1

BLG-211 Study Tools

1st Edition – October 2005

International College of Bible Theology

GBLG-511 Study Tools

1st Revision March 2008

Midwest Seminary of Bible Theology

Study Tools

GBLG-511

Midwest Seminary of Bible Theology

ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?

Knowing in your heart that you are born-again, and followed by a statement of faith are the two prerequisites to studying and getting the most out of your MSBT materials. We at MSBT have developed this material to educate each Believer in the principles of God. Our goal is to provide each Believer with an avenue to enrich their personal lives and bring them closer to God.

Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? If you have not accepted Him as such, you must be aware of what Romans 3:23 tells you.

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God:

How do you go about it? You must believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

I John 5:13 gives an example in which to base your faith.

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

What if you are just not sure? Romans 10:9-10 gives you the Scriptural mandate for becoming born-again.

9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Take some time to consider this very carefully. Ask Jesus to come into your heart so that you will know the power of His Salvation and make your statement of faith today.

Once you become born-again, it is your responsibility to renew your mind with the Word of God. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that transformation of the mind can only take place in this temporal world by the Word of God.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The Apostle Paul, giving instructions to his (son( Timothy states in 2 Timothy 2:15:

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

What happens if we do these things? Ephesians 4:12-13 gives us the answer to this question.

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

By studying the Word of God, you will be equipped for service in the Kingdom of God and you will also be ready to take the position in the Body of Christ to which God has appointed you. You will be able to walk in unity with other Believers and you will be a vessel of honor to God that can rightly divide the word of truth.

If you are not saved and you do not know what to say, consider this simple prayer.

Lord, I know that I have need of a saviour. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and the God raised Him from the dead three days later. I ask to be forgiven and for Jesus to come into my heart and be the Lord of my life. I believe now by faith that God has heard my prayer and I am born- again.

If you have prayed this prayer, accept by faith that your sins have been forgiven. It is important that you tell someone of your decision to accept the Lord. Also, it is our recommendation that you should attach yourself to a local church and undergo water baptism.

For those who have prayed this prayer with sincerity of heart, we welcome to eternal life in the Kingdom of God. May the blessings of God overtake you.

May God grant you wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in all of His ways.

MSBT Directors and Staff

THE VISION

As we have been commissioned by the prophet of God, we now set our hand to write the vision of Midwest Seminary of Bible Theology, so that: "He that runs may read it, the vision having been clearly written and made plain" (Habakkuk 2:2).

1)UNITY - To build up the Body of Christ by networking with all churches, as well as with local and international ministries. This networking is to provide experienced leadership ministries to the small, local Church, to encourage unity and fellowship among pastors, church leaders and para-church groups, through active service.

2)GOSPEL - To go with the lifeline of the Gospel, wherein we desire to educate with love, integrity, and without compromise.

3)ONE CROSS FOR ALL - To cross cultural, racial, and denominational lines for unity, fellowship, networking, and progress. To have an open door through M.S.B.T to all, of like faith, who desire to join with us in a common goal for the highest good. To proclaim one cross for all cultures, races, denominations, and peoples.

4)GO YE - To go wherever there is a need; to rich or poor, to majorities and minorities, to large and small churches, to free and incarcerated; to go where many fail to go and to meet the needs before us.

5)THE CALLED - To make opportunities available, to those called to minister, to expand their horizons through new associations and experiences. To aid new and/or younger ministers in fulfilling God's call on their lives.

6)EDUCATION - God has charged us with propagating the Gospel through education to whosoever will. This education is offered through certificate programs that teach the basics of Christianity and degree programs for those seeking more in-depth levels in Christian teachings.

7)APPLICATION - To make available to students the opportunity for education, as well as learning practical application, in traditional and non-traditional settings.

8)DREAM A DREAM - To cause all persons with which we associate to catch a vision, to dream yet another dream, and to keep their eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith.

9)THE CALL - To encourage each person (all persons) to move out of his/her (their) comfort zone, to be all he/she (they) can be for Christ and to fulfill the call upon their life (lives); To encourage each one (them) to pursue his/her (their) purpose, to live up to his/her (their) potential, and to produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Midwest Seminary

of

Bible Theology

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth."

II Timothy 2:15

Administrative & Curriculum Office

P.O. Box 339

Norris City, Illinois 62869

Phone: 618-378-3821 - Fax: 618-378-2101

Study Tools

142 pages of Commentary (Study Guide)

28 Pages of Homework assignments

37 Pages of Answer Keys for school sites only (Answer keys are not included in the student(s copy of material.)

INSTRUCTIONS: Read the Commentary (Study Guide).

Do Homework I that covers pages 14-16 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework II that covers pages 23-47 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework III that covers page 35-39 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework IV that covers pages 39-42 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework V that covers page 46 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework VI that covers pages 47-48 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework VII that covers pages 54-45 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework VIII that covers pages 66-67 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework IX that covers pages 68-84, 85-92 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework X that covers pages 93-97 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework XI that covers page 100 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework XII that covers pages 101-106 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework XIII that covers pages 107-116 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

Do Homework XIV that covers pages 116-123 in the Commentary/Study Guide.

13 weeks in a Trimester: 11 weeks of teaching and 2 weeks of testing. You will need

to cover 12.3 pages per teaching session.

18 weeks in a Semester: 16 weeks of teaching and 2 weeks of testing. You will need

to cover 8.4 pages per teaching session.

In this course the final research paper will be counted as the term paper. This is clearly outlined in the course syllabus. A repeated set of directions will be found at the end of the Homework Section. Testing will be at the discretion of the local site – however, accountability for course material must be made.

NOTE: The Instructor is encouraged to add his/her personality to the teaching sessions and to add knowledge to the Commentaries. The Instructor has some latitude if they desire to give some outside homework or essays. Before doing so, please check with the administrator of the school.

ALL TERM PAPERS MUST BE COMPLETED AND TURNED IN TO THE INSTRUCTOR BEFORE THE FINAL EXAM. NO GRADES WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE COURSE WITHOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE TERM PAPER.

Why Study the Bible?

The Bible is a book that meets the need of all mankind. It has stood the test of time, and no book has been studied as vigorously by all people of all time. Such a book could be given to man only by God, who created man and who knows the human weaknesses and strengths of the creature He created. The subject of the Bible is the redemption of mankind for those who believe, and the judgment for those who reject God's offer of salvation. The Bible is our road map or guidebook for all of living. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105). Without its instruction, men flounder and lose their way. An in-depth study of God's Word helps us to find treasures which will bring solutions in times of crisis. With God's help the power of His Word and the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit will be the means of transforming our lives into all that God wants them to be in our homes, our communities, our nation, and in our world. The Holy Spirit cannot tell us what the Bible means until we know what the Bible says. Our responsibility is to know the Word of God.

II Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (KJV)

Colossians 1:9-10 "....and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"

Why study the Bible? That may seem like a simple question to some yet others may find it presumptuous. After all can we ever really know why? 

Most of us may not have really ever considered this question. Sure we have spent time studying the Bible but maybe haven't considered the goal of Bible Study. 

The point of Bible Study is not to just collect a bunch of facts and figures so that you can impress your friends during Trivial Pursuit. 

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3: 16-17; that "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. This passage tells us that the bottom line to Bible study is service. 

Studying the Bible should lead each one of us to be better equipped or more adequate to serve one another and our world. This tells us that when we sit around and study Scripture it should always be done expecting Christ to use the Scripture to equip us for His work. 

Unfortunately the study of the Bible seldom penetrates our value system. We study it from a cognitive standpoint. We focus on knowledge and on a few principles for living. In fact most people know generally what the Bible teaches yet it hasn't penetrated their lifestyle. 

At the ICBT we want the study of the Bible to penetrate our lifestyles. We have to be willing risk actually living out what the Bible teaches not just talking about how nice it would be if somebody would actually live that way. 

James 1:22-25 warns us about listening to God's word and doing nothing about it. James tells us that a blessing comes to those who actually listen and then do what God's word teaches. Because God's word is full of doing things for and with one another you cannot truly study the Bible only as an individual but it must be studied and lived out in community. 

