Colossians A CLASSROOM WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE. name. phone.

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1 II Colossians A CLASSROOM WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE name phone BiLD Training Center Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas BiLD.fellowshipnwa.org

2 The BiLD (Biblical Institute of Leadership Development) Training Center is a ministry of Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas. The Training Center is the tangible expression of one of the three guiding metaphors that best describes the mission and vision of Fellowship; namely, that Fellowship is a "greenhouse," a "training center," and a "launching pad." The necessary link between the greenhouse and launching pad is the BiLD Training Center where people are prepared and equipped for leadership in life and ministry. One area of focus for BiLD is Baseline Fellowship Bible Church Northwest Arkansas BiLD Training Center Scriptures taken from NIV unless otherwise noted THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide Curriculum may be copied and used for personal and ministry purposes, as long as content remains unchanged.

3 Preface For most, the Bible is a puzzle, but that is more the result of our own neglect than the Lord s intent. It is God s desire to make Himself known. (He calls to us through the creation, He has sent prophets and preachers.) He sent His own Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, God incarnate, to reveal His person and His purpose; all so that we might have life, eternal and abundant. Further, and more specifically, for the purposes of this course, He has given us His living Word recorded in the Scriptures; a revelation of Himself that is beyond marvelous. He only asks (commands) that we be diligent students who learn to rightly divide the Word of truth. That brings us back to the puzzle. How do we rightly divide, or better, put this picture of God and man back together in all of its fullness. Therein lies our purpose for this class. Even as a puzzle reveals itself progressively via corner pieces, straight edged sides, dominant color schemes and fine detail to complete the picture, so there are steps to be taken to discover the full and clear picture of God and His plan for you and me. This class will equip us with a process to master what is a puzzle for many. Table of Contents Session One page 5 Session Two page 17 Session Three page 23 Session Four page 29 Session Five page 37 Session Six page 51 Appendix 1 - Colossians page 61 Appendix 2 - Mechanical Analysis page 71

4 O that God would grant that my commentaries and those of all other teachings were destroyed, and that every Christian took the Bible in his own hands, and read God s Word for himself. You would then see that there is an infinite difference between the Word of God and the word of man So dig deeper, ever deeper, my brethren. Let my explanations and those of others serve merely as scaffolding to the real building, in order that we may grasp the pure and sweet Word of God, and feed on it, and stand by it. - Martin Luther //// 4 ////

5 SESSION ONE CORNER PIECES I. INTRODUCTION A. The Value of the Word of God 1. 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness " "I hear and I forget." "I see and I remember." "I do and I understand." Benefit: ONE WHO USES THE BIBLE AS HIS GUIDE NEVER LOSES HIS SENSE OF DIRECTION. Adapted From: Navigators's 2:7 //// 5 ////

6 "Scripture is not in our power. It is not at the disposal of our intellect and is not obliged to render up its secrets to those who have theological training, merely because they are learned. Scripture imposes it's own meaning; it binds the soul to God through faith. Because the initiative in the interpretation of Scripture remains in the hands of God, we must humble ourselves in His presence and pray that He will give understanding and wisdom to us as we meditate on the sacred text. While we may take courage from the thought that God gives understanding of Scripture to the humble, we should also heed the warning that the truth of God can never coexist with human pride. Humility is the hermeneutical precondition for authentic exegesis." David C. Steinmetz //// 6 ////

7 2. Hebrews 4:12 (NASB) "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Benefit: 3. Isaiah 66:2b "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word." "The Bible is the Word of God in such a way that when the Bible speaks, God speaks." B.B. Warfield "There is more to Christian growth than knowing what the Bible says; nobody is ever nourished by memorizing menus." John Blanchard Benefit: 4. Joshua 1:8 "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." Benefit: //// 7 ////

8 The Bible Number of Verses 31,039 Number of Chapters 1,189 Number of Verses per Chapter 26.1 To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little. Isaiah 28:9-10 (ESV) //// 8 ////

