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TO BETTER KNOW OUR GOD
A Document on the Practice, and Methodology of Bible
Study
Contents
Types of Writing in the Bible -
Genre
The OICA Methodology of Bible Study
There is no practice
available to mankind that is more rewarding, more beneficial, and more
enlightening that the diligent study of the Bible. Yet there seem to be fewer
that are more consistently ignored, all too often we who are Christians seem
little prepared to properly perform even the most elementary of studies and so
miss out on the great good that may be enjoyed as we become immersed in the
Word of our God. The Bible has been called the Christian’s sword, it is our
primary tool in the proclamation and defence of the Gospel of Christ, if we cannot use it
with skill and dexterity we are like a carpenter who is unable to properly use
a hammer or saw. Ineffectiveness in our handling of the Word will have the
result of making us less effective Christians.
It is the purpose of this
material is to encourage each of us to devote ourselves more thoroughly to
Bible study and to set out some basic principles by which we may put to better
use the time that we will begin to spend in Bible study. Various methods of
Bible study will be introduced so that a structured study may take place which
will make use of study practices that have been developed, tested, and found
valuable by other Christians. When properly done Bible study is an enjoyable
and rewarding task that will not fail to bring us nearer our God, it is my hope
that this course will permit that joy to enter into your study of God’s Word
and help you to think the thoughts of God.
Much of the material in this
outline is taken from an introductory course in Bible interpretation taken at
Reformed Bible College in
Fee, Gordon D., Douglas Stuart, How to Read the
Bible for all Its
Worth*, Academie Books,
Smith, Bob, Basics of Bible Interpretation,
Word Books,
Sterrett, T. Norton, How to
Understand Your Bible*, InterVarsity Press,
Torrey, R. A., Methods of Bible Study. Available on the Internet here.
Warren, Richard, with William A.
Shell, 12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods**, Victor Books,
* Further and more detailed
information may be found about these publications at most Christian book
stores.
** This volume is now out of
print.
If the Bible is truly the
revelation of God to His people then it is not a book to be taken lightly.
Since the internal testimony of the Bible supports that it is the revelation of
God to mankind:
Jeremiah 36:2 - Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have
spoken unto thee against
Acts 28:25-27 - And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that
Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto
our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. (quoting
from Isaiah 6:9-10)
2 Timothy
and since the teaching of the
Church throughout the centuries has upheld this belief we can rest assured that
the Bible is like no other book that has, or will ever be printed for it has a
source that is beyond humanity. If we were to approach the text of the Bible as
though it were the equivalent of Homer, Shakespeare, or Milton, we do an
injustice to the book which, apart from all others, contains God’s words. All
too often, because many of us have grown up with its teaching, we tend not to
be impressed by the words that we are reading and/or hearing. No matter how
familiar we become to some of its contents we must continually understand that
it is through the Bible that we best come to know our God.
Some will say that we need
only to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us and that the Bible is
supplementary. This seems as though it should be true but we must realize that
God has given us minds and that they are intended to be used and that they are
also capable of being deceived. We need to learn and remember that the Bible is
trustworthy and that through its proper use we can evaluate what we believe we
are being taught - either by the Holy Spirit or by human teachers - and so to
accept the teaching of God's good ministers and also to refute the lies of our
enemy as we lay hold of the truth of our God.
This leads us to what is
perhaps the best reason for studying the Bible: Through the diligent study of
the Bible we gain God’s approval, learning how to properly handle the truth it
contains:
2 Timothy
Paul is comparing Timothy’s
use of the Bible to a workman’s use of his tools and encourages him to consider
the embarrassment that would occur if the workman were to use his tools
improperly. Paul argues further that Bible study is crucial for the proper
spiritual development of all Christians in all places and at all times:
2 Timothy
We are encouraged to remember
that the Bible is more than just good literature, it is more than simply a
detailed historical document, it is even more than a general handbook on how to
live a good life and become a good member of society; it is the actual
revelation by God of Himself to His
people. As His revelation to us the Bible takes on an importance far beyond any
other written material in the history of mankind. If we isolate all the
teachings of the Bible from the reality of the Bible as God’s revelation of
Himself to mankind we are left with a book that may still be worthy of study
but which gives us no coherent reason for our living as it teaches us to live.
