Definition of Eisegesis


Eisegesis is the approach to Bible interpretation where the interpreter tries to "force" the Bible to mean something that fits their existing belief or understanding of a particular issue or doctrine.  People who interpret the Bible this way are usually not willing to let the Bible speak for itself and let the chips fall where they may.  They start off with the up-front goal of trying to prove a point they already believe in, and everything they read and interpret is filtered through that paradigm. Stated another way, they engage in what the Bible refers to as "private interpretation".  

In the case of creation, if someone is already convinced that the pseudoscience of the religion of evolutionism has proven evolution to be true beyond a reasonable doubt, such persons typically will not approach Bible study on this issue with an open mind and let it speak for itself.  Instead, they will engage in highly creative Bible interpretation to make all the irreconcilable conflicts between creation and evolution somehow fit with each other.  For example, God went out of his way to define the creation "days" of Genesis as literal 24-hour days (see how long is a "day").  But in spite of this fact many well meaning but misguided Christians engaged in what can only be described as tortured Bible interpretation to try to somehow "make" those days into billions of years each.

In the end, eisegesis is an exercise that in most cases leads to wrong interpretation, and therefore improper applications of those verses in the person's life. 

See also "The Eisegesis Virus"