9 II. REVIEW: PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY (FIRST HAND JOY) A. 5 LAWS OF BIBLE STUDY 5 LAWS OF BIBLE STUDY 1. Law of Observation : "What Do I See?" 2. Law of Interpretation : "What Does It Mean?" 3. Law of Application : "How Does It Work?" "Knowledge that is self-discovered remains the longest in memory. There is no jewel more precious than that which you have mined yourself." Howard Hendricks " Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness " 1 Timothy 4:7b (NASB) 4. Law of Correlation : "Where Does It Fit?" 5. Law of Communication : "How Do I Share?" B. Inductive Bible study //// 9 ////

10 SURVEYING A BOOK FIRST The Whole THEN The Parts Skyscraper View Ground Level View Panoramic Sweep Microscopic Focus Survey Analyze //// 10 ////

11 III. SURVEY AND OBSERVATION OF A WHOLE BOOK A. INTRODUCTION You cannot study the whole Bible at once, but you can begin by studying one of its 66 books. Each book has a unique purpose in exposing us to God Himself and His plan for our life. Each book bears many important principles, and taken together gives a unified and compelling message of God s purposes from creation to consummation. BUT, HOW DO YOU STUDY A WHOLE BOOK? May I suggest, the same way you would eat an elephant, one bite at a time. Perhaps, a more appealing thought would be, the same way you would engage a jigsaw puzzle. First, find the corner pieces. B. STEPS TO BE TAKEN ( To find the corner pieces ) 1. Read and re-read the entire book in one sitting (longer books, two sittings; longest books, three sittings; remember, SURVEY) 2. First Survey Reading: Record Your First Impressions (of mood, tone, message) First Reading First Impression (mood, message) "I will not teach a book of the Bible until I have read it fifty times." G. Campbell Morgan "The literal interpretation as applied to any document is that view which adopts as the sense of a sentence the meaning of that sentence in usual, or ordinary, or normal conversation or writing." Ramm //// 11 ////

12 In the skyscraper view of the entire book, the primary task of the student is to observe the main trend of thought. General impressions are gathered in this cursory reading as the student recognizes atmosphere or mood, relative emphasis placed upon a subject, obvious compositional laws such as repetition and contrast, ideological train of thought, and anything of the unexpected (e.g. things that strike one for the first time). - Irving Jensen, Independent Bible Study, 56 //// 12 ////

13 3. Second Survey Reading: *Repeat observations of first reading (impressions of mood, repeated themes, your thoughts, etc.) Second Reading Second Impression (mood, message) RECORD! RECORD! RECORD! The Word of God works its way out over the lips and through the finger tips. 4. Third Survey "Reading": *Record observations such as 1. Who is the author? 2. When did the author write the book and from where? 3. Who were the recipients of the book s message? 4. Can you find the purpose of the book? Often the key is hanging at the front door. 5. Who are the key people mentioned? 6. What literary type is the book? (see Personal Bible Study, Session Five, p.63) 7. Do you see some thematic divisions? 8. Can you find any historical or geographical information in the book itself? "What distinguishes humans from all other species is that capacity to formulate questions and to find answers that lead to more questions." Ronald Kotulak //// 13 ////

14 Colossians Third "Reading" Survey Observations Author: Recipients: Key People: Possible Purpose(s): Themes: Historical/Geographical Info: (5 W's & H) //// 14 ////

15 IV. WORKSHOP A. FIRST READING OF COLOSSIANS (Appendix A) First Reading Colossians "Millions of copies of the Bible are bought each year. It has been the number one best seller for decades. But the tragic paradox is that the Bible is the LEAST read bestseller of all times." preceptaustin.org B. SECOND READING OF COLOSSIANS Second Reading Colossians If you want to have a really bad reading experience, read only one page of your novel a day, or only one chapter of the Bible. 5W's & H Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? END SESSION ONE //// 15 ////