Winning at Bible Trivia games should only be a sidelight to Bible study. Seeing a change in your character and in how you live in community should be the goal.

The next few pages focus on what might be found in a Study Bible with some work in Strong’s Concordance. You will fill in some blanks to help you reinforce some basics and then begin a few serious essays on what you have learned. Not all the material questioned will appear in every Study Bible. However, it will be found within various sources. No ICBT student should be without a Study Bible.

A number of Bible study tools are important in personal Bible study.

Each student should possess several versions of the Bible. By using several versions, one who is not well acquainted with the original Greek and Hebrew languages can better understand the true meaning of the scriptures. At this point we should define some important terms.

A translation is a book or article rendered from one language to another. The key word in the definition of translation is 'literal' or 'word by word'. A translation expresses the meaning of the original language as precisely as is possible.

A paraphrase, on the other hand is a free translation or statement of the same thing in other words. The verb "paraphrase" means "to repeat in other words". A paraphrase is not concerned with the exact translation of the original language so much as it is concerned with the sense of underlying principle to be found in the original. A paraphrase is not a translation and in many instances must be understood as a commentary or interpretation. Paraphrases are beneficial, helpful and edifying as devotional Bible reading, and they can be very helpful in making clear certain difficult passages. The danger is found when the novice thinks that the words of the paraphrase are God's words. They are not necessarily God's words. A paraphrase is man putting the words of God into other words to help the Bible student, primarily the beginning Bible student, to understand the Bible better.

"Version" is a broad term and can be used to refer to either a translation or a paraphrase.

One of your versions or translations should be a personal study Bible. A good working Study Bible will include marginal notes and/or cross references, and an abridged concordance for quick references.

An exhaustive concordance is an invaluable Bible study tool. Strong's, Young's and Cruden's are the most commonly used exhaustive concordances of the Bible. We recommend the latest edition of Strong's, simply because of the extra helps that Strong’s provides.

Each Bible student should have a good Bible dictionary. We recommend The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary as a starter dictionary. Bible dictionaries are an aid to understanding Bible names, places, geography, customs, backgrounds, doctrines, etc.

Another helpful Bible study tool is a one volume commentary and/or Bible handbook (Unger's, Halley's, Eerdman’s, Mears, Matthew Henry, etc.). We must never depend on a commentary to gain insights from the word. However, they can be very helpful just as teachers of the word are helpful, but we must keep in mind that our ultimate dependence must be upon the lord. One of the greatest joys of personal Bible study is that the Lord himself teaches us first-hand.

No Bible student should be without a notebook for personal notes. Important to any method of Bible study is the idea of writing things down. The act of writing is itself not significant, but it does help in significant ways.

Follow the instructions very carefully and you will have a successful conclusion to your study, and, incidentally, wind up knowing how to study the Bible appropriately and correctly. This study is intended to be completed outside the classroom, and should be required for all MSBT students. Feel free to contact your instructor or anyone in authority in your church, and even the MSBT office, should you have questions.

You may know of many electronic study aids both on CDROM and ONLINE. Our suggestion to you is to complete this lesson manually (!!) so that you will get the most benefit from your studies.

May the Lord richly bless you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: STUDY TOOLS

Why Study The Bible?

7

I.

The Importance Of Personal Bible Study

12

II.

How To Interpret the Bible

14

III.

Study Methods

31

IV.

Topical Bible Study

31

V.

Expository Bible Study

35

VI.

Introduction to the Study Bible

38

VII.

Bible Origins

39

VIII.

Bible Periods

40

IX.

BooksAs A Whole

40

X.

Outline Studies Of the Books of the Bible

41

XI.

New Testament Chapters

41

XII.

Verses Analyzed

42

XIII.

Character Studies

42

XIV.

Between The Testaments

44

XV.

Special Portraits Of Christ

44

XVI.

Messianic Prophecy

45

XVII.

Sermon On The Mount

45

XVIII.

Jesus And The Cross

46

XIX.

Complete General Index

46

XX.

Key Verses

47

XXI.

Bible Mnemonics

47

XXII.

Bible Markings

47

XXIII.

Study Bible Concordance

48

XXIV.

A Bible Atlas

48

XXV.

Miracles

50

XXVI.

Parables

50

XXVII.

Names And Titles

51

XXVIII.Prophecies

51

XXIX.

Topography

52

XXX.

Tables Of Measure

52

XXXI.

The In-Between Years

53

XXXII.

The Apostles

53

XXXIII.Jesus’ Life and The Gospels

54

XXXIV.Early Christian Era Calendar

54

XXXV.

The Seven Churches

55

XXXVI.Foot-prints Of Jesus

55

XXXVII.Peter And Paul

56

XXXVIII.Prophecies Concerning Jesus And Their Fulfillment56

XXXIX.Some Principal Old Testament Journeys And Events57

XL.

Religious Activities

58

XLI.

Archaeological Supplement

59

XLII.

Bible Languages

61

XLIII.

Use of a Concordance

82

XLIV.

The Commentaty

86

XLV.

Bible Dictionary

89

XLVI.

Theological Terminology

90

XLVII.

Doing Word Studies

91

XLVIII.Foundations of the Christian Faith

95

XLIX.

Theological Word Search Helps

96

L.

Word Workshop (Theological Terminology)

104

LI.

A Key To Recognizing Theological Terms

112

LII.

Bibliography And Resources

128

LIII.

Biblical References: Format And Examples

135

LIV.

Guidelines And Tips For Written Exercises

137

LV.

Essays And Papers In Biblical Studies

142

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY

A. Information:

Approaches to God's Word

Hearing and reading provide a telescopic view of the scripture while study and memorization provide a microscopic view of scripture. Meditating on the scriptures brings hearing, reading, studying and memorization together and cements the word in our minds.

Hear

Lk.11:28 “blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it.”

Read

Rev.1:3 “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy [...]”

1 Tim.4:13 “give attention to the public reading of Scripture [...]”

Study

Acts 17:11 “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.”

2 Tim.2:15 “Be diligent [KJV `Study'] to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”

Memorize

Ps.119:11 “Thy word I have hid in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.”

Meditate

Ps.1:2-3 “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”

The Navigators illustrate this by saying that as the thumb can touch all the fingers, we can meditate on the Word as we do any of the first four. Meditation is a key to revelation. A new Christian needs to hear and read the Bible more than they need to study and memorize it. This is so that they become familiar with the overall message of the Bible.

Types of Bible Studies

Topical Study

Pick out a certain topic and follow it through, using cross-references or a concordance.

Character Study

Studying the life of a Bible character, e.g. Joseph's life in Gen.37-50.

Expository Study

Studying a certain passage: paragraph, chapter, or book.

Basics of Correct Interpretation

Content

What does it say? What does it say in the original language? Be careful with definitions. Don't read into it what it doesn't say.

Context

What do the verses around it say? "Context is king" is the rule -- the passage must make sense within the structure of the entire passage and book.

Cross-reference

What do other verses about this subject say through the rest of the Bible? God doesn't contradict Himself, so our interpretation needs to stand the test of other scriptures.

In the Bible, both Jesus and the scriptures are called the logos. Logos (λόγος) is the Greek word translated "word", "doctrine", "intent", "utterance", etc. This Greek word is found in John 1:2 where we read, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God". In John 1:14 we read that, ". . . The word was made flesh and dwelt among us . . ." (He became incarnate). Jesus Christ is the logos or word of God.

This same term logos, is also used in Hebrews 6:1-2 where the subject is the principles (basic elements) of the doctrine (logos) of Christ. From the interchangeable use of the Greek word, logos, we can conclude that Christ "the incarnate word" and the Bible, "the written word" are vitally interrelated. This brings us face to face with the most important reason for personal Bible study. The "written logos" (the Bible) has been given to us to reveal the incarnate and living logos, Jesus Christ. The more you saturate yourself with the written word, the more you will come to know, love and understand the living word, Jesus.

B.Statements And Questions For Consideration:

In the paragraphs above we have shared what is probably the most important reason for studying the Bible – to get to know the Lord better. But this is not the only reason you should study the Bible. The following references indicate that there are a number of other spiritual blessings promised to the one who searches the scripture.

