What does eisegesis mean?
Eisegesis refers to the interpretation of a text in which the reader projects their own ideas, beliefs, or agendas onto it rather than seeking out what the text actually says. The term is most at home in biblical and theological scholarship, where it stands as the direct opposite of exegesis — the disciplined effort to draw a text's meaning out through attention to language, context, and history. Where exegesis is held up as rigorous, eisegesis is almost invariably a charge: to accuse someone of eisegesis is to say their interpretation reflects themselves more than the source. The word derives from Greek roots meaning essentially 'to lead into,' capturing the image of the interpreter importing foreign content into the work. Beyond religion, it finds useful application wherever texts are read tendentiously — literature, law, politics — making it a valuable term for anyone concerned with honest interpretation.
nounThe interpretation of a text, especially a religious one, by reading into it one's own ideas or presuppositions rather than drawing out its actual meaning. It is the counterpart — and the critical opposite — of exegesis.
- The practice of interpreting a text, especially scripture, by imposing one's own assumptions or ideas onto it rather than deriving meaning from the text itself.
"Rather than letting the passage speak for itself, the preacher's eisegesis imposed his own political agenda on the text."
"Scholars accused him of eisegesis, arguing that he had projected modern values onto an ancient text."
"Careful readers guard against eisegesis by asking what the author intended, not what they wish the text said."
The plural follows the Greek-style -es ending shared with 'exegesis' → 'exegeses'. It is rare, as the word is typically used as an uncountable abstraction.
"Across the centuries, commentators have produced countless eisegeses, each finding their own convictions in the same verses."
Eisegesis is what happens when you don't read the text — you make it read you.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of eisegesis
Eisegesis comes from Greek eis ('into') combined with hēgeisthai ('to lead'), literally 'to lead into' — a deliberate coinage contrasting with exegesis, from ek ('out of'), 'to lead out.' The word was formed on the model of exegesis, likely in English scholarly usage, to name the error that exegesis was meant to prevent. It shares the Greek root with words such as exegete and, more distantly via the same verb, hegemony.
Related word forms
How eisegesis is actually used
A scholarly and often pejorative term, used chiefly in biblical criticism, theology, and literary studies. It is almost always deployed as an accusation — no one praises an interpretation as eisegesis. The word is formal and relatively rare outside academic contexts, but its contrast with 'exegesis' makes it a precise tool for criticizing motivated or biased readings.
Easily confused with eisegesis
Exegesis draws meaning out of a text based on careful analysis, whereas eisegesis reads the interpreter's own ideas into it.