How to Study the Bible for All It

1
How to Study the Bible for All Its Worth

• Part 1

2
Consider the Background

• To approach the study of any one of the books of
  the Bible without knowing something of its
  purpose or its principle theme would be like
  reading a newspaper without knowing anything
  about its date or its place of printing.

3
Consider the Background

• In both cases the reader would not know whether
  he was reading of incidents or characters of his
  own time or of things that happened thousands of
  years ago. There can be but little profit in
  this kind of Bible study. In fact, it is not
  Bible study at allit is no more than just Bible
  reading.
• Harvey Scott, Bible Study Guidance A Study of
  Right Living, Oklahoma City Telegram Book
  Company, 1960, p. 57.

4
Become Acquainted with the Author

• Of course, every author was inspired by the Holy
  Spirit (2 Peter 120-21), so we could say God is
  the author.
• However, each writer wrote under circumstances
  peculiar to him and used vocabulary that would
  fit his occupation and education.
• The Holy Spirit helped the writer select words
  from his own vocabulary that conveyed the message
  exactly as he wanted it.

5
Examples of Unique Vocabulary

• In Davids Psalms, there are many references to
  aspects of taking care of sheep and the role of
  the shepherd (i.e. Psalm 23).
• Luke, the physician, explains none could heal the
  woman with the issue of blood (Luke 843-44).
• Only Luke notes the Lord touched the ear of the
  high priests servant and healed him (2251).

6
Examples of Unique Vocabulary

• Paul authored 13 N. T. books.
• He was a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, taught at
  the feet of Gamaliel, a Pharisee and a former
  persecutor of the church (Acts 221-5
  Philippians 34-6).
• Helps us understand references to the prophets
  and the great debt he owed because of the mercy
  God had shown him.

7
Identify the Speaker

• The speaker may not be the same as the author.
• Matthew records the words of Jesus, Satan, the
  angry mob and Pilate, among others.
• Luke assembled an account of Christs life based
  upon eyewitness accounts (Luke 11-4).

8
Identify the Speaker

• While the record of statements will be correct,
  the message presented maybe untrue.
• The speeches of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar are
  uninspired mens answers to the cause of Jobs
  suffering and may mislead us.
• Gamaliels conclusion will be true in judgment,
  but may cause us to fail to oppose error in a
  timely manner (Acts 538-39).

9
The Purpose

• The Preacher said he was going to search for
  something that was good for man (Ecclesiastes
  23).
• As he tells how the search proceeded, he tells of
  much folly (116 21, 15 317-18 etc.)
• Using mans wisdom, he pursued courses that would
  not result in a good end for man (217)
• His conclusion is that the key to mans happiness
  does not lie in mans pursuit of what he thinks
  is good, but in fearing God and keeping his
  commandments (1213)

10
The Date of Writing

• It is important to know the age, or time, in
  which instructions and promises were given.
• Noah did not leave his fathers house.
• Abraham did not build an ark.
• The law of the Sabbath was for the children of
  Israel (Exodus 3112-17).

11
The Date of Writing

• It is important to know the age, or time,.
• The thief on the cross lived under the law of
  Moses (Luke 2343 Hebrews 916-17).
• It helps us understand the instructions of Mark
  1413 when we know carrying water was the work of
  women during that period of time.

12
The Addressees

• In what city did the addressees live?
• What occupations were common there?
• What was the governing authority in the city?
• How did the city relate to that authority?
• Nineveh was the capitol city of Assyria.
• Philippi was considered Roman soil.

13
The Addressees

• What was the racial mixture?
• The writer of Hebrews often refers to Israelite
  history and Jewish figures of speech.
• Paul quotes a prophet of Crete (Titus 112).
• Paul quotes a poet on Mars Hill (Acts 1728).
• What person is being addressed?
• Which Herod? Pharaoh? What is the nature and
  position of the man of whom the writer is
  speaking?

14
The Nature of Writing

• Is it biography, history, law, poetry or
  prophecy?
• Poetry and prophecy often contain figurative
  language, while law and history seldom do
• Poetry uses much more figurative speech, and the
  figures more bold and imaginative (Clinton
  Lockhart, Principles of Interpretation, p. 51)
• In Psalm 804, the translators used angry, when
  the literal word was smoke, because they
  understood it as a figure representing Gods anger

15
Context, the Key to Understanding

• To be truly understood, any statement must be
  considered in light of its context

16
Context, the Key to Understanding

• An example is found in Jesus statement, Go and
  do likewise (Luke 1037)
• By reading the surrounding verses, we realize
  Jesus meant for us to love our neighbor by being
  merciful to him when we see him in need.
• Our understanding of neighbor is found in
  Jesus answer to the lawyers question, Who is
  my neighbor? (All who are in need)

17
The Three Parts of Context

• The specific statement itself
• The immediate context, which includes verses
  immediately before and after
• The remote context, which includes all that is
  said in the whole Bible about the thing being
  considered
• A text out of its context is simply a pretext.

