Stein argues in this paper that in a communication process, meaning is determined by the author. He acknowledges his debt to E. D. Hirsch Jr. and his book Validity in Interpretation. Stein provides an extended argument for author-determined meaning.

Preaching cannot be separated from the interpretation of Scripture. Reflection on the work of E. D. Hirsch Jr. naturally finds a place in reflection on homiletics. This article argues that the hermeneutic of Hirsch has much to offer expository preaching. This article tries to answer the following questions: What are the basic hermeneutic contentions of Hirsch?