The Forbidden Fruit

P'SHAT

Pronounced as peh-shaht'

Meaning – "Simple"

The P'shat is the simplest level of scripture interpretation. When exploring P'shat, only the literal meaning of a text is considered. So the P'shat seeks to know only the literal, simple, easy and direct meaning of a text. It is the plain, simple meaning of the text. The understanding of the scripture in its natural and normal sense, using the customary meaning of the words being used, literary style, historical and cultural setting and context. The P'shat is the keystone of scripture understanding, if we discard the p'shat we lose any real chance of an accurate understanding.

For example, a text that says: "The boy died in the morning", in the P'shat scripture interpretation, will mean just what was said – the boy died in the morning. No inference, suggestions, or deeper interrogations will be made. The example above is relatable. However, in another instance that says "The fish ate the man", P'shat scripture interpretation does not seek to know the ambiguity behind the sentence or words. P'shat will take the sentence to mean that the fish, LITERALLY, ate the man. This is the P'shat scripture interpretation.

P'shat scripture interpretation using bible examples:

a. Numbers 22:30 - The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said.

P'shat meaning: The donkey talked and spoke with words, literally.

So, using P'shat meaning, this passage will mean that a donkey spoke like a man does. It would not infer any other deeper meaning.

b. Hosea 11:1 - When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

P'shat meaning: This verse says, literally, that God brought the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.

c. Genesis 3:6 - When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

P'shat Meaning: Here, the woman ate a real fruit from a real tree.

d. Genesis 28:14 - Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

P'shat meaning: Abraham will travel to a land and his children (physical offspring) will be many enough to make a nation. By Isaac's physical descendant, all the people on earth will be blessed.

e. Genesis 3:15 - And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

P'shat meaning: The seed of the woman and that of the serpent will be at loggerheads and always in warfare.

f. II Timothy 3:14-17 - 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

P'shat meaning: Saying that the scripture is that which Timothy has learnt from CHILDHOOD, the P'shat meaning for the Scriptures would be only the OLD TESTAMENT. Since the New Testament scriptures had not been written when Timothy was still a child, P'shat meaning will exclude the New Testament scriptures.