16 BOOK: COLOSSIANS BOOK TITLE: CHAPTER TITLES THEMATIC DIVISIONS NOTES:

17 SESSION TWO BOUNDARY OR EDGE PIECES I. REVIEW AND FEEDBACK FROM SESSION ONE "God's sacred Word... that inestimable treasure that excelleth all the riches of the earth." Preface, King James Bible translation 1611 II. THE HORIZONTAL CHART A. Introduction The horizontal chart (note diagram) is a simple means to capture the chapter titles (for larger books) and the paragraph titles (for smaller books of 6 chapters or less) on one page. This allows the student to see the entire book at once. (see preceding page) B. Value of the Horizontal Chart To more accurately understand the mind of God as revealed in Scripture we must see His messages in context. The horizontal chart aids us in doing just this. Its very development compels the student to see significant sections (chapters and/or paragraphs) in relation to the whole. "This book [THE BIBLE] the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is wisdom; this is the royal law; these are lively Oracles of God." -Words spoken at the Coronation service of each British Monarch. One will also begin to see the whole in relation to the parts. From this, the book s theme will begin to emerge. The relationship of the whole to the parts, and the parts to the whole, will establish the boundaries of the book being studied. Akin to this is the aid given to the student in emphasizing the primary over the subordinate. As the study continues, the chart will ask the student to keep each part in harmony with the whole. //// 17 ////

18 Church Is Born 1 2 TAKEN UP HOLY SPIRIT (source of chart) Irving Jensen Independent Bible Study Church Grows Through Testing Church Is Scattered Church Embraces Gentiles Church Extends Overseas Church's Leader on Trial :1b 9:1 9:32 10: :1 15:36 17:1 18:1 18:23 20:1 21:1 21:18 22: GATE BEAUTIFUL IN WARD ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA WIDOWS STEPHEN PHILIP SAUL DORCAS CORNELIUS PETER EXPOUNDED HEROD CYPRUS LYSTRA CIRCUMCISED PHILIPPI ATHENS CORINTH EPHESUS FAREWELL GIRDLE ARREST STAIRWAY CONSPIRACY FELIX FESTUS AGRIPPA SHIPWRECK ROME ACTS OF PETER ACTS OF PAUL THE FIRST THREE DECADES OF THE WITNESS OF THE GOSPEL ACTS Author: Luke Date Written: A.D. 61 Key Word: Witness Key Verse: 1:8

19 TIP: Begin your work with a pencil. Initial observations may change as you "see more and more" throughout the observation process. C. Chapter and Paragraph Titles Keep in mind During this stage, the value is in the PROCESS not the product 1. Assign a chapter/paragraph title to each segment. See the facing page for an example of chapter titles in a longer book like Acts. 2. Make preliminary decisions regarding the topical (theme) divisions that you have seen in your reading and observations. Indicate these below the main baseline you have drawn for your chart. Note this in the chart below. Process Not Product D. The Next Step Outside Help After you have completed your own survey of the book, you should seek the help of others who have gone before you. There will be some material that you cannot find in the Biblical text itself. Background material will be items such as author of the book and the book s recipients, date of writing, geographical and cultural setting, historical circumstances of a biblical or secular nature, theological themes, thoughts on type of literature and structure. Don t discount what the Holy Spirit has shown to others, but, remember, this is your work and you want to move forward with fresh eyes. DO NOT consult commentaries on the scripture text until you have completed the next step in the process (vertical charts). At this stage, Bible Study is messy. Use Pencil Get Messy //// 19 ////

20 BOOK: COLOSSIANS BOOK TITLE: CHAPTER TITLES THEMATIC DIVISIONS NOTES: //// 20 ////

21 E. Additional Help for This Stage 1. Hard Copy Resources Bible Handbooks, Dictionaries Bible Encyclopedia See PBS (First Hand Joy), P Online Resources Soniclight.org Bible.org Preceptaustin.org IV. Workshop The survey reading(s) of Colossians took about 12 to 15 minutes. The Horizontal Chart reading(s) will take longer as reflection and recording will be needed. This process may be broken up into as many sessions as needed to finish the chart. However, you are more likely to sense and capture the flow of the author s message if you push through in one, and at most two, sittings for a smaller book; three or four sittings for larger books. YOU CAN SEE A LOT JUST BY LOOKING Observation describes the act of taking notice, fixing the mind upon, beholding with attention, and as used in science, includes the idea of marking and recording ones findings preceptaustin.org Let s practice the process right now! Begin by filling in the chart found on the preceding page. END SESSION TWO //// 21 ////

