Bible Study Preparation
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
January 19, 2000
Introduction:
Last week we started by focusing on who the teacher is. God is just as concerned about who you are as He is about what you teach. That involves things like regular devotions, prayer, knowing your flock, being teachable, having the gift of teaching, and love.
For years, I’d have this verse at the top of every Bible Study I taught as a way of reminder:
(1 Tim 1:5 NASB) But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
The Inductive Method (cont’d)
Homework review
Did your homework assignment affect how you listened to the Sunday morning message (on Isa. 43)? Share from the homework assignment. (doing O-I-A on Isaiah 43).
Share about my preparation for Sunday –
Most of my basic message came before I got into the commentaries. Most came simply by reading, reading again, then reading again.
Even when I start getting into the commentaries, what they often do is to simply launch me in a new direction on a verse I hadn’t paid enough attention to.
Observation, Interpretation, Application (O-I-A)
Here are some specific things to be looking for in a passage (things to "Observe")
Who: are the main characters?
What: are the main events? ideas? doctrines?
When: was it written? did it take place? will it happen?
Where: was it written? did it take place? will it happen?
Why: was it written? does the author include this?
How: is it done? explained? compared?
Tools of the trade (cont’d)
Bibles: Differences in versions
Types of translations:
Word for word
The idea is that you try and translate a passage in a manner so that every Hebrew or Greek word is translated into an appropriate English word. The benefit is that you get a translation that’s very close to the original text. The down side is that these translations are usually harder to read because the language is a little choppy and doesn’t flow very well.
Bibles: King James, New King James, New American Standard
Phrase/idea translation
The idea behind this translation philosophy is to try to look at an entire phrase as you are translating. It’s hard to put Hebrew thoughts into English in a word for word translation and still come up with the flow or thought that was intended. The benefit of this method is that the reading is generally easier to understand and flows better. The down side is that the translation may not quite accurately represent all that was intended. Sometimes it will lean towards one particular idea that a passage conveys, but do it in a way that sacrifices other thoughts that also may be conveyed in a passage.
Bibles: New International Version
Paraphrases
These are not strictly translations. An author or editor will take a passage and put it into his own words, elaborating when needed to help explain a little more what is being talked about.
Example of comparing different types of translations
Word for word –
(Isa 30:33 NASB) For Topheth has long been ready, Indeed, it has been prepared for the king. He has made it deep and large, A pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.
Phrase translation –
(Isa 30:33 NIV) Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its fire pit has been made deep and wide, with an abundance of fire and wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.
The second sentence is reworded to read a little more smoothly, "Its fire pit …"
Paraphrase –
(Isa 30:33 NLT) Topheth--the place of burning--has long been ready for the Assyrian king; it has been piled high with wood. The breath of the LORD, like fire from a volcano, will set it ablaze.
Note the additions, "place of burning" and "Assyrian" to explain the terms that might be questioned. The problem is, these are an individual’s interpretation, even if it’s mostly correct. "Topheth" is a "place of burning". But which "king"? It could be the "Assyrian" king, but it also could be the antichrist, which you wouldn’t see if you were just limited to the New Living Translation.
Types of manuscript foundation
Hebrew Old Testament – The Jewish scribes were very, very slow and careful in their copying of manuscripts, and as a result, there is a great degree of accuracy from one copy to the next.
Greek New Testament – The early church wasn’t as careful. They were just so excited when they got a copy of a letter from Paul, or one of the gospel accounts, that they’d quickly make as many copies as possible, and as a result, some copyist errors began to creep into the copies. If one person made a spelling error, then every other person copying from his copy would make that same error. As a result, there are about 150,000 variations in the Greek texts. Don’t worry about that though, most are things like spelling errors. Of the variances, only .27% (400) actually affect the possible meaning of the text, and only .03% (50) affect the meaning to any large degree. NONE of the variances alters "an article of faith or a precept of duty which is not abundantly sustained by other and undoubted passages, or by the whole tenor of Scripture teaching" (Philip Schaff, Comparison to the Greek Testament and the English Version).
