Gaining A Deep ‘Understanding’ [v264]

FEBRUARY 2021

“Knowing” and “understanding” are related concepts, but they are not the same. Each is a distinct mental state involving cognitive grasp: Knowing is ‘static’, referring to discrete facts, while UNDERSTANDING IS ‘ACTIVE’, describing the ability to analyze and place those facts in context to form a ‘big picture’.

 

KNOWLEDGE DOESN’T EQUAL UNDERSTANDING
The difference between the two concepts is key. Knowledge can be considered as an acquaintance with facts or principles, a familiarity or awareness of something. Understanding, however, goes to the very ‘heart’ of a concept, requiring a thorough and comprehensive grasp of the information. Often, we can’t explain ‘why’ we understand something, as it requires an aspect of intelligence that is separate from language.

Riding a bike is an example of this. The most articulate person on the planet couldn’t teach a child to ride a bike using just words, as it requires spatial and bodily-kinesthetic skills. Only by getting on the bike itself can the kid begin the journey to become BMX champion.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with being a dabbling dilettante, since engaging in multiple things can help one to discover what they are passionate about. Curiosity can lead one to great ‘places’. However, if we want a true and ‘DEEP’ UNDERSTANDING, it requires a lot more than skimming the surface. One cannot just read a book on baseball and expect to be a Hall of Famer. Now, books (and posts) can definitely be valuable, but then one must analyze and evaluate the content thoroughly, then ‘ACTIVELY’ try to apply the concepts in one’s life. ‘Passive’ reading just isn’t enough, even with a photographic memory. ‘Deep’ understanding takes engagement, hard work, commitment, and time.

Being ‘actively’ engaged in something is one of the few ways to promote higher-order thinking, and this can only happen if you’re either genuinely interested in the topic, or are being pushed forward by a strong ‘external’ motivation. Active learning is an effective educational process being used by many universities worldwide.

[ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=104&v=UsDI6hDx5uI ].

 

Studies have shown that people generally learn more when they are
‘engaged’ in active learning, and have better recollection the more ‘active’ they are in learning something.

People generally remember…

… 10% of what they read.
… 20% of what they hear.
… 30% of what they see
… 50% of what they see and hear.
… 70% of what they say and write.
… 90% of what they ‘DO’!

 

So, it looks like ‘DOING’—being ‘active’ in learning something—promotes ‘DEEP’ UNDERSTANDING. Want to learn to scuba dive? Well, watch some YouTube videos, get some lessons (and certification), and then GO DO IT! Want to relate to people more deeply (especially your spouse)? Well, ask a lot of questions—trying to put yourself in their ‘shoes’—and then try to actually experience it. Neither of these things can be understood by just ‘passively’ learning about them.

Nobody taught you how to speak. As a child, you instinctively knew that by making noises, you sometimes got what you wanted, and you are using the same method all these years later, just in a more articulate (hopefully) fashion—and you learned it by ‘DOING’. Doing is the simplest and most effective method for gaining deep understanding.

Everybody has problems, and sometimes it can be difficult to know how to fix them. However, progress can only be made by giving something a try and observing the results. By trying ‘something’ and evaluating the attempt afterward, you are gaining a deeper understanding of your chosen solution, regardless of whether it was a complete failure or not. It will give you valuable data to ‘refine’ the next try.

 

Pulling something apart into its core components—whether an engine or a philosophical concept—helps to understand how the parts make up the whole. Some things are multi-faceted and incredibly complex, and breaking them down into smaller ‘chunks’ is an effective way to understand them better. We must critically analyze the details of a thing if we want to really know it, and compare and contrast it to things of a similar nature.

Evaluation is just as important. Only by reflecting on the value of what you’ve done can you determine whether it’s worth doing again.

The following chart (from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University) shows the difference between ‘surface’ understanding and a ‘deep’ understanding of something:

 

A ‘surface’ understanding of something is very ‘factual’ and ‘quantitative’, with people being able to identify, recall, enumerate, describe, list, combine, and do ‘algorithms’. However, as one develops a ‘deeper’ or ‘qualitative’ understanding of something, one’s understanding goes from ‘relational’ to ‘extended’.

In the first ‘step’ into a deeper understanding of something (“relational”), one can compare, contrast, explain, analyze, interpret, relate, and apply. Then, when one develops an ever-deeper understanding of something (“extended”), one then can create, criticize, design, theorize, generalize, hypothesize, and reflect. [ This essentially reflects what “Bloom’s Taxonomy” chart of six increasing ’levels’ of learning/thinking: Knowledge (remembering), being the lowest ‘order’, then develops into understanding (comprehension), then application (applying knowledge), then analysis (reasoning), then synthesis (creating), and then ultimately evaluation (interpretation) ].

 

There are a million cliches that espouse ‘repetition’ in relation to learning, and for good reason. Only by repeating something can one build the neural brain ‘connections’ required for memory.

Now, all of one’s senses can be used for repetition learning—by reading, watching videos, or listening to podcasts about the same concept—one is forging valuable pathways that will promote a deeper understanding, while helping to keep things interesting through the use of different informational ‘mediums’. Canadian neuropsychologist Donald Hebb commented that, “Neurons that fire together wire together.”

 

As was just mentioned, a person remembers 70% of what they say and write. So, writing down one’s ideas about a subject will help them to remember it, as well as helping to formulate different ‘notions’ surrounding it. Producing ‘emotional’ writing—how you actually ‘feel’ about the topic—also makes it more memorable. Dry, purely rational writing should be left to university assignments. BUT, if one can actually ‘DO’ something that retention rate for ‘deep’ understanding goes up to 90 percent!

It is easy to skim the ‘surface’ of a subject without truly understanding it. One could be a Jeopardy champion but actually know very little about the facts they memorized. If one is willing to dive deeper, with dedication and hard work, they can turn simple knowledge into deep, ‘FULFILLING’ UNDERSTANDING. Action precedes understanding.

 

SO, if gaining a deeper understanding of things that are ‘essential’ to our lives here on earth is important to do, how important should it be to us to gain a deeper understanding of God? Would that be something you might be interested in ‘DOING’, and putting forth some ‘active’ learning to gain a deeper understanding of?

 

‘UNDERSTANDING’ THE BIBLE
The Bible is not just any book. It is God’s ‘Word’ to us, given using a number of literary genres, through the stories of a cast of rotating characters, and over the span of a few thousand years. So how should one read such a book?

Well, this question is important when picking up any document, from paperback to newspaper. You wouldn’t read a historical novel on World War II the same way you would a nonfiction historical account of the same time. We read the newspaper’s front page differently than the opinion-editorials (or at least, we ought to read them differently).

 

First off, the Bible as a piece of ‘literature’. It is important, when we come to read any section of the Bible, to be aware of the different kinds of writing that are found in it. The Bible consists of narrative, poetry, prophecy, prose parables, history, sayings, allegory, and apocalyptic genres. Just as we would read a historical novel today in a different way than we would poetry, so it is with the Bible. We must read with a sensitivity to what kind of writing it is. Sensitivity to literary context also includes reading every text in the flow of the book as a whole, remembering the broad purposes for which that biblical author wrote.

 

As God’s ‘message’ to His people, the Bible exists to be read and understood. This is not to say such reading and understanding is easy. Indeed, some people have spent a lifetime studying the Bible and have a deep understanding of it. Yet ANYONE can cultivate an ever-deepening knowledge of the Bible, as long as they pursue such knowledge wisely.

 

THE ‘BIG’ STORY
Next, we must never forget the Bible’s “BIG story.” Specifically, it is crucial to understand that the whole Bible is about Jesus Christ—who He is and what He came to do. The Old Testament ‘anticipates’ Jesus and the New Testament ‘reveals’ Jesus—and every book somehow contributes to the Bible’s message of a holy God’s saving mercy to us through Jesus.

[ FYI: As a part of one of his sermons, Pastor Michael Youssef listed how Jesus is found in every book of the Bible. It is below in the “Articles” section. ]

 

Back in 2010, the church I was attending (and still attend), “Faith Covenant Church,” did a 14-week sermon series entitled “The BIG Story,” that traversed the entire span of the Bible—from Genesis to Revelation—giving us a sense of the ‘breadth’ of Scripture, an understanding of some of the prominent characters, and how the two “Testaments” are ‘connected’ to each other. Giving a summarization of each week would probably be helpful right here.

[ FYI: Here is the sermon series ‘trailer’ played before the series started (a fun listing of the books of the Bible using ApologetiX’s “La Bible” song, a parody of Los Lobos’s “La Bamba” song):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6NHkL54xXE ].

 

GOD “CREATES” [Week 1]
(Genesis 1 – Creation)
– So, where does the “big story” begin? It has its start with creation. The Bible begins by saying, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”—an all-encompassing phrase that includes the stars and galaxies, sun and moon, the earth, and all life—plant, animal, and human—and God has left ‘evidence’ of His presence in the created order for all to see

– The Biblical view of this “big story” is that our Creator has provided a solution to our penchant for selfishness and evil that focuses on the ‘work’ of His Son, Jesus. This story assures that history is ‘aimed’, that it’s headed somewhere, and that at some point in the future, God will right every wrong, wipe out every disease, and usher in an eternity of joy.

GOD “REDEEMS” [Week 2]
(Genesis 3 – The “Fall”)
– The “piece de resistance,” the culmination of God’s creation, was that of human beings—which occurred on Day Six of creation’s story, at the end of Genesis.
– Adam and Eve in the Garden ‘messed up’ by doing what God told them not to do.
– The ‘Anatomy’ of Sin: Sin generally ‘looks’ pretty good, even pretty ‘reasonable’. Often it begins with something good in God’s given order, but then Satan, in his sly designs, ‘twists’ it to negative ends in our lives, and very often in the lives of others, too—just as he did with Eve when he dangled the ‘forbidden fruit’ in front of her and said that it would make her like God.
– The ‘Consequences’ of Sin: With broken relationships come the terrible tandem of ‘shame’ and ‘blame’—which Adam and Eve tried to do when God came a ‘calling’—and the ultimate consequence was the banishment from the perfect Garden of Eden, and it meant physical death.
– The ‘Remedy’ for Sin: Sin must be ‘dealt with’, and Jews do so, to this day, on “Yom Kippur,” the Day of Atonement, to restore their relationship with God. A ‘perfect’ little lamb, a “scapegoat,” is used to symbolically ‘lay’ the sins of the people onto, and then send it into the wilderness far away from them.
– As the “BIG Story” unfolds, it is clear that the blood of sheep and goats might have been a short-term way to deal with sin, but they could never truly take away the sins of the people. God had a plan of redemption from the beginning—through His Son, Jesus Christ.

GOD “CALLS” [Week 3]
(Genesis 12 – “Covenant”)
– God is continually ‘calling’ us, attempting to get through to us. He is, by nature, an initiator (creating everything; reestablishing a relationship with Adam and Eve).
– God is always calling to us in big and small ways, He uses a variety of ‘means’ to catch our attention. He ‘broadcasts’ His presence and power through nature; He has left us a written ‘record’ of his actions in the Bible; and He ‘speaks’ to us through the circumstances of our lives and the people around us. (Are you listening?). He does this on three ‘levels’: Calling; Promising; and with a Covenant.
– Are you giving yourself space to ‘hear’ God? Are your spiritual ‘antennae’ extended to pick up His messages?

GOD “RESCUES” [Week 4]
(Exodus 12 – Passover)
– Just about everyone has heard the story of God parting the waters of the Red Sea so that the people of Israel could leave behind the slavery in Egypt, and cross over to safety and freedom. All this happened after God had to ‘coerce’ Pharaoh’s compliance by sending 10 plagues.
– The last plague was traumatic: every firstborn male, human and animal, in every house died—even in Pharaoh’s palace. But, among the Israelites who painted the lamb’s blood on the door frames of their homes, there was no death. Finally, Pharaoh told Moses to take the people and leave.
– The truth is, we need to be ‘rescued’ every bit as much as the Israelites. The first Passover, which freed Israel from slavery was a picture, a ‘foreshadowing’, of a much larger event that took place 1,500 years later. The Israelites were rescued by the blood of an innocent, sacrificial lamb. We are rescued when we claim the blood of a different ‘lamb’—the one named Jesus. Through faith in Him, we can take a path to freedom, purpose, and joy.

GOD “PROVIDES” [Week 5]
(Joshua 3 – Crossing the Jordan River)
– God wants to know if you ‘trust’ Him—completely thrown your ‘lot’ in with Him. He also tested Joshua and the Israelites to determine if they trusted God to provide for them in the ‘face’ of huge odds against them—crossing the Jordan River as the initial step to conquering the land He was going to ‘give’ them.
– God promised to provide for His people, but they had to take a ‘step of faith’ to see His power unleashed.
– For all of us, there is a ‘Jordan’ to cross, and to get to the ‘other side’ we have to go “all in.”
– So, what’s your “Jordan River”? Where is God calling you to trust Him more? How will you respond?

GOD “BLESSES” [Week 6]
(2 Samuel 7 – “Davidic Covenant”)
– David was blessed beyond imagining—how about you? Here in the U.S. most all could mention basic necessities like food and clothing as ‘blessings’. Others could add transportation, health, and the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution (being governed by a system of laws and not the whim of a dictator).
– Followers of Jesus can include more ‘blessings’: the forgiveness of their sins, the assurance of Heaven, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

GOD “PROMISES” [Week 7]
(Isaiah 40 – Messianic Promise)
– In the first role, “telling forth,” Isaiah is often found both declaring the righteous demands of God, and how far God’s people have fallen short of that ‘mark’. But, when Isaiah switches to “foretelling,” he tells of a hope, a comfort, and a promise of ‘restoration’ that will the focus of the coming Messiah. This dichotomy was wonderfully captured by Handel in his “Messiah” oratorio.
– God has always fulfilled His promises. He made a way in the wilderness for His people to return to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity. Five hundred years later, he fulfilled all of His prophetic promises in the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ. God will also be with you thru any circumstance you are experiencing today, and fulfill His promises to you in the future.
– God’s Old Testament PROMISES + His New Testament FULFILLMENT = Salvation thru Jesus the Messiah

GOD “PREPARES” [Week 8]
(John 1 – John the Baptist)
– John spoke of “repentance”—to change one’s thinking. Biblical repentance includes five elements:
A reckoning with your past
A change of mind
Contrition of your ‘heart’
Change of conduct
Turning over ‘control’ of your life to God
– John had to get the people ready for a new ‘movement’ of God, so he invited the Israelites to examine themselves and open up their ‘hearts’ toward God. We all must do the same—and there’s no telling what Jesus may do in and through you!

GOD “TEACHES” [Week 9]
(Matthew 5 – “Beatitudes”)
– Jesus’ single longest teaching is called “The Sermon the Mount” (including the “Beatitudes”)—and it took place at the beginning of his public ministry, when His popularity was soaring.
– Much of what Jesus taught was not, strictly speaking, “new.” Yet, the way He put things together, and how He drew out the deeper meanings of the Old Testament stories and teachings left people astounded.
– In fact, the whole Sermon on the Mount turns upside down the values and practices of every human culture. Jesus points His followers to a way of life that is challenging and difficult—it’s a different kind of wisdom.
– When we are depending on Jesus, open to the Holy Spirit, and connected to one another, then we can become what Jesus said we are—“the salt of the earth…and the light of the world.” Salt is a preservative, and light chases away the ‘darkness’ and exposes what is really there. Being “salt” and “light” in your ‘world’ is putting the Beatitudes into action.

GOD “LOVES” [Week 10]
(Luke 10 – “Good Samaritan”)
– Jesus then tells a story about three men as they approach a men left for dead on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. The first, a “priest,” passes by, then a “Levite” (part of the religious hierarchy) does the same. But the “Samaritan” (despised by the Jews) stops, dresses the man’s wounds, and takes him to an inn—and pays for his care out of his own pocket. The Samaritan looked beyond ‘labels’ and barriers to see a human being in need.
– This parable has a very wide scope. In the application of love it draws no distinctions beyond need. All are candidates. Our tendency sometimes is to lower our ‘liability’ for loving others. We find reasons to not get involved with people—it might be uncomfortable, costly, or ‘taxing’.
– It is ‘costly’ to love. It is risky. There are no guarantees as to what it will involve or what the results will be. But, love is not something we must disperse in minute quantities as if the supply will diminish. The Samaritan loved lavishly, and so should we.
– “The BIG Story” that we’ve talked about is a story of love. Love evident in creation. Love demonstrated in guidance, protection, and leadership. Love brought God’s Son to earth as one of us. The love shown to us by a merciful God is what we’re called to extend to a world in need. Jesus’ words are simple, “Go and do likewise.”

GOD “SAVES” [Week 11]
(John 19/20 – Crucifixion/Resurrection)
– Christ’s death was not an accident or a tragedy, but a part of God’s plan. Why did it happen? It was necessitated by the fact that a holy God has to take a stance against the disobedience of people who most often choose their own way.
– Christ died on the cross for us, for all the things that would separate us from God. He was buried, but on the third day God raised Him from the dead. His resurrection was God’s way of vindicating everything Christ did and said. It means that His teachings are true. It assures us that His sacrifice was sufficient to secure our forgiveness. It tells us that this is the greatest example of love we’ll ever know! It promises us that the One who gave Himself for us will never abandon us—and the empty tomb proclaims that the same power which raised Jesus from the dead, flows freely into the lives of those who know and trust Him right now!
– The ‘gift’ God offers is a life of freedom and vitality—and it comes to us because of the cross and the empty tomb. Will you receive it?

GOD “EMPOWERS” [Week 12]
(Acts 2 – Pentecost)
– In the Bible, there is a “mighty rushing wind” that is referred to in the weeks just after Jesus’ resurrection—and it is referring to the Holy Spirit of God. After He came upon the disciples on the day of “Pentecost,” the disciples were transformed from a cowardly, largely uneducated rag-tag band of followers of Jesus to be at the vanguard of the largest spiritual transformation ever on the face of this earth. From a group of about 120 to start with, in spite of tremendous persecution, they took the world by ‘storm’ (the Holy Spirit’s ‘wind storm’ that is). Such that, 300 years later, the Christian faith had become THE officially sanctioned religion of the entire Roman Empire.
– To carry on Christ’s mission here on earth was understandably a daunting task for the disciples—one that they were never intended to do on their own, but rather ‘through the presence and power’ of the Holy Spirit at work within them. So, as Jesus returns to Heaven, He tells His disciples to just ‘hang out’ for a while in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes to ’empower’ them. As it turns out, this is only a matter of 10 days later following Jesus’ ascension.
– In Jesus’ long farewell conversation with His disciples, He teaches much about the various “gifts of the Spirit”—Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the ‘barometer’ in a person’s life whether or not they are ‘filled’ with the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit.
– The New Testament teaches us that ALL Christians have the Holy Spirit. But, it is equally clear that not all Christians ‘avail’ themselves of this ‘power’. [ed. It’s a bit like the sailing ships of the Pilgrims]. We need to raise our ‘sails’ and set them right by God’s grace and guidance to fully catch the ‘wind’ of what God’s Spirit is wanting to do in our lives, and in our world.

GOD “INVITES” [Week 13]
(Acts 17 – Paul in Athens]
– When Jesus finished up His earthly ministry, He was direct about His expectation that His followers would go, tell, and invite others to faith. We can gain a lot of insight on how we should go about doing this from the Apostle Paul and his experience in the Greek city of Athens in the first century.
– Most importantly, whether you are looking for a chance to be a witness for Jesus or not, HOW you conduct yourself, all the time, can either be a help or a hindrance. So, you need to be careful about how you live your life, because you can draw people ‘toward’ or push them ‘away’ from Jesus. [ed. Paraphrasing, it’s been said that, “you might be the only Bible your friends will ever read”].

GOD “WELCOMES” [Week 14]
(Revelation 20 – Heaven/Getting ‘Ready’)
– When Jesus rose from the dead, it validated all of His words and deeds. On at least three occasions, He predicted not only that He would die, but how it would happen. If He was right about that, it stands to reason He was right about everything else. So, we can trust in His promise that there is a place prepared for every believer.
– So, what does the Bible say about what Heaven will be like? It’s a place with no sorrow, pain, crying, or death. It will indeed be “paradise.” It will be a new Eden, full of freshness, vitality, and joy.
– All of us have a choice to make about Jesus, and that decision has ramifications for all eternity! It also means that we need to be ready for whenever He comes.
– Do you know what Jesus said about the end times? Well, first off that “no one knows the day or the hour.” Jesus left the subject intentionally vague so that instead of focusing on a date, His followers would be in a constant ‘state’ of readiness—always alert.
– So, are you ready? Are you vigilant? Are you about your Savior’s ‘work’, or are you engaged in mere busy work? Are you watching over your life to make sure that it’s invested in the right places and not frittered away on trivial things? Are you growing in your faith? Is your knowledge of God’s Word increasing? That’s essential because that’s the ‘standard’ by which we must evaluate our lives.
– None of us know when Jesus will return, so the attitude of the late British writer and philosopher, C.S. Lewis, might help: “The greatest thing is to be found at one’s post as a child of God, living each day as though it were our last, but planning as though our world might last a hundred years.”
– This “BIG Story” ‘journey’ started in Eden with Adam and Eve, and we are ending with a ‘vision’ of a new Heaven and a new Earth. It began with God inviting the first human beings into a relationship with Him, and it ends with Him welcoming all His children to His ‘side’ forever. Over and over again God has acted to save, restore, and guide. He still does—and the ‘story’ goes on. There are more ‘chapters’ yet to write, more ‘scenes’ for you to have a part in. Then, one day, the night will be over and the dawn of the never-ending light of eternity will shine down on us. What a great day that will be! So, until it comes, make sure you are ready for Jesus’ return, and be about the ‘task’ of helping others be ready, too.

 

[ Note on authorship: Most of the preceding text presented will be word-for-word excerpts (unless noted) from Pastor Ken Larson’s and Pastor Dennis Carlson’s sermons at Faith Covenant Church ].

[ FYI: More details for each week can be seen in this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-big-story-v143/

Here is the playlist for all the videos that were played during the sermon series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6NHkL54xXE&list=PL36481E5533D3A68F ].

 

So, as you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, you will notice that there is a coherent story line that holds it all together: the themes of this story line are creation, the Fall, redemption, and restoration. These are not equal themes in the way the Bible treats them. Most of the Bible is given to unfolding the third one of these, the great drama of redemption through Jesus Christ. But this redemption is set against the backdrop of creation and the Fall, and this redemption will find its final completion in restoration and final judgment, when the original creation is restored to what it was originally intended to be. The Old Testament develops this story line, preparing for Jesus, and the New Testament fulfills this story line, portraying Jesus. The person and work of Christ, therefore, is what unites the entire Bible. As we read both Old and New Testaments through the lens of redemption in Christ, we will understand the whole Bible the way God wants us to understand it.

 

Biblical history is divided into two ‘eras’, corresponding to the Old and New Testaments. The relationship between the two is a complex one, but one of its main aspects has conveniently been summed up in the formula ‘promise and fulfillment’, by which is meant that the earlier parts of the history contain promises that are fulfilled in later parts. In particular, the promises of the Old Testament focus on the Messiah, whose coming is recorded in the New Testament. Through the law and prophets, God promised to save His people, and through the Gospel and apostles, He brought that promise to its fulfillment.

 

The Bible is not a collection of independent texts, but one complex work. We often need to refer to other parts of the book for clarification of what is being said at one particular point, that is why ‘CROSS-REFERENCES’ form an important part of an edition of the Bible.

 

“VIZ.BIBLE”
This visualization started as a collaboration between Christoph Römhild and Chris Harrison. Christoph, a Lutheran Pastor, first contacted Chris in October of 2007. He described a data set he was putting together that defined textual cross references found in the Bible. He had already done considerable work visualizing the data before contacting Harrison.

Together, they struggled to find an elegant solution to render the data—more than 63,000 cross-references in total. As the work progressed, it became clear that an interactive visualization would be needed to properly explore the data, where users could zoom in and prune down the information to manageable levels. However, this was less interesting to them, as several Bible-exploration programs existed that offered similar functionality (and much more). Instead, they set their sights on the other end of the spectrum—something more beautiful than functional. At the same time, they wanted something that honored and revealed the complexity of the data at every level—as one zooms in, smaller details should become visible. This ultimately led them to the multi-colored arc diagram you see below.

[ Click this link to see/download a VERY high-resolution image of the Cross References Arc, so you can see all the interactions:
https://chrisharrison.net/projects/bibleviz/BibleVizArc7.png ].

[ Click this link to view an ‘INTERACTIVE’ version of the viz.BIBLE Cross Reference Arc:
https://viz.bible/remaking-influential-cross-reference-visualization/ ].

 

The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc—the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect.

Biblical Social Network (People and Places)
Soon after finishing the Cross References Arc visualization, Harrison set out to create a new data set derived from the Bible’s text. This time he wanted to better capture the story, most notably the people and places, and the interactions between them. He did this by building a list of biblical names (2,619 in total) and parsing a digital copy of the King James Bible. Each time two names occurred in the same verse, a ‘connection’ was created between them. This produced essentially a ‘social network’ of people and places. Because such relationships had no ordering or structure (unlike the cross-references), he used a “spatial clustering algorithm” he had developed for one of his other projects. This process causes related entities and highly connected groups to coalesce. He then themed the output like an old piece of parchment.

[ Click on this link to see/download a VERY high-resolution image of the Bible Social Network, so you can see all the interactions:
https://chrisharrison.net/projects/bibleviz/BibleNetwork.jpg ].

 

Distribution of Biblical People and Places
With the biblical names list already compiled and a copy of the King James Bible sitting on Harrison’s desktop, another visualization was inevitable. He settled on a classic distribution visualization, which shows where various people and places occur in the text. Much of the Bible is chronological, so there is a strong temporal ordering.

Visually, this is the entire Bible printed on a single piece of paper. [ You can view the high-resolution version by clicking on this link:
https://chrisharrison.net/projects/bibleviz/fullNameDistY/BibleViz6allB.jpg ].

Floating above the text are the people and places that appear in the Bible—more than 2,600 names in total. These are positioned according to their average location in the text. Faded lines are rendered to show where they occur. Additionally, font size is proportional to the number of occurrences in the text – the larger the name, the more frequently it appears. The names “On,” “So,” and “No” were excluded.

 

[ For more details about this and related projects, view these links:
– Original Article (which has additional images):
https://www.chrisharrison.net/index.php/Visualizations/BibleViz

– Interactive ‘Remake’ (with Tableau by Robert Rouse):
https://viz.bible/remaking-influential-cross-reference-visualization/ ].

 

These visualizations show that it is not a coincidence that the Old and New Testaments are bound in one volume—because they are SO ‘RELATED’. The God who reveals Himself in the Old Testament is the Father of Jesus Christ. The New Testament recounts the fulfillment of promises made centuries beforehand. So, the two Testaments form one historical and theological work, in which each event and word can only be understood fully when interpreted in the context of the whole—and the whole can only be rightly interpreted in the light of its central event and ‘message’, Jesus Christ.

 

HOW TO ‘READ’ THE BIBLE
First off, just START READING! That may seem obvious, but quite frankly, it is where many people fail. They think the Bible is too ‘big’ and ‘complex’ to be able to understand, so they don’t even try to read it.

Well, anything like this can be kind of ‘intimidating’. However, remember what Desmond Tutu once wisely said: “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” What he meant by this is that everything in life that seems daunting, overwhelming, and even impossible can be accomplished gradually by taking on just a little at a time.

BE “S.M.A.R.T.” ABOUT IT
Psychologist and professor Dr. Denise Fournier suggests a particularly powerful method of goal-setting uses the clever acronym “S.M.A.R.T.” to guide the process of turning big dreams into reality. Once you’ve come up with a goal, check to be sure it meets the following criteria:

Specific
Be clear and concrete about what you want to accomplish. It’s much easier to work toward a specific goal (lose 12 pounds) than it is to work toward a vague one (get in shape). When working on this aspect of your goal, visualize what you and what your life will look like once you’ve accomplished it. That will help you to define exactly what you want to achieve.

Measurable
Set a goal that allows you to measure your progress toward achieving it. Ask yourself the following question: How will I know that I’ve accomplished my goal? Some people find it helpful to break the main goal down into small, measurable objectives.

For example, if your main goal is to start a business, you can break that down into all the progressive steps you’ll take along the way: Create a business name, register the business, set up the tax ID, etc. Making your goal measurable is an important way to keep yourself on track. The bonus is that you can celebrate along the way as you attain each of the objectives that brings you closer to success!

Attainable
Make your goals realistic. One of the biggest pitfalls to success is making the goal too big. You don’t want to bite off more than you can chew, so take some time to think carefully about your goal and be sure it’s reasonable and realistic. If you’re in your mid-30s and have a passion for baseball, it’ll make much more sense to set a goal of becoming a Little League coach than aiming to become a star MLB player. Improve your chances of making your dreams come true by factoring reality into your plans.

Relevant
Set a goal that means something to you. Working toward your goals, no matter how big or small, takes work. By setting a goal that you’re passionate about and truly want to achieve, you’ll be more likely to stay motivated along the way. When the going gets tough, you can remind yourself of how much you want to reach the finish line and find the energy to keep going.

Time-Bound
Set a deadline, and commit to it! Putting time stamps on your goals is a way of holding yourself accountable and making sure you stay focused and on task. You may need to do some research to find out how long you can reasonably expect to have to work on your goal before you can accomplish it. If you don’t set a deadline, you won’t be nearly as likely to stay committed and keep the wheels in motion.

Check in with your deadline every now and again to be sure it remains realistic, and use it as a way to stay motivated.

Motivational coach Zig Ziglar reminds us that, “A goal properly set is halfway reached.” Setting a goal is just like eating an elephant—bit by bit, bite by bite, you make possible what at first seemed impossible.

So, I suggest that you get ‘SMART’ and use this method for reading your Bible!

 

GET A BIBLE
Now, there are so many versions of the Bible, which one should one use? Well, for the new believer (or ‘searcher’), I would suggest one start with the “New Living Translation.” It combines the latest biblical scholarship with an ‘easier’ writing style to make it easier to understand (a “meaning-for-meaning” translation). However, after grasping the overall ‘theme’ of the Bible, I would then suggest that one ‘graduate’ to the “New International Version” (NIV) for the mid-term, that then end up with the “English Standard Version” (ESV) or the New American Standard Bible” (NASB) to get a more ‘accurate’ translation of the original languages (a “word-for-word” translation).

[ Suggestions: “ESV MacArthur Drawing Near Devotional Bible,” or the “The NASB MacArthur Study Bible” – Details in the “Resources” section below ].

[ FYI: It is common to use different translations to gain a better understanding of the particular verse you are reading. The ‘online’ Bible I use is “Bible Gateway,” since it has an easy-to-use interface and has most every version available to search ].

 

READING PLAN
There are also many good daily Bible reading plans available for the traditional person that likes to read a ‘physical’ book, and for those that like to read an ‘electronic’ book or interact with an app. [ “The One Year Thru The Bible” and the “YouVersion” apps are very popular, and there are additional suggestions in the “Resources” section below. (YouVersion’s Bible App alone was downloaded over 400 million times by the end of 2019.) ].

Another resource that will help you learn when you can’t be reading is an audio Bible, which is either read by a single narrator, or is ‘performed’ via dramatic audio ‘theater’, bringing the Bible to ‘life’. [ “The Bible Experience” and “The Word of Promise” are two popular ones ].

Just remember that the Bible is the way God ‘speaks’ to the believer. Be open to hearing His ‘voice’ from His ‘Word’, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:6).

 

COMMENTARIES
As you read, take notes in the Bible’s margins (or on a notepad or in the app) of any truths you particularly want to remember, and write down separately anything you don’t immediately understand. Often you will find that as you read, your questions will be answered by the text itself. The questions to which you can’t find answers become the starting points for more in-depth study using commentaries or other reference tools.

[ A few of my favorite resources are “Matthew Henry’s Commentary,” “The MacArthur Bible Commentary,” “Halley’s Bible Handbook,” and “Zondervan’s Handbook of the Bible” ].

 

CONCORDANCE
Alternatively, alongside your Bible, you could get a concordance.This book helps to discover what God’s Word has to say on any number of subjects and tell you where they are in the Bible.

 

THE BIBLE’S ‘STRUCTURE’
Every believer needs a good understanding of the Bible. Their entire faith ’experience’ depends on it. So, if one wants a ‘robust’ understanding of the Bible, where would one start?

Well, as one begins to try to gain a ‘serious’ understanding of Scripture, some can soon become overwhelmed. The stories that they had heard of—Noah and the flood, Sampson and Delilah, and David and Goliath—seemed to be hidden in a ‘maze’ of unfamiliar and impenetrable material.

Sound familiar? Well, maybe frustratingly, determination is not enough. There, however, is a ‘key’ to understanding the Bible. It is its ’structure’.

In my personal journey to becoming a registered architect (a ‘lifetime’ ago), before I could design the exterior of a building, I had to first learn to design the ‘structure’ to ‘hang’ my beautiful design on (“Form follows function”). Similarly, if one wants to really understand the Bible, one must first understand the ‘structure’ of it—how it is put together.

 

So, the ‘basic’ structure is that there is an Old and a New Testament. There are then ‘historical’ books that tell the story of the Bible and create a ‘skeleton’ for everything else. But, there are also books of ‘poetry’ and ‘prophecy’ that contain no history. However, they can be placed in a timeline stretched out by the historical books.

Now, most beginners expect, like a ‘normal’ book, that the story to flow evenly from one book to the next, starting from the beginning—but the Bible doesn’t do this. So, when one learns why it doesn’t, they will be able to start finding their way ‘around’ the Bible. It will then no longer seem to be a hopeless endeavor!

[ There are “chronological” Bibles that are set up in the order that it is believed that the books were written in. My suggestion for one is in the “Resources” section below ].

 

Even though mastering the Bible is not easy, the GREAT news is that God DOES WANT the believer to ‘UNDERSTAND’ the Bible! It is an enormous book filled with extremely complex information, but understanding the ‘basics’ makes possible a lifetime of expanding knowledge that the Holy Spirit will guide one to all truth and understanding! (John 16:13). God’s Word is inspired, and is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” [ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ]. One will also learn that, “We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” [ 1 Corinthians 2:12 ]. Jesus also said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” [ John 8:32 ].

The Bible CAN be understood IF one allows the Holy Spirit will help them understand. Now, just like any big subject, if we start with the basics and work ourselves up to the advanced, we can build a knowledge and understanding of the Bible that will ‘CHANGE’ ONE DRAMATICALLY from the inside out!

A world of opportunity and potential lies at your fingertips in the pages of Scripture. I hope you master the Bible so well that the Bible ‘masters’ you—and sets you free to achieve your God-given potential! Let me STRONGLY suggest that you start your lifetime journey TODAY!

 

CONTEXTS
So, the Bible, just like any other book, has different ‘CONTEXTS’—the ‘environment’ or setting that something occurs in.

First, there’s the ‘HISTORICAL’ context. It is ‘informed’ both by the original authors and the original audience.

Then coinciding with historical context is the ‘CULTURAL’ context. This includes the original cultural circumstances that gave rise to the book, as well as the cultural features of the time.

Next is the ‘LITERARY’ context. The literary flow involves reading a text in terms of the words around it. One wouldn’t start reading a novel in the middle and yet this is often how some approach the Bible—with little regard to the literary flow.

Reading the Bible in its literary context means considering the literary form the author chose in writing in three specific contexts: discourse, narrative, and poetry. Discourse texts are simply words spoken or written from one person to another. Narrative texts are words that tell a story, and poetic texts convey their meaning through images.

While these three are often combined, forming other ‘GENRES’, learning to spot the form or the kind of text the author writes will greatly help you in your personal Bible reading.

Then there is the ‘IMMEDIATE’ context. This takes into account the divine inspiration and human character of the words written, understood within its historical setting.

We should read the Bible with humility (since these words are from our Creator and Lord). We should also read with caution (recognizing that we are inclined to misunderstand). We should read the Bible patiently (to accurately discern what God has said). We should read it with expectation, and be in submission to God.

Reading a given text in its close context means reading it in its literary and historical context.

Next, we should consider the ‘CONTINUING’ context. Since the Bible was written over time—spanning several centuries—we must look back in the story to discover how a given passage relates to what preceded it. We need to discern the deeper understanding of the flow of the story, and the underlying ‘structure’ of the Bible.

The Bible’s story can be outlined in four major ‘acts’ (like a play): creation, Fall, redemption, and new creation. These answer four major questions:

– Where did we come from? (Creation)
– What went wrong? (Fall)
– What is the solution to our problem? (Redemption)
– Where is history ultimately going? (New Creation)

Finally, one should look to the ‘COMPLETE’ context—where we look ahead to discover the fullness of God’s intent in light of the fullness of Scripture’s message. The Old Testament is the story of God’s promise and the New Testament is God’s fulfillment of all He has promised.

 

Okay, there’s a bit of a ‘foundation’. But, you might be thinking, “Where should I start reading in the Bible?” What would be a ‘SMART’ action plan here, given that it is so massive?

 

WHERE SHOULD I START?
Unlike most books that are meant to be read from front to back, the Bible comprises 66 books that could be more accurately described as a “library” of ‘inspired’ texts. It is possible to read the Bible sequentially from start to end, but if you start in Genesis, you might get stuck by the time you get to Leviticus, the third book, full of do’s and don’t’s (although after you get a better understanding, you will appreciate them).

To help you get started, here’s a recommended order of books to read: John, Acts, Ephesians, Genesis, and Psalms. [ When one gets this ‘foundation’ under them, I would then suggest that the Book of Romans—which is the primary ‘doctrine’ of the Bible—be the book that one spends a lot of time in, especially Romans 8 ].

 

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
The Gospel of John teaches one who Jesus is. It gives an account of Jesus’ life and teachings here on earth, the historical figure and central to one’s faith is, who is God Himself and who “became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

Seven times, Jesus answers “I Am” when people question His identity.
The Gospel of John is a great place to start because it was “written to help you believe that Jesus is the Messiah… and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

Not only is Jesus the Messiah (Savior), He is also the Son of God who gives eternal life to everyone who believes in His name. We also see this reality through the signs and miracles He performs, and the seven times He answers “I Am” to when people question His identity.

BOOK OF ACTS
The Book of Acts tells us what happened after Jesus when back to Heaven. It continues the story of the Gospel and how it changed life on earth after Jesus came. It is a powerful testimony of how the early church was established by the work of the Holy Spirit—and it is easy to see how that work is continuing today.

Before Jesus was taken to Heaven, He instructed His followers to be a witness for Him. Jesus’ followers ‘received’ the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and became ‘filled’ and equipped to spread the Good News that would restore God’s Kingdom over the world. Through persecution, the believers were scattered. They continued to preach, and the church at Antioch was born.

[ FYI: For more details about what God’s Kingdom is, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

It grew into the first multiethnic, international church from which missionaries were sent throughout the world to preach about Jesus.

BOOK OF EPHESIANS
The book of Ephesians is a ‘letter’ to believers, telling them that Christianity is not something to ‘DO’, but it is something that is ‘DONE’ for them (God has already “blessed us with every spiritual blessing”).

Watchman Nee, a Chinese church leader and teacher, distills the essence of Ephesians into three simple words: “Sit. Walk. Stand,” and says that Ephesians “abounds with spiritual riches, and yet is… intensely practical.” Nee continues by saying, “Christianity does not begin with walking; it begins with sitting.”

Ephesians opens with the statement that God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” [ Ephesians 1:3 ]. One is invited at the very outset to ‘sit down’ and enjoy what God has done for them—not to set out to try and attain it for themselves.

In the book of Ephesians, one can see how the Gospel story affects believers’ everyday lives. God planned, throughout history, (which one will see in Genesis 3:15) that Jesus is the Savior for all, forming a “family” that God promised to Abraham.

GENESIS
The book of Genesis tells about where it all began, and what happened to make God’s perfect creation go ‘awry’. Genesis, which means “origin,” is the narrative about the beginning of the world, how sin came to be, and the impact it has had on the world. It gives one a reference point to start understanding the context of the New Testament.

