Shepherds College Lecture 9

Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Lecture 9 Shepherds College Scott Jacobsen, Instructor 26 November 2024 Today’s Agenda 1. How to do a word study, also known as “verbal analysis” (Kaiser) or lexical study. 2 3 The Author’s Meaning 1. The meaning of words is determined, in the first place, by custom and general usage current in the times when the author wrote them. 2. In assigning meaning to a word, the exegete is on the most solid basis when the author himself has defined the term he uses. Cf. Hebrews 5:14 on the meaning of “perfect.” “But solid food is for the mature (perfect), for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14, ESV) 4 The Author’s Meaning 3. A word may be explained by the immediate attachment of a genitival phrase, an appositional phrase, or some other defining expression. This process is sometimes referred to as glossing. Cf. Ephesians 2:1; John 2:19 (21); John 7:37-38 (39); Ephesians 2:3 5 The Author’s Meaning 4. The grammatical construction of a word may be another clue to its meaning. “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14, ESV) 6 The Author’s Meaning 5. The meaning of some words may be determined by contextual antitheses and contrasts. Some passages are developed mainly by the method of contrast. 2 Corinthians 3:6–14 Romans 8:5–8 7 The Author’s Meaning 6. In Old Testament poetry, often one of the best ways to determine the meaning of a word is by means of Hebrew parallelism. Instead of featuring a balance of sound between line A and line B, Hebrew poetry often uses either a synonymous or antithetic parallelism. Psalm 61:1 Proverbs 17:27 Psalm 2:2 8 The author’s Meaning 7. A careful comparison of parallel passages may help an exegete. A writer may return elsewhere in his writings to a discussion of the same word (verbal parallel passage) or at least a treatment of the same subject matter or topic (topical parallel passage). 9 The difference between a topical study and a word study A topical study studies a word which is a specific topic. A word study examines a specific word within a text (context). 10 The difference between a topical study and a word study A topical study starts with an idea and the word, or words, that best explain that topic. A word study begins with a pericope, be it a paragraph, chapter, or even a book. 11 The difference between a topical study and a word study: pitfalls A potential pitfall in that the student may not find all the relevant texts, because an idea or concept can use a range of semantically unrelated words. A word study may have a pitfall in that a specific word’s semantic range cannot be present in every context; meaning can then be imposed upon a text that does not support a word’s meaning in that context. Example: the 12 •A truck loaded with thousands of copies of Roget's Thesaurus crashed yesterday losing its entire load. Witnesses were stunned, startled, aghast, taken aback, stupefied, confused, shocked, rattled, paralyses, dazed, bewildered, mixed up, surprised, awed, dumbfounded, nonplussed, flabbergasted, astounded, amazed, confounded, astonished, overwhelmed, horrified, numbed, speechless, and perplexed. 13 Step 1 Given a text, find the key words of the text. 1. Repeated words 2. Words set off by grammatical markers 3. Words that support the main teaching of the text 4. You may have more than one key word. A word study will be done on each word. 5. In a thorough exegesis, you will do a word study on all words in the passage, keeping in mind that some words are repeated. 14 1 Timothy 3:1–7 (ESV) 3 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. 15 Step 2 Locate the Occurrences 1. Using an exhaustive concordance, find every occurrence of the word. 2. Read each location, at least in its paragraph. 16 Step 3 1. Note how the word is used in each context. 1. Is each context similar to the use in your first pericope? 2. Is the use of the word strikingly different from your pericope? 3. What synonyms or antonyms are used for your word? 17 Step 3 Continued 4. Are these passages parallel passages? 5. What is the subject of the other passage(s)? 18 Step 4 Define the word in the original language: 1. To find the original language term, either use an interlinear Bible or Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the KJV. 2. Look up 1 Timothy 3:1 and Acts 20:28 in the Strong’s and KJV. Note the “word #” – 1984 3. https://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/1timothy/3.html 19 Example 1 Timothy 3:1-7 • Aim of your study: to understand the meaning of the word, “overseer,” for as explained in the New Testament. Is this the requirement for an elder? A pastor? Does this apply on to an overseer (aka. Bishop)? 1 Timothy 3:1 “Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.” 20 Using Step 1 What are the key words of 1 Timothy 3:1-7? 1. The subject of the passage is “overseer,” that is a starting point. 2. Can you locate any other key words in the passage? 21 Using step 2 Locate each occurrence of the word you are studying (at this point, only the New Testament): Acts 20:28 Philippians 1:1 1 Timothy 3:1 1 Timothy 3:2 Titus 1:7 1 Peter 2:25 22 Using Step 3 • Acts 20:28 (NIV) • 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 23 Using Step 3 Acts 20:28 (NIV) 1. Who is speaking? 2. To whom is he speaking? 3. Are there synonyms or antonyms present? 24 summarise 1. Paul is speaking 2. He has gathered together the elders. (Acts 20:17) 3. He charges them as overseers. (vs. 28) 4. He tells them to oversee the flock (sheep terminology). 5. He orders them to be shepherds of the church of God. 25 summarise “the elders of the church” (Acts 20:17): see http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/gree k/kjv/presbuteros.html “overseers” (Acts 20:28) English: bishop: see http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/gree k/kjv/episkopos.html “Be Shepherds” (KJV “to feed”) see: http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/gree k/kjv/poimaino.html 26 Summarise Flock and Shepherd Poimnion and poimaino: English: pastor See http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/poimnion .html And http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/poimaino .html 27 Summarise • Speaking to the elders, Paul charges them as overseers, and charges them to shepherd the flock. • Descriptive terminology: • Elder (presbuteros, plural in this passage): age and experience • Overseer-bishop (episkopos, pl): descriptive of the task of supervision and visitation in time of need. • Flock and shepherd, sheep-pastor, are related terms: sheep and feeding. 28 To Conclude 1. So far, what does this word study tell you about church leadership? 2. What steps might you take to further study the tasks of church leaders? 29 Next Steps 1. How does the Bible use the word, episkopos? Consider the LXX translation and use: counting, visitation (both for blessing and judgement), watching over, concern. 2. How does the Bible use the word, presbuteros? How does Jesus’ encounters with the elders of the Jews contrast with the idea of elders in the church? See 1 Timothy 3:6. 3. What then, is a pastor? 30 For further study Using this method of word study, can you determine how many of the requirements for an overseer are unique to that office? I.e., which requirements are made of all Christians? 31