The Bible is important not because it is a good book but because it is a book
which was given to us by God. The reason that the Bible is worth studying is
that when we study the Bible we are actually studying God’s thoughts and
therefore Bible study is not merely an interesting intellectual exercise, it is
one of the chief methods by which we come to know God better.
Bible study is the process by
which we dive deeply into the text of the Bible in order to better understand
what has been written in its pages and why it is there. Bible study is an in
depth analysis of the Bible with the aim of allowing the Bible to teach us that
we may be better able to know God and to do His will and is not so much our
hearing a someone expound upon Biblical teachings as it our discovering those
teachings on our own. The best and most productive Bible study is inductive,
meaning that we come to the Bible as people who are willing to allow the Bible
to speak to us rather than looking in the Bible for support for our own ideas
regardless of if they are right or wrong. Bible study is for those who wish to
think, not for wishful thinkers. Our attitude should be one that would say:
"I want to hear what the Bible says" rather than: "I want the
Bible to say this."
We must also remember that we
do not just study the Bible and learn it to become experts at it, we are to
study the Bible in such a way that its teaching will make an impact upon our
lives, changing us to become ever more what God desires us to become. If in our
Bible study we do not allow God to speak to us by whatever means He chooses we
have missed the best part of it. Bible study is not simply an intellectual
exercise to increase our knowledge, it is a heart changing encounter with God
through which we learn more of He who is the goal of our lives and His perfect
will for those lives. Bible study should always be wrapped in the prayer that
we will be able to hear what God would say to us.
The best time for Bible study
is when you have the time available to do it and the attitude to do it
properly. We may each have different times of day when it is better for us
personally to study the Bible but in every case the Bible study cannot be
profitable if we do not permit ourselves to spend the time required to make it
profitable. It is recommended to set aside a predetermined amount of time for
Bible study at regular intervals so that Bible study can become a part of your
way of life. A definite place in which to study, where you can lay out your
various resources and can study without interruption is also a very good idea.
These are not absolutely essential and we understand that God will reward any
who will diligently approach Him in order to learn more of Him and His desires
for our lives. But every effort that is taken to ensure that the time spent in
Bible study will lead us to a personal encounter with God will be rewarded by
God. The following episode taken from the life of Daniel will illustrate the
point:
Daniel 9:1-4; 20-23 - In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of
the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; In
the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the
years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would
accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face
unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and
sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my
confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant
and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments……And
whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my
people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the
holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man
Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly
swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me,
and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill
and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came
forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore
understand the matter, and consider the vision.
All the information we have
about Daniel indicates that he was a man who sought after God and desired
greatly to please Him in all ways. In the above passage he discovers, through
reading the prophecies of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11) that the captivity of
The Importance of the
Bible
Cultural historians of the
West place the Bible at the foundation of Western thought and morality. The
Bible has been variously described by others as: literature, history, poetry,
drama, logic, and myth (in the sense of a traditional story accepted as truth).
We who are Christian believe that while it may be each of these in part it is
also more than these in the whole (certainly that it is never myth in the sense
of an untrue tale of an unknowable past).
We believe that it is in fact Truth as revealed by God to mankind over a
period of several thousand years. The Bible does contain history and it is used
extensively to date other historic events; it does contain poetry, some of the
most beautiful ever written; it is even literature, giving great insight into
literary methodology of cultures long vanished. But more than any of these the
Bible is the one document that relates the story of God’s interaction with and
His vast and glorious plan to fulfill His purpose within the created order and
redeem mankind from his sinful condition.
The Bible does not present itself as an exhaustive
text on any one subject; but since it has been written under the guidance of
God, creator of all that is, where it touches on any subject it teaches the
absolute and unalterable truth.
In a following section we
will discuss the four components of inductive Bible study (observation,
interpretation, correlation, and application) with the intent of emphasizing
the need that we treat the Bible carefully. Why is it so important to treat the
Bible with care? Because it is the word of God. If we know anything about God
it is that He is a life changing God, it is His desire that we be turned from
our ways of sin and restored to the ways of life:
Ephesians 4:17-24 - This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that
ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through
the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who
being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that
ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That
ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness.