22 COLOSSIANS 1 (ESV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

23 SESSION THREE YOUR BIBLE I. INTRODUCTION In this session let s consider another technique that will unveil still more of God s mind and heart to us as revealed through His living Word. Using our jigsaw puzzle metaphor, it would be akin to turning all the pieces right-side up so we can see the many possibilities of the developing picture. Note, however, that the tool being introduced can be used from day one with the book survey. II. THE MANUSCRIPT SURVEY: Yes, this is another survey of the Book. BUT, it gets you more into the fine details of the text. This survey can be done at a book level for smaller books, but will later be most beneficial when engaging a chapter or paragraph. This survey utilizes the OBSERVATION skills you learned in Personal Bible Study (First Hand Joy). Here, you move beyond reading to observing; beyond seeing TO, YES, OBSERVING. "GOD BREATHED" GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HIS WORD The Manuscript survey is central to every part of Personal Bible Study II, because the biblical text is central to Bible study. That may sound obvious, but too often Bible students do not allow the text to speak for itself. For increased effectiveness, the formatting of the text is important. Fortunately, with the aid of computers and online Bible sites, we can quickly format a scripture text that will assist us in our own manuscript observations. A. Formatting Steps 1. Select your preferred translation (not a paraphrase) 2. Consider the following manuscript guidelines GUIDELINE: 1. Unbound, front side only DIRECTLY TO YOU THEN YOU ARE EQUIPPED TO STUDY OTHER RESOURCES preceptaustin.org //// 23 ////

24 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. COLOSSIANS 2 (ESV) 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. 16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations 21 Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used) according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

25 COMMENT: 1. This manuscript will become the depository of much of your work of observation, beginning with your first survey reading. Continued study, with this format, will allow you to see relationships between words and, most importantly, relationships between paragraphs (units of thought). You can begin to see the flow of the author s argument (epistles), or his message (narratives). Unbound, front-sided sheets will allow you to spread out entire books or sections of a book for comparison of sub-themes. GUIDELINE: 2. Double spaced with wide margins "Never let good books take the place of the Bible. Drink from the well not from the streams that flow from the well." Amy Carmichael COMMENT: 2. These two features will give you elbow room in the text. You will have room to make comments both above and below a line of text, or for longer questions and observations, margins of about 1.5 will be helpful. Titles for each paragraph can be recorded in the left hand margin, providing a starting point for later outlining. GUIDELINE: 3. Remove headings and notes COMMENT: 3. All chapter and paragraph headings found in a biblical text have been placed there by the publisher. This is the editor s ideas about divisions and topics. You will want to remove all such distractions. While helpful later, at this stage you want to keep your own fresh and pure eyes on the text. GUIDELINE: 4. Title each sheet as you progress //// 25 ////

26 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint COLOSSIANS 3 (ESV) against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 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. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

27 COMMENT: 4. Provide enough header space to note the book being studied. Also, at appropriate points you will want to provide space for a chapter and/or section title. For smaller units being studied, be careful to note the passage reference. A one-inch top margin will be ample for each type of study. GENERAL COMMENT: Some inductive Bible study purist would also have you remove all chapter and verse references. However, for purposes of accessibility and communication of the text, we would suggest that the chapter and verse references be maintained. In some translations this would also include paragraph indicators. Remember, these aforementioned items are not part of the inspired text. If different, your own conclusions about these divisions should be carefully considered. More stringent guidelines can be found in The Bible Study Handbook, p. 183, Lindsay Olesberg. "I study my Bible as I gather apples. First I shake the whole tree that the ripest may fall. Then I shake each limb, and when I have shaken each limb I shake each branch and every twig. Then I look under every leaf." Martin Luther III. WORKSHOP Now it's your turn. Let's practice with a type of manuscript survey. Use text on page 24 and 26. END SESSION THREE //// 27 ////

