eisegesis

Definition

An interpretation, especially of Scripture, that reflects the personal ideas or viewpoint of the interpreter; reading something into a text that is not there.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek εἰς (eis, “into”) and English exegesis. Historically unrelated to the Ancient Greek εἰσήγησις (eisḗgēsis, “proposing, advising”).

Example Sentences

• "For the benefit of readers who may have been influenced by certain eisegeses of MacCorquodale and Meehl (1948), let us here emphasize: Whether or not an interpretation of a test's properties or relations involves questions of construct validity is to be decided by examining the entire body of evidence offered, together with what is asserted about the test in the context of this evidence."
• "To be sure, there are those who are more sophisticated in their dogmatic eisegeses, but the offense is not thereby lessened."
• "This is only one of a plethora of eisegeses by which images of Mary were detected in the OT."

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