PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY
by Thomas A. Schaff
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<0>....Preface & Introduction
<1>... Assumptions and Deductive Reasoning
<2>....Analysis and Inductive Reasoning
<3>... Additional Insights
<4>... Illustrations
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PREFACE
Dear Reader,
Some Family Radio School of the Bible students expressed a
desire to know how to study the bible on their own. Their need
provided the motivation to write this booklet.
Perhaps you have a method of studying the Bible that works
well for you. In that case I humbly submit this booklet in the
hope that there may be a few ideas you might use to make your own
personal study of God's Word more effective and meaningful. If
you are new to Bible study, I welcome you to a wonderful adventure
that will last your whole life.
You will notice that most of the scripture references were not
written out. I expect you to open your Bible and look up the
verses to see if they support the points made in this booklet.
This leads to the most important point we could possibly make.
The Bible is preeminent. Nothing, this booklet included, should
take the place of spending your own time and effort in the Bible.
The purpose and objective of this booklet is to motivate you to
study the Bible for yourself. Study guides, Bible courses and
other helps have some value. But there is no substitute for the
cultivation and nurture of your own walk with God based upon a
personal confrontation with His Word. It is my hope that this
booklet will equip you with a few of the tools necessary to
conduct your own independent study of the Bible.
It is my prayer that God will make His Word dwell in you
richly, to the praise of His glory and the salvation of many. May
an accurate and faithful study of the Bible encourage you to walk
more trustingly and obediently. I wish you the Lord's richest
blessing.
Sincerely in Christ,
Thomas A. Schaff
INTRODUCTION
How the contents of this booklet will help you depends upon
your prior experience in Bible study and your goals. If you have
studied for years, you may wish to just read it through once, put
it aside, and then go back to your own Bible study armed with
whatever you found helpful. Or you may want to read it slowly,
stop at the end of each main part, and turn to a book of the Bible
to see if you can apply what you learned. If you are new to the
Bible and have never studied it, you may be eager to get going and
are not interested in wading through a lot of instructions. Maybe
your immediate goal is just to know enough to get started. In
that case we suggest you read item A and item E of "II Analysis
and Inductive Reasoning", as well as the illustrations in "IV
Illustrations." Once you have spent a little time in the Bible for
yourself, you may want to look over the rest of the booklet in
order to obtain a more complete perspective on how to study the
Bible.
This booklet is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject of
how to study the Bible; but thought was given to many ideas which,
if carefully applied, should lead you to a mature and serious in
depth study of the Bible. Whether you are a veteran Bible student
or a novice, this booklet is offered as a source of ideas which
you can adopt as you think best.
(You may receive this booklet - free of charge - simply by leaving
your name and address.)
PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY
What does Bible study mean? That is, how do we study the
Bible and what results can we expect?
I Assumptions and Deductive Reasoning
We must approach the Bible with a bias. We must trust that
the Bible is the only trustworthy source of truth of all that it
declares. All the accounts of historical places, names, times and
events are assumed to be accurate and true. We believe from the
outset in the integrity of the contents of the Bible. This of
course is a natural consequence of our trust in the God who wrote
it. We therfore must come with a prejudice of faith that God
alone has the character to be trusted...as we read, "...let God be
true but every man a liar!" (Romans 3:4)...and that what He wrote
reflects that trustworthy character, not only in the original
autographs but also in the Bible we have today. Because we adhere
to certain assumptions, we will be influenced by them as we look
at the Bible. Whenever we make a decision about a particular
piece of data based upon a prior assumption, we are applying
deductive reasoning. The key idea to keep in mind is that the
results of our Bible study will depend upon how we view the data,
which is in turn a result of our assunptions. These then are some
of the assumptions and deductions with which we approach the
Bible.
A. The Bible is the Word of God.
This is, first of all, the testimony of those who write it.
For example, this was David's attitude in II Samuel 23:2; this was
Paul's attitude in I Thessalonians 2:13. The authors also
realized the inspiration of each other. (See II Peter 3:16.)
Secondly, we notice that each word is very important, given to us
for a purpose. For example, in Galatians 3:16 the whole
discussion depends on one letter, the plural form of the word
"seed." Therefore we must honor the Bible as a holy volume. We
must treat each detail with respect. This assumption leads to the
following practical points.
1. A Bible with explanatory notes in the margin should not be
used. It leads us to rely upon the notes, since they are an easy
reference, and to form thoughts that are "in the Bible" when they
are really only in the notes.
2. The words are as important as the thoughts. The integrity
and reliability of one rests upon the other. So we must not
tolerate a view that says the Bible "contains" the Word of God
rather than "is" the Word of God. If the details in the Bible are
not reliable, then we can have no confidence in its message.
Similarly, studying a paraphrase is not studying the Bible. A
paraphrase is no better than a commentary on the Bible. And in a
way it is worse than a commentary. Many times people will read
and study a paraphrase and think they have spent time with the
Bible. This error is encouraged by the fact that some paraphrases
actually contain the word "Bible" in their title.
3. Every part of the Bible applies in Bible study. As long
as it's in the Bible it is relevant and must be taken into account
before a firm conclusion can be made.
Furthermore, one part of the Bible does not have greater
authority than another part. Some commentators put a greater
significance upon upon the words of the New Testament than those
of the Old Testament. Also some Bibles unfortunately print the
words of Jesus in red to emphasize them. But every part of the
Bible was authored by God and commands equal respect. Therefore
we must never think that certain verses have more weight or
importance than other verses simply because of where we find them
in the Bible.
4. The awkwardness in some passages is often a signal that
some special truth is to be found there. Rather than try to
dismiss these problems as errors or seek a "better" translation,
we should investigate the structure and parts of difficult
passages to find the reason God wrote it as He did.
B. The Bible is Dynamic.
We read in Hebrews 4:12 that the Bible not only informs us but
it forms us as well. The Bible insists upon personal application.
And application can be viewed as the passage being fulfilled in
our lives. This is true whether we accept or reject its teaching,
because the Bible not only shows us truth but also shows who we
are as we react to it. Any time spent with the Bible will
influence our thoughts and actions. This assumption leads to the
following practical conclusions:
1. As we read in Isaiah 55:8-11, God's Word will do the
work God intends it to do. A real God is working through real
truth.
2. We do not stop with an objective review of the Bible. The
Bible is not open for inspection, like a laboratory specimen. It
commands a Christian response (II Timothy 3:16.). Remember, when
we study the Bible, the Bible is also studying us.
3. We do not have to worry about what portion of the Bible to
study, thinking that if we study this part of the Bible we will be
missing something valuable in another part. We must remember God
is a Person. And whenever we spend time with the Bible we have
spent time with God, Someone who cares a great deal for our souls
and rejoices to fellowship with us. We will never lose out when
we study the Bible. After all, God is in control even in our
Bible study, and He will guide us in the truth we need to know.
4. Sometimes we find ourselves spending a long time
unraveling all the interesting things we find just within one
verse. It might seem that we will never make it through the
passage which we have chosen to study. And in our concern for
progress, we might abandon our in depth study of one verse and try
a more cursory study which allows us to cover more verses.
But a shallower more extensive study might leave us wondering
if we missed something valuable. A very real struggle can develop
between choosing a slow or fast pace; either way we might feel
that there are things we would be losing. Sometimes this conflict
can immobilize a Bible student. He just can't decide how to pace
himself and stops, at least for awhile, any significant Bible
study at all. But we must remember that Bible study is not
measured in the number of verses we cover at one time, nor in the
number of insights we are able to glean from one verse. Rather,
the Bible is where we meet God to hear His Word. Again, God is a
Person. When we open the Bible, God is speaking to us. And the
verses we study are what He wants to say to us. The most
important thing for us to remember is not to focus upon the
quantity of information we learn but to remain faithful to
whatever spiritual truth God has entrusted to our care.