Genesis tells us how everything began from humanity’s history to become the world we know today. It reveals a dramatic prologue of God’s love for us, the tragedies of sin and the human race, and God initiating a brilliant plan to win us back from the clutches of darkness.

God did this by passing down a “Covenant” blessing through Abraham and his family, including Isaac, Jacob, and other individuals, in order to bless ALL the families of the earth. These descendants will become the foundation for the nation of Israel and Jesus the Messiah, who brings salvation for all of humanity.

PSALMS
The book of Psalms is an expression for every feeling that one experiences. This book of ‘poetry’ is a great place to find encouragement. In it, one can find the entire spectrum of human feelings expressed in ‘song’ and ‘poetry’ unto God. One can find comfort in knowing that God values one’s feelings, and has given the expression a significant portion of His Word.

The book of Psalms is a remarkable collection of poems from David, Moses, and other Jewish writers. Through the Psalms, we learn about the importance of prayer and the acknowledgment of pain, as well as the power of praise and fulfillment of prophecy.

Here are some Psalms that are frequently spoken of:
Psalm 1: Psalm of wisdom
Psalm 23: Confession of trust
Psalm 46: Song of praise
Psalm 51: Prayer of lament
Psalm 91: Confession of trust
Psalm 119: Delighting in the Law
Psalm 139: Prayer of lament

 

HOW TO ‘STUDY’ THE BIBLE
Bible study is not the same thing as Bible reading. Bible ‘reading’ is moving through the text as it was meant to be read going through at a fairly consistent rate. Whereas in Bible ‘study’, one pauses and asks questions about the text they are considering. It’s kind of like a puzzle, with the various stories and books ‘fitting’ together. The Bible reveals more than a ‘picture’ for one to enjoy. It reveals a ‘Person’ for one to know.

So, like any puzzle, we need to put the ‘pieces’ of the Bible together in order to get a clear understanding of the Bible’s unity and central message. When we do, we will become more competent in reading the Bible for ourselves—to comprehend “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” [ Ephesians 3:18-19 ].

Bible ‘reading’ is like raking leaves—when you rake it’s pretty easy work, but all you end up with is ‘leaves’. On the other hand, Bible ‘study’ is like digging in the ground. It’s much harder work and you may have an achy back the next day, but if you dig down deep enough, one might just find more significant things, like ‘diamonds’.

Of course, believers need both. It’s important to ‘rake’ sometimes (overview devotional readings), and it’s important to be ‘engaged’ in study (in-depth expository learning).

 

So, in study, one of the main principles is to ‘linger’ long enough to ask questions—so that you can find out what God’s meaning is in the passage (not your own meaning!). The way to do that is to find out what the ‘inspired’ author is trying to communicate to you.

In study, there are so many things that beg for one to ‘dig’ into them further—to go deeper. Like asking questions about a word or about a phrase or about how two sentences relate to each other. Even investigating little tiny words, called conjunctions, that ‘hold together’ sentences. That broadens one’s understand of something in a new and fresh way, or gives one an understanding of a truth at some new depth that impacts their ‘walk’ of faith.

 

The Bible is also not meant to be read in isolation. To be sure, God has given each of His people the ability to read and understand the Bible individually. Indeed, the believer who does not set aside time to regularly study Scripture alone will be greatly impoverished. Yet, spiritual nourishment through Scripture is received not only in individual study, but also through ‘corporate’ study.

The main way in which the Bible is received corporately is through the preaching of Scripture by those called and equipped to serve God’s people in this way (Ephesians 4:11; 2 Timothy 4:1-2). The Bible is also to be read and understood in other contexts (like a “bible study group”), in which believers can discuss the text with one another in a mutually illuminating and sharpening way (Acts 13:15; 17:11; Hebrews 4:11-12; 10:24-25).

 

‘KINDS’ OF STUDY
There are three popular study ‘forms’ that people typically use when studying the Bible: Devotions, topical, and expository studies.

Essentially, a ‘DEVOTIONAL’ study come from a modern Christian belief that they should be reading their Bible at least once a day (you’ve probably heard the phrase “daily devotions”). Devotionals are put together by people that tell you which verse (or chapter) of the Bible you should read each day of the year. Most of the time they write a ‘commentary’ about it. Daily devotions allow us to ‘squeeze in’ one’s Bible reading (or “Jesus time”) into their busy lives, making one ‘feel good’ that they ‘met’ with God.

However, there are ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ to devotionals. First off, it does get more people ‘reading’ their Bible regularly, and it makes it more ‘approachable’, especially for new believers or those who just might be curious.

Devotionals can also provide a ’structure’ of what to read and when to read it—a ‘starting point’.

However, there can be some significant flaws in using a devotional approach. Things can be taken ‘OUT OF CONTEXT’ very easily. If one is only reading one passage (or chapter) at a time, the previous verse or chapter might just be the ‘basis’ for understanding what this is ‘actually’ saying.

A second ‘con’ for devotionals is that they create kind of a mindset that the Bible is a ‘chore’ that one checks off their “things to do” ‘checklist’. I’m thinking that if one perceives that their Bible is a chore, then God would probably say to them to go do what they want to do and come back to Him when they can ‘exclusively’ focus on Him and what He has to say to them [ Pretty disrespectful and ’dangerous’ if one believes that God is their Creator and Source of all knowledge! ].

 

The second form of study is a ‘TOPICAL’. It is what one is probably used to experiencing on a Sunday morning at church. Their pastor might be teaching on
the ‘topic’ of love, relationships, or serving others, and picks out specific verses, chapters and/or books to ‘flesh out’ the topic.

Now, as you might have already realized, a topical study sometimes falls ‘victim’ to some of the same things that a devotional study does. It provides us with quick answers about what the Bible says about a particular thing that we want ‘solved’ or want to ‘apply’ to our lives to become ‘better’. (Sometimes this can tend to become narcissistic).

Again, the lack of context can lead to the downfall of this study form, simply focusing on the verses or passages that talk about the specific topic.

As an example, one could be looking at verses about marriage and come across Ephesians 5:23, which says that “the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church.” Now, without the previous context, one could read this and think that one’s wife is supposed to submit to the husband’s every whim because the husband is like Jesus. However, one would be WAY wrong since the rest the Bible talks about Jesus ‘dying’ for the Church and His people. So, if the husband really wants to be like Jesus, then he needs to be willing to ‘die’ for
his wife and love her as much as Jesus loves His people! (This would have been missed if one had not read the rest of their Bible, and their approach to marriage would have been more of a ‘tyrant’ husband than a loving sacrificial one.)

So, hopefully, you are recognizing a ‘trend’ here. Both devotional and topical approaches to studying the Bible have one flaw in common they both lack ‘HISTORICAL’ context.

 

The third—and the least known study form—offers a solution to this flaw. It is called “expository” study, and its goal is simply to ‘expose’ what the Bible is saying, in context, so one gets the ‘proper’ meaning of what is being said.

Expository study looks at the culture, the location, the ‘environment’ and the author. The best part of an expository study is that it ‘COMPLEMENTS’ the other two study forms, since it provides the context that they are lacking.

For example, it’s kind of like watching a touchdown pass during the past Super Bowl game (for the losers) and being all ‘nervous’ that your team is going to lose. But, if you are watching a ‘replay’ of just that touchdown, it’s not as important if you already watched the end of the game and know that your team won. That’s how ‘context’ helps one in expository study.

So, hopefully, you can see that all three of these study forms do have a specific function, and one can, and should, use all of them in trying to gain a ‘DEEPER’ UNDERSTANDING of the Bible and what it is trying to communicate to them.

 

PRACTICAL ‘PRINCIPLES’
There are five ‘principles’ that should guide one as they interpret the Bible: Literal, historical, grammatical, synthesis, and practical.

Literal Principle: Scripture should be understood in its literal, normal, and natural sense. While the Bible does contain figures of speech and symbols, they were intended to convey literal truth. In general, however, the Bible speaks in literal terms, and we must allow it to speak for itself.

Historical Principle: This means that we interpret Scripture in its historical context. We must ask what the text meant to the people to whom it was first written. In this way, we can develop a proper contextual understanding of the original intent of Scripture.

Grammatical Principle: This requires that we understand the basic grammatical structure of each sentence in the original language. To whom do the pronouns refer? What is the tense of the main verb? You’ll find that when you ask some simple questions like those, the meaning of the text immediately becomes clearer.

Synthesis Principle: This is what the Reformers called the “analogia scriptura.” It means that the Bible doesn’t contradict itself. If we arrive at an interpretation of a passage that contradicts a truth taught elsewhere in the Scriptures, our interpretation cannot be correct. Scripture must be compared with Scripture to discover its full meaning.

Practical Principle: The main emphasis of Bible study is to grasp the ‘principle’. And when that principle becomes a conviction, then it will show up in every practical scenario.

When you understand Scripture well enough that it becomes a conviction, it shows up in every practical scene.

 

‘KINDS’ OF WRITINGS
There are four ‘kinds’ of writings: Language, culture, geography, and history.

LANGUAGE: The Bible was not written in English. The Bible was written in the Old Testament in Hebrew and some passages in Aramaic, which was more of a sort of the common street language, even spoken during the time of Jesus among the Jews. But predominantly, of course, far and away written in Hebrew and a few passages in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek, which was the language of the Roman Empire that had extended itself through the Middle East and into the land of Israel at that time.

So we have a problem here because not only was the Old Testament written in Hebrew, but it was written in a kind of Hebrew that isn’t spoken today, that has changed as language does. The New Testament was written in the Greek language that is different from the Greek of today. It is even called “Koine” Greek, which means common Greek. It was different from sophisticated sort of uncommon or literary Greek, even in the time it was written. And both of those are different from Greek today.

 

So knowing the language is very important. Somebody has to know the language. If you as a Bible student don’t know it, you have to have somebody who does know it informing you about it. That’s where commentaries come in.

Often, understanding the meaning of a word or phrase in the original language can be the key to correctly interpreting a passage of Scripture.

CULTURE: Some people try to use cultural differences to explain away the more difficult biblical commands. Don’t fall into that trap, but realize that we must first view Scripture in the context of the culture in which it was written. Without an understanding of first-century Jewish culture, it is difficult to understand the Gospels. Acts and the epistles must be read in light of the Greek and Roman cultures.

One is also dealing with expressions that are reflective of culture—and knowing culture is absolutely crucial. You can’t recreate the ‘scenery’, biblically, unless you know the culture. Culture is very important in interpreting the Scripture.

GEOGRAPHY: Biblical geography makes the Bible come alive. A good Bible atlas is an invaluable reference tool that can help you comprehend the geography of the Holy Land. Of course, nothing helps like seeing the land first-hand on a tour.

It is compelling to some degree to be able to identify the scenery itself, the actual scenery that’s going on. For example, Jesus is saying, “Look at the fields for they’re white unto harvest.” Well, what is…what’s going on there? What does He mean by that?

There’s a marvelous scene there as the grain has reached a certain level at that time of the year in that part of the world. And on the backside of the grain comes the people from the towns in their white garb, and they look like white heads on the growing grain and appear to be a harvest. And Jesus uses that as a metaphor for the need to harvest the souls of those people.

HISTORY: Unlike the writings of most other world religions, the Bible contains the records of actual historical persons and events. An understanding of Bible history will help us place the people and events in it in their proper historical perspective. A good Bible dictionary or Bible encyclopedia is useful here, as are basic historical studies.

The history of the Bible is the ‘plot’. Everything is in a context and framework. It’s not a bunch of assorted verses that can be fit into any order. There is history. There’s the background.

Another point to keep in mind has to do with the kind of biblical literature we are dealing with when seeking to interpret a passage. The Bible contains a variety of genres or styles of writing ranging from the overtly poetic, such as the Psalms, to prophetic writings, wisdom literature, apocalyptic literature, and more. Knowing what kind of passage we are dealing with often helps our interpretation of it.

Related to this are questions of interpreting the Bible literally or figuratively. Both are valid approaches so long as they are judiciously employed. For instance, when the biblical writers share evidence of the resurrection of Jesus they do so quite literally. Despite some liberal interpretations arguing that the biblical writers are, for example, merely speaking of Christ’s resurrection figuratively or as a symbol of some kind, the biblical text is clear that the resurrection is viewed as literal. Even Paul acknowledged that “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” [ 1 Corinthians 15:17 ].

 

However, there are certain passages clearly intended as ‘figurative’. When Jesus says He is “the gate” (John 10:7-9), He does not literally mean that He is a ‘physical’ gate, complete with hinges and a door handle. Instead, He is using figurative language. When we read that God will cover us “with his feathers” (in Psalm 91:4), we are not supposed to literally picture God as having actual ‘feathers’. Again, this is figurative language. Mistaking figurative language for literal language, or vice versa, is very important when it comes to biblical interpretation.

 

Again, context will often help us understand what is truly meant. Correctly handling “the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) is something we are all called to do. Learning some basic principles of hermeneutics, or biblical interpretation will help us do so consistently.

 

MEDITATION
After all this consideration, I would encourage you to think about meditating on what you read. God said, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates” [ Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ]. In other words, you apply the Word of God in ALL the work you do.

Let me suggest that you meditate on the Bible all the day long, day in and day out, hour by hour, minute by minute. When you’re sitting down, standing up, lying down, and when you are walking. It will help ‘control’ your life and be at peace.

 

Now the word “meditate” really has the idea of constantly ruminating over something. It can be symbolized by a cow chewing its cud. It goes out in the morning, and while the grass is fresh the cow eats the grass. Then, when the sun comes up and the grass is warm and the weather is hot, the cow goes and finds a shady place and just continues to chew on what it ingested at the beginning of the day. That’s really what meditating is like. You take it in and then you begin to meditate on it, bring it back up and think about it. You ponder it. You will be amazed at how that will help you to ‘own’ it, to make it your own, and to experience its wonderful applications in your life.

 

God has given us His Word. It is the source of truth. It is the source of blessing. It is the source of victory. It is the source of growth. It is the source of power. It is the source of guidance. It is the source of hope. It is the path of righteousness. It is EVERYTHING YOU ’NEED’. This is an immense treasure in your hands! It is fully comprehensible if you will approach it faithfully. The Bible will demand of you that you believe it, honor it, love it, and obey it. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16).

 

We must also read the Bible ‘reverently’ if we are to understand it properly. The Bible is God’s Word to humankind, revealing Heaven’s great plan of salvation. Scripture, therefore, comes to us from above, calling for reverence. While human authors were graciously used in the writing of God’s revelation, the Bible is not ultimately a book written by humans. It is a book from ‘Heaven’. We are to follow in the footsteps of the Thessalonians, who, as the Apostle Paul said, “Received the word of God… not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

 

As we read, then, we are to ‘sit under’ the biblical teachings. We must “receive with meekness the implanted Word” (James 1:21; John 12:48). When the commands of God contradict our own desires, we must submit to what God has revealed to us. This requires a deliberate humility to receive the Bible in its entirety, whatever it says. Such is the reverence called for by the sacred nature of Scripture.

 

My prayer for you is that you would hear the Word, you would understand the Word, and the Word would go to work in your life, as you commit yourself to the learning of it. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” [ Matthew 4:4 ]. ‘Feed’ on that Heavenly ‘bread’!

 

‘INTERPRETING’ SCRIPTURE
Interpreting Scripture can be a tricky task for any given verse you find in the Bible, since you could probably find several people each with a different interpretation of that verse. That’s why “hermeneutics” is so important is ‘digging out’ the actual meaning of a verse, chapter, or book.

 

HERMENEUTICS
Hermeneutics involves the study of principles of interpretation for all forms of communication, nonverbal and verbal. Hermeneutics acquired its name from the Greek god, Hermes, who was the messenger of the gods. It developed as a formal discipline during the Renaissance, when scholars began to study ancient texts, including the Bible, with the intent of deriving the writer’s ‘PRECISE’ MESSAGE or meaning from the text.

In 1927, German philosopher Martin Heidegger developed the concept of the hermeneutic circle (or “loop”) because one can only understand the whole of something only in terms of its parts, and the parts only through their relationship to the whole. A change of understanding at either ‘pole’, whole or parts, triggers a change in understanding of the other pole, thus forcing us into an interpretive ‘loop’.

 

For example, one watches a movie based on their prior assumptions and understandings about the movie. When they finish the movie, they realize that their initial assumptions were too narrow, ‘triggering’ a greater understanding of the whole. However, that greater understanding makes them realize that some parts of the movie had greater meaning or importance than they had originally thought. They then go back through the movie, reinterpreting those parts, which, as a result, changes their understanding of the whole. This ‘dialogue’ between the whole and parts leads us to ‘DEEPER’ meaning and UNDERSTANDING.

Essentially, the hermeneutic loop describes the interrelationship between the whole system and its parts. We understand the whole based on our interpretation of the parts, and our understanding of the parts is based on our understanding of their relationship to the whole. If our understanding of a part of a system changes, our understanding of the whole system will also change.

 

BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS
St. Augustine of Hippo was the first philosopher and theologian to have introduced the hermeneutic ‘cycle’ of faith and reason [ in Latin it is: “Credo ut intellegam” and “Intellego ut credam” ]. The circle was conceived to improve the Biblical “exegesis” (which lets the text yield its own truth, as opposed to “eisegesis” in which one’s point is read ‘into’ the text), and it was activated by the personal belief in the truthfulness of God. According to his “Confessions,” misleading verses of the Bible shall be read at the light of the Holy Spirit and in the context of “the spirit of the Bible as a whole,” intended as a unique and non-contradictory text divinely inspired.

So, Hermeneutics is the ‘science’ of interpretation, operating under fixed ‘rules’. It determines accurate biblical doctrine. Where one would have a deviation from ‘sound’ doctrine, inevitably one would have a failure to stay with the science of hermeneutics, OR you have a flat-out denial of the veracity and authenticity of the text itself.

 

Every text of Scripture has ONE ‘TRUE’ interpretation. We might not get them all right, we might disagree, but all texts of Scripture have ONLY one interpretation. God is saying something, not anything you want Him to say, and not everything.

Sometimes people say, “Well what does this verse mean to me?” That’s a very popular thing in a Bible study these days. The thing is, that has NOTHING to do with the true meaning! All that matters is what the verse means period… not what it means to you. We can get to what the truth of the verse means in your life, but not until we know what it actually means. (Every “jot and tittle” carries only the intended meaning of the author and the task of the ‘interpreter’ is determined what that meaning is.)

 

So, here is the ‘MANDATE’ of hermeneutics: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman that doesn’t need to be ashamed” [ 2 Timothy 2:15 ]. If you don’t handle accurately the Word, you stand before God ashamed. This is our ‘premier’ responsibility. The Word must be handled with diligence and care and precision and accuracy and those who fail to do that will be ashamed.

 

Now, there are three ‘errors’ to avoid when one does Bible interpretation. First, making a point at the ‘price’ of proper interpretation. Secondly, superficial study. Finally, ‘spiritualizing’ or allegorizing a text.

 

First off, one must refrain from making a point at the price of proper interpretation. In other words, you might have a point to make, you want to make it so you proof text it with a verse taken out of context. (It’s very easy to do that. It’s very tempting to do that for a pastor or a teacher to sneak a foreign meaning into a text to get the desired response.)

Secondly, one should avoid ‘superficial’ study. Good, accurate Bible study is hard work! It can’t be done by flipping haphazardly through the Bible or a concordance, and trying to piece things together. Just remember that everything about the Bible is ‘foreign’. Its language is foreign, its culture is foreign, its geography is foreign, its history is foreign, its philosophies are foreign, its social customs are foreign. It is a totally ‘alien’ document to me and I can never establish the meaning of a text without knowing what it meant to the author, so I have to create then the complete ‘context’ in which the author wrote. That is alien to me and therein lies the work that requires immense diligence. Interpretation of Scripture is very hard work—BUT, well worth it!

Thirdly, another thing just to mention by way of avoidance. Avoid spiritualizing or allegorizing the Bible, spiritualizing or allegorizing the Bible. This is that which gives to the Bible some kind of mystical meaning. In other words, what is on the surface is not the meaning, but what is hidden becomes the meaning. This is very popular. We could talk about allegorizing, it’s quite… it’s not quite as popular today as it used to be, although it’s finding a resurgence.

Allegorizing means to say that the historical meaning is not the real meaning, and in fact, may be nothing but a fabrication. The historical meaning is not the real meaning. The real meaning is the spiritual meaning hidden beneath the surface. Once you say that something in the Bible is an allegory—that it is only a symbol of the reality—you have just made it impossible to know what that reality is. Because if that reality cannot be discerned through the normal understanding of language, how can it be discerned?

 

Now, I briefly mentioned the five principles of hermeneutics the Bible previously—the literal historical, grammatical, synthesis, and the practical principles—and I want to add a bit more detail on each.

With the ‘LITERAL’ principle, one interprets Scripture according to normal language, real people, and real history. If the Bible says something that matter of fact, why would you assume there’s some secret hidden meaning? There isn’t. So this is real people, real history, normal language—its ‘real’ meaning—the most obvious meaning, the simplest meaning, the clearest meaning, the most normal meaning. That’s ‘THE’ meaning.

You might say, “Well, what about figurative language?” Well, we all use figurative language all the time. You might say, “You know, I’m dog tired.” You don’t mean you’re a dog. If I say, “He’s as strong as an ox,” you know I don’t mean he’s an ox. That is clear. Again, if I say, “He stood tall like a tree,” you know I don’t mean he’s an actual tree that has branches and leaves. We all understand metaphoric language and analogies. We speak in analogies all the time. That is just ‘normal’ language. Figures of speech are normal language. There is no ‘hidden’ or secret meaning. Nor is it ‘spiritualized’ meaning.

 

So then, what about symbolism? There are a lot of symbols in the Bible. Well, we have symbols in our language, and we all talk with symbols all the time. For example, “Man, that guy when by like a rocket.” What did I mean by that? Well, I didn’t mean he was in an ICBM. I meant that his car went by really fast. The ‘rocket’ becomes the symbol of that—and that’s ‘normal’ language. We have that latitude in language. You don’t need to panic when you see a symbol. Merely look at the context and the symbol ‘unfolds’.

Then you might say, “What about the symbols in the book of Revelation?” Well, yes, some of those symbols in Revelation are very unique. But, when it comes to predictive prophecy yet to be fulfilled in the future, you will find many symbols because there was/are no historical equivalence. Those things will be ‘unpacked’ in the future. God speaks to us about them in symbolic language.

When you read in the book of Revelation that a “beast” rises out of the sea, it will then define something about that beast and who he is. In this instance, the beast is representative of fierce power. It then tells you that he’s got seven horns and he’s got certain heads. It then defines what those are. Scripture unfolds that in the context.

There are other ‘prophetic’ passages where there are analogies and illustrations, too (Zechariah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah). They are conveying a reality in a symbolic way. But we use those kinds of things all the time, as did Jesus with His parables. Parables were fictional stories conveying actual truth.

 

Now, you might also hear about the secret meaning of something called “numerology,” which reads about certain historical events appearing in the text of the Bible and then develops a ‘method’ of interpreting the text by adding up a numerical value associated with the letters that ‘add up’ to an ‘answer’ of a historical event that actually happened. The thing is, somebody did the same thing with Herman Melville’s book “Moby Dick,” and came up with the same event! These kinds of things are crazy, misguiding treatments of Scripture. So, let me strongly suggest that you just read it literally, and don’t ever abandon literal interpretation in favor of some mystical, ‘hidden’ allegorical interpretation which discards accuracy, coherence, intelligence, and reason. Once you have determined that you are not going to accept the literal interpretation of Scripture, you’re hopelessly lost. Then you have a free-for-all.

 

Bottom line, God spoke clearly and so you accept it literally. When God gave us the book He made it clear. He didn’t give us a mystery

So, that’s where you start. You start with an understanding of the ‘literal’ sense of the word or phrase.

 

The second thing is the ‘HISTORICAL’ principle. Its context includes culture, geography, politics, religion, the thinking of the people, the perspectives, the world view, what’s going on at the time, how the people think… all of that is informing you on the historical context. What are the characteristics of the city? What were the cultural conditions? What were the politics? What were the social pressures? What were the tensions? What were the problems? What were the crises? What were the customs of the people? What informs all of this? One just needs to have a good ‘library’, or access to one.

What did it mean to the people to whom it was spoken or written? What did it mean then? Not what does it mean now. So what was their scenario? What was going on? A text without a context is a pretext. [ A pretext is an excuse to do something or say something that is not accurate. Pretexts may be based on a half-truth or developed in the context of a misleading fabrication. Pretexts have been used to conceal the true purpose or rationale behind actions and words. ] You can’t just yank a verse out and make it mean what you want it to. There’s a plot there, there’s a story going on there, and there’s something happening there to which this speaks directly. That is the historical principle. Creating the ‘background’ to a given scene.

 

Then there is the ‘GRAMMATICAL’ principle. This is the ‘structure’ itself—to dig deep. This takes a look at the language, the syntax, and lexicography of a passage (the words, the way they’re arranged, the prepositions, the pronouns, and the antecedents). You do this as a matter, of course, all the time. You ask, what do the words mean. What is the antecedent of this? What is the preposition telling me? What does this pronoun refer to and to whom does it refer? It’s a grammatical thing. We break that into word studies—studies of the actual words and the syntax (which is how the words are connected with each other). This is the exercise that we call “inductive” Bible study. You study the sentence ‘structure’.

This is where knowing the original language is really critical. However, if you don’t know Greek and Hebrew, you can get access to Greek-to-English resources pretty easily these days. (You can access even the Hebrew from the English and find those original meanings). There are also so many commentaries available to help with interpretations. You just have to put in the effort!

 

So you’re digging down on verbs, nouns, phrases, modifiers, adverbs, adjectives, all of that is in the course of doing grammatical study. Find the main point. What’s the main point? Here’s a little hint: The main point is usually connected to the main verb.

 

The fourth is the ‘SYNTHESIS’ principle… pulling things together. The Reformers used the expression “Scriptural Scriptorium Interpreteur,” which means “Scripture interprets Scripture.” This is using other portions of Scripture to ‘prove’ or ‘verify’ what another portion of Scripture is saying.

The Bible is perfectly in harmony with itself. The Reformers called it “Analogia Scriptura,” meaning Scripture is analogous to itself… completely consistent with itself. No part of the Bible contradicts any other part because one author, God the Holy Spirit, has ‘written’ it all.

So, at this point, one needs to start cross-referencing (like the ‘Arc’ image). Just ‘chase’ the references all over the Bible. Sometimes it will be in the epistles, and other times it will be in the Psalms. Just follow it where it leads you.

[ The “Treasury of Scripture Knowledge” is a great book for this You can look up every verse and find every other verse in the Bible that refers to the same ‘idea’ and the same truth. It’s not a concordance. It’s not the same ‘word’, it’s the same ‘idea’. It is also available online: http://www.tsk-online.com/ ].

So after you’ve done the grammatical work in the text, you compare it with other related texts, and that’s how you come to a full understanding. One writer says, “The Bible appears like a symphony orchestra with the Holy Spirit as its Toscanini, each instrumentalist has been brought willingly, spontaneously creatively to play his notes just as the great conductor desired, though none of them could ever hear the music as a whole. The point of each part only becomes fully clear when seen in relation to all the rest.” That is a brilliant statement. The Bible is a ‘symphony’ and when you study one theme, you are just putting all the ‘instruments’ together, which then becomes a symphonic ‘presentation’ of that one truth.

 

Finally, there’s the ‘PRACTICAL’ principle. This is the final thing you want to ask: “What are the ‘implications’ of the text?” Now, this is NOT ‘application’, but ‘implication’. There’s a difference.

Application means to specifically “do this” (It’s the Holy Spirit’s work to make the application). A specific application but it might not apply to everyone. Rather, an ‘implication’ applies to everyone. For example, “Here are three things that will give you assurance of your salvation.” That’s an ‘implication’, and that is the practical principle.

As to specifically making application of that new understanding of your assurance, that’s going to work out as the Holy Spirit directs your thinking, your experience, and your life.

 

So, there are the five principles. Having said all this, the Bible says it better than I can (1 Corinthians 2:12-16): Essentially, now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. The natural man receives not the Spirit of God, they are foolishness to him. Neither can he know them because they’re spiritually discerned. The natural man can’t do this, can’t interpret Scripture. Nor can those who don’t submit themselves to the principles and the science of hermeneutics. But at the end of the day is the Holy Spirit’s illumination that guides that intense process to the end that comes up with the right and a clear interpretation to the glory of God.

 

In addition to the previous principles, theologian R.C. Sproul offered some helpful hermeneutical ‘guidelines’ in his classic book, “Knowing Scripture” [ Link to purchase the book in the “Resources” section below ].

1: READ THE BIBLE LIKE ANY OTHER BOOK: The Bible does not take on some special magic that changes basic literary patterns of interpretation.

2: READ THE BIBLE EXISTENTIALLY: We ought to get passionately and personally involved with what we read. We should seek to “crawl in the skin” of the characters we are reading about so that we get absorbed into the world of the text, so that their world begins to shape us. By trying to put ourselves in the life situation of the characters of Scripture, we can come to a better understanding of what we are reading. This is the practice of empathy, feeling the emotions of the characters we are studying. Such reading between the lines may not be regarded as part of the text of Scripture itself but will aid in our understanding the flavor of what is happening.

3: INTERPRET THE HISTORICAL NARRATIVES BY THE DIDACTIC (‘Teaching’ or ‘Doctrinal’ Passages): The term didactic comes from the Greek word that means to teach or to instruct. Didactic literature teaches or explains. Much of Paul’s writing is didactic in character. The relationship between the Gospels and the Epistles often has been defined in simple terms of saying that the Gospels record what Jesus did and the Epistles interpret the significance of what He did. It is true that the emphasis in the Gospels is found in the record of events, while the Epistles are more concerned with interpreting the significance of those events in terms of doctrine, exhortation, and application…The principle of interpreting the narrative by the didactic is not designed to set apostle against apostle or apostle against Christ. It is merely recognizing one of the principal tasks of the apostle, to teach and to interpret the mind of Christ for His people.

4: INTERPRET THE IMPLICIT BY THE EXPLICIT: When an implication is drawn that is contradictory to what is explicitly stated, the implication must be rejected. If we interpret the clear in light of the obscure, we drift into a kind of esoteric interpretation that is inevitably cultic. The basic rule is that of care: careful reading of what the text is actually saying will save us from much confusion and distortion.

5: DETERMINE CAREFULLY THE MEANING OF WORDS: Only the context can determine the particular meaning of a word.

6: NOTE THE PRESENCE OF PARALLELISMS: Parallelism may be defined as a relationship between two or more sentences or clauses that correspond in similarity or are set with each other. There are three basic types of parallelism: synonymous, antithetic, and synthetic.

Synonymous parallelism occurs when different lines or parts of a passage present the same thought in a slightly altered manner of expression. [ Many of the Proverbs use this ‘method’. i.e. “Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Proverbs 10:4) ].

Synthetic parallelism is more complex than the other forms. Here the first part of the passage creates a sense of expectation that is completed by the second part. It can also move in progressive, ‘staircase’ movement to a conclusion in a third line. [ i.e. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7) ].

7: NOTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PROVERB AND A LAW: Proverbs are catchy little couplets designed to express practical truisms. They reflect principles of wisdom for godly living. They do not reflect moral laws that are to be applied to absolutely every conceivable life situation.

8: OBSERVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF THE LAW: Jesus goes beyond the letter to the spirit of the letter. The Pharisees noted only the letter; Christians are to take note of both the letter and the spirit of the letter.

9: BE CAREFUL WITH PARABLES: Some parables are extended similes, others are comparative stories, and still others have an obvious moral application. The safest way to look at parables is to look for one basic central point in them.

10: BE CAREFUL WITH PREDICTIVE PROPHECY: If we examine how the NT treats the OT prophecy, we discover that in some cases an appeal is made to the fulfillment of the letter (such as the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem) and in others, fulfillment has a broader scope (such as the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy of the return of Elijah). When interpreting Apocalyptic literature (e.g., Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation) it’s important to seek the general meaning of such images in the Bible itself. For example, most of the images of the book of Revelation are found elsewhere in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament.

11: INTERPRET THE BIBLE WITH A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY: We must humbly acknowledge the possibility that at some points we could be mistaken. If one’s views cannot stand the test of objective analysis and verification, humility demands that they abandon them.

THE ‘PROCESS’ OF INTERPRETATION
So, what is the process for interpreting Scripture? Well, through ‘exegesis’ and ‘theology’ one ‘ASSESSES’, ’SYNTHESIZES’, and ‘APPLIES’ what the Word of God is saying.

The English term “exegesis” is a transliteration of the Greek noun “exēgēsis” (ek “from, out of” + “agō” “to bring, move [something]”), meaning a “DRAWING OUT OF.” Narrowly defined, exegesis of Scripture is the interpretive activity of identifying or drawing out what God was actually saying through His human authors in specific passages within specific books.

[ Note: “Eisegesis,” on the other hand, is when we attempt to READ ‘INTO’ the text what really isn’t there. Eisegesis can lead to many errors, especially if we approach a passage with assumptions or presuppositions that really aren’t in the text at all. The “golden rule” of interpretation applies here: “Seek to interpret a text as others would seek to interpret what you have written or said.” In other words, just as we would not want someone reading ideas into what we have said or written that is not there at all, we should not seek to do this with biblical writings either. Exegesis, then, is the right way to approach a passage, as we seek to determine what the author intended, fairly looking at the text to see what it really says ].

 

So, following God’s leading, the biblical authors purposely wrote the words they did with specific sense and purpose. “Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” [ 2 Peter 1:21 ]. In exegesis, we discover what is there, which includes both the specific meaning that the authors convey and its implications—those inferences in a text of which the authors may or may not have been aware but that legitimately fall within the principle or pattern of meaning that they willed.

 

Now, the English term “theology” comes from the Latin “theologia,” which derives from a combination of the Greek nouns “theos” (“God”) and “logos” (“a formal accounting, reckoning”). In short, theology is a “study of God.” Because Scripture is God’s Word for all time and because every biblical passage has a broader context (historical, literary, and biblical), exegesis (narrowly defined) naturally and necessarily moves us into various theological disciplines:

– Biblical Theology: Considers how God’s Word progresses, integrates, and climaxes in Jesus
– Systematic Theology: Examines what the Bible teaches about certain theological topics.
– Practical Theology: Details the proper Christian response to the Bible’s truths

 

Exegesis moves to theology, and the whole process is to result in a personal encounter with the living God disclosed in Scripture.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Jason S. DeRouchie suggests that there are at least twelve steps in the move from exegesis to theology and from personal study to practice and then instruction. While one can discuss the various stages independently, the interpretive process is more like a spiral by which we continually revisit various interpretive questions en route to biblical faithfulness.

For ease of recollection, he ‘named’ the whole process “T.O.C.M.A.,” which stands for Text, Observation, Context, Meaning, and Application. Each of the twelve steps falls within one of these overarching categories, the first nine covering exegesis and the last three theology.

TEXT: “What is the makeup of the passage?”
1. Genre: Determine the literary form, subject matter, and function of the passage, compare it to similar genres, and consider the implications for interpretation.
2. Literary units and text hierarchy: Determine the limits and basic structure of the passage.
3. Text criticism: Establish the passage’s original wording.
4. Translation: Translate the text and compare other translations.

OBSERVATION: “How is the passage communicated?”
5. Clause and text grammar: Assess the makeup and relationship of words, phrases, clauses, and larger text units.
6. Argument-tracing: Finish tracing the literary argument and create a message-driven outline that is tied to the passage’s main point.
7. Word and concept studies: Clarify the meaning of key words, phrases, and concepts.

CONTEXT: “Where does the passage fit?”
8. Historical context: Understand the historical situation from which the author composed the text and identify any historical details that the author mentions or assumes.
9. Literary context: Comprehend the role that the passage plays in the whole book.

MEANING: “What does the passage mean?”
10. Biblical theology: Consider how your passage connects to the Bible’s overall flow and message and points to Christ.
11. Systematic theology: Discern how your passage theologically coheres with the whole Bible, assessing key doctrines especially in direct relation to the gospel.

APPLICATION: “Why does the passage matter?”
12. Practical theology: Apply the text to yourself, the church, and the world, stressing the centrality of Christ and the hope of the gospel.

 

Now, to faithfully interpret Scripture requires asking the right questions. In exegesis, we are asking the biblical author, “What are you saying?” (the grammar, text-criticism, and translation question), and, “Why do you say it like that?” (the genre, structure, argument, and historical and literary context question). In theology we are asking, “What do you mean?” (the biblical and systematic theology question), and “What is the significance of this passage for us today? (the practical theology question).

 

No text of Scripture can have many different, mutually contradictory meanings. A text might have a complex meaning that can be summarized in different noncontradictory ways. The text’s meaning might have different practical applications to different people depending on their particular situation. But if two people read a text and find contradictory meanings, one or both of the readers must be wrong. They cannot both be right.

Knowing how to interpret Scripture correctly, therefore, is as important as knowing that the Bible is true.

[ FYI: For more details of the Bible being ‘true’, view last month’s “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/learning-to-t-r-u-s-t-v263/ ].

 

Since the Bible was written by authors with specific intents, the way to determine a text’s meaning is to discern the original author’s intent for it. To do this, employ the grammatical-historical method, which examines the writer’s historical context and the text’s grammatical structure. We treat verbs as verbs and nouns and nouns, for while the Bible is God’s Word, it is written according to normal grammatical conventions, not in some esoteric language. Moreover, we look at the historical setting of a text so that we can discern the issues the author is addressing. Such things help us get into the mind of the author so that we can know what he really means.

If we ‘divorce’ the meaning of the biblical text from its author’s intent, the text can mean anything we want. (This happened during the medieval era, when all sorts of fanciful allegorical readings were used that had little if any connection to the author’s original intent.) To obey God rightly, we must know what the author He inspired meant, so learning how to interpret the Bible rightly is as important as knowing Scripture’s content.

 

PRESUPPOSITIONS
So, what presuppositions should guide one’s interpreting Scripture? Well, biblical interpretation necessitates that one view Scripture as God’s very ‘Word’ (Isaiah 8:20; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 14:37). This requires a submissive disposition to Scripture’s authority. One must be willing to let their understanding and application of truth be conformed to the Bible’s declarations, all in accordance with God’s revealed intention.

The Bible is a special revelation—God’s disclosure of Himself and His will in a way that one can understand (1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)—are not just ideas, but are God-inspired (Matthew 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The “words of the Lord are pure” (Psalm 12:6); His “law is true” (Psalm 119:142); “every one of [His] righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160); and His “commandments are right” (Psalm 119:172). The Apostle Paul said that this is so because “all Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

 

These truths imply that Scripture is both authoritative and accurate in all it declares. In order to stress that the Bible’s assertions are both reliable and unerring, biblical interpretation assumes that Scripture’s truths are ‘knowable’. The Apostle Peter recognized that, “there are some things in [Paul’s letters] that are hard to understand,” but he went on to say that it is “the ignorant and unstable” who “twist” these words “to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16). The psalmists were also convinced that God’s Word enlightens our path and imparts understanding (Psalm 119:105, 130). Paul then wrote his words plainly (2 Corinthians 1:13) and called others to “think over” what he said, trusting that, “the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7).

The very nature of God’s Word demands that its message can be understood in any culture and in any age. Historically, the church has called this the doctrine of Scripture’s ‘PERSPICUITY’ or clarity. The Bible is sufficiently clear, but not everything in it is equally clear. It is sufficiently clear to allow us to grasp the portrait of God’s supremacy and his overarching kingdom purposes climaxing in the saving work of Jesus, but some other elements in Scripture are less lucid. Theologian Wayne Grudem has helpfully noted that the Bible itself testifies that, “we can understand it, but not all at once, not without effort, not without ordinary means, not without the reader’s willingness to obey it, not without the help of the Holy Spirit, not without human misunderstanding, and never completely.”

These things stated, we must interpret Scripture convinced that what God intends for us to know we CAN know!

