I’m up against writing deadlines for my dissertation. So, no time for blogging these days. But in searching for a quote from Paul Ricouer on language, I found this little gem again that has huge implications for preaching. Here, Ricouer is talking precisely about the task of interpreting biblical texts.
“The primary task of a hermeneutics is not to bring about a decision in the reader (listener) but first to allow the world of being that is the ‘thing’ of the biblical text to unfold. In this way, above feelings, dispositions, belief or unbelief, is placed the proposal of a world, which in the language of the Bible, is called a new world, a new covenant, the Kingdom of God, a new birth.”
This, to my thinking, is what constitutes “biblical preaching.” Let those with ears to hear…
Dei-liberations 
Yes, my seminary prof told this to me
20 years ago. What a delightful
Inheritance says psalms 16
God bless you and be with you in your dissertation Mark.
Yeah, and with this unfolding of “world” comes an unfolding of identity. I don’t think the picture has been compellingly painted to fully depict what it means to be a child of the King, co-heir with Jesus, seated with him in the heavelies far above all rule, carrying the authority of Christ. What does that look like? How does it play out?