His will is that men and
women no longer are slaves to death but become His children and heirs of life
eternal.
2 Peter 3:8-13 - But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering
to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the
which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and
hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless
we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness.
Since this is the case, and since the primary means
of man’s apprehension of the reality of God’s love for him is through the Bible
it is essential that the Bible be properly understood so that its message may
be taught undiluted. Therefore the means by which the Bible is studied is
critical.
The Structure of the Bible
The Bible is comprised of 66
books which were written over a period of roughly 1,500 years by various
individuals as the Holy Spirit moved them. The books themselves fall into
different categories somewhat reflective of their literary structure, these
categories are as follows:
Old Testament (39 books)
|
Historical
|
Poetical
|
Prophetic
|
|
Genesis1
Exodus1 Leviticus1 Numbers1 Deuteronomy1 Joshua Ruth 1 & 2 Samuel2 1 & 2 Kings2 1 & 2 Chronicles2 Ezra Nehemiah Esther |
Job3
Psalms Proverbs3 Ecclesiastes3 Song of Songs4 |
Isaiah5
Jeremiah5 Lamentations5 Ezekiel5 Daniel5 Hosea6 Joel6 Amos6 Obadiah6 Jonah6 Micah6 Nahum6 Habakkuk6 Zephaniah6 Haggai6 Zechariah6 Malachi6 |
1.
These are also referred
to as "The Law of Moses," or "The Pentateuch."
2.
The books of Samuel and
Kings give the history of both
3.
Though poetical these
are also known as "Wisdom Literature"
4.
Also called "The
Song of Solomon"
5.
Major prophets
6.
Minor prophets
Note that the major and minor prophets are not named
to signify their importance but to indicate the size of their prophetic
writings, both together are referred to as "The Prophets" by the
Jews.
New Testament (27 books)
|
Biographical |
Historical |
Teaching/Letters |
Prophetic |
|
Matthew1
Mark1 Luke1 John1 |
Acts2 |
Romans3
1 & 2 Corinthians3 Galatians3 Ephesians3 Philippians3 Colossians3 1 & 2 Thessalonians3 1 & 2 Timothy4 Titus4 Philemon4 Hebrews3 James3 1 & 2 Peter3 1 & 2 &3 John3 Jude3 |
Revelation5 |
1.
Also called "The
Gospels," biographical accounts of the life of Jesus
2.
The history of the
early Church beginning at Jesus' ascension, overlaps most of the letters
3.
Letters to churches
4.
Letters to individuals
5.
An apocalyptic account
of the end times and the beginning of eternity
Translation is essentially
bringing information from one language into an other as accurately as possible,
and must pay attention not only the translation of the words themselves but
also of their setting, or context. A poem that has its words translated
accurately but is no longer in poetic form is not accurately translated.
Effective Bible translation would therefore bring the work of the original
writers into a modern form that is both readable and intelligible.
In a sense, the process of
translation is an ongoing one. The KJV was the most modern version available in
1611 and has undergone several revisions over the centuries. Now it is the NIV
which is among the most up to date version. In several years there may be an
even more modern translation made so that the text of the Bible can become
current to the readers of that day.
All translations of the Bible
fall into on of three categories, each of which determines the value of the
translation for a given use and each of which has its own advantages and
drawbacks. It is a good idea, especially if you have reason to be concerned
about the translation of a given passage, to compare the translation of your
preferred study Bible to that of an other translation in order to determine how
other scholars have dealt with the text. Although there is today a great deal
of dialogue concerning the value and integrity of the translations replacing
the King James Version it is a fact that no modern translation disagrees with
any other on any significant doctrinal issues. Feel free during your study to
compare the New International Version to versions such as the American Standard
Version, the King James Version or others, in so doing you will at the very
least satisfy yourself that the passage being studied has been handled
accurately. Below is a description of the three major methods of Biblical
Translation:
1.
Complete Equivalence
- The translation is done in such a
way as to make the translated text most closely follow the literary structure
of the original languages (therefore it is also given the term Literal
Translation). In this category are the (New) King James Version, the American
Standard Version and the Revised Standard Version, among others. Though highly
accurate and praised for their literary beauty, translations of this style are
frequently difficult to read since the thought processes of the minds that used
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek are conveyed as accurately as possible and are often
quite alien our own.