C.Read Romans 12:1-2 and answer the following questions.

1) According to these verses, how are we transformed? ______________________________

2)How can we renew our minds? (Psalms 1:2) ________________________________________

3) On the basis of questions 1 and 2, why should we study the Bible? ____________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________.

4) Study also the following Bible references

John 17:17; Ephesians 6:11,12,17; II Corinthians 2:11; Hebrews 4:12; I Peter 1:24; II Timothy 3:16,17; Luke 24:27

See Homework I for the Bible Study Assignment.

II. HOW TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE

Most Christians realize that the Bible is important in their life. They know that they should read it, meditate on it, memorize portions of it, and live what it says. Yet, more and more Christians are really becoming disciples of the Word of God. They are disciplining themselves to discover the truth in the Scriptures.

Realizing how important the Bible is in the Christian's life, we must make sure that we really understand what God is trying to communicate to us through the written word. Whenever there is communication, there is a possibility of misunderstanding between the one trying to communicate and the one that is trying to receive the message from the other. This is often true when people read the Bible. They read it and think that they receive a message, when in reality, they have confused their thoughts about what they think the Bible is saying with what God is really trying to communicate.

At times it is easy to understand what we read in the Bible. At other times it is very difficult to understand. God used human vessels through which to write the scriptures. In many ways He adapted Himself to the one through whom He chose to speak. This creates some problems for the modern disciple of Christ who really desires to seek out the mysteries of God:

1. Linguistical - The Bible was written in three languages that are no longer used in modern life.2. Cultural - The writers wrote from their own culture that is not at all like that which we are accustomed to.3. Geographical - The geographical context of the Bible writers is foreign to most students.4. Historical - The historical frame of reference is very different from that of today.

These four problems in understanding Scripture are often called "gaps." These understanding gaps must be bridged through Bible research and investigation. To bridge these four gaps, the disciple needs certain tools. The main goal of this course is to familiarize you with the tools needed to study and set you on the way to being able to adequately research the Word of God for personal study, teaching, or preaching.

INFORMATION:

An understanding of Bible study methods rests upon a number of foundation stones. One of these very important foundations is how to interpret the Bible. There is a technical word used to describe the science of biblical interpretation. That word is "hermeneutics". This word comes from a Greek word, “hermeneuo” (ἑρμηνεύω), that means "to interpret", "to explain". In this lesson we have listed for you a number of basic rules of Bible interpretation. These are quoted from “God’s Plan for Man,” by Rev. Finis Jennings Dake. Before you read the rules below, there is one more thing that you should know. There is a difference between interpretation and application. These terms are best explained by two simple questions: what does the Bible mean (interpretation)? What does the Bible mean to me (application)?

1.The Bible is a heavenly message conveyed in human language, and the same principles of interpretation used with all human language must also apply to the Bible.

2.The languages of the Bible differ in some respects from the English in grammatical structure and idiomatic usage. These differences must be known in order to understand certain passages.

3.The Bible is a composite Book of 66 books.

4.The Bible is a religious Book for this life and the life to come.

5.The Bible is a varied Book; an oriental library. It contains all forms of human expression and all kinds of literature.

6.The Bible is a product of many lands and peoples with habits and customs that are different from ours.

7. The mutability of the English language and its unfaithfulness in literally translating every phase of thought of the Hebrew and Greek makes it necessary to observe certain rules in order to arrive at the meaning of a certain passage.

A brief knowledge of the history of biblical interpretation is of great value to the Bible student. It helps to guard against making the same errors others have made. It shows what influences caused men to make these errors. The science of interpretation has passed through many false concepts just like the other sciences, but thank God, as in the other sciences, we are beginning to demand reasons for certain interpretations.

The efforts of men in the past have demonstrated the utter foolishness of doing away with the plain literal sense of Scripture. The belief that the Bible was a divine book almost completely closed the eyes of ancient interpreters to its human elements its literary and grammatical construction, its history, and its literal, original and intended meaning. Both Jews and Christians have sought hidden meanings in the most minute jot and tittle of the sacred text. They did not consider what the original purpose of God was. Just like the average person today, their main burden seems to be to prove their own speculations and human theories, regardless of how they contradict the Bible. With such abuse of the Bible, it came to be looked upon as a mysterious book beyond the understanding of the common people. Among the Jews it was believed that none but the rabbis could understand it, and among the Christians it was thought that only a few select heads of the church could unravel its mysteries. Millions today are taught that the common man cannot understand the Bible and that it should be left to the priests and preachers to interpret it. This is one of the greatest fallacies of Christendom.

1.THE JEWISH METHOD OF INTERPRETATION. Jewish exegesis (ἐξηγέομαι) (the unfolding interpretation through teaching of Scripture) from Ezra to Christ may be traced in the Apocrypha, the works of Philo, Josephus, and the Talmud. Interpreters of this period set a value on each letter and held each one to be the source of great mysteries. To every letter they attached a numerical value and imposed fantastic meanings on plain historical statements. For example, the letters in the name Eliezer have a numerical value in Hebrew of 318. In Gen. 14:14 we read that Abraham had 318 trained servants. This was

made to indicate that Eliezer was equal in value to all these servants. The word Keturah in Hebrew means “sweet odor”. We are told that Abraham married Keturah. This was interpreted to mean that he wedded a holy life. In Gen. 25 we are told that Abraham had six sons by Keturah; so if we believed the Jewish method of interpretation, we could not believe the literal, that states that Abraham married a woman and had these sons by her.

The Scribes carefully guarded against errors and interpolations in the text, but they set up an oral law or tradition, that in time came to be looked upon by the Jews as equal in authority to the Scriptures. Christ swept away all these traditions and interpretations and accepted the plain literal written Word of God as the only truth (Mk. 7:1-13). Paul also rebuked the Jews for taking their traditions before they would the Word of God (Gal. 1:13-14; Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:4; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:14-16; Titus 1:14; 3:9).

2.THE ALLEGORICAL METHOD OF INTERPRETATION. The early Church Fathers, instead of following the plain literal meaning of Scripture as did Christ and the apostles, followed more or less the Jewish method of interpretation. The literal sense of Scripture was overlaid with the allegorical, moral and spiritual interpretations. Origin gave a threefold meaning to all Scripture corresponding to the body (literal), the soul (moral), and the spirit (spiritual or mystical). He greatly influenced others in the church for many centuries. Clement interpreted the scarlet cord out of Rahab’s window as meaning the blood of Christ. Chrysostom believed the six steps of Solomon’s throne to mean six steps leading to God. And so it was with nearly everything in Scripture. The literal and historical meaning was almost completely done away with and the spiritual and mystical meaning took the place of the literal.

This method of interpretation continued to the Reformation. Since then the Scriptures have been more or less freed from the early traditions of men who began to study the Bible in a more literal sense. In spite of this new freedom of Scripture from much of the former spiritualizing tendencies and magical meanings, there are many ministers today who have gone back to the unintelligent methods of the past. We should reject and utterly avoid all such foolishness. The habit of these men is to disregard the common significance of words, the grammatical construction, and the literal intention of God in Scripture. They force into Scripture any meaning their fancy chooses, and they make the interpreter equal to God and his interpretations even better than the plain Word of God.

3.THE RATIONALISTIC METHOD OF INTERPRETATION. There are several methods of modern interpretation that are rationalistic in spirit, that is, they substitute reason for faith and human speculation for divine revelation. They explain away the supernatural element in Scripture, all miracles, eternal judgment, atonement, resurrection,

and all the essentials of the Bible. These methods leave man free to choose his own meaning of Scripture, that is never the meaning written. As methods of interpretation, these are all

lawless and irrational and there is no agreement among the adherents of them. By these methods, sin, Satan, sickness, and the realities of life here and hereafter are explained away as errors of the mortal mind and as unreal things. Thus the word of God is nullified by the theories of men.