28 WORKSHOP / WORK SPACE

29 SESSION FOUR COLOR SCHEMES AND PARAGRAPH THEMES You are in the process of putting your biblical "jigsaw puzzle" together. You have found the corner pieces (survey readings) and the border or straight edged pieces (horizontal chart). You have a framework within which you can work with a measure of confidence (manuscript survey). You have also turned all of your many pieces upright, and in the process you are making multiple observations. As a result you are beginning to understand the intent of the author, which means you are beginning to engage the mind (and heart) of God as given through this Scripture text. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB) Now you want to complete the more difficult, inner portions of the puzzle. For a real puzzle you would start by separating the various dominant colors from one another. Each color will suggest a general sub-theme that will make up part of the finished picture. Groups of paragraphs in the biblical text will provide the sub-themes that will make up the final picture for a section, and then sections connect to form the final message of the book being studied. A paragraph is an important unit of study, for each paragraph will convey one central thought; a thought added to thought builds to form a message. Paragraph divisions in our various translations are not inspired. That is one reason Peter exhorts us to rightly divide the Word of truth. While not inspired, paragraphs are the key to discovering the original author s intent. This is a vital part of Biblical study. //// 29 ////

30 COLOSSIANS 4 (ESV) Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

31 The Vertical Chart will aid you in identifying 1. a chapter s central subject 2. a section s sub-theme, or 3. a book s main theme. II. THE VERTICAL CHART (THE ANALYTICAL CHART) A. Values of the Vertical Chart 1. The value of letting the text speak for itself 2. The value of seeing with fresh eyes 3. The value of analyzing, then connecting, the parts 4. The value of a well-defined, limited area of study 5. The value of identifying the primary (over the secondary) 6. The value of identifying the central themes 7. The value of memory, retention, and application The paragraph is a unit of thought. A paragraph has one and only one central subject!! "Parts have no meaning apart from the whole." Grent Osborne The Hermeneutical Spiral B. Tools Needed 1. Bible 2. Pencil or Pen 3. Paper (with layout of your own making) IT IS THAT SIMPLE!! C. The Fit The Pieces Process As you know it is often tempting to the unexperienced jigsaw puzzle maker to force pieces together. That always leads to greater problems, with multiple pieces out of sync later. Now is the time to let the text speak for itself. Let the pieces fall into place during this additional OBSERVATION PHASE. There are several ways to approach this phase of the study. The approaches given here are interchangeable, but each method should be used to make sure the pieces of this literary puzzle fit. //// 31 ////

32 SIMPLE (see full explanation in appendix) 16 But I say Walk by the Spirit And you will not carry out the desire of the flesh 17 for the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. EXPANDED (Subject) (Verbs) (Objects) 16 But (Modifiers: under word they support) I and say Walk by the Spirit You will not carry out the desires of the flesh for the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit the Spirit these and for against the Flesh are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please. //// 32 ////

33 OPTION #1: THE FULL GRAMMATICAL LAYOUT STEP ONE: *Select the portion to be studied Remember, the paragraph is a unit of thought. *Review the paragraph title given in the horizontal chart, and transfer to vertical chart. STEP TWO: *Now, simply write the text revealing its grammatical structure. Being careful to follow the textual flow, the main statements of the paragraph are placed at the left-hand margin. Therefore, the subjects of each main sentence (nouns: persons, places, things) will be to the left of your sheet. The verbs of each sentence will fall more to the left-center; your objects to the right of center; modifiers aligned under the word upon which they depend. BUT, note from the examples below that even a full grammatical layout can be expressed in a simple or expanded form. Sound complex? It is not. Just jump in and start writing out the text. The process of the grammatical layout Consists of rewriting the given text in such form that the grammatical components of the paragraph are clearly discernible. (M. Tenney, Galatians, 166) A picture is worth a thousand words. Consider these two examples. Consider the two grammatical layouts of Galatians 5:16-17, one simple, the other expanded. (page 32) The point to be made by the two examples is that there is more than one way to represent the text in writing. The goal is to clearly identify subjects, verbs, objects and modifiers in such a manner that allows the text to speak for itself. This exercise will help reveal the main thought of the paragraph (and much more) so that the flow of the author s message might be honored. //// 33 ////