 

Biblical interpretation requires that we also ‘respond’ appropriately. We must then move on to recognize that his Word is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We must grasp not only the biblical author’s intended meaning (which is possible for nonbelievers) but also his intended effect (which is possible only for believers, Romans 8:7-8; 1 Corinthians 2:14). To rightly grasp God’s truth bound up in His Book, we must employ the necessary habits of heart and mind captured in the order of Ezra’s resolve: “Ezra set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel” [ Ezra 7:10 ]. To “study” means observing carefully, understanding rightly, and evaluating fairly; to “do” includes feeling appropriate and applying wisely; and to “teach” involves expressing articulately, faithfully, and boldly.

Biblical interpretation that culminates in application demands ‘God-dependence’. The Apostle Paul wrote, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” [1 Corinthians 2:14 ]. By “understand” here, Paul means “embrace, affirm, align with, delight in, apply.” Only for those ‘in’ Christ (“born again”) is the ‘veil’ of hardheartedness toward God’s Word taken away (2 Corinthians 3:14), but ‘in’ Christ, the Word becomes near us, in our mouth and in our heart (Romans 10:8). The biblical authors’ ultimate intent included a transformed life, the foundation of which is a personal encounter with the living God. People WILL NOT experience this apart from the Holy Spirit’s help!

 

Scripture is not ‘primarily’ intended as a moral guide book or a collection of propositions to believe. Its purpose is to reveal God’s plan and purposes throughout human history. According to the Apostle Paul, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Among the most important objectives, Scripture is “able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (verse 15).

When we interpret a passage, first we have to identify what an author is trying to do. Sometimes authors want to tell what happened or will happen; sometimes they want to explain or describe something; sometimes they want to give instructions about how to do something; and sometimes they want to give an exhortation or command.

All languages and cultures have ways of communicating these kinds of intentions. However, languages and cultures embed these intentions in different literary forms. These literary forms have certain conventions or rules that people within a certain culture and time recognize and easily interpret. But moving from one culture to another, from one time to another, or from one language to another, we may find that both the literary forms and the conventions within the forms are different than what we expect or easily recognize.

The literary forms and conventions associated with the ancient Hebrew psalms, a 15th-century Japanese haiku, an 18th-century English sonnet, and a 21st-century American rap song are very different, even though all could be classified as poetry.

Some literary forms that we find in the Bible, like apocalyptic literature, do not even exist in some other cultures. Some linguistic conventions in the Bible, like the structure of acrostic poems, or wordplay and puns may be obscured or lost in translation. Some literary conventions in the Bible may be unfamiliar, like using numbers symbolically, framing narratives in ‘pericopes’ (small units), or using doublets for emphasis.

 

No one should expect to be able to pick up a Bible and perfectly interpret unfamiliar literary forms or immediately recognize the significance of unfamiliar or obscured conventions that contribute to the overall meaning. That is why we turn to the expertise of scholars and translators who have extensively studied the cultures and languages of the Bible. They can also help us identify areas where our own cultural expectations about literary forms and conventions may interfere with our interpretation of the Bible. For example, the Bible definitely records history, but the literary forms and conventions it uses are different than what we may expect from our experience of reading histories in our own language, culture, and time.

 

In addition to identifying an author’s purpose and knowing something about the literary form and conventions, they are using, part of interpretation is understanding how an author uses language. Some of our human communication is fairly straightforward, but much of it relies on the hearers drawing ‘inferences’ that are not made explicit by the sum total of the definitions of the words.

Also, much of our language use is figurative in some way, or is not meant to be taken “literally.” Think back to high school English class and all those vocabulary words you had to learn: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, euphemism, synecdoche, litote, and idiomatic expression. The Bible has examples of all of these kinds of ‘figures of speech’.

 

To further complicate things, words themselves can have figurative senses. In Greek the primary sense of poimen is shepherd, “someone who cares for sheep”. The secondary, figurative sense is “the leader of a church”. When Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd” (in John 10:14), He is using the ‘primary’ sense (“literal” meaning) of shepherd in a metaphor that speaks figuratively about His love for His people. The Apostle Paul lists some roles in the church that include shepherd (the secondary or figurative sense, “pastor” – in Ephesians 4:11), but using that word does not mean we should interpret the passage figuratively; it is a very straightforward list.

Figurative language can show up anywhere; it is not confined to certain literary forms. A poem can use very straightforward language, and history can use lots of imagery and figures of speech. We cannot make pronouncements about whether language is being used figuratively or not simply based on the literary form of a text. Obviously, the process of interpretation can be complex and multi-faceted.

 

So, to take the Bible seriously, we also need to consider whom the author was writing to: the Bible was written for us, but not to us. Cultural norms, symbolism, and the audience’s familiarity with Scripture may all contribute to the way in which Scripture has been written and understood.

An example of cultural significance in the New Testament is found in the story of the prodigal son (as described in Luke 15). A straightforward reading of the parable—disregarding the context—teaches us about the love and forgiveness of a father toward his son, and consequently about God’s love toward His ‘children’. However, when the story is considered in its cultural framework, the reading is much more profound.

According to New Testament scholar Kenneth Bailey, the Jewish son not only acted disgracefully by asking for his inheritance, but he further debased himself by squandering it. The son’s behavior warranted a “Kezazah,” or cutting off ceremony, upon his return. This ceremony would have included rejection by the village and an angry confrontation by his father. Furthermore, the son would have had to beg for permission to train for a job in the next village.

HOWEVER, instead of this harsh and inhospitable reception, a loving and merciful homecoming awaited the son. As soon as the father saw his son returning, he raced to see him. This is also a significant detail since men of the father’s age and distinction in Middle Eastern culture always walked in a slow, dignified manner. By running, the father took on the shame and humiliation due his prodigal son. He then kissed his son, gave him his best robe, and called to have the fatted calf slaughtered for a feast.

When Jesus originally told this story to a Middle Eastern audience, it is likely that they would have understood the father’s love in a deeper way than modern-day readers. As this example shows, filtering a Scripture passage through an awareness of the original audience and its culture can greatly expand our understanding of the passage.

[ FYI: This parable was about the father’s (God) forgiveness and grace by accepting his son back even after the son sinned terribly against the father (essentially wishing his dad to be dead). For more details about the Prodigal Son parable, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post (in the “Grace is ’Scandalous’” section):
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/amazing-grace-v239/ ].

 

The Bible is not simply a work of literature. For Christians, it is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). It is the ‘primary’ and most important way in which God ‘speaks’ to His people.

 

SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE
The scope and significance of one passage is to be brought out by relating it to others.

The Westminster Confession states that “The infallible rule of interpretation of scripture is the scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture, it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.”

 

The scientific study of Scripture is a complicated and exacting task. The biblical languages have their own distinctive idioms and thought-forms and each writer has his own habits of mind, vocabulary, outlook and interests. Each book has its own character, and is written according to stylistic conventions which it is not always easy to see. Each book has its own historical and theological background, and must be interpreted against that background. All these factors must be borne in mind, or we shall misinterpret Scripture.

However, this does not mean that only trained scholars can study the Bible to any profit. “The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” [ Psalm 119:130 ].

 

God does not profess to answer in Scripture all the questions that we, in our boundless curiosity, would like to ask about Scripture. He tells us merely as much as He sees we need to know as a basis for our life of faith—and He leaves unsolved some of the problems raised by what He tells us, in order to teach us a humble trust in His veracity.

So, is it reasonable to accept God’s assurance that this is so? Is it reasonable to take God’s ‘word’ and believe that He has spoken the truth, even though I cannot ‘FULLY’ comprehend what He has said? The question carries its own answer. We should not abandon faith in anything that God has taught us merely because we cannot solve all the problems which it raises. Our own intellectual competence is not the test and measure of divine truth. St. Augustine said, “Unless you believe, you will not understand.” Faith first, sight afterward, is God’s order, not vice versa—and the proof of the sincerity of our faith is our willingness to have it so.

 

Accordingly, our methods of interpreting Scripture must be such as express faith in its truth and consistency as God’s Word. Our approach must be ‘harmonistic’, for we know at the outset that God’s utterance is not self-contradictory. We should confess the divine origin of all the Scriptures, and be guided in interpreting them by Augustine’s axiom: “I do not doubt that their authors therein made no mistake and set forth nothing that might mislead. If in one of these books I stumble across something which seems opposed to the truth, I have no hesitation in saying that either my copy is faulty, or the translator has not fully grasped what was said or else I myself have not fully understood.”

One final point concerning interpretation remains to be made. Scripture tells us that if we are to understand Scripture we need, over and above right rules, personal insight into spiritual things. Scripture sets before us spiritual truths that “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” [ 1 Corinthians 12:14 ]. Without spiritual enlightenment, one will NEVER be able to see the foolishness of their own wisdom, nor the wisdom of the “foolishness of God” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

 

So, there is an ‘overview’ of the biblical approach to interpreting Scripture. The Christian believes that its text is word-for-word God-given; its message is an organic unity, the infallible Word of an infallible God, a web of revealed truth centered upon Christ; it must be interpreted in its natural sense, on the assumption of its inner harmony; and its meaning can be grasped only by those who humbly seek and gladly receive the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

CONTEXT IS ‘KING’
Way back in 1996, Bill Gates uttered the now-famous phrase “Content is king”, ushering in the World Wide Web (the “Internet”) and a new way of production and consumption for consumers. Yet, all these years later—while his observations about the importance of content on-demand still ring true—we now live in a world where the mediums of social and mobile underpin the way we interact with content and communicate online.

Mobile and smart technologies have transformed the relationship between brands and their customers, placing the power firmly back in the hands of the latter. The contextual “how” we communicate and what form that experience takes has become as important as the actual content being delivered. To that effect, context is everything. CONTEXT is ‘king’ now.

Today, top marketing ‘influencer’ Gary Vaynerchuk starts with Gates’ pronouncement but ‘ratchets’ it up by saying, “Content is king, but context is God.” In today’s marketing ‘world’, great content is ‘predicated’ based on context.

 

Just like in the marketing ‘world’, perhaps the ‘GREATEST’ principle of biblical interpretation is ‘CONTEXT’.

Too often passages or portions of Scripture are quoted, cited or otherwise used to make a point or argue against a point when in reality the entire context of the passage is ignored. Although there are many books in the Bible, it is a cohesive whole wherein God distinctly communicates to us. This means that every passage is part of not only its immediate context, but also a broader context. The words used are important, as is the context of those words. Whenever seeking to rightly interpret the Bible, make sure you understand the ‘IMMEDIATE’ context. What is the passage about? What comes before the passage you are examining? What comes after?

Along these lines, not only is immediate context important, but so is the broader context. In other words, given a particular passage that speaks to a certain topic, what does the Bible as a whole say on the subject? Don’t overlook the immediate context or the broader context.

It’s also wise to avoid citing passages selectively just to try and bolster a particular point without keeping the context in mind. That’s why theologians caution against building elaborate doctrines on obscure or isolated passages, or doing so by only referencing passages that appear to agree with our particular ‘pet’ doctrine, while ignoring other significant passages that tend to argue against one’s position.

 

Context is ‘VITAL’ to our understanding of God’s revealed truth. We must understand how the surrounding text influences the words used.

We apply this principle all the time, even in English. Some words sound alike or are spelled the same but have different meanings. For example, if I say, “I cannot bear another day” or if I say, “The bear was after me,” you know by the context which word I mean.

 

When we quote Scripture out of context, we can completely miss the truth or even sometimes even assert the opposite!

When Paul says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” [ Romans 9:3 ]. Is Paul saying that he could actually expect God to trade his eternal inheritance for the souls of lost Jews? Of course not! We realize Paul was just showing us the ‘depth’ of his love that he had for his countrymen. The theology of the New Testament and the context of Romans 10:1 shows that Paul is stating his heart’s ‘desire’, not an actual possibility.

 

Often people take one phrase or verse and run with it to an absurd extreme. For example, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” [ 1 John 3:9 ]. Some people may claim this verse means they never sin. BUT, the context includes the statement, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” [ 1 John 1:8 ]. So, which verse are we to believe? The key concept here is “practicing sin.” When we follow the desires of our old flesh, we sin. That is a fact. BUT, when we are allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us, we will not ‘continually’ practice sin. (He says this clearly also in 1 John 1:6: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth”).

 

Sometimes we can ‘destroy’ the meaning of a text by an incomplete study of the context or by imposing our own ideas on it. As I mentioned previously, a great example is Paul’s instruction that “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). Some argue that “submitting to one another in the fear of God,” mitigates or voids the instruction for a wife to submit to her husband. But upon closer inspection, the previous verse shows he is speaking of submission within the ‘BODY’ of Christ as brothers and sisters, and this verse speaks of the husband-and-wife relationship in the ‘HOME’.

 

So, how can we be sure we are interpreting Scripture properly in context? Well, first, identify the ‘theme’ of the passage. Then look for illustrations in the context that help make the teaching clear. Search the passage for other similar or contrasting words to help understand God’s point.

 

Sometimes an argument from Scripture will be countered with the remark, “You are taking that verse out of context.” So, what does this mean?

Well, context is, quite simply, the ‘circumstances’ in which something is said. It involves things like…

– Who said something?
– Who did they say it to?
– Was the hearer hostile or friendly?
– Where was the person who said this thing?
– What prompted the person to say it?
– Whose interests did the speaker have at heart?
– What authority or expertise did the speaker possess?
– Was the speaker being honest?
– Was the speaker serious, joking, angry, joyful, afraid, etc.?

That list could be expanded more and more, but that does not mean context is complicated. It can cover a lot of ground but it isn’t tricky, nor is it something you have to learn, because you have been learning it ever since you began to speak and to listen to others speaking. It comes ‘naturally’.

When you are asked to “keep scripture in context,” you are only being asked to interpret Scripture as you would interpret anything you hear, and as you would expect others to interpret anything you say.

 

Some people—maybe in a hurry to ‘hear’ from God—read their Bible using, what R.C. Sproul says is the “lucky dip” method. It’s the person that allows the Bible to open by itself, and then reads the first verse that catches their attention.

I heard of an illustration about this method that goes like this: A man’s devotional reading consisted of cracking his Bible at random and reading the first verse his finger touched. One morning this was his verse for the day: “And Judas went out and hanged himself.” That can’t be right, he thought. So he let the Bible fall open by itself again. The verse he put his finger on was, “Go and do likewise.” Chagrined, he thought, the third time is always the charm! He read, “What you are going to do, do quickly!”

Now, you might be laughing a bit at that—and very few of us are as ‘off-base’ as that guy, ‘skipping’ all around the Bible—but you wouldn’t read any other book that way, right? You wouldn’t get the ‘proper’ message the author was trying to convey in any other book, and that goes for the Bible, too.

 

Again, I like what Dr. David L. Cooper (founder of the “Biblical Research Society”) said is the “Golden Rule” of interpretation: “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” [ Dr. David Reagan (of “Lamb and Lion Ministries”) shortened it a bit by saying, “When the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense, lest you come up with nonsense.” ]

 

Another concern with taking the Bible out of context is the temptation to make the Bible say what we want it to rather than what it originally meant. Those who have taken this misguided approach have used Scripture to ‘prove’ a wide variety of practices as ‘biblical’. However, a practice is only biblical if it is based on an ‘ACCURATE’ UNDERSTANDING of Scripture that includes studying the context surrounding a passage.

For example, some have taught that slavery was biblical since this practice can be found in the Bible. However, while it is true that “slavery” is found in the Bible, the New Testament did not teach Christians to ‘enslave’ one another. On the contrary, in Paul’s most personal letter regarding this issue, he wrote to Philemon with the intention that Philemon should free his runaway slave Onesimus (Philemon 1).

Further, a closer examination of slavery and servanthood in 1st century times shows that it often differed widely in application from modern slavery. A “doulos” (Greek word for servant) could have a servant of their own, and held MUCH responsibility. While there were certainly masters who treated their servants poorly in that time (as there is employers that do so today), slavery then WAS NOT practiced exactly as slavery has been in modern times. Without studying the context of biblical passages on this topic, however, past generations have used Scripture to support the most tragic of interpretations regarding the enslavement and mistreatment of people.

 

So, here are two key phrases to keep in mind in the pursuit of faithful biblical interpretation. “Context is king,” and, “a text without a context is a pretext.” What one needs to strive to do is allow the context of a given passage to help dictate how they interpret it. First, begin with the immediate context of the phrase or sentence, then move to the paragraph, then the chapter, and then the book. Then—since Jesus Himself claims all of Scripture as a testimony to Himself— allow the Old Testament to be interpreted in light of the New Testament, and vice versa (Luke 24:44). As St. Augustine famously said, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”

 

‘PERSPICUITY’
Related to biblical interpretation is a concept known as “perspicuity.” In short, the term means that the Bible is always clear when it comes to communicating truths about the essentials of the faith. There are no great secrets, hidden message or esoteric interpretations that will grant us additional clarity when it comes to the essentials of Christianity. As Jesus said, “I have spoken openly to the world… I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret” (John 18:20).

Biblical clarity on the essentials of the faith brings up a related point. It’s important that we do not allow interpretational disagreements on secondary matters to cause division among Christians on essential or primary matters. In interpreting the Bible, then, we should ask ourselves if a particular interpretation of a passage will cause harm to an essential doctrine such as the deity of Christ, the resurrection, the atonement and so forth. If so, we would do well to study the passage in more detail, keep in mind the broader biblical teaching on the subject and consult resources—including knowledgeable people—to determine if our interpretation is misguided.

A certain degree of humility is in order as well. Human beings are fallible, but our mistakes of interpretation do not mean that the Bible is flawed or lacking in authority. Usually, it is OUR flawed interpretation that is the problem.

 

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
Many people react negatively to the word theology, believing that it involves dry, fruitless arguments about minute points of doctrine. Yet as Dr. R.C. Sproul argues, everyone is a theologian. Any time we think about a teaching of the Bible and strive to understand it, we are engaging in theology. Therefore, it is important that we put the Bible’s varied teachings together in a ’SYSTEMATIC’ fashion, using proper, time-tested methods of interpretation so as to arrive at a theology that is founded on truth.

“Systematic theology” is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics or what is true about God and his universe. It also builds on biblical disciplines, church history, as well as biblical and historical theology. Systematic theology shares its systematic tasks with other disciplines such as constructive theology, dogmatics, ethics, apologetics, and philosophy of religion.

 

As theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem explains it, “Systematic theology is any study that answers the question, ‘What does the whole Bible teach us today?’ about any given topic.”

Systematic theology is, therefore, the division of theology into systems that explain its various areas. For example, many books of the Bible give information about the angels. No one book gives all the information about the angels. Systematic theology takes all the information about angels from all the books of the Bible and organizes it into a system called angelology. That is what systematic theology is all about—organizing the teachings of the Bible into categorical systems. Systematic theology is an important tool in helping us to understand and teach the Bible in an organized manner.

 

Dr. Scott R. Swain (President of the “Reformed Theological Seminary”), suggests that there are 10 ‘major’ things that one should know about Systematic Theology.

1. Systematic theology exists because the God who knows and loves himself in the bliss of the Trinity is pleased to make himself an object of creaturely knowledge and love through holy Scripture.
Theology in its essence is “wisdom”—a knowledge that is ordered to love (practical wisdom), and a love that rests in knowledge (contemplative wisdom). More specifically, theology is wisdom about God and all things in relation to God.

This wisdom exists first and foremost in God: God knows and loves himself in the bliss of his triune life as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 11:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11). This wisdom exists secondarily and derivatively in creatures because God is pleased to make us happy by making us friends in the knowledge and love of himself (John 10:14-15; 15:15; 17:3; 1 Corinthians 2:12).

Though not the only source for the knowledge and love of God (see Psalm 19; Rom 1-2), holy Scripture is the supreme source for the knowledge and love of God in this life (see 2 Peter 1:16-21). Therefore holy Scripture is the supreme source and norm for the “systematic” study of theology.

2. Systematic theology is a way of studying the Bible that attends to the full scope of biblical teaching.
As a discipline devoted to studying and teaching holy Scripture, systematic theology seeks to give heed to the full scope of biblical teaching. Systematic theology does not content itself to focus upon a single biblical author—say, Isaiah or Paul—or a single biblical theme—say, the doctrine of justification. Systematic theology is a discipline that devotes itself to “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

The only way the church truly submits to the Bible’s doctrinal and moral teaching is by submitting to the full scope of the Bible’s doctrinal and moral teaching. Failure to attend to the whole counsel of God “leads to one-sidedness and error in theology and pathology in the religious life” (Herman Bavinck).

3. Systematic theology is a way of studying the Bible that attends to the unity of biblical teaching.
Because God is the primary author of holy Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), and because God is a God of truth (Titus 1:2), systematic theology seeks to discern the unity, harmony, and beauty of biblical teaching. Systematic theology seeks to coordinate the teaching of various biblical authors across various redemptive-historical epochs and literary genres, and across the Bible’s two testaments, in a way that does not mute or flatten the diversity of biblical teaching but allows it to shine forth in its multisplendored richness.

Furthermore, systematic theology seeks to coordinate the teaching of holy Scripture with that which may be learned outside of holy Scripture through general revelation, recognizing that, because the Bible is the supreme source of wisdom about God, it plays the role of adjudicator and judge in relation to all lesser sources of wisdom about God.

4. Systematic theology is a way of studying the Bible that attends to the proportions of biblical teaching.
While systematic theology is a “comprehensive science,” treating God and all things in relation to God, John Webster reminds us that systematic theology is not “a science of everything about everything.” The Bible emphasizes certain things and says very little about other things. The Bible has matters of “first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3) and matters of secondary importance (Matthew 23:23).

Systematic theology cannot afford to neglect matters of primary or secondary importance (Matthew 23:23). But it must seek to reflect the Bible’s own emphases and priorities in its attention to and presentation of biblical teaching.

5. Systematic theology is a way of studying the Bible that attends to the relationships of biblical teaching.
Systematic theology’s concern with the Bible’s doctrinal and moral teaching includes a concern to grasp the connections or relationships between the Bible’s various doctrinal and moral teachings. Systematic theology seeks not only to understand what the Bible says about “salvation” or “good works.” It also seeks to understand the relationship between “salvation” and “good works” (Ephesians 2:8-10). Confusion about the relationships between various doctrines inevitably leads to confusion about the doctrines themselves. The supreme relationship that systematic theology considers is the relationship between God and everything else.

God’s theology—his wisdom regarding himself and all things in relation to himself—is simple and eternal.

6. A well-ordered system of theology is governed, primarily, by a God-centered organizing principle.
The doctrine of God is the primary doctrine to which systematic theology devotes its attention and to which systematic theology seeks to relate all other doctrines. Systematic theology is God-centered biblical interpretation.

Systematic theology, in this regard, adopts a disciplinary protocol that corresponds to the nature of reality: “all things,” the Apostle Paul instructs us, are “from him and through him and to him” (Romans 11:36). Systematic theology does not pretend to grasp anything unless it can grasp it in relation to God as Alpha and Omega.

The doctrine of God is therefore not simply the first doctrine in a series of doctrines in systematic theology. The doctrine of God directly informs every topic within a well-ordered system of theology. There is a sense in which every doctrine in systematic theology is part of the doctrine of God. Systematic theology is not so much about creation, providence, salvation, and consummation as it is about God creating, God providentially governing, God saving, and God consummating creation to be the temple of his triune glory. Systematic theology “describes for us God, always God, from beginning to end—God in his being, God in his creation, God against sin, God in Christ, God breaking down all resistance through the Holy Spirit and guiding the whole of creation back to the objective he decreed for it: the glory of his name” (Herman Bavinck).

7. A well-ordered system of theology is governed, secondarily, by a historical or dramatic organizing principle.
Because systematic theology is concerned with God, it is also concerned with the works of God. “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them” (Psalm 111:2). Systematic theology follows the course of God’s works from his creation of all things out of nothing, through his providential government and care of all things, to his redemption and perfection of creation through the incarnation of the Son and the outpouring of the Spirit.

In its task of tracing the course of God’s works in nature, grace, and glory, systematic theology follows a historical or dramatic organizing principle. Within a well-ordered system of theology, each doctrine is not only traced to God as its author and end. Each doctrine is also coordinated with other doctrines on a dramatic-historical axis from creation to the consummation of the kingdom of God. Systematic theology is God-centered, redemptive-historical biblical interpretation.

8. Systematic theology’s necessary interest in historical theology is more than mere historical interest.
God’s theology—his wisdom regarding himself and all things in relation to himself—is simple and eternal. Our theology—our wisdom regarding God and all things in relation to God—is social and historical. One generation commends God’s works to another, and declares his mighty acts (Psalm 145:4).

For this reason, systematic theology has a necessary interest in historical theology, the study of theology as taught and transmitted through time. Systematic theology cares about the early fathers of the church and the creeds which are the fruit of their ecclesiastical labors. Systematic theology cares about the medieval doctors of the church and the various ways in which by faith they sought to understand the mysteries that God has revealed in his Word. Systematic theology cares about the Protestant Reformation and its confessions and about Protestant orthodoxy and its magnificent systems of doctrinal and moral theology. And systematic theology cares about the Enlightenment and its aftermath, with which it is still coming to grips.

In each instance, systematic theology’s interest in historical theology is not merely a matter of historical interest. Systematic theology’s task is primarily prescriptive rather than descriptive. It is concerned with teaching what the church must believe and do, not simply what the church has believed and done. However, because the church is a social and historical reality, and because the history of theology is also the history of biblical interpretation (Gerhard Ebeling), systematic theology cannot teach what the church must believe and do unless it attends to what the church has believed and done.

The church cannot know what it must confess in our day and age on the basis of holy Scripture unless it knows what the church has confessed in other days and other ages on the basis of holy Scripture.

9. Systematic theology serves practical ends.
The systematic study of God and God’s works as revealed in holy Scripture serves a number of practical ends. By providing a summary form of scriptural teaching, systematic theology makes us better readers of holy Scripture (recall John Calvin’s stated purpose in writing his Institutes of the Christian Religion).

Furthermore, by teaching us to contemplate God and all things in relation to God, systematic theology furnishes the Christian mind with principles for action. Systematic theology informs our faith, teaching us to apprehend God and all things as they really are and to receive all things as gifts from God’s fatherly hand. Systematic theology informs our hope, teaching us to anticipate the fulfillment of God’s eternal kingdom in accordance with God’s promise. And systematic theology informs our love: directing faith and hope to their object in God, we find a light to navigate our path out of the misery of Adam’s race into the bliss of Jesus’s eternal kingdom and to awaken fitting forms of devotion, adoration, and admiration for God, neighbor, and world.

10. Systematic theology also serves contemplative ends and thereby prepares us for our chief end, which is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Though systematic theology serves a number of practical ends, systematic theology’s ends are not exclusively practical. Systematic theology also serves contemplative ends.

As a species of practical wisdom, systematic theology directs love to prudential action in the world. As a species of contemplative wisdom, systematic theology directs love to its supreme and final resting place in the knowledge of God: “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). By teaching us to contemplate God and all things in relation to God, systematic theology teaches us to trace all things from, through, and to God, enabling us to give him all the glory (Romans 11:36), and it directs us to the one in whom alone our thirst for happiness is quenched (Psalm 42:1-2; John 6:35). Systematic theology thus assists us in realizing the chief end of man, which is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

 

Now, systematic theology is different from “biblical theology.” Biblical theology gives special attention to the teachings of individual authors and sections of Scripture, and frames each teaching within the historical development of Scripture. It answers questions like, “How does the teaching about prayer develop over the history of the Old Testament and then the New Testament?” These questions come close to the questions that systematic theology answers, like, “What does the whole Bible teach us today about prayer?”

These disciplines often overlap at the edges, and parts of one study blend into the next. But there’s still an important difference: biblical theology traces the historical development of a doctrine, so your understanding of that particular doctrine changes as the historical setting progresses. Biblical theology also focuses on how the biblical authors and their original audience understood each doctrine.

Whereas systematic theology makes use of biblical theology, it often ‘builds’ upon the results. At some points, especially where great detail and care is needed in the development of a doctrine, systematic theology will even use the same methods as biblical theology, analyzing the development of each doctrine through the historical development of Scripture. But the focus of systematic theology remains different: it focuses on the collection and summary of all biblical passages on a subject, and attempts to summarize the teachings of Scripture in brief, understandable, and carefully formulated statements.

 

Systematic theology is more ‘ORGANIZED’ than regular Bible study, and most believers practice systematic theology without even realizing it (or at least they make systematic-theological statements). Here are some ways people do this all the time:

“The Bible says that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will be saved.”
“The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.”
“The Bible says that Jesus is coming again.”

Every time a believer says something about what the ‘whole’ Bible says, they are, in a sense, doing “systematic theology,” by thinking about various topics and answering the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today?”

However, ‘FORMAL’ systematic theology has several main differences from the way people usually approach these questions. They are:

1. It treats biblical topics in a carefully organized way. This helps guarantee that all topics receive thorough consideration, and it also provides a check against the inaccurate analysis of individual topics. Every doctrine has a consistent methodology and doesn’t contradict the others.

2. It treats topics in much more detail. After regularly reading the Bible, a Christian may make a statement like, “The Bible says that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will be saved.” That’s a perfectly true summary of a major biblical teaching, but in academia, systematic theology may elaborate on what it means to “believe in Jesus Christ,” and what it means to “be saved,” carefully considering the implications of each term.

3. It treats the summaries of biblical teachings more accurately. In formal systematic theology, summaries of biblical teachings must be worded precisely to guard against misunderstandings and exclude false teachings.

4. It treats all relevant Bible passages fairly for each topic. Without formally studying a topic, it’s easy to rely on a few relevant passages without taking the time to find them all.

So, why is systematic theology important? Isn’t it good enough to just read the Bible regularly?

Well, systematic theology enables one to ‘fulfill’ the “Great Commission.” Fulfilling the Great Commission includes ‘TEACHING’, not just evangelism. Jesus commanded His disciples to teach believers to observe all that He commanded: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” [ Matthew 28:19-20 ].

Teaching all that Jesus commanded includes teaching what the whole Bible says to us today. To effectively teach ourselves and others what the whole Bible says, we need to collect and summarize all passages on a particular subject.

If someone asks, “What does the Bible teach about Christ’s return?,” the believer could say, “Just keep reading your Bible and you’ll find out.” But if they start reading Genesis 1:1, it will be a long time before they find the answer to the question (and might get ‘stuck’ in Leviticus). However, using systematic theology, one can teach others most effectively if one can direct them to the most relevant passages and suggest an appropriate summary of the teachings of those passages.

 

The thing is, systematic theology has ‘PRACTICAL’ BENEFITS for the believer’s life. It…

… helps us overcome their wrong ideas. All of us have areas where our understanding of the Bible’s teaching is lacking, and we need to address the total weight of the teaching of Scripture in these areas, so that we can confront our faulty inclinations.

For example, suppose someone doesn’t want to believe Jesus is personally coming back to earth. One could show them a couple verses about Jesus’ return to earth, but they might still find a way to dismiss the force of those verses or read a different meaning into them. But if we show them twenty-five or thirty verses that say that Jesus is coming back, our friend is much more likely to be persuaded by the breadth and diversity of biblical evidence for this doctrine.

… prepares one to answer new questions of doctrine. One can’t know what new doctrinal controversies will arise in the church ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. These new controversies will likely include questions no one has faced very carefully before. People will ask, “What does the whole Bible say about this subject?” and those who have studied systematic theology will be more prepared to answer these new questions.

This also goes beyond formal doctrinal problems of applying Scripture to life. Systematic theology prepares us to answer questions like:

– “What does the Bible teach about husband-wife relationships? About raising children?”
– “What principles does Scripture give us for studying psychology, or economics, or the natural sciences?”
– “How does it guide us in spending money?”

Theological principles come to bear on every question about applying Scripture to our lives. Those who have learned the theological teachings of the Bible will be more prepared to make decisions that please God.

… helps one grow as a Christian. The more we know about God, His Word, and His relationships to the world and mankind, the more we will trust Him, praise Him, and obey Him.

 

Trying to understand what the Bible teaches is like fitting together a jigsaw puzzle, and systematic theology helps one fill in the ‘border’ and some of the major pieces. But, no matter how much one studies, one will never know everything that the Bible teaches about everything—so their ‘puzzle’ will have gaps with pieces remaining. The goal of systematic theology is to help believers put as many pieces into their theological ‘jigsaw puzzle’ as they can, with as much accuracy as possible. The doctrines studied in systematic theology act as ‘guidelines’ to help them continue filling in other areas and adding new pieces for the rest of their lives.

 

So, when people ask, “What does the Bible say about _______?,” the answer involves looking at more than one verse, and it may not be enough to scour a single epistle, or even the entire New Testament for the answer! If the way the believer answers these questions doesn’t start with a ‘HOLISTIC’ approach to what the Bible has to say, they are putting their own words in God’s ‘mouth’. Systematic theology gives the believer an organized, careful way to ‘step back’ and see what the Bible REALLY has to say.

 

SHOW THYSELF ‘APPROVED’
The Apostle Paul, just before he was martyred, wanted to pass on as much teaching to his ‘apprentice’ Timothy. One of the things he passed on—related to ‘handling’ the Bible accurately—was how to be a “good workman”: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” [ 2 Timothy 2:15 ].

A good workman is one who does his work with great care and diligence. Shoddy workmanship will bring disrepute to himself and frustration to his customer. A good craftsman is one who takes pride in his work and is keen to use his best skills to produce good work. Paul tells Timothy that he should do his best to be a good craftsman in the ‘handling’ or interpreting the Word of God. Paul offers some helpful indicators.

First, a deep sense of ‘ACCOUNTABILITY’ to God. God’s approved workman has a deep sense of accountability to God. He offers himself to God to search his heart, thoughts, motives, habits, and use of time so that his conscience would be clear, and he has no reason to be ashamed before God for giving less than he is capable of. “The fire will test the quality of each person’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:13). Whether he used costly material (gold, silver, and costly stones) or whether he cut corners by using cheap material (wood, hay, and straw) would be revealed at the Judgment Seat of Christ. A workman of God’s Word must always learn to pray, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” [ Psalm 19:14 ].

Secondly, it’s very important to CORRECTLY ‘HANDLE’ God’s Word. The approved craftsman of the Word will exhibit faithfulness and care in his handling of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15). The Greek word translated as “correctly handles” is “orthotomēo.” It literally means “to cut straight.” A careful and diligent workman will proclaim the Word with accuracy and clarity., faithful to the text. He will have the wisdom and skill to know the difference between the secret things belonging to God and the revealed things made known clearly to us (Deuteronomy 29:29). A careful and diligent workman will proclaim the Word with accuracy and clarity.

Finally, the ‘craftsman’ of Scripture approved by God will DO HIS BEST. The Greek word “spoudazō” means “making every effort with haste, eagerness, and zeal.” The good workman of Scripture will not spare any effort in his study and application of God’s Word. Diligent study and appropriate application of Scripture may be strenuous, but the ‘craftsman’ of Scripture remembers that he is accountable to God and gives it his best shot. He is filled with holy zeal as he commits himself to the Holy Spirit to illuminate his mind and heart as he digs deeply into Scripture.

 

Believers need to show the zeal and eagerness to study God’s Word, like the believers in Berea, who studied their Bibles to check what Paul preached, even though he was an Apostle! “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” [ Acts 17:11 ].

Christians are challenged to study God’s Word with all seriousness. The good workman of Scripture will not spare any effort in his study and application of God’s Word.

 

The diligent application of the energy of the believer to the service of God will allow them to ‘stand’ before the Judgment Seat of Christ, without shame. Nothing will please God more than for us to handle carefully and correctly His written Word. We should look to the written word of God with the same reverence as the psalmist who wrote, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” [ Psalm 119:105 ].

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL ‘HELP’ YOU INTERPRET
Now, in addition to the Bible being a ‘complex’ book needing diligent study, there is ‘someone’ that doesn’t want you to understand it, or even just read it! That would be Satan. I am convinced that the Devil will do anything to keep people from reading their Bibles.

Once one gives up the conviction that the Bible is the only infallible Word of God, they open themselves up to a strange ‘world’ that may include the Holy Spirit but also, if not equally, the realm of the demonic. Do not be surprised: Satan “masquerades” as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The Devil will work overtime to keep believers from reading their Bible. He would love for you to close it and just ‘wait’ on God.

BUT, just as Jesus did in the wilderness, Satan can be ‘banished’ by using the Scriptures—the “sword of the Spirit”—‘against’ Satan. Jesus used the Word three times against Satan when He was being tempted in the wilderness, saying, “It is written” – Matthew 4:1-11). God’s ‘Word’ is a VERY POWERFUL ‘weapon’ created for us to use.

HOWEVER, the ‘Author’ of the Scriptures—the Holy Spirit—is available to the believer to win the ‘battle’ with Satan, as well as ‘guiding’ them into “all truth” in understanding the book He ‘wrote’, the Bible. So, since every “born again” believer was given the Holy Spirit at ‘conversion’ to guide them, they should never read any portion of God’s Word without looking up for His assistance! Even better than that, The Holy Spirit’s ‘job’ is to help the believer become like Jesus, so He is very interested in having the believer understand God’s Word! (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:16).

The Holy Spirit, who ‘composed’ the Bible and inspired holy men to write it, will reveal all of its truths to any believer that will ask. The Holy Spirit will instruct the believer’s intellect, sanctify their ‘heart’, and regulate their lives.

The Holy Spirit will also enlighten the believer’s minds to understand the Bible’s truths, open their ‘heart’ to receive it, give them faith to believe it, and enable them to reduce it to practice in their everyday life!

The Holy Spirit will give the believer grace to understand the sublime doctrines, believe God’s precious promises, and practice the holy precepts of God’s blessed Word!

The Holy Spirit will help the believer to ‘hide’ the Word in their ‘heart’ such that they may not sin against God (Psalm 119:11). “Then He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures” [ Luke 24:45 ].

Without the Holy Spirit’s help, there can be NO ‘grasp’ of the message of Scripture, no conviction of the truth of Scripture, and no faith in the God of Scripture. Without the Holy Spirit, nothing is possible but spiritual ‘blindness’ and unbelief.

[ FYI: For more details on spiritual ‘blindness’, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/are-you-blind-v252/ ].

 

It follows that the believer must approach the study of Scripture in HUMBLE ‘DEPENDENCE’ upon the Holy Spirit. Confidence in one’s own powers of discernment is an effective ‘barrier’ to spiritual understanding.

 

God’s book does NOT yield up its secrets to the ‘UNBELIEVER’. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Bible is a ‘closed’ book (spiritually speaking) until the Holy Spirit ‘opens’ it to a “born again” person. If you are not a “born again” believer right now, consider reading/praying about/genuinely repenting RIGHT NOW! [ The “Prayer of Repentance” (just below) may be a helpful ‘start’ ].

 

‘BENEFITS’ OF READING THE BIBLE
Well, first off, the Bible is, by far, the world’s best-selling book of all time. No other book, fact or fiction, even comes close. Estimated put the total number of Bible printed at over SIX BILLION, with more than 100 MILLION copies being sold EVERY YEAR! (Three per second!). It has been fully translated into over 530 languages, and partially translated into more than 2,850 languages.

It is not only popular, but it is also a really GREAT ‘READ’! I mean, it is great literature! It has an incredible story, reliable history, beautiful poetry, and prolific adventure, action, and drama. [ Yes, it’s even better than my all-time favorite fiction book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” ;^D ].

So, even those are all great reasons to read the Bible, there is an even better reason: When one reads it, God ‘blesses’ that person [ “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” – Psalm 1:1-2 ].

In addition to that, God promises to ‘speak’ to a believer, leading them into all wisdom: “And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” [ 1 Timothy 3:15 ]. The Creator of the universe CAN BE ‘objectively’ KNOWABLE to the believer by reading the Bible. WOW!

God will also ‘guide’ the believer in all the areas of relationships, academics, politics, marriage, sex, finances, and a whole lot more, since “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” [ 1 Timothy 3:16 ], and He will help the believer to be ‘profitable’: “That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” [ 1 Timothy 3:17 ].

 

Now, in the name of full disclosure, God will also LOVINGLY ‘CORRECT’ His ‘children’: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” [ Hebrews 4:12 ]. The Bible helps one know ‘what’ is right, and how to ‘do’ it right (Psalm 119:11).