The chief fundamental principle is to gather from the Scriptures themselves the precise meaning the writers intended to convey. It applies to the Bible the same principles, rules, grammatical process, and exercise of common sense and reason that we apply to other books. In doing this, one must take the Bible as literal when it is at all possible. When a statement is found that cannot possibly be literal, as Jesus being a "door" or of a woman being clothed with the sun and standing on the moon and on her head a crown of twelve stars, or of land animals coming out of the sea, and other statements that are obviously not literal, then we know the language is figurative. In such cases we must get the literal truth conveyed by the figurative language, and the truth intended to be conveyed will be as literal as if it were expressed in literal language without the use of such figures. After all, figurative language

expresses literal truth as much as if such figures were not used. In a general sense, the true method of Bible interpretation embraces the following ideas:

1.The primary meaning of words and their common use in a particular age in which they are used, and the importance of synonyms.

2.The grammatical construction and idiomatic peculiarities of the languages of the Bible, and the meaning of the context, both immediate and remote.

3.Comparison of parallel passages on the same subject.

4.The purpose or object of each writer in each particular book.

5.The historical background of each writer and the circumstances under which he wrote.

6.The general plan of the entire Bible, and its moral and spiritual teachings.

7.The agreement of Scripture in its several parts, and its prophecies and their fulfillment.

8.The manners and customs of the particular age and land of each writer.

9.Understanding of how to interpret prophecy, poetry, allegories, symbols, parables, figures of speech, types and all other forms of human expression.

10.The different classes of people and institutions dealt with in Scripture, and the application of the different principles and rules of interpretation below.

When all these facts are kept in mind by the student and all Scriptures interpreted in harmony with all these principles, there cannot possibly be any misunderstanding of any part of the Bible. Remember this: Take the Bible literally wherever it is at all possible. When the language cannot be taken literally, then we know it is figurative. Then get the literal truth conveyed by the figurative language as if it were expressed in literal language without the use of figures.

General Rules of Biblical Interpretation

1.The entire Bible came from God and possesses unity of design and teaching. We shall, therefore, consider both Testaments together as being equally inspired.

2.It may be assumed that no one resorts to speech or writing without having some idea to express; that in order to express that idea he will use words and forms of speech familiar to his hearers or readers; and that if he uses a word or figure of speech in a different sense from what is commonly understood he will make the fact known.

3.The Bible cannot contradict itself. Its teachings in one part must agree with its teachings in another part. Therefore, any interpretation that makes the Bible inconsistent with itself must rest upon false principles.

4.Passages on Christian experience cannot be understood beyond the letter of the Word until we enter into the experimental aspect of them. Christian experience should be founded upon the Bible, not Scriptures upon experience.

5.No meaning should be gotten from the Bible except that which a fair and honest, grammatical, and historical interpretation yields.

6.Language is an accumulation of words used to interchange thoughts. To understand the language of the speaker or writer, it is necessary to know the meaning of his words. A true meaning of the words is a true meaning of the sense. It is as true of the Bible as of any other book.

7.Often to fully understand a passage of Scripture, the scope or plan of the entire book must be known. Sometimes the design of the books are made clear, as in the case of Proverbs (1:1-4); Isaiah (1:1-3); John (20:31); Revelation (1:1); etc. If the definite purpose of the book is not stated, the purpose of the book must be gotten from the contents and from the design of the Bible as a whole, as is clear in Jn. 5:39; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17. Some seeming contradictions are cleared up when this rule is observed. The difference between Paul and James is easily understood when the design of their books is understood and recognized. In Romans, Paul seeks to prove that a man is not saved by works, while in James he seeks to show that a man cannot remain saved unless he brings forth good works.

8.Sometimes the connection is obscured through the use of virtual dialogue between the writers and unseen persons, as in Ps. 15; Isa. 52:13; 63:1-6; Rom. 3; etc.

9.One of the most fundamental rules of interpretation is that of comparing Scripture with Scripture. It is by a strict and honest observance of this rule that the true meaning can be gotten when every other thing has failed to make clear the meaning. Before arriving at the whole

truth, be sure that all the Scriptures on a subject are collected together and read at one time. If there is any question left after you have done this, then go over the whole subject carefully until every question is cleared up. One great fault with many people is the acceptance of only part of the Scriptures on a subject and the rejection of other passages that contradict their theory. This is not being honest with the Bible, and it leads to darkness instead of light.

10.Not only should all passages be compared until there is perfect harmony, but also comparison of the words of the different writers should be compared and harmonized. Words often change their meaning from one age to another. The Bible was written in different lands and some of it about 1,800 years apart; so a comparison of words used by the writers is very necessary to see if the same words mean the same in one age as in another. This can always be determined by the subject matter.

11.In some places a statement on a subject may be very brief and seemingly obscure and will be made perfectly clear by a larger passage on the same subject. Always explain the seemingly difficult with the more simple Scriptures. No doctrine founded upon a single verse of Scripture contains the whole of the subject; so do not be dishonest and wrest with Scripture or force a meaning into a passage that is not clearly understood in the passage or in parallel passages on the same subject. Be honest, open minded, studious, zealous to arrive at the whole

truth and nothing but the truth. Find out whether the language is literal or figurative; whether the right meaning of the words and terms used is understood; whether they have only one meaning or not; and if a word has more than one meaning. Be sure to choose the meaning that will best harmonize with the subject in the passage itself and with all other passages on the same subject.

12.The progressive character of revelation and the gradual development of truth should be recognized. Some truths found in germ in the Old Testament are fully developed in the New Testament. For example, the idea of blood sacrifices was developed from the time of Abel until it was fully culminated and made eternally clear in the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.

13.The meaning of a word or phrase in the New Testament must not be carried back into Old Testament doctrine unless such is warranted by both Testaments. For example, water baptism, Lord’s Supper, and other New Testament doctrines are not found in the Old Testament at all. It is not proper to ask whether David was baptized in water, or whether Saul was a Christian, because these are New Testament terms.

14.Passages obviously literal should not be spiritualized. For example, making the natural blessings of Canaan the spiritual blessings of Heaven; regarding the ark of Noah as salvation through Christ, and hundreds of like interpretations. One may get lessons and illustrations from historical passages and make applications in sermons but, in the interpretation, they are to be taken literally and should not be spiritualized as meaning some blessing of the

Christian experience. Such lessons from the Old Testament historical events form the basis of proof of many church doctrines in some circles. Some men cannot talk about Christ and the bride of Christ without talking of Adam and Eve, Isaac and Rebekah; etc. If we want to prove a church doctrine, get plain passages on the subject and do not base the proof on historical events that literally happened and that were never recorded to teach such doctrines. Always get two or three plain Scriptures to prove a doctrine, or forget it.

15.The dispensational character of Scripture should be noted so that one can pigeon-hole every passage of Scripture in some definite period in God’s plan.

16.The three classes of people (the Jews, the church, and the Gentiles) dealt with in Scripture should be noted. Up to Genesis 12, the race as a whole is dealt with. From Gen. 12 to the New Testament the Jews and the Gentiles are dealt with; and in the New Testament these and the church of God, made up of Jews and Gentiles, are dealt with (1 Cor. 10:32).

17.In all study of doctrine the practical aspect must be kept in view (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

18.The comparative importance of truth should be emphasized. The positive truths should be studied more than the negative. It is more important to have faith instead of unbelief; to know God better than Satan, etc. So one should learn more about faith and God than unbelief and Satan.

19.General familiarity with the Bible as a whole is very important. Keep reading the Bible over and over until its contents as a whole are familiar. The more one can remember here and there what he has read, the clearer the Bible will become.

20.A few musts should be kept in mind in our study of Scripture. We must not handle the Word of God deceitfully (2 Cor. 4:1-4). We must not insist that the Bible is hard to understand. We must not misapply Scripture to a subject or an age to which it does not belong. We must not misinterpret Scripture. We must let the Bible be its own interpreter and be satisfied to accept its own authority as to the meaning of any subject.

In our Lord’s time on Earth, to receive the mass of Jewish reasonings, traditions, and interpretations superimposed upon Scripture was to be orthodox, but to return to the authority of the Scriptures themselves was to be heterodox (at variance with commonly accepted doctrine in religion)—our Lord’s most serious offense to the Jews (Mt. 15:1-9; 16:6-12; 23:1-36; Mk. 3:1-6; 7:1-13; Jn. 5; 6; 7; 8). Today the decisions of church councils, decrees of church leaders, and fanciful and spiritual interpretations of many ministers have almost nullified the Word of God and the literal sense of Scripture. Some sects are getting into the habit of doing away with Scriptures that are contrary to their theories by saying, "that is a parable," or "that is figurative language," as if such language means nothing.