34 Now it's your turn try a Colossians paragraph of your choice //// 34 ////

35 Let us also be clear that perfection of product is not our goal here. The PROCESS is of utmost value. Therefore, do not be afraid to be messy and get your hands dirty. A better product will come with practice, but the end goal is clarity of understanding. That clarity will come at multiple points during the process. "One cannnot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it" Dietrick Bonhoeffer OPTION #2: THE ABBREVIATED GRAMMATICAL LAYOUT This method is helpful for the contraction of a large amount of text (often narrative) into a smaller frame so that the relationship of the parts is more easily seen. The approach will simply focus on the main subjects, verbs, objects, etc. The text can expand or contract based upon the following: 1. Goal of the study (to see the whole or execute the parts) 2. Time available 3. Space available on your worksheet may necessitate moving between full and abbreviated layout 4. Topic of the study, being a full theme or a sub-theme of a section or chapter III. WORKSHOP Choose a paragraph of your liking out of Colossians and use the preceeding page to practice. END SESSION FOUR //// 35 ////

36 THE PROCESS TAKES TIME Read entire book Break into paragraphs and summarize into thoughts Focus on your passage OBSERVE, OBSERVE, OBSERVE Pull out key words and study their meaning Compare possible meanings of the word(s) within immediate context (paragraph) Compare paragraph to context of passage Compare context of passage to rest of the book

37 I. REVIEW WHOLE Survey (temporary) SESSION FIVE THE BIG PICTURE PARTS Analyze (paragraphs/words) II. A WORD ABOUT INTERPRETATION A. The Golden Rule of Interpretation WHOLE Summarize (permanent) 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. (D. L. Cooper) One Sense "Thou shalt understand, therefore, that the Scripture hath but one sense, which is the literal sense. And that literal sense is the root and ground of all, and the anchor that never faileth, whereunto if thou cleave thou canst never err nor go out of the way. And if thou leave the literal sense, thou canst not but go out of the way." William Tyndale (1500's) 1. Definition: The Literal Method of Interpretation The literal method of interpretation is that method that gives to each word the same exact basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking. 2. If the words are employed in their natural and concrete meaning, the sense which they express is //// 37 ////

38 "Bridging from the Biblical Context to the Present Day" "Duvall and Hays, Grasping God's Word, 24) PASSAGE (Historical) PRINCIPLE (Timeless) PRACTICE (Timely) //// 38 ////

39 the proper literal sense; whereas, if they are used with a figurative and derived meaning, the sense, though still literal, is usually called the metaphorical or figurative sense. See examples comparing John 1:6 and 1:29, as given in the sidebar. John 1:16 LITERAL There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. B. The Duvall and Hays Diagram, "Crossing of Bridge", as seen on the previous page reminds us of the bigger picture. Exercise: What hermeneutical principle (principles of interpretation) could be drawn from the diagram? John 1:29 METAPHORICAL The next day John saw Jesus coming to Him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! //// 39 ////

40 WHAT WE REMEMBER / TRUE LEARNING 10% of what we READ 20% of what we HEAR 30% of that DEMONSTRATED 50% of HEARING with DEMONSTRATION 70% of hearing and demonstration requiring a WRITTEN RESPONSE 90% all of the above plus personal APPLICATION and PRACTICE //// 40 ////

41 Ill. A WORD ABOUT APPLICATION Application is the process that leads to life transformation; the exercise of personal faith in living out the truth of Scripture regardless of life's circumstances, emotions or cultural trends. Application takes the truths learned through scriptural observation and interpretation and weaves them into the 'warp and woof' of everyday life in such a way that the very fabric of daily life is changed. A. THE BIBLICAL APPEAL Understanding requires APPLICATION. Application may be the last phase, but it certainly is not the least." Lindsay Olesberg The Bible Study Handbook The writer of Hebrews appeals to us Heb. 12:1-2 (ESV) " let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 1ooking to Jesus " James, the half-brother of Jesus exhorts us James 1:22-25 (ESV) "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." Jesus Himself asks Luke 6:46-49 (ESV) "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the //// 41 ////

42 Principles Practice TRANSFORMATION //// 42 ////

43 foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." Ultimately, application occurs when timely biblical principles and life practices merge Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (ESV) Jesus Christ Biblical Principles Life Practices Life Transformation //// 43 ////

