ggw chapter 5 discourses

HOW TO READ THE BOOK—DISCOURSES

Introduction

What is a discourse?

Units of connected text that are longer than paragraphs.

Introduction

God’s message is not restricted to small units of text. Much of the message of the Bible is embedded in larger units of text.

Things to Look for in Discourses

1. Connections between Paragraphs and Episodes

Ask how your paragraph or episode connects with the paragraphs/episodes that come before and after the one you are studying.

Things to Look for in Discourses

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel

Things to Look for in Discourses

that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.”

Colossians 1:3-8

Things to Look for in Discourses

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Things to Look for in Discourses

being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Things to Look for in Discourses

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:9-14

Things to Look for in Discourses

Paul refers to having heard of the Colossians’

conversion.

because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus… (1:4)

Since the day we heard about you… (1:9)

The Connections

Things to Look for in Discourses

Paul and Timothy are praying for the Colossians.

when we pray for you… (1:3)

we have not stopped praying for you… (1:9)

The Connections

Things to Look for in Discourses

The first paragraph is the cause for prayer, while the

second paragraph is the content of the prayer.

because we have heard of your faith…(and) love (1:4)

to fill you with the knowledge of his will… (1:9)

The Connections

Things to Look for in Discourses

In the first paragraph Paul and Timothy thank God,

while in the second paragraph, they want the Colossians to thank God.

We always thank God…(1:3)

giving joyful thanks to the Father… (1:12)

The Connections

Things to Look for in Discourses

The repetition of fruit as a figure of speech.

the gospel is bearing fruit and growing…(1:6)

bearing fruit in every good work… (1:10)

The Connections

Things to Look for in Discourses

1. Connections between Paragraphs and Episodes• Look for repeated words and themes.• Identify logical connections.• Note conjunctions between paragraphs.• Pay attention to time sequence.

Things to Look for in Discourses

2. Story Shifts: Major Breaks and Pivots

Look for critical places where the story seems to take a new turn.

Things to Look for in Discourses

Major Breaks occur in letters.

Pivot episodes occur in narratives.

Things to Look for in Discourses

Ephesians 1-3• who has blessed us (1:3)• he made known to us the mystery of his

will (1:9)• you were dead in your transgressions and

sins (2:1)• God made us alive (2:5)• it is by grace you have been saved (2:5)

Things to Look for in Discourses

Ephesians 1-3• God raised us up (2:6)• he himself is our peace (2:14)• this mystery is that through the gospel the

Gentiles are heirs together with Israel (2:6)

Things to Look for in Discourses

Ephesians 4-6• be completely humble (4:2)• make every effort to keep the unity of the

Spirit (4:3)• you must no longer live as the Gentiles do

(4:17)• put off falsehood (4:25)• do not give the devil a foothold (4:27)

Things to Look for in Discourses

Ephesians 4-6• be kind and compassionate to one another

(4:32)• follow God’s example (5:1)• be filled with the Spirit (5:18)• husbands, love your wives (5:25)• put on the full armor of God (6:11)

Things to Look for in Discourses

II Samuel 1-10

David’s life is good and the nation of Israel prospers.

II Samuel 13-21

David’s life goes into a downward spiral.

Things to Look for in Discourses

What precipitates this

dramatic change in David’s life?

Things to Look for in Discourses

THE PIVOT EPISODE

II Samuel 11-12

David sleeps with Bathsheba, then plots the murder of her husband, Uriah.

Things to Look for in Discourses

2. Story Shifts: Major Breaks and Pivots• In letters pay special attention to verbs.• In narrative pay special attention to

important choices made by characters.

Things to Look for in Discourses

3. Interchange

A literary device that contrasts or compares two stories at the same time as part of the overall story development.

Things to Look for in Discourses

I Samuel 1:1-20

We are introduced to the main characters: Hannah (the mother of Samuel), Eli and his two sons Hophni and Phineas.

Things to Look for in Discourses

I Samuel 1:21-2:11

Hannah’s devotion to God is on display as she gives her son into his service and then worships in prayer.

Things to Look for in Discourses

I Samuel 2:12-36

The wickedness of Eli’s sons is on display. Then, a man of God comes and prophecies against Eli’s house.

But Samuel was ministering

before the Lord… (1:18a)

Things to Look for in Discourses

3. Interchange• Pay special attention when the narrator

flows effortlessly between telling two stories.

• Stories organized this way are meant to interpret one another.

Things to Look for in Discourses

4. Chiasm

A list of items, ideas, or events that is structured in such a manner that the first item parallels the last item, the second item parallels the next to last item, and so forth.

Things to Look for in Discourses

“God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great.”

Psalm 76:1

The Chiasm a God is renowned b in Judah b’ in Israel a’ his name is Great

Things to Look for in Discourses

4. Chiasm• Search for repeated words, similar ideas

and contrasted ideas.• Does the end of an episode parallel the

beginning?• Do paralleling items fall in order?• Is there a center to the chiasm, which

contains the central idea?

Things to Look for in Discourses

5. Inclusio

A literary technique in which a passage has the same or a similar word, statement, event or theme at the beginning and at the end.

Things to Look for in Discourses

Psalm 8

LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

This statement occurs both in v. 1 and at the close of this Psalm in v. 9.

Things to Look for in Discourses

5. Inclusio• Pay careful attention to similar words,

statements, events, or themes that occur at the beginning and at the end of an episode.

• Remember inclusios may span many chapters.