 

In general, the Bible helps ‘guide’ the believer about how to live their lives: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” [ Psalm 119:105 ], and how to live it well—to the ‘glory’ of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

 

SIMPLE PLAN FOR ‘SOAKING’ IN THE BIBLE
Essentially, a very easy ‘method’ for Bible reading is to pray before you read (asking God to bless your time). Then read at your ‘normal’ speed, pausing here and there to ‘find out’ if God wants you to slow down and think about what you are reading (taking some notes—‘mental’ or on paper). Then after a bit of time, meditate on what you just read, asking God to help you understand what you just read. ‘Linger’ a bit to give God a chance to ‘speak’ to you. If you ‘sense’ something, respond with silence. Then, after the time you have set for yourself, ‘close’ your time with God with prayer.

Now, there are a few ‘official’ methods that are popular that use an acronym to help you remember them. The first one coordinates with the title of this ‘section’, and it is called “S.O.A.K.” It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Kneeling (in prayer).

Well, on further investigation, it looks like this person created this method from a more popular one called “S.O.A.P.” This one stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. So, here’s a bit more details on how you can use “S.O.A.P.” for your Bible study:

 

SCRIPTURE (Where you are reading from)
First, read a passage of Scripture. Then, pick out a particular verse—or group of verses—that was especially meaningful to you. Write that verse in your journal/notes.

[ Note: Normally, if you read two chapters per day, you will cover almost all of the Bible in a year ].

OBSERVATION (What you notice and learn)
Look at the verse or verses you wrote out. Write one or two observations. What stands out to you? What do you learn about the character of God from these verses? Is there a promise, command or teaching?

What do you think God is saying to you as you read? What are your personal observations that you note from this Scripture?

APPLICATION (How does it apply to me)
Personalize the verses. What is God saying to you? How can you apply them to your life? Are there any changes you need to make or an action to take?

Consider what you’ve learned and how it applies to you and how you can put it into practice in your life.

A great place to start is to pray and ask God to intervene, letting Him know what concerns you.

Personalize what you have read by asking how this all might apply to your life. How does it now apply to your everyday life? What can you do to apply this in your life today?

PRAYER (Ask for God’s help to live it out)
Pause, kneel, and pray. Confess any sin God has revealed to you today. Praise God for His word. Pray the passage ‘over’ your own life or someone you love. Ask God to help you live out your applications.

Finally, write a personal ‘prayer’ based on your observation and application. This can be as simple as asking God to help you apply His Word. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say.

Example: “Thank you Lord that you know my needs and I don’t have to be anxious about the answers, You have it all under control and I thank you for caring so intently in my life. This is my concern, and I know that you are working all things for good according to your purposes” (Romans 8:28).

 

Now, you could consider this the ‘soap’ to clean yourself up to be ‘presentable’ to God [ Romans 12:1 ;^D ], however, author and pastor Bob Hostetler developed something a bit more ‘structured’, his “4 Ways to Pray Yourself Clean.” He says that if you have ever worked hard on a hot day in the garden—or under a car—you know how good it feels after such a grimy task to step under the shower spout and feel the water wash away all the sweat and soil and soreness.

It so happens to be much the same to confess your sins to God in prayer. The old Scottish proverbs says, “Confession is good for the soul.” It is a way of praying yourself clean, though the cleansing task is not really yours, but it is God’s. Your task is far simpler. It is just to confess (1 John 1:9).

When King David lost his way and not only sinned with Bathsheba but also compounded his guilt with deception, dishonesty, conspiracy, and murder, he eventually was led by the prophet Nathan to a place of sorrow and contrition over what he had done. By recording his confession in the form of a ‘poem’—that has been preserved for millennia—Psalm 51 provides us with a helpful guide for praying our own prayers of confession:

1) Remind yourself who God is.
David’s song of confession begins, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins” [ Psalm 51:1 ]. It helps to begin your confession with a reminder of who God is: a God of mercy, love, and compassion. Remembering this can help you to confess well.

2) Be honest.
David went on to pray, “Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight” [ Psalm 51:2-4 ]. He didn’t try to excuse himself or sugarcoat things, and neither should we.

3) Be specific.
David called his actions “guilt,” “sin,” “rebellion” and “evil” [ Psalm 51:2-4 ]. Force yourself to label your sin. Get specific. Was it “pride?” Or “lust?” Did you gossip or cheat? A specific confession calls a lie a lie, and a swindle a swindle.

4) Accept grace and envision a new future.
After admitting his guilt, David went on in his prayer to envision and accept God’s mercy and grace. “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean,” he said. “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow….Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me…..Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you” [ Psalm 51:7,10, 12 ]. He looked forward to a different future, one that was free of the guilt and burden of his past.

The Apostle John promised that “If we confess our sins [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” [ 1 John 1:9 ]. Notice he didn’t say, “if we ‘beg’ for God’s forgiveness.” God is more willing to forgive us than we are to confess. [ Like the waiting father in the story of the prodigal son, He will ‘run’ to meet us before we even finish our apology ].

SO, pray yourself clean! Cultivate a daily habit of confession, a way of washing off all the ‘dirt’ of sin and failure, and step into a different future, free of the guilt and burden of the past.

 

Another very popular ‘method’ for prayer is the acrostic “A.C.T.S.” Each of the letters in this acrostic stands for one of the key elements of prayer:

Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication

Not only does this acrostic remind us of the ‘elements’ of prayer, but it also shows us the ‘priority’ we ought to give to each other.

The first element of prayer should be adoration, or praise. The Psalms, which are inspired samples of godly prayer, are heavily weighted on the side of adoration. I have noticed over many years that as one grows in the discipline and in the delight of prayer, it seems that they naturally spend more and more of our time on this first element.

Secondly, prayer should include confession of our sin. As one remembers who they are when they come into God’s ‘presence’, they will see that they have come VERY ‘short’ of His holiness, and have need of His forgiveness.

[ FYI: For more details about God’s ‘presence’, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/presence-withdrawn-v257/ ].

Thirdly, when one prays, they should always give thanks, remembering the grace and mercy God has shown toward them.

Finally, prayer rightly includes supplication or petition, bringing one’s requests for the needs of others and themselves to God.

 

I think this is a helpful acrostic for remembering both the elements and the priorities of prayer. Unfortunately, most believers often spell their prayer life something like “S.C.A.T.,” because they start with Supplication and spend very little time, if any, on Adoration, Confession, and Thanksgiving!

Also, it seems that some of the time the “T” is conspicuously absent. The Apostle Paul reminded the believer that thanksgiving should always be included in our prayers: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” [ Philippians 4:6 ]. Hopefully, you will focus on “A.c.t.s.”

 

IS YOUR CHURCH RIGHTLY ‘HANDLING’ THE WORD OF GOD?
Dr. Paul M. Elliott (of “Teaching the Word Ministries”), suggests that there are “Seven marks of a Scripture-driven church”:

1) Are committed to Scripture alone as their sole and final authority
2) Understand God’s two-fold purpose for His church—preaching the Gospel to the world, and building up believers in sound doctrine
3) Rightly handle the Word of God, employing the four-fold use of Scripture found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17
4) Operate under the Bible’s authority, asking the question, “Is it Biblical?” about everything the church is, says, and does
5) Identify and reject illegitimate authorities, recognizing that submitting to the right authority also means that the church must reject wrong authorities
6) Practice Bible-based evangelism, preaching the one true Gospel in its fullness
7) Answer anti-Christian positions with apologetics—a clear, Biblical defense of the faith—not apologies

 

Relative to what I am discussing in this post, his third ‘mark’ is essentially “rightly dividing” the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15), which employs a four-fold ‘process’: Doctrine; Reproof; Correction; and Instruction. I am suggesting that the believer MUST ask themselves if they can observe that the church they attend comprehensively ‘EMULATES’ EVERY ONE of these fundamentals.

The word translated “rightly dividing” in that verse is the Greek word “orthotomeo.” In New Testament times, orthotomeo was often used as an engineering term. It was used, for example, for building a road. It was a term that meant cutting a road on a straight path, so that travelers will be able to arrive at their destination directly, without deviation.

So, one SHOULD ask themselves if their pastors are ‘handling’ God’s Word properly, teaching Scripture accurately, and not deviating from the truth.

 

Now, just because it seems that the leaders are ‘revering’ the Bible, that IS NOT enough. They need to read it and study it as though their lives (AND YOURS!) depended upon it—and spiritually speaking, it does!

Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” [ John 6:63 ]. In response to this, just a few verses later, the Apostle Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” [ John 6:68 ]. Jesus also makes the point negatively, saying, “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me” [ John 14:24 ].

 

Rightly handling the Word of God involves employing the four-fold use of Scripture that we find in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable: 1) for doctrine (teaching Christians the right path to follow); 2) for reproof (telling Christians when they’ve gotten off the path of sound doctrine); 3) for correction (telling Christians how to get back onto the path of sound doctrine); and 4) for instruction in righteousness (keeping Christians on the path of sound doctrine). The end result of employing Scripture in this four-fold way is that the man of God, and thus the church of Jesus Christ, “May be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

It is not the latest ‘fad’ that’s important, but ‘LOYALTY’ to the Word. Leaders of a “Scripture-driven church” handle the Word of God carefully and they teach Scripture accurately. They operate under the principle that Scripture interprets Scripture (as we find in 2 Corinthians chapter two). They understand that the latest religious ‘fad’, the latest how-to book, or the latest pronouncement of some strong or dominant personality in the church, most of the time, do not interpret the Word of God accurately.

Ignoring the fundamentals of God’s Word is how cults have gotten started in the past, and how new cults and other un-Biblical movements have begun in our day. (In many respects, the Emergent Church movement bear the marks of a cult, especially the way in which they typically demand loyalty to strong and domineering leaders, whose word becomes law in the church.)

In contrast to these un-Biblical approaches, the leaders of a Scripture-driven church rightly, and humbly, handle the Word of God—as commanded in 2 Timothy 2:15—and they employ the four-fold use of Scripture found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

 

WRAP UP
It should be emphasized that in order to ’TRULY’ UNDERSTAND the Bible with increasing depth over a lifetime, one MUST READ the Scriptures REPEATEDLY. The Bible is not a book to be read once and then placed on the shelf. As God’s “living” Word (Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 55:11), it must be read and meditated on with great care over and over again (Psalm 119:15, 48).

Unlike other books, which we read and ‘finish’, believers NEVER truly finish reading the Bible. Just as we must eat physical food each day if we are to be physically healthy, so we must eat spiritual ‘food’ each day if we are to be spiritually healthy. As the psalmist prayed, “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise” [ Psalm 119:148 ].

 

As was said at the beginning of this post, oftentimes ‘ACTION’ PRECEDES UNDERSTANDING. It is through acting that understanding develops. In fact, it is through action that we get better and that our understanding certainly becomes more complete.

Yes, as was shown at the beginning of this post, one can ‘humanly’ acquire knowledge and develop some kind of ‘understanding’, BUT only the Holy Spirit in a “born again” believer’s life can bring one ‘TRUE’ understanding—especially when it comes to the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:14).

 

The thing is, as was shown previously, there is a difference between knowing and understanding. “We live in a world awash with information, but we seem to face a growing scarcity of wisdom. And what’s worse, we confuse the two,” said Maria Popova in her “Timeless Advice on Writing” essay on wisdom in the age of information. “We believe that having access to more information produces more knowledge, which results in more wisdom. But, if anything, the opposite is true—more and more information without the proper context and interpretation only muddles our understanding of the world rather than enriching it.”

 

Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh offers his perspective on what it means to truly understand something: “Penetration means to enter something, not just to stand outside of it. When we want to understand something, we cannot just stand outside and observe it. We have to enter deeply into it and be one with it in order to really understand.”

Understanding requires not only factual knowledge but also a ‘perspective’ that allows one to ‘UTILIZE’ that knowledge. It can also be said that when someone understands something, that person is capable of explaining it to a third person. That’s exactly what Jesus said for His believers to do: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” [ Matthew 28:19a ] (something I am trying to do with this post).

 

The Bible is a book written in many ways like any other, and can therefore be understood by anyone who is able to read. Yet the Bible is also unique, different from every other book, because it is ‘inspired’ by God. The Bible is “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Its writers “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). To understand what is written, therefore, we must have our ‘eyes’ opened by that same Holy Spirit.

The Bible says, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). A person can be intellectually qualified and educationally equipped to read and understand the Bible, but if his ‘heart’ is not spiritually alive then he will fail to truly benefit from reading the Bible. Left to ourselves, the Bible’s contradiction of sinful living only evokes enmity from us. This is because “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God” (Romans 8:7). It is prejudiced against his Word and thus incompetent to read it in the way it was intended to be read.

So, in order to read and understand the Bible, then, we must be ‘REGENERATED’ (born again) by the Spirit of God. The Bible can certainly be read and understood at some level by those who have not been born again—indeed, the reading of the Bible may be the very means God uses to bring sinners to new life in Christ—yet experiencing salvation produces in us both the ability to see spiritual truths in the Bible that we did not see before, as well as a new desire to submit to and follow its teaching.

Along with being spiritually alive, we must also be ‘DEPENDENT’ upon God Himself as we turn to the Bible to read and study it. It is vital that we pray for ‘light’ from Heaven to understand its teachings, and also for God’s grace to apply what we learn (Psalm 119:18).

 

OVERALL BIBLE STUDY ‘TIPS’
Pastor Steven Altrogge suggest some ‘tips’ for how to read and study the Bible more effectively:

– Understand The Context
– Take Everything Back To Jesus
– Read The Entire Bible Sequentially
– Read Groups Of Scripture Together
– Understand Biblical Genres
– Know The Original Audience
– Know Your Theology
– Listen To The Bible
– Read Multiple Translations
– Mark Up Your Bible
– Use Commentaries
– Use A Reliable Study Bible
– Read A Single Book Multiple Times
– Interrogate Your Bible
– Don’t Put Yourself At The Center
– Don’t Believe Anyone
– Join A Bible Study
– Memorize Scripture
– Pray Through Passages
– Read With Reverence
– Read Humbly

 

What we need most is simply to read and pray on a regular basis. There is no replacement for persistence and the power of the Holy Spirit. God illumines and applies his truth to the Christian’s ‘heart’.

But when it comes to getting more out of the Bible, how to understand the Bible for all it’s worth, to gain a fuller and holistic understanding of Scripture, I think Altrogge’s tips can be helpful.

So, the following is a summarization of his 21 tips—in the order he presented (which he noted were in on particular order)—to help you ‘dive’ deeper into the word of God. Just remember, these are methods. They don’t replace the Holy Spirit or diligent devotion.

1) Understand The Context
This is one of, if not the most important thing when it comes to how to understand the Bible. Context. Is. Everything. The first and main principle in how to understand the Bible is to keep everything in context.

2) Take Everything Back To Jesus
Jesus said that all the Scriptures testify to him. This means that generally speaking, every portion of the Bible points to Jesus in some way.

However, you can go overboard on this, such as trying to literally tie every single item in the temple to Jesus (“The ashes represent the ashes that will fall when Jesus returns on a white horse!”), but overall this is a very helpful principle to keep in mind.

3) Read The Entire Bible Sequentially At Least Once
This gives you a feel for the overall arc of Scripture. For the grand Creation > Fall > Redemption > Recreation storyline.

[ There are many ‘plans’ that can take you through the Bible in a year. My suggestion is the “The One Year Chronological Bible” (NIV) by Tyndale ].

4) Read Groups Of Scripture Together
Reading in groups allows you to gain a fuller understanding of God’s ways and wisdom.

5) Understand Biblical Genres
This ties into understanding the context. Every book of the Bible falls into a particular genre. The Song of Solomon is poetry and should be interpreted as poetry, not as commands like the law. The epistles are letters and follow the conventions of letters. Revelation is apocalyptic, meaning it contains many symbolic elements.

If you don’t understand genres you can get really wacky interpretations.

6) Know The Original Audience
Knowing the original audience of each book is enormously helpful. It causes so many puzzle pieces to fall into place.

7) Know Your Theology
The better you know your theology (what the Bible has to say about a given subject), the better your overall understanding of Scripture will be. Understanding core theological doctrines can help you make sense of verses that seem out of place.

8) Listen To The Bible
People forget that the Bible was originally intended to be ‘heard’. Many of the original recipients couldn’t read and learned the Bible through hearing someone read it out loud.

Hearing the Word read can give you new eyes (or ears) on particular passages and help you understand the Bible in ways never did previously.

9) Read Multiple Translations
Start with a translation that is more literal (word for word) in its translation style so that you can get as close to the original meaning as possible. The English Standard Version and Christian Standard Bible are good options here.

[ As I mentioned, I suggest the beginner start with the New Living Translation (NLT), then ‘graduate to the New International Version (NIV) for a while, then end up with the English Standard Version (ESV) or the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Of course, they will all be valuable in one’s future studies. ].

10) Mark Up Your Bible
God’s word is sacred but the paper it’s printed on is not. Don’t be afraid to highlight, underline, circle, and draw lines between verses. Underline passages that really hit you hard.

11) Use Commentaries
Commentaries give clarity on word meanings, historical context, the biblical storyline, and more.

12) Use A Reliable Study Bible
I’m a fan of the ESV Study Bible. It’s got loads of insightful notes, historical charts, diagrams, and more. Plus, it’s big so it doubles as a self-defense weapon. ;^D

13) Read A Single Book Multiple Times
Diving way deep into a single book allows you to pick up nuances you would never get on a single pass. It forces you to grapple with the logical arguments of the author and pushes you to a more thorough understanding.

14) Interrogate Your Bible
You should always be asking questions of the text. Don’t just skip over verses you don’t understand. Stop. Question. Push deeper. Examine the bigger context.

15) Don’t Put Yourself At The Center
Remember, the Scriptures testify to Jesus, not you! Yes, there are thousands of things that are incredibly relevant to you, but Jesus is at the start, middle, and end of the Bible. Keep Jesus at the center and you’ll be safe.

16) Don’t Believe Anyone
Test everything against what the Bible says. Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11.

17) Join A Bible Study
The Bible is meant to be studied in solitude AND community. Both are necessary for a holistic understanding of God’s Word.

If you want to know how to understand the Bible, ask others how they read it!

18) Memorize Scripture
As you turn a verse over in your mind repeatedly, the Holy Spirit will often unlock things you never saw before.

[ If you want to go super hardcore, check out this article from Andy Naselli about how to memorize entire books of the Bible:
https://andynaselli.com/why-and-how-to-memorize-an-entire-book-of-the-bible ].

19) Pray Through Passages
British Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon said: “Every prayer is an inverted promise. That is to say, God promises us such a blessing, and therefore we pray for it. If God teaches us to pray for any good thing, we may gather by implication the assurance that he means to give it.”

20) Read With Reverence
God himself has ‘breathed’ out these words, inerrant and inspired, to teach me, reveal himself to me, and guide into joyful, eternal living.

God’s word deserves your (and MY!) deepest reverence.

21) Read Humbly
God will not allow his words to be judged by you, or anyone else for that matter. Those who refuse to submit to God’s word will find their understanding muddled.

The proper posture before the Bible is one of humble receptiveness.

Now, this is not the only considerations for studying the Bible—and Altrogge even said that—but it is a GREAT start in how to understand the Bible. However, probably the MOST IMPORTANT thing to do—as Altrogge mentioned—is, in all things, PRAY!

Altrogge said that all these tips are “nonsensical garbage” if you don’t pray for God to ‘meet’ with you. The Holy Spirit can’t be manipulated by tactics and tricks. He ‘blows’ where He will (John 3:8), enlivening our hearts and deepening our passion for Him.

 

I really hope Altrogge’s methods help you, but they are NEVER a ‘substitute’ for simple prayer and study.

[ Here is the link to Altrogge’s original article that has more details:
https://theblazingcenter.com/2017/03/how-to-understand-the-bible.html ].

[ FYI: Pastor David Kim also present a good ‘guide’ to studying the Bible that I put into the “Articles” section below: “11 Ways to Study the Bible: Methods, Techniques & Tips” ].

 

TIPS FOR ‘INTERPRETING’ SCRIPTURE
First off, read the text, preferably in several translations, to expose one to the variety of ways in which different teams of translators have translated Hebrew and Greek terms, clauses, and sentences. [ My two favorite modern translations are the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the English Standard Version (ESV) ].

Then, jot down your initial reactions to the text. What insight does it offer about God, God’s people, the world, or you? Test the validity of your first response to the text, but resist the urge to self-edit at this stage in your study.

Read two good commentaries in order to get other interpreters’ takes on the literary and historical context of the text. Most of us need help in order to start to imagine the culture in which a given biblical author lived and wrote. Fortunately, we live in an era when good, readable commentaries are readily available.

[ A few of my favorite resources are “Matthew Henry’s Commentary,” “Halley’s Bible Handbook,” “The MacArthur Bible Commentary,” and “Zondervan’s Handbook of the Bible.” Strong’s is a great concordance, and John Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” is a seminal work of systematic theology ].

 

A ‘METHOD’
So, when interpreting a text, ask and answer the question: “What might the text have meant to those who first heard the words or to the one who wrote the words?” Try to get inside the hearts and minds of our ancient spiritual forebears. Then, ask and answer another question: “How do the words, deeds, and attitude of Jesus interact with the text?” Christians should start with Jesus and work back into the Old Testament and out into the remainder of the New Testament. All biblical texts are evaluated in ‘light’ of Jesus.

Try to write one to five sentences in which you articulate what you think is the meaning of the text. You may find the exercise difficult at first, but the more you practice reducing your thoughts on a biblical text to a short, summary paragraph, the easier it becomes. If you practice such a discipline on a regular basis, you gradually build quite a collection of personal commentary on the Bible. Read back through it occasionally. You will find that your collection becomes a valuable resource for your growth as well as any ‘work’ you do with others, and also correcting any previous errors in interpretation.

Now, ask and answer this question: “If I applied the text in accordance with what I have come to believe it means, what about my life would be affirmed or changed?” Don’t be afraid to allow a text to challenge even your core convictions and well-established habits of thought or deed—and even change your beliefs.

Maintain an attitude of prayer and humility as you seek to interpret and apply the text. Prayer opens us to the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, who always stands ready to lead us toward wisdom. None of us grasps the full meaning and implications of the Scriptures. All our conclusions are tentative and subject to revision in light of additional knowledge and experience.

Test your conclusions through conversation with other serious students of the Bible. Our working interpretations of Scripture are best tested in the context of a faith community.

 

A ‘PATTERN’
So, the ‘IDEA’ of personal Bible study is simple, but it requires DISCIPLINE and long-term ‘GOALS’. Here are a few suggested steps that will give you a ‘pattern’ to follow:

READING: There are quite a number of good reading “plans” that will help you read the Bible ’systematically’. If you want to just start reading, most Bible teachers/theologians suggest you start with the Book of John. It focuses on describing who Jesus is.

INTERPRETING: As you read the Bible, always keep in mind one simple question: “What does this mean?” Then, let the Holy Spirit be your teacher (1 John 2:27), for this is the Book the He authored, and really wants you to know exactly what He meant. Pray for wisdom to understand the meaning, and read diligently.

EVALUATING: At times, you will find it helpful to consult others to ensure that you have interpreted the Bible correctly. So, read Bible commentaries from ‘reliable’ teachers and theologians (Matthew Henry, John MacArthur, Warren Wiersbe, and John Walvoord are some of the best) to enrich your thinking. In your evaluations, be a ‘truth’ seeker.

APPLYING: Studying the Bible without allowing it to ‘penetrate’ the depths of your soul would be like preparing a banquet without sitting down to eat and enjoy it. Ask yourself this question: “How do these divine truths apply to my attitude and actions?” Jesus made this promise to those who would carry their personal Bible study through to this point: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” [ John 13:17 ].

CORRELATING: Finally, make ‘connections’ between the doctrine you have learned in a particular passage with divine truths and principles taught elsewhere in the Bible to form the “Big Picture.” Always keep in mind that the Bible is a single ‘book’ in 66 ‘parts’, and its truths are taught over and over again in a variety of stories and principles. By correlating and cross-referencing, you will begin to build a sound doctrinal ‘foundation’.

 

APPLICATION
Having read and interpreted the Bible, you should have a basic understanding of what the Bible says, and what it means by what it says. But it doesn’t stop there. Your ultimate goal is to let it ‘speak’ to you and enable you to grow spiritually. That requires personal ‘application’.

Bible study is not complete until we ask ourselves, “What does it mean for my life and how can I practically apply it?” We must take the knowledge we’ve gained from our reading and interpretation and draw out the practical principles that apply to our personal lives.

If there is a command to be obeyed, we obey it. If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. If there is a warning to be followed, we heed it. This is the ultimate step: we submit to Scripture and let it TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. If you skip this step, you will never enjoy your Bible study and the Bible will never change your life!

Bible study is NOT ‘OPTIONAL’ in the Christian life. It is both the obligation and the privilege of all believers. If you are not involved in regular, systematic Bible study, you are ‘MISSING’ one of the primary means God uses to bring you to maturity! “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” [ 1 Peter 2:2 ].

 

So, it’s not enough just to ‘STUDY’ the Bible, one must also ‘MEDITATE’ upon it and ‘IMMERSE’ oneself in it. Moses’ successor Joshua said it well: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” [ Joshua 1:8 ].

 

UNDERSTANDING IS ‘ACTIVE’
Now, remember that “knowing” and “understanding” are related concepts, but they are not the same. Each is a distinct mental state involving cognitive grasp: Knowing is ‘static’, referring to discrete facts, while UNDERSTANDING IS ‘ACTIVE’, describing the ability to analyze and place those facts in context to form a ‘big picture’.

The difference between the two concepts is key. Knowledge can be considered as an acquaintance with facts or principles, a familiarity or awareness of something. Understanding, however, goes to the very ‘heart’ of a concept, requiring a thorough and comprehensive grasp of the information. Often, we can’t explain ‘why’ we understand something, as it requires an aspect of intelligence that is separate from language.

One must ‘ACTIVELY’ try to apply the concepts in one’s life. ‘Deep’ understanding takes engagement, hard work, commitment, and time.

Studies have shown that people generally learn more when they are ‘engaged’ in active learning, and have better recollection the more ‘active’ they are in learning something. People generally remember 90% of what they ‘DO’!

 

So, it looks like ‘DOING’—being ‘active’ in learning something—promotes ‘DEEP’ UNDERSTANDING. Doing is the simplest and most effective method for gaining deep understanding. Action precedes understanding.

 

Well, doing anything ‘large’, like reading the Bible, can be kind of ‘intimidating’. However, remember what Desmond Tutu once wisely said: “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” What he meant by this is that everything in life that seems daunting, overwhelming, and even impossible can be accomplished gradually by taking on just a little at a time.

 

The Bible is an amazing ‘book’ because it is God’s ‘words’ to mankind, in written form. YET, many ‘misinterpret’ it. Instead of diligently studying Scripture to discover what God means and how He wants us to live, some people search the Bible to find passages to support their preconceived ‘notions’ or preferred ‘lifestyles’.

Knowing how to properly interpret the Bible is a skill EVERY believer CAN develop! Consider the diligence of the Bereans, who were commended for examining the Scriptures regularly to ‘gauge’ the truth of the messages that were preached to them by the Apostle Paul! (Acts 17:10-11). That’s diligence!

The believer IS NOT free to interpret the Bible any way they want. The goal is to discover what God ‘meant’ rather than to find the meaning that one ‘likes’. Remember, it is God’s approval the believer is seeking—not that of our own or of others. Therefore, devote ‘substantial’ time to studying the Scriptures, use your own resources to learn about the context, and ask the Holy Spirit to ’guide’ you to all truth! (John 16:13).

 

Motivational writer and speaker Zig Ziglar said, “Aim at nothing and you are sure to hit it.” Let’s aim high in our goal to know God and be transformed by His Word. There is nothing greater!

 

So, JUST DO IT! Start reading the Bible TODAY. Start EVERY DAY ‘with’ God—read His ‘WORD’ to YOU!

 

[ Note: As a possible ‘motivation’ for you to start and be ‘persistent’ in your Bible study, consider reading this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post, “Persistently ‘P.U.S.H.’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/persistently-p-u-s-h-v261/ ].

 

[ Excerpts by: Northwest Iowa Community College; Chris Harrison; Destin Sandlin; Denise Fournier; Rob Marchant; Conrad Mbewe; David L. Baker; Ron Graham; Don Landis; Robert M. Solomon; Robert Velarde; BioLogos; Janet Chismar; Jason S. DeRouchie; R.C. Sproul; J.I. Packer; Steven Altrogge; Dr. David Craig; Salt&Light; Dr. Paul M. Elliott; House to House; Whiteboard Ministry; Wayne Grudem; Courtney Joseph; Zig Ziglar ]

 

>>> SUMMARIZATION OF POST <<<

KNOWLEDGE DOESN’T EQUAL UNDERSTANDING
The difference between the two concepts is key. Knowledge can be considered as an acquaintance with facts or principles, a familiarity or awareness of something. Understanding, however, goes to the very ‘heart’ of a concept, requiring a thorough and comprehensive grasp of the information. Often, we can’t explain ‘why’ we understand something, as it requires an aspect of intelligence that is separate from language.

Riding a bike is an example of this. The most articulate person on the planet couldn’t teach a child to ride a bike using just words, as it requires spatial and bodily-kinesthetic skills. Only by getting on the bike itself can the kid begin the journey to become BMX champion.

‘UNDERSTANDING’ THE BIBLE
The Bible is not just any book. It is God’s ‘Word’ to us, given using a number of literary genres, through the stories of a cast of rotating characters, and over the span of a few thousand years. So how should one read such a book?

Well, this question is important when picking up any document, from paperback to newspaper. You wouldn’t read a historical novel on World War II the same way you would a nonfiction historical account of the same time. We read the newspaper’s front page differently than the opinion-editorials (or at least, we ought to read them differently).

THE ‘BIG’ STORY
Next, we must never forget the Bible’s “BIG story.” Specifically, it is crucial to understand that the whole Bible is about Jesus Christ—who He is and what He came to do. The Old Testament ‘anticipates’ Jesus and the New Testament ‘reveals’ Jesus—and every book somehow contributes to the Bible’s message of a holy God’s saving mercy to us through Jesus.

[ FYI: As a part of one of his sermons, Pastor Michael Youssef listed how Jesus is found in every book of the Bible. It is below in the “Articles” section. ]

Back in 2010, the church I was attending (and still attend), “Faith Covenant Church,” did a 14-week sermon series entitled “The BIG Story,” that traversed the entire span of the Bible—from Genesis to Revelation—giving us a sense of the ‘breadth’ of Scripture, an understanding of some of the prominent characters, and how the two “Testaments” are ‘connected’ to each other. Giving a summarization of each week would probably be helpful right here.

VIZ BIBLE (Hyperlinked)
This visualization started as a collaboration between Christoph Römhild and Chris Harrison. Christoph, a Lutheran Pastor, first contacted Chris in October of 2007. He described a data set he was putting together that defined textual cross references found in the Bible. He had already done considerable work visualizing the data before contacting Harrison.

Together, they struggled to find an elegant solution to render the data—more than 63,000 cross-references in total. As the work progressed, it became clear that an interactive visualization would be needed to properly explore the data, where users could zoom in and prune down the information to manageable levels. However, this was less interesting to them, as several Bible-exploration programs existed that offered similar functionality (and much more). Instead, they set their sights on the other end of the spectrum—something more beautiful than functional. At the same time, they wanted something that honored and revealed the complexity of the data at every level—as one zooms in, smaller details should become visible. This ultimately led them to the multi-colored arc diagram you see below.

HOW TO ‘READ’ THE BIBLE
First off, just START READING! That may seem obvious, but quite frankly, it is where many people fail. They think the Bible is too ‘big’ and ‘complex’ to be able to understand, so they don’t even try to read it.

Well, anything like this can be kind of ‘intimidating’. However, remember what Desmond Tutu once wisely said: “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” What he meant by this is that everything in life that seems daunting, overwhelming, and even impossible can be accomplished gradually by taking on just a little at a time.

BE “S.M.A.R.T.” ABOUT IT
Psychologist and professor Dr. Denise Fournier suggests a particularly powerful method of goal-setting uses the clever acronym “S.M.A.R.T.” to guide the process of turning big dreams into reality. Once you’ve come up with a goal, check to be sure it meets the following criteria: Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Relevant; Time-Bound.

GET A BIBLE
Now, there are so many versions of the Bible, which one should one use? Well, for the new believer (or ‘searcher’), I would suggest one start with the “New Living Translation.” It combines the latest biblical scholarship with an ‘easier’ writing style to make it easier to understand (a “meaning-for-meaning” translation). However, after grasping the overall ‘theme’ of the Bible, I would then suggest that one ‘graduate’ to the “New International Version” (NIV) for the mid-term, that then end up with the “English Standard Version” (ESV) or the New American Standard Bible” (NASB) to get a more ‘accurate’ translation of the original languages (a “word-for-word” translation).

READING PLAN
There are also many good daily Bible reading plans available for the traditional person that likes to read a ‘physical’ book, and for those that like to read an ‘electronic’ book or interact with an app. [ “The One Year Thru The Bible” and the “YouVersion” apps are very popular, and there are additional suggestions in the “Resources” section below. (YouVersion’s Bible App alone was downloaded over 400 million times by the end of 2019.) ].

Another resource that will help you learn when you can’t be reading is an audio Bible, which are either read by a single narrator, or is ‘performed’ via dramatic audio ‘theater’, bringing the Bible to ‘life’. [ “The Bible Experience” and “The Word of Promise” are two popular ones ].

COMMENTARIES
As you read, take notes in the Bible’s margins (or on a notepad or in the app) of any truths you particularly want to remember, and write down separately anything you don’t immediately understand. Often you will find that as you read, your questions will be answered by the text itself. The questions to which you can’t find answers become the starting points for more in-depth study using commentaries or other reference tools.

CONCORDANCE
Alternatively, alongside your Bible, you could get a concordance. This book helps to discover what God’s Word has to say on any number of subjects and tells you where they are in the Bible.

THE BIBLE’S ’STRUCTURE’
Every believer needs a good understanding of the Bible. Their entire faith ’experience’ depends on it. So, if one wants a ‘robust’ understanding of the Bible, where would one start?

Well, as one begins to try to gain a ‘serious’ understanding of Scripture, some can soon become overwhelmed. The stories that they had heard of—Noah and the flood, Sampson and Delilah, and David and Goliath—seemed to be hidden in a ‘maze’ of unfamiliar and impenetrable material.

Sound familiar? Well, maybe frustratingly, determination is not enough. There, however, is a ‘key’ to understanding the Bible. It is its ’structure’.

CONTEXTS
So, the Bible, just like any other book, has different ‘CONTEXTS’—the ‘environment’ or setting that something occurs in.

– Historical
– Cultural
– Literary
– Genres
– Immediate
– Continuing
– Complete

WHERE SHOULD I START?
Unlike most books that are meant to be read from front to back, the Bible comprises 66 books that could be more accurately described as a “library” of ‘inspired’ texts. It is possible to read the Bible sequentially from start to end, but if you start in Genesis, you might get stuck by the time you get to Leviticus, the third book, full of do’s and don’t’s (although after you get a better understanding, you will appreciate them).

To help you get started, here’s a recommended order of books to read: John, Acts, Ephesians, Genesis, and Psalms. [ When one gets this ‘foundation’ under them, I would then suggest that the Book of Romans—which is the primary ‘doctrine’ of the Bible—be the book that one spends a lot of time in, especially Romans 8 ].

GOSPEL OF JOHN
BOOK OF ACTS
BOOK OF EPHESIANS
GENESIS
PSALMS
[ ROMANS ]

HOW TO ‘STUDY’ THE BIBLE
Bible study is not the same thing as Bible reading. Bible ‘reading’ is moving through the text as it was meant to be read going through at a fairly consistent rate. Whereas in Bible ‘study’, one pauses and asks questions about the text they are considering. It’s kind of like a puzzle, with the various stories and books ‘fitting’ together. The Bible reveals more than a ‘picture’ for one to enjoy. It reveals a ‘Person’ for one to know.

So, like any puzzle, we need to put the ‘pieces’ of the Bible together in order to get a clear understanding of the Bible’s unity and central message. When we do, we will become more competent in reading the Bible for ourselves—to comprehend “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” [ Ephesians 3:18-19 ].

Bible ‘reading’ is like raking leaves—when you rake it’s pretty easy work, but all you end up with is ‘leaves’. On the other hand, Bible ‘study’ is like digging in the ground. It’s much harder work and you may have an achy back the next day, but if you dig down deep enough, one might just find more significant things, like ‘diamonds’.

‘KINDS’ OF STUDY
There are three popular study ‘forms’ that people typically use when studying the Bible: Devotions, topical, and expository studies.

PRACTICAL ‘PRINCIPLES’
There are five ‘principles’ that should guide one as they interpret the Bible: Literal, historical, grammatical, synthesis, and practical.

‘KINDS’ OF WRITINGS
There are four ‘kinds’ of writings: Language, culture, geography, and history.

MEDITATION
After all this consideration, I would encourage you to think about meditating on what you read. God said, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates” [ Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ]. In other words, you apply the Word of God in ALL the work you do.

‘INTERPRETING’ SCRIPTURE
Interpreting Scripture can be a tricky task for any given verse you find in the Bible, since you could probably find several people each with a different interpretation of that verse. That’s why “hermeneutics” is so important is ‘digging out’ the actual meaning of a verse, chapter, or book.

HERMENEUTICS
Hermeneutics involves the study of principles of interpretation for all forms of communication, nonverbal and verbal. Hermeneutics acquired its name from the Greek god, Hermes, who was the messenger of the gods. It developed as a formal discipline during the Renaissance, when scholars began to study ancient texts, including the Bible, with the intent of deriving the writer’s ‘PRECISE’ MESSAGE or meaning from the text.

In 1927, German philosopher Martin Heidegger developed the concept of the hermeneutic circle (or “loop”) because one can only understand the whole of something only in terms of its parts, and the parts only through their relationship to the whole. A change of understanding at either ‘pole’, whole or parts, triggers a change in understanding of the other pole, thus forcing us into an interpretive ‘loop’.

BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS
St. Augustine of Hippo was the first philosopher and theologian to have introduced the hermeneutic ‘cycle’ of faith and reason [ in Latin it is: “Credo ut intellegam” and “Intellego ut credam” ]. The circle was conceived to improve the Biblical “exegesis” (which lets the text yield its own truth, as opposed to “eisegesis” which one’s point is read ‘into’ the text), and it was activated by the personal belief in the truthfulness of God. According to his “Confessions,” misleading verses of the Bible shall be read at the light of the Holy Spirit and in the context of “the spirit of the Bible as a whole,” intended as a unique and non-contradictory text divinely inspired.

So, Hermeneutics is the ‘science’ of interpretation, operating under fixed ‘rules’. It determines accurate biblical doctrine. Where one would have a deviation from ‘sound’ doctrine, inevitably one would have a failure to stay with the science of hermeneutics, OR you have a flat-out denial of the veracity and authenticity of the text itself.

THE ‘PROCESS’ OF INTERPRETATION
So, what is the process for interpreting Scripture? Well, through ‘exegesis’ and ‘theology’ one ‘ASSESSES’, ’SYNTHESIZES’, and ‘APPLIES’ what the Word of God is saying.

The English term “exegesis” is a transliteration of the Greek noun “exēgēsis” (ek “from, out of” + “agō” “to bring, move [something]”), meaning a “DRAWING OUT OF.” Narrowly defined, exegesis of Scripture is the interpretive activity of identifying or drawing out what God was actually saying through His human authors in specific passages within specific books.

[ Note: “Eisegesis,” on the other hand, is when we attempt to READ ‘INTO’ the text what really isn’t there. Eisegesis can lead to many errors, especially if we approach a passage with assumptions or presuppositions that really aren’t in the text at all. The “golden rule” of interpretation applies here: “Seek to interpret a text as others would seek to interpret what you have written or said.” In other words, just as we would not want someone reading ideas into what we have said or written that is not there at all, we should not seek to do this with biblical writings either. Exegesis, then, is the right way to approach a passage, as we seek to determine what the author intended, fairly looking at the text to see what it really says ].