1.
Dynamic Equivalence
- In this category are the New
English Bible, the New International Version, and several other modern
translations. The thrust of this type of translation is to translate the text
so that it has the same impact upon the reader today as the original did to its
readers of many years ago. Thus many idioms, figures of speech, locations, and
weights and measures will be updated to their modern counterparts. The danger
of this style of translation is that, although it is usually very readable and
coherent, the translated text has already undergone a level of interpretation
which may further remove the reader from the truest meaning of a given text.
1.
Paraphrase – The most readable of all translations the paraphrase
is also the least accurate and generally unable, and are often unwilling, to
hide the bias of the translator. Some popular paraphrases of today are The
Living Bible, The Phillips Bible, and The Message. Where literal and dynamic
equivalence translations are usually done by a group of scholars commissioned
for the task, paraphrases are typically the work of a single translator and
therefore do are less likely to be a balanced treatment of the word of God.
While for general reading they may be of some value as they make the Bible text
seem more alive to the modern reader, they should be avoided for Bible study
since quite often the translation does not accurately reflect the thoughts of
the writers of the Bible. This writer does not recommend paraphrases at all and
believes that they do not convey the thoughts of God as much as they do the
thoughts of the translator.
Even within the various
categories of translation there are differing viewpoints as to how the
translating should be done. Some will translate all measures into their modern
counterparts and refer to all geographic locations by their modern names, while
others will make no attempt to modernize these expressions. There are problems
to be found in both schools. If we are to modernize the ancient monetary terms
to their modern counterparts then we may find that we have devalued what was a
not unreasonable sum of money in ancient times. Likewise when we modernize
locations we will find that on occasion we are operating on assumption and
local custom that may be incorrect. Yet if the archaic terms are retained we
will have difficulty putting what we read into its proper context. Until it is
interpreted for us into its roughly equivalent modern terms we will have no
idea what a shekel is. Yet, once we assign a modern value to the shekel we link
the ancient currency to our current problems of inflation and monetary
devaluation. By the same token if we tie ancient locations to their modern
counterparts we may actually relocate some of them by great distances due to
the difficulty in certainly identifying geographic locations that are at least
several thousand years in the past.
It is also difficult to place
a definite meaning on some terms such as the cubit. There are at least three
different lengths assigned to the cubit (eighteen, twenty-one, and thirty-six
inches) which makes it almost impossible to understand how big Noah built the
Ark or how large was Solomon's Temple until we determine which cubit was in use
at the time or referred to in the narrative. Once we are aware which methods
the translators of our favourite study Bible have used in their work we can
begin to better understand what that translation is telling us.
At this point the question
"Which translation of the Bible should I use?" should be answered.
Although there is a great deal of discussion between the supporters of each of
the various translations the best answer is most likely this: As long as your
main study Bible is a trustworthy translation created with the aim of
portraying as accurately as possible, and as readably as possible, the thoughts
originally presented in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic you cannot go far wrong.
The King James Version
remains quite popular and has the significant advantage of having a great many
study helps referenced to its text. Three of the tools mentioned below (Young’s
Analytical Concordance, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, and The Treasury of
Scripture Knowledge) are themselves most helpful when used with the KJV
translation. The majestic structure of its language lends a grandeur to the
text to which many modern translations cannot compare. It is quite literal and
very specific in its use of English phrasing and so is highly accurate. A
drawback of this translation is that it contains many words which, due to the
changes in the English language since 1611 which were not updated in the subsequent
revisions, are obsolete or used in a different manner than they were 400 years
ago and thus require translating themselves. It is also a difficult translation
to read in public for the same reason, although in general its sentence
structure is easier to read than that of the NIV. A worthy successor to the
rich tradition of the King James Version is the New King James Version, which
updates much of the language but retains the beauty of the text and accuracy of
translation while making available the results of modern textual research.
