SS - How to Read The Bible - Part 2

The line

Gods word

Above - legalism

Below liberalism/license

Observation - What does the text say?

Previous HW

Obs from Josh 24 15

Joshua 24:15 “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””

Record Obs from class

Teach through basic observation

4x4 box drill (30 squares)

3x3 dot

Teach through Obs basics

Terms

Key words. They have impact to the text

Terms require interpretation

Ex Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”

Grace

Saved

Faith

Structure

Grammatical structure

Subject

Object

Main verb

Literary Structure

Climax & resolution

Cause & effect

Literary Form (Genre) WILL GO DEEPER IN INTERPRETATION

Wordpartners

Genre like fruit

We eat it differently

Eat an apple like a pineapple

Main genre and subgenres

Tone & Mood

Authors tone and mood

Joy, encouragement, rebuke, sorrow

Mood

repentance, thanksgiving, joy, etc

Why is this important?

Ex Ps 23 angry

1 John

From most concrete/direct/propositional to pictorial/imaginative/emotive

Law, epistle, narrative, gospel, wisdom, prophecy, poetry, apocalyptic

Law

Covenant relationship

The parts of a covenant: history, stipulations, promises (blessings and curses)

Instruction

To reflect God’s character, purposes

For tone, look for threats, promises, motivations

Epistle

Situation

Theological truths connected to the occasion

Propositional truth with a logical flow of thought

Truth leading to application

For tone, look for descriptions of the audience and setting, powerful verbs

Historical Narrative

The parts of a story, including the climax and resolution

Smaller stories unfold a larger story

Major and minor characters

God, the ultimate character

Dialogue

Scenes

The narrator framing the story

For tone, look for descriptions fo characters and settings, actions, responses

Gospel

Biographical with distinct perspectives of Biblical theology

Arrival of the promised king

Proclamation and a call for response

Storyline

For tone, look for actions, responses, questions, pace

Wisdom

Poetic, figurative, and memorable rather than literal and precise

General principles rather than absolute promises

Concerned with practical living and reality rather than purely theological ideas

Founded on the fear of the Lord

For tone, look for descriptions, contrast, and outcomes

Prophecy

Covenant relationship

Judgment with promises of hope

Layers of fulfillment

Emotive

Images

God’s greatness and holiness

God’s activity in the world

For tone, look for intense imagery, indictments, warnings, promises

Poetry

Parallelism

Images and metaphor

Emotion

Expression of the human heart

Easily remembered

Songs and prayers

For tone, look for extended imagery, emotional expressions, questions

Apocalyptic

Symbolic imagery

End of time

God’s coming judgment and salvation

A call to endure, believe

For tone, look for intense imagery, dramatic action, threats, promises

Atmosphere

Paul in prison when he writes Philippians

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Put yourself in the shoes of the author & audience

Questions to ask

Basics

Who?

writing, receiving, who’s being discussed, who’s speaking?

What?

What is goin on? what commands? what events? what statements?

When?

When is this being written? what happened before this? what happens after? how are things related in time?

Where?

Where is this happening? where are the locations mentioned? where are the people? where is the author

Why? (OBS level)

Why is this being said or done? why is this book being written? why is this sentence written? Why did they say it like that?

How?

How is this structured? How is the author forming their argument? How are they addressing their hearers? How is happening (mechanism… ie “by grace… through faith”)

Repetition & emphasis

what words or phrases repeat?

are any ideas repeated with different language?

Are there repeated themes throughout a text?

Structure

Are there any contrasts? (but, however, yet)

Comparisons? (like, as , so)

Cause & effect

Lists, progressions, climaxes

commands vs promises

questions asked?

Literary Context

What comes before & after

what genre is this

How does this section fit in the larger argument

Grammar & language

What are the verbs?

Commands, statements, questions?

Singular vs plural pronouns

Verb tense (past, present, future)

Conditional statements (if… then…)

Unusual wording

Historical/Cultural Observations

Any cultural references?

Locations or people mentioned?

Practices or customs mentioned?

Tone

What is the authors tone?

What is the hearers mood?

Where is there passion, warning, excitement, encouragement?

Living by the book 6 things to look for

Emphasized

Repeated

Related

Alike

Unlike

True to life

Terms

and if

imperative command “choose this day”

“serve” multiple times

contrast - “but as for me”

Tense shift - you -> me -> we

“gods” plural

“this day”

“evil”

gods, gods, Lord

“Household” (jurisdiction? does Joshua have authority?)

Does Joshua have a family?

1 Chronicles 7:25–27 “Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son, Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, Nun his son, Joshua his son.”

Structure

condition “if serving the lord” -> “then choose”

contrast “they choose… but i choose”

Narrative

Repeated

Serve

Gods

Choose

Related

Alike

serving - No matter what option you choose, you will serve something

geographic association of Gods

The euphrates (the past)

The land of amorites (the present)

Location might be important??

Unalike

The Lord vs gods

Yahweh

Elohim

Many vs the one

You (plural) vs I

Time restricted gods vs eternal lord

gods of euphrates (past) & god of amorites (present)

The Lord is time restricted

“seems” evil/undesirable vs what should be desirable

True to life

Undesirable to serve the Lord

Peer pressure

Urgency “this day”

Gen

desires

gods of past

deep seated idolatry?