44 THE CIRCLE OF LIFE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL OTHER THE DAY OF THE LORD MISSION REACH REPRODUCE RELEASE PROFESSIONAL/ CAREER SPIRITUAL SOCIAL/ RELATIONAL //// 44 ////

45 B. APPLICATION AIDS Regarding application, someone once observed "We too often seek to apply all the truth to everyone all the time. But in doing so, we most often apply none of the truth to no one none of the time." In other words, we generalize truth to such an extent that it applies to no one and, least of all, to ME! "Faith is choosing to live as though the Bible is true (because it is) regardless of CIRCUMSTANCES, EMOTIONS, OR CULTURAL TRENDS" Ron Proctor Mentoring One2One Therefore, if I am going to let the Scriptures reach their final destination (my personal life transformation). I need some application aids that will help me avoid rationalization and denial. 1. The Circle of Life Life moves fast, at times so fast that we don't seem to be making progress in the areas most important to us personally. Too often we are working off of someone else's agenda. The "Circle of Life", as shown on page 44, is but one example of how you might slice up your life to make biblical applications absolutely relevant to the priorites of your life in Christ. At this point life gets intentional. //// 45 ////

46 THE CIRCLE OF LIFE //// 46 ////

47 2. The Principle Approach See also the application aid found on page 49. This approach is driven by biblical principles discovered in your personal study. As you engage in your reading or study of a book or portions of Scripture, pause on a paragraphby-paragraph basis and ask yourself, "Is there a principle here to be considered for my personal spiritual growth?" Having stated the principle, work out its application to your life. HEAR Romans (10:17) READ (Revelation 1:3) C. WORKSHOP Pause now for practice: Slicing up your life is a most certainly a way to spice up your intimacy with God. Get ready for a grand adventure. STUDY (ACTS 17:11 ) Or, is there some theme or life principle that God's Word is speaking to you about? Use the application aid on page 49 for futher practice. MEMORIZE (Psalm 119:9,11) MEDITATE (Psalm 1:2,3) APPLY //// 47 ////

48 SOW A THOUGHT, REAP AND ACTION. SOW AN ACTION, REAP A HABIT. SOW A HABIT, REAP A CHARACTER. SOW A CHARACTER, REAP A DESTINY. //// 48 ////

49 MAKING BIBLE APPLICATIONS Topic Name WHAT PRINCIPLE IS GOD SPEAKING TO ME ABOUT? WHAT IS MY PROBLEM? ARE THERE INCONSISTANCIES IN TRUTH RELATIONSHIPS ACTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITY POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS MAKE ALL APPLICATIONS PERSONAL (CONVICTED) PRACTICAL (DEEPENS MY WALK) POSSIBLE (CAN BE DONE) PLAN TO CORRECT MY PROBLEM IS HOW CAN I MEASURE MY PROGRESS END SESSION FIVE

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51 SESSION SIX THE IMPORTANCE OF WORDS The grammatical layout will bring to your attention key words and parts of speech that you will want to explore further. This session will point you to some resources that will keep you moving toward adding the fine detail and richness of meaning to be found in the biblical text. I. INTRODUCTION "The treasures of the Word of God are great beyond compare; But if we do not search them out, we cannot use what is there." Sper A. Words Count... A definition of "Inerrancy" "God's superintendence of human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man IN THE WORDS of the original autographs." (Ryrie Study Bible, p. 1956, capitalization my own) B. View of inspiration: 1. "Verbal" Inspiration: the inspiration extends to THE VERY WORDS 2. "Plenary" Inspiration: the inspiration extends equally to all parts of the Scriptures; EVERY WORD. WORDS ARE IMPORTANT! //// 51 ////

52 BROAD INTERPRETIVE CONTEXT Interpretive Context To interpret (therefore, understand); first, look at the type of literature (Historical? Prophetic? Poetic?) Next, note the grammatical structure of the passage. Understand that it is part of a wholistic look at the passage in its much greater scripture-wide context. //// 52 ////

