Exegesis is the critical interpretation of a text, especially of scripture, to discover its meaning. It focuses on what the author intended to communicate.
Eisegesis, on the other hand, is the interpretation of a text by reading one's own ideas and presuppositions into it. It's essentially the opposite of exegesis, where the reader projects their own meaning onto the text instead of trying to understand the author's intent.
Here's a simple way to think about it:
* Exegesis: Reading the text *to* the author.
* Eisegesis: Reading the text *from* the author.
Think of it like a conversation. Exegesis is listening to the other person and trying to understand what they're saying, while eisegesis is talking over them and only hearing what you want to hear.