An other fine translation is the American Standard Version
(an Americanized descendant of the Revised Standard Version which was published
in the
The New International Version is one of the more
popular translations of our day, much as the King James Version was in its day,
and it comes in a wide variety of formats and is accompanied by an ever growing
list of supplementary references. It is a good translation though not as
literal as some others and, as it was translated by a group of scholars from a
variety of Christian denominations. Coupled with the fact that most people read
regularly from the NIV and are familiar with its text makes it a natural choice
if you wish to share the results of your study with others and have them feel
comfortable with the manner in which the Bible is quoted. A significant
criticism of the NIV is that there is less of a sense of reverence when reading
the Bible and more of the sense of reading a newspaper.
When choosing a translation you will need to be sure
that it is relatively free from such dangerous bias and poor translation
methodology as would cause a distraction from the Bible study itself; we are,
after all, embarking on our Bible study to learn more about our God, not to be
annoyed by the foibles of our fellow man. No one translation is entirely free
from bias but some are far more serious than others. If you know where errors
of this nature occur in your Bible you can overlook them but over time they may
become annoying and also begin to act as a detriment to Godly study.
Each the preceding
translations are available in most of the current selection of study Bibles so
your primary question will eventually become: "Which set of study helps do
I wish to have accompany the Bible I use?" It is recommended that the
study Bible you use for yourself not be one of the special interest Bibles
currently on the market such as the Spirit Filled Life Bible, or others of its
kind. While these Bibles will contain worthwhile study helps they are generally
concentrated along a narrow topic of interest or doctrinal stance and may
overlook other areas of study. Be sure to look for a study Bible that has a
proven history of limited bias, and a conservative interpretation of doctrine.
One drawback of many study
Bibles with in text notes (such as the NIV Study Bible, or the Life Application
BIble) is that the notes are often an abbreviated or condensed form of
commentary and that there is consequently a great temptation to allow the
textual notes, which are printed on the same page as the verses to which they
refer, to determine how the text itself is to be interpreted. It is important
to realize that any study notes, all chapter and verse divisions, as well as
all section headings were not originally part of the Bible and have been added
subsequently by human editors as study helps to the reader. They are very often
trustworthy and can enhance our understanding of the text but they can never be
placed on the same level as the text itself. Remember that the purpose of
inductive Bible study is to allow the Bible to speak to us as we study, keeping
in mind that the Holy Spirit will teach the willing heart just as Jesus
promised:
John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
In order to get the most out
of your Bible study you should employ the correct tools. Just as a carpenter,
or a doctor will make use of tools to perform their tasks, the Bible scholar
uses tools to assist and enhance the study process. As you become skilled in
the use of these tools you will find that your Bible studies will yield ever
increasing rewards. Listed below are some of the more important tools:
1.
The Bible - This may seem to need no mention but a trustworthy
translation of the Bible is essential if we are to be confident that we are as
close as possible to the original reading of the passage except that we are
reading it in English. A study Bible will not be essential but it will be a
tremendous asset as study Bibles usually include in one volume many useful
study helps such as: cross references, historical background information, book
introductions and outlines, etc. An other important type of Bible worth
purchasing is a parallel Bible, one that shows on one page several translations
side by side, making it easier to compare various translations of a passage.
Several of the more popular study Bibles are:
1.
The Thompson Chain
Reference Bible which is still one of the standards by which other study
Bibles are measured and is one of the few study Bibles actually included in
readily available Bible study software. Over forty years of research and study
were spent in compiling the system of topical chains and references that allow
the Bible student to quickly come to an understanding of almost any area of study.
Extensive archaeological information is also printed for many places referred
to within the text of the Bible. As well it boasts a considerable topical
Bible, and a large concordance each of which enhances the ability of the Bible
student to easily locate specific teaching or verses in the Bible. All in all
there is very good reason why the Thompson Chain Reference Bible is still one
of the most popular study Bibles available.
1.
The Open Bible
which contains a cyclopedic topical index, a concordance, book introductions
and analyses, and many other valuable helps and study guides. Although its
cross referencing system is not up to the standard set by other study Bibles
this lack is ably compensated for through its comprehensive topical dictionary.
The Open Bible also includes tools of value for Christian workers such as
answers to common objections to Christianity and basic Gospel presentation.