53 II. WORD STUDIES: THE "DEVELOPING" PICTURE A. Word Meanings and Relationship 1. Word Meanings a. Historical b. Etymological c. Comparative (1) Synonyms (2) Antonyms (3) Cross References Word Study Resources: * preceptaustin.org - Inductive Bible Study - Greek Word Studies (in english) * Expository Dictionary of NT Words, Vine, ed. * New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press * Word Study Resources by Spiros Zodhiates WORDS //// 53 ////

54 TRANSLATION COMPARISON MORE LITERAL LESS INTERPRETATIVE MORE WORD FOR WORD MORE PARAPHRASE MORE INTERPRETATIVE** MORE THOUGHT FOR THOUGHT NAS ESV KJV NKJV NRSV NIV ICB NLT TLB Msg NAS = New American Std. ESV = English Standard Ver. KJV = King James Version NKJV = New KJV NRSV = New Revised NIV = New International Ver. ICB = International Children's Bible NLT = New Living Translation TLB = The Living Bible Msg = The Message ** NOTE: For the most objective and "pure" inductive study, do not use paraphrased versions as your primary resource. The more literal versions such as NAS, ESV, KJV, NKJV more accurately render the words of the original biblical authors and are therefore recommended for inductive Bible study. //// 54 ////

55 2. Word Relations: Syntax Note: The process is to move from the meaning of words to the relation of words to one another. a. Learn to diagram a sentence b. Don't ignore little things (connectives) c. Give special attention to verbs "The Bible speaks with the authority of God. The Bible's authority resides in what God has to say about subjects " Dr. Elliot Johnson SYNTAX //// 55 ////

56 Book Context: Interpretive Clues: Look for themes Look for breadth or development of main ideas Chapter Section Book Look for "broad" structure (far context) Grammatical Context: Interpretive Clues: Look for structure Look for central idea (key words) Look before and after (near context) Word Clause Sentence Paragraph //// 56 ////

57 B. Context 1. The need to consider context: The Bible is no mere collection of good texts or verses put together without any relation to one another. To interpret contrary to the context is to teach falsehood for truth. Any Scripture text without a context is a pretext. 2. There are four contexts of any text: a. The immediate context [paragraph(s)] b. The context of the book c. The context of the Bible d. The cultural context? Who is the greatest Old Testament prophet not named in the Old Testament? CONTEXT ANSWER: JOHN THE BAPTIST //// 57 ////

58 "HISTORICAL" TOOLBOX 1. The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook (Hays and Duval, eds.), Baker [Recent, helpful] 2. Norm Geisler, A Popular Survey of the OT, 3. Robert Gromacki, New Testament Survey, Baker 4. Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vols), Walvoord and Zuck, (eds.), Victor 5. Soniclight.com (search for Tom Constable notes on all the Bible - free download) "GEOGRAPHICAL" TOOLBOX 1. Baker's Encyclopedia of the Bible (2 vols), W. Elwell (ed.), Baker. 2. NIV Atlas of the Bible, C. Rasmussen, Zondervan. 3. Bible Maps (back of most Bibles) "CULTURAL" TOOLBOX 1. Commentaries (books that explain the meaning of the Bible by referring to language, culture, history, theology, et al. from easy to read to highly technical) 2. IVP Bible Background Commentary (Old and New Testament available), Keener (ed), IV Press //// 58 ////

59 C. Historical setting "The true sense of the Bible cannot be found in an idea of thought historically untrue." (Mass) The books of the Bible were written in a specific historical setting. We must carefully guard against transferring the author to the present day and making him speak today's language. We have to first engage His thoughts expressed in His words to His culture. 1. Historically, where does the text fall in the progress of revelation? Where is the recipient in the history of God's revelation? Compare Matthew 10:5-7* with Matthew 28:16-20** 2. What is the prevailing culture? Secondary Culture? a. Spatial background (geography) "To try to interpret the Bible without a basic geographical understanding of Bible land is like trying to watch a drama with no scenery." (Ramm) b. Progress of history? c. Social background (customs)? CULTURE * "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: 'Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any towns of the samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.''" Matthew 10:5-7 (NIV) ** "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) //// 59 ////

60 PIECE BY PIECE WORD BY WORD PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT WE GET A PICTURE OF THE WHOLE CULTURE CONTEXT SYNTAX WORDS END SESSION SIX //// 60 ////