PRESUPPOSITIONS
So, what presuppositions should guide one’s interpreting Scripture? Well, biblical interpretation necessitates that one view Scripture as God’s very ‘Word’ (Isaiah 8:20; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 14:37). This requires a submissive disposition to Scripture’s authority. One must be willing to let their understanding and application of truth be conformed to the Bible’s declarations, all in accordance with God’s revealed intention.

The Bible is a special revelation—God’s disclosure of Himself and His will in a way that one can understand (1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)—are not just ideas, but are God-inspired (Matthew 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The “words of the Lord are pure” (Psalm 12:6); His “law is true” (Psalm 119:142); “every one of [His] righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160); and His “commandments are right” (Psalm 119:172). The Apostle Paul said that this is so because “all Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE
The scope and significance of one passage is to be brought out by relating it to others.

The Westminster Confession states that “The infallible rule of interpretation of scripture is the scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture, it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.”

CONTEXT IS ‘KING’
Way back in 1996, Bill Gates uttered the now-famous phrase “Content is king”, ushering in the World Wide Web (the “Internet”) and a new way of production and consumption for consumers. Yet, all these years later—while his observations about the importance of content on-demand still ring true—we now live in a world where the mediums of social and mobile underpin the way we interact with content and communicate online.

Mobile and smart technologies have transformed the relationship between brands and their customers, placing the power firmly back in the hands of the latter. The contextual “how” we communicate and what form that experience takes has become as important as the actual content being delivered. To that effect, context is everything. CONTEXT is ‘king’ now.

Today, top marketing ‘influencer’ Gary Vaynerchuk starts with Gates’ pronouncement but ‘ratchets’ it up by saying, “Content is king, but context is God.” In today’s marketing ‘world’, great content is ‘predicated’ based on context.

Just like in the marketing ‘world’, perhaps the ‘GREATEST’ principle of biblical interpretation is ‘CONTEXT’.

‘PERSPICUITY’
Related to biblical interpretation is a concept known as “perspicuity.” In short, the term means that the Bible is always clear when it comes to communicating truths about the essentials of the faith. There are no great secrets, hidden message or esoteric interpretations that will grant us additional clarity when it comes to the essentials of Christianity. As Jesus said, “I have spoken openly to the world… I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret” (John 18:20).

Biblical clarity on the essentials of the faith brings up a related point. It’s important that we do not allow interpretational disagreements on secondary matters to cause division among Christians on essential or primary matters. In interpreting the Bible, then, we should ask ourselves if a particular interpretation of a passage will cause harm to an essential doctrine such as the deity of Christ, the resurrection, the atonement, and so forth. If so, we would do well to study the passage in more detail, keep in mind the broader biblical teaching on the subject and consult resources—including knowledgeable people—to determine if our interpretation is misguided.

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
Many people react negatively to the word theology, believing that it involves dry, fruitless arguments about minute points of doctrine. Yet as Dr. R.C. Sproul argues, everyone is a theologian. Any time we think about a teaching of the Bible and strive to understand it, we are engaging in theology. Therefore, it is important that we put the Bible’s varied teachings together in a ’SYSTEMATIC’ fashion, using proper, time-tested methods of interpretation so as to arrive at a theology that is founded on truth.

“Systematic theology” is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics or what is true about God and his universe. It also builds on biblical disciplines, church history, as well as biblical and historical theology. Systematic theology shares its systematic tasks with other disciplines such as constructive theology, dogmatics, ethics, apologetics, and philosophy of religion.

As theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem explains it, “Systematic theology is any study that answers the question, ‘What does the whole Bible teach us today?’ about any given topic.”

Systematic theology is, therefore, the division of theology into systems that explain its various areas. For example, many books of the Bible give information about the angels. No one book gives all the information about the angels. Systematic theology takes all the information about angels from all the books of the Bible and organizes it into a system called angelology. That is what systematic theology is all about—organizing the teachings of the Bible into categorical systems. Systematic theology is an important tool in helping us to understand and teach the Bible in an organized manner.

SHOW THYSELF ‘APPROVED’
The Apostle Paul, just before he was martyred, wanted to pass on as much teaching to his ‘apprentice’ Timothy. One of the things he passed on—related to ‘handling’ the Bible accurately—was how to be a “good workman”: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” [ 2 Timothy 2:3:15 ].

A good workman is one who does his work with great care and diligence. Shoddy workmanship will bring disrepute to himself and frustration to his customer. A good craftsman is one who takes pride in his work and is keen to use his best skills to produce good work. Paul tells Timothy that he should do his best to be a good craftsman in the ‘handling’ or interpreting the Word of God. Paul offers some helpful indicators.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL ‘HELP’ YOU INTERPRET
Now, in addition to the Bible being a ‘complex’ book needing diligent study, there is ‘someone’ that doesn’t want you to understand it, or even just read it! That would be Satan. I am convinced that the Devil will do anything to keep people from reading their Bibles.

Once one gives up the conviction that the Bible is the only infallible Word of God, they open themselves up to a strange ‘world’ that may include the Holy Spirit but also, if not equally, the realm of the demonic. Do not be surprised: Satan “masquerades” as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The Devil will work overtime to keep believers from reading their Bible. He would love for you to close it and just ‘wait’ on God.

BUT, just as Jesus did in the wilderness, Satan can be ‘banished’ by using the Scriptures—the “sword of the Spirit”—‘against’ Satan. Jesus used the Word three times against Satan when He was being tempted in the wilderness, saying, “It is written” – Matthew 4:1-11). God’s ‘Word’ is a VERY POWERFUL ‘weapon’ created for us to use.

‘BENEFITS’ OF READING THE BIBLE
Well, first off, the Bible is, by far, the world’s best-selling book of all time. No other book, fact or fiction, even comes close. Estimated put the total number of Bible printed at over SIX BILLION, with more than 100 MILLION copies being sold EVERY YEAR! (Three per second!). It has been fully translated into over 530 languages, and partially translated into more than 2,850 languages.

It is not only popular, but it is also a really GREAT ‘READ’! I mean, it is great literature! It has an incredible story, reliable history, beautiful poetry, and prolific adventure, action, and drama. [ Yes, it’s even better than my all-time favorite fiction book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” ;^D ].

So, even those are all great reasons to read the Bible, there is an even better reason: When one reads it, God ‘blesses’ that person [ “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” – Psalm 1:1-2 ].

In addition to that, God promises to ‘speak’ to a believer, leading them into all wisdom: “And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” [ 1 Timothy 3:15 ]. The Creator of the universe CAN BE ‘objectively’ KNOWABLE to the believer by reading the Bible. WOW!

SIMPLE PLAN FOR ‘SOAKING’ IN THE BIBLE
Essentially, a very easy ‘method’ for Bible reading is to pray before you read (asking God to bless your time). Then read at your ‘normal’ speed, pausing here and there to ‘find out’ if God wants you to slow down and think about what you are reading (taking some notes—‘mental’ or on paper). Then after a bit of time, meditate on what you just read, asking God to help you understand what you just read. ‘Linger’ a bit to give God a chance to ‘speak’ to you. If you ‘sense’ something, respond with silence. Then, after the time you have set for yourself, ‘close’ your time with God with prayer.

Now, there are a few ‘official’ methods that are popular that use an acronym to help you remember them. The first one coordinates with the title of this ‘section’, and it is called “S.O.A.K.” It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Kneeling (in prayer).

Well, on further investigation, it looks like this person created this method from a more popular one called “S.O.A.P.” This one stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. So, here’s a bit more details on how you can use “S.O.A.P.” for your Bible study:

IS YOUR CHURCH RIGHTLY ‘HANDLING’ THE WORD OF GOD?
Dr. Paul M. Elliott (of “Teaching the Word Ministries”), suggests that there are “Seven marks of a Scripture-driven church”:

1) Are committed to Scripture alone as their sole and final authority
2) Understand God’s two-fold purpose for His church—preaching the Gospel to the world, and building up believers in sound doctrine
3) Rightly handle the Word of God, employing the four-fold use of Scripture found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17
4) Operate under the Bible’s authority, asking the question, “Is it Biblical?” about everything the church is, says, and does
5) Identify and reject illegitimate authorities, recognizing that submitting to the right authority also means that the church must reject wrong authorities
6) Practice Bible-based evangelism, preaching the one true Gospel in its fullness
7) Answer anti-Christian positions with apologetics—a clear, Biblical defense of the faith—not apologies

Relative to what I am discussing in this post, his third ‘mark’ is essentially “rightly dividing” the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15), which employs a four-fold ‘process’: Doctrine; Reproof; Correction; and Instruction. I am suggesting that the believer MUST ask themselves if they can observe that the church they attend comprehensively ‘EMULATES’ EVERY ONE of these fundamentals.

WRAP UP
It should be emphasized that in order to ’TRULY’ UNDERSTAND the Bible with increasing depth over a lifetime, one MUST READ the Scriptures REPEATEDLY. The Bible is not a book to be read once and then placed on the shelf. As God’s “living” Word (Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 55:11), it must be read and meditated on with great care over and over again (Psalm 119:15, 48).

Unlike other books, which we read and ‘finish’, believers NEVER truly finish reading the Bible. Just as we must eat physical food each day if we are to be physically healthy, so we must eat spiritual ‘food’ each day if we are to be spiritually healthy. As the psalmist prayed, “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise” [ Psalm 119:148 ].

As was said at the beginning of this post, oftentimes ‘ACTION’ PRECEDES UNDERSTANDING. It is through acting that understanding develops. In fact, it is through action that we get better and that our understanding certainly becomes more complete.

Yes, as was shown at the beginning of this post, one can ‘humanly’ acquire knowledge and develop some kind of ‘understanding’, BUT only the Holy Spirit in a “born again” believer’s life can bring one ‘TRUE’ understanding—especially when it comes to the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:14).

OVERALL BIBLE STUDY ‘TIPS’
Pastor Steven Altrogge suggest some ‘tips’ for how to read and study the Bible more effectively:

– Understand The Context
– Take Everything Back To Jesus
– Read The Entire Bible Sequentially
– Read Groups Of Scripture Together
– Understand Biblical Genres
– Know The Original Audience
– Know Your Theology
– Listen To The Bible
– Read Multiple Translations
– Mark Up Your Bible
– Use Commentaries
– Use A Reliable Study Bible
– Read A Single Book Multiple Times
– Interrogate Your Bible
– Don’t Put Yourself At The Center
– Don’t Believe Anyone
– Join A Bible Study
– Memorize Scripture
– Pray Through Passages
– Read With Reverence
– Read Humbly

TIPS FOR ‘INTERPRETING’ SCRIPTURE
First off, read the text, preferably in several translations, to expose one to the variety of ways in which different teams of translators have translated Hebrew and Greek terms, clauses, and sentences. [ My two favorite modern translations are the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the English Standard Version (ESV) ].

Then, jot down your initial reactions to the text. What insight does it offer about God, God’s people, the world, or you? Test the validity of your first response to the text, but resist the urge to self-edit at this stage in your study.

Read two good commentaries in order to get other interpreters’ takes on the literary and historical context of the text. Most of us need help in order to start to imagine the culture in which a given biblical author lived and wrote. Fortunately, we live in an era when good, readable commentaries are readily available.

A ‘METHOD’
So, when interpreting a text, ask and answer the question: “What might the text have meant to those who first heard the words or to the one who wrote the words?” Try to get inside the hearts and minds of our ancient spiritual forebears. Then, ask and answer another question: “How do the words, deeds, and attitude of Jesus interact with the text?” Christians should start with Jesus and work back into the Old Testament and out into the remainder of the New Testament. All biblical texts are evaluated in ‘light’ of Jesus.

Try to write one to five sentences in which you articulate what you think is the meaning of the text. You may find the exercise difficult at first, but the more you practice reducing your thoughts on a biblical text to a short, summary paragraph, the easier it becomes. If you practice such a discipline on a regular basis, you gradually build quite a collection of personal commentary on the Bible. Read back through it occasionally. You will find that your collection becomes a valuable resource for your growth as well as any ‘work’ you do with others, and also correcting any previous errors in interpretation.

A ‘PATTERN’
So, the ‘IDEA’ of personal Bible study is simple, but it requires DISCIPLINE and long-term ‘GOALS’. Here are a few suggested steps that will give you a ‘pattern’ to follow:

– Reading
– Interpreting
– Evaluating
– Applying
– Correlating

APPLICATION
Having read and interpreted the Bible, you should have a basic understanding of what the Bible says, and what it means by what it says. But it doesn’t stop there. Your ultimate goal is to let it ‘speak’ to you and enable you to grow spiritually. That requires personal ‘application’.

Bible study is not complete until we ask ourselves, “What does it mean for my life and how can I practically apply it?” We must take the knowledge we’ve gained from our reading and interpretation and draw out the practical principles that apply to our personal lives.

If there is a command to be obeyed, we obey it. If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. If there is a warning to be followed, we heed it. This is the ultimate step: we submit to Scripture and let it TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. If you skip this step, you will never enjoy your Bible study and the Bible will never change your life!

Bible study is NOT ‘OPTIONAL’ in the Christian life. It is both the obligation and the privilege of all believers. If you are not involved in regular, systematic Bible study, you are ‘MISSING’ one of the primary means God uses to bring you to maturity! “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” [ 1 Peter 2:2 ].

UNDERSTANDING IS ‘ACTIVE’
Now, remember that “knowing” and “understanding” are related concepts, but they are not the same. Each is a distinct mental state involving cognitive grasp: Knowing is ‘static’, referring to discrete facts, while UNDERSTANDING IS ‘ACTIVE’, describing the ability to analyze and place those facts in context to form a ‘big picture’.

The difference between the two concepts is key. Knowledge can be considered as an acquaintance with facts or principles, a familiarity or awareness of something. Understanding, however, goes to the very ‘heart’ of a concept, requiring a thorough and comprehensive grasp of the information. Often, we can’t explain ‘why’ we understand something, as it requires an aspect of intelligence that is separate from language.

One must ‘ACTIVELY’ try to apply the concepts in one’s life. ‘Deep’ understanding takes engagement, hard work, commitment, and time.

So, it looks like ‘DOING’—being ‘active’ in learning something—promotes ‘DEEP’ UNDERSTANDING. Doing is the simplest and most effective method for gaining deep understanding. Action precedes understanding.

The Bible is an amazing ‘book’ because it is God’s ‘words’ to mankind, in written form. YET, many ‘misinterpret’ it. Instead of diligently studying Scripture to discover what God means and how He wants us to live, some people search the Bible to find passages to support their preconceived ‘notions’ or preferred ‘lifestyles’.

Knowing how to properly interpret the Bible is a skill EVERY believer CAN develop! Consider the diligence of the Bereans, who were commended for examining the Scriptures regularly to ‘gauge’ the truth of the messages that were preached to them by the Apostle Paul! (Acts 17:10-11). That’s diligence!

The believer IS NOT free to interpret the Bible any way they want. The goal is to discover what God ‘meant’ rather than to find the meaning that one ‘likes’. Remember, it is God’s approval the believer is seeking—not that of our own or of others. Therefore, devote ‘substantial’ time to studying the Scriptures, use your own resources to learn about the context, and ask the Holy Spirit to ’guide’ you to all truth! (John 16:13).

Motivational writer and speaker Zig Ziglar said, “Aim at nothing and you are sure to hit it.” Let’s aim high in our goal to know God and be transformed by His Word. There is nothing greater!

So, JUST DO IT! Start reading the Bible TODAY. Start EVERY DAY ‘with’ God—read His ‘WORD’ to YOU!

[ Note: As a possible ‘motivation’ for you to start and be ‘persistent’ in your Bible study, consider reading this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post, “Persistently ‘P.U.S.H.’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/persistently-p-u-s-h-v261/ ].

>>> END OF SUMMARIZATION <<<

 

RELATED POSTS:

“Learning To ‘T.R.U.S.T.’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/learning-to-t-r-u-s-t-v263/

“Persistently ‘P.U.S.H.’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/persistently-p-u-s-h-v261/

“Love ‘Letter’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/love-letter-v258/

“Are You ‘Blind’?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/are-you-blind-v252/

“‘Who’ Can You Trust?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/who-can-you-trust-v194/

“‘Trusted’ Prophecies”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/trusted-prophecies-v167

“The ‘BIG Story’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-big-story-v143

“What’s ‘Spirituality’ About?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/apr-08-v110/

“Bible “Cliff Notes””:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/aug-06-v90/

“God Didn’t ‘Say’ That”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/jun-06-v88/

“What If It’s True?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/jan-03-v47/

 

‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).

If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus.

There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.

Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].

[ FYI: This is a great sermon on the “Call to Repentance” by John MacArthur from his book “The Gospel According to Jesus”: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-22/the-call-to-repentance
(Transcript: http://www.spiritedesign.com/TheCallToRepentance-JohnMacArthur(Jul-27-2019).pdf) ].

[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].

 

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“Context, Context, Context: How Our Blindness to Context Cripples Even the Smartest Organizations”
By: Barry Oshry

It’s well known that human beings are allergic to change. This is nowhere more true than of human beings in organizations. Organization Development initiatives, Leadership Development programs, and Business Transformation plans all founder too often on our resistance and reluctance, on the tendency of people and things to slip back to how they were before. For a long time, Systems Thinkers in general (and Power+Systems pioneer Barry Oshry in particular) have understood that the problem lies with our failure to look at the surrounding organizational structures and dynamics, at the wider picture, at the context. Barry Oshry draws on a lifetime’s experience to explain the nature of the problem with our organizational structures, and the ways in which we can dissolve the problem. This book is written in play-form: a simple briefing conversation between a recently hired team member and the Chief Contextual Thinker for a Business Consultancy firm. They discuss the change initiative they are running for a key client. The conversational format allows Oshry to introduce the relevant theory clearly and in sequence, while addressing questions and misunderstandings as they arise. The result is a guide to Systems Thinking for Organizations that’s as short, clever, engaging, bright, and helpful as any business book you have ever picked up.

This is a story with the potential to transform any organization and it is written for anyone interested in the workings and structures of human organizations: from Board Directors and Chief Executives, through Middle Managers to interested workers.

*** “Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, ‘Context, Context, Context’ is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, corporate, community, and academic library Systems Thinking, Organization Development, Sociology, and Business Management collections and supplemental studies reading lists.” — The Midwest Book Review, Library Bookwatch, The Sociology Shelf, January 2018 [Subject: Systems Thinking, Organization Development, Sociology, Business]

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“Tyndale NLT The Swindoll Study Bible”
By: Charles R. Swindoll

Winner of the 2018 Christian Book Award for Bible of the Year.

The Swindoll Study Bible offers the best of Chuck Swindoll’s wit, charm, pastoral insight, and wise biblical study directly to you as you study God’s Word. Chuck’s warm, personal style comes across on every page, and his informed, practical insights get straight to the heart of the Bible’s message for the world today. Reading each part of this NLT study Bible is like hearing Chuck speak God’s Word directly to your heart. It will both encourage readers’ faith and draw them deeper into the study of God’s Word.

In Chuck’s own words: “This study Bible was designed with you in mind. As you read the Scriptures, imagine my sitting beside you and sharing personal stories, important insights, and hard-earned lessons that will encourage you to walk more closely with Jesus Christ. You’ll discover the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the Bible: Who wrote it and when? What does it mean, and where did its events occur? Why should I trust it? And most importantly, how can I apply it today?

“It’s that last question more than any other that has fed my passion to publish this Bible. My primary focus in ministry has been teaching biblical insight for living . . . for genuine life change. After all, that’s why God has communicated His Word to us―so that we may become like His Son, Jesus Christ, the central figure of this Book.”

Free app with purchase! App includes all content from The Swindoll Study Bible and can be used across multiple devices with your Tecarta app account. Available for iOS and Android. (Free app applies to print editions only.)

FEATURES
– Book Introductions answer key questions: Who wrote the book? Where are we? Why is this book so important? What’s the big idea? How do I apply this?
– Application Articles explain important passages with Chuck’s winsome style through stories, illustrations, and specific application points.
– People Profiles provide lessons from the lives of key biblical figures that hit home for modern readers.
– Holy Land Tour explores important biblical locations. Each stop includes a photo and a modern-day map alongside background information and a devotion.
– Prayer Moments offer heartfelt prayers from Chuck asking God to help us live out the truths of His Word.
– Living Insights throughout Scripture―over 1600 study notes in all―highlight Chuck’s insights on important passages.
– Searching the Scriptures, an article adapted from Chuck’s book of the same name, summarizes Chuck’s approach to Bible study.
– Additional Features include Bible reading plans, indexes, a dictionary/concordance, and full-color maps.
– The Swindoll Study Bible App (iOS and Android) is provided free with purchase and contains all the content of the print edition alongside searching, note taking, bookmarking, and sharing functions. See the User’s Guide for details (page A9).

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“The MacArthur Bible Commentary”
By: John MacArthur

Faithful, Focused Commentary on the Whole Bible

Serious students of Scripture can easily lose their focus among the many Bible commentaries available today, studying for hours yet discovering no meaningful application of God’s eternal truth. This one-volume commentary on the entire Bible from one of America’s foremost Bible expositors offers instead a minilibrary of understandable resources designed to convey the Bible’s overarching message with historical and theological clarity.

Pastor and teacher John MacArthur covers the complete Bible—every passage of the Old and New Testaments, phrase by phrase—in this valuable one-volume resource. Hundreds of additional study tools complement the commentary, such as

– Word studies
– Charts, graphs, and brief articles
– Overviews of each major division of the Bible
– Introductions to each biblical book
– A summary of essential Christian theology
– Special sections on Jesus’s life and ministry
– Harmonies of historical writings
– Guidance in studying, applying, and teaching God’s Word

Readers benefit from the coherence a single commentator provides, finding faithful, understandable, and relevant resources for any passage from the entire Bible. Consistent elements include exploring God’s character; seeing Christ in all Scripture; and identifying key doctrines, vital people, and touchstone Scripture passages. The MacArthur Bible Commentary offers pastors, Bible teachers, serious Bible readers, and anyone seeking to read and understand the Scriptures a way to focus their studies while still seeing the entire Bible’s application to the Christian life.

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“A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible: Seeing and Knowing God’s Word”
By: Tim Challies and Josh Byers

The deepest truths of the Bible accessible in a way that can be seen, understood, and experienced like never before, combining graphics and text to teach the nature and contents of the Bible in a fresh and exciting way.

For a beautiful, approachable, informative presentation of the concepts and principles of Scripture–turn to any page of A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible and be instantly immersed in the visuals and teachings of God’s Word.

A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible is not only a wonderful introduction to the Christian life, it is a functioning guide for understanding and living out your faith.

You’ll see how the Bible is put together, why the authors wrote each book, and what all of it means for your life today. What’s more, you’ll learn why the Bible can be trusted and how to answer common criticisms of the Bible.

Used in conjunction with Tim Challies and Josh Byers’ bestselling book, Visual Theology, this unique resource helps you connect the truth of the Bible to your life, showing how God’s eternal truth leads to life change and transformation.

A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible:

– Is written by authors Tim Challies and Josh Byers, each of whom have a deep desire to convey the deepest truths of the Bible in a fresh, beautiful, and informative way
– Will help you develop a plan to read and study the Scriptures
– Is a follow-up to Visual Theology and expands on the timeless, historic, biblical truths presented in that bestselling book
– Will help you grow in godliness by practicing what you learn
– Is perfect for new believers, long-time Christians, students, small groups, pastors, church leaders, and anyone else interested in seeing the Bible afresh

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“MacArthur’s Quick Reference Guide to the Bible”
By: John F. MacArthur

Noted pastor/teacher John MacArthur takes you through the key aspects of the Bible in this guide for students. For all 66 books, key doctrines, highlighted people, geographic, historical, and cultural background, cross references, how Christ is pictured, character/attributes of God, explanations of key words and interpretive challenges will be examined.In addition, the guide will include:

– “Why I Believe the Bible”
– How to interpret each type of literature
– Charts, timelines, maps
– “Where to Find It” index of favorite passages and key Bible events, stories, and teachings
– Doctrinal studies (concise, with references and brief explanations)
– Index of people in the Bible
– Topical Index
– “How to Study the Bible” article

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“Basic Bible Interpretation”
By: Roy B. Zuck

Can the Bible really be understood?
Are Old Testament prophecies relevant for today?
How can I understand the symbolism of the Book of Revelation?
What is the relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament?

Why study Bible interpretation? Dr. Roy Zuck points out that it is essential for understanding and teaching the Bible properly, essential as a step beyond observation, and essential for applying the Bible correctly.

He discusses the challenges of Bible interpretation, considers the problems of Bible interpretation, explores the history of Bible interpretation, and defines key terms–all in a practical, down-to-earth way.

Though Dr. Zuck’s many years of teaching and scholarship are evident in this book, he has written in language understandable to all who are serious about bible study and who want to know better what Scripture means.

Basic Bible Interpretation lives up to its title. It deals with the basics and doesn’t confuse the reader with extraneous material. It focuses on the bible as the Word of God and handles that Word with “reverence and godly fear.” It tells us how to interpret this marvelous Book, and even gives the reader opportunity to put the principles into practice. In every way, this book is a practical tool for the serious student who wants to study the Bible and apply its truths.

Warren W. Wiersbe
Author, Conference Speaker

Having taught and written in the area of hermeneutics for almost thirty years, I am convinced that there is no more important course in the seminary curriculum for training in the scriptures. As Roy Zuck has so ably demonstrated, we cannot know the message of the bible for today until we know its meaning.

Dr. Zuck’s work is intensely biblical and comprehensive but at the same time it is simple and uncomplicated. This is a book we have needed for many years and I praise the Lord that it is now available.

Earl D. Radmacher
Chancellor, Professor of Systematic Theology
Western Seminary

At last! A book on hermeneutics you can understand. Dr. Zuck has drawn heavily on his many years of teaching in the seminary classroom to present an excellent treatise on biblical interpretation. While this book will be well received in the classroom, it is one that I will be wholeheartedly recommending to my congregation. While the scholarship is clearly present, it is nevertheless most readable and understandable by the average layperson. This book will make a valuable contribution to your ability to comprehend the Scriptures.

Louis A. Barbieri
Senior Pastor
Des Plaines Bible Church
Des Plaines, Illinois

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“How To Understand the Bible: A Simple Guide”
By: Mel Lawrenz

Do you ever wish you understood the Bible better?

Almost everyone does. Mature believers and new believers. Young and old. Those who have read the Bible for years and those just starting out.

This book, How to Understand the Bible: A Simple Guide, will help you gain an overall perspective on the flow and meaning of Scripture. It addresses questions like:

What is the Big Picture of the Bible?
What About Bible Translations?
How Should We Understand the Stories of the Old Testament?
How Should We Interpret What the Prophets Had to Say?
How Should We Understand the Teachings of Jesus?
What Was Jesus Teaching in the Parables?
How Can We Hear God’s Voice in Scripture?
What are the Proper Ways to Apply Scripture to Life Today?
… and much more.

Knowing the Bible better is about knowing God better. And then we are better able to handle the hard realities of life and to realize the love and truth of God.

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“30 Days to Understanding the Bible, 30th Anniversary: Unlock the Scriptures in 15 minutes a day”
By: Max Anders

Unlock the treasures of God’s Word in just fifteen minutes a day with this classic, simple-to-use guide to Scripture.

If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word. This simple-to-use, straightforward guide has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for thirty years, and now it’s available in an expanded thirtieth anniversary edition—with the most requested topics from the original edition restored and updated for today’s readers.

Features include:
– The “Arc of Bible History” to help you visualize the Bible’s overarching themes
– The “Story of the Bible” summarizing Genesis through Revelation in just a few pages
– The core beliefs of the Christian faith, focusing on the teachings that have united Christians for the last 2,000 years
– 13-week plan that provides teacher’s every creative and effective tool for teaching the Bible in 30 days
– Fan-favorite bonus content, previously removed, now restored from the original edition

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“The Shepherd as Theologian: Accurately Interpreting and Applying God’s Word”
By: John MacArthur

Handling God’s Truth Accurately—
Know What You Believe and Teach

How you interpret and teach the doctrines of the faith truly matters. This requires diligent study and “accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

The Shepherd as Theologian presents a collection of invaluable messages from the internationally recognized Shepherds’ Conference held at Grace Community Church. Pastor John MacArthur and other respected teachers, including R.C. Sproul and Ligon Duncan, delve into key theological issues on…

– justification by faith alone
– the great commission
– a literal six-day creation
– the inerrancy of Scripture
– premillennialism

Knowing what you believe and why you believe it is absolutely critical to teaching well. Study the central doctrines of Christianity, and get equipped to accurately proclaim God’s Word.

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“Know Your Bible: All 66 Books Explained and Applied”
By: Paul Kent

Through 66 separate books, 1,189 chapters, and hundreds of thousands of words, the Bible shares one extraordinary message: God loves you.

Know Your Bible is a concise, easy-to-understand guide to God’s Word–giving you a helpful and memorable overview of all 66 books. For each book of the Bible, Know Your Bible provides data on the author and time frame, a ten-word synopsis, a longer (50-100 word) summary, thoughts on what makes the book unique or unusual, a listing of key verses, and a “So, What?” section of practical application. It’s a fantastic resource for individuals and ministries!

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“Knowing the Bible Series”

About the Series
The Knowing the Bible series is a line of Bible studies designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word.

Each 12-week study covers one book of the Bible over 12 weeks, making practical applications and connections between the passage and the rest of Scripture.

The series is edited by theologian J. I. Packer, and includes contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders. Perfect for both small groups and individuals, these gospel-centered studies will help you see and cherish the message of God’s grace on each and every page of the Bible.

Each study includes:

– Reflection Questions designed to help you engage the text at a deeper level
– Gospel Glimpses highlighting the gospel of grace throughout the book
– Whole-Bible Connections showing how a passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption culminating in Christ
– Theological Soundings identifying how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture

Download a free sample of the complete study on the Gospel of Mark today!

[ Crossway ]

https://www.crossway.org/articles/knowing-the-bible-series/

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“Understanding the Bible”
By: Dr. John R.W. Stott

This book answers foundational questions: Who wrote the Bible? What is its message? Why is it thought to be a “holy” book? How does one read and interpret it? Best of all, though, you’ll broaden your vision of Jesus Christ, the focal point of Scripture. How? By better understanding the geographical, religious, and historical concerns that shaped the world in which he lived. You’ll see Jesus as never before: both as a man of his times and culture, and as the culmination of a divine providence that prepared the way for the ministry of the Messiah. Written by renowned preacher, writer, and apologist John Stott, this new, expanded edition includes – Questions at the beginning of each chapter to help you focus – New, up-to-date maps for the chapters on history and geography – An index to help you speedily access areas of interest.

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“The Bible from 30,000 Feet®: Soaring Through the Scriptures in One Year from Genesis to Revelation”
By: Skip Heitzig

“The perfect book to help you keep your eyes and your Bible wide open!”
—David Jeremiah, Pastor and bestselling author

An Eye-Opening and Engaging Guide to the Bible

Enjoy the magnificent panorama of Scripture like never before! Pastor Skip Heitzig shares a FLIGHT plan for all 66 books of the Bible to help you better understand the context and significance of each. In this one-year overview, you’ll discover…

Facts—about the author and the date each book was written
Landmarks—a summary of the highlights of the book
Itinerary—a specific outline of the book divided by themes
Gospel—how to see Jesus within the book’s pages
History—a brief glimpse at the cultural setting for the book
Travel Tips—guidelines for navigating the book’s truths
If you have ever found yourself getting lost and wandering from verse to verse in Scripture, put yourself firmly on track with the clear aerial view offered in The Bible from 30,000 Feet.

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“Reading and Understanding the Bible”
By: Ben Witherington III

With his usual flair and reader-friendly style, Ben Witherington III brings us a fresh and distinctive guide to interpreting the Bible. Ideal for courses in Biblical Interpretation, Hermeneutics, and Introduction to the Bible, Reading and Understanding the Bible is unique in that it carefully examines the various genres of literature in the Bible while also explaining how to interpret each within its proper context. Taking a faith-friendly approach to historically based interpretation, it shows students how to read the Bible with a keen awareness of the many and profound differences between the modern world and ancient biblical cultures. It explains how ancient societies worked, how documents were created, who preserved them and why, the patriarchal nature of all ancient cultures, and, most importantly, how these cultural characteristics should affect our reading of the Bible.

FEATURES

– An exceptionally lucid and dynamic writing style, an eight-page color-photo insert, and helpful maps and charts keep students engaged

– Sample contextual interpretations of biblical passages illustrate foundational hermeneutical principles

– A comprehensive glossary and suggested further readings offer students additional support

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“SURVEY OF THE BIBLE: UNDERSTANDING THE BOOKS, PLACES, STORY, PEOPLE AND PERIODS”

Unlock The Secrets To Understanding God’s Word With One Of The World’s Foremost Bible Teachers!

The Bible is the most revered, respected and celebrated books of all time. Since the first published book (a Bible, of course!) rolled off the Gutenberg press over five hundred years ago, it has been a perpetual bestseller, far surpassing sales of any other volume in human history.

For Christians, however, the Bible is not just a bestseller; it is “God’s Word” – a divine message to us in human language.

Some parts of the Bible are easy to understand yet many are not. With its lengthy genealogies, Levitical laws, and apocalyptic visions, even for sincere readers reading with understanding can be a monumental task. Obviously, to navigate these challenging and potentially treacherous waters, you need a trustworthy and experienced guide — someone who knows both the world of the text and the ways of God in human history.

That is why Bruce Wilkinson’s newest course Survey of the Bible was created – to help people understand the big picture of God’s Word.

https://www.brucewilkinsoncourses.org/products/survey_preorder?variant=36512439809

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“The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God”
By: John M. Frame

Frame states his conviction that theology is the application of God’s word to our lives in all situations. Taking this viewpoint, he combines trenchant analysis—and practical insight and counsel—for how we should live knowing what we do about God.

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“Protestant Biblical Interpretation: A Textbook of Hermeneutics”
By: Bernard Ramm

Since its publication in 1950, Protestant Biblical Interpretation has been a standard introduction to hermeneutics in evangelical colleges and seminaries. Twice revised, this textbook has sold well over 100,000 copies. Now this venerable resource is available in a paperback edition.

“Hermeneutics,” writes the author, “is the science and art of Biblical interpretation. . . . As such it forms one of the most important members of the theological sciences. This is especially true for conservative Protestantism, which looks on the Bible as . . . the only authoritative voice of God to man.”

After surveying the history of biblical interpretation, the author devotes seventy pages to explicating “the Protestant system of hermeneutics.” He then discusses the doctrinal, devotional, and practical uses of the Bible. Following a chapter on the hermeneutical dimension of the problem of biblical inerrancy and secular science, he concludes with chapters on the interpretation of types, prophecy, and parables.

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Understanding the Old Testament
By: BRUCE K. WALTKE, PHD

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Old Testament is sometimes viewed as antiquated, mysterious, and even irrelevant. In this course, Waltke examines how Old Testament theology is pivotal to the universal goal of redemptive history: the rule of God and the establishment of God’s kingdom in all the earth. The course tracks salvation history as it appears in nearly every book of the Old Testament, and it shows the vital relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament. Throughout the course, Waltke applies the doctrines of kingdom and salvation to the Christian life.

https://christianuniversity.org/courses/understanding-the-old-testament/

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“New Testament Basics”
By: SID BUZZELL, PHD

COURSE DESCRIPTION
“How to Get Out of the World Alive” might be a better title for the New Testament. The main theme of the New Testament is that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and to give you a quality of life that would be absolutely impossible if He hadn’t come. How does this good news affect you? What will you do with this amazing gift that God offers you through Jesus Christ? The New Testament Basics course will show you the importance of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and how to get out of this world alive.

https://christianuniversity.org/courses/new-testament-basics/

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Understanding the Bible: The Gospels
By: Mark L. Strauss

The four New Testament books known as the Gospels give us a rich perspective into the life of Jesus. While each may focus on various spiritual themes or present different aspects of Jesus’s earthly life, each gospel should be respected and appreciated for its literary and historical integrity.e doctrines of kingdom and salvation to the Christian life.

https://discoveryseries.org/courses/understanding-the-bible-the-gospels/

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“40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible”
By: Robert Plummer and Benjamin Merkle

In 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible, New Testament Professor Dr. Robert L. Plummer tackles the major questions that persons ask about reading and undestanding the Bible.

Questions include:
Does the Bible contain error?
Were the ancient manuscripts of the Bible transmitted accurately?
What is the best English Bible translation?
Is the Bible really all about Jesus?
Do all the commands of the Bible apply today?
Why can’t people agree on what the Bible means?
How do we interpret historical narrative?
How do we interpret the Psalms?
What does the Bible tell us about the future?
What is the “Theological Interpretation of Scripture”?
and many others

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“The NASB MacArthur Study Bible”
By: Thomas Nelson/John MacArthur

A classic resource, The MacArthur Study Bible is perfect for serious study. Dr. John MacArthur has collected his pastoral and scholarly work of more than 35 years to create the most comprehensive study Bible available. No other study Bible does such a thorough job of explaining the historical context, unfolding the meaning of the text, and making it practical for your life.

Features include:

– 125-page concordance, including people and places
– More than 20,000 study notes, charts, maps, outlines, and articles from Dr. John MacArthur
– Overview of Theology
– Index to Key Bible Doctrines
– 9-point type size

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“The One Year Chronological Bible” (NIV)
By: Tyndale

The One Year Chronological Bible offers a fascinating way to read through the Bible in one year . . . in only fifteen minutes per day! Gain a better understanding of the order of biblical events and the historical context in which they unfolded. The entire Bible text―books, chapters, and even verses―is arranged in the order the events actually happened. Prophetic books are interwoven with the historical accounts they accompanied. Psalms follow the events about which they were written. Proverbs are placed in the time they were compiled. The life of Christ is woven into one moving story. And Paul’s letters to the young churches in the first century are integrated into the book of Acts. Transition statements help you understand why some Scripture portions appear where they do. You do not have to be a Bible historian to appreciate the fascinating new perspective waiting for you in The One Year Chronological Bible. It’s like reading some of your favorite passages for the very first time. This edition uses the popular New International Version text.

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“How To Study the Bible”
By: John MacArthur

The Bible is the Word of life. As such, studying the Bible is crucial to the life and growth of every believer.

In this revised work, John MacArthur examines various Scripture passages in the Old and New Testament to answer both the “why” and the “how” questions of Bible study.

How to Study the Bible can be used alongside or apart from the audio series available from Grace to You in either a personal or group study.

Features revised content and study questions

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“Knowing Scripture”
By: R. C. Sproul

The Bible is the written Word of God, and it is treasured by many. But it is also an ancient book about people and cultures very different than us. Thus, while we know we should read it, many of us have a hard time understanding the Bible. In this updated edition of Knowing Scripture, R. C. Sproul helps us dig out the meaning of Scripture for ourselves. The author says, “The theme of this book is not how to read the Bible but how to study the Bible.” He presents in simple, basic terms a commonsense approach to studying Scripture and gives eleven practical guidelines for biblical interpretation and applying what we learn. With a minimum of technical jargon, Sproul tackles some of the knotty questions regarding differences of interpreting the Bible, including:

– discovering the meanings of biblical words
– understanding Hebrew poetry, proverbs and parables
– approaching historical and didactic passages
– being careful with predictive prophecy
– discerning how culture conditions the Bible
– choosing and using Bible translations, commentaries, Bible software and other helps

Knowing Scripture is a basic book for both beginning Bible readers and experienced students of Scripture.

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“Know Your Bible: All 66 Books Explained and Applied”
By: Paul Kent

Know Your Bible is a concise, easy-to-understand guide to God’s Word-giving you a helpful and memorable overview of all 66 books. For each Know Your Bible provides data on the author and time frame, a ten-word synopsis, a longer (50-100 word) summary, thoughts on what makes the book unique or unusual, a listing of key verses, and a “So, What?” section of practical application. It’s a fantastic resource for individuals and ministries!