18
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will
be saved, you and your household.

• This is the answer Paul and Silas gave to the
  Philippian jailers question, Sirs, what must I
  do to be saved?

19
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

• The context reveals they taught him the word of
  the Lord, he washed their stripes and was
  baptized immediately, along with his family
• Vs. 34 says, And he brought them up into his
  house, and set food before them, and rejoiced
  greatly, with all his house, having believed in
  God.
• This clearly indicates belief in God involves
  hearing the truth and being baptized.
• Compare Galatians 326-27.

20
Consider the Words

• The words used in any passage must be understood
  in order to fully grasp the meaning.
• Paul tells of a man caught up into the 3rd heaven
  (2 Corinthians 122)
• The birds fly in the first
• The stars shine in the second
• God lives in the third

21
Understanding the Words

• The same word may have different meanings in
  different passages.
• Death can refer to
• physical death Genesis 2467
• death in sin Ephesians 21
• death to sin Galatians 220

22
World and Works

• World can refer to
• that which God created Acts 1724
• material possessions Matthew 1626
• sinful desire 1 John 215-17
• Works can be used to describe
• works of merit Ephesians 28-9
• works of faith Ephesians 210 James 214-17

23
The Word Faith

• In Matthew 810, Jesus describes a centurions
  actions by saying, Assuredly, I say to you, I
  have not found such great faith, not even in
  Israel!
• Here confidence is meant, as the adjuncts
  found and great clearly imply (Lockhart, p.
  108).
• In Jude 3, faith is something to be contended
  for, which can be delivered.
• Thus, Lockhart says it is the system of
  Christian truth which was to be believed (p.
  109).

24
Consider the Literal Meaning First

• The rule, even in the works of men, is to take
  the literal meaning first unless it contradicts
  some other clear teaching
• Be careful not to confuse personal speculation
  with what the Bible teaches
• Genesis 12-3 speaks of light in contrast to
  darkness, thus literal light.
• Some would make the light of John 11-9 the same.
• Obviously, the text will not allow such a
  position because verse 14 tells us it is Jesus
  who became flesh and dwelt among men.

25
Commands and Ordinances

• Commands generally, and ordinances always, are
  to be understood in a literal sense (Dungan).
• For example, Jesus decreed that belief and
  baptism are necessary to save man (Mark 1616)
• Both belief and baptism are literally required,
  with no hidden figurative meaning
• Matthew 516 contains a command stated in
  figurative language
• The Lord is clearly using light to represent the
  example each Christian sets in his daily affairs

26
The Meaning When Written

• In Matthew 2434, the word generation is from
  the word genea, which is translated
  generation and means 30 to 40 years.

27
The Meaning Generally

• It is important to take the word in the sense it
  is generally understood unless the context
  demands otherwise.
• In Genesis 221, the KJV says, God did tempt
  Abraham.
• The word tempt, many times, occurs in the sense
  to do wrong but generally it has the meaning of
  to try or prove (Dungan).
• Thus, we conclude God tested or proved Abraham
  (James 113).

28
The Author May Give the Meaning

• When the author gives his own meaning, it will
  never go against the generally understood
  meaning, but may specialize its usage
• Elder was used by the Jews to describe an older
  man, but it often is used for an office in the N.
  T. (1 Peter 51-2 Acts 2017, 28 1 Timothy
  31-8 517)
• John lets us know Jesus was speaking about his
  body, not the place of worship (John 218-21).

29
Words Describing Definite Action

• Words like jump, run, etc. have but one meaning.
• Commands ordering such actions can only be
  accomplished by obeying the strict meaning.

30
Baptism Describes a Definite Action

• One cannot sprinkle or pour to baptize since
  baptism is a burial (Romans 63-4).
• Baptidzo meant to cleanse by dipping or
  submerging, to wash, to make clean with water,
  metaphorically meaning to overwhelm (Thayer).
• To baptize, primarily a frequentative form of
  bapto, to dip, was used among Greeks to signify
  the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing of water
  by dipping a vessel into another, etc. (Vine).

31
Context May Give the Meaning

• In John 847, The word hear cannot be literal
  in the sense of receiving sound by ear, for
  anyone not deaf could do that and the reason,
  ye are not of God, would not apply. But hear
  clearly means heed and hence their being not
  of God, but disposed against God, furnishes a
  good reason (Lockhart, p. 109).
• Similarly, in Romans 213, the contrast between
  hearers and doers, shows that hearers are
  not those who heed, for they would be doers. The
  hearers are those who have opportunity to know
  the law, but do it not (pp. 110-111).