Although more difficult to obtain than previously it is an extremely useful
tool and is highly recommended.
1.
The NIV Study Bible
which with its in text maps and historical notes is an excellent choice. Its
cross referencing system is almost without peer as to quantity (about 85,000)
and usefulness. It also contains excellent book introductions, maps, and quite
a large concordance, as well as many other useful tools. The interpretive notes
frequently tend to ignore the power of God and attempt to give natural
explanations for supernatural events. Other notes, however, offer very useful
biographical, historical and cultural information in a very timely manner.
Many other excellent study Bibles are available but
those listed above enjoy almost universal approval. Regardless of which study
Bible you make use of you must be aware of any apparent bias on the part of the
study helps incorporated into the Bible. Some study Bibles emphasize through
their notes and helps doctrinal opinions that are accepted by only a small
minority of believers and which can sometimes be at odds with the truth of the
Bible itself. Even several of today's standard translations will occasionally
exhibit a theological trend somewhat off the beaten path and of which the
student must be aware. When in doubt as to the value of a specific study
help remind yourself that any contradiction between human understanding of the
Bible and the true meaning of God’s word is always due to finite capabilities
of the human mind and its ability, regardless of level of education, to make
mistakes.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 - For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But
when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done
away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For
now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part;
but then I shall know even as also I am known.
No set of notes will ever be perfect as each will be
the product of the human mind and will never be without a certain amount of
bias; all comments and reference notes must be compared against the Bible
itself. It is always a worthwhile task to review the editorial and copyright
information within any Bible you wish to purchase/use in order to determine the
nature of the bias present in that treatment of God’s word and be prepared for
when it appears during your studies. It is also a very good idea to ask if you
can preview any Bible before you purchase it and examine its notes on specific
issues. Pay specific interest to the notes relating to issues that would be of
concern, such as: creation, eschatology (study of end times), theology (study
of God), or soteriology (study of atonement). For those who interpret Genesis
literally the notes in most modern study Bibles will fall far short of their
ideal, having chosen to compromise the teaching of God with that of man by
interpreting the Bible in the light of evolutionist teaching. Also
controversial are modern translations that remove gender specifics in reference
to God, weaken the Bible’s authority on homosexuality and/or other morality
issues, or deny the interruption of the normal by acts of Gods’ power
(miracles). If no available study Bible meets your immediate needs perhaps a
combination of any or all of the tools below should be considered.
Acts
1.
Bible Dictionary or
Bible Encyclopaedia - Since the
Bible was written in a culture that no longer exists it is difficult for us to
place ourselves in a position to understand Biblical writing in a manner
similar to those to whom it was originally written. Many individuals, events,
and nations referred to in the Bible are completely unknown to the average
reader. These two tools are designed to reduce this difficulty and contain much
information to help us to feel as much as possible the impact that the text
would have had to its original recipients. At the very least they enable us to
participate to a small degree in the culture in which the Bible was produced
and come to some understanding of the times in which it was written. Some very
good Bible encyclopaedias and dictionaries are: Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (a
good, well rounded dictionary, predominately in text), The International Standard
Bible Encyclopaedia (a great deal of information on most items of interest but
with an occasional liberal tendency), and The Revell Bible Dictionary (many
illustrations and a comprehensive index). Other very good dictionaries abound
at a variety of levels of detail.
1.
Concordance - such as "Young’s Analytical Concordance",
"Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance", or "Cruden’s Compact
Concordance." Each of these contains the location of every use of every
word of the Bible (or most major words in the case of "Cruden's Compact
Concordance") and are usually keyed to the King James Version. Most Bible
software include similar capabilities which are often extended to include
logical and phrase searches; greatly adding to the value already found in the concordance.
A sample entry from the book version of "Young's Analytical
Concordance" appears below:
LOVE –
1. Love, hbha, ahabah.
Gen. 29:20 (but) a few days, for the love he had to
her
2 Sa.
.
.
.
5. Love, agaph, agapé
Matt 24:12 because iniquity shall abound, the love of
As can be seen each word entry in this particular
concordance is catalogued by language. The first item above is one of the
Hebrew words for love, the second item is one of the Greek words for love.