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Know-Your-Bible/Paul-Kent/Q649020742?id=8139566673752#

Preview: https://books.google.com/books?id=dp8_xeI4NNUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22know+your+bible%22+paul+kent&hl=en#v=onepage&q=%22know%20your%20bible%22%20paul%20kent&f=false

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“How to Get the Most from God’s Word”
By: John MacArthur

From one of today’s most popular bible speakers you can learn to effectively apply Bible teachings and principles to your own life. This practical Bible study companion cuts to the heart of God’s Word and shows you how to do the same.

Audio Series: https://www.gty.org/store/topical-series-store/247/how-to-get-the-most-from-gods-word

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“Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology”
By: R.C. Sproul

Who would want to be a theologian? Many people react negatively to the word theology, believing that it involves dry, fruitless arguments about minute points of doctrine. They prefer to focus on the basic truths of Scripture and may even declare, “No creed but Christ.”

But as Dr. R.C. Sproul argues, everyone is a theologian. This is because any time we think about a teaching of the Bible and strive to understand it, we are engaging in theology. Therefore, it is important that we put the Bible’s varied teachings together in a systematic fashion using proper, time-tested methods of interpretation so as to arrive at a theology that is consistent and founded on truth.

That is precisely what Dr. Sproul does in Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology. This book is anything but a dry discussion of minute points of doctrine. Instead, Dr. Sproul, again demonstrating his trademark ability to make complex subjects easily understood, surveys the basic truths of the Christian faith, reminding us once more of what God is like and of what He has done for His people in this world and the next.

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“Foundations: An Overview of Systematic Theology”

In Foundations: An Overview of Systematic Theology , R.C. Sproul shows that the truths of Scripture relate to each other in perfect harmony. This eye-opening series addresses a myriad of questions about the origin and authority of the Bible, God, the Trinity, man, sin, salvation, revelation, miracles, the church, the end times, and more.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/foundations/

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“Systematic Theology 1 & 2”
By: Wayne Grudem

Systematic Theology 1 & 2, taught by Wayne Grudem, features a strong emphasis on the scriptural basis for each doctrine; clear teaching, with technical terms kept to a minimum; and a contemporary approach.

https://courses.zondervanacademic.com/grudem-systematic-theology

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“THE SEARCH FOR MEANING” WEBSITE

This site presents discussions on the 12 most commonly asked questions about the Christian faith.

The 12 discussions are accessed by the “tabs” at the bottom of the page. The tabs are numbered 1-12. Roll your mouse over them and you will see the question displayed at the right. Click on the number to select that question.

Within each question (i.e. tabs 1-12), there are subtopics (or dialogues) to select that appear as smaller tabs underneath the numbered tabs. Roll your mouse over them and the title of these topics is also displayed to the right. Click on the open rectangle to select that dialogue.

For each question (1-12), a link to related resources and an optional flowchart is provided. To access this material, click on the respective words, “Related Resources” or “Options Flowchart.”

To play a more detailed discussion of the subject, between two people, select the desired dialogue and click on “Play Audio Dialogue.”

In the upper right-hand corner of the page, there is an icon that looks like binoculars looking at a question mark. Click on this icon to return to the homepage.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Related Resources” page, there is an icon that looks like some books. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the resources for all of the questions. There also are additional “appendices” for most of the questions.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Flowchart” page, there is an icon that looks like an Org chart. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the flowcharts.

http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q1_d1_1of10.html

[ Content by: Bill Kraftson and Lamar Smith; Website by Mark Besh ]

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“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEB SITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

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[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further how reading the Bible will help you to grow closer to God in the here and now, visit the following link:
http://www.4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q12_d1_1of10.html ].

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ARTICLES:

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“The Feynman Technique: The Best Way to Learn Anything”

If you’re after a way to supercharge your learning and become smarter, The Feynman Technique might just be the best way to learn absolutely anything.

Let’s explore the method Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman used to ensure he understood anything he studied better than anyone else.

There are four steps to the Feynman Learning Technique:

Choose a concept you want to learn about
Pretend you are teaching it to a student in grade 6
Identify gaps in your explanation; Go back to the source material, to better understand it.
Review and simplify (optional)

If you’re not learning, you’re standing still. But how do we get feedback on what we’re learning? And how do we go about learning new subjects and identifying gaps in our existing knowledge?

Two Types of Knowledge
Feynman understood the difference between knowing something and knowing the name of something, and it’s one of the most important reasons for his success. Most of us focus on the wrong type of knowledge. The first type of knowledge focuses on knowing the name of something — what it’s called. The second focuses on actually knowing something — that is understanding something.

“The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.”
— Mortimer Adler

The Feynman Technique
Step 1: Teach it to a child

Take out a blank sheet of paper. At the top write the subject you want to learn. Now write out everything you know about the subject you want to understand as if you were teaching it to a child. Not your smart adult friend, but rather a 12-year-old who has just enough vocabulary and attention span to understand basic concepts and relationships.

It turns out that one of the ways we trick ourselves is that we use complicated vocabulary and jargon and it masks our lack of understanding.

When you write out an idea from start to finish in simple language that a child can understand, you force yourself to understand the concept at a deeper level and simplify relationships and connections between ideas.

Some of this will be easy. These are the places where you have a clear understanding of the subject. At other points, you will struggle. These are the points where you have some gaps in your understanding.

Step 2: Review

Only when you encounter gaps in your knowledge—where you forget something important, are not able to explain it, or simply have trouble thinking of how variables interact—can you really start learning.

Now that you know where you got stuck, go back to the source material and re-learn it until you can explain it in basic terms. Only when you can explain your understanding without jargon and in simple terms can you demonstrate your understanding. This is the work required to learn, and skipping it leads to the illusion of knowledge.

Identifying the boundaries of your understanding also limits the mistakes you’re liable to make and increases your chance of success when applying knowledge.

Step 3: Organize and Simplify

Now you have a set of hand-crafted notes. Review them to make sure you didn’t mistakenly borrow any of the jargon from the source material. Organize them into a simple narrative that you can tell. Read it out loud. If the explanation isn’t simple or sounds confusing, that’s a good indication that your understanding in that area still needs some work.

If you follow this approach over and over, you will end up with a binder full of pages on different subjects. If you take some time twice a year to go through this binder, you will find just how much you retain.

Step 4 (Optional): Transmit

If you really want to be sure of your understanding, run it past someone (ideally who knows little of the subject –or find that 12-year-old!). The ultimate test of your knowledge is your capacity to convey it to another.

***

Not only is the Feynman Technique a wonderful recipe for learning, but it’s also a window into a different way of thinking that allows you to tear ideas apart and reconstruct them from the ground up.

When you’re having a conversation with someone and they start using words or relationships that you don’t understand, ask them to explain it to you like you’re 12.

Not only will you supercharge your own learning, but you’ll also supercharge theirs. Importantly, approaching problems in this way allows you to understand when others don’t know what they are talking about. (See Batesian Mimicry)

Feynman’s approach intuitively believes that intelligence is a process of growth, which dovetails nicely with the work of Carol Dweck, who beautifully describes the difference between a fixed and growth mindset.

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“The Backwards Brain Bicycle – Smarter Every Day 133”

A quick clarification….
It took me 8 months to learn how to do this, but I was only picking up the bike and running to the end of the driveway and back every day. I wasn’t “ACTIVELY” trying to learn. Meaning… I wasn’t struggling and trying to make my brain learn. I simply got on the bike every day, tried to operate it to the end of the driveway, turned around and tried to operate it back. The goal was to understand how my brain figured things out on its own, without trying to force it to. Many people have built bikes like this and figured it out in much less than 1 day by staying on the bike until they were able to master it. I had no timelines, and was using this as an exploratory activity to learn how I learn.

Do not misinterpret this to mean that I struggled and tried very hard every day for 8 months. That’s simply not true.

[ Destin Sandlin ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0

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“Content vs context: If content is king, context is queen in marketing”

In 1996, Bill Gates wrote a simple phrase that has been used (and over-used) by digital marketers ever since: Content is king.

He was right: Content is a crucial part of basically every online activity today.

An entirely new branch of marketing – content marketing – was born thanks to the proliferation of the internet. Its importance to the average brand is proof of the power of content.

But you can’t just create content and expect it to do something for your brand. Content on its own does nothing. For content to work in marketing, you need … a distribution plan.

You thought I was going to say context, didn’t you? Hang on, we’re almost there.

Your distribution plan ensures people see your content. It expands your reach and allows you to connect with your audience. Your content will go nowhere – literally – if you don’t distribute it.

I’m not here to talk about distribution today (but if that’s what you’re here for, you’ll like this article). Today, I’m going to talk about context.

Because context is what makes content meaningful to your reader. Or, less desirably, it’s what makes it meaningless.

Context is also what makes your distribution strategy a good one. Or, it could be what makes it a bad one.

It all depends on the situation.

Context vs. content: What do they mean?
If content is king, context is queen.

You need your king alive to win a game of chess, but you’ll have more success when your queen is in play.

Let’s review:

Content is material that you can share with your audience. Content can be blog posts, videos, sell sheets, product descriptions, case studies, etc.

Context is the setting or circumstance in which a person sees your content that gives it meaning. Context can come from any number of sources, such as:

The time of day.
A person’s job title.
The beginning of an organization’s fiscal year.
Whether or not a person even knows about your company – that’s context, too.
Context can apply to situations that are very personal and nuanced, but they can also be wide-reaching, too. The coronavirus pandemic brought new context to many brands’ marketing directions. Seasonality and community traditions are context for local businesses trying to capture attention from shoppers.

As a marketer, you have no control over any person’s specific situation. But, with the right tools and strategy, you can have control over the context in which your content is received by determining the circumstances in which it is shared.

This is context marketing.

What is context marketing?
Context marketing is the practice of delivering the right marketing message to the right person at precisely the right moment.

It’s more important than content marketing alone because we are all surrounded by an endless amount of content on a daily basis. We see thousands of ads every day; naturally, they lose their impact on the average consumer.

Context marketing adds a new dimension to your content so that the people who see it connect with it on a more personal level. It speaks to a specific challenge they may be facing or a specific interest they have.

This new iteration of digital marketing depends heavily on artificial intelligence, such as search algorithms, PPC bidding mechanisms, social listening tools and modern CRM software with AI integrations.

Context marketing examples
OK, so now that we know the difference between context and content, and what context marketing means, let’s explore some real-life context marketing examples.

1. Ralph the Robot, Lego’s sales bot
Over the past eight decades, Lego has developed seemingly endless purchase options. For shoppers, the selection can be downright overwhelming.

During the 2017 holiday shopping season, Lego wanted to make sure parents interested in buying sets for their children didn’t get scared away by their extensive catalog. So, they introduced Ralph the Robot, a Facebook chatbot that led parents through a series of prompts to determine the best Lego set for their children.

Ralph invited people to have a conversation if they had been on the Lego site without making a purchase anytime in the previous two weeks. Ralph turned out to be quite the sales rep: 25% of Lego’s holiday sales that year were attributed to the bot.

Ralph’s prompts, GIFs, images and suggestions were the content. The time of year, the interactions users previously had with the Lego website and the fact that they had not yet purchased a toy were all context.

2. Taco Bell targets college football fans with ads on Waze
Waze is a navigation app designed to help people drive to their destination in the shortest amount of time possible. In 2014, Taco Bell took advantage of this platform to promote their Taco 12 Packs by pushing ads every Saturday morning. The idea was that the average college football fan would likely be on their way to a football party – the perfect opportunity to share a 12-pack of tacos.

The result: 3% of users who saw the ad clicked on the “Drive There” button to take a detour to their nearest Taco Bell on their way to their destination.

Of course, suggesting that someone completely re-route their trip to take a stop at the Taco Bell drive-thru can be a big ask. Here’s where Waze adds a further level of context in all of its ads: The only locations that are advertised are always within 6 miles of the user’s current position, according to Digiday.

Taco Bell’s Taco 12 Pack was the content. The day of the week, time of day, viewers’ current activity (traveling via car) and their proximity to the nearest Taco Bell were all context.

How to fold context into your content marketing strategy
Context can make a big difference in your digital marketing success. However, it’s important to approach context marketing thoughtfully. Without a strong plan and the right data, your context marketing strategy will, well, lack context.

Follow these steps to build out your context marketing strategy:

1. Know your audience.
The most important part of Lego’s and Taco Bell’s campaigns was that each brand knew their audience really well. They had given a lot of attention to the thought process these people were likely going through. If you don’t already have detailed buyer personas and targeted audience examples, now is the time to make them.

2. Consider their pain points and obstacles.
Context marketing aims to make the customer journey more intuitive and streamlined for the buyer. Find out where in the sales funnel people get hung up, and why. Use this information to brainstorm ideas on how to help them overcome these obstacles.

3. Create supportive content.
This content should be based on the obstacles you need to help your potential customers overcome. For example, if customers have trouble understanding how your solutions address their specific needs, consider creating case studies, informational articles or explainer videos to demonstrate this. If customers are unsure which of your solutions is right for them, create product sheets that detail specifications of each of your products or services. If one of your challenges is brand awareness, create introductory content like an “about us” video.

4. Use personalization tags or dynamic features to show the right content to the right people at the right time.
Here’s where your marketing automation software and CRM data will come into play. Context marketing is all about personalizing experiences whenever possible. Set up triggers that will provide the most helpful information to your audience at the right time.

Here are some ideas on what context marketing might actually look like:

A retail website deploys a chatbot to ask potential customers if they need help after they’ve visited multiple product pages.
A retargeting ad is displayed in search or on social media after a prospect visits a product page without making a purchase.
A cart abandonment email is sent to a user after leaving a website without buying the items in their cart.
A smart form displays new fields the second time a site visitor fills out a form to collect unique information without making the user re-enter the same basic details.
A case study is emailed to a prospect who has downloaded a white paper and visited a product page.
A mobile ad is displayed when a user is in proximity of a retail location.
More context on ‘Content is King’
Let’s go back to the beginning of all of this. The concept of content being king is a nice and tidy phrase that digital marketers love to repeat.

But since we’re on the topic of context, let’s look at the context in which Gates wrote it.

The internet was in its infancy. Google wouldn’t even appear for another two years. Gates talked about Microsoft’s emerging news venture called MSNBC.

Despite how early in the age of the internet this essay was written, Gates had a clear view of what would carry out over the next several decades. One part, in particular, stands out to me as almost prophetic:

“If people are to be expected to put up with turning on a computer to read a screen, they must be rewarded with deep and extremely up-to-date information that they can explore at will. They need to have audio, and possibly video. They need an opportunity for personal involvement that goes far beyond that offered through the letters-to-the-editor pages of print magazines.”

This is still true today; if we expect people to tune into our brands, or spend their time researching our products, we have to make it a personalized and rewarding experience. We can’t expect people to pay attention to us just because we’ve worked hard at creating content for them.

Instead, it’s up to us as marketers to make sure our audiences are seeing content they’re actually interested in, in a way that resonates with them and at the right moment in their daily lives. That’s where content marketing becomes context marketing.

[ Molly Ploe ]

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“Content is King – Bill Gates (1/3/96)”

Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet, just as it was in broadcasting.

The television revolution that began half a century ago spawned a number of industries, including the manufacturing of TV sets, but the long-term winners were those who used the medium to deliver information and entertainment.

When it comes to an interactive network such as the Internet, the definition of “content” becomes very wide. For example, computer software is a form of content-an extremely important one, and the one that for Microsoft will remain by far the most important.

But the broad opportunities for most companies involve supplying information or entertainment. No company is too small to participate.

One of the exciting things about the Internet is that anyone with a PC and a modem can publish whatever content they can create. In a sense, the Internet is the multimedia equivalent of the photocopier. It allows material to be duplicated at low cost, no matter the size of the audience.

The Internet also allows information to be distributed worldwide at basically zero marginal cost to the publisher. Opportunities are remarkable, and many companies are laying plans to create content for the Internet.

For example, the television network NBC and Microsoft recently agreed to enter the interactive news business together. Our companies will jointly own a cable news network, MSNBC, and an interactive news service on the Internet. NBC will maintain editorial control over the joint venture.

I expect societies will see intense competition-and ample failure as well as success-in all categories of popular content-not just software and news, but also games, entertainment, sports programming, directories, classified advertising, and on-line communities devoted to major interests.

Printed magazines have readerships that share common interests. It’s easy to imagine these communities being served by electronic online editions.

But to be successful online, a magazine can’t just take what it has in print and move it to the electronic realm. There isn’t enough depth or interactivity in print content to overcome the drawbacks of the online medium.

If people are to be expected to put up with turning on a computer to read a screen, they must be rewarded with deep and extremely up-to-date information that they can explore at will. They need to have audio, and possibly video. They need an opportunity for personal involvement that goes far beyond that offered through the letters-to-the-editor pages of print magazines.

A question on many minds is how often the same company that serves an interest group in print will succeed in serving it online. Even the very future of certain printed magazines is called into question by the Internet.

For example, the Internet is already revolutionizing the exchange of specialized scientific information. Printed scientific journals tend to have small circulations, making them high-priced. University libraries are a big part of the market. It’s been an awkward, slow, expensive way to distribute information to a specialized audience, but there hasn’t been an alternative.

Now some researchers are beginning to use the Internet to publish scientific findings. The practice challenges the future of some venerable printed journals.

Over time, the breadth of information on the Internet will be enormous, which will make it compelling. Although the gold rush atmosphere today is primarily confined to the United States, I expect it to sweep the world as communications costs come down and a critical mass of localized content becomes available in different countries.

For the Internet to thrive, content providers must be paid for their work. The long-term prospects are good, but I expect a lot of disappointment in the short-term as content companies struggle to make money through advertising or subscriptions. It isn’t working yet, and it may not for some time.

So far, at least, most of the money and effort put into interactive publishing is little more than a labor of love, or an effort to help promote products sold in the non-electronic world. Often these efforts are based on the belief that over time someone will figure out how to get revenue.

In the long run, advertising is promising. An advantage of interactive advertising is that an initial message needs only to attract attention rather than convey much information. A user can click on the ad to get additional information-and an advertiser can measure whether people are doing so.

But today the amount of subscription revenue or advertising revenue realized on the Internet is near zero-maybe $20 million or $30 million in total. Advertisers are always a little reluctant about a new medium, and the Internet is certainly new and different.

Some reluctance on the part of advertisers may be justified, because many Internet users are less-than-thrilled about seeing advertising. One reason is that many advertisers use big images that take a long time to download across a telephone dial-up connection. A magazine ad takes up space too, but a reader can flip a printed page rapidly.

As connections to the Internet get faster, the annoyance of waiting for an advertisement to load will diminish and then disappear. But that’s a few years off.

Some content companies are experimenting with subscriptions, often with the lure of some free content. It’s tricky, though, because as soon as an electronic community charges a subscription, the number of people who visit the site drops dramatically, reducing the value proposition to advertisers.

A major reason paying for content doesn’t work very well yet is that it’s not practical to charge small amounts. The cost and hassle of electronic transactions makes it impractical to charge less than a fairly high subscription rate.

But within a year the mechanisms will be in place that allow content providers to charge just a cent or a few cents for information. If you decide to visit a page that costs a nickel, you won’t be writing a check or getting a bill in the mail for a nickel. You’ll just click on what you want, knowing you’ll be charged a nickel on an aggregated basis.

This technology will liberate publishers to charge small amounts of money, in the hope of attracting wide audiences.

Those who succeed will propel the Internet forward as a marketplace of ideas, experiences, and products-a marketplace of content.

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“BUILDING LEADERS IN A DISRUPTIVE AGE: IF CONTENT ls KING, THEN CONTEXT ls GOD”

WHAT IF YOU WERE told that you have to build the leadership skills of your middle managers but you could not use training to do it?

That would be disruptive to your development plans, wouldn’t it? And yet, smart companies are spending less and less time and money on “training programmes” and more on interventions with higher impact on building leadership capability.

Or, what if you were attending a leadership training course and as you get your participant binder your facilitator tells you that the binder is not the content, but you are. The material is only a message. Or, even worse, what if you attended the training programme and there was no binder at all. You would think this was a terrible programme. After all, you must have that fancy binder to take back to your office and put on the shelf to gather dust!

Marshall McLuhan, a famous media guru from the 1970s and 80s was way ahead of his time when he said, “The media is the message, the audience is the content”. As it relates to building leaders, this is what forward-thinking leadership development and design experts have figured out. Most leadership training is content and topic based (coaching, influencing, strategy, etc.). The expert facilitator walks into the room and uses your valuable time convincing you that you need the latest model, framework, process, etc. You, as a participant, are left to figure out where, when and with whom to use it (that is the typically panicked last 30 minutes of a programme where you are doing “action planning”). Most of us can’t figure it out at all and within a few weeks abandon what we learned. It sounded good when we heard the “message” of coaching or strategy, but when we tried to move it into our “context” we couldn’t bridge the gap. Sound familiar?

“If Content is King, then Context is God” is another great and relevant quote from Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur and internet personality. Following that thinking, the shift we have to make in building leaders is to make all programmes about context first. This means being very clear on what exactly you want your leaders to be doing differently in what key situations in their world to positively impact the business. Only then you can build a path for them to get there.

We may want to teach our people to be more innovative at work. But what does that look like every day? What exactly would a manager be doing differently on the job in your company that would yield higher levels of innovation? Certainly, it’s not an innovation model. It’s the leader shifting his/her day-to-day behaviours and actions to create a safer, more open environment where employees feel they can speak up without the risk of being judged and that they will be listened to. Create and sustain that environment and creativity and innovation will increase.

In this situation, the mindset and behaviour of the leader has to shift over a sustained period of time to create that environment. A two-day workshop on “Building a Culture of Innovation” won’t do that. Instead, a sustained focus on leaders applying new behaviours in their key situations (context) over time will.

This article just touches the surface on how the best, new leadership development approaches such as “flipping the classroom”, four-line Learning and five-phase development are building future leaders mostly outside of the traditional workshop. If you want to develop your next generation of leaders you will need a next-generation approach to make that happen, starting today. The bottom line is to make sure that when you start planning your leadership development for next year and beyond you require who will help you to start with your context first and then match the content/message to your world. If you do, you will see a world a change in your leaders.

[ JAMES ENGEL ]

[ Source: The Nation Newspaper ]

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“Biblical Hermeneutics”

[ Wikipedia ]

Article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_hermeneutics

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“The ENTIRE Bible Explained in Three Minutes!”

Here is the entire bible explained in three minutes! In this video I give you twelve key words along with key scriptures to help you understand the story of the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation.

[ Allen Parr ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVNwteOPJP0

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“30 Days to Understand the Bible – Promo”

Have you ever thought, “WOW! It’s way too complicated to study and learn the Bible. I simply don’t have the time!”

There IS a solution… And it only takes 15 minutes a day, for one month!

[ Thomas Nelson Publishers ]

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J8xqfbsGBM

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“30 Days to Understanding the Bible”

If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word. This simple-to-use, straightforward guide has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for thirty years, and now it’s available in an expanded thirtieth anniversary edition—with the most requested topics from the original edition restored and updated for today’s readers.

[ Max Anders ]

30 Days to Understanding the Bible, 30th Anniversary: Unlock the Scriptures in 15 minutes a day

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“(viz.)BIBLE”

Inspiring curiosity about the Bible through data visualization
Images capture attention and ignite emotions. Pictures filled with data engage the mind. They cause us to notice something, ask questions, and search for answers. That is why I created Viz.Bible: a unique way to share God’s story in our digital age.

About the Data
My vision is to deeply link every word in the Bible with details about people, places, events, topics, and more. In the future, new data will fuel more advanced applications and graphics (here’s how). The data I have collected, entered, and structured in multiple formats is freely available upon request.

[ Robert Rouse ]

https://viz.bible/

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Other Biblical Visualizations by Robert Rouse:

“Genesis Timeline from Adam to Abraham”:
https://viz.bible/visualizing-the-genesis-timeline-from-adam-to-abraham/

“Paul’s Missionary Journeys”:
https://viz.bible/journeys/

“Passage Explorer”:
https://viz.bible/explore/passages/

“Mapping Go’d Bloodline”:
https://viz.bible/mapping-gods-bloodline/

“Remaking An Influential Cross Reference Visualization”:
https://viz.bible/remaking-influential-cross-reference-visualization/

“Divisions of the Bible”:
https://viz.bible/explore/

“Harmony of the Gospels”:
https://viz.bible/a-visual-harmony-of-the-gospels/

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“John MacArthur: For the Authority of Scripture”

The veracity and authority of Scripture is basic to the Christian faith, but it is not a “given” in the modern world. Not only is it directly attacked by skeptics inside and outside of the church, it is undermined by claims of authority for other alleged “holy books” such as the Qur’an and the Book of Mormon. In our skeptical and multicultural world, it is necessary for Christians to draw a line in the sand when the authority of Scripture is challenged.

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E97P-wTAzfc

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“Kevin DeYoung | Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough”

In this breakout session from TGC’s West Coast Conference, we learned that Scripture is enough because the work of Christ is enough. They stand or fall together. The Son’s redemption and the Son’s revelation must both be sufficient. We learn that there is nothing more to be done and nothing more to be known for our salvation and for our Christian walk than what we see and know about Christ and through Christ in his Spirit’s book.

[ Kevin DeYoung ]

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“Albert Mohler: The Authority of Scripture”

This message will defend the claim that Scripture alone (as opposed to the Quran, Book of Mormon, etc.) is the Word of God, and defend the claim that Scripture is inerrant.

[ Albert Mohler ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVzb_qfbW8E

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“Carson, Piper, Keller | Biblical Authority in an Age of Uncertainty”

Don Carson, John Piper, and Tim Keller discuss the charge that drawing clear conclusions from the Bible makes you arrogant.

Discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBbfb8Zbxn0

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“How To Read, Study & Understand The Bible Message In 5 Minutes”

This short animated movie is about the purpose of life.

How you can find? Is it even possible on your own? Can you engage in a conversation with your creator?

God has given us a tool, and in this video, we want to explain how you can use it – without going offtrack! Unfortunately most people go offtrack, because they listen to their own thoughts, or depend on human authority.

We want to give you a basic, but very functional, toolkit to read the bible and start a relationship with your creator… maybe again… or maybe for the first time. And hey, it’s never too late! He waits for you… eagerly.

[ Crosspaint.tv ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYcUCe8YzZA

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“How Can I Actually Understand the Bible?”

If you’ve ever opened the Bible and felt paralyzed about where to start, we’ve got you covered. We’re giving some really practical tips on how to understand the Bible and apply it to your life in this third week of The Bible: Explained.

[ Life.Church ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkYWQ02Lon4

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“Applying Sentiment Analysis to the Bible”

This visualization explores the ups and downs of the Bible narrative, using sentiment analysis to quantify when positive and negative events are happening

Infographic: https://www.openbible.info/blog/2011/10/applying-sentiment-analysis-to-the-bible/

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“Do You Need Help Understanding the Bible?”

Understanding the Bible can be difficult. Read about getting guidance to understand the meaning of the Word of God.

[ Bible for America ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrTTc9AqBvE

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“How Does God Help Me Understand the Bible?”

Does God leave me to my own devices to figure out how to understand the Scriptures, or does He offer some help? This is the question we’re answering in this video.

[ The Gospel Project ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbeJ21-z0mM

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“How To Study The Bible: The ULTIMATE Guide (Beginner Friendly!)”

If you want to know how to study the Bible and how to understand the Bible, you’ll find this post helpful.

When it comes to getting more out of the Bible, how to understand the Bible for all it’s worth, how to read the Bible and gain a fuller and holistic understanding of Scripture, I think these suggestions can be very helpful. They’ve certainly helped me understand the Bible more effectively.

Here are 21 powerful strategies to help you learn how to study the Bible and understand the Bible more fully.

Remember, these are methods. They don’t replace the Holy Spirit or diligent devotion.

With that said, let’s dive in.

Here are 21 tips for how to read the Bible more effectively.

Understand The Context
Take Everything Back To Jesus
Read The Entire Bible Sequentially
Read Groups Of Scripture Together
Understand Biblical Genres
Know The Original Audience
Know Your Theology
Listen To The Bible
Read Multiple Translations
Mark Up Your Bible
Use Commentaries
Use A Reliable Study Bible
Read A Single Book Multiple Times
Interrogate Your Bible
Don’t Put Yourself At The Center
Don’t Believe Anyone
Join A Bible Study
Memorize Scripture
Pray Through Passages
Read With Reverence
Read Humbly

[ Stephen Altrogge ]

How To Study The Bible: The ULTIMATE Guide (Beginner Friendly!)

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“11 Ways to Study the Bible: Methods, Techniques & Tips”

Are you ready to start studying the Bible for yourself? Are you looking for different methods to study the Bible and enrich your reading of Scripture? Here are 11 different ways to effectively study God’s Word.

You can choose the one that fits your season of spiritual growth, the passage of the Bible you’re interested in, and the time that you have available. Explore different methods and let them spark ideas you can pursue in your study of the Bible.

The different types of Bible Study methods are given a rating of 1 to 3 Clipboard icons depending on the level of difficulty. The amount of time that’s required for each is also given a rating of 1 to 3 Clock icons.

The Sword Method of Bible Study is a simple, but powerful way to study the Bible. You simply ask 3 questions that cover the 3 most important points. It can be applied to a single verse or multiple verses (for example, the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10).

The blade of the sword points upward toward heaven, so you ask “what do I learn about God in this passage?” Next, the handle of the sword points down toward man, so ask “what do I learn about people in this passage?” The 3rd question asks how we apply what we learned: “What does God want me to do?”

There are many variations of this type of devotional or observation Bible study. You might have seen different graphics or charts for Bible Study methods that emphasize different aspects of learning and applying the Bible.

The important thing is to not get distracted by the tools. Highlighters, charts, acronyms are helpful if they help you engage with the Bible and apply it to your life. Usually, it’s best to go with a simple, reproducible method like the Sword Method.

It’s simple and reproducible, so it can be used and taught by adults and children. It can be used to lead a small group Bible Study or discussion.

Here are a few related questions you can branch off into. You can get an idea of how useful the 3 main questions are.

What does this passage teach me about God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
What do I learn about mankind in general – How and why do people act, think, and feel the way they do? What do I learn about myself personally and why I act, think, and feel the way I do? Do I identify with anyone in the story and why?
Is there anything that God wants me to do according to this passage? Is there a Sin to avoid? Is there a Promise to claim? Is there an Example to follow? Is there a Command to obey? (You can use the acronym: S.P.E.C. to remember the 4 questions related to what God wants you to do).
If you want to try out this method, you can find more details and a few examples in this article: The Easiest Way to Study the Bible. In it, I share a simple infographic that explains how to use the method.

2. CHARACTER STUDY
In a Character Study or Biographical Study, you look at one character in the Bible and draw out lessons from their life.

There are many to choose from – major characters like Abraham, Joseph, Deborah, Moses, Ruth, David, Solomon, Esther, Paul, and Peter. There are hundreds of other characters in the Bible that you can learn from.

In a character study, you are looking at how God relates to people and how people respond to God. You can observe and learn from the dealings of God in a person’s life.

You can learn from both the positive and negative experiences in a person’s life. Are there any interesting life lessons? Were there any challenges that the person faced? What were his or her biggest faults? Did they overcome them? How?

For example, the life of King David, the second King of Israel, is a fascinating study. He starts out as a shepherd boy who is faithful in the mundane things of this life, like taking care of a few sheep. God sees him as a man after His heart and chooses him to be king over all of Israel. Yet, it takes many decades before the full promise is fulfilled. Along the way, David has many triumphs and some really big stumblings.

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

1 Cor. 10:11 (ESV)
The Bible is a combination of biographies, poems, songs, visions and dreams, letters, and history. The Bible is not written like a theological textbook. It’s about how God relates to people in everyday life.

When you do a character study, you can delve into the life of one person in the Bible and learn valuable lessons to apply to your own life. You can find yourself in the story.

How to do a Character or Biographical Bible Study
1. Pick a character in the Bible.

2. Find out all the passages of the Bible where the person is mentioned.

Be careful of different people with the same name. A quick internet search or a Bible dictionary will be helpful. Study Bibles may have a concordance or index that can be helpful.

A Study Bible is a great resource for in-depth Bible Study. I’ve found the CSB Tony Evans Study Bible (link to Amazon opens in a new window) to be a good balance of good scholarship with helpful applications to daily life. For Study Bibles, I highly recommend getting the print version and not the digital/eBook version.

3. Make a timeline of their life if it’s helpful.

What are the major events in that person’s life? What kind of trials or temptations did they face?

E.g. For King David, it might be nice to map out the different seasons of his life and the different cities where those seasons took place: Bethlehem, Gibeah, Adullam, Hebron, and Jerusalem. These can be found in the books of Samuel and Chronicles.

4. What character traits do you notice?

What strengths or weaknesses of the person are highlighted in the Bible? Do they struggle with the same issue throughout their life? Do you notice any patterns? How did they overcome those trials or temptations?

5. What lessons can you glean from their life?

Can you find yourself in this story? How can you identify with the character? What can you apply to your own life? What does God want you to do? Commit to obey. Ask God to empower your heart to obey.

Before we look at the next Bible study method, I want to share with you what I’ve found to have the most impact in the long-run when studying the Bible. It’s not mainly about tools and techniques but the posture of the heart. I hope you’ll find these helpful: 7 Guidelines: How to Start Studying the Bible for Yourself (Link opens in a new window).

Write Out Verses from the Bible

3. WRITE OUT VERSES FROM THE BIBLE
Writing out a verse or several verses makes you slow down and think about the Scripture. It can give you a different perspective on the verse than just reading it alone.

Write it in your own handwriting. It can be on a lined sheet of paper. You can also get creative and write it in a different pattern. You can get colorful if you want to. You can doodle a little bit and draw small pictures if it helps you process the verse.

As you write the verse, ask yourself:

What words are my eyes drawn to?
What is the main subject?
What is the main verb?
Read the passage out loud several times. Try reading it slowly. Try reading it quickly to get a sense of the structure. Read it again as many times as you’d like.

I didn’t include journaling as a separate way to study the Bible because that can apply to any of these different ways to study the Bible. But, a journal would be a great place to keep these.

Take the journal or paper you wrote the Scripture on and look at it throughout the day. You can take a photo with your phone and set a reminder during your lunch break to look at it. Think about the verse and how you can apply it to your life.

To take it a step further, you can paraphrase or summarize the verse or passage in your own words. This makes you process and ask what the verse means even further.

You can also come up with a title for the verse or passage and write it at the top. It can be a phrase that summarizes what the verse is about, what you learned, or how you can apply it to your life.

4. STUDY A BOOK OF THE BIBLE
Have you tried other ways to study the Bible and want to go deeper? Do you like to be challenged? Studying a book of the Bible, or doing a book-by-book study, is a great way to go.

Studying a book of the Bible is one of the more challenging ways to study the Bible because it involves a little bit of every method of Bible Study. It can involve studying themes, topics, characters, individual words, and cross-references.

A book study takes time and commitment, but it can also be the most rewarding! It’s my favorite way to study the Bible because it takes me deeper and helps me wrestle with the text over an extended period of time.

You might see many Bible verses in a whole new light when you read them in their context. You might even find that some of your favorite verses mean something different than what you might have heard in the past.

If you take a verse out of its context, it can seem to mean something different than what the author intended. The advantage of a book study is that it helps you keep Bible verses in their context. You want to know what God is saying and not change its meaning.

What I love about doing a book study of the Bible is that I usually end up where I didn’t expect. I start out with a general idea of what I think the book means. Then I end up in a surprisingly different place at the end. Also, whatever book I studied last becomes my new favorite!

Studying the Bible one book at a time requires some time commitment. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to many months to study one book of the Bible, depending on the length and complexity of the book.

If you want to try this type of study, take a look at this article where I go into more detail and provide several examples: How to Study a Book of the Bible: 5 Step Guide With Examples (link opens in a new window).

Here are the 5 steps from that article:

How to Study Books of the Bible
Make an outline of the book.
Look for keywords or phrases.
Identify the main themes, ideas, and key verses.
Look for the main applications.
Study the background of the book.
These steps don’t have to be followed in the exact order. You can go back to any of the steps as your understanding of the book develops. As with any of the methods to study the Bible, enjoy the journey and the learning process.

The lessons you learn in Bible Study, and in life too, often come at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. Stay consistent and stay on track and you’ll discover many jewels in God’s Word along the way.

If you’d like an example of a book study, I’d like to share what I learned during my studies in the book of Ephesians: Summary of Ephesians: Meaning, Outline & Application (link opens in a new window) .

If it’s your first time doing a book study, my recommendation would be to pick a book from the New Testament that’s not too long, like the book of Philippians.

5. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE
Reading through the Bible is a great way to study it. Every page of the Bible reveals God’s character, emotions, thoughts, and actions.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
When you read the entire Bible or large portions of it, you can get a big-picture overview of the Bible. Anytime you read the Bible, you’ll know what part of the big picture it is in.

How to Read through the Bible
Option 1: Read through the entire Bible from cover to cover.

Option 2: Read specific books first to get an effective overview of the Bible

Books of the Bible to Read for an Effective Overview
These 15 books of the Bible will help you cover all the major themes and the main storyline of the Bible.

Genesis
Exodus
Joshua
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
Ezra
Nehemiah
Habakkuk
Proverbs
Luke
Acts
Ephesians
Revelation

If you want more details on why these books are suggested and how they fit into the big-picture overview of the Bible, you can find it in this article: What Is the Best Order to Read the Bible for Beginners?

The books of the Bible are arranged by category, not chronologically. That’s one of the reasons that reading the Bible from cover-to-cover is challenging for many people.

For example, there are 4 records of the Gospels, the life of Jesus, in the New Testament. You can read one of the Gospels the first time through and then read the others after you have an overview of the Bible.

If you’re reading through the entire Bible from cover-to-cover, you can use a bookmark that motivates you. I simply use a small sticky note. No reading charts needed! It’s not elegant, but it works. That way, my bookmark never falls out and lose its place.

There are also One-Year-Bible (link to Amazon opens in a new window) type of books that have the daily portions conveniently divided. These are helpful in developing a daily Bible-reading habit.

There are also many different types of Bible reading plans that you can find online. Some Bible apps and programs also have reading plans with reminders. A reading plan with check-marks can be motivating to keep reading. This is especially true when life gets busy and you fall behind schedule.

Another way to cover the Bible is to listen to an audio Bible. Audio Bibles can give you a new perspective on the flow of a book. You can listen when you’re not able to read.

Many Bible apps offer audio along with the text. Also, some apps offer a choice of dramatized or non-dramatized versions of the audio. The dramatized ones might include background music, sound effects, and different actors reading different portions of the Bible.

Some Bible websites like ESV.org also let you listen to the Bible online as well.

If you get stuck in your Bible reading plan, feel free to skip any books along the way and come back to them later. Remember, the goal is to encounter God and His heart for you. If you keep the main thing as the main thing, you’ll find great benefit and encouragement from God’s Word.

6. TOPICAL/THEMATIC BIBLE STUDY
As you read the Bible, there might be some topics or themes that you’re interested in going more in-depth into. A Topical or Thematic Bible Study is a type of study that explores a theme or topic through the entire Bible.

How to do a Topical Bible Study
Choose a topic.
Look up every instance of that topic in the Bible.
Categorize and summarize your findings. Explore the differences, nuances, and connections in the verses.
There are many theological or doctrinal themes in the Bible. For example, how is Jesus both fully God and fully man. Theologians would call this the doctrine of the Incarnation. There are also topics like salvation, angels, or the nature of the church.

The topic can also be application-oriented. What are the fruit of the Spirit? How do you develop passion for God? How can I forgive people who have hurt me and let go of the past? What does the Bible say about baptism in water? What is the purpose of prayer and fasting?

There are countless numbers of topics and themes in the Bible that you can pursue. How is the color purple used in the Bible? What does the number “12” often signify?

Depending on the topic, it might be a study that takes an hour, or if it’s a major theme like the End Times, it could take months.