As a result of these variances, the Greek manuscripts can be divided into "families" based on their similarities. The two main "families" or texts are the "Byzantine" and the "Alexandrian" texts. The idea is that when a copyist in Alexandria made certain mistakes in copying, all those who copied from him also copied his mistakes as well.
Which family of texts is better? There are scholars on both sides of the coin. When I went to seminary, I was taught that the Alexandrian texts were the older, more reliable texts. Pastor Chuck feels that the Byzantine texts are the more reliable texts.
Because of these two families of Greek texts, there are two streams of Bible translations based on these texts:
Byzantine (also called "textus receptus" or, "received text") – King James, New King James.
Alexandrian – New American Standard, New International Version
The Hermeneutic Method
Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpreting the Scriptures.
Different approaches –
1. Symbolic approaches
Many through church history have taken a symbolic approach to the Scriptures.
Augustine taught that every scripture had four levels of understanding: The "Letter" which was the literal understanding, the "allegory" which was a symbolic interpretation, the "moral" understanding which gave a sense of what we were to do or not to do, and the "anagogy" which was a kind of deeper, mystical, spiritual understanding.
While Scripture may indeed be very, very deep, and may have many levels of understanding to it, the problem with this approach is that you’ll find that with each teacher, you’ll have a different interpretation as to what the verse means.
I have a hard time thinking that God meant for us to be confused as to what His Word means.
You’ll find these kinds of approaches in the very ancient commentaries.
There is a place for symbolism in Scripture – there are different types of writings that require that we interpret things as symbolic, such as Daniel and Revelation. The parables of Jesus also have a symbolic part to them as well, but these things are obvious.
2. Disconnected
This approach comes in many forms, but the idea is that you take a single verse and make it say whatever you want.
Proof Texting
This is where you will find a person taking a text to prove their point, and twisting the meaning of the passage to make it fit their theology.
Example:
The Mormons take the following verse as if it’s referring to Joseph Smith:
(Ezek 37:16-17 KJV) Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: {17} And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
For a person who is not versed in the Bible and not familiar with Ezekiel, this can knock you off guard. Until you study your Bible and come to realize that it’s talking about the split kingdom, the southern kingdom which was known as Judah, and the northern kingdom which was known as Ephraim, or, Joseph (who was the father of Ephraim), and their eventual reunification.
Springboarding
This is what many pastors were taught in the old days, to pick a "text" and build your sermon on it.
Usually what it meant was for the pastor to read the text, make a brief comment on it, and then launch into the things he really wanted to say. For many churches it meant that the pastor would talk about staying away from the movies, giving, and being baptized.
3. Grammar and History
This is the approach we take with Scripture .
We base our interpretation of Scripture upon what the passage is saying grammatically, and upon what the historical circumstances were.
Grammar
This means getting down to finding out what the text is saying (more on this next week)
Historical
Understanding the historical context of the book helps us understand what is happening.
Knowing when Isaiah was written answers a lot of mysteries, once you begin to learn about the Assyrian empire that ruled during Isaiah’s day.
Understanding Paul’s life and when he wrote the various epistles helps you understand the kinds of things he’s dealing with.
Culture
Sometimes it’s important to understand the way Bible cultures worked.
(1 Cor 11:5 KJV) But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
It was only prostitutes that walked around without their heads covered in Corinth.
(1 Tim 2:15 KJV) Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
The plain sense is the main sense.
God doesn’t try to hide His real meaning behind secret codes that only a select few can understand.
Usually, the plain sense is the correct one.
Tools of the trade (cont’d)
Background books
Halley’s & Unger’s Handbooks, Books on background, Bible Dictionaries, Josephus, Bible Encyclopedias, Commentaries (esp. Barclay), Study Bibles, Alfred Edersheim (Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah), Bible Atlas.
Assignment:
On Isaiah 44 –
Find out as much about ancient idolatry as you can (background info)
Do OIA on a verse with one application.