Community Consensus and Interpretation of Scripture
The Importance of Rabbi Hillel the Great
The basic principles of Midrash are found throughout the Jewish Bible. The original recognized seven points, called middot, are credited to Rabbi Hillel the Great, who was still alive when Jesus was a youth.[31] Hillel is the founder of Pharisaic Judaism. Modern Judaism considers itself a direct continuation of what Hillel began. Hillel is regarded as the greatest of the Hebrew sages of the Second Temple period, was quite possibly the father of the Simeon who held Jesus as a baby in the Temple (Luke 2.25), and was absolutely the grandfather of Rabbi Gamaliel, the teacher of the Apostle Paul, who defended the rights of Jewish believers in the book of Acts (Acts 5.34-39).
Paul extensively applied Rabbi Hillel's Midrashic principles to his own writing. Most of my adult life has been spent researching exactly how extensively Paul, and the other New Testament writers used Hillel the Great's Midrashic hermeneutics.
Some examples from the Old and New Testaments
Hillel's seven principles of Midrash, also known as the seven rules of Hillel, are a set of guidelines for interpreting the Hebrew Bible in the Pentateuch/Torah. They are as follows:
1. Kal vaChomer (light and heavy) - drawing a conclusion from a less stringent case to a more stringent one Example: If a minor is punished for desecrating the Sabbath, (Exodus 31.14) how much more so should an adult be punished for the same offense (Exodus 35.2).
2. Gezerah shavah (equal expression) - drawing a conclusion from a parallel expression found in another passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that a firstborn son must be redeemed (Exodus 13.13), so too it must be said in another passage that a firstborn donkey must be redeemed (Exodus 13.13).
3. Binyan av (father building) - drawing a conclusion from a general principle to a specific case Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all sacrifices must be brought to the Temple (Deuteronomy 12.13-14), so too it must be said in another passage that all firstborn animals must be brought to the Temple (Exodus 13.13).
4. Binyan ab (son building) - drawing a conclusion from a specific case to a general principal. Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the firstborn of man must be redeemed (Exodus 13.13), so too it must be said that all firstborns must be redeemed (Exodus 13.13).
5. Kelal u-ferat (general and specific) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case, or vice versa Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all sacrifices must be brought to the Temple (Deuteronomy 12.13-14), so too it must be said in another passage that all firstborn animals must be brought to the Temple (Exodus 13.13).
6. K'lal u-ferat u-kelal (general and specific and general) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case and then to a general principle Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all sacrifices must be brought to the Temple (Deuteronomy 12.13-14), so too it must be said in another passage that all firstborn animals must be brought to the Temple (Exodus 13.13) and therefore it is a general principle.
7. D'rash (homiletic) - drawing a moral or homiletic lesson from a passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that a person should not oppress the stranger (Exodus 22.20), so too it must be said that a person should not oppress any person, regardless of their background. (Lev 19.33-34).
Hillel's seven principles of Midrash can also be applied to interpreting the Ketuvim, or the Writings of the Hebrew Bible. Here are some examples of how they might be used:
1. Kal vaChomer (light and heavy) - drawing a conclusion from a less stringent case to a more stringent one Example: If God punished King David for his sins (2 Samuel 12.13-14), how much more will he punish the sins of those who do not repent (Prov 29.1).
2. Gezerah shavah (equal expression) - drawing a conclusion from a parallel expression found in another passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9.10), so too it must be said in another passage that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1.7).
3. Binyan av (father building) - drawing a conclusion from a general principle to a specific case Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all who trust in the Lord will be blessed (Psalm 34.8), so too it must be said in another passage that the specific person who trusts in the Lord will be blessed (Prov 16.20).
4. Binyan ab (son building) - drawing a conclusion from a specific case to a general principal. Example: Just as it is said in one passage that King David was blessed for his trust in the Lord (Psalm 34.8), so too it must be said that all who trust in the Lord will be blessed.
5. Kelal u-ferat (general and specific) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case, or vice versa Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the Lord will always watch over the way of the righteous (Prov 12.28), so too it must be said that the Lord watches over the specific way of the individual who fears him (Psalm 25.12)
6. K'lal u-ferat u-kelal (general and specific and general) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case and then to a general principle Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the Lord will always watch over the way of the righteous (Prov 12.28), so too it must be said that the Lord watches over the specific way of the individual who fears him (Psalm 25.12), and therefore it is a general principle that the Lord will watch over the way of those who fear him.