Following each is the actual word in the original language prior to its
translation which is in turn followed by a transliteration showing how it
should be pronounced. Below each entry is listed a single line from each verse
that contains the word. Other concordances vary how the words are listed but
the basic concept is the same in that verses are listed which contain the word
being studied.
1.
Lexicon - or word study such as "Vine’s Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words" or the "Theological Dictionary of
the New Testament." Since the Bible we read today is a translation of
thoughts and ideas that were originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek,
such a tool is useful in determining the original intent of the author by making
available to the modern reader a detailed definition of the English word(s) in
the context of the original language word(s) used. Most lexicons will also give
detailed information as to how the original word(s) would have been used by men
and women alive at the time that the passage was written.
1.
Interlinear Bible – simply put, an interlinear Bible is a Bible in which
each line of English text is interspersed by that same text as it would appear
in the original language. This allows you to actually see the structure of
thought in the original and gives you an extremely literal translation,
although very difficult to understand. A second advantage of using an
interlinear Bible is that you can determine at a glance the actual words used
by the original authors and how these words have subsequently been treated by
the translators of the English Bible. Most bookstores will have copies
available of some form of interlinear New Testament, and most computer Bible
programs will also have an interlinear New Testament. Interlinear copies of the
Old Testament are less practical as Hebrew was written from right to left and
therefore an exact English translation would be extremely difficult to read
unless the Hebrew original were to be reversed, which would somewhat defeat the
purpose of the process.
1.
Parallel Bible - A parallel Bible contains two or more translations of
the Bible in the same language. This tool is useful when the student wishes to
compare how a passage has been translated by differing schools of thought.
Again, although the student may be tempted to accept on translation's treatment
over an other's, we must all remain open to the guidance of God's Holy Spirit
and allow Him to teach us what we need to be taught rather than choosing a
translation that appeals to our opinions or bends the Bible to our own will. As
the difference between even the two most divergent translation traditions (as
represented by the King James Version and the New International Version)
amounts at most to only 95% of the Bible, and as this difference in no way
affects any critical Christian doctrine, the parallel Bible is often less
important than the other Bible study tools. It does, however, allow the student
to easily determine where differences have occurred and perhaps note those
areas for further study. One problem with studying with a parallel Bible lies
in the uncertainty of which text to follow in the event of textual differences.
In the case where such differences occur it is recommended that you fall back
upon an alternate resource, such as “The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge”
(below) in order to determine what alternate passages of the Bible may have to
say regarding the passage being studied.
1.
Cross Reference - A system of cross references )like those found in
most modern reference Bibles or in dedicated works such as "The New
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge," (which contains over 600,000 cross
references, several different indexes, and a comprehensive note system) can
refer you to other passages that relate to the one being studied. Cross
references are quite possibly the single most important and useful Bible study
tool available as they operate on the foundational principle of allowing the
Bible to be its own interpreter. When purchasing a study Bible it is a good
idea to review the type of cross referencing system it employs as well as the
quantity of references printed. Many of today’s study Bibles have an average of
50,000 cross references. A concordance, such as those mentioned above, is useful
in cross referencing specific words and phrases so that methods of usage of a
specific word sequence may be discovered but a good cross reference system
allows you to follow concepts and ideas throughout the Bible.
Below is a portion of the entry for Genesis 1:1 taken
from "The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge," edited by Jerome H.
Smith:
1. beginning. Pr *
As you can see, there are entries keyed to each major
word (in bold text), allowing you to follow specific themes, ideas, and usage
through the entire Bible. In certain instances the Hebrew or Greek original
meaning is given (in italic text) and numerous topical entries are also
catalogued and extensive notes are included as well. A complex but
understandable system of symbols allows you to determine which cross references
you wish to follow.
1.
