What is Interpretive Maximalism?

In this brief essay, I explore a little of James B. Jordan's use of maximalism in his interpretive model.

Biblical interpretation is not a theme that circulates dinner tables, but how we interpret the text shapes our dinner tables. If someone reads the Bible rigidly, your conversations about Jesus may fail to see the role of poetry, types, and patterns; there is a high likelihood that table conversations will also lack certain hermeneutical virtues inherent to the Biblical way of life. One may even suspect that such a table is not interested in poetry or good fiction. How we interpret a text is crucial to grasping the interpreter's motivation, disposition, and ethos.

The last 40 years have seen a tremendous revival of hermeneutical studies with people like Kevin Van Hoozer and his Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament; G.K. Beale’s work on Biblical and Temple theology has been revolutionary. Of course, you can return to Goldsworthy Biblical Theology and other resources. 

What About Me?

Where do I fit in the picture? Well, I don’t. I am insignificant in this prestigious history of interpreters who taught at well-known seminaries and published massive tomes on biblical interpretation. Rich Lusk and I have provided two commentaries offering a unique interpretive model. I have also published a test case for this hermeneutical model focusing on the paradigm of the armor of God. So, while my contributions are infinitesimally small in comparison to the aforementioned titans, I do bring a little interpretive flavor to the game.