CAN I REALLY GOD S WORD? 1. God s Word depends on (1 Cor 2:10-11) 2. God s Word exists by (1 Cor 2:12-13, 2 Tim 3:16) 3. God s Word is understood by (1 Cor 2:14-16) WHAT IS HERMENEUTICS? 1. Simply put, hermeneutics is the and of Scripture. 2. The inductive method: This is also known as. 3. The deductive method: This is also known as. 4. response: What does the text say to me? 5. intent: We seek to know the author s intent. The grammatical historical method: This method of interpretation seeks to determine exactly what the author intended and how the original audience would have understood it. WHAT ARE THE MISTAKES PEOPLE COMMONLY MAKE? (Taken from Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson) 1. - 2. Being Too 3. the Bible s 4. Relying on Translations 5. Conducting Faulty Studies
6. into Scripture 7. to What You Learn (1 John 5:2; James 1:22; Gal 5:25; Eph 5:10) God wrote the Bible to transform our lives (John 17:17) HOW THEN DO I UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE? 1. We start with some important presuppositions a. God s Word is powerful don t underestimate it (Heb 4:12) b. God s Word is inerrant and infallible but our interpretation is not (2 Pet 1:16-21) c. God s Word is self-authenticating (2 Tim 3:16) d. God s Word is understandable (2 Cor 2:10-16) e. God s Word has been made plain to us f. God s Word has been revealed progressively g. God s Word interprets God s Word h. God s Word has one meaning and many applications 2. We start with some important preparation of our heart and attitude a. Approach the study with humility. b. Approach the study with prayer. c. Approach the study with submission. d. Approach the study with a heart to know God. 3. steps to studying the Bible. (From J. Scott Duvall s and J. Daniel Hays book, Grasping God's Word: A Hands-on Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005)
STEPS TO STUDY THE BIBLE Step One: the text in town. What did the text say to the original audience? Step Two: the of the river to cross. What are the differences between the biblical audience and us? Step Three: Cross the bridge. What is the theological principle in this text? 1 Step Four: Grasp the text in town. How should the individual Christian apply the theological principles in our lives today? v Step One: the text in town Question: What did the text mean to the biblical audience and what personal changes was to be understood by the original audience? Ø Order of observation Your text Verses around your text Other texts that talk about your text subject Then consult other sources Ø Genre and context will help you determine the meaning of a word. The Gospels historical story; directive teaching; background and culture is important Parables - stories of the world that communicate a spiritual reality; consider the point, not the details. Acts historical story; is it prescriptive or descriptive Letters direct speech to actual churches Old Testament narrative historical story; see examples of New Testament principles Old Testament law which laws apply to us today; what do the laws say about God and man Old Testament poetry many colorful literary devices; portray real people interacting with a real God Old Testament proverbs axiomatic in nature 1 Note that between steps 3 and 4 for interpreting the Old Testament is an additional step: Cross into the New Testament. Does the New Testament modify or qualify this principle, and if so, how?
Old Testament prophecy very little is predictive; much of it addresses God s people of that time The Book of Revelation symbols used to make a point Ø Two big rules: We cannot understand the verse differently than the original audience. We know more than the original audience, while we can use that knowledge to know how that information helps form our theology, we can t use that to expand what the verse would have said to the original audience. Ø The bottom line is that you want to know what is going on inside of the text (grammar) and what was happening outside of the text (setting, culture, etc.) v Step Two: the of the river to cross Question: What are the differences between the biblical audience and us? Ø We are separated from the biblical audience by differences in culture, language, situation, time, and often covenant. Ø In Step 2 you will take a good hard look at the river and determine just how wide it is for the passage you are studying. Ø Try to identify any unique aspects of the situation of your passage. v Step Three: Cross the bridge Question: What is the theological principle in this text and what are the necessary life-changes in both the biblical and contemporary audience? Ø To determine the theological principle, first recall the differences you identified in Step 2. Ø Next, try to identify any similarities between the situation of the biblical audience and our situation. Ø We can summarize the criteria for formulating the theological principle with the following: The principle should be reflected in the text. The principle should be timeless and not tied to a specific situation. The principle should not be culturally bound. The principle should correspond to the teaching of the rest of Scripture. The principle should be relevant to both the biblical and the contemporary audience. Ø Write out the theological principle (or principles) in one or two sentences. Use present-tense verbs. v Step Four: Grasp the text in town
Question: How should individual Christians today apply the theological principle in their lives? Ø While for each passage there will usually only be a few (and often only one) theological principles relevant for all Christians today, there will be numerous applicational possibilities. Ø Observe how the principles in the text address the original situation. Ø Discover a parallel situation in a contemporary context. Ø Make your application specific. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT MY COUNSELING? 1. Consider how you will specifically apply the principles learned. 2. Consider your counselee s situation and problems are there any similarities to the original audience? 3. Consider your counselee s motives, thoughts and actions are they violating any of the particular principles? 4. Consider how your counselee can apply the principles to their situation and problems? CONCLUSION 1. Read the Bible daily to understand the context and the overall themes of the Bible. 2. Commit to studying a particular book of the Bible two times a week. 3. Teach and share what you learn. 4. Recommended resources: a. Vine s Expository Dictionary by W. E. Vine b. The Complete Word Study by Spiros Zodhiates c. Manners and Customs of the Bible by J. I. Packer from Thomas Nelson Publishing d. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge by R. A. Torrey e. The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur f. Believer s Bible Commentary by William MacDonald g. What to do on Thursday by Jay E. Adams h. How to Read the Bible for All its Worth by Gordon D. Fee i. ESV Study Bible; NIV Study Bible; CSB Study Bible j. MacArthur Study Bible