Bible Study Preparation
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
January 26, 2000
Introduction:
Who needs a CD for Online Bible?
We’ve talked about the importance of 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.
We’ve talked about our "Hermeneutic Method". Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpreting the Scriptures.
We do not symbolism in everything we read.
We do not take a verse out of context and build an idea upon it.
We use the "Grammatical – Historical" Method.
We want to understand the historical background and culture to the passage we’re reading.
We want to understand the "grammar", the actual sense of the words that are used.
The Inductive Method (cont’d)
Homework review
Share about homework in Isaiah 44
What did you learn about idols? Did you notice that I didn’t end up saying anything about idols? Sometimes you will do a lot of work and never use what you find. Get used to it. It’s a part of good preparation.
Observation, Interpretation, Application (O-I-A)
Last week I shared some questions to ask:
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?
My idea was not to expect you to find an answer to every question for every verse. I meant to encourage you to be aware of these things as you are preparing. Some books of the Bible require some questions, while others require others. An historical book will require a bit more work on understanding the "whens" and how things tie together, while one of Paul’s letters will require other questions to ask.
The Hermeneutic Method (cont’d)
We use the method involving …
Grammar and History
We talked last week about undertanding history and culture.
We base our interpretation of Scripture upon what the passage is saying grammatically, and upon what the historical circumstances were.
Grammar
Writing Styles
This means we need to take time to be thinking about what kind of style the passage is written as.
Is it a historical account? Is it prophetic? Is it poetic? Is it symbolic? Is it a parable? Is it a proverb?
Each of these types of styles means that we need to adapt our interpretation.
A historical account is written to be read in a literal sense.
When Jesus feeds 5,000 people with a few loaves and fishes, we understand this as a miracle!
A poetic passage may contain a non-literal or metaphorical account.
When God hides us under His wings, don’t think He’s a big bird, it’s a metaphor!
Figures of speech.
The Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech, in which a word or phrase that ordinarily means one thing is applied to another thing, in order to suggest a likeness between the two. Examples of metaphors are, "a copper sky" and "a heart of stone."
The Simile
A simile is also a comparison between two things, like a metaphor; only, the comparison is indicated by, "like," or "as." Examples of this are, "a face like stone," "as hard as nails," and "his eyes were like fire."
The Analogy
An analogy is a likeness in some ways between things that are otherwise unlike. There is an analogy between the human heart and a pump, the Lord and a shepherd, and the saints and sheep.
The Hyperbole
The hyperbole is an exaggerated statement, used for effect, and not meant to be taken literally. An example is in Matthew 7, where Jesus talks about the person looking for the specks in his brother's eye, while having beams in his own eye.
The Personification
The poetic device which takes inanimate objects, and gives them human characteristics is called a personification. An example is saying that the mountains sing, or clap their hands.
The Idiom
Every language has certain peculiar phrases, which cannot be analyzed by the usual grammatical process. Idioms are a mode of expression that defies the rules, and depends on the society to supply the definition. the dictionary defines idioms as, "a small group or collection of words expressing a single notion." We often say that "we’re in a pickle," or "it is raining cats and dogs," or "he’s dead from the neck up." These are all idioms, and we depend on everyone "getting the picture" because they live in our society.
Word meanings
dunamis – from tonight’s study, the word "virtue"
(Luke 6:17-19 KJV) And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; {18} And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. {19} And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
virtue
– dunamis – strength power, ability; inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth; power for performing miracles. Power or ability. Virtue. Jesus promised us power when the Holy Spirit would come upon us:(Acts 1:8 KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Grammatical construction
Verb tense, number, etc.
Also from tonight’s study –
gifts – charisma – a favour with which one receives without any merit of his own; the gift of divine grace; the gift of faith, knowledge, holiness, virtue; grace or gifts denoting extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating on their souls by the Holy Spirit. The word here is in the plural form. It’s not a single "gift", but several "gifts".
healing – iama – a means of healing, remedy, medicine; a healing. This word is plural too, literally, "gifts of healings".
We often think of a person who is used to bring healing as having the "gift of healing", and I’m not sure that isn’t possibly the case. But it could very well be that the person who is healed is the one who has received the gift, and the idea that these gifts are plural, many, is that God offers healing to all of us. Possibly even the idea that there are different kinds of healings: Different physical diseases, emotional, social, spiritual...etc.
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.
Did any of these help?Language helps
Word Meanings: Different translations, Strong’s, Vines, Robertson, Vincent, Wuest, Exegetical commentaries, Computer helps
Commentaries: Recognizing the different types – Exegetical, Expositional, Devotional; Bible Knowledge Commentary, Matthew Henry, Barclay (with reservations), Keil & Delitsch, Pulpit Commentary; Tapes (especially Chuck Smith)
Topical Helps: Nave’s, Systematic Theologies, Concordances, Computer helps
Illustration sources: Illustration books, Newspapers, Magazines, Filing system, Internet, Computer Illustrators
Computer software: Word processor, Bible program, Library programs, Maps, Illustrations
In class Project:
Practice doing word studies using books
Use Strong’s and Vines to look up definition of "virtue" in Luke 6:17.HomeworkOIA on Isaiah 45. If you have the books to use, find a word that you look up the Hebrew definition for, something that you can then draw a lesson from.Background Preparation – fill out sheet for Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
Next Week:Illustrations
Opening the window, getting the cookies off the shelf
Appropriateness
Sources
Using the Computer
Online Bible
Word Processor
Internet
Other Bible software helps: Bible Illustrator, Master’s Library, Bible Atlas