What is textualism?

Answer

Textualism is the practice of adhering to the actual text of any document. Much courtroom debate centers around textualism as lawyers, judges, and juries must give heed to what the law actually says. Textualism is especially appropriate in biblical hermeneutics. As conservative Bible scholars are fond of saying, “When the plain sense makes common sense, seek no other sense.” Textualism dictates that every word should be taken at its primary, ordinary, literal, historical meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and self-evident and fundamental biblical truths, clearly indicate otherwise. Text without context is pretext or a disguise for deception.

Each passage of Scripture has one true interpretation, and, after that is found, we may make application, but only in view of the original context. That means we do not use the Scriptures allegorically— we do not try to spiritualize passages to change their original meaning. Words have meaning, and textualism is concerned with those exact words. “Every word of God is flawless” «Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. », (Proverbs 30:5).

Jesus used textualism in His reading of Scripture. Often, He began an answer to a question with “Haven’t you read . . .?” (see Mark 2:25,26;12:10,26). When asked by a lawyer what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus said, “What is written in the Law?” «He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? », (Luke 10:26). In the Law of the Lord, every jot and tittle is important «For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,

One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:18); a careful reading is required.

A good example of textualism used by the biblical writers is Paul’s argument for the superiority of the Abrahamic Covenant over the Law. Referring to Genesis 12:7, Paul says, “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.” «Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. », (Galatians 3:16). Notice that Paul’s argument hinges on the use of the singular versus the plural form of the word seed. Paul is concerned with the exact form of one word in the Old Testament—that is textualism.

Textualism is the basis of solid exegesis, the process of extracting from Scripture what is truly there. Textualism is not needed for eisegesis, which is reading into the passage what one wants to find, ignoring context or the real meaning of the words used. Eisegesis is akin to “proof texting,” which is yanking something out of context and using it to bolster some personal idea.

Textualism requires us to examine the original language, the diction (the words used), the syntax, and the grammar of the passage. We must pay attention to the customs and historical background of the passage, too. How did the original writer intend his words to be taken? How would the intended audience have understood what he said? Words matter.

As another example, in John 3:5 Jesus says to Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” Some people try to use this verse to teach baptismal regeneration, but it is important toFollow the principles of textualism here. What is the actual message of the text? The initial observation is that the term baptism does not appear in the passage. It is essential to ascertain Jesus’ intended meaning behind the mention of “water” and how Nicodemus would have comprehended that allusion. (For an in-depth analysis of this verse, refer to our article here.)

When we explore the Scriptures, our duty is to diligently examine “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”, (2 Timothy 2:15). We must approach the Word with reverence to uncover (exegete) its original intent. Once we establish the accurate understanding of a passage, we can extract principles and insights for life. However, losing focus on the text may lead to immature, distorted interpretations or unbalanced applications. Textualism assists us in maintaining vigilance and objectivity in our study, ensuring the text’s wording remains prominent. As Isaiah 8:20 advises, “Consult God’s instruction and teachings!” (NLT).