How to Study the Bible #4

Review Homework

Psalm 1

Review Outlining & Charting

Outlining

Can be used for any book of the Bible

Go thru the text and look for ideas being presented

Read text several times

Find the main theme

Write a short description

List all the main ideas

Charting

Once you have outline the text you are ready to break it down

Charting is done by

Observation

Interpretation

Application

Epistles

Most epistles follow very logical sequence since they are written in a letter form.

Look for introduction

This is followed by statement of purpose, the main teaching, and a closing

Introduction

First few verses that include greeting & thanksgiving

Statement of Purpose

Comes after intro

Very Brief

Key to the Letter

Main Teaching

Heart of the Epistle

Convey ideas & topics

Don’t get fooled by chapters & verses

Closing

Concluding thoughts

Paul’s notorious lists

Benedictions sometimes

Parables

Begin with Context

What is the occasion for telling the story?

Luke 15:1–2 ESV

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

What is the explanation of the parable’s meaning?

Luke 15:7 ESV

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Identify Central Point of Emphasis

Apply 20/20 principle

Luke 15:4 ESV

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

Identify Irrelevant Details

Details that are not intended to teach truth

Luke 15:4 ESV

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

Identify Relevant Details

Intended truths will reinforce central theme

Prophecy

23,210 OT verses… 6,641 contain predictive material (27%)

7914 NT verses… 1,711 contain predictive material (21%)

Identify type of prophecy

Predictive = foretelling the future

Didactic = dealing with moral, ethical, or theological truths

Some have both mixed together

Guidelines for dealing with predictive prophecy

Literal language

Take passage in most simple, direct, ordinary meaning

Should be taken literally

Figurative Language

Learn to identify figurative passage

Joel 2:31 ESV

The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Isaiah 11:1 ESV

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

These illustrations are picture language

The goal is to discern what the figure points to\It points to a literal fulfillment