A new book written by Concordia Seminary’s Graduate Professor of Exegetical Theology Dr. James W. Voelz and now available from Concordia Seminary Press takes readers into the text of the Bible and helps them to understand the important factors that go into interpreting it.

Principles of Biblical Interpretation for Everyone by Voelz, the Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Professor of New Testament Theology, is available online and in the Seminary’s Campus Store. Concordia Seminary Press is the publishing arm of the Seminary.

“Biblical interpretation is a complicated matter. The fact that there are so many disagreements about the meaning of Bible passages among various people and various denominations is proof of that,” Voelz said. “I want everyone who studies God’s Word to understand that complexity, to appreciate why competing interpretations arise, and to develop a real confidence in the ability to ‘read, mark, learn and inwardly digest’ the sacred Scriptures, and to receive God’s gracious promises of life.”

The new volume is designed especially for lay people who are interested in extensive biblical interpretation. Readers will encounter everything from the manuscripts that stand behind various English Bible translations, to matters of language and meaning, to a consideration of the canon of sacred Scripture, to issues that a person must consider when applying the Bible to Christian life today. The book also includes a section called “Deeper Dives” for readers who want a closer examination of the material presented in each chapter.

“Any serious student of the Christian Bible will benefit from this superb presentation of the issues and principles involved in the sacred, blessed task of interpreting the Holy Scriptures,” said Dr. James Fickenscher, adjunct professor of biblical studies at Concordia University, Irvine, Calif.

Voelz has taught at the Seminary level for more than 48 years and has been a member of Concordia Seminary’s faculty since 1989. His areas of expertise include hermeneutics, Greek language and the synoptic Gospels.

About Concordia Seminary

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit csl.edu.