the berean approach how to study the bible

www.thebereanapproach.comThe Berean Approach

How to Study the Bible


Understanding Bible Basics

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

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

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


Enemies of Learning(things that will hinder your spiritual growth)

• Presumptions

• Hatred towards others

• Ignorance due to laziness

• Pride – the original sin. Pride will bring forth selfishness. Selfishness will bring forth covetousness. Covetousness will bring forth lust. Lust will bring forth stealing. Stealing will bring forth lying. Lying will bring forth hatred. Hatred will bring forth death.


How to Study the Bible• Sensitivity to the culture• Sensitivity to the definition of words in their original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek

languages• Interpret passages in their proper context• Scriptural Comparison – Let the Bible Speak for itself• Remember, this is NOT an intellectual exercise, but rather a supernatural experience• Take the Berean Approach (Acts 17:11)• 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)


• Acts 17:11 - These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

• 1 Corinthians 2:15 - But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – Test all things. Hold fast what is good.

• 2 Timothy 3:15-16 - 16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Return to the Bible as the authoritative Word of God


How will you view the Bible without taking the Berean Approach?

Mature Woman?Young Girl?

Which is it?Ask the author!


Quack!

Quack!

Quack!• if it looks like

a duck;• if it walks

like a duck;• and if it

quack like a duck;

• then it must be a duck. Right?

WRONG

2 Corinthians 11:14 – “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”


Sensitivity to the Culture

What is Good Friday?

Day generally recognized by the world as when Jesus was crucified.

(some examples)



What is Easter Sunday?

NO!



What is Easter Sunday?

Day generally recognized by the world as when Jesus was resurrected from the dead.


By Dan BrownSecret life of Jesus Christ based on clues hidden in daVinci’s Last Supper painting.


Sensitivity to the Culture The Passover Meal

• Exodus 12:5-8: 5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they

shall eat it. • Exodus 12:18-20: 18In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month

at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’”


Famous Leonardo da Vinci Last Supper Tradition


Famous Leonardo da Vinci Westernized Last Supper Tradition


Actual Eastern Last Supper Tradition


Leonardo da Vinci’s Painting

NO!


Sensitivity to the Culture(example #2)

• Good Friday? Was Jesus crucified on a Friday?• Quote from www.churchyear.net, a Roman Catholic website:

• “It is long-held tradition, based on the Biblical texts, that Jesus died on a Friday and rose from the dead on a Sunday, which would place the Last Supper on a Thursday night. Scripture tells us that Jesus rose from the dead "early on the first day of the week" (Mark 16:2, RSV). It was on the same day (the first day of the week) that Jesus met his apostles on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:1). John also confirms that Jesus rose on a Sunday (John 20:1).”



• “The early Church Fathers universally held that Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, and worshiped on Sunday, "The Lord's Day." The Fathers also testify to the Institution of the Eucharist on a Thursday and a Friday crucifixion of Jesus. Even though Jesus tells us that he was to be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, in ancient Jewish reckoning, this included partial days. Thus, Jesus was saying that his time in the earth would span three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).”

• NOTE: This belief is derived from John 11:9 – “Are there not 12 hours in the day?” However, this passage is referring to daylight hours, not the total number of hours to a full day.



• Continue:

• “Saint Justin Martyr (writing in 150 AD) testifies to both Sunday worship and a Friday crucifixion of Jesus:

• ‘But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples... (First Apology 67).’”



• Good Friday? Was Jesus crucified on a Friday?• Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and

three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

• Matthew 18:18-19 “18 Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”



• Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34 teaches that Jesus died at 3:00pm (the 9th hour in the Judean culture)

• Matthew 28:1-6 teaches that Jesus roused from the dead on early Sunday morning before dawn.

Assuming a Friday 3:00pm Crucifixion

Three Days and Three Nights

Nights Days

Friday Night

Saturday Night

Sunday Night

Saturday Day

Sunday Day

Monday Day

Resurrected Monday Night?

NO!



• Question? How does the Western culture measure days?

To 11:59pm in the eveningFrom 12:00am in the morning

12:00am begins the new day



• Question? How does the Eastern culture measure days?

To 5:59pm sunsetFrom 6:00pm sunset

6:00pm begins the new day



• Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34 teaches that Jesus died at 3:00pm (the 9th hour in the Judean culture)

• Matthew 28:1-6 teaches that Jesus roused from the dead on early Sunday morning before dawn.