7. D'rash (homiletic) - drawing a moral or homiletic lesson from a passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the wise in heart will be called understanding (Prov 16.21), so too it must be said that one should strive to acquire wisdom and understanding.
In addition to the examples from the Hebrew Bible, Hillel's seven principles of Midrash can also be applied to the Kione Judeo-Greek of the New Testament Gospels in the teachings of Jesus. Here are some examples of how they might be used in interpreting the New Testament:
1. Kal vaChomer (light and heavy) - drawing a conclusion from a less stringent case to a more stringent one Example: If Jesus forgave sins for a paralyzed man (Mark 2.5), how much more will he forgive the sins of those who believe in him (John 3.16).
2. Gezerah shavah (equal expression) - drawing a conclusion from a parallel expression found in another passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that Jesus is the bread of life (John 6.35), so too it must be said in another passage that Jesus is the water of life (John 4.14).
3. Binyan av (father building) - drawing a conclusion from a general principle to a specific case Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all believers will be raised from the dead on the last day (John 11.24), so too it must be said in another passage that Lazarus, a specific believer, will be raised from the dead (John 11.43-44).
4. Binyan ab (son building) - drawing a conclusion from a specific case to a general principle. Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the blind man received his sight (John 9.7), so too it must be said that all who believe in Jesus will receive spiritual sight (John 3.3).
5. Kelal u-ferat (general and specific) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case, or vice versa Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all who believe in Jesus will have eternal life (John 3.16), so too it must be said that a specific believer, such as the thief on the cross (Luke 23.43), will have eternal life.
6. K'lal u-ferat u-kelal (general and specific and general) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case and then to a general principle Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all who believe in Jesus will have eternal life (John 3.16), so too it must be said that a specific believer, such as the thief on the cross (Luke 23.43), will have eternal life, and therefore it is a general principle that all who believe in Jesus will have eternal life.
7. D'rash (homiletic) - drawing a moral or homiletic lesson from a passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that Jesus washed his disciples' feet (John 13.5), so too it must be said that his followers should be willing to serve others humbly (John 13.14-15).
Hillel's seven principles of Midrash can also be applied to interpreting the writings of the Apostle Paul in the Kione Judeo-Greek New Testament. Here are some examples of how they might be used:
1. Kal vaChomer (light and heavy) - drawing a conclusion from a less stringent case to a more stringent one Example: If God did not spare the natural branches (unbelieving Israelites) (Romans 11.21), how much more will he spare the wild branches (Gentiles) (Romans 11.24) who were grafted in.
2. Gezerah shavah (equal expression) - drawing a conclusion from a parallel expression found in another passage Example: Just as it is said in one passage that we are justified by faith (Romans 5.1), so too it must be said in another passage that we are saved by faith (Eph 2.8).
3. Binyan av (father building) - drawing a conclusion from a general principle to a specific case Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all have sinned (Romans 3.23), so too it must be said in another passage that specific individuals such as the Corinthians (1 Cor 6.11) have sinned.
4. Binyan ab (son building) - drawing a conclusion from a specific case to a general principle Example: Just as it is said in one passage that the Corinthian believers were washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor 6.11), so too it must be said that all believers have been washed, sanctified, and justified by faith in Jesus Christ.
5. Kelal u-ferat (general and specific) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case, or vice versa Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8.28), so too it must be said that a specific situation such as the imprisonment of Paul and Silas (Acts 16.25) worked together for good.
6. K'lal u-ferat u-kelal (general and specific and general) - drawing a conclusion from a general statement to a specific case and then to a general principle Example: Just as it is said in one passage that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8.28), so too it must be said that a specific situation such as the imprisonment of Paul and Silas (Acts 16.25) worked together for good, and therefore it is a general principle that all things work together for good for those who love God.
7. D'rash (homiletic) - drawing a moral or homiletic lesson from a passage. Example: Just as it is said in one passage that Paul and Silas praised God in prison (Acts 16.25), so too it must be said that believers should always give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5.18).
Key Lesson Concepts:
- Role of community consensus in interpreting scripture
- Importance of hermeneutics in understanding scripture
- Value of engaging with consistent, recognized Midrashic hermeneutics for interpreting scripture
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