5. Because the Bible is the expression of a living God who
wants to talk to us, because He is the almighty Creator of all
that is and we are weak, we need to ask Him to help us. Prayer is
a requirement to Bible study, as we read in James 1:5. We might
pray before we start; we might pray in the middle of our study; we
might pray at the end of our study; we might pray when we are away
from our study and meditating upon what we learned.
Prayer reminds us of our dependence upon God and the gratitude
we should have for all that He has given us, including the
marvelous gift of His precious Word. We will then have the proper
attitude whenever we discover something in the Bible - pride and
boasting will be replaced by joy and wonder. As a matter of fact,
Bible study will teach us how God thinks and therefore how to talk
to Him in prayer.
C. The Bible is a Spiritual Book.
This was what Jesus expected His listeners to understand when
He spoke to them in John 6:63. The Bible is not only accurate in
history and in all the facts it states, but it answers the
questions of the heart. It is written to resolve spiritual issues
of the soul (John 20:31). In fact, the Bible is the only source
of spiritual knowledge that is dependable.
Too often some Bible students accuse others of "spiritualiz-
ing" passages, while they champion a literal interpretation of
scriptures. This view displays a fundamental confusion of terms.
We must keep in mind that the term literal, correctly understood,
is describing our observations of a passage, and the term
spiritual refers to our interpretation of that same passage. It
is not possible to interpret a passage literally. The term
literal tells how we look at the passage, not what we think about
it.
All good Bible students look at the Bible literally. In other
words, all good Bible students will agree that we must be faithful
to all the facts we observe just as they are presented in the
Bible. We must read the Bible literal word by literal word.
Each concrete and specific fact must be noted. Unless we adhere
to the literal facts, just as the Bible presents them we have
essentially an empty Bible. Facts are, then, not what they seem
and we may believe what we choose. No! All Bible students who
respect God's integrity read the Bible literally. The real
question is whether the literal facts convey a spiritual idea or a
material idea. Spiritual is not the opposite of literal, but
rather the opposite of material.
The key point is that spiritual refers to content. When we
say that the Bible is a spiritual book we mean that every part is
dealing with spiritual subject matter: real literal sin, real
literal salvation, real literal judgment and wrath, real victory
over sin.
An extermely important corollary to the assumption that it is
a spiritual book is that the Bible everywhere deals with the
Gospel and specifically with the Lord Jesus Christ. This was what
Jesus taught as the central theme of all the scriptures (John 5:39
and Luke 24:27). We should expect to find some aspect of the
Gospel in every part of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.
For example, Old Testament believers had a trust in God's Christ
as their Savior. (See John 8:56 and 12:41). In Hebrews 4:2 we
read that the Gospel was preached to those who wandered in the
wilderness. In that case only the first few books of the Bible
had been written. Space does not permit to list the many other
references that support this corollary. However, it is one of the
most important concepts which help unlock the meaning of the
scriptures.
The assumption that the Bible is a spiritual book is based
upon the fact that the Bible is God-centered, and that John 4:24
applies to our view of God's Word as well as His Person. It is
about His will, His glory, His perspective, His promises and His
fulfillment.
At this point one potential misunderstanding must be averted.
There is a material interpretation to many of the literal facts
that we read in the Bible. The account of the flood given in
Genesis Chapters 6 through 9 has an historical, materical basis.
This must be so since the integrity of the Bible is rooted in the
accuracy of the historical accounts of the people, places and
events it describes. Nevertheless, since the Bible is a spiritual
book, we should expect to see more than just a physical material
point to what God set down in the pages of scripture. For
example, the greatest value of Genesis 6-9 is what a careful
examination of those chapters can tell us about the return of the
Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 17:26,27). It is very common for a
passage to have both an obvious material as well as a not so
obvious (and more important) spiritual dimension. For example,
Hosea 11:1 is a simple and straightforward reference to the nation
of Israel when God led His people out of Egypt under the
leadership of His servant Moses. However, it is also appropriate
to ask if this verse also is a reference to the Gospel in any way.
With the help of Matthew 2:15 we can see that it does indeed have
a spiritual or Gospel dimension.
In fact, some passages set in an historical setting have only
a spiritual dimension. This is illustrated in II Samuel 7:12,13.
The phrase "thy seed" (v.12) cannot refer to David's son Solomon.
For one thing, the "seed's" throne was to be established forever
(v. 13) and we read in I Kings 11:11 that Solomon's lineage was
cut off. Furthermore, II Peter 3:10 dismisses any potential for a
material interpretation. This world will be destroyed and no
material never-ending throne can be established. The real
interpretation and the only one that will fit the literal fact of
"forever" is the spiritual kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ which
goes on into eternity. (Compare Acts 2:30.)
In this context a few words should be said about parables.
What are parables? In the Bible they are stories that contain a
spiritual meaning. The story itself may involve real historical
events, or it may be a story that did not necessarily happen but
was constructed in order to make a spiritual point.
Where do we find them. Here is a surprise. The whole Bible
is a parable. This is a natural consequence of the assumption we
made, which was that the Bible is a spiritual book. We should
expect to see the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel on every page
of the Bible. For example, an obscure passage as Ecclesiastes
12:11 can be compared with John 10:11, to show that even here we
learn about the exclusive and unique authority of Christ's words.
It is an Old Testament statement of Matthew 7:28 & 29.
But we do not have to rely upon surmisings when we state that
the whole Bible, even in its historical parts, is written in
parables. For this is the expressed testimony of the Bible
itself. Psalm 78:2 states, "I will open my mouth in a parable,"
and then proceeds to relate the history of Israel up to the time
of David. Likewise in the New Testament we see that Mark 4:34
reveals that everything Jesus said had a spiritual dimension to
it. It is therefore appropriate in studying the Bible to ask,
"What does this teach about Jesus Christ and His plan of
salvation?"
As a further thought it is often stated that parables are
given to clarify an idea. Actually, according to Mark 4:11 & 12,
parables are given to hide truth from those who do not have ears
to hear. This agrees with another assumption which we will make,
namely, that we must be a true believer before we can secure a
real understanding of the Bible. If the whole Bible is a
spiritual message, and so qualifies as a parable, then only those
who are spiritually alive can receive it.
D. The Bible Interprets Itself.
Whenever we are faced with a problem in our study of the
Bible, we must ask, "How am I to understand what this word or
phrase means?" There can be only one answer to that question. We
must go back to the Bible and see how that word or phrase is used
in all of the other places in the Bible in which it appears. We
do not have a bias that is sometimes expressed, "literal unless
proven otherwise," but rather we say "Biblical," period! As we
learned above, taking something literally does not mean anything.
All Bible students look at the data objectively, just as it is
presented, or literally. What is implied by the expression just
quoted is "physical or material unless proven otherwise." But is
does not matter what we think is the obvious meaning of a word or
phrase; the issue is what the Bible means by these words.
Therefore the Bible can be looked at as a dictionary for terms
which we encounter. We must make comparisons of items within the
Bible, sift out that which is common and follow logic to its
conclusion. For example, if we read in I John 1:5 that "God is
light" (A=B), and Jesus says in John 8:12, "I am the light" (C=B),
then we conclude that Jesus is God (A=C). Words which we use in
everyday speech may very well have a different emphasis in the
Bible. We must cultivate the habit of I Corinthians 2:13, which
is compare spiritual things with spiritual things.
A common tendency is to place a great deal of significance on
the secular history or cultural context of passages. This is only
interesting material after we have made our study based on all
verses in the Bible that tell how to solve our problem. As far as
Biblical research is concerned, we are interested only in the
historical or cultural facts presented in the Bible itself. We
make conclusions based only on the reservoir of material contained
in the Bible. This must be the case since God is writing for all
men of all ages. There are really only two cultures: Christian
and worldly. There is only one history; God's triumph of His
salvation plan through the ages.
