PaRDeS (Garden) פרד"ס

PaRDeS is implicit in Scripture. Both Messiah and His disciples employ it.

Is there Biblical support for the rabbinical method of Bible interpretation known as PaRDeS?

Firstly, פרד"ס PaRDeS (Garden) is an acronym that describes the traditional rabbinical method of interpretation. פ P = פְּשָׁט P’shat (Surface: Plain meaning), ר R = רֶמֶז‎ Remez (Hint), ד D = דְּרַשׁ‎ Drash (Inquire: Comparative), ס S = סוֹד Sod (Secret: Mystery). All subsequent interpretations are subject to the פְּשָׁט P’shat, plain meaning.

The word פרד"ס Pardes means Orchard or Garden and is a reference to paradise.

Secondly, there is no explicit Biblical instruction that gives a schematic for Bible interpretation. Those who claim therefore that Christianity’s Greco-Roman Schematic detailing exegesis, hermeneutics, the flawed ideal of eisegesis etc. is the most reliable methodology but that the rabbinical schematic of PaRDeS is not, are being intellectually dishonest. It’s equally foolish to claim that textual criticism is more trustworthy than the traditional rabbinical method. It’s the Torah that critiques us and not the other way around.

So, is there any implicit support for the rabbinical method within the texts of the Bible?

The פְּשָׁט P’shat or plain meaning is self-explanatory. There is no need to explain to a reader that the book means what it says. Therefore, there is no need to show evidence from the Bible that God intends for us to take it at face value relative to context, figurative, poetic and metaphorical language.

The first mention of the practice of examining the Scriptures in an exegetical way is in the book of Ezra the scribe.

"For Ezra had set his heart to l’drosh inquire of the Torah of Adonai, to observe and to teach its statues and ordinances in Israel.” –Ezra 7:10

The root “דרש Darash (D’rash)” is used specifically in relation to the Torah and therefore describes a practice of interpretation and an intention to walk according to that interpretation and teach it to others. This is the perfect example of what it means to make a דְּרַשׁ D’rash, or comparative teaching.

In addition to examples from the TaNaKh (OT), as Jews who follow Yeshua, we should look to Him and His disciples for evidence of the use of rabbinical interpretive method. If He doesn’t teach using the PaRDeS method, then why would we?

Let’s take a look at just a few of the many New Testament examples of פרד"ס PaRDeS found in the book of Matthew.
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As stated earlier, every part of Scripture has a plain meaning, therefore פְּשָׁט P’shat is the basis for the subsequent methods of interpretation.

Examples of the use of PaRDeS in the HaBrit HaChadashah (NT):

Remez (Hint)
Matthew 2:15 - "Out of Egypt I called my son." This is a quote from Hosea 11:1 and is being applied to ישוע Yeshua by Matthew. If we read it to refer to the פְּשָׁט p’shat (plain meaning) of Hosea 11:1, we must interpret it to refer to ancient Israel’s collective escape from Egypt. However, Matthew, the disciple of ישוע Yeshua, divinely inspired by God, interprets it as a רֶמֶז remez (hint) which is alluding to the Messianic King as God’s Son. This is just one of many examples of Matthew’s use of רֶמֶז remez.

D'rash (Inquire)
Matthew 18:18 - "... Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This verse taken literally and out of context is often used by Christians to demand that spiritual powers submit to them. However, within the context of Matthew 18:14-18 the פְּשָׁט p’shat (plain meaning) refers to the practical application of principals concerning those who are sinning within the body of believers. Thus the plain meaning indicates a דְּרַשׁ d'rash (comparative teaching) concerning the binding and loosing of our own actions according to הֲלָכָה Halakhah the way we walk (Yet another rabbinical teaching that ישוע Yeshua and His disciples applied to daily life).

Sod (Mystery)
Matthew 26:28 - "Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them saying, Drink from it all of you, This is my blood ..." If the figurative language here were taken literally it would not only violate the Torah commandment against consuming blood, but along with other verses concerning the eating of Yeshua's flesh (John 6:51-56), could be understood as teaching cannibalism. ישוע Yeshua explains to His disciples that it is the Spirit that produces the deeper understanding (John 6:63), and that His words are spirit and life. This is evidence of a סוֹד sod (mystery) that cannot be gleaned from the פְּשָׁט p’shat (plain meaning) of the text. A concept that is illuminated through spiritual revelation alone and by no other means. This particular סוֹד sod (Mystery) would be fully revealed following His death and resurrection.

So what can we conclude?
1. There is no explicit schematic for Bible interpretation within Scripture.
2. PaRDeS is implicit in Scripture. Both Messiah and His disciples employ it.
3. It’s arrogant and even misleading to use Greco-Roman techniques and post enlightenment textual criticism as tools for Scriptural interpretation while excluding the rabbinical interpretive tradition based on the hypocritical assumption that it’s not divinely appointed.

Yaakov Ben Yehoshua
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