welcome to saint matthew ’ s church. please check you brain here and memorize this

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Welcome to Saint Matthew’s Church. Please check you brain here and memorize this.


How to Study the Bible Pt 3:Study Techniques


Understanding Bible Basics

• The Bible is 66 different books• Written by 40 different people• Written over a period of about 2,000 years• Consist of 2 volumes called the Old Testament and

the New Testament• Although spread out in 66 different books, the Bible

is a single message• Written in 3 languages: Hebrew, Aramaic & Greek

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The Purpose of This Lesson

• So that we may accomplish what Paul wrote about in:

• 2 Timothy 2:15• “Be diligent to present yourself approved to

God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

• 2 Timothy 3:17• “that the man of God may be complete,

thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

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Last Lesson: Christianity Under Fire

• Not all Christian churches are Christian churches• Different theological approaches to studying the Bible• Denominationalism: the results of having so many different

theological approaches• How cults and false doctrines have infiltrated and polluted the

image and message of true Christianity• Why it is important to study the Bible


You CANNOT truly learn the depths of the Bible without accepting Jesus Christ and help from the Holy Spirit (John 14:25, 1 Corinthians 2:11-14)


• Different approaches and different techniques

– Topical Study Approach

– Doctrine Approach

– Biography Approach

– Word Study

– Inductive Approach

– Deductive Approach

– Opinion Approach

– Dispensational Approach


Hermeneutics

Exegesis

Isogesis

Exegetical analysis

Hypostatic Union


AcademiaPromise of the Holy Spirit


• The Reformation Movement– Return to the basic theological doctrine of the Bible

• The Berean Approach Study Method– Return to the basic simplistic study of the Bible


• Plain Standard Bibles - these Bibles contain no notes, no maps or cross scripture reference, but just the word of God. This is good for plain reading, but does not offer assistance for studying.

• Devotional Bibles - devotional Bibles contains a devotional plan for reading the Bible each day. They give you a daily passage to read and a daily devotional thought to help build faith and dedication to God. The primary focus is on devotion, not education.

Which Bible to Use


• Paraphrase Bibles - paraphrase Bibles are not a word for word translations but rather a thought for thought translation (hence it's a paraphrase and not a true translation). Popular paraphrase Bibles includes The Message, the New Living and the New Century.

• Study Bibles - there are many different types of study Bibles. Some are designed for beginner to mid-level Bible students (i.e., Life Application Study Bible or the Inductive Study Bible) while others are designed for advanced students (i.e., Key Word Study Bible).

Which Bible to Use


• Right Attitude – BELIEVE!

• What are the essential methods for studying the Bible?

• How do we use them?

The Berean Approach Method


• Acts 2:29-39• 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the

patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. ”


• 34“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘ The LORD said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand, 35Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

• 36“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

• 37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”


• 40“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.


Notice verse 3737Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Notice verse 41

41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

The Hearing

The Response


Romans 10:1714 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Hearing The Response


Notice verse 3737Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Notice verse 41

41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

The Hearing

The Response

Back to the Book of Acts


• Having the right attitude allows you to….– hear the voice of God– respond with the right spirit– allows you to display genuine love towards

one another


• John 5:1-15• 1After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to

Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

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• 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

• And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

• 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”

• 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

• 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

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• John 6:53-66• 53Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless

you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

• 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

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• 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

• 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

• 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

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can cause you to….

– miss important lessons

– promote bad practices

– contaminate the flock

– embrace a false god

– be in opposition to God

– lose your soul

2 Corinthians 13:5,6 - Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.


• Right Attitude

• What are the essential methods for studying the Bible?

• How do we use them?


• Basic Hermeneutics

• Exegesis – Drawing the meaning out from the text

• Application

Essential Methods for Effective Bible Study


• Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpreting the Bible.

• The science involved in interpreting the Bible is based on rules such as the definition of words in their original language, the context of Bible passages, who is speaking, who is being spoken to, what is nature/purpose of the message, and allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture.

The Basics


• Basic Rules of Hermeneutics• Interpret the Old Testament

in light of the New Testament

• Comparing Scripture with Scripture

• Performing word searches• Defining words in their

original language

• Understanding the culture

• Exegesis & Isogesis• Observing the context

of passages – who is speaking and to whom

• Understand the different types of figurative languages used

• Putting it all together!

The Basics


• What is a Concordance?• an index of words

arranged in alphabetical order with references to the Bible book, chapter, and verse of where each word can be found.

• May contain a Hebrew and Greek lexicon in the back

The Definition of Words


• Lexicon• an index of words with

their definitions arranged in alphabetical order (sometimes numerical order based on an assigned reference numbers)

• Included in the back of some concordances



• Developed by Dr. James Strong• Most popular concordances

work with the King James Bible • Expanded Exhaustive

Concordance will include additional features, i.e.,– Word of Christ in red– Expanded Hebrew and

Greek dictionaries– Frequency counts of words– Variant spelling of names– Listing of synonyms– Etc.



• Three Basic Components to a Concordance• The Main Concordance• Appendix of Articles, Conjunctions, Prepositions, etc.• Two Dictionaries – one for Hebrew/Aramaic words and one

for Greek words



The Main Concordance



LOVE (310)

Make me savoury meat, such as I l………….Gen 27:4 157 Few days, for the l he had to her…………….Gen 29:20 160 Therefore my husband will l me…………….Gen 29:32 157 Unto thousands of them that l me……………Ex 20:6 157

EXAMPLE: LOVEHebrew/Aramaic words (Old Testament)



Thou shalt l thy neighbor, and………………..Mt. 5:43 25 L your enemies, bless them that..…………….Mt. 5:44 25 For if ye l them which l you,…………………Mt. 5:46 25 for they l to pray standing in…….……………Mt. 6:5 5368

Greek words (New Testament) – the reference number is in italics

Same word?