E. The Bible Can Really Be Understood Only By a True Believer
Famous intellectual theologians notwithstanding, Psalm 19:7
states that those who put their trust in God are the ones who are
truly wise, no matter how simple they appear to the world. We
should expect this for two reasons.
First, as I Corinthians 1:27-31 teaches, God will get all the
glory for what we learn, since we are basically foolish people
whom God has redeemed, and any wisdom we achieve as we study God's
Word is really the work of God, and not the result of our academic
expertise. And second, it is just plain impossible for someone
who has only natural ears to hear spiritual truths (I Corinthians
2:9,14). The Bible puts it another way in Mark 4:9. Only God can
give us the ears to hear His Word. That is, we must be saved to
benefit from Bible study. An unsaved person will only gain some
superficial moralistic knowledge. This kind of hearer goes his
own way after studying the Bible; and as James 1:25,26 states,
such a person has a vain or empty experience. But if he becomes
saved through this knowledge he has achieved real wisdom. True
wisdom from Bible study comes to those who are willing to obey
what they find therein (Job 28:28).
II Analysis and Inductive Reasoning
We begin our Bible study with certain assumptions, which are
statements about the Biblical data we are about to face. By
applying deductive reasoning, we make a decision concerning each
particular piece of data.
But our approach from then on is analytical. That is, we
first separate a passage of the Bible into its constituent parts,
then by applying inductive reasoning to every piece of data, we
gather the particular pieces together to make a whole or
conclusion based upon a careful study of each piece.
Before we proceed, one point must be stressed. The first step
in Bible study is READ THE BIBLE. Actually, this step is only
obvious intellectually, since in practice it is often neglected.
Sometimes we are lazy; sometimes we think we know what is says
already and don't bother to read it; and sometimes we have
something that seems more urgent at the time. However, there is
no substitute for reading the Bible.
Reading does not mean that our eyes have traveled over all the
verses and arrived at the end of the passage. Reading means
slowly, carefully reflecting upon each verse. We must get in the
habit of holding a pen or pencil as we read, and mark our Bible.
We underline, draw arrows from one word to another, make a mark in
the margin next to something we might want to concentrate on
later.
Also, reading does not mean that we read the passage once. We
should become so familiar with it that we have certain facts
already fixed in our minds. A day or so before we seriously begin
to analyze a passage we should read it many times over, then
ponder it from time to time before we actually sit down to study.
this procedure will help to insulate us from the influence of
wrong ideas that might creep in before we begin. Furthermore, if
we read the passage ahead of time, we will see the big picture,
which will help us avoid missing obvious points and guide us in
the right direction later on.
A. Inductive Bible Study Must Begin With ALL the Data.
This point grows out of the fact that the whole Bible is one
piece of truth (Matthew 4:4, I Timothy 3:16). No matter where we
find a word or idea, if it is in the Bible we must take it into
account.
This is an extremely important step. Probably most errors are
caused by not including one or two items that were omitted in the
analysis prior to making a conclusion. We use this principle
every day. When we can't find the keys to the car in the morning,
do we just sit in a chair and decide not to go to work? No! We
look for them. We make sure we have considered all possibliities
before we draw a conclusion and then act upon that conclusion. A
good scientist will be sure not to reject any data even though at
the time it doesn't seem relevant.
Related to the fact that all available data must be
incorporated in our analysis is the fact that only those items
that are in the Bible can be trusted as reliable facts. The
exclusive inventory of data is contained within the Bible alone,
as we read in John 17:17 and Revelation 22:18. Since all the data
within the Bible comes from one source, God, He is therefore the
authority we have to support the reliability of the facts at hand.
Data from any other source comes from an unknown authority. No
matter what anyone claims to the contrary extra-Biblical
information does not come from God. Incorporating such data in an
analysis will necessarily modify our conclusions. Therefore our
analysis, no matter how carefully and skillfully done, cannot be
trusted.
Finally, we must keep an open mind for missing data. All the
pieces count. So we cannot, as humans with limited ability,
assume we have at the first try properly included all the data.
Whether we have or not is not important in the beginning of our
study. We must strive to do so, but we must always keep our
conclusions tentative until enough time has gone by for us to be
reasonably sure that we have not overlooked any relevant items.
Now then, how do we go about gathering the data? The answer
is, through observation. Observation is a skill, an acquired
skill, acquired through hours of practice. Observation is not a
matter of just looking at something, but recognizing the value of
a piece of data or of the importance of a relationship between
different pieces of data.
We greatly increase our powers of observation when we know
ahead of time what we are looking for. It is a lot easier to find
something when we have seen it before. Therefore we must sharpen
our observational skills by becoming familiar with how the Bible
is written. We will then become expectant observers and be more
likely to find something in a passage.
The variety and intricacy of expression in the Bible is a
delight and the foundation of its beauty. And yet all the
literary forms which we find in the Bible are really nothing more
than a summation of all their verses. We must not be overly
impressed by these literary forms of expression for they must
still be studied objectively. The poetry of the psalms or the
rigorous logic of Romans are composed of verses, one after
another, that must be analyzed for their content. Essentially
they are data banks. We do not rest our case on a form of
literature. Rather we compare the details of a verse with details
in another part of the Bible, no matter where they are found.
This approach is the foundation of an analytical inductive study
of God's Word. For example, we know that the expression in John
1:29, "Behold, the Lamb of God," is a figure. We can decide for
ourselves that Christ is not an animal. Nevertheless only a
careful analysis of the Bible can help us know what we are to
think about the word "Lamb."
There are so many things to find in the Bible that it will not
be possible in this discussion to list them all. But perhaps the
following list of suggestions will help as we begin our personal
study. Eventually we will learn to recognize things that reoccur
as we do our own research.
l. We must learn to recognize comparsions. The Bible often
puts together things that are similar in order to add to our
understanding. Some words associated with, but not limited to,
the concept of comparison are: "even so," "so," "as," "likewise,"
"neither," "nor." For example, in II Samuel 18:32 David understood
very well the gruesome comparison which the messenger used to tell
him that his son Abaslom was dead. Also in Matthew 5:48 we read
about the perfect standard of God which we must meet, and attained
only by those in Christ. Sometimes the comparison can be between
two negative things, as we read in Isaiah 59:6.
2. Contrasts are also important to notice. A great deal is
learned about one thing by showing how much it is not like
another. Contrasting is essentailly putting together two
opposites in order to point out their different characteristics.
Words that are sometimes associated with contrasts are: "but,"
"however," "rather." Notice, for example, how the great cursing of
God in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 are introduced and separated from the
first 14 verses of that chapter by the little word "but" in verse
15. In another example, the contrast displayed in Ephesians 2:4-5
gives us a reason to rejoice.
3. The Bible also contains expressions which emphasize
purpose. There is a reason God wrote the Bible. It is therefore
not surprising to see His plan and purpose expressed many times in
His Word. Sometimes, but not always, the words "that," "in order
that," and "because" are associated with purpose. The concept of
purpose is rooted in the fact of design. God designed the
creation and His salvation. And through the Bible's expressions
of purpose we learn about God's plan. For example, the word of
God expressed in Ephesians 5:25 is seen to be deliberate and
purposeful by the following verse (verse 26).
Furthermore we learn about God's motivation for doing what He
sets out do do. For example, in Ephesians 1:4 we read that God
shows us His salvation, with not only a plan in mind, but also the
desire that we would be "before Him in love." Furthermore, in
verse 12 the same chapter we see that God is motivated to carry
out His plan of salvation so "that we should be to the praise of
His glory."
4. We must learn to recognize conclusions that are frequently
expressed in the Bible. Words like "therefore," "wherefore,"
"thus," "so," are clues that that verse contains a conclusion.
For example, Isaiah 59:16 concludes with the fact that God Himself
must save the human race from sin, since no man was found to do
the job. In another example, Romans 3:20 is the conclusion which
is based on all that has come before.
