Transcript How to Study the Bible for All It’s Worth

How to Study the Bible for All
It’s Worth
Part 1
Consider the Background
• “To approach the study of any one of the
books of the Bible without knowing
something of its purpose or its principle
theme would be like reading a newspaper
without knowing anything about its date or
its place of printing….”
Consider the Background
• “…In both cases the reader would not
know whether he was reading of incidents
or characters of his own time or of things
that happened thousands of years ago.
There can be but little profit in this kind of
Bible study. In fact, it is not Bible study at
all—it is no more than just Bible reading.”
– Harvey Scott, Bible Study Guidance: “A
Study of Right Living,” Oklahoma City:
Telegram Book Company, 1960, p. 57.
Become Acquainted with the Author
• Of course, every author was inspired by
the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21), so we
could say God is the author.
– However, each writer wrote under
circumstances peculiar to him and used
vocabulary that would fit his occupation and
education.
– The Holy Spirit helped the writer select words
from his own vocabulary that conveyed the
message exactly as he wanted it.
Examples of Unique Vocabulary
• In David’s Psalms, there are many
references to aspects of taking care of
sheep and the role of the shepherd (i.e.
Psalm 23).
• Luke, the physician, explains none could
heal the woman with the issue of blood
(Luke 8:43-44).
• Only Luke notes the Lord touched the ear
of the high priest’s servant and healed him
(22:51).
Examples of Unique Vocabulary
• Paul authored 13 N. T. books.
– He was a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, taught
at the feet of Gamaliel, a Pharisee and a
former persecutor of the church (Acts 22:1-5;
Philippians 3:4-6).
– Helps us understand references to the
prophets and the great debt he owed because
of the mercy God had shown him.
Identify the Speaker
• The speaker may not be the same as the
author.
– Matthew records the words of Jesus, Satan,
the angry mob and Pilate, among others.
– Luke assembled an account of Christ’s life
based upon eyewitness accounts (Luke 1:14).
Identify the Speaker
• While the record of statements will be
correct, the message presented maybe
untrue.
– The speeches of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar
are uninspired men’s answers to the cause of
Job’s suffering and may mislead us.
– Gamaliel’s conclusion will be true in judgment,
but may cause us to fail to oppose error in a
timely manner (Acts 5:38-39).
The Purpose
• The Preacher said he was going to search
for something that was good for man
(Ecclesiastes 2:3).
– As he tells how the search proceeded, he tells
of much folly (1:16; 2:1, 15; 3:17-18; etc.)
– Using man’s wisdom, he pursued courses that
would not result in a good end for man (2:17)
– His conclusion is that the key to man’s
happiness does not lie in man’s pursuit of
what he thinks is good, but in fearing God and
keeping his commandments (12:13)
The Date of Writing
• It is important to know the age, or time, in
which instructions and promises were
given.
– Noah did not leave his father’s house.
– Abraham did not build an ark.
– The law of the Sabbath was for the children of
Israel (Exodus 31:12-17).
The Date of Writing
• It is important to know the age, or time,….
– The thief on the cross lived under the law of
Moses (Luke 23:43; Hebrews 9:16-17).
– It helps us understand the instructions of Mark
14:13 when we know carrying water was the
work of women during that period of time.
The Addressees
• In what city did the addressees live?
• What occupations were common there?
• What was the governing authority in the
city?
• How did the city relate to that authority?
– Nineveh was the capitol city of Assyria.
– Philippi was considered Roman soil.
The Addressees
• What was the racial mixture?
– The writer of Hebrews often refers to Israelite
history and Jewish figures of speech.
– Paul quotes a prophet of Crete (Titus 1:12).
– Paul quotes a poet on Mars Hill (Acts 17:28).
• What person is being addressed?
– Which Herod? Pharaoh? What is the nature
and position of the man of whom the writer is
speaking?
The Nature of Writing
• Is it biography, history, law, poetry or
prophecy?
– Poetry and prophecy often contain figurative
language, while law and history seldom do
• Poetry uses “much more figurative speech,
and the figures more bold and imaginative”
(Clinton Lockhart, Principles of Interpretation,
p. 51)
– In Psalm 80:4, the translators used “angry,” when
the literal word was “smoke,” because they
understood it as a figure representing God’s
anger
Context, the Key to
Understanding
• To be truly understood, any statement
must be considered in light of its context
Context, the Key to
Understanding
• An example is found in Jesus’ statement,
“Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37)
– By reading the surrounding verses, we realize
Jesus meant for us to love our neighbor by
being merciful to him when we see him in
need.
– Our understanding of “neighbor” is found in
Jesus’ answer to the lawyer’s question, “Who
is my neighbor?” (All who are in need)
The Three Parts of Context
• The specific statement itself
• The immediate context, which includes
verses immediately before and after
• The remote context, which includes all
that is said in the whole Bible about the
thing being considered
• “A text out of its context is simply a
pretext.”
“Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and you will be saved,
you and your household.”
• This is the answer Paul and Silas gave to
the Philippian jailer’s question, “Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?”
“Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ…”
• The context reveals they taught him the word
of the Lord, he washed their stripes and was
baptized immediately, along with his family
• Vs. 34 says, “And he brought them up into
his house, and set food before them, and
rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having
believed in God.”
– This clearly indicates belief in God involves
hearing the truth and being baptized.
– Compare Galatians 3:26-27.
Consider the Words
• The words used in any passage must be
understood in order to fully grasp the
meaning.
• Paul tells of a man caught up into the 3rd
heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2)
– The birds fly in the first
– The stars shine in the second
– God lives in the third
Understanding the Words
• The same word may have different
meanings in different passages.
• Death can refer to
– physical death – Genesis 24:67
– death in sin – Ephesians 2:1
– death to sin – Galatians 2:20
“World” and “Works”
• “World” can refer to
– that which God created – Acts 17:24
– material possessions – Matthew 16:26
– sinful desire – 1 John 2:15-17
• “Works” can be used to describe
– works of merit – Ephesians 2:8-9
– works of faith – Ephesians 2:10; James 2:1417
The Word “Faith”
• In Matthew 8:10, Jesus describes a
centurion’s actions by saying, “Assuredly, I
say to you, I have not found such great faith,
not even in Israel!”
– “Here confidence is meant, as the adjuncts
‘found’ and ‘great’ clearly imply” (Lockhart, p.
108).
• In Jude 3, faith is something to be contended
for, which can be delivered.
– Thus, Lockhart says it is “the system of Christian
truth which was to be believed” (p. 109).
Consider the Literal Meaning First
• The rule, even in the works of men, is to
take the literal meaning first unless it
contradicts some other clear teaching
• Be careful not to confuse personal
speculation with what the Bible teaches
– Genesis 1:2-3 speaks of light in contrast to
darkness, thus literal light.
– Some would make the light of John 1:1-9 the
same.
– Obviously, the text will not allow such a
position because verse 14 tells us it is Jesus
who became flesh and dwelt among men.
Commands and Ordinances
• “Commands generally, and ordinances
always, are to be understood in a literal
sense” (Dungan).
– For example, Jesus decreed that belief and
baptism are necessary to save man (Mark 16:16)
– Both belief and baptism are literally required,
with no hidden figurative meaning
• Matthew 5:16 contains a command stated in
figurative language
– The Lord is clearly using light to represent the
example each Christian sets in his daily affairs
The Meaning When Written
• In Matthew 24:34, the word “generation” is
from the word “genea,” which is translated
“generation” and means 30 to 40 years.
The Meaning Generally
• It is important to take the word in the
sense it is generally understood unless the
context demands otherwise.
• In Genesis 22:1, the KJV says, “God did
tempt Abraham.”
– “The word tempt, many times, occurs in the
sense to do wrong; but generally it has the
meaning of to try or prove” (Dungan).
– Thus, we conclude God tested or proved
Abraham (James 1:13).
The Author May Give the Meaning
• When the author gives his own meaning, it
will never go against the generally
understood meaning, but may specialize
its usage
– “Elder” was used by the Jews to describe an
older man, but it often is used for an office in
the N. T. (1 Peter 5:1-2; Acts 20:17, 28; 1
Timothy 3:1-8; 5:17)
• John lets us know Jesus was speaking
about his body, not the place of worship
(John 2:18-21).
Words Describing Definite Action
• Words like jump, run, etc. have but one
meaning.
• Commands ordering such actions can only
be accomplished by obeying the strict
meaning.
Baptism Describes a Definite
Action
• One cannot sprinkle or pour to baptize
since baptism is a burial (Romans 6:3-4).
– Baptidzo meant “to cleanse by dipping or
submerging, to wash, to make clean with
water,” metaphorically meaning to overwhelm
(Thayer).
– “To baptize, primarily a frequentative form of
bapto, to dip, was used among Greeks to
signify the dyeing of a garment, or the
drawing of water by dipping a vessel into
another, etc.” (Vine).
Context May Give the Meaning
• In John 8:47, “The word ‘hear’ cannot be literal in
the sense of receiving sound by ear, for anyone not
deaf could do that; and the reason, ‘ye are not of
God,’ would not apply. But ‘hear’ clearly means
‘heed;’ and hence their being ‘not of God,’ but
disposed against God, furnishes a good reason”
(Lockhart, p. 109).
• Similarly, in Romans 2:13, “the contrast between
‘hearers’ and ‘doers,’ shows that ‘hearers’ are not
those who heed, for they would be doers. The
‘hearers’ are those who have opportunity to know
the law, but do it not” (pp. 110-111).