Why bother with Hermeneutics?

It is true that some readers of Scripture understand Scripture to be wonderfully clear on all matters. It is also true that some readers of Scripture have an unerring capacity to make all matters more complicated than anyone else finds them. But it is not hard to recognize that Scripture is sometimes clear and sometimes not for most people most of the time. It depends a lot on how the question is framed which we want Scripture to answer.

Consider this question: does Scripture teach that Christians should give for the needs of the local and universal church and for the poor? The answer is pretty clear - if not completely clear: 'yes'. But what about this question: does Scripture teach that Christians should tithe their income and give that tenth away? (And if we are to tithe, does Scripture teach what proportion of the tithe should be given to the poor and what to the local and universal church?)

Almost the same questions, but differently framed, potentially leading to similar answers, but not necessarily, and certainly highlighting the clarity of Scripture in one case and the lack of clarity in the other!

Hermeneutics is scarcely needed for some questions we bring to Scripture. It is worth bothering about for other questions!