The idea of a Topical or Thematic Study is to study what the Bible says about a topic or theme throughout the entire Bible and not just from one verse.

To do this, you can use tools like a Bible Concordance. Many Bibles, especially Study Bibles have at least a short index in the back.

How do you look up every instance of a topic or word? A concordance is a great tool for this. A Concordance is like an index at the back of a book. For example, you can look up all the verses where the word “heaven” occurs in the Bible. Some Bibles have a concordance in the back, but they’re usually very limited.

Some concordances are organized by topics, which would be perfect for a topical or thematic study. Here’s one that’s online that I would recommend: Torrey’s Topical Textbook Online Resource.

TIP: Navigate using the alphabet at the bottom, not with the search bar at the top. If you wanted to study the topic of “heaven,” click on the letter “H” then scroll down and choose the word “heaven.”

It should take you to a screen that shows you the verses for the topic and subtopics: Torrey’s Topical Textbook Entry on “Heaven.”

You can look up each verse to study and compare (cross-reference) with other verses.

If the topical concordance doesn’t have many results, or you want to study the verses on your own before you look it up in a topical concordance, you can use a standard concordance that looks up words, not topics.

The most widely used concordance is some variation of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, but most Bible apps or websites can do this easily using the search feature. Here’s an example at esv.org (you might have to create a free account to use the tool). ESV.org search results on “heaven.”

7. PRACTICAL STUDY
A Practical Study is like a topical study of the Bible, but with a broader focus on applying it to your life. These are topics that entire books can be written on. For example, practical studies can dive into topics like prayer, discipleship, raising children, relationships, how to live out your faith in the workplace, and how to share your faith with others.

All the tips and tools like concordance resources that we looked at in Topical Studies would also be useful for a devotional/practical study.

The uniqueness of a practical study is the application of the truth from the Bible to our modern life. It’s mind-boggling to see how much of the Bible written about 2000+ years ago could apply to our modern-day life. Countless numbers of people have received God’s wisdom and applied the truths of the Bible to their lives.

8. MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE
Memorizing scripture is a great way to hide God’s Word in your heart. Memorizing portions of the bible lets you think about the Bible verse any time of the day or night. You can start out with verses that are especially meaningful to you.

You can combine Scripture memorization with many of the different Bible Study Methods like writing out verses in your own writing and meditating on the Word. These methods flow together well.

You can also memorize several verses or even chapters of the bible. This would be a more challenging goal, but also very rewarding.

There’s great value in having the Bible always on your mind and ready to think about for yourself or to share with others (John 14:26).

9. STUDY SCRIPTURE CROSS-REFERENCES
Studying cross-references is looking up other places in the Bible that mention the same or similar ideas. This doesn’t require as much time commitment as some of the methods we’ve looked at so far, but you can apply it to any verse or passage of Scripture you’re interested in.

For example, there are four accounts of the Gospel, or Good News of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The writers of the Gospels cover a lot of the same events. Each reference might reveal a different detail or says it in a slightly different way that helps you understand the passage you’re studying.

These cross-references will point you to the word, phrase, or idea in different parts of the Bible. You’ll find that the Bible often interprets itself. For example, if you’re reading a verse in Ephesians, you will find a lot of parallel passages in the book of Colossians. If you’re in the book of Revelation, you’ll find a lot of references to the book of Genesis.

These cross-references are often in the center column. Some Bibles have titles for sections added in and could list parallel passages. Reference Bibles, some reading Bibles and almost all Study Bibles will have cross-references next to the text of the Scripture.

If you’d like to see some examples, I explain how to look up cross-references using a Study Bible in this article: How to Use a Study Bible: A Helpful Illustrated Guide. (Link opens in a new window).

If a Bible verse doesn’t make sense, looking at the immediate context around the verse or looking up cross-references can often bring a lot of clarity. If you don’t understand the verse right away, put it “on the shelf” and use one of the other ways to study the Bible. Memorize the Scripture so you can think about it. You can try meditating on God’s Word and let the insight arise slowly.

Write your questions in a journal, not just the insights and applications. Ask God to open His Word to you. You’ll find that many of these questions get answered eventually.

10. MEDITATE ON THE WORD
To Meditate on God’s Word is to ponder and dwell on the Scripture. It’s a way to have the Word of God “dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
The Bible speaks more about meditating on the Word than studying it (Gen. 24:63; Josh. 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 119:23, 97). To study is to observe and gather facts, analyze them, and come to conclusions.

To meditate is to purposely stay narrowly focused on a short phrase or verse and ponder it deeply. Meditating on the Word is more like cooking a stew for many hours than a quick saute in a pan.

Meditating on the Word is not to get more information from the Bible, but to let even one word or phrase from the bible take hold of your heart and mind.

There are many ways to meditate on the Word. We’ve looked at several of these earlier as these different ways overlap and are related to each other.

Ways to Meditate on the Word of God
1. Read the Word

Slowly read the Bible verse several times. Discover key phrases or words.

2. Write the Word

Write the entire verse at least once.

3. Memorize the Word

Having the verse in your mind and heart frees you up to not have to look for your place on the page.

4. Speak the Word

Gently speak it out loud several times. It can help you focus and process the verse.

5. Sing the Word

Sing the Bible? Yes! (Col. 3:16) Singing can unlock the heart and emotions. This has been an important part of many traditions in monasteries throughout history. It adds another dimension to meditating on God’s Word.

6. Pray the Bible

Turn the Bible into a dialogue with God. Thank God for the truth that the verse is pointing to. Commit to obey and ask God to empower your heart to follow-through.

7. Picture the Bible

For example, when Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is like a Sower going out to the field to sow seed, picture the scene in your mind. What is God thinking, feeling, and saying?

All of these are ways to meditate on God’s Word and be still in God’s presence. Be sure to write down any insights and thoughts you had and ask God to give you more.

11. WORD STUDY
A Word Study looks at the individual words and translations of the Bible text.

For example, there are several different words in the original languages of the Bible that are usually just translated into one word, love, in the English translations. Another example is that there are more than 7 different Hebrew words for praise in the Old Testament. There are lots of opportunities for fruitful study if you know where to look.

To learn to do a Word Study properly takes a lot of time in learning at least the basics of the original languages that the Bible was written in. Fortunately, many translations of the Bible and Word Study tools are available, so you can gain many of the insights of Word Studies from these resources. Unless you’re doing original research in theology or Biblical studies, these resources will serve you well.

3 Ways That You Can Benefit From Word Studies
Compare 2 or 3 different translations of the Bible. E.g. ESV, NKJV, and NLT
Use a Word Study resource like Vine’s Concise Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words to look up particular words. Some of this info is available on the websites like the ones the video below mentions.
Learn to use Bible software or online tools. Here’s a video introduction to 3 helpful websites that you can use to do Word Studies.

Take the Next Steps
Has something in this article sparked your interest and given you any ideas to pursue? Take the first step today to engage with God and His Word. Don’t let the many options here overwhelm you. Just pick one and be a doer of the Word today.

Let me know in the comments below which of the methods of Bible Study you’re going to try. Also, you can let me know if you get stuck and need encouragement or direction.

What’s important is that you engage your heart to meet Jesus, the Word, through the eternal written Word of God (John 1:1-3). God delights to reveal Himself through His Word. Come with a teachable heart and enjoy the journey!

[ David Kim ]

Original article: https://pursuitbible.com/ways-to-study-the-bible/

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“How to Study The Bible”

As we grow in Christ, it’s important that we learn how to study the Bible for ourselves and not depend solely on the instruction of others. Consider the challenge from the writer of Hebrews:

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:13,14 NIV).

One of the best ways to get to the “solid food” of the Word is through “inductive” Bible study. The inductive method makes observations on a passage of Scripture and then draws conclusions based on those observations. Commonly, this method is defined by three parts: Observation, interpretation, and application.

Navigator Dwight Hill has broken this method into seven steps. Try it out on one of the short epistles—1 Thessalonians, Philippians, Colossians, or 1 or 2 Timothy.

[ The Navigators ]

https://www.navigators.org/resource/how-to-study-the-bible/

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“Complete guide to how to study the bible”

Congratulations on your interest in how to study the Bible. I can guarantee you that it will be transformative. If you’re looking for a Bible study quick start plan, this is a great checklist.

– Plan to make Bible study a regular part of your day
– Get a Bible. Downloading the YouVersion Bible App is free. I recommend starting with the NIV or NLT translation.
– Study the Bible both intellectually and spiritually
– Pray or meditate over what you read

Begin with the New Testament. It is the current covenant between God and His people. The book of John is a pretty good place to start.

Use an online reference, like Bible Hub or Bible Gateway to look up unfamiliar words, get historical background, or cross-reference other related books of the Bible.

Keep a journal (paper or electronic) of notes and questions as you study. Make goals of things you want to try or do differently in your life in response to what you read.

Find and join a small group of others who are studying the Bible. Most local churches have several.

These steps will give you an excellent foundation for starting your Bible study. But, let’s take the time to really dig into each of those steps and explain how to get the best out of your journey into the Bible.

[ Grant Agler ]

https://242community.com/how-to-study-bible/

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“R.C. Sproul: How to Study the Bible”

Have you ever a read passage in the Bible and discovered something you never noticed before? How many interpretations can one Scripture passage have? Are all interpretations valid? While the basic message of Scripture is clear, those who do not understand and apply the basic principles of biblical interpretation can easily misinterpret it. In this message, Dr. R.C. Sproul, Sr. will introduce some of the more important tools and concepts that are necessary in order to properly study and understand the Bible.

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRmWSB1c6L8

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“Interpreting the Bible”

How did David, the faith-filled hero who defeated Goliath, become a fearful fugitive relying on lies and deception? Before we approach difficult passages like 1 Samuel 21, we need to understand how to faithfully study God’s Word. Walking us through a list of proper Bible study habits, Alistair Begg reminds us to focus on the Bible’s main purpose and to allow Scripture to frame our interpretation. Only then can we make sense of David’s behavior while he was on the run.

[ Alistair Begg ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e8_CClvTXY

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“How Should We Interpret the Bible, Part 1: Principles for Understanding God’s Word”

God is capable of accurately relaying His Word to us in a way that we can understand. It is crucial that we interpret properly to determine the intended meaning rather than forcing ideas into the text.

[ Tim Chaffey ]

https://answersingenesis.org/hermeneutics/how-we-interpret-the-bible-principles-for-understanding/

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“How Should We Interpret the Bible? (Selected Scriptures)”

Now over the last several Sunday nights that I’ve been with you, three out of the last four, we’ve been sort of anticipating the Strange Fire Conference and taking a look at some of the very foundation issues in the Charismatic Movement. We all understand the issues of healing and the prosperity gospel, and speaking in tongues and signs and wonders and miracles and all of those kinds of things. And certainly those need to be addressed, and through the years we’ve addressed all of those things and there’s plenty of available data in the bookstore and on the website and on the Grace To You website for you to get answers from the Word of God on all those issues. But there are some foundational issues that are more concerning to me than some of those behaviors and they are really the problem. And so we posed three questions that I’ve tried to answer on these three Sunday nights. The first one is “What is the source of truth? Where do we find divine truth?” Unfortunately the Charismatic Movement is more likely to see truth rising out of their own intuition and their own supposed Christian experience than rising out of Scripture. They seem to think that God speaks to them internally and they are the recipients of divine revelation.

That led to the second question, “Is God still giving revelation?” In answer to the first question, what is the source of truth, we said the Bible and only the Bible. It’s all there. That’s the once for all delivered to the saints faith, and you don’t add to it or take away from it. And is God still giving revelation? And the answer to that question we saw was no. Revelation has ceased and ended, there is no further revelation. There’s illumination by the work of the Holy Spirit. There is direction and leading, whoever belongs to Christ is led by the Holy Spirit. So we know there is providential direction that God exercises through His Holy Spirit dwelling in us on our behalf and for the purposes of God that goes on all the time. But no further divine revelation. [more…]

[ John MacArthur ]

https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-463

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“Why is it important to study the Bible in context?”

“Context is King,” many have said, buy why? When it comes to Bible study tips and proper hermeneutics, why is it important to study the Bible in context? Is studying the Bible out of context a problem? Why study the Bible in Context? In this Bible context / Bible study video, Pastor Nelson explains why studying the Bible in context is so important along with pointing out the errors that come up when one studies the Bible out of context.

[ GotQuestions ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loCTJBKRAfI

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“Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth”

Sermon
December 27, 1874
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15
From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 21

TIMOTHY was to divide rightly the word of God. This every Christian minister must do if he would make full proof of his ministry, and if he would be clear of the blood of his hearers at the last great day. Of the whole twenty years of my printed sermons, I can honestly say that this has been my aim— rightly to divide the word of truth. Wherein I have succeeded I magnify the name of the Lord, wherein I have failed I lament my faultiness. And now once more we will try again, and may God the Holy Spirit, without whose power nothing can be done aright, help us rightly to divide the word of truth.

The expression is a very remarkable one, because it bears so many phases of meaning. I do not think that any one of the figures by which I shall illustrate it will be at all strained, for they have been drawn from the text by most eminent expositors, and may fairly be taken as honest comments, even when they might be challenged as correct interpretations of the text. “Rightly dividing the word of truth” is our authorised version, but we leave it for a little to consider other renderings. Timothy was neither to mutilate, nor twist, nor torture, nor break in pieces the word, nor keep on the outside of it, as those do who never touch the soul of a text, but rightly to divide it, as one taught of God to teach others. [more…]

[ Charles Haddon Spurgeon ]

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

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Approach to Interpretation
Updated: Fri, 04/24/2020 – 17:31 By admin
Related Resources

Inductive Bible Study – Observation – What does it say?
Inductive Bible Study – Interpretation – What does it mean?
Inductive Bible Study – Application – How do I respond?
Inductive Study on the Power of God’s Word
Typology-Study of Types
A Primer on the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation
Memorizing God’s Word – Why? How? Resource links…
Navigator’s Topical Memory System (TMS)
How to Perform A Greek Word Study on the Web
Greek Tense, Voice, Mood Reference Guide
Greek Word Studies – in depth
Bible Interpretation – Figures of speech
Interpretation-Supernaturalistic, Naturalistic, Existentialistic, Dogmatic?
Bible Versions – How Literal is your translation?
Bible Commentaries – A Few Comments Thereupon!
Bibliography – Resources Quoted on preceptaustin.org

[ Precept Austin ]

https://www.preceptaustin.org/approach_to_interpretation

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“Inductive Bible Study: Interpretation”

Introduction to Inductive Bible Study – Why do it?
Observation – What does it say?
Interpretation – What does it mean?:
Application – How do I respond?
Bible Versions – How Literal is your translation?

[ Precept Austin ]

https://www.preceptaustin.org/the_key_inductive_study_pt2

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“The Bible: An Overview”

The Bible is one book with one author and one subject: Jesus Christ and His saving work. In this initial overview of the full biblical narrative, Alistair Begg helps us to see Scripture with fresh eyes, explaining the significance of each major section from creation to consummation. When we approach God’s Word, Alistair teaches, we must do so with the proper framework, examining its context and taking each individual part into account.

[ Alistair Begg ]

https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/the-bible-an-overview/

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“Finding Spiritual Wisdom, Part 2”

An educated man is one who has learned how to learn and never stops learning. But it’s important to note that spiritual wisdom differs from earthly wisdom because spiritual wisdom comes from the Spirit of Christ—from heaven.

[ Stuart Briscoe ]

https://www.tellingthetruth.org//listen/broadcast?name=finding-spiritual-wisdom-part-2&bid=508f6ad5-0f6a-4dd3-b518-ad7e069454d6

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“How to Read the Bible Everyday in 2020 (David Mathis)”

David Mathis discusses how anyone can make Bible reading a habit in 2020. He reflects on the pros and cons of New Year’s resolutions, shares why he prefers the term habits of grace rather than spiritual disciplines, and offers practical advice on making a plan to read the Bible every day.

[ David Mathis ]

Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w7nw3d04TA

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“Session 6: The Blessed Work of the Sufficient Word”

You can turn to Psalm 19. I’ll make a few comments about the opening six verses, and then we’ll take a look at this psalm. Now all the people who know me very well through the years know that Psalm 19 has been a foundational psalm in the ministry the Lord has given to me. When I first prepared to preach on this psalm many, many decades ago, I felt that this was the single-most impactful condensed presentation of the sufficiency of the Word of God anywhere on the pages of Scripture. So it became a kind of go-to chapter for me all over the world. I don’t know how many languages I have been translated in while speaking, speaking in a lot of countries around the world in English, of course, but very often translated. But I will say many, many translators through the years have translated my preaching on Psalm 19, because it is so utterly foundational. It also serves as I think a model of what expositional preaching should be; and because of that, it not only presents the truth that is contained in it, but it presents a way to deal with that truth that can be effective in preaching.

Now look, from the first time I began to preach as a very young man and I was preaching in junior high camps just at the end of my seminary days, I always felt like I needed to take a passage in the Bible and explain it. I don’t know why I was completely driven in that direction, but I assume it was because of my passion for the Word of God. I have no interest in informing people about what I think or what my opinion is or my personal testimony. I don’t use myself an illustration of anything, I just stick with the Word of God. This has been consistent through my entire life. And I have to say, the only thing I can assume is that the Holy Spirit prompted me when I don’t know that I knew enough to make that decision; but I did know that the Word of God was far more important than anything I had to say. So that has been the pathway since the very beginning.

There is a man, who is now dead, who wrote – he was a historian, a somewhat liberal historian – he wrote a historic anthology on preaching. His names is Hughes Oliphant Old, a scholastic, and he wrote about preachers through history. And he wrote about me in there, and I think it’s most interesting as a kind of accurate definition of my preaching, so I thought you might enjoy what he wrote. Now this is in a scholastic multivolume, I think seven volume anthology of the history of preachers.

This is what he wrote: “MacArthur’s rhetoric is terribly out-of-date. But maybe he knows something the rest of us don’t. Why do so many people listen to MacArthur, this product of all the wrong schools? How can he pack out a church on Sunday morning in an age in which church attendance has seriously lagged? Here is a preacher who has nothing in the way of a winning personality, good looks, or charm.” It pretty well covers all of it. “Here is a preacher who offers us nothing in the way of sophisticated homiletical packaging. No one would suggest that he is a master of the art of oratory.” And then he says this: “What he seems to have is a witness to true authority. He recognizes in Scripture the Word of God; and when he preaches, it is the Scripture that one hears. It is not that the words of John MacArthur are so interesting, as it is that the Word of God is of surpassing interest. That’s why one listens.” [more…]

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6XSI3TjA3A

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“Ten Reasons to Read the Bible Every Day”

Absolutely Essential
I have never met a mature, fruitful, strong, spiritually discerning Christian who is not full of Scripture, devoted to regular meditation on Scripture, and given to storing it in the heart through Bible memorization — and that’s not a coincidence. So, what I want to do is persuade our new believing friend that it is absolutely essential, after coming to faith in Christ, to be radically, deeply, experientially devoted — unshakably, unwaveringly persuaded — that reading and meditating on and understanding and memorizing and enjoying the Scriptures is absolutely essential for the Christian life, which would include being in the word every day with the aim that we will meet God there and, little by little, the glory of his truth will fill and transform our lives.

And that may seem obvious to them or to others, but it isn’t obvious, because I know fairly well-along Christians who don’t do this. They don’t do this, and they’ve been Christians for years, and they’re lackadaisical. They think it’s optional because they know so much already and they read so many other books. I don’t regard that as a very good habit at all. I think it’s dangerous.

Ten Reasons to Read Every Day
So, I have ten reasons that I believe this — ten reasons to make Bible reading, Bible understanding, Bible memory essential to the Christian life. Resist feelings of self-sufficiency that say, “I don’t need the Scripture every day.” Here are my ten reasons. [more…]

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/ten-reasons-to-read-the-bible-every-day

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“How Do I Become Passionate About Bible Reading?”

Regular, disciplined Bible intake is not optional for God’s people. It is God’s plan for preserving us and bringing us safely to glory.

[ John Piper ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBB8wp1KJbg

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“Lesson 6: Principles of Biblical Interpretation”

Introduction
When it comes to making claims about what the Bible means, sometimes we hear comments from Christians or non-Christians like the following: “Well, that’s just your interpretation.” “The Bible can be made to say anything you want.” “You can’t really understand the Bible. It is full of contradictions.” “No one can understand the true meaning of anything anyone says.” Or, someone sitting in a Bible study might say, “This is what the Bible means to me.” All of these types of comments are about principles of biblical interpretation also called in theological jargon hermeneutics. Welcome to our postmodern world. Pilate’s question lives on: “What is truth? (John 18:38).”

Some issues that we as Christians face regarding the topic of biblical interpretation include: How does divine inspiration and human authorship affect biblical interpretation? What does a text mean? What are some general principles of interpretation? How do we interpret the Old Testament? How do we interpret the New Testament? These are all critical questions for us to consider as we seek to become better interpreters of God’s word, the Bible.

What Does a Text Mean?
The last lesson looked at the topic of inspiration and found that the Bible is both a human book and a divine book. There are certain implications of this for biblical interpretation. The first is that the human authors had a specific historical audience, context and purpose. These authors used their own language, writing methods, style of writing and literary form of writing. The divine authorship of the Bible gives it its unity and the ultimate source of all interpretation is from God. In the book of Genesis Joseph was asked about the meaning of some divinely given dreams and he replied, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? (Gen 40:8).

So let’s just start with the most basic question. What does a text mean? The answer to this question is that a text means what the author intended it to mean. If there is only one thing you learn from this lesson this is it. For a simple example, if you wrote a letter with some statements in it that are a little ambiguous, then what does the letter mean? Does it mean what you intended it to mean or how the readers interpret it? Of course it means what you intended it to mean. The true meaning of a text resides in the authorial intent of the text. This leads us to the first primary and fundamental principle of interpreting the Bible. [more…]

[ James Davis ]

https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-6-principles-biblical-interpretation

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“Exegesis and Eisegesis – What is the difference?”

Exegesis and eisegesis, what is the difference? When it comes to practical Bible study tips, good hermeneutics demands that you not only know the difference between exegesis and eisegesis, but use the right Bible study method for accurate Bible interpretation. In this video Pastor Nelson offers an Exegesis definition and an Eisegesis definition to explain the differences. After that, he shows the different outcomes of Bible interpretation when using exegesis vs eisegesis.

[ Got Questions ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_Ca8FjSno

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“Best Commentaries on Each Book of the Bible”

I live in a small house. I work in a small office in a small church. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. When I add a book I almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity. Over the past couple of years I have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the Bible. I know when I’m in way over my head, so before I began I collected every good resource I could find that rated and reviewed commentaries. I studied them and then began my collection on the basis of what the experts told me. Since I did all of that work, and since I continue to keep up with the project, I thought it might be helpful to share the recommendations.

My focus is on newer commentaries (at least in part because most of the classics are now freely or cheaply available) and I am offering approximately 5 recommendations for each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old Testament and the New.

[ Tim Challies ]

https://www.challies.com/best-commentaries-on-each-book-of-the-bible/

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“The Chicago Statement On Biblical Inerrancy”

Introduction
During their regular quarterly meeting in February 2018, Moody Bible Institute’s Board of Trustees adopted the Short Statement (see below) of the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, as well as its Articles of Affirmation and Denial. Drafted by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, this statement has been a helpful reference in the Church’s defense of and teaching on inspiration and inerrancy of God’s Word. The faculty of Moody Bible Institute affirm the Chicago Statement in addition to our doctrinal statement and positional statements. Those who desire to study at Moody and serve in non-faculty positions are required to affirm our doctrinal statement.

The Short Statement

1) God, who is Himself Truth and speaks truth only, has inspired Holy Scripture in order thereby to reveal Himself to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Holy Scripture is God’s witness to Himself.

2) Holy Scripture, being God’s own Word, written by men prepared and superintended by His Spirit, is of infallible divine authority in all matters upon which it touches: it is to be believed, as God’s instruction, in all that it affirms; obeyed, as God’s command, in all that it requires; embraced, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises.

3) The Holy Spirit, Scripture’s divine Author, both authenticates it to us by His inward witness and opens our minds to understand its meaning.

4) Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God’s acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God’s saving grace in individual lives.

5) The authority of Scripture is inescapably impaired if this total divine inerrancy is in any way limited or disregarded, or made relative to a view of truth contrary to the Bible’s own; and such lapses bring serious loss to both the individual and the Church.

https://www.moodybible.org/beliefs/the-chicago-statement-on-biblical-inerrancy/

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“How Do I Make the Most of Daily Bible Reading?”

As you plan your Bible reading for 2019, know yourself, know your tendencies, but know most of all that you desperately need God’s word.

[ John Piper ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So61zHqhqZ

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“The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan”

Download: https://www.navigators.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Discipleship-Journal-Bible-Reading-Plan-9781617479083.pdf

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“Deep Bible Reading Strategies for the Tired and Busy”

Deep study of Scripture yields deep payoffs, but many of us can’t engage in rigorous study every day. So how do we strike a proper balance?

[ John Piper ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNc7qHXHYGU

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“Why Context, Context, Context Is So Vital for Sound Biblical Exegesis”

Over and again I emphasize on my radio program that the three most important rules for sound Biblical exegesis are 1. Context 2. Context and 3. Context. These rules are so vital that, as you are about to see, they could save you a lot of heartache and remorse. Below is a photo taken by a listener at a local organic grocery store of a shelf full of products with the name Ezekiel 4:9.

1379425_583092268393828_765154446_n

Clearly the makers of these products consider themselves to be selling healthy “Biblical Cereals” and who could argue with that? If you open your Bible and read the verse that is printed on the box it says,

“And you [Ezekiel], take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and emmer, and put them into a single vessel and make your bread from them.”

The verse seems to be prescribing a healthy recipe directly from the LORD Himself, right? Wrong!

If you read this entire passage in context you will discover that there is a secret ingredient that the makers of Ezekiel 4:9 strategically omitted. Had they named their products Ezekiel 4:9-15 there isn’t a person on the planet who’d want to purchase, yet alone eat these cereals. Here’s the full context:

““And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and emmer, and put them into a single vessel and make your bread from them. During the number of days that you lie on your side, 390 days, you shall eat it. And your food that you eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from day to day you shall eat it. And water you shall drink by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from day to day you shall drink. And you shall eat it as a barley cake, baking it in their sight on human dung.” And the LORD said, “Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations where I will drive them.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I have never defiled myself. From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth.” Then he said to me, “See, I assign to you cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.” (Ezekiel 4:9–15)

Now do you see why context, context, context is so vital for sound Biblical Exegesis?

[ Chris Rosebrough ]

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“Context, Context, Context”

[ Chris Rosebrough ]

Podcast: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2012/12/context-context-context

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“A.P.T.A.T. – A STRATEGY FOR DAILY BIBLE READING”

How do we begin reading the Bible supernaturally? God is certainly not under our power to control or manipulate him into helping us. Nevertheless, by his own grace, God loves to help his children understand his word. So how are we to set out Bible reading so that we read and think in dependence on God’s supernatural help at every moment?

John Piper’s acronym A.P.T.A.T. gives practical steps to walk in God’s power whenever you open your Bible:

Admit you can do nothing without God (John 15:5).
Pray for help (Psalm 50:15).
Trust a specific promise (2 Chronicles 20:20).
Act (Philippians 2:12–13).
Thank God for his provision and goodness (Psalm 106:1).
Watch the five-minute video above, where John Piper unpacks each of these five steps and applies them to the supernatural task of reading the Bible.

https://www.desiringgod.org/a-p-t-a-t

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“How Does the Holy Spirit Guide the Believer?”

The Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter” or “Helper” by Jesus. Indeed, He both helps and comforts us when we need Him. We are also told that the Spirit of God guides or leads believers into God’s truth. It is important that we understand how this happens. A number of observations need to be made.

God’s Spirit Guides the Believer
The Apostle Paul emphasized that it is God’s Spirit that leads, or guides, His children. He wrote to the Romans

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God (Romans 8:14 NLT).
We are guided by the Spirit of God.

God’s Guidance Keeps Us from Sinning
If a person lives under the control of the Holy Spirit they will not fulfill their sinful desires. Paul wrote to the Galatians.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 ESV).
Thus, when the Spirit controls us we do the things which are pleasing to Him.

Paul then gave the Galatians these encouraging words.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25 ESV).
The Spirit of God will guide those who have believed.

It Was a Sin Not to Have the Guidance of the Spirit
In the Old Testament, the Lord made it clear that the nation had to consult Him for guidance. The prophet Isaiah recorded Him saying.

“Destruction is certain for my rebellious children,” says the LORD. “You make plans that are contrary to my will. You weave a web of plans that are not from my Spirit, thus piling up your sins” (Isaiah 30:1 NLT).
According to this verse, these believers were sinning by not allowing the Holy Spirit to guide them. Thus, when we refuse to allow the Spirit of God to guide we are sinning.

Unbelievers Have a Spiritual Blindfold: They Cannot Be Guided
The Bible reveals to us that Satan has put a spiritual blindfold over the minds of those who do not believe. They are not able to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote the following to the Corinthians.

But if, in fact, our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Regarding them: the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 HCSB).
Once a person trusts Jesus Christ, the satanic blindfold is removed and the Holy Spirit begins the work of illuminating the meaning of Scripture to their newly believing mind. This helps them better understand the things of God.

Thus, it is clear that the Holy Spirit does guide the believer in Jesus Christ. The issue now concerns how He directs us. What does He do to guide us?

He Guides in a Number of Different Ways
We find the guidance of the Holy Spirit comes in a number of different ways. They include the following.

The Holy Spirit Guides the Believer into Truth
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come and guide the believer into all truth. John records Him saying.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come (John 16:13 ESV).
God’s Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He will lead us into the truth.

The Holy Spirit Allows Believers to Understand the Things of God
The Apostle Paul wrote that we are able to know the things of God through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He put it this way.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God (1 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV).
We can now have a better understanding of the things of God because of the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Holy Spirit Leads People Where to Go
The Bible says that the Holy Spirit guides the believer in their personal lives. We are told that Philip the evangelist was guided by the Spirit of God to preach the good news to the Ethiopian eunuch.

And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot” (Acts 8:27-29 ESV).
He shows us where we should go.

The Holy Spirit Sets People Apart for Ministry
The Holy Spirit spoke to the people at church in Antioch. He told them to set apart two men for the ministry. The Book of Acts records the following.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus (Acts 13:2-4 NIV).
Believers have been set apart to do God’s ministry.

The Holy Spirit Sometimes Stops the Plans of Believers
Later in the Book of Acts, we read of the Holy Spirit actually stopping people from going to Asia. Scripture says.

They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia (Acts 16:6 NASB).
This teaches us that God may sometime stop our plans because He has something better in mind. We must always be aware that this may occur.

The Holy Spirit May Guide into Difficult Circumstances
We find an example of the Holy Spirit leading the Apostle Paul into suffering and jail. The Book of Acts records it in this manner.

And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me (Acts 20:22, 23 NRSV).
Therefore, it is possible that the Holy Spirit, for reasons known only to God, could guide believers into areas where they will suffer and be persecuted.

We know that God’s ways are not our ways. The prophet Isaiah recorded the Lord saying these important words.

“My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).
God’s ways are different than ours. We must always respect this. Often He will work in ways in which we did not expect or imagine. However, He always knows best.

In sum, we can say that God’s Spirit will guide the believer in Jesus Christ if we allow Him to do so. There are a number of ways in which He does this. Consequently, we need to be aware of the various ways and means by which He will guide us.

Summary – Question 20
How Does the Holy Spirit Guide the Believer?
We all need spiritual guidance. The Bible says the Holy Spirit guides those who have believed in Jesus Christ. In fact, the Bible says that it is a sin to reject the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is He alone who can guide us on the right spiritual paths.

However, the Bible says that Satan has put a spiritual blindfold on those who have not believed in Jesus. They have no spiritual guidance. But once a person becomes a Christian that blindfold is removed. At that time, the Holy Spirit can then guide those who have believed in Christ.

From the New Testament, we find that He guides Christians in a number of ways.

First, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the believer into all truth. The Spirit of God leads believers to the truth of God. This truth is found today in His written Word, the Bible.

He also guides believers in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He helps us understand the deep things of God. These are truths we did not previously understand. These truths will help us form a deeper relationship with Christ.

Scripture also says that the Holy Spirit leads people where they are to go. The Bible gives examples of the Spirit guiding the steps of people.

We are told that He sets people apart for the ministry. He gifts certain people to do His work.

Sometimes, He even stops the plans of believers. This is because He has a better plan for us. We must allow Him to stop us from doing certain things so that we can be placed in a better situation.

In one instance, the Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to a situation where he would suffer and be persecuted. This was under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Thus, we see that the Spirit will indeed guide us but He will guide us His way, not ours. We must, therefore, submit to Him for that guidance. We should not attempt to guide ourselves.

[ Don Stewart ]

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“I Read the Bible and Feel Nothing — What Should I Do?”

When you don’t feel affections for God while reading your Bible, Pastor John counsels that you apply your heart.

[ John Piper ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Odypthz9aI

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“E.A.S.Y. Bible Study Method”

Hey Friends! Here is my new E.A.S.Y. Bible Study Method! This method is for those of you who are a new believer, new to reading the Bible, needing a new Bible study method, or want to disciple someone and teach them how to study the Bible! This is a super easy way to study the Bible :) I hope this will help you get into the word! Let me know how it goes in the comments:
All glory to God!

Enter into the story/original context
Assess the simple truth (main idea’ theme) in the passage
Seek God (his character, attributes, names, actions, etc.)
Yearn for a heart change and deep intimacy with Jesus

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN3mQG-MMGc

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“How To Study The Bible”

[ Charles Stanley ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7anmibRvf7E

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“Journey to Jesus – How to Study Your Bible”

In Part 1 of this Bible study workshop, Anne Graham Lotz presents the simple 3-question Bible study method the she uses to study the Bible. It is designed to lead you on a journey through Scripture to a fresh encounter with Jesus. It can be used for individual or group study.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgbKXJ2W8U4

In Part 2 of this Bible study workshop, Anne Graham Lotz practices with a live audience the simple 3-question Bible study method taught in Part 1. As you apply this simple methodology to your own study of Scripture, it will lead you on a journey to a fresh encounter with Jesus. These videos can be used for individual or group study.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEta44TSn_A

[ Anne Graham Lotz ]

Download: https://www.annegrahamlotz.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/3-Question-Bible-Study-Worksheet-Sample.pdf

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“Are You Reading or Feeding on God’s Word?”

[ John MacArthur ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C78M7MIotqA

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“Why should we read the Bible / study the Bible?”

Why should we read the Bible / study the Bible? What is the value in reading the Bible for yourself?

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t1-VK3_CNU

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“This is Why You Need To Read The Bible!”

Get to know the Word of God.
B.I.B.L.E. = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9JOsxnFx-I

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“Jordan Peterson and the Hyperlink Visualization Map of the Bible”

I want to show you a picture. This is an amazing picture.

So let me tell you what this is. So, the Bible is the world’s first hyperlinked document. So what you see at the bottom—there’s a line along the bottom. And then there’s small lines coming down from it, okay? Each of those
the line has dots on it each chalk is a is a verse, okay? And then there’s a line associated with the verse that’s a varying length. And the length corresponds to how many times that verse is cross-referenced somewhere else in the document. And then these rainbow-colored lines are the cross references.

So now, that’s really worth thinking about. So then you think well that book is deep. Well, why is it deep? Well, it’s because every single thing in it refers to every other thing! It’s connected like your brain is connected. Like, it’s not a
linear document.

And the really the thing is a book is a very strange thing right? Because when you or even a story. Because when you lay out the story, in some sense you’re like god, you’re outside of the space and time of the story. And so you
can adjust the end to make the beginning different.

You know how, if you watch a movie and then it’s got a surprise ending it changes the beginning. You thought the beginning was one thing but
it isn’t it’s something else.

Well, when you lay out a story you can fiddle with the story anywhere in the story. And you can also make something that happens before dependent on something that happens after—which is very strange. And that’s what’s happened with the Bible. Because people have worked on it worked on it worked on it worked on it trying to synthesize it and make it coherent and make it make sense. And so they’re continually connecting everything that’s inside of it to everything else. And so you end up with a document map that looks like that.

You might say, “Well where is the meaning in the literary work?” The answer is it’s in the words. Word by word, it’s in the phrases. It’s in the sentences. It’s in the relationship of the sentences to each other. It’s in the relationship of the sentences within paragraphs. It’s in the relationship of the paragraphs within the contexts of the chapters. And it’s in the relationship between the chapters and the whole book. And then the book in the whole culture.

[ Jordan Peterson ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzzyFCg_OeU

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“Bible Cross-References”
(Visualizing the Bible)

This set of visualizations started as a collaboration between Christoph Römhild and myself. Christoph, a Lutheran Pastor, first emailed me in October of 2007. He described a data set he was putting together that defined textual cross references found in the Bible. He had already done considerable work visualizing the data before contacting me. Together, we struggled to find an elegant solution to render the data, more than 63,000 cross references in total. As work progressed, it became clear that an interactive visualization would be needed to properly explore the data, where users could zoom in and prune down the information to manageable levels. However, this was less interesting to us, as several Bible-exploration programs existed that offered similar functionality (and much more). Instead we set our sights on the other end of the spectrum –- something more beautiful than functional. At the same time, we wanted something that honored and revealed the complexity of the data at every level –- as one leans in, smaller details should become visible. This ultimately led us to the multi-colored arc diagram you see below.

The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc – the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect.

[ Chris Harrison ]

Article: https://www.chrisharrison.net/index.php/Visualizations/BibleViz

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMHU0YsgO0M

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“(viz.)BIBLE”

Remaking An Influential Cross Reference Visualization
Posted Apr 2015 in Passages by Robert 7 Comments

When I first began exploring the subject of data visualization, I had no idea how much one piece of data-driven artwork could inspire me. I had collected a lot of bible-related data by then and was looking for ways to represent it visually. Then, I discovered a wonderfully complex, colorful piece of art with a simple message about the interconnectedness of scripture. It struck me deeply and has led to more ideas, some of which you’ve already seen on this blog, and many others which are yet to be created.

Chris Harrison, in collaboration with Christoph Römhild, developed this visualization to show more than 63,000 cross references. The bars along the bottom indicate the length of each chapter. Colors indicate the distance between chapters. Here’s how he describes it:

We set our sights on […] something more beautiful than functional. At the same time, we wanted something that honored and revealed the complexity of the data at every level –- as one leans in, smaller details should become visible.

Initially I stared at it for days. I glanced at it regularly for a long time after that as it sat on my desktop background. Then, I began thinking of how I could do something similar with my unique perspective and skills.

Variations Large and Small
It seems others have had the same thought. I have seen visualizations which follow similar patterns—some a nearly literal copy, others entirely different in form but similar in content and complexity.

The first two images above are from OpenBible.info which regularly shares popular data visualizations. The third is a project called Similar Diversity connecting words from the holy books of five major religions.

An Interactive Remake
Below is my remake using Tableau. Click the bars at the bottom to highlight a book.

I felt Mr. Harrison’s original design needed no improvement other than to add interactivity where practical. Like the OpenBible.info visualizations, I am using R.A. Torrey’s Treasury of Scripture Knowledge to analyze over 340,000 connections.

Handling that much data interactively has its challenges. Tableau can easily query it but cannot efficiently display it all at once. To address that issue, verse-by-verse connections are rolled up the chapter level, then filtered down to only show the most relevant connections. One other difference between this and Mr. Harrison’s original is the color choice. I colored each line by book rather than textual distance in order to enhance contrast when highlighting.

How Is This Useful?

Clicking through several books has led me to some very helpful insights about how this cross reference data set is put together and the impact it may have on applications which use it. Anyone who has seriously studied the book of Revelation knows it is filled end-to-end with symbols referencing the Old Testament. However, there aren’t many links to those books in this data.The Gospels, though they describe the fulfillments of many messianic prophecies, have few links to prophetic books. Why is that?

