Our Bible Bible Study Methods
Overview of Bible Study Methods
The Bible is a library of 66 books, written over a 1500 year span, by over 40 authors from every walk of life. Some were kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen and scholars. They were written in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek), on three different continents (Africa, Asia and Europe), in times of war and in times of peace, in the heights of joy and the lows of despair.
Our Reliable Bible
The Bible is 98.5 percent textually pure. Through all the copying of the Biblical manuscripts of the entire Bible, only 1.5% has any question about it. Nothing in all of the ancient writings of the entire world approaches the accuracy of the biblical documents. The 1.5 percent that is in question does not affect doctrine. The areas of interest are called variants and they consist mainly in variations of wording and spelling.
Our Reliable Bible
1. The NT has over 5000 supporting Greek manuscripts existing today with another 20,000 manuscripts in other languages. Some of the manuscript evidence dates to within 100 years of the original writing. There is less than a 1% textual variation in the NT manuscripts. 2. The odds of Jesus fulfilling 48 of the 61 major prophecies concerning Him are one with 157 zeros behind it. By comparison, the estimated number of electrons in the entire known universe is about one with 79 zeros behind it.
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Definition of Inductive Bible Study
• “Let the Bible Interpret Itself” 1. Start with the Bible-not with books about the bible 2. Approach a passage with no predetermined notion of what it will say or what it means 3. First examine the specifics and then reach a conclusion
A. W. Tozer
“The believing man does not ponder the Word and arrive at faith by a process of reasoning, nor does he seek confirmation of faith from philosophy or science. The scholar has a vitally important task to perform within a carefully prescribed precinct. His task is to guarantee the purity of the text, to get as close as possible to the Word as originally given. He may compare Scripture with Scripture until he has discovered the true meaning of the text. But right there his authority ends. He must never sit in judgment upon what is written. He dare not bring the meaning of the Word before the bar of reason. He dare not commend or condemn the Word as reasonable or unreasonable, scientific or unscientific. After the meaning is discovered, that meaning judges him; never does he judge it.”
The Three Steps of Inductive Bible Study
1. Observation
Ask, “What does it say?” The Role of an Investigator
Step One: Observation
Remember, the shortest pencil is better than the longest memory. • We play the role of BIBLE SCENE INVESTIGATORS • Cordon off the scene - Here we observe, without jumping to conclusions • Later, we take it to the lab where we interpret the evidence and make application
2. Interpretation
Ask, “What does it mean?” The Role of an Interpreter
3. Application
Ask, “What do I do?” The Role of Implementer
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The Four Observation Questions
1. Who?
• • • • • • Who is speaking to whom? Who is being written of or spoken about? Who is writing to whom? What can we understand about them? What is this passage about (the subject), and what is it saying about that? We need to answer this in one sentence.
The Four Observation Questions
3. When? (The Timing, timeline, sequence, chronology…)
• “When is this happening”
2. What?
4. Where? (Location, geography, topography)
• “Where is this happening?”
An Example: John 4 The woman at the well
– Time of day? location of the well? city?
S.A.L.T.
• Structure
• How did the author organize his thoughts? • What is the subject? What are the verbs? • How does the verse begin? Does it connect to a previous thought or is it a conclusion? • • • • •
S.A.L.T.
• Literary Form (What is the Genre?)
History/Narrative/Dialogue Law Poetic/Proverbial/Parable Didactic/Instruction/Doctrine Letter/ Prophetic
• Atmosphere
• What is the emotional tone or mood of the passage. • This is to help us later with the interpretation and application phase
• Terms
• What significant terms need to be defined by an English dictionary?
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Other Tools
• Laws of Relationship • Charts • Outlining
Mark Chart Part I
• Assignment objective was to show the laws of emphasis within each episode.
– Title – Who, What, When, Where – Laws within the episode
Mark Chart Part II Get your charts out
• Assignment objective was to show the laws of emphasis across connecting paragraphs. • The purpose is to give you a visual opportunity to see the big picture - to get out from among the trees and see the forest • This is much like the Acts 12 assignment
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The One Big Story
• Pretend that the episodes are not there • What would be the one preparation for the whole story? • If there were only one pivot, one climax, where would they be? • What is the one BIG THEME or idea or concept being repeated through out the whole story?
I need 8 volunteers to read
Lets Talk about the Pivot
The pivot (or turning point) is the one factor that changes everything in an unexpected manner The pivot by definition sets the tension for the story, so where would you put the pivot? Prof. Jackson feels that Episode 1, vs 33 is the pivot Substitute Prof. Smith feels that Episode 2, vs 12 is the pivot
Lets Talk about the Climax
The climax is the highest point in the story where conflicts are resolved and various strands are brought together. By definition, it comes near the end of the story. Where would you put the climax? Substitute prof. Smith feels that it comes in Episode 7, vs. 40 Prof. Jackson agrees with substitute prof. Smith
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Lets Talk about the Title
What is the one big theme, idea or concept being repeated through out the story? Episode 1- The Question of Authority - “by whose authority?” Episode 2- The parable of Authority Episode 3- The 1st test of Authority Episode 4- The 2nd test of Authority Episode 5- The 3rd test of Authority
Lets Talk about the Title
Episode 6 - The 1st teaching of authority - I am the Christ Episode 7 - The 2nd teaching of authority - I am the Judge Episode 8 - The 3rd teaching of authority Submission exampled
The 3 Steps of Outlining Analytical Outlines
S.A.L.T.
To really understand something, you have to break it down: 1. Summarize: Figure out how it all fits together and works 2. Categorize: Take it apart and look at all the pieces. 3. Synthesize: Put it all back together again
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Tools Used in the Office I need 11 volunteers
Summary Sentence: These tools are used in the office • These tools are used for attaching things • These tools are used for storing things • These tools are used for recording things • These tools are used for erasing things
Caution
In order to maintain the context of the passage we have to deal with it in the order we find it To change the order is to change the meaning.
The Color of Office Tools
Summary Sentence: These are office tools of different colors I. These office tools are black II. These office tools are blue III. These office tools are red
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