21.Words of Scripture must agree with the content and the subject matter in the passages where found. No meaning should be given to a word that would be in the least out of harmony with any Scripture. For example, the word seen in John 1:18 should be understood to mean comprehended in order to harmonize with all Scriptures that state men saw God with the natural eyes.

22.Careful attention should be paid to connecting words that connect events with each other, as the word "when," "then," etc., in Mt. 24:15-16, 21, 23, 40; 25:1.

23.Careful attention should be paid to prepositions, definite articles, names of different persons and places with the same name, same persons and places with different names, and the names of different persons and places that are spelled differently by different authors in different books.

24.Ascertain the exact meaning of the words of Scripture. The way a word is used, the subject matter, and the context often determine the true meaning.

25.Hebrew and Greek idioms should be noted. Sometimes a person having a peculiar characteristic, or subject to a peculiar evil, or destined to a particular destiny is called the child of that evil or destiny (Lk. 10:6; Eph. 2:1-3; 2 Thess. 2:3). The word father is applied to the originator of any custom or to the inventor of something (Gen. 4:20-21; Jn. 8:44). It is also used for ancestor (1 Chr. 1:17). The words son and daughter are sometimes used of descendants or in-

laws. (Gen. 46:22; Lk. 3:23). The words brother and cousin are sometimes used of relatives and countrymen (Gen. 14:16 with 11:31; Lk. 1:36, 58). Names of parents are used of posterity (1 Kings 18:17-18).

26.Preference is sometimes expressed by the word hate (Lk. 14:26; Rom. 9:13).

27.A peculiar idiom concerning numbers must be understood. Sometimes round numbers rather than the exact number are used (Judges 20:35, 46). This will explain seeming contradictions between numbers. Failure to understand this idiom may have caused copyists and translators to misunderstand the numbers of some passages that seem erroneous and very large. For example, in 1 Sam. 6:19, we read the Lord smote in a very small town 50,070 people, that, in the Hebrew text reads, "seventy men two fifties and one thousand" or 70—100—1,000, or 1,170 people.

28.Careful attention should be paid to parenthesis, the use of italics (meaning these words are not in the original but supplied in English to make sense), the use of capital letters, marginal notes, references, summaries of chapters, chapter and page headings, the division of the text into chapters and verses, punctuation, obsolete English words, the rendering of the same

original words by different English words, and other things about the English translations. All these things are human additions to the original text and should not be relied upon. For example, the running of references to prove a doctrine is sometimes misleading. The references may not be on the same subject, as can be easily detected by the reader.

29.Seeming contradictions in Scripture should be considered in the light of all the principles stated above. It must be kept in mind that the Bible records sayings of men under pressure of trials who said things that they never would have said otherwise. It records sayings of backsliders and rebels against God. It records statements of Satan and demons, and the words of such rebels should never be taken as the words from the mouth of God. They should not always be held as truth, for sometimes they are lies. Inspiration guarantees that these rebels said those things, but it does not guarantee that what they said is truth. Sometimes such statements contradict those of God and good men under divine utterance. Enemies of God take such contradictions between what God says and what rebels against God say and use them to prove the Bible contradicts itself. Naturally, such contradictions are found in the Bible, but they are not contradictions between statements made by God. The only statements that can be relied upon as truth are those that come from God and men who speak for God as the Spirit gives utterance, and in these there is no contradiction.

The Bible also records the changes of God’s will and plan in a later age over that of an earlier one. Such changes have been taken by the unGodly as contradictions, but such have had to be made by God because of the sin and rebellion of the people to whom He promised such things and for whom He made a certain plan. For example, in Gen. 1:31 God saw everything that He had made and it was good, but in Gen. 6:6 God repented that He had made man. In the

meantime, between the two passages, sin and rebellion had entered, which made it necessary for God to have a changed attitude toward man. God has had to change his plan temporarily because of man’s sin, but the original and eternal plan of God for creation has never been changed and never will be. God will finally realize His original purpose; that is the reason for His present dispensational dealings. God deals with each generation as circumstances demand. Sometimes God has had to change His promises to a certain group because they refused to meet the conditions for the fulfillment of these promises.

30.The seeming contradictions in the New Testament will also vanish and will be cleared up if men would be as fair with God as they will want God to be with them in the judgment. Always look for an explanation and it will be found. For example, men criticize the Bible for lack of harmony between the temptations of Christ in Mt. 4, and those in Lk. 4. But when we consider the fact that there were two separate sets of temptations during the forty days, and that after the first set of tests in Luke, Satan was dismissed "for a season," and after the last

set of tests in Matthew, Satan was dismissed for good, there is no contradiction. The seeming contradictions between the sermons of Mt. 5 and Lk. 6 are cleared up when we see that there were two sermons—one on the mount and the other "in the plain." The so-called contradictions of the Bible are unreal and imaginary. Because of the lack of information as to the time, places, circumstances, etc., men cannot always judge concerning them. So it would be best always to give God the benefit of the doubt, since He knows all things and was there when things happened. If He did not see fit to give all details so as to make every small detail clear, that is His wisdom. It should not detract from faith in God and His revelation.

All seeming contradictions in the Bible are easily cleared up with a better knowledge of the text, by correct translation, by knowing the manners and customs of the age and the country in which the books were written, by a wider application of historical facts, and by a fair and sane application of the rules of interpretation given above.

See Homework II for the Bible Interpretation Assignment.

Let’s look at the Inductive Approach to Bible Interpretation.

Let’s remind ourselves that:

III. Application - What am I going to do about it?

A. The goal of all Bible study should always be application of God’s truth into your life. One problem in the Christian life is that we get satisfied with the interpretation and never get to the application, or doing something with what we’ve learned. However, Scripture teaches that the lack of application of God’s word will always lead to self-deception and instability in a person's life (Matt. 7:24) (James 1:22). Therefore, you must apply God’s truth. Go back now through your observations and interpretations and ask yourself these questions.

1.      How does this passage apply to my life; in my home, at my job, or with my friends?

2.      What specific changes should I now make in my life?

3.      How will I carry out these changes? What specific action will I take to keep yourself from falling again?

4.      Last, pray that God will enable you to take these actions by filling you right now with the power of the Holy Spirit.

IV. How to Study a Topic

This is a method of study often used which can yield great treasures to the person willing to dig. If a person will spend the time they can truly understand God's mind on a subject and keep that subject balanced with other related subjects. But there are dangers here also. If you don't study a subject completely you can distort a truth and ultimately misapply these verses to your life. You must study the Bible systematically along with topical study. This will enable you to get a well rounded knowledge of the Bible.

Principles to use in topical study.

1. Pick a subject that is of great interest to you. This motivates you to dig thoroughly through the Word.

2. Use a Strong's Concordance, Nave's Topical Bible, What the Bible Teaches by R.A. Torrey, Foundations of Pentecostal Theology by Van Cleave and Duffield, Renewal Theology by J. Rodman Williams, and the cross reference system in your Bible. Go through every passage that you can find on this subject.

3. Study each verse in context to get its exact meaning using the principles of interpretation.

4. Arrange the facts you learn in a logical order on your paper. These truths and their affect in your life will encourage more topical study.

V. How to Study a Book

Even through this method of study is a more difficult and time consuming one, it is by far the most rewarding. This method of study is the safest way to keep from being sidetracked into peripheral teachings that tend to destabilize a Christian's walk. If you give yourself to this method of study it will yield the largest and the most fruitful and permanent results for your life.

Principles to use when studying a book of the Bible.

A. First, if you have never done a book study before, start by choosing a smaller one, preferably one with few difficult passages. These choices will keep you from giving up in your study. The amount of time it requires to accomplish this method of study, and hard to understand passages, are the two major discouragement’s in this form of study. Therefore begin your book study with books such as: Philippians, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 Thessalonians or Ephesians.

