Biblical Proficiency
July 19, 2003
What Is This?
Definition – Scripture 1
• A sacred writing or book.
• A passage from such a writing or book.
• The sacred writings of the Bible. Often used
in the plural. Also called Holy Scriptures.
• scripture A statement regarded as
authoritative.
• Middle English, from Late Latin scriptura,
from Latin, act of writing, from scriptus, past
participle of scribere, to write; see skribh- in
Indo-European roots
Definition – Bible 2
• The sacred book of Christianity, a collection
of ancient writings including the books of both
the Old Testament and the New Testament.
• The Hebrew Scriptures, the sacred book of
Judaism.
• A book or collection of writings constituting
the sacred text of a religion.
• Middle English, from Old French, from Late
Latin biblia, from Greek, pl. of biblion, book
diminutive of biblos, papyrus, book, from
Bublos Byblos.
Questions
• Where do you find scripture?
– In the Bible
• What is the form of the Bible?
– A book
• What does it contain?
– Writing, letters, words, sentences,
paragraphs, books
• What is it made of?
– Leather, paper, ink
What Is This?
A book made of leather, paper, and ink
and containing writing that consists of
letters, words, sentences, paragraphs,
and books.
Human or Divine?
• Books • Writing
• Leather • Letters
• Paper • Words
• Ink • Sentences
• Paragraphs
So The Bible Is Simply A Book?
First of all you must understand
this, that no prophecy of scripture is
a matter of one's own
interpretation, because no
prophecy ever came by human will,
but men and women moved by the
Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2 Peter 1:20-21
(New Revised Standard Version)
Prophecy – profhteiva3
• act of interpreting divine will or purpose,
prophetic activity
• the gift of interpreting divine will or
purpose, gift of prophesying
• the utterance of one who interprets
divine will or purpose, prophecy
A Rephrasing
First of all you must understand this,
that no utterance of one who
interprets divine will or purpose found
in scripture is a matter of one's own
interpretation, because no utterance
of one who interprets divine will or
purpose ever came by human will,
but men and women moved by the
Holy Spirit spoke from God.
The Prophecy of Scripture
• The revelation and transmission of
God‘s divine will and/or purpose through
human beings anointed by God
speaking for God
The Divine Is Infinite
• Time – God is outside of time and
created time
• Space – God encompasses space and
created all space
• Knowledge – God is all knowledge
• Power – God is all power
Questions
• How can the Divine be expressed in the
Human?
• How can God‘s will and purpose be
revealed and transmitted through
humans to humans?
• It can‘t!
The Word
In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him,
and without him not one thing came into
being. What has come into being in him
was life, and the life was the light of all
people. The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:1-5 (NRSV)
The Word – logo~4
• a communication whereby the mind
finds expression, word
• computation, reckoning
• the independent personified expression
of God, the Logos
In the beginning…
When God began to create
heaven and earth -- the earth
being unformed and void, with
darkness over the surface of the
deep and a wind from God
sweeping over the water -- God
said, ―Let there be light‖; and there
was light.
Genesis 1:1-3 (Tanakh)
Wind – x;Wr5
• breath
• wind
• spirit
God is a Spirit
God is spirit, and those who
worship him must worship in
spirit and truth.
John 4:24 (NRSV)
Spirit – pneu`ma6
• air in movement, blowing, breathing
• that which animates or gives life to the body,
breath, (life-)spirit
• a part of human personality, spirit
• an independent noncorporeal being, in contrast
to a being that can be perceived by the physical
senses, spirit
• God‘s being as controlling influence, with focus
on association with humans, Spirit, spirit
• the Spirit of God as exhibited in the character or
activity of God‘s people or selected agents,
Spirit, spirit
The Word Became Flesh
And the Word became flesh and lived
among us, and we have seen his glory, the
glory as of a father's only son, full of grace
and truth. (John testified to him and cried
out, ―This was he of whom I said, ‗He who
comes after me ranks ahead of me
because he was before me.‘‖)…No one
has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,
who is close to the Father's heart, who has
made him known.
John 1:14-15, 18 (NRSV)
Questions
• How can the Divine be expressed in the
Human?
• How can God‘s will and purpose be
revealed and transmitted through
humans to humans?
• It can‘t, but what is impossible with
humanity is possible with God—―for
nothing will be impossible with God.‖
The Incarnation
And he came to her and said, ―Greetings,
favored one! The Lord is with you.‖ But she
was much perplexed by his words and
pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, ―Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God. And now,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a
son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be
great, and will be called the Son of the Most
High, and the Lord God will give to him the
throne of his ancestor David. He will reign
over the house of Jacob forever, and of his
kingdom there will be no end.‖
How Can This Be?
