of the book is Carson vocabulary. He has a big vocabulary, or good thesaurus, and this book shows it. He also uses technical language in spots without any definition or explanation. Seminary students, perhaps, should know the vocabulary and concepts Carson uses. Simplicity and clarity, however, is appreciated even by the most intelligent. Since he had keeping the practitioner from error in mind, simplicity and clarity should have been a priority. The one goal that Carson does not achieve is writing the book at a semi-popular level.

Another weakness of the book is that it might drive one to "discouragement and even despair" (22). He urges the reader in the introduction and conclusion to not be, but this does little to comfort the new practitioner who has seen admirable scholars much more capable than he be torn down or even the veteran that has just realized dozen of errors he has committed.

Carson's tone is at times harsh. He chides Gleason Archer for saying something is clear when Carson had arrived at a different conclusion. Carson says using terms like this is insulting to others. His point is well taken, but the irony is that Carson calls one author "linguistically naive" (70). If saying something is clear is insulting to someone, then what is calling them naive? A little bit of tact would help him keep this book, which already focus on the negative, from becoming discouraging.

This is an excellent book and an enjoyable read. At a little over 140 pages this book is a quick read. Overall it is enjoyable and needed.