B. Begin by reading through the entire book several times to gain an overall view of its message.

C. Next, read through chapter one and look for the natural subject breaks in the text.

D. Take a notebook and title one page for each chapter in the book. Make a basic outline of the chapter and each subject break.

E. Begin with the first section of the chapter. Use observation, interpretation, and application method for each verse and section. Follow this same method though each chapter. The central truths of each chapter will slowly begin to be seen. Ultimately, you will understand how each chapter is connected to the overall theme of the book.  

Enhancements to Inductive Bible Study

InterVarsity/USA Bible Study Task Force

April, 1999

“Inductive Bible study” simply means “from the Bible out”- starting with the Biblical text, approaching it with humility and with as few preconceptions as possible, and working out from the words of the text to interpretations, meanings, and applications. This is the opposite of starting with a pre-conceived idea or meaning and working that back into the text. There are a variety of methods and styles of doing inductive Bible study. No method is sacred. All are man-made. Methods need to be updated with the times. Our sense is that the basic methods of inductive Bible study that we use in InterVarsity do not need to be reinvented, but do need to be rethought. They need to be enhanced. Thus we present our Enhancements, which we would like to commend to all staff who teach Bible study, no matter what method they are using.

The InterVarsity/USA Bible Study Task Force studied the current situation in InterVarsity. We looked at the history of Bible Study within InterVarsity, at Postmodernism, at a theology of the Word, at contemplative theology and practice, at our own experiences, and at the considerable time we spent together in the Scriptures. We developed this set of principles we are calling enhancements to inductive Bible study. These enhancements are not presented to be trendy. We feel that they are timeless, deriving from the Word itself. They flow out of our passion for the Scriptures and our desire to see the Bible studied and taught with power and

relevancy within InterVarsity. They are intended to be used far beyond the comings and goings of specific student generations. We hope that they will become the heart and soul of the way that we teach and do Bible study in InterVarsity:

1. The passion of the teacher for Jesus and His Word is the key.

* The crucial element in any Bible study or Bible study training is the passion of the teacher. A teacher can be trained well and teach a Bible study or Bible study method that is technically correct. But for there to be real power in the Bible study the teacher must have a passion for the Word of God, a passion for the Jesus whose living Word this is, and a passion to see students come to love the Word. A teacher needs spiritual power as well as technical acuity.

2. We seek both the truth of the passage and to experience Jesus in His Word.

* An important purpose of inductive Bible study is to discover the truth of a passage and apply that truth to life. But an equal purpose must be to experience Jesus in His Word. One without the other is out of balance. Seeking both doctrinal truth and an experience of the presence and power of Jesus in His Word are the expectations with which students and teachers should enter the study. Actually, these are not separate since truth in the Bible is encapsulated in a Person, Jesus Himself (John 14:6). So experiencing Jesus in His Word is discovering truth.

3. We are dealing with a living Word, not a dead letter. God’s Word, as God Himself, often offers surprises, and challenges our traditional cultural assumptions.

* The Word of God is alive, not a dead letter from which laws are derived. God is a God of surprises. When believers approach Bible study they are encountering a living word, not analyzing a dead fish.

God’s Word is sometimes built around surprising paradoxes. An important part of inductive study is noticing unexpected twists in the text and deeply pondering their meaning.Similarly, believers who study the Bible inductively need to be open to the fact that the living Word challenges long-held cultural assumptions. The Pharisees of Jesus' time were locked into an interpretation of the Old Testament which led them to a certain view of the kind of person the Messiah would be. This caused them to be blinded to the Messiah when He stood right in front of them. It took students of the Bible nineteen centuries to hear what God’s Word really said about God’s abhorrence of slavery. Students of God's living Word need to be open to the fact that the Word challenges our cultural assumptions in surprising ways.

4. Re-living, or entering the text emotionally, is an important method of observation.

* The basic method of observation of a text taught today within evangelicalism is to observe the facts by finding the who, what, when, where, and how in a passage; and by finding laws of composition in a passage such as repetition, contrast, and similarity. But there is another valid observational method that needs a stronger emphasis: the observational method of re-living the story of the text, entering the story emotionally as well as analytically, and identifying with the characters.

5. There must be a balance between the intellectual/analytical and the experiential/contemplative in Bible study.

* Church history reveals that the Bible is most powerfully studied when there is a balance of the analytical and the experiential, as in the approach of Jesus and Paul, the approach of the

Reformers, and in the Wesleyan revivals. There are abuses on the experiential side today, but as a whole contemporary inductive Bible study tends to lean too much toward the analytical, scientific side of Bible study. A strong experiential component must be added as a balance without losing the solid observation and analysis that has characterized inductive Bible study.

6. Forming good questions about the text is a key to interpretation.

* The heart of good inductive Bible study should be the forming of good questions about the text, questions which will probe the depths of the text and uncover layers of meaning which may not appear on the surface.

7. Studying in community is vital.

* Although it is important for individuals to know how to study the Scriptures and be independent students of Scripture, Bible study is best done in community. The more diverse the community of believers studying the Bible, the richer the study will be because they will see more in the text. Studying in community is also a hedge against false or bizarre individualistic interpretations. Community also helps challenge false worldviews or personal assumptions.

8. Teachers need to also be learners, and see the learners as teachers.

* Contemporary educational theory stresses empowering learners rather than just feeding them information from up front. In studying the Scriptures in community, it is important that teachers see themselves as teacher/learners and see the students as learner/teachers. This is in line with Jesus' view of teachers in Matt. 23:8,10-12. Inductive Bible study needs to be taught as a dialog, respecting the learners, learning from them, and empowering the learners to be able to search the Scriptures on their own.

9. The experience of the reader needs to be woven into the study as it goes along.

* The experience of the reader, which the reader brings to the text, is important to acknowledge early on in the study and weave into the study. In good inductive Bible study, the Story in the text engages and transforms the story of the reader. This cannot happen unless the reader’s experience is woven into the discovery of the Story in the text.

10. The narrative nature of Scripture needs to be emphasized.

* Not only are there straightforward narratives in the Bible, such as the Gospels, Acts, and the Old Testament historical books, but the whole sweep of Biblical history is a narrative; it is the Story of God's redemptive history. Even Bible books that are thought to be didactic, such as the epistles to the Romans or Ephesians, contain strong narrative elements. The narrative nature of Scripture must be taken into account as we approach Bible study.

11. Inductive Bible study helps us find main points, but they need to be held with humility and openness to further light.

* In stark contrast to the conclusions of Postmodernism that there is no intrinsic meaning in a text and that the intent of the author is irrelevant, John 1 and other passages show that there is meaning in the Word and that the intent of an author of a text is important to discover. Passages have main truths that run through them, and the tools of inductive study are the best way to come near to the main point of a passage.

However, those who study the Bible inductively need to hold these main points with a certain humility. All people are blinded by their own culture, by their personal experiences, and by the limits of their personal experiences as they approach a text, and no one can approach a text completely objectively and see all that is there. All main truths are subjective in some sense and need to be open to correction. This should inspire students of the Bible to even deeper study, asking more questions of the text so that more layers of truth are uncovered. This is also an important reason to study in community as well as individually.

12. Bible study is an art, and needs to engage our creative and sensing side.

* The study of a text is an art rather than a science. Creative ways need to be developed to engage more of the senses in the study of the Bible, and to take into account different learning styles. Aesthetics and the arts such as drama, video, and other media should be creatively employed, especially in teaching the method of inductive Bible study.

13. Inductive Bible study is about discovery

* The strength of inductive Bible study is that it helps students discover the meaning of the text for themselves and not depend on teachers and preachers. Meanings arise from the text rather than being forced onto the text. Yet there is a tendency on the part of teachers to become more and more deductive the more experienced they get. There is a temptation to tell the students what the passage means, or manipulatively lead them to discover the teacher's conclusions, or to spend too much time applying the study in the way that the teacher was moved by the passage. Teachers need to constantly remind themselves that InterVarsity specializes in inductive Bible study, letting the Bible speak for itself. The teacher is a facilitator of discovery, teachers and students form a hermeneutical community around the text, and the conclusions of the group are sometimes different from those the teacher had discovered on his or her own.