Commentary - Although somewhat limited in value to inductive Bible
study (since it confines us to an other’s understanding of a given passage) a
good commentary can be beneficial in opening our minds to thoughts of a passage
that we may otherwise have neglected or not noticed. Most generally available
modern commentaries are reprints of such classics as that of Matthew Henry, as
well as compendiums of thought by (usually) trustworthy modern scholars. Such a
commentary can shed additional historical or theological light on the passage
being studied and we can gain great benefit from the knowledge of those who
have made it their life's work to make available further information pertaining
to the Bible. Used with care and prayer a commentary can significantly increase
the rewards of our Bible study. It is important to remember that in inductive
Bible study you are seeking your own interpretation of the Bible as guided by
the Holy Spirit, not necessarily that of a commentator, and so a commentary
should not be referred to until you are fairly certain that you understand the
passage in question and require the corroboration and/or further information
that a commentary can provide. Many modern study Bibles also include short, in
context commentary as a part of their system of helps, the NIV Study Bible and
the Life Application Study Bible are notable examples of this technique.
1.
Background Resources
- Since we live in a time removed,
at best, by twenty centuries from that of the writers of the Bible it is almost
impossible for us to react to the Bible's teaching as did the early believers.
Our culture, our lifestyles, even our way of thought, all are radically
different from what was normal in the days when the Bible was being written.
Some tools that can help us to better understand what life was like back then
and how the Bible would have been received are books that tell us about the
culture of the day. Bible handbooks are a basic tool of this category and Bible
dictionaries and encyclopaedias are more advanced devices serving the same
purpose. What are really useful, however, are books that illustrate the way in
which life was lived back in Bible times as they can help bridge the gap of
years and allow you to, as much as possible, pick up on the finer points of
ancient culture.
1.
Computer Software - With the advent of inexpensive personal computers
many of the above tools have been migrated into software applications that can
take advantage of the incredible speed of information processing and retrieval
of these devices. Most Bible study programs come equipped with the tools
mentioned above but it is always a good idea to confirm this before you buy a
given product. A well designed Bible study program makes it possible to
perform an amazing amount of study in a much more efficient manner than would
be possible with books and paper. An added advantage of such software
lies in the ability to perform complex word and phrase searches such as finding
all verses that contain the word "Jesus" but do not contain the word
"Christ;" a capability that is very difficult to implement using any
other tools. Bible software can range from packages costing several hundreds of
dollars to those that may be distributed freely.
1.
My preferred Bible
study software is the "Online Bible" which consists of hundreds of
megabytes of material, most of which is free and of very high quality. This
program is constantly being improved for ease of use and additional modules are
freely available at a multitude of internet sites.
2.
An other free
electronic Bible of very high quality is "e-Sword" which contains a
slightly different set of features and user interface than the "Online
Bible" but which is equally functional. Many of its features are unique
and truly valuable.
3.
If you wish to have
your electronic resources available outside of the host program a good choice
would be "Bible Database." All textual material included with this
software can also be opened by any text editors and can generally be copied to
a single 1.44 Mb floppy for distribution.
4.
Logos is the name of a
commercial software package with an extremely good reputation and which is
available in several price ranges with a corresponding range of features.
1.
The Most Essential
Tool - An open and willing heart.
Without this most important tool we will never profit from our study, no matter
how much we may learn. We must be willing to be taught when ever we approach
the Bible, allowing it to be an instrument of change in our lives rather than
bending it to support our treasured ideas. The word of God possesses
great power but only if it is studied honestly and with a willingness to allow
God to speak through it to us.
Types of writing in the Bible – Genre
At even a casual reading it
becomes evident that the Bible is comprised of many different literary formats
each of which is utilized to a different end. Correctly identifying the various
types of writing in the Bible is a skill that will enhance your personal Bible
study in allowing you to properly interpret the words you are reading. Where
the poetic passages allow for incredible imagery, powerful expressions of
thought, and great lyrical beauty the narrative passages are better suited to
the representation of historic details and technical descriptions. The
genealogical and prophetic passages are also used to better present the
material being presented by each. Understanding how each genre is used will
assist you as you seek to discover the meaning of any passage being studied.
Poetry - The chief characteristic of Hebrew poetry is that it
is written not to rhyme as is our western poetry but rather as a progression of
thought. This form of poetry is called parallelism and refers to a style of
writing that makes use of couplets, two lines usually but sometimes three or
four, that vary in their relationship to each other. A tremendous asset of this
style of poetry is that it is translatable into a form that retains the
splendour of the original since it is not a system of rhyme and rhythm so much
as a sequence of thought that is being translated. Some of the various types of
parallelism are: