Hermeneutics is the branch of theology that deals with interpretation, especially of Scripture. There are four main hermeneutical principles: literal, historical, grammatical, and spiritual.
The literal principle states that we should interpret the Bible literally unless there is good reason to do otherwise. The historical principle states that we should interpret the Bible in its historical context. The grammatical principle states that we should interpret the Bible according to its grammar and syntax. The spiritual principle states that we should interpret the Bible spiritually, taking into account its allegorical and symbolic meaning.
When applying these principles to Scripture, we must first determine what the author’s intention was in writing the text. Once we know this, we can then apply the appropriate hermeneutical principle to arrive at an accurate interpretation of what the text actually means.