See Homework II (second section) for the Inductive Bible Study Assignment.III. STUDY METHODS

In your Study Bible there may be found a section that might have a title similar to "Principles of Bible Study" and the related "Best Method of Bible Study" by the author of your Bible.

Identify the main points of Bible study found in your Study Bible:

_______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

IV. TOPICAL BIBLE STUDY

INFORMATION:

A topical Bible study is a search to determine what the Bible has to say about a particular topic. It involves looking up all the scriptures in the Bible that deal with the selected topic in order to clearly understand what the Bible teaches.

There are many reasons for studying the Bible in this way. They range from personal interest to preparing sermons and classroom lectures. If a minister is preparing a sermon or teaching on a specific subject for his church, he will want to search the scriptures to compile as much biblical information about that topic as possible. Or perhaps the layman would like to know what God has to say about a special subject, a topical Bible study is the way to find out. And of course, as a student, you will find hundreds of opportunities for doing topical Bible studies, such as when writing a paper on an assigned subject.

STEP ONE: DEFINING YOUR TOPIC.

When beginning a topical Bible study, it is important to clearly define your topic. For example, if you decided you would like to study "prayer", you would quickly find that this is a very large subject and could easily include hundreds of verses of scripture. A study of this type could take a very long time to complete, and contain so much information that it would be hard to keep track of it all. To avoid this, narrow your topic so that you can easily complete your study and still cover the topic comprehensively. With the subject of prayer, we could narrow it down to "prayer in the New Testament"; however, this subject may also be too large. Hence, it should be narrowed even further. Good ideas might be "prayers Jesus prayed", "how is prayer related to fasting?", "prayers that displeased God", etc.

Many topical studies may require a consideration of more than one word. For example, "fasting" would primarily be a one word study (also include its derivatives ... Fasting, fasted, etc.). However, a study on healing would involve a research of many related words such as: healing, affliction, disease, infirmity, sickness, deliverance, etc. Look your topic up in your Study Bible's cyclopedia of topics and texts for words and subjects related to your topic (if available). Also use your own thinking and creativity to include as many words related to your topic as you can find.

STEP TWO: LOCATING REFERENCES

The next step in a topical Bible study is to find the scriptures that talk about your subject. This can be done with many different books. An analytical concordance (also called an exhaustive concordance) is an excellent tool. We recommend Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. A topical Bible such as Nave's is very good, and you may find help in any number of study Bibles, such as the Thompson Chain and the Open Bible by Thomas Nelson.

Find all the scriptures in the Bible that relate to your subject using the tools at your disposal (concordance, topical Bible, study Bible, and others). Refer to the section in this course dealing with the Strong's Concordance for detailed instructions on doing this.

STEP THREE: RECORD REFERENCES

As you find each scripture, write its reference down on a sheet of paper. Read it carefully to thoroughly understand what it is saying. Begin by bombarding it with questions (who, what, when, where, why, how, etc.). Write down your observations as you examine the scripture, making notes on important words and thoughts. If there is anything about the scripture that you do not understand or that you have a question with, write this down as well. Be as thorough as is practical. You want to get as much truth out of the verse(s) as you have time for.

When you have finished making notes on the scripture, review the questions you had and look for the answers. Often explanations can be found in commentaries and textbooks, other times they can be answered by your minister. You should keep in mind, however, that some of your questions may never be answered.

Review all of your notes for the scripture and determine its key thought (that is, the main essence of the scripture). Write the key thought down on the paper where you can easily find it later. Complete this process for each scripture you have found on your topic. As an example, we have provided a list of scriptures from a topical study on fasting. Because of limited space, we are providing only a partial listing of the many scriptures on this subject. Note they each have a key thought and/or observation.

Exodus 34:28 Moses fasted 40 days and 40 nights while on the Mt. with God

Exodus 34:28 Moses didn't eat bread or drink water

I Sam 28:20Saul went on a total fast, eating no bread and drinking no water

I Sam 31:13Israel mourned for King Saul 7 days

II Sam 3:35When David mourned for Abner, he ate no bread (probably no food of any kind). No mention is made as to whether he drank water

I Kings 19:8Elijah fasted for 40 days after being fed food by angels

Daniel 10:3Daniel fasted for 21 days while waiting for an answer from God

Daniel 10:3Daniel, while waiting for an answer from God, fasted from meat, wine, and pleasant bread. This appears to be a selective fast where only things eaten for sustenance permitted, not things for enjoyment

Matthew 4:2Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness (See also Mark 4:1,2)

Matthew 9:14 The Pharisees fasted often, usually for one day (See also Lk. 18:12)

Acts 9:9Saul (Paul) fasted for 3 days upon reaching Damascus when blinded

Acts 9:9Paul went on a total fast, neither eating or drinking

I Cor 7:5Paul encourages a fast from husband/wife physical relationship (only with mutual consent)

2 Cor 6:5Paul says he fasted often, but does not indicate the length of each fast (2 Cor. 11:27)

STEP FOUR: CATEGORIZE FINDINGS (ASSIGNMENT)

Review the notes you have made for all of your scriptures. You will notice that certain dominant themes keep appearing over and over. These are the main teachings of the Bible on this subject. They can be naturally grouped into general categories.

Arrange your scriptures into these categories by constructing your own chart.

When doing this, you need only to write out the scripture reference on one side of the chart, and its key thought on the other side. At the bottom of the chart write a short summary of what these verses are saying about your topic.

Each category should use a separate chart, so that the chart deals only with the verses in a given category. Each chart can then be given a heading that describes the subject matter it deals with.

If we did a topical Bible study on fasting, we would find that the dominant themes that appear throughout would be: examples of fasts, reasons for fasting, types of fasts, and lengths of fasts. We would then devote a chart to each of these themes, and record the appropriate scriptures on each chart. In our example of fasting, the predominant themes were (1) what a fast is, (2) the reasons for fasting (3) the results of fasting (4) length of fasts, (5) fasts that displease God, and (6) different types of fasts.

Once you have finished your charts and the summary at the end of each, your study is completed. By reading these charts you have a very clear and accurate understanding of what the Bible has to say about the topic. Be sure to properly label and preserve these charts for future reference.

STEP FIVE: LIMITING YOUR SEARCH

The more you use the Topical Bible Study, the more familiar and comfortable you will be with it. You will also find that you do not always need to know what the entire Bible says about a topic. Sometimes you may want to limit your search to either the Old or New Testament, or to a select group of biblical books. For example, assume you are a pastor of a church and you are teaching through the book of Romans. While preparing your lesson on chapter five, you notice the main theme is sin. In order to make your teaching more interesting and thorough, you decide to find out what the Apostle Paul has to say about sin in his other books. In this case, you would do a Topical Bible Study on sin, but would limit your search to the New Testament books that the Apostle Paul wrote.

STEP SIX: CONFIRMING YOUR STUDY

Whenever possible, it is a good idea to check the results of your study with a reputable source (commentaries, respected authors, your teacher, or pastor, etc.) to confirm you have properly done the study and correctly determined the Bible’s position on the topic. This is particularly important if the results of your study will be used in a public presentation.

The Topical Bible Study Assignment is found in Homework III.

V.EXPOSITORY BIBLE STUDY

Expository Bible study, also known as analytical Bible study, is a careful examination of a book or passage of scripture. There are two ways in which this type of study may be utilized. The first is a general overview of an entire book. Careful note is made of its main theme, author, style of literature, and basic outline. A more careful examination is then made of each passage of the book so as to note the flow of subject matter throughout the book, and the numerous sub-currents of thought.

The second way this type of study may be employed is much more specific and detailed. Rather than studying an entire book, a selected passage of a book is chosen. After noting the theme of the book, as in the first method, careful attention is then given the theme of the passage under consideration. Most often the selected passage is a chapter. However, chapter and verse divisions do not always accurately divide the text, and care should be taken so that the scripture selected includes the entire subject matter of the passage. An example of this is found in Isaiah chapters 52 and 53. If studying the theme of the Suffering Messiah in Isaiah 53, verses 13 through 15 of chapter 52 should be included in the study because they are actually the beginning of this topic. In this instance, the chapter division does not accurately divide the passage. A Bible that has paragraph divisions within the text is helpful in determining the boundaries of a passage. Having selected a passage for study, a verse by verse examination of the text is performed, giving careful consideration to key words. Observations are written down, and questions asked of the text to promote deeper study. The student also notes any questions he might have about the passage, such as unfamiliar words.