5. We must notice the Bible's use of repetition and
restatement of the same facts in different ways. These two
concepts are exceedingly common in the Bible. They are like the
concept of comparison, yet more explicit.
Many wrong conclusions have resulted from separating ideas
that are really repetitions or restatements of the same concept.
For example, Psalm 85:1-4 is not a list of different blessings
which God gives, but restatements of the same blessing, namely,
salvation from sin. Therefore the phrases, "Thou hast been
favorable unto the land," "brought back the captivity of Jacob,"
"forgiven the iniquities of Thy people," and "covered all their
sin," are all statements of the same thought. To support this the
psalmist in verse 3 rejoices that he does not have to face the
wrath of God. The real issue of Psalm 85 concerns the spiritual
matter of salvation from sin and its consequent judgment from God.
Similarly Romans 4:25 is not talking about two different
things. God is not dissecting His plan of salvation by
associating "delivered" with "offenses" and "raised again" with
"justification." In other words, Jesus was not first delivered
(crucified) in order to take care of our offenses and then raised
again so that we could be justified. The removal of our offenses
and our justification are all one thing. Furthermore, they are
dependent upon one complete work of salvation which included both
the death and resurrection of our Lord. In fact, Romans 5:9
rearranges two terms, making justification a result of Christ's
shed blood (delivered). We can get into serious trouble when we
try to separate things that are really different views of the one
idea.
6. Sometimes there is a progression in logic that needs to be
recognized. For example, if it is true that nothing can separate
us from the love of God, as the last verses of Romans 8 boast, why
then was the nation of Jews cut off? The answer is found in
Romans 9, 10 and 11. There is therefore a natural, logical
connection between Romans 8 and the following chapters.
This concept of progression in logic illustrates the danger of
taking the New Testament chapter divisions too seriously. These
chapter breaks are not inspired and can sometimes be a hindrance
to our understanding of a thought that follows from one chapter
into another. For example, the discussion between Jesus and His
disciples in John 13:31 flows smoothly into Chapter 14 without a
break in logical continuity. In John 13:35-37 Peter asks first,
"Whither goest Thou?" and second, "Why cannot I follow Thee now?"
The answer to the first question is found in the next chapter,
Chapter 14, verse 2. Jesus is going to the cross. The answer to
the second question is found in Chapter 14, verses 3-6. The
disciples could not follow Jesus now because He had not yet gone
to the cross. After He had died He would return and show them the
way to go.
Sometimes the concept of progression is not dealing so much
with a strict logical discussion but rather with a sequence of
events as they commonly occur in the world. For example, Psalm
84:5-7 can be seen as a description of the progress which a
Christian makes through the world. First of all, the phrase,
"whose strength is in thee (God)" in verse 5, when compared to
Exodus 15:2, is seen to be a statement of a person's salvation.
This is supported by the other phrase, "in whose heart are the
ways of them," which is another way of stating that Jesus, the
Way, is in his heart. In the next verse we find that the
Christian journey takes us through the valley of Baca, or weeping,
and this identifies with the trials a Christian must experience in
his pilgrimage. (Compare II Timothy 3:12). But as the journey
continues into verse 7, we see the Christian victorious as he goes
from strength to strength. And finally, at the end of his
journey, he dies and appears before God in Heaven.
7. We must learn to recognize the expressions which convey
summary or which convey a principle. Sometimes the Bible helps us
by tying all the different threads of a passage together into one
small statement. That is called a summary. A conclusion is a
particular statement that necessarily follows the logical
argument. A summary, on the other hand, simply restates all the
different parts of the argument in one simple sentence. For
example, verse 27 is a summary of the 12th chapter of I
Corinthians. Everything Paul has been discussing concerning the
details of the different parts of the church really boils down to
the fact that the church is one body of Christ and that the body
is composed of different, equally important members.
A principle is similar to a summary in that it is a straight-
forward statement of fact. But unlike a summary, it can stand
independent of all the rest of the Bible. A principle is simply a
statement of fact as God presents it, sort of a Bible maxim, like
those found in Proverbs. Principles are not modified by anything
else in the Bible; they are always true in every case, just as
they are read. For example, I Corinthians 4:2 is a statement that
is always true.
Sometimes principles function as a summary when they come at
the end of a discussion. At other times they function as a thesis
statement, when they lead into a discussion. For example, Romans
8:1, as well as Colossians 3:1, are thesis statements which the
following chapter expands and illustrates.
8. We must learn to recognize illustrations in the Bible.
Illustrations and examples abound. They clarify the logic in a
passage and help to apply the principles that God lays down. Two
good illustrations are found in the 12th chapter of Hebrews, one
in verse 2 and the other in verses 14-17.
9. We must also be on the lookout for explicit definitions
that the Bible sometimes makes. These definitions are important
because they give terms certain specific meanings and these terms
can then be used as clues to unlock more obscure passages. the
verses in Psalm 119.105 and I John 5:3 contain two of the many
definitions found in the Bible.
10. It is important to observe the grammar of a passage. What
is the subject of the sentence? Which nouns are the objects of
the verbs or the prepositions? What are the tenses of the verbs?
What are the modifiers of the verbs and nouns? What is
significant about the prepositions?
ll. Context is all the verses that surround the part of the
Bible in which we are interested. The context of a verse is the
neighborhood in which we find it. It is, so to speak, the
environment in which a verse is immersed. We must learn to
observe the verses which come before and after the part of the
Bible we seek to understand.
By the word context we are referring to the Biblical context
alone. The context can be immediate, those words and phrases that
are only a few verses away. Or the context can be extended,
namely, words and phrases that are in different parts of the same
book or in different parts of the Bible. But the context that
matters is always limited to the Bible alone. Some Bible teachers
say that we should include the historical or social context in our
study of a passage, implying that the norms of the society at the
time the passage was written are important for a true
understanding of that passage. But we must face the fact that
such information is extra Biblical. In other words, the
historical information may be very interesting but it is not
admissible evidence in our evaluation of a passage. One of the
assumptions which is foundational to our study of the Bible is
that the Bible is a closed book. We gather data from the Bible
alone. We must not allow anything other than the Biblical data to
influence our analysis and conclusions.
The value of context rests upon the premise that each verse in
the Bible is related somehow to the passage in which it is found.
We expect, for example, if most of the verses in a passage are
describing a particular subject, that the rest of the verses do as
well. Context is our frame of reference for beginning to think
out what a passage or verse is teaching. By seeking how it fits
into its surroundings we are studying a passage in context.
Observing the context in our Bible study helps us in two
different ways. First, trying to reconcile each verse in a
passage with the context keeps us on track and less likely to go
off on wild flights of fanciful thought. We may not think
anything we like about a verse but must somehow compare our
thoughts with what is being said by the verses in the
neighborhood. We do not have unlimited choices when we seek the
meaning of a verse; rather, we are constrained in our options by
the meaning of the surrounding verses. Secondly, the context,
immediate or extended, can give us strong clues to the meaning of
difficult verses. We always learn by going from the known to the
unknown. And the more we understand about some verses in the
Bible, the more it will help us with other verses which may not be
so easy to understand.
Finally, it is important to keep the right balance of
influence between the immediate and the extended context. It is
natural that the immediate context would command so much of our
attention. It is understandable that the verses right there
before our eyes would impress us so much. Furthermore, we should
expect the logic within the immediate context to flow through the
verse in which we are interested. That verse should somehow make
sense in the immediate context. We must not diminish the weight
of the immediate context in our Bible study. However, it is also
a big mistake to ignore the extended context. Both are
needed. Relevant parts of the Bible that are quite removed from
our verse should be consulted, expecially if they contain words
and phrases similar to those which we find in the verse we are
studying comparing the content of the extended context is nothing
more than gathering all the data. We are applying one of the
fundamental assumptions which we made before we began our
investigation of the Bible. Incidentally, not only do we look for
identical words and phrases in other parts of the Bible, but also
we compare similar thoughts as well.