Mary said to the angel, ―How can this be, since I
am a virgin?‖ The angel said to her, ―The Holy
Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you; therefore the
child to be born will be holy; he will be called
Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in
her old age has also conceived a son; and this is
the sixth month for her who was said to be
barren. For nothing will be impossible with
God.‖
Luke 1:28-37 (NRSV)
Why Was The Word Made Flesh?
She will bear a son, and you are to
name him Jesus, for he will save his
people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21 (NRSV)
For the Son of Man came to seek out
and to save the lost.
Luke 19:10 (NRSV)
Why Do We Need Scripture
But as for you, continue in what you have
learned and firmly believed, knowing from
whom you learned it, and how from childhood
you have known the sacred writings that are
able to instruct you for salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus. 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 3:14-17 (NRSV)
What Is The Bible?
A book made of leather, paper, and ink
and containing writing that consists of
letters, words, sentences, paragraphs,
and books—the human form of the
revelation and transmission of God‘s
divine will and purpose.
What Is The Word of God?
The revelation and transmission of
God‘s divine will and purpose to
humanity for humanity‘s salvation and
guidance.
It is our only authority, infallible and
inerrant.
―We believe the Bible to be inspired of God, the
infallible Word of God. ‗All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness‘ (II Timothy 3:16)
The Bible is the only God-given authority
which man possesses; therefore, all doctrine,
faith, hope, and all instruction for the church must
be based upon, and harmonize with, the Bible. It
is to be read and studied by all men everywhere,
and can only be clearly understood by those who
are annointed by the Holy Spirit (I John 2:27).
‗No prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost‘ (II
Peter 1:20, 21).‖
Important Questions
• HOW do we believe the Bible to be
inspired of God?
• HOW do we believe the Bible to be the
infallible Word of God?
Questions
• Where are the autographs (the original
writings in the original hand of the
original author)?
– We don‘t have them.
• What are the original languages in
which the prophecies were spoken and
the originals were written?
– Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek
More Questions
• What manuscripts in the original languages
do we have?
– The Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Scriptures
preserved by the Masoretes in pointed Hebrew
– Versions of the Septuagint, a Greek translation of
the Hebrew Scriptures completed before Jesus
– The Dead Sea Scrolls, which contains scrolls of
every book in the Hebrew Scriptures except for
Esther
– Over 5500 manuscripts of all or portions of the
New Testament in Greek
– Thousands of Ancient translations of the
scriptures
– Thousands of Patristic quotations of the scriptures
Some More Questions
• So which English translation is the best?
– Best of which manuscripts? The Hebrew
Scriptures? The New Testament based on
the Textus Receptus? The New Testament
based on more recently discovered
manuscripts?
• Well, don‘t all the ancient manuscripts
and versions agree with one another?
– No! The New Testament alone is estimated
to have some 300,000 variants readings
based on the comparison of the 5500
manuscripts.
The Bottom Line
• The text must be established.
Decisions about the variants are
necessary. You can‘t just throw away
1,000 manuscripts!
How Do I Do That?
• Study and master Hebrew, Aramaic,
and Greek
• Study and master the principles of
textual criticism
• Start to establish the text
• Start again because the archaeologists
found some more
• Die of old age
No, How Do I Really Do It?
Use Lots
of
Translations
Important Questions
• HOW do we believe the Bible to be
inspired of God?
• HOW do we believe the Bible to be the
infallible Word of God?
Important Answers
• We worship God, not a book.
• God began this process of revelation, and
He will be faithful in finishing it.
• We must study.
• Despite the involvement of humanity, the
revelation has and will continue to get
through
• We are bothered by the involvement of
humanity; God isn‘t!
How Do We Interpret Scripture?
• Scripture is unified by God; therefore,
the Word of God cannot contradict the
Word of God. Scripture must agree with
scripture.
• Scripture is the key to Scripture.
Scripture interprets Scripture.
• Scripture cannot be properly interpreted
without the anointing of the Spirit.
What Are the Building Blocks?
• Words
• Key Words
• Sentences
• Thought/Subject Units
• Themes
• Books
Words & Key Words
• Meaning in the Original Language &
Historical Context
• Meaning of the English translation
• Semantic Range
• Structure of words into sentences
Sentences
• Meaning in the Original Language &
Historical Context
• Meaning of the English translation
• Structure of sentences into
Thought/Subject Units
Thought/Subject Units
• Structure of thought/subject units into
Themes
• Structure of thought/subject units into
Books
I Need Direction, Lord
• Matthew 27:5 And he cast down the pieces
of silver in the temple, and departed, and
went and hanged himself.
• Judges 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on
me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I
come to the outside of the camp, it shall be
that, as I do, so shall ye do.
• John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered
into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That
thou doest, do quickly.
How Do I Connect Scripture
with Scripture?
Words
Key Words
Key Words
Thought/Subject Units
Themes