Both of these types of expository Bible study can be profitable. The first allowing more freedom, and the second requiring more disciplined meditation. We will be discussing and utilizing the second of these two methods.

STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION:

Step by step instructions for preparing an expository Bible study. Read the following instructions but do no work until instructed to do so.

A.STEP ONE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1) A chapter or passage is selected from either the New Testament epistles (Romans to Jude), or from the Psalms. Such lend themselves best to this type of study. Select a passage of about 10 to 20 verses, being careful to correctly define the boundaries of the passage according to subject matter.

2) Read the background information of the book the passage is found in. Your goal is to gather information as to why this book was written, by who, for whom, the occasion for writing, etc. This will give insight as to the intentions of the author, the purpose of the book, and its main theme. Also read about the author's background for insight into his reason and occasion for writing. Your Study Bible has book outlines that will prove very helpful, as well as information on book authors. Also consult any commentaries available, Bible handbooks/dictionaries, etc.

3) Study the context of the passage. In what part of the book does the passage appear. Is it part of an historical narrative? A doctrinal treatise? How does this passage fit into the whole of the book? What subject matter immediately precedes and follows the passage? What does this tell you about the passage? This type of information can be obtained in the book outlines of your Study Bible, the New Testament chapter outlines in your Study Bible, commentaries, etc.

4) Do not read the verse by verse comments on your passage from any source. When consulting the various books for background information (Study Bible, Bible commentaries, Bible dictionaries/handbooks, etc.) Consider only the background material. Do not read any information about the passage itself! This step will come later.

B.STEP TWO: DETAILED STUDY

1)Read the passage five to ten times. This type of Bible study majors in observation, hence familiarity with the passage is paramount. With the length of passage we are considering, this can be done in 30 minutes or less. Also read it in any other translations you have available to you, such as the New International Version, the Amplified Bible, the New King James Version, and others.

2)Beginning with the first verse of the passage, divide the verse into phrases. Most verses have at least two major parts or phrases. Some have three and four. It is the rare verse that has only one part or phrase (e.g. "Jesus wept"). If we were considering revelation 1:1, we would divide it thus: The Revelation of Jesus Christ/Which God gave unto him/to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass/and he sent and signified it by his angel/unto his servant John. As you can see, there are five parts, or phrases, that this verse can be broken down into.

3) Write out the entire first verse of the passage on a clean sheet of paper in capital letters. Skipping a line, write out the first phrase of the verse (lowercase letters) and underline it.

4) Write down your observations about this phrase. Notice everything that it says. Of particular interest are verbs, nouns, time elements, names, geographical locations, etc. Bombard it with questions (who, what, when, where, why, how, etc.) Keep in mind the entire verse, passage and book. Does the background material have any bearing on what this verse/phrase is saying? Are there any further implications? What is the key verse of the passage? Are there any key words used repeatedly in the passage? What doctrines are being taught, or how does the verse or passage further explain a doctrine? What is there that may illuminate your understanding of the person and character of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the Lord teaching you to do? Not to do? Who are the characters mentioned? What do we know about the places mentioned? What are some important cross references? Also make a note of any questions you have about the verse or phrase, or any problems it presents. You can look into these after you have finished the study at hand. The best results will be obtained by taking your time and carefully meditating on the phrase. You should be as thorough as time permits; however, you will never be as thorough as you might like to be. You undoubtedly discovered this in the topical Bible study. It is impossible to exhaust God's word.

5) If there are any words that seem to be of special importance, do a word study on them. What is the meaning in the original language of the word? What implications does this have on the verse? Does this word have slight, but important, shades of meaning that would make a synonym inadequate in this case?

Remember, your Strong's concordance has dictionaries for this purpose.

6) Repeat all of these steps for each phrase of the verse.

7) After treating each phrase of the verse, briefly summarize the verse in one or two sentences. Recap its major thought(s) and theme(s).

8) Repeat all of these steps for each verse of the passage.

9) After treating each verse of the passage, summarize the key teachings and thoughts of the passage. This passage summary need only be three or four sentences.

This completes the explanation of an expository Bible study. As you can see, it is primarily observation that can be done without the help of Bible tools. For more information about the passage, commentaries and other study aids may be used after you have completed your portion of the study.

You will be instructed to complete an expository Bible study using the step-by-step method explained in this lesson for I Corinthians 1:27-31. Your study is to be a minimum of three to four pages. Use of the previous discussion will instruct you in completing this study in 4 steps.

The Expository Bible Study Assignment is found in Homework IV.

VI. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY BIBLE

A. List six examples of the pictorial illustrations and Bible harmonies in your Study Bible.

a. __________________________________

b. __________________________________

c. __________________________________

d. __________________________________

e. __________________________________

f. __________________________________

B. Give the meaning of the following abbreviations:

CH. __________________________________

V. __________________________________

(?) After dates or subjects _________________________________

C. List seven practical advantages of a Study Bible.

a. __________________________________

b. __________________________________

c. __________________________________

d. __________________________________

e. __________________________________

f. __________________________________

g. __________________________________

h. There are _____ books in the Old Testament with a total of _____chapters.

i. There are _____ books in the New Testament with a total of _____ chapters.

j. The Bible contains _____ books with a total of _____ chapters.

D. Using your Study Bible, abbreviate the following books of the Bible.

1) JOSHUA _____2) JOB _____

3) JOEL _____

4) JONAH _____5) JOHN _____6) JUDGES _____

7) JUDE _____8) JEREMIAH _____9) JAMES _____

E. Could all the books of the Bible starting with the letter "j" be reduced to two letter abbreviations without being repetitious or confusing?

YES __ NO__PROVE. USE SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER.

Answer: either yes or no is okay. If yes, you must show it

VII.BIBLE ORIGINS

In many Study Bibles there are articles discussing the origin and growth of the English Bible by listing the codices and versions. A codex is a manuscript volume of an ancient classic -- in this case scriptures.

Complete the following information on the "most ancient copies" and "ancient copies" of the original manuscripts that may be found in your Study Bible. Should this not be the case, then a major Bible Dictionary will prove helpful.

Century of Origin

1) Codex Sinaiticus____________________________

2) Codex Alexandrinus____________________________

3) Septuagint Version____________________________

4) Codex Vaticanus____________________________

5) Peshitto Or Syriac ____________________________

6) The Vulgate____________________________

VIII. BIBLE PERIODS

Many Study Bibles give clear comparisons between Biblical history and secular (nonreligious) history. This portion not only treats the times of the Old Testament but also give comparisons for the interval between the testaments.

Two Caesars ruled while Christ was on earth. Who were they, and in what year did they reign?

________________________________________________________

IX. BOOKS AS A WHOLE

A condensed outline of the Old and New Testament is to be found in many Study Bibles. The sixty-six books are classified in two ways: by common content or authorship and by number of books.

A.Although Jonah preached in Nineveh, which book has the destruction of Nineveh as it main theme?

____________________________

B.Which book in the New Testament devotes over half a dozen verses to "warning against immoral teachers"?

____________________________

C. Which New Testament book is prophetical?

____________________________

D. 1) In the second chapter of that book, the writer begins his letters to seven churches. Read the second and third chapters and on the blanks provided here list the names of the churches to whom he wrote.

a. __________________________________

b. __________________________________

c. __________________________________

d. __________________________________

e. __________________________________

f. __________________________________

g. __________________________________

2) Give the name of the lukewarm church with the chapter and verses.

____________________________

E. Many Study Bibles have some charts of Old Testament and New Testament history.

1) During the period of the judges there were _____ male deliverers or judges and _____ female.

2) Three men ruled over Israel, ___________, _________,and________, during the period of the united kingdom for a total of _____ years while the __________ empire was prominent.

3) Israel and Judah each had a total of _____ kings during the time of the divided kingdom, but Judah had one _____ which gave her a total of twenty rulers.

X.OUTLINE STUDIE