A good understanding of the concept of context is necessary
for achieving sound results in our study of the Bible. Serious
mistakes will result from a wrong application of context.
Therefore at the end of this booklet a study in Acts 1 is given to
help us properly fix this concept in our minds. It illustrates
the different ways in which the concept of context can be used.
12. The Bible also uses irony, exclamatory expressions, and
many other ways of stating truth. Only as we study the Bible for
ourselves will we grow to recognize these different forms of
expression.
The list of things that we might find in the Bible is very
long. How can we possibly keep all these things in mind as we
search the scriptures? We cannot. Neither should we expect to.
We only need to find a few things in order to begin our own Bible
study. As we mature, we will get better and better, finding
things which we had previously overlooked. Remember, no one has
so mastered the skill of observation that he cannot improve.
Nothing in the Bible is out of our reach because of our lack of
experience. It simply means that it may take quite a long time at
first to find our answers.
Our powers of observation increase dramatically when we start
by asking the right questions. The art of Bible study is the art
of asking the right questions. Unless we ask the right questions,
we will not receive any helpful answers. For example, a lawyer
asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29). Jesus never
directly answered his question. Instead He taught him that he
must ask the right question, which was `To whom am I a neighbor?'
(Luke 10:36). We know from verse 25 that he did not obtain the
answer he desired, because he was not interested in asking the
right questions.
Act like a detective. Challenge the Bible. What does each
word mean? Why do some words appear after other words? Is there
a key verse in the passage? What are the contrasts and
comparisons in the verse? Is there a progression, illustration,
command, promise, warning? Notice the logic in every verse. For
example, in I Corinthians 15:57 God does not say that He gives us
the tools to obtain victory on our own, but that He gives us the
victory. And so the outcome of any spiritual conflict is already
an accomplished fact before we enter into the struggle.
Remember, the Bible is tough. It can take the sternest
inquiry you give it. It can take it and come out vindicated as a
trustworthy document .
Furthermore, questions are a wonderful motivation. They
stimulate us to think. We are encouraged to find the answers to
questions we pose to ourselves. By nature we love a puzzle and
questions help us to keep thinking about an issue, even when we
are away from our desk.
As a warning, do not fall into the lazy habit of generalizing
about facts. We must insist on knowing all the specific and
concrete details. We do not know what will turn out to be
important later on. so make sure to have all the facts in front
of you and work overtime to be sure you get the facts accurately.
Get the names, places and exact relationships clearly in your
mind: who, what, where, when, why, how much, how many, how fast.
These and many more precise questions must be asked. We must not
rest until we find precise answers to them. Only specific and
concrete details will allow us to think clearly about a subject.
Perhaps at this point we might be discouraged at all the rules
that seem to bury us before we even begin our study of God's Word.
One of the greatest assets for Bible study is our natural
curiosity. By no means should our sense of wonder be extinguished
before we begin. And so it is appropriate to emphasize the
importance of just reading and studying the Bible for ourselves.
There is no substitute for our own personal musings and
reflections, separated from the influence of anything else.
However, it is very easy to ask questions about a passage. It
is possible to wonder about a million things and never resolve one
of them. Therefore rules have value, for they guide our
curiosity. Rules are the tools that help us find answers to the
questions we ask. In fact, if properly used, rules actually
increase our desire to know and allow us to make the most of the
time we spend with the Bible as we go from one discovery to
another.
The following is an example of only one possible way to note
some observations in the Bible.
Observations on Psalm 1
The following describes only some of the observations which
are possible. This is only a sample. Each student must analyze
and research the Bible for himself.
1) The word blessed is further clarified in Matthew 5:3-11;
so a line was drawn to the margin with the Matthew passage written
down for future reference.
2) The words walk, stand, and sit form a progression which
is described in the margin. The progression describes a deeper
and deeper entrenchment into sin. Men never stand in one spot.
They either go from faith unto faith or, as we observe here, they
go from wickedness to greater wickedness. Romans 6:19 was written
down to support this observation. The symbol "cf" means compare.
Symbols are a valuable shorthand. We may make up our own symbols,
but the key thing is to be consistent, so that we can understand
years later what we observed today.
3) A companion progression was written down at the bottom of
the page because no space was found in the margin next to the
first verse. So "v1" was written down to relate this additonal
observation with its proper verse.
4) The word not was circled and a line drawn above to observe
that the contrast is expressed in a negative. The contrast is not
a matter of degree but of kind. This is a heightened contrast and
motivated us to write a few words of application: "there must be
a difference," implying that there must be a difference in
behavior between Christians and non-Christians.
5) The word way was thought to be significant. Two
observations were made and a verse was written down to support
each one. Acts 9:2 connects the word way to the Gospel. John 14:6
connects the word way to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The three
dots that form a triangle are a symbol that means "therefore."
6) The words but and not were connected since it was observed
that they support each other. The three verbs in verse 1 are
really negative verbs; not explains each one, so that the emphasis
is upon the blessed man and what he does not do.
7) The word delight was observed to be significant. The
reference Romans 7:22 was written down to indicate what was
thought to be important about this word. A few words were written
down to suggest a possible insight.
8) Similarly, the words day and night were underlined with
the word and circled for further emphasis. Nothing else was
noted, but a line could have been drawn to the word delight and
then to the margin, to indicate a possible relationship, such as:
what we spend time on indicates what we delight in.
9) The words like and tree were tied together to point out
the logic in this verse. The psalm does not say the blessed man
is a tree, but rather like or similar to a tree. This observation
is a reminder that Christians are like something else, namely,
Christ. Revelation 22:2 was written down to support this.
10) The word planted was underlined with a line drawn to the
words in the margin, "God's doing," which is the observation that
it is a transitive verb. Trees do not plant themselves. They
must be planted by someone else. The reference Psalm 92:11,12,13
was written down without comment for perhaps some future study.
11) The word fruit was circled and a line drawn to the margin
to the verses Galatians 5:22,23. These verses were written down
as possible clues for later investigation.
12) The word whatsoever was tied to the words "in God's will"
written beneath it. This comment limits the meaning of whatsoever
to those things which are in God's will. The comment is not an
observation but a conclusion which we might make, based on our
past experience with the Bible. We must be careful with comments
like this since they tend to be interpretations. However, they
can sometimes be helpful in analyzing a verse. The symbol "i.e"
means "that is."
13) The word chaff was circled. A line could have been drawn
to the word tree in verse 3, to emphasize a contrast. But lest
the Bible page become too confusing to look at, a line was drawn
instead to the margin. This connected it to the observation that
chaff is a dead thing and in that sense the opposite of the word
tree. The verse Ephesians 2:1 was written down to make a
spiritual observation about deadness.
14) The word therefore was circled simply for emphasis.
15) The word ungodly was underlined, with a line drawn to the
symbol 4X below it. This symbol indicates that we observe the
word ungodly 4 times in this short psalm (vs. 1, vs. 4, vs. 5 and
vs. 6). Sometimes the observation won't mean anything to us at
the time, but just noting it will help us think things out in the
future.
16) The verb knoweth was underlined and tied to the verse II
Timothy 2:19 written below the verse. II Timothy 2:19 is a
comment on one possible meaning of that word; and the word
salvation was added to clarify why that verse was cited. Also the
words pres. tense were written to observe that the verb is in the
present tense.
17) The word way was circled both times it occurred in verse
6. Furthermore, a few words were added to emphasize that they are
not referring to the same thing. One refers to the way of the
righteous, the other to the way of the ungodly. The symbol "cfv1"
means, compare verse l, which also contains the word way.
18) The explanation, "God knows Christ," refers to the
observation in logic. The phrase, The Lord knoweth, refers not to
the righteous, but to the way. The symbol, three dots that form a
triangle, means therefore. This symbol introduces the conclusion
that our security first of all is based upon Christ's relationship
with His Father.