Let’s go to the first page of the Greek dictionary


The Definition of Words• READ THIS FIRST – How to Use the

Greek Dictionary

• Transliteration and Pronunciation of the Greek Alphabet

• Translation of symbols and abbreviations

• Greek Dictionary of the New Testament– Let’s look up Greek Strong’s Reference

Number 25


The Definition of WordsGreek Strong’s Reference Number 25 for the English word Love

25. {142X} agapao, ag-ap-ah-o; perh.

From v agan (much) [or comp. 5689]; to love (in a social or moral sense): love {135x), beloved {7x}

Agapao, in its perfect participle passive form, is translated “beloved” in Rom. 9:25; Eph 1:6; Col 3:12; 1 Th 1:4; 2 Th 2:13. Syn.: 5368. See: TDNT 1:21, 5; BAGD 4d; THAYER 3d. Comp. 5368.

Cross reference to other lexicons1. TDNT: Theological Dictionary of the New Testament2. BAGD: Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature3. THAYER: Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

much + love = much love


Exercise #1 (Word Definition)

Your assignment: it has been commonly taught that Agapao/Agape means “Divine, holy or Godly Love.”

Your mission, if you chose to accept: Using your Bible and concordance, Determine if this is factual – expose the truth

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Step 1: Look up the word LOVE, LOVED, LOVESTStep 2: Look at each reference using Strong Reference Number 25 or

26 (Agapao and Agape)Step 3: Look for the first hint that the word may be used in a way other than describing divine loveStep 4: Look at the reference for Luke 11:43Step 5: Under the word LOVED, look at the reference for John 3:19Step 6: Scriptural Comparison - look up the two passages in your Bible in light of the original Greek definition of the wordLuke 11:43 – “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love [agapao] the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces”John 3:19 – “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved [agapao] darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”



MISSION STATUS: ACCOMPLISHED!CONCLUSION: Agapao/Agape does not mean divine love, but means to have a strong attachment, to have “much love” towards someone or something.




Your assignment: it has been commonly taught that the use of instrumental music is absent from the new testament and therefore should not be used in church.

Your mission, if you chose to accept: Using your Bible and concordance, Determine if this is factual – expose the truth



Step 1: Look up the words MUSIC, MUSICAL, and MELODY to determine if they are used in any of the church or pastoral epistles of the New TestamentStep 2: MUSIC and MUSICAL is not described in any of the church writings, however MELODY is used in Ephesians 5:19, it is Greek reference number 5567Step 3: Go to the Greek dictionary and get the definition of reference number 5567 – psallo:“to twitch or twang, i.e. to play on a stringed instrument (celebrate the divine worship with music and accompanying odes)”Step 4: Look up the Ephesians 5:19 passage – insert the original Greek definition of the word MELODY Ephesians 5:19 – “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody [psallo] in your heart to the Lord…”

Exercise #2(Word Definition)


MISSION STATUS: ACCOMPLISHED!The word MELODY that is used in the New Testament epistle to the Ephesian church is Greek reference number 5567 – psallo:“to twitch or twang, i.e. to play on a stringed instrument (celebrate the divine worship with music and accompanying odes).”CONCLUSION: The use of instrumental music was not only used in the first century church, it was encouraged by the Apostle Paul

Exercise #2(Word Definition)


• Word Searches for finding certain Bible verses

• EXAMPLE: What did Jesus say about judging by appearance?

• Which Bible book, chapter, and verse can you find this information?

Word Searches


Exercise #3(Scripture Search)

Your assignment: determine what Jesus said about judging by appearance.

Your mission, if you chose to accept: Using your Bible and concordance, locate the bible verse that contains this information. Commit the information to memory.




Step 1: Look up the word APPEARANCE in your concordanceStep 2: Look for red letter if your concordance contains quotes from

Jesus in red.Step 3: Look at the reference for John 7:24John 7:24 – “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”Step 4: Commit to memory – take out an index cardStep 5: Write the verse location on one side of the card and the verse

quote on the other.


JOHN 7:24

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.



• Interpret the Old Testament

• in light of the New Testament –

• never the reverse

HOLY BIBLE


Allowing Scripture to Interpret Scripture

• Joel 2:28-32 • 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit

on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 32 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls.”

• Joel’s prophesy regarding the out-pouring of God’s Spirit.


• Acts 2:14-21

• 14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

• 17‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. 19I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 21And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’

• Sounds familiar?



• 16“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…”

Notice verse 16

(what was happening under the New Testament – men speaking in new tongue)

An Old Testament passage from an Old Testament Prophet


Peter interprets the Old Testament in light of events of the New Testament


Next Week’s Lesson

• Hermeneutics (continuation)– Observing the context of passages – who is

speaking and to whom– Understand the different types of figurative

languages used in the Bible– Exegesis & Isogesis

• The layout of the entire Bible (Past, Present, Future)• The Septuagint• The Dead Sea Scrolls• Between the testaments (the inter-testament period)• Tie it all together!


Your Assignment

• Using index cards, memorize the following Bible verses. Commit them to your heart.– John 7:24– Acts 17:11– 1 Thessalonians 5:21– 1 Corinthians 2:15– Your favorite verse(s)

welcome to saint matthew ’ s church. please check you brain here and memorize this

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