OVERVIEW OF BIBLE STUDY & INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES
By Dennis Schmidt 9/2007
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This paper discusses how to understand, interpret, & use the Bible. God provided the Bible to be our guide. The key use of scriptures is to learn about God and what God wants from us. All scriptures are from the King James' version Bible.
INDUCTIVE COMMENTS:
THEME: Guidelines are needed to read scripture & interpret them correctly.
PURPOSE:
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
Grace is un-merited flavor from God to us. We can not earn it, but God gives it to us because we seek to know Him.
B) INCREASE FAITH:
KEY VERSE:
WHO: God mainly by Bible authors David, Matthew, Luke, John, and Paul
TO WHOM: Elected Christians
WHAT: Guidelines are needed to read scripture & interpret them correctly.
Following are several directions:
A) LITERAL:
Just like you read a newspaper, literal or normal interpretation is a natural description. Making each word mean something other than what the word means is not a correct biblical interpretation. The word means what its meaning is in a dictionary.
B) HISTORICAL:
The Bible is a Jewish book written by Jewish authors about Jewish historical
events and a Jewish Messiah in the Jewish
C) GRAMMATICAL:
Understand the placement and usage of words in the contexts.
D) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
It should fit with the rest of scripture. Use scripture to interpretive scriptures. Look first at the verses and chapter and book around the verse. Look next at other books by the same author. Finally look at the entire Bible. One scripture should not be used to generate a doctrine. The doctrine should be in other biblical places also.
WHY:
Motivations for interpretation of scriptures.
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
Grace is un-merited flavor from God to us. We can not earn it, but God gives it to us because we seek to know Him.
B) INCREASE FAITH:
WAY: God wants his people to earnestly seek Him. He promises to bless those that persistently search the scriptures.
WHEREAS: Jesus is the Word of God
WHERE:
Earth
WHEN: All Times
WANT: Rules for interpretating scriptures - What does it say?
B) INTERPRETATION:
What does it mean? It means what is says unless it is a clear case of a parable with a spiritual meaning.
C) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
How does it all fit together with the rest of scripture?
D) APPLICATION:
How does it work - by the way that I live?
E) CORRECTION FOR ONES LIFE:
Make the Word change my life.
F) PRACTICAL:
The Word of God can do for you many of the following:
1) Convicts 2) Re-generates
3) Nurtures 4) Encourages
5) Cleans 6) Consults and guides
7) Protects against sin 8) Revives
9) Strengthen 10) Provides wisdom
11) Delivers 12) Help
G) NOT READING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should read his Bible each day. He should read in a systematic way, for example, a section from the Old Testament, New Testament, and poetry such as Job through Song of Solomon. These readings are like daily food which the Christian body needs. The Christian, likewise, needs scripture reading for his spirit.
H) NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should also study his Bible. He should use a method, as outlined above, to do a Topical, Biographical, Study Book or Study Chapter and important passages. In this way God will speak, through the Word, to him for his ministry and his life.
WAIT:
For God’s Holy Spirit to guide the
Christian an understanding the meaning.
PAPER
OUTLINE:
I) GOD'S WORD IS ABOVE HIS NAME MAKING IT VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM:
II) JESUS IS THE WORD-BIBLE:
III) HOLY SPIRIT:
IV) STUDY THE WORD:
V) CHRISTIAN BIBLE STUDY MOTIVATION:
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
B) INCREASE FAITH:
VI) BIBLE STUDY METHODS:
A) TOPICAL METHOD:
B) BIOGRAPHICAL METHOD:
C) STUDY BOOK METHOD:
D) STUDY OF CHAPTER AND IMPORTANT PASSAGE:
VII) BIBLE INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES:
A) LITERAL:
B) HISTORICAL:
C) GRAMMATICAL:
D) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
VIII) CORRECT BIBLICAL RULES OF INTERPRETATION:
A) OBSERVATION:
B) INTERPRETATION:
C) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
D) APPLICATION:
E) CORRECTION FOR ONES LIFE:
F) PRACTICAL:
G) NOT READING SCRIPTURE:
H) NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE:
I) GOD'S WORD IS ABOVE HIS NAME MAKING IT VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM:
The Bible is the revelation of God and how God interacts with mankind. Jesus (God) is the focal point of all scriptures & life.
II) JESUS IS THE WORD-BIBLE:
III) HOLY SPIRIT:
The person who studies scripture needs the Holy Spirit to open the Word to him.
IV) STUDY THE WORD:
God wants his people to earnestly seek Him. He promises to bless those that persistently search the scriptures.
V) CHRISTIAN BIBLE STUDY MOTIVATION:
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
Grace is un-merited flavor from God to us. We can not earn it, but God gives it to us because we seek to know Him.
B) INCREASE FAITH:
VI) BIBLE STUDY METHODS:
Bible study, as compared with daily Bible reading, should be done in a systematic method such as one of the following:
A) TOPICAL METHOD:
Select a subject and trace it through the scriptures using a concordance, study Bible (chain reference type), and dictionary.
B) BIOGRAPHICAL METHOD:
Select a person and trace the person through the scriptures using a concordance, study Bible, and dictionary.
C) STUDY BOOK METHOD:
Select a book and understand or master its authorship, to whom it is addressed, its purpose, main teaching by using a concordance, study Bible, and dictionary.
D) STUDY OF CHAPTER AND IMPORTANT PASSAGE:
Select a chapter in a book and understand or mastering its authorship, to whom it is addressed, its purpose, main teaching by using a concordance, study Bible, and dictionary.
VII) BIBLE INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES:
Guidelines are needed to read scripture & interpret them correctly.
Following are several directions:
A) LITERAL:
Just like you read a newspaper, literal or normal interpretation is a natural description. Making each word mean something other than what the word means is not a correct biblical interpretation. The word means what its meaning is in a dictionary.
B) HISTORICAL:
The Bible is a Jewish book written by Jewish authors about Jewish historical
events and a Jewish Messiah in the Jewish
C) GRAMMATICAL:
Understand the placement and usage of words in the contexts.
D) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
It should fit with the rest of scripture. Use scripture to interpretive scriptures. Look first at the verses and chapter and book around the verse. Look next at other books by the same author. Finally look at the entire Bible. One scripture should not be used to generate a doctrine. The doctrine should be in other biblical places also.
VIII) CORRECT BIBLICAL RULES OF INTERPRETATION:
A) OBSERVATION:
What does it say?
B) INTERPRETATION:
What does it mean? It means what is says unless it is a clear case of a parable with a spiritual meaning.
C) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
How does it all fit together with the rest of scripture?
D) APPLICATION:
How does it work - by the way that I live?
E) CORRECTION FOR ONES LIFE:
Make the Word change my life.
F) PRACTICAL:
The Word of God can do for you many of the following:
1) Convicts 2) Re-generates
3) Nurtures 4) Encourages
5) Cleans 6) Consults and guides
7) Protects against sin 8) Revives
9) Strengthen 10) Provides wisdom
11) Delivers 12) Help
G) NOT READING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should read his Bible each day. He should read in a systematic way, for example, a section from the Old Testament, New Testament, and poetry such as Job through Song of Solomon. These readings are like daily food which the Christian body needs. The Christian, likewise, needs scripture reading for his spirit.
H) NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should also study his Bible. He should use a method, as outlined above, to do a Topical, Biographical, Study Book or Study Chapter and important passages. In this way God will speak, through the Word, to him for his ministry and his life.
RETURN TO THE: BIBLE PAPERS HOME PAGE
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