Assuming a Wednesday 3:00pm Crucifixion

Three Days and Three Nights

Nights Days

Wednesday Night

Thursday Night

Friday Night

Thursday Day

Friday Day

Saturday Day

Resurrected Saturday night after 6:00pm

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Jesus’ Warning

• 1Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

• 3He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—

The Berean Approach

• Matthew 15:1-9 -

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Jesus’ Warning

• 6then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

• 8‘ These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

• And honor Me with their lips,

• But their heart is far from Me.

• 9And in vain they worship Me,

• Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

The Berean Approach


Sensitivity to Definition of Words(example)

• The Bible was not originally written in English or Spanish.

• Certain words may not translate well.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”


NO!

Sensitivity to Definition of Words(example)

Bara?

Created


Bara?


Word Definition & Scriptural Comparison(example)

• Never build doctrine based on a single Bible verse. Always read the previous chapter of the verse, and the following chapter of the verse to ensure proper content (understanding).

• Make sure the doctrine is consistent with the overall theme and message of the Bible. From Genesis through Revelation.

• Always allow the Bible to translate itself.Matthew 7:1-2 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

This means we should never judge. Right?NO!

2919


Word Definition & Scriptural Comparison(example)

• John 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

• 1 Corinthians 2:15 “But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.”

• Judge = #2919 – krino, to distinguish, to decide, to choose, to be of an opinion, to approve, esteem, to prefer, to think, to deem….to judge!

• Judge = #350 – (from #2919) anakrino, to scrutinize, to investigate, to interrogate, to to determine

2919

2919350


TWO PITFALLS TO AVOID

• Collapsing Content: combing two or more Bible passages that have nothing in common except similarity in certain words or metaphors to draw a conclusion that is different than the intent of the Author. THIS IS A CULT FAVORITE!!!


• Psalm 34:15: The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous…• Psalm 34:15(b): …and his ears are open to their cry • 2 Samuel 22:16: …the foundations of the world were uncovered, at the rebuke

of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.• Isaiah 1:20: But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.• 1 Samuel 13:14: The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own

heart...• Psalm 8:3: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, …• Psalm 28:5: Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the

operation of His hands,…• Isaiah 52:10: The LORD has made bare His holy arm… • Psalm 18:9: He bowed the heavens also, and came down with darkness under

His feet.• Psalm 91:4: He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.


• Letterism: forcing figurative language used in the Bible to be taken literally. • Parable• Proverb• Fable• Allegory • Type• Symbol• Simile

• Metaphor• Idiom• Oxymoron• Ellipsis• Irony• Climax • Synecdoche

Figurative language

Use your common sense


• Example: Matthew 3:4-6 • 4Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a

leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

• Conclusion: The people of Jerusalem, and all the people of Judea and the region around Jordan were baptized by John the Baptist.

“If the plain sense make sense then look for no other sense - or all you will end-up with is nonsense.”


Search the Scriptures Daily!DON’T BE SPOON FED

• “If you bring your gift to the altar, and remember there that you have something against your brother, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

• “If you bring your gift to the altar, and remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

• Next Step: Take it

Matthew 5:23 & 24 -


The Problems with ChristianityNot taken seriously

The Birth of Christ Resurrection of Christ



Angels Satan and Demons



Hollywood’s distortion of evil spirits



Flood of diabolical films in recent times


The Problems with Christianity

Movie’s that turn’s truth into fables:


• The Falling Away: Strong Reference Number 646 apostasia – defection from the truth

• 2 Timothy 4:3-5• “For the time will come when they will not endure sound

doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears AWAY from the truth, ……… and be turned aside to fables and lies.”


Summary

• Let go of your presumptions and let the bible speak for itself

• Sensitivity to the culture• Sensitivity to the definition of words in their original

Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek languages• Interpret passages in their proper content• Scriptural Comparison – let the Bible translate itself• Remember, this is NOT an intellectual exercise, but

rather a supernatural experience• Take the Berean Approach (Acts 17:11)• Take it seriously. BELIEVE!!!


Spirit Building Exercise• Always begin your Bible study with prayer.• Remember the Christian bar of soap – 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our

sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse of from ALL unrighteousness.”

• Put into practice what the Holy Spirit has taught you. Obey God, be quick to forgive and to pray for others. Even better to pray with others.

• Have daily devotional and Bible study. Do not neglect your own (alone) time with God.

• Start a journal of your Bible studies – writing down questions to God regarding anything you studied that you do not understand.

• Go to God in prayer and tell Him about the passage you do not understand and ask Him to grant you understanding.

• Have faith and believe that God will answer.• Record your answer in your journal and give God the glory.• PRAISE HIM!

the berean approach how to study the bible

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