19) The word perish is linked to the verse John 3:16; and the
word hell written below it narrows the choices we have in the
future when we return later to analyze this psalm.
20) At the very bottom of the page an attempt was made to
grasp an overall picture of Psalm 1. Since both godly and ungodly
men were described, and since their present life as well as their
future was described, the whole psalm was synthesized into one
statement. The statement was hopefully general enough in order
not to steer our minds away from anything else the psalm might be
teaching, and meaningful enough to help us make some sense out of
the many different parts of the psalm.
At this point it is appropriate to add a word of caution. The
marks and notes in your Bible will cause you to think in the same
way each time you look at the page. These marks are good for
reference if they are well done. But they are bad when we wish to
do some new research on the same passage. Therefore it is wise
sometimes to pick up an unmarked Bible for a fresh look at an old
passage, without any notes or marks to distract us.
B. Inductive Bible Study Progresses With a Plan.
What do we do with all the data we have gathered? We must
have a plan for anything we wish to do, and certainly for
something as important as God's Word.
1) Our plan must include a way of sorting out all the data we
have gathered. First of all, we must acquire the habit of making
lists. Listing the data helps us to discover if we neglected to
take into account all the data. Listing forces us to spend some
time with each fact. Lists help us to acquire a perspective on
the sometimes very complex body of data.
By perspective I mean that, with a properly written list, we
can see which data is more important or relevant to the issue at
hand. We find that as we study an issue, we will be on the
lookout for specific information, and it will sometimes pop up
from the background in a list. Also a proper perspective includes
the ability to notice common threads that tie many verses
together.
2) This leads us to another very important concept:
synthesis. Synthesis is a word used to describe the process of
combining similar things that complete or reinforce an idea, of
which each bit of data is a part.
When we see what many different verses have in common and are
able to combine them into one group and give that group a label,
we are synthesizing these verses. For example, a synthesis of a
simple compact list of verses, such as Galatians 5:19-23, would
give us the following result: the combination of verses 19-21
with the title "an inventory of an unsaved person's life" and the
combination of verses 22 and 23 with the title, "an inventory of a
saved person's life."
We can also try to synthesize an extended passage, like one or
two chapters. Let us take John 7 and part of John 8 as an
illustration. First we observe the following. In verse 5 Jesus'
brothers made their own assessment or judgment of Him. In verse
12 the people in general judged Jesus. In verse 15 it was the
Jews' turn to judge Him. And in verse 50 a fourth assessment is
given by Nicodemus. We could give John 7 the following label:
"mankind tries to judge God." Incidentally, notice in this case
how significant verse 24 is.
Now that mankind has had its day, it is God's turn to judge.
And so we are not surprised that a synthesis of Chapter 8 results
in: "God judges man." Notice the following thread that ties the
verses of Chapter 8 together. In verse 6 Jesus is acting just
like God, who also used His finger to give the law, as we read in
Exodus 31:18. In verse 12 Jesus describes Himself as the Light of
the world. We know from John 3:19 that one of the functions of
light is to expose men's sin. In addition, verses 17 and 18
concerning the testimony of two men is a reference to judgment
rendered upon a sinner and is taken from Deuteronomy 19:15. In
the case of John 8 the two witnesses are God the Father and God
the Son. Therefore we have synthesized a rather large passage in
the Bible and our result has been two groups of verses which
complement each other.
Synthesis has two important advantages. First, through
synthesis we find the common denominator among many different
verses, and therefore gain an insight into how to understand more
obscure verses within the same passage. Second, synthesis aids
our memory. The labels we put on groups of verses help us to keep
their content and location in the Bible in our minds.
We must be careful not to misunderstand what synthesis has
provided. We are not making an interpretation about the verses
but simply attempting to gather things together that have
something in common. We must not attach too much significance to
the description we place upon the group of things we put together.
Synthesis is only a method we use to help us manage a large body
of data by combining and labeling some of that data.
Incidentally, synthesis is an excellent exercise in helping us
to understand some of the big truths in the Bible. For example,
we might try to take a passage of scripture, a chapter, a psalm;
or, when we are really good at it, a whole book, and write out the
main point in one sentence. Finding the common denominator among
a large amount of verses is very hard to do and forces us to see
the forest as well as the trees. It keeps us honest, since we
will not so easily go off on some tangent that is not really
related to the passage at hand. Some people like to synthesize
data by outlining the passage first. From this they can then set
down in one clear sentence exactly the intent of the whole.
3) A plan or a program helps to direct our thoughts. If we
deliberately plan to accumulate data related to one idea, we can
work more efficiently as we discard unrelated date. Like
questions, a plan helps to motivate us, to keep us plugging away
at our study, since progress is taking shape before us. The plan
we use is a challenge to us. We are driven to accomplish our
goal..." I will get the main idea of Romans Chapter 8."
C. Inductive Bible Study Continues By Forming a Conclusion Based
On the Data.
The Bible is not a cookie jar with a mouth too small to
extract anything out of it. We study it because we know there are
things in there for us to find. We can be quite definitive about
what we find if we have done our homework. Conclusions are
expected from our study, and we should be bold to state what they
are within the arena of our available data. Truth is black or
white, right or wrong. God is not a God of confusion but of
order. We can make very specific and detailed statements about
what the Bible teaches. The God of the Bible is a God of detail
(Matthew 10:30). Look carefully at a flower if you do not believe
it. Everything that God does and says has order and purpose. The
Bible is not a collection of stories or mystical obtuse sayings.
It is a unified, carefully structured volume of truth. The
creation is a beautiful integrated whole, with each part carefully
designed for a specific purpose. Therefore we should expect God's
spiritual truth to be just as specific and clearly delineated as
any other of His works.
When we get this far in our study, we should ask a very
revealing question: "Am I able to explain clearly in my own
words, in one or two simple sentences, what the point is that I
came to?" Remember, when we summarize all the data, we are trying
to distill one truth at a time. If we cannot express it simply,
we probably do not know what it is, or at the very least do not
understand it very well. This kind of test is valid because
writing makes an exact man and reveals in the harsh light of the
next day the durability, accuracy and clarity of the conclusion we
were so excited about the previous night.
At this point we should be warned not to establish a pattern
in our thinking too quickly. We must make absolutely sure that we
have gone over all the data before we begin to direct our thinking
in a certain pattern. When we make the decision too early in our
analysis that the data requires a certain conclusion, we could
create problems for ourselves. As much as we hate to admit it, it
is very difficult to abandon a decision at which we have
personally arrived. It is very hard to change once we have
settled upon a conclusion, even in the face of evidence to the
contrary. This resistance is rooted in the pride we have in our
accomplishments: "We figured it out ourselves and how dare anyone
question our hard work?"
Furthermore, snap decisions reduce our effectiveness in
discovering truth by depriving us of the inclination to abruptly
try any new patterns of thought that occasionally show themselves
by surprise. Some of the most interesting and valuable lessons
are learned when we have stumbled upon them as we were pursuing
another unrelated idea. Keeping an open mind for a longer period
of time allows us to take advantage of things that pop up along
the way.
We must always be willing to change if the evidence presents
itself. Besides, humility becomes a Bible student. After all,
who are we, sinners saved by grace, to show any airs when we study
the Word of our Almighty King? Remember, any insight we do
receive is only a gift of God anyway.
As a final word about conclusions, we must always keep in mind
that arriving at a clear understanding of a passage and being
satisfied with our conclusion does not mean we know all that is
worth knowing about that passage. We will never exhaust the
content of a passage of the Bible no matter how many thoughts we
have extracted. Therefore we should expect to find other insights
later on and we should welcome the contributions of others.