Browsing around some other books and going back to the original index by Torrey gives us a clue. Genesis and Psalms cover the span of the Bible because they cover a full range of topics. By contrast, revelation is very specifically apocalyptic and only shows strong connections to end-times passages. And, there’s our answer: R.A. Torrey based his indexing system primarily on the topic of the passages, not on quotations from or specific references to each other. This also explains how there can be hundreds of thousands of links, averaging close to 11 for every verse in the Bible.

Here, visualizing the data has done its job. We may expect to see links between passages based on the kinds of links normally found in modern study Bibles. But, data visualization isn’t always about showing us exactly what we expect. It’s about showing what’s there and sometimes highlighting the unexpected. With this in hand we can refine the data in much the same way God refines us (see 1 John 1) – by shining light on the situation and rooting out what shouldn’t be there.

https://viz.bible/remaking-influential-cross-reference-visualization/

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“How to Study Your Bible”

Truly the Bible is magnificent. Early twentieth-century evangelist Billy Sunday pictured the Bible like a majestic palace. He wrote,

I entered through the portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament’s art gallery, where I saw the portraits of Joseph, Jacob, Daniel, Moses, Isaiah, Solomon and David hanging on the wall; I entered the music room of the Psalms and the Spirit of God struck the keyboard of my nature until it seemed to me that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ of nature responded to the harp of David, and the charm of King Solomon in his moods.

I walked into the business house of Proverbs. [more…]

[ John MacArthur ]

Teaching: https://www.gty.org/library/articles/45STUDY/how-to-study-your-bible

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“How to Get the Most from God’s Word”

Revitalize Your Study of God’s Word

It has the power to look deep inside you, comfort your hurts, uncover hidden faults, reveal secret motives, expose sin, and offer you the counsel and help you need.

Yet for many Christians, God’s Word goes largely untapped. Without a working knowledge of what the Bible is, what it can do, how it changes us, and how to study it, we live on table scraps when a spiritual banquet is ours for the taking.

In How to Get the Most from God’s Word, John MacArthur helps revitalize your experience with Scripture by offering practical study principles and exploring the Bible’s claims about its own power, reliability, authority, and sufficiency. Take a step toward knowing, loving, and living God’s Word more deeply in this life-changing series.

[ John MacArthur ]

Study Series: https://www.gty.org/store/topical-series-store/247/how-to-get-the-most-from-gods-word

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“John Mac Arthur 2017- THE CHARACTER OF GOD’S WORD”

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHlfYYXbMbI

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“John Mac Arthur 2017- HOW TO STUDY YOUR BIBLE: INTERPRETATION”

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6HOKRb-p_4

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“John Mac Arthur 2017- HOW TO STUDY YOUR BIBLE: CLOSING THE GAPS”

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnv6dSJCJUE

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The Infographic Bible: Visualising the Drama of God’s Word”
By: Karen Sawrey

This book doesn’t just tell you the story—it shows you the story. Powerful infographics reveal new beauty and depth of understanding as you engage with Scripture’s story in a fresh, visual way. Taking inspiration from the imagery Jesus evoked with His picturesque parables, The Infographic Bible reveals the character of God, his Word, and his redemptive plan in 84 stunning infographics. In this pioneering book, Karen Sawrey shows us the Bible in a completely unique way. Through the collaboration of a far-reaching field of experts, these powerful infographics reveal new beauty, meaning and connections in the key biblical themes and narratives, bringing the word of God to life on the page.

Contributors include 24-7 Prayer, Worship Central, Mark Marx from Healing on the Streets, Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing of The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, Dr. Ruth Bancewicz from The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, the World Christian Database, Alan Hirsch of 100 Movements, Reverend Graham Singh from Church Planting Canada, Reverend Dr. Ian Paul, Dr. Max Botner, Nick Page and Professor James Crossley.

Features:

– Scripture excerpts from the New Revised Standard Version, the New King James Version, and the Good News Translation
– 84 stunning infographics explain the character of God, his Word, and his redemptive plan
– Durable cover with foil accents
– Heavy, bright white paper
– 2019 Kantar Information is Beautiful Awards bronze award winner in the category of Arts, Entertainment and Culture

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“Jesus In Every Book of the Bible”

“That is why Jesus is the central figure from beginning to end he is the beginning and the end and everything in between. He is the Alpha and the Omega and the rest of the alphabet. He is the only true revelation of God and no one else is the revelation of God other than Jesus the Christ. And you can find him in every book of the Bible every book of the Bible…If you have the spiritual eyes to see it.

In the book of Genesis he is the seed of the woman that the father promised Adam and Eve in Exodus his the Passover lamb in Leviticus he is the high priest in numbers he is the smitten Rock in Deuteronomy he is the prophet and in Joshua he is the captain of the Lord of Hosts in Judges he is a creator and the final judge and Ruth he is the heavenly kinsman redeemer in Samuel he is the anointed in Kings he is the king of kings and the Lord of lords in Chronicles he is the glory of God in the temple in Ezra he is a teacher comes from God in Nehemiah he is the rebuilder of broken lives in Esther he is the protector of his people in Job he’s the only comforter in times of trouble in song he’s our Good Shepherd in Proverbs he is the wisdom of God in Ecclesiastes he is the preacher of the kingdom of God in the Song of Songs he is the bridegroom is coming to his bride the church in Isaiah he is the mighty God everlasting father Prince of Peace in Jeremiah he is the Potter who shapes the clay of our lives into the image of God in Lamentations he is the weeping prophet in Ezekiel he is the wheel inside the wheel in Daniel he is the son of man coming on clouds of great glory and he’s the fourth person in the fiery furnace in Hosea he is the love of God to the backslider in Joel he is the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Amos he is the author of judgment and mercy in Obadiah he is the god of vengeance in Jonah he is the salvation of our Lord in Micah he is the great intercessor in Nahum he is the stronghold in the days of trouble in Habakkuk he is the god of mercy in Zephaniah he is establish of the kingdom of God upon the earth in Haggai he is the desire of all nations and in Zechariah he is the branch of Jehovah in Malachi the last book of the Old Testament he is the refiners fire the Sun of righteousness that shall rise over all the world with healing in his wings.

“and that’s announcing for over two thousand years that is coming that’s who he is look for those characteristics in him when he arrived look for look for him look for him some did and believed many didn’t because they wanted a messiah that fits them just lau we wanted jesus who agrees with us someone said that god created man in his own image and now we have returned the favor and created a God in our own image beloved don’t be be immobile from the truth of the gospel and that is why when Jesus showed up he said before Abraham was I am I am that word should have really giving them goosebumps it should have reminded them that this is the very God who appeared to Moses at the burning bush and when Moses said what do I tell them who sent me he said tell them I am sent you and when Jesus said I am they should have jumped all over the place to welcome him as their Messiah but they didn’t. And that is why in the New Testament you see with clarity of course no symbolism it’s in clarity.

“You see him in Matthew as a kingly Messiah in Mark he is the miracle worker in Luke he is the great physician in John he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world in Acts he is the risen Lord in Romans he is our justification in Corinthians he is our sanctification in Galatians he is our liberation in Ephesians he is our perfection in Philippians he is our joy in Colossians he is the head of the body the church in Thessalonians he is the coming Lord who reign and rule forever in timothy he is the judge of all men in Titus he is the Redeemer of the world in Philemon he is the friend that you’re closer than a brother in Hebrews he is the author and the finisher of our salvation in James he is the healer of all nations in Peter he is the chief shepherd and the Bishop of our souls in John’s epistles he is the word of God in Jude he is the coming Lord with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon the earth in Revelation he is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of Jesse the root of David the Lamb of God the Word of God the king of kings and the Lord of lords.”

[ Michael Youssef ]

Sermon:

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“The BIG Story” Series
(at Faith Covenant Church in 2010)

“The BIG Story” Sermon Series “Teaser” Video
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6NHkL54xXE

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“The BIG Story” – Week 1 – Creation | The Visible ‘Nature’ of God
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux3DqrlV_VY

“The BIG Story” – Week 1 – Creation | God Creates [Video]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGDri9X9nSs

“The BIG Story” – Week 1 – Creation | God Creates [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtGKpeuYkno

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“The BIG Story” – Week 2 – The Fall | God Redeems [Video]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KowEemccd-8

“The BIG Story” – Week 2 – The Fall | God Redeems [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5njsa2sxow

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“The BIG Story” – Week 3 – Abraham | God Calls [Video]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGB14xP6T2k

“The BIG Story” – Week 3 – Abraham | God Calls [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn7KEKB9TxA

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“The BIG Story” – Week 4 – Moses | God Rescues [Video]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfAGjf-2mO4

“The BIG Story” – Week 4 – Moses | God Rescues [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJtRH0W_BUA

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“The BIG Story” – Week 5 – Joshua | God Provides [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlLc-IfNXik

“The BIG Story” – Week 5 – Joshua | God Provides [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vvls0VyNYg

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“The BIG Story” – Week 6 – David | God Blesses [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYjpAmdauNo

“The BIG Story” – Week 6 – David | God Blesses [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f45jczCYc7o

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“The BIG Story” – Week 7 – Isaiah | God Promises [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OxMqrA8JMc

“The BIG Story” – Week 7 – Isaiah | God Promises [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm7Rb4K4-Aw

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“The BIG Story” – Week 8 – John the Baptist | God Prepares [VIDEO 1 of 2]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM90zBhg0DQ

“The BIG Story” – Week 8 – John the Baptist | God Prepares [VIDEO 2 of 2]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIFMofe-dzw

“The BIG Story” – Week 8 – John the Baptist | God Prepares [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo3D_RmSKL0

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“The BIG Story” – Week 9 – Jesus | God Teaches [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZVvCHmC42Y

“The BIG Story” – Week 9 – Jesus | God Teaches [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZVvCHmC42Y

———-

“The BIG Story” – Week 10 – Jesus | God Loves [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kfCBYd84BI

“The BIG Story” – Week 10 – Jesus | God Loves [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl3ADgF7W9E

———-

“The BIG Story” – Week 11 – Jesus | God Saves [VIDEO 1 of 2]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPr2w74UGIs

“The BIG Story” – Week 11 – Jesus | God Saves [VIDEO 2 of 2]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzY8FDeY0-k

“The BIG Story” – Week 11 – Jesus | God Saves [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdiOlGHnClA

———-

“The BIG Story” – Week 12 – Pentecost | God Empowers [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7XOPZzl2bA

“The BIG Story” – Week 12 – Pentecost | God Empowers [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHCbiMb4WRc

———-

“The BIG Story” – Week 13 – Paul | God Invites [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6taJxn8JuU

“The BIG Story” – Week 13 – Paul | God Invites [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ_9SQdL1Uo

———-

“The BIG Story” – Week 14 – John | God Welcomes [VIDEO]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYMhtudCsN4

“The BIG Story” – Week 14 – John | God Welcomes [PPT]
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axxF9vkXqEA

———-

Playlist:
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6NHkL54xXE&list=PL36481E5533D3A68F

[ Faith Covenant Church, Farmington Hills, Michigan – https://www.4fcc.org/ ]

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SONGS:

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“How Firm a Foundation”

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health,
in poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth,
at home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
as days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

[ Francis Ortega sings a John Rippon hymn ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLDWfnfI5Dc

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“Basic Instructions”

Basic Instructions before leaving earth …

For God so much loved the world
That He gave His one and only Son
That whoever believeth in Him
Shall not die but live on

Living on …
Through the Son
Peace almighty
Living on
Let your heart go
To the one

Yes the road is narrow
Yes the road is tough
But whoever remaineth in Him
Shall not die, but live on

Living on …
Through the Son
Peace almighty
Living on
Let your heart go
To the one

Basic Instructions before leaving earth.

[ Burlap To Cashmere ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7GJ4CKFTrs

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“A Bible And A Belt”

They were both made of leather
Both black and fraid and warm
I was brought up to respect them
Since the day that I was born
One came here for minglin’
It’s been handed down for years
The other one was ordered from
A catalogue at Sears
When my mama read to me
Well, I was well into my teens
And I thought all the other one was for
Was to hold up daddy’s jeans
Till I told a lie and learned
It had another purpose too
And behind the shed, my daddy said
Does it hurt me more than you?

‘Cause one had my daddy’s name on it
The other said King James
With love they taught us lessons
But we feared them both the same
One led us to heaven
And the other hurt like hell
But those were the days when kids were raised
With a Bible and a belt

I remember when I was twelve
I stole a dime store comic book
And how mama read what the scripture said
To take back what I took
When I refused my daddy took
My arm and said “come on”
I needed more, he knew than just Matthew
Mark, Luke and John
Sometimes it made me cry
Sometimes it made me frightened mad
I wish I’ve been raised without them
Like some other children had
But now I’m grown with kids of my own
And I know just how they felt
And though it seems to me that what the world still needs
Is a Bible and a belt

‘Cause one had my daddy’s name on it
The other said King James
With love they taught us lessons
But we feared them both the same
One led us to heaven
And the other hurt like hell
But those were the days when kids were raised
With a Bible and a belt
A Bible and a belt

[ Joey + Rory ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgrhTltAQlc

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“Precious Bible! What a Treasure”

Precious Bible! what a treasure
Does the Word of God afford!
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and tonic, shield and sword;
Let the world account me poor
Having this I need no more.
Precious Bible! what a treasure from the Lord.

When my faith is faint and sickly
Or when Satan wounds my mind
Tonics to revive me quickly,
Healing medicines I find;
To the promises I flee,
Each affords a remedy
Precious Bible! Spirit’s power, set me free.

In the hour of dark temptation
Satan cannot make me yield
For the word of consolation
Is to me a mighty shield;
While the Scripture truths are sure
From his malice I’m secure.
Precious Bible! light of life I need no more.

Vain his threats to overcome me
When I take the Spirit’s sword;
Then with ease I drive him from me,
Satan trembles at the word;
‘Tis a sword for conquest made-
Keen the edge and strong the blade.
Precious Bible! in my hand I’m not afraid.
Precious Bible! in my heart I’m not afraid.

[ Breath of Life ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm9GXK2aJs

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“Precious Old Bible”

What light is that shining so brightly for me?
That gives me such courage, the right way to see.
What hope for my trusting soul ever shall be?
God’s wonderful Book Divine.

I love the old Bible, Precious old Bible.
Light on my pathway to shine.
It keeps me so happy, Always so happy.
God’s wonderful Book Divine.

What hope for the traveler when strength’s almost gone?
That makes him determined to keep plodding on.
What sweet consolation from Heaven’s white throne?
God’s wonderful Book Divine.

I love the old Bible, Blessed old Bible.
Light on my pathway to shine.
It keeps me so happy, always so happy.
God’s wonderful Book Divine.

What chart can you trust as a guide for your soul?
When tempests would strand you on some treacherous shore.
What compass will point you to Heaven’s bright door?
God’s wonderful Book Divine.

I love the old Bible, Old King James Bible.
Light on my pathway it shines.
It keeps me so happy, Always so happy.
God’s wonderful Book Divine.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkp6SvCjN5s

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“The Precious Old Book”

Though the cover is worn
And the pages are torn
And places bear traces of tears,
Yet more precious than gold
Is the Book worn and old,
That can shatter and scatter my fears.

When I prayerfully look
In the precious old Book,
As my eyes scan the pages I see,
Many tokens of love
From the Father above,
Who is nearest and dearest to me.

This old Book is my guide,
‘Tis a friend by my side,
It will lighten and brighten my way;
And each promise I find
Soothes and gladdens my mind
As I read it and heed it each day.

Oh, wonderful, wonder Word of the Lord,
True wisdom its pages unfold,
And though we may read it a thousand times o’er,
They never, no never grow old.

Each line hath a treasure, each treasure a pearl,
That all, if they will, may secure;
And we know that when time and the world pass away,
God’s Word shall forever endure.

God’s Word is like a deep, deep mine,
And jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths
For every searcher there.

[ Bernice Peyman ]

Video: https://youtu.be/Tqyu51lCLmo?t=25

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APOLOGETIX SONGS

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“Lotsa Versions”
(Parody of “Like a Virgin” performed by Madonna)

I went onto the Internet
For Bible-reading group
Did you know there’s a lot of versions
It’s alphabet soup
NIV, NLT
NAS and ESV, too
Well, it made me feel
Yeah, it made me feel
Kinda confused

Lotsa versions
Watch for the various kinds
Lotsa versions
When you start to read, if you find

You wanna get them all at once, boy
Now here’s a place for that
BibleGateway is awesome, dude
And BibleHub’s a blast
Yes, you’ll find — them online
They’re dot coms
Yeah, they made me bold
‘Cause they left no doubt
That the Lord’s Word now
Wasn’t dead and cold

Lotsa versions – hey
But they sorted every verse line
Lotsa versions – if it’s hard to read, check a few kinds

Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh (ah!)
Whoa oh oh oh oh

Yes, you’ll find it’s divine
It endures till the end of time
And it may seem weird
But they made things clear
With dozens of kinds

Lotsa versions – hey — but that’s a very good sign
Lotsa versions – lets you always check each line
Lotsa versions – ooh ooh ooh ooh – lotsa versions
King James wouldn’t mind
When you start to read
And it’s hard to read
Take it from me
Oh oh — oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh – oh oh

[ Apologetix – “Quilt” album ]

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“The Books God Made You’re Mockin’”
(Parody of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra)

You keep sayin’ the truth God spoke is phony
(And) some things you call us I can’t list
You’ve been impressin’ men who could’ve been in Heaven
They’ll go somewhere else regrettin’ all they’ve missed

These books God made you’re mockin’
Perhaps you doubt they’re true
One of these days these books are gonna shock all those who do
(Yeah)

You keep lyin’ about what God has put the truth in
And you’ve leafed through it but you’ve probably not read
You keep sayin’ things you oughta be ashamed of
Well, the Bible’s right, but you ain’t seen quite yet

These books God made you’re mockin’
Perhaps you doubt they’re true
One of these days these books are gonna shock all those who do

You keep strayin’ when you should’ve been a-prayin’
And you keep thinkin’ that He’ll never return (Hah!)
I suggest you start reading in the book of Matthew, yeah
From what we know, you ain’t got time to burn

These books God made you’re mockin’
Perhaps you doubt they’re true
One of these days these books are gonna shock all those who do
Have you read the Book?
Ssstop talkin’!
Proverbs 30:6
Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

[ Apologetix – “Quilt” album ]

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“He Spoke”
(Parody of “The Stroke” by Billy Squier)

Now everybody have you heard?
It was in the beginning that He spoke the Word
Don’t tangle with Him
He don’t take no jive
It’s not a verse for children
Grab your Bible and

Woo!

Could you write it out?
Give a first-hand take?
You talk to me
About that one big bang
Spread your e-volution
Both far and wide
It’s just a substitution
Not good science

God has spoken
Could be you didn’t know it’s true, but you will
God has spoken (Spoke!)
God has spoken
It’s that enough for now
God has spoken
Say I’m a ninny
But, man, we’re just beginning now

But you left God out
We came from outer space?
From where did we
Arrive in the first place?
Would you like to bet me?
I think my black book’s right
I wish you’d finally let me
Speak my mind, because

God has spoken
And these revisionists all got it wrong
God has spoken (Spoke!)
God has spoken
You’re so forgetful, boy
God has spoken
Say I’m too literal
Man, but just consider now

(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)

Evolution now
I said it ain’t no joke
It’s a conscious rebellion
Against the truth He spoke
What don’t make no sense is
You keep denyin’ God
Why do you get defensive
If He’s not listenin’?

God has spoken (Spoke! Spoke!)
God has spoken (Spoke! Spoke!)
God has spoken (Spoke! Spoke!)
God has spoken (Spoke!)
Knew it!
God has spoken (Spoke!)
God has spoken
Preach on!
God has spoken (Spoke!)
Can’t ignore it!
(Spoke!)
God has spoken
Say I’m a criminal
Man, but you should simmer down

[ ApologetiX – “Play Nice” album ]

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“I Found the Answer There”
(Parody of “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles)

Want to read more!
Well, see, in Acts 17
The dudes were known as Bereans
And they read the Book
Each day when Paul was there
Now all of them are our brothers
‘Cause they saw the answer there
Well, 1 Pete, 3:15
Tells me – we should be
Ready for the ones
That call on us to share
Why we have plans for forever
‘Cause we saw the answer there
Well, you start that book
With a heart that looks
And an open-ended mind
Well, we can’t prove what’s right
If we don’t know what’s inside
So before too long we all should learn the Word
Now is your chance to discover
How I saw the answer there
LEAD
REPEAT THIRD VERSE

[ ApologetiX – “Isn’t, Wasn’t, Ain’t” album ]

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“(Check Out) The Book”
(Parody of: “The Look” by Roxette)

God has got a plan, and He always had it
He’s revealed it to man – very, very simple
If you wanna find out – check out the Book
Heaven is found in between the covers
Take a look around; is there any other
Book that’s like the Bible? Check out the Book
Check out the Book, Check out the Book
How can the world just say the Bible isn’t true
They never think to read the Book the whole way through But we say, na na na na … Check out the book! Existentialist people’ve never read it
But there’s just one way,
So they reach a dead end
Should have got the map out – check out the Book
Make your arguments, but I recommend
Before you take your stance, make sure that you’ve read it Study for the test, man – check out the Book
Try to understand: you can go to Heaven
It’s a sure-fire plan, guaranteed forever
What are you afraid of? Check out the Book

[ ApologetiX – “Radical History Tour” album ]

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“Message In The Bible”
(Parody of “Message in a Bottle” by the Police )

Oh! There’s a vast array of idle philosophies, oh
They want to know the way, but no one’s here but Me, though
More holiness than any man could bear
Yes, you see the door to follow through is narrow

I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I hope that someone gets My
I hope that some will get My
I know that some will get My
Message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, yeah

The years have passed since I wrote My quotes
I sent them notice right from the start
The Holy Ghost can teach them the rest, though
Let Him in your life, illuminate your heart

I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I hope that someone gets My
I hope that some will get My
I know that some will get My
Message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, yeah
Ohhhhh, message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, yeah

Wrote down these warnings – they don’t believe in My Law
100 million Bibles tossed out and ignored
Seems a lot of folks are reading it, though
And it will not pass away – look there for some hope

I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I hope that someone gets My
I hope that some will get My
I know that some will get My
Message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, whoa
Message in the Bible, whoa
Message in the Bible, yeah
Sending down My S-o-n
Sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
Sending down My S-o-n
Sending down My S-o-n

[ ApologetiX – “Only a Glorified Cover Band” album ]

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“Good News Bookie”
(Parody of: “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” by Brooks & Dunn)

Across the country in every city of any size
Well, there’s a hotel room with a Gideon’s Bible
The drawer gets opened and a Bible is always found
It’s got history, wisdom, music and poems
It’s where you can find some hope ‘cause it’s a Good News Bookie
We got a good God, He ain’t hard to discover
When I get a Bible, I read it cover to cover
I find me that big black book and get the Lord’s advice
If you’re tryin’ to find the way, read it right away
Plop down with the book – read the Good News Bookie
Whoa! Years ago, don’t ya know God almighty wrote the Good News
Whoa! Bible is fact, Jack, and it’s gonna outlast those other books
Whoa! It’s found all around every town – Good News Bookie
My friend just asked me, he said, “John, what about me?
“I want a copy of that leather-bonded bookie that you read
“I just was wonderin’ if they got it in the stores you can buy”
I said, “It outsells every other book on the street
“But I’ve got one you can keep. Here’s a Good News Bookie!”
Whoa! Years ago, don’t ya know God almighty wrote the Good News
Whoa! Grab a little black book, it could change your outlook, you know it could Whoa! Get saved! Turn the page! Go and pray! Good News Bookie
REPEAT FIRST CHORUS

[ Apologetix – “New and Used Hits” album ]

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“Scripture”
(Parody of: “Picture” by Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow)

Livin’ my life like there’s no hell
In the drawer there’s a Bible at the hotel
I can see it’s some kind of pre-planned place
Been fool enough to go play it risky
Wish I thought the Good Lord would miss me
Lord, I wonder what You meant by “saved by grace”
I put Your scripture away, stopped tryin’ to find the way
I can’t look for truth while I’m lyin’ – that’s the worst
I put Your scripture away, I know that crime don’t pay
I can’t look at truth now I’m cryin’ – yes, it hurts
I called you last night in the hotel
Everyone goes through their slow spells
But your half-started Bible has something you just can’t deny It’s been written for you for a long time
You just have to start it and keep tryin’
That ain’t hard if you can read and write
I put the scriptures in place, I wrote the words within
I left the Book for you so you’d find it, and you did
Don’t put My scriptures away – I don’t care where you’ve been I said the Book is true, why not try it? Let me in!
I saw you just today with it open
It was the strangest thing how it happened
Since You called, God, my world’s been startin’ to change (Since you called God, your world’s been startin’ to change)
I decided to read the Bible today
The quotes started jumpin’ off the page
When they read it in church
I was often sleeping away
I’ve thought about you for a long time
It seems as if You read my mind
(It seems as if you read My mind)
That’s because the Scriptures are livin’, like they say
I finally picked up today
(I’m glad you picked up today)
God’s Word and changed my ways
(My Word and changed your ways)
I just called Your name I want to come back home
(I just called your name I want you to come back home)
I just called Your name I want to come back home
(I just called your name I want you to come back home)

[ ApologetiX – “Apol-acoustiX” album ]

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“Bible In Hand”
(Parody of: “Travelin’ Band” by Creedence Clearwater Revival)

See the Lord in Heaven’s comin’ out of the sky
Well, He said He’d come to get us and He did not lie
You gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand, yeah
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Find Him while you can
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Let me do a show and tell
I ain’t gonna go to hell
C’mon, c’mon, won’t you let me tell the truth
You gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand, yeah
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Try to understand
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Listen’ to the way to go
Talkin’ to all the lost souls
Come to God through Christ you gotta call His name and listen Gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand, yeah
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Try to understand
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
LEAD
He will come again like a thief in the night
Will you finally recognize Him – will you get that we were right? You gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Find Him while you can
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Whoa!
SECOND LEAD
Whoa! Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Find Him while you’ve still got a chance
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Well, the time is close at hand
Find Him while you can
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Whoa!

[ ApologetiX – “The Boys Aren’t Backin’ Down” album ]

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“I Found the Answer There”
(Parody of: “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles)

Well in Acts 17, there were some folks known as Bereans And they searched the Scriptures daily to compare.
How they could know truth from error
Ohh, and they found the answer there.
Well 1 Peter chapter 3, says we should play steady “D” and make a good defense to anyone who cares.
Why we have hope in the future
Ohh, and they found the answer there.
Well now Hebrews 4, says it’s like a sword, but the Word of God is alive. Well, Saint Paul ain’t no liar, he said all Scripture is inspired.
And profitable to teach, reprove, and correct error
That’s what he wrote in my Bible
Ohh, and I found the answer there.
LEAD
Well, Saint Paul ain’t no liar, he said all Scripture is inspired.
And profitable to teach, reprove, and correct error
That’s what he wrote in my Bible, Ohh, and I found the answer there. You can find the answer there.
Well I saw the answer there.

[ ApologetiX – “Isn’t Wasn’t Ain’t” album ]

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“The Bible”
(Parody of “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens)

Follow along in the Bible
Follow along in the Bible
You’ll never read any book that is better
Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Joshua, Judges and Ruth
Then 1 & 2
Samuel and Kings and Chronicles
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
And then Job, Psalms and Proverbs
Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon, Song of Solomon
Then Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations – uh huh
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea
Joel, Amos and Obadiah
And Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and
After these there’s Malachi
LEAD
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John-a
Acts of the Apostles and Romans
1,2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians
Philippians, Colossians, 1,2 Thessalonians
and 1,2 Timothy
Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1,2 Peter
1,2,3 John
Jude, Rev’lation
That’s the Bible
I like Bible
Try my Bible
Bye Bye Bible

[ ApologetiX – “Spoofernatural” album ]

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“Bible O’Really”
(Parody of “Baba O’Riley” performed by The Who)

Now here is the deal
The Bible is real
It gets attacked by pseudo-Christians
I don’t need those guys
To approve one line
I don’t need to see revisions

Most times – those treasured lines
Get thrown in New Age waste cans

It’s time to take a stand
The battle’s so close at hand
Pull out your Bibles and mobilize the soldiers
The evidence is clear
But half the world won’t hear
Let’s get the word out
Before they get much bolder

LEAD

New Age waste cans, oh yeah
They’re thrown in New Age waste cans
New Age waste cans
New Age waste cans
They’re all atheists!

[ ApologetiX – “That’s Too Bad” album ]

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“I Wanna Read the Bible”
(Parody of: “I Wanna Be Sedated” by The Ramones)

Twenty twenty twenty-four hours or more I wanna read the Bible
Old Testament don’t have to be a chore
I wanna read the Bible
It’s just Genesis, and Exodus, Leviticus again Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua and then Judges, Ruth and First and Second Samuel makes 10 Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Twenty twenty twenty-four hours or more I wanna read the Bible
Old Testament don’t have to be a bore
I wanna read the Bible
It’s just First and Second Kings
And First and Second Chronicles
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and the book of Job Psalms and Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
And Song of Songs of Solomon
Twenty twenty twenty-four hours or more
I wanna read the Bible
Old Testament don’t have to be ignored
I wanna read the Bible
It’s Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Ezekiel Daniel and Hosea, Joel and Amos, Obadiah Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi-yi-yi-yi
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I wanna read the Bible Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I wanna read the Bible Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I wanna read the Bible Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I do believe we made it!

[ ApologetiX – “Rare, Not Well Done” album ]

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DEEP THOUGHTS:

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“Theory without practice leads to an empty idealism, and action without philosophical reflection leads to mindless activism.”
John L. Elias and Sharan B. Merriam

“It’s better to understand something than to know it.”
Ephrat Livni

“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”\Theodore Roosevelt

“Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face.” Ronald Reagan

“The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go.”
Galileo Galilei

“The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.”
Martin Luther

“If you are ignorant of God’s Word, you will always be ignorant of God’s will.” – Billy Graham

“Whether we are reading the Bible for the first time or standing in a field in Israel next to a historian and an archaeologist and a scholar, the Bible meets us where we are. That is what truth does.”

“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”
Charles H. Spurgeon

“I believe the Bible is the word of God from cover to cover.”
Billy Sunday

“The Bible is not man’s word about God, but God’s word about man.”
John Barth

“The object of the Bible is not to tell how good men are, but how bad men can become good.”
Dwight L. Moody

“God is the author of the Bible, and only the truth it contains will lead people to true happiness.”
George Muller

“The Bible contains all the extant revelations of God, which He designed to be the rule of faith and practice for his Church; so that nothing can rightfully be imposed on the consciences of men as truth or duty which is not taught directly or by necessary implication in the Holy Scriptures.”
Charles Hodge

“The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.”
Dwight L. Moody

“I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible.”
D. L. Moody

“The Bible is one of the greatest blessings bestowed by God on the children of men. It has God for its author; salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture for its matter. It is all pure.”

“I’ve experienced His presence in the deepest darkest hell that men can create. I have tested the promises of the Bible, and believe me, you can count on them. I know that Jesus Christ can live in you, in me, through His Holy Spirit. You can talk with Him; you can talk with Him out loud or in your heart when you are alone, as I was alone in solitary confinement. The joy is that He hears each word.”
Corrie Ten Boom

“The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions.”

“Let us seek friends that will stir up our prayers, our Bible reading, our use of time, and our salvation.”
J. C. Ryle

“In fact, the Devil is delighted when we spend our time and energy defending the Bible, as long as we do not get around to actually reading the Bible.”
R. C. Sproul, Jr.

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from The Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book.”
Abraham Lincoln

“No educated man can afford to be ignorant of the Bible.”
Theodore Roosevelt

“To meditate on Scripture is to allow the truth of God’s Word to move from head to heart. It is to so dwell upon a truth that it becomes part of our being.”
Greg Oden

“Delighting in God’s Word leads us to delight in God, and delight in God drives away fear.”
David Jeremiah

“Fill your mind with God’s Word and you will have no room for Satan’s lies.”

“Reading the Bible without meditating on it is like trying to eat without swallowing.”

“Scripture suggests that meditating on the Word of God can have an always-on effect of peace and strength in difficult times.”
David Jeremiah

“First open your heart, then open your Bible.”

“As you read, pause frequently to meditate on the meaning of what you are reading. Absorb the Word into your system by dwelling on it, pondering it, going over it again and again in your mind, considering it from many different angles, until it becomes part of you.”

“As we fill our minds with the truth of God’s Word, we will be better able to recognize the lies in our own thinking, as well as the lies that the world presses upon us.”

“Every Christian who does not study, really study, the Bible every day is a fool.”
R. A. Torrey

“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.”

“It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true Word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to Him.”
C. S. Lewis

“God’s Word is pure and sure, in spite of the devil, in spite of your fear, in spite of everything.”
R. A. Torrey

“The study of God’s Word for the purpose of discovering God’s will is the secret discipline which has formed the greatest characters.”
James W. Alexander

“If you don’t get in your Bible your enemy will get in your business.”

“Reading the Bible is not where your engagement with the Bible ends. It’s where it begins.”

“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.”
Charles H. Spurgeon

“The dirtier your Bible, the cleaner your heart!”

“Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be obtained by diligent, regular, daily, attentive reading.”
J.C. Ryle

“When you read God’s Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, “It is talking to me, and about me.”
Soren Kierkegaard

“When you open your Bible, God opens His mouth.”
Mark Batterson

“God always keeps His promises.”

“God speaks to us, through His Word by His Spirit.”
T. B. Joshua

“The Lord promises to guide through His Word, but we have to put ourselves in a position to listen.”

“Don’t say God is silent, when your Bible is closed.”

“Complaining about a silent God with a closed Bible, is like complaining about no text messages with a turned off phone.”

“When people do not mind what God speaks to them in His word, God doth as little mind what they say to Him in prayer.”
William Gurnall

“A single line in the Bible has consoled me more than all the books I ever read besides.”
Immanuel Kant

“The Bible is the only book whose author is always present when one reads it.”

“When in doubt pull your Bible out.”

“The primary purpose of reading the Bible is not to know the Bible but to know God.”
James Merritt

“When you read God’s Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, “It is talking to me, and about me.”
Soren Kierkegaard

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”
Dwight Lyman Moody

“Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible, the other 99 will read the Christian.”

“The best way to gain wisdom is by applying God’s Word to your life.”

“The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.”
John Flavel

“We discover the will of God by a sensitive application of Scripture to our own lives.”
Sinclair B. Ferguson

“The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! “You are the light of the world.”
Charles Spurgeon

“Most of us want our Bibles to give us simple black-and-white bumper sticker quotes. Mostly because we don’t want to do the hard work of living with the Bible, letting God shape us in an ongoing engagement with these powerful words, but often veiled word.”

“Many books can inform you but only the Bible can transform you.”

“Bible study is the metal that forges a Christian.”
Charles Spurgeon

“Bible study is the most essential ingredient in the believer’s spiritual life, because it is only in study of the Bible as that is blessed by the Holy Spirit that Christians hear Christ and discover what it means to follow Him.”
James Montgomery Boice

“Ultimately, the goal of personal Bible study is a transformed life and a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Kay Arthur

“Without implementation, all of our Bible studies are worthless.”

“Bible study is the most essential ingredient in the believer’s spiritual life, because it is only in study of the Bible as that is blessed by the Holy Spirit that Christians hear Christ and discover what it means to follow Him.”
James Montgomery Boice

“Ultimately, the goal of personal Bible study is a transformed life and a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Kay Arthur

“Without implementation, all of our Bible studies are worthless.”

“Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.”
Charles Spurgeon

“We are the Bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding.”
Billy Graham

“We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger, and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world where it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that he has power but also wonderful foretastes of what he is going to do with that power. Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.”
Timothy J. Keller

“It is mind-boggling to me that the Almighty power created everything I see; the Bible says that God created the entire universe just so he could create this galaxy just so he could create Earth so he could create human beings so he could create a family.”
Rick Warren

“He does have surprising, secret purposes. I open a Bible, and His plans, startling, lie there barefaced. It’s hard to believe it, when I read it, and I have to come back to it many times, feel long across those words, make sure they are real. His love letter forever silences any doubts: “His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory.”
Ann Voskamp

“When the world beats you down, open up your Bible.”
Lysa TerKeurst

“The Word of God I think of as a straight edge, which shows up our own crookedness. We can’t really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture.”
Elisabeth Elliot

“Unless we form the habit of going to the Bible in bright moments as well as in trouble, we cannot fully respond to its consolations because we lack equilibrium between light and darkness.”
Helen Keller

“The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.”
Martin Luther

“What I see in the Bible, especially in the book of Psalms, which is a book of gratitude for the created world, is a recognition that all good things on Earth are God’s, every good gift is from above. They are good if we recognize where they came from and if we treat them the way the Designer intended them to be treated.”
Philip Yancey

“I’ve read the last page of the Bible, it’s all going to turn out alright.”
Billy Graham

“Put your nose into the Bible everyday. It is your spiritual food. And then share it. Make a vow not to be a lukewarm Christian.”
Kirk Cameron

“The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.” A.W. Tozer

“The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly.”
Søren Kierkegaard

“The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home.”
Augustine of Hippo

“We go from Malachi to Matthew in one page of our scriptures, but that one piece of paper that separates the Old Testament from the New Testament represents 400 years of history – 400 years where there wasn’t a prophet, 400 years where God’s voice wasn’t heard. And that silence was broken with the cry of a baby on Christmas night.”
Louie Giglio

“Don’t fall into the trap of studying the Bible without doing what it says.”
Francis Chan

“So great is my veneration for the Bible, that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hopes that they will prove useful citizens to their country and respectable members of society.”
John Quincy Adams

“Reading and understanding the Bible involves lots and lots of interpretation. Not just in light of the world and culture around us, but in reference to other parts of the Bible.”
John Piper

“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.”
Mark Twain

“I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book that you can by reason and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man. It is the best Book which God has given to man.”
Abraham Lincoln

“The more I have read the Bible and studied the life of Jesus, the more I have become convinced that Christianity spreads best not through force but through fascination.”
Shane Claiborne

“Apply yourself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to yourself.”
Johann A. Bengel

“I want to know one thing, the way to heaven: how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He has written it down in a book! Oh, give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be: “A man of one book.”
John Wesley

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RELATED SCRIPTURE VERSES:

2 Timothy 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 2:15
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Joshua 1:8
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Psalm 119:105
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Revelation 1:3
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Romans 15:4
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Proverbs 3:1-2
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

Proverbs 4:6-7
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

Psalm 19:1-2
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

Psalm 119:15-16
15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:47-48
47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.

2 Timothy 3:14-15
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Proverbs 4:10-13
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. 11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. 13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.

Proverbs 2:1-6
1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Deuteronomy 11:18-23
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. 22 If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him— 23 then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.

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“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and receive ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]

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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ’pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

 

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FOCUS VERSES:

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“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”
[ Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ]

“Ezra set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel.”
[ Ezra 7:10 ]

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
[ Psalm 1:1-2 ]

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
[ Psalm 19:14 ]

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
[ Psalm 119:105 ]

“The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”
[ Psalm 119:130 ]

“My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.”
[ Psalm 119:148 ]

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
[ Joshua 1:8 ]

“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
[ Matthew 4:4 ]

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7]

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
[ Matthew 28:19-20 ]

“Then He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.”
[ Luke 24:45 ]

“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
[ John 6:63 ]

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
[ John 6:68 ]

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
[ John 8:32 ]

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
[ John 13:17 ]

“He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”
[ John 14:24 ]

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
[ Acts 17:11 ]

“We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
[ 1 Corinthians 2:12 ]

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”
[ 1 Corinthians 12:14 ]

“How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
[ Ephesians 3:18-19 ].

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
[ Philippians 4:6 ]

“And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
[ 1 Timothy 3:15 ]

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
[ 1 Timothy 3:16 ]

“That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
[ 1 Timothy 3:17 ]

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman that doesn’t need to be ashamed.”
[ 2 Timothy 2:15 ]

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
[ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ]

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
[ Hebrews 4:12 ]

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
[ 1 Peter 2:2 ]

“Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
[ 2 Peter 1:21 ]

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
[ 1 John 1:8 ]

“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.”
[ 1 John 3:9 ]

Mark

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If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

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