D. Inductive Bible Study Includes a Test of Our Conclusions.
Always keep in mind that truth will stand the test of scrutiny
of its own accord. Truth is durable. We do not have to worry
about its ability to withstand examination. If our conclusion is
based upon sound study, we do not have to defend it. It will
defend itself. Those who become concerned about challenges to
their position usually argue loudly because that is all it is -
their position. We must have a peace of mind about what we
conclude. If our study has integrity, let it be challenged.
After all, we couldn't be happier if we were found to be wrong and
were corrected in our thinking. And if our conclusion stands, all
praise should be to God for His truth. Remember, God will only
defend His truth. If what we hold is truth, God will see that it
stands the test of time. Popularity means nothing. And if we are
really seeking truth, God will either correct us or make the
conclusion to be a blessing to us and to others.
Not only that, whenever we present a conclusion it should be
the result, if properly done, of much study and time. We must
allow others the opportunity to challenge and struggle with our
conclusions. Not only do we know that God has had to do a lot of
work in our lives to force us to face truth, but also we know that
unless God reveals truth to others, much speaking will not
convince them of our view. We must never compromise, if we have
done our homework. However, we must always gently bring the truth
with an open mind and leave it there if it doesn't make sense to
others.
This step in inductive Bible study means that we must be on
the look-out for ideas that might be in contradiction to what we
have concluded. We must be willing to reconcile our conclusions
with whatever else the Bible teaches. For example, we might
conclude that we take part in our own salvation from the
expression "received Him" in John 1:12. But a comparison with
John 3:27 pulls the curtain back further on God's salvation plan
and shows us that even this response of ours was in God's hand.
1) One excellent way to test our conclusion is to play the
adversary. We might deliberately, in the privacy of our own mind,
so our ego won't be at stake, take the other side of our
conclusion and try to prove ourselves wrong. This step of
inductive Bible study is not taken at once. It might be years in
fact before a serious challenge to our conclusion presents itself.
We must always be willing to face any correction, whether from
what other people point out or from our ever maturing Christian
walk and our understanding of God's Word.
2) It is good to discuss our studies with others. Exposure
will keep our study honest. But whenever we do talk, especially
if it is a new idea for us, we must talk humbly. We dare not
paint ourselves in a corner so that we must seek to save face
somehow when we are shown to be wrong. We all know what kind of
people we are and how prone we are to hold onto something because
we personally identify with it. Our confidence in a conclusion
that we have reached must be based upon knowledge. Have we
personally done our homework on this issue, or do we have a
stubborn loyalty to a teacher, denomination, friend, church, or
whatever? It is better to keep a low profile for a while, until
our conclusions pass at least a few challenges and until a few
months go by without any serious unresolved questions.
3) Another way to test our conclusion is to ask the following
question: "Can I find another passage in the Bible that teaches
the same thing or is my conclusion an isolated case?" We should
be circumspect about the validity of our conclusion if we cannot
find a similar thought elsewhere.
There is a valuable result from testing your conclusion. Many
times in the crucible of defense from a particularly ardent and
skillful challenge, we discover whole new truths. Blessings come
even if the challenge is successful and our conclusions fail.
Remember that as we study God's Word we are visiting with God, and
He is working upon us to shape us as well as show us His truth.
Finally, keep in mind that none of our conclusions, even a
correct one, are so wonderfully perfect that they cannot stand
improvement. Sometimes a challenge will not shake the firm basis
of our conclusion, but on the other hand we can be grateful for
small modifications that tidy up our thinking and help us to
present our conclusions more clearly.
E. Inductive Bible Study Concludes With Application.
Not only do we ask, "What does the passage say?" and "What
does the passage mean?" but also, "What does the passage mean to
me?" We must put legs upon what we study. While we apply
scientific priciples to the Bible in an honest investigation for
specific truth, the Bible is not just another subject to fill up
credits at some school. We are never the same person when we
spend time in the Bible. Furthermore we are responsible for what
we know - in our own obedient walk before God and in our
evangelistic obligation to those around us. We can approach this
last step by asking a series of questions.
1) What does the Bible teach about my personal faith: e.g.,
what do I learn about God, the Father? The Son? The Holy Spirit?
What do I learn about the salvation story? The cross? Hell?
Heaven? Sin? The church? Judgment? Satan? God's will and
decree?
2) What about my attitude? How shall I think because of this
passage? How does this passage have an impact on my emotions?
Fears? Worries? Hates? Resentments? Jealousies? Gratitude?
Friendship? Grace? For example, in Philippians 4:6-8 notice the
word "think" in verse 8.
3) What about my actions? What shall I do because of this
passage? Do I change my habits? Do I stop doing something? Do I
start doing something? How am I supposed to speak now? How do I
handle my time? My resources? Verbs in the passage at hand help
here. For example, Philippians 4:6,7. Notice what you must not
do in verse 6, and what you must do in verse 6. What are the
results in verse 7?
4) Warnings. What sins are pointed out in my life? What must
I do with them? What must I stop doing? What must I start doing?
What must I forsake? What must I hold onto? What sins are mine?
The church's? Mankind's in general? How will God deal with this
sin? For example, Galatians 5:19-26. Notice how strong this is.
We are normally more gentle withn ourselves than the Bible is.
5) Challenges. Is there some job I must do? Is there some
prayer I should make? To whom is the challenge directed? How can
I equip myself to begin? For example, Matthew 28:19,20, I
Thessalonians 5:17.
6) Examples. Is there a life I should follow? Not follow?
For example, Romans 4:12, Hebrews 12:2.
7) Promises. What can I thank God for? What can I rejoice
in? What can I claim as a child of God? Are there any conditions
I must meet first? For example, Acts 16:31, Romans 8:38,39.
To repeat, application means to have the truths of scripture
fulfilled in our lives. We must want to do something about what
we learn. We don't say when we have learned something from the
Bible, "Yes, that's nice; some day I'll write a book about it."
But we say, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief" (Mark 9:24).
As an additional thought, it is possible to consider
application as a kind of a test. We can ask, "Does my conclusion
lead me to live a life that is God glorifying?" If it does, my
conclusion could be essentially correct. But experience is a weak
test. From our experiences in life we learn about the
reasonableness of our own conclusions only. We must not make
judgments about Biblical truth based upon our experiences.
While our souls have been saved and are cleansed from sin,
Romans 7:24 emphasizes that we still live in a sinful body. We
cannot altoghether trust subjective opinions based upon our
experience. On the other hand, truth is objective. A conclusion
is right because it is right, not because we can live with it.
Nevertheless, the Bible, being the type of book it is, is meant to
edify us spiritually and glorify God through those who trust and
obey it. Bad Bible study leads to bad conclusions and bad
application. But Bible study conclusions that lead to a God
glorifying life are candidates for being correct.
III Additional Insights
A. Bible Study Is For Everyone.
This is the expressed teaching of scripture (Psalm 119:18,
Romans 15:4, Colossians 3:16, II Timothy 3:16). Not only that, it
is our obligation. We must study the Bible not only to keep
ourselves close to God's will (Psalm 119:105), but also so that we
can be used of God to express His will to others (II Timothy 2:15,
I Peter 3:15).
Bible study is not just for experts upon whom we rely and
whose teaching we accept blindly. The prime qualification for
Bible study is a saved heart, thirsting for and loving God's Word.
We have no excuse for thinkng that the Bible is too difficult or
that we are not capable of doing any significant study because of
our limited training and ability. Today we have all the helps we
need in the original languages of the Bible, such as good
concordances, lexicons and interlinear Bibles. God has guided men
in the past to write these helps so that we can go back to the
original language and conduct an effective investigation without
previously acquiring an advanced degree in Greek or Hebrew. We
have just as much right, privilege and ability to discover truth
in God's Word as anyone else.
B. Bible Study Helps Further Bible Study.
It is an old but true saying that the best way to study the
Bible is to study the Bible. No matter what we do, if we spend
time in the Bible, we will be learning to think like God. Then we
will discover that passages begin to open up to us because we
have, through constant exposure to God's Word, acquired His
patterns of thought and His vocabulary. Knowledge is cumulative
and in Bible study we find that insights lead to other insights.
And we will accelerate in our ability to pick out key ideas and in
our ability to see the big picture.
Finding the solution to a problem reinforces us. When we
finally find a good answer for the questions we posed to
ourselves, we experience the joy of discovery which motivates us
to continue to study and instills in us a wonder and respect for
the Bible.
C. Bible Study Is Hard.
We must expect that. Bible study is an acquired skill that
takes years of practice. We cannot expect instant wisdom.
Instead we must spend lots of time in the Bible. It could very
well be that we will struggle with a question for years. Perhaps
as we study an issue for weeks at a time we must then lay it aside
for a while and then pick it up for further investigation, only to
have made a small amount of progress.
Because Bible study is hard, it requires a commitment. We
must want to study. We must love to do it. It is not too much to
say that Bible study is a career into which we all enter when we
become saved.
There are no easy, quick ways to acquire Bible knowledge. But
it is good that there are difficulties as we study the Bible.
They force us to study more and to study harder, as we compare,
cross-check and practically memorize the information that we are
wrestling with. It is not surprising that it should be so. Think
of it. We are studying the thoughts of an infinite God. Can we
really expect it to be a snap? Not only that, remember what we
are - sinful and weak, in great need of God's help. It is a
wonder of God's grace that we even have the Bible at all, and
further, that we are able to read it and understand some of it.
We don't study the Bible for some ego trip, seeking for neat
discoveries. We may never discover some big insight. But we must
come boldly to God to seek wisdom. We will find it if we ask in
faith and seek it diligently. It may be that our study will be at
a slower pace than someone else's. But resist the temptation to
desire some big truth or exciting discovery. These kinds of
results are not the measure of good Bible study. The Bible is God
talking to us and it is up to Him to show us what He thinks is
best for us to know. We must wait upon the Lord. If we love God
and therefore His Word, our delight will be simply to spend time
with Him. What we learn will be what God wants us to learn. II
Corinthians 9:8 teaches that no matter what God gives us, He
supplies it to us because He has a job in mind for us to do.
Therefore we must learn to be content in our Bible study. It will
keep our minds cleaner and our senses sharp.
D. God Has A Specific Time For Revealing Truth To Us.
God opens our understanding when He sees fit. As always, God
is in control. For one thing, God has a time to reveal truth to
us each individually. It begins when we become saved and start to
read the Bible. And it continues as we take the time to study.
Also, we must realize that it takes time for us to come around
to truth. Sometimes we happen to have a sin bias that blocks our
vision. In other words, there are times when we would rather not
be shown the facts because they show up our rebellion in certain
areas. We just are not willing to listen to God in a certain area
and as time goes on, He must beat us down so that as we give up we
are freed in order to study with a clearer mind. Sometimes we
have been unduly influenced by a church that we attend. We are
locked into their doctrines, or the doctrines of someone we
respect, or those to which our family holds. Some of those
doctrines are very good, but others are not true. Because a few
verses are quickly quoted does not mean they support a doctrine.
We must learn to think in details. Specifics, the little parts of
the verse that can challenge a widely held doctrine, are very
important. Therefore, when we feel threatened and stubbornly turn
away from a challenge to a doctrine, we are not ready to learn new
truths. At that point, it is not our time to know.
Additionally, God has a time to reveal truth because it fits
into His command of history. For example, God deliberately
withheld information from Daniel (Daniel 12:4). Today we have the
complete revelation that God desires to give to us in the Bible.
Therefore in our case God's timing simply means we do not know all
things about the Bible at once. God provides us with insight into
one thing and allows us to pass over another to be studied at a
later time. Therefore one trait that is very appropriate for
Bible students is patience...patience with God's timing, patience
with other people, and patience with the results of our own study.
E. Bible Study Is Not Always Successful.
We might as well face it. There will be times when all our
diligent efforts will not yield an understanding of a passage. In
a way that is good,. For it means that we are honest in our study
and not prone to jump at just anything that pops into our head.
It means that we really desire that our conclusions stand up to
the scrutiny of serious tests. Just the same we study the Bible
because we want to know the meaning of what we read therein. So
then what can we do when we can't find answers to the questions we
ask about a passage?
One thing we can do is to drop it. Leave the passage for a
while, maybe a long while, and study in another part of the Bible.
Perhaps something elsewhere will be the clue we need to understand
the more difficult passage with which we have been struggling.
Maybe we have been thinking and rethinking the same thoughts and
need to get out of that pattern by leaving the passage long enough
to forget our old line of attack and start again much later with a
fresh mind and new thoughts.
Another and quite surprising idea is to try something bold.
When we can't think of anything significant about a particular
word or phrase, we could take a guess. As long as our analytical
and inductive procedures are faithfully followed, honest testing
will keep us from getting carried away with some of our wildest
leaps of speculation. Maybe some bold new idea will be just the
thing to force us into a new pattern of thought. Who knows?
Maybe it might lead to something helpful. As a matter of fact,
since our guess is a last straw, coming after a great deal of
routine analysis and reflection, it is likely to be more of an
educated guess, tempered and guided by all the things we do know
about the Bible.
Thirdly, we could consult others who have studied the same
passage with which we have been struggling. Yes, there is a place
for asking other people what they think about a passage or reading
a commentary to see what light it can shed. Respected Bible
teachers may be helpful and commentaries have real value when used
properly. We should never be so arrogant as to think that no one
can teach us anything we do not already know, or that we are
completely autonomous in our ability to find Biblical truth. But
(and this is a big BUT) these sources of help should be consulted
only after we have first thoroughly studied a passage and have
many of the details firmly fixed in our minds. In that way we
will be armed with enough knowledge to sort out the bad advice
from the good.
It is dangerous to run for help too soon. Too often a Bible
student's first reaction to a difficult problem, motivated either
by fear of making a mistake or of plain sloth, is to seek an easy
and sure explanation of a passage in a commentary. And often, if
he has read in a commentary of a possible meaning of the passage
with which he is struggling, that interpretation will alter his
thinking of that passage from then on. There is a real temptation
to seek the relief of a solution to our struggles which a
commentary can provide. And many times a student will allow the
strengths of an easy solution to his problem to blind him to its
weaknesses.
On the other hand, there are some valuable Bible study aids
which should be companions from the start. Concordances, lexicons
and interlinear Bibles are powerful tools for helping us gather
data, and are musts for serious Bible students. However, the
place for other helps such as commentaries is on our shelves until
we are very familiar with the passage at hand and have answered
most of the questions ourselves. Bible dictionaries have some
data gathering value; but they do contain a lot of commentary
along with the factual information. These sorts of aids should be
used with caution, fully realizing their strengths and
deficiencies.
In all fairness, commentaries make some real contributions in
certain circumstances. Teachers of a Bible class, for example,
can go over the passage they have studied in a commentary in order
to make sure they haven't missed something obvious. Furthermore
commentaries can help teachers in their desire to give some
helpful applications to their class. In this regard teachers have
the advantage of drawing upon a wider base of experience, namely,
the lives and illustrations of the authors of the commentaries.
IV Illustrations
An Illustration of the Word "Salt" in Colossians 4:6
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,..."
Colossians 4:6
It is commonly thought that the Bible uses the word salt to
emphasize preserving, purifying or flavoring. Interpreters will
usually say "seasoned with salt" means that our speech should
include things which are a blessing for our hearers, words that
are flavorful, dynamic, and that say good things about the person
to whom we are talking. If we use our common experience to decide
what salt means as used in the Bible, that would be a fair
conclusion. But that conclusion is not the result of good Bible
study. We must ask, "What does the Bible tell us about the word
salt?"
The Data and Its Organization - Old Testament
First we must find all the places where the word salt is used.
We shall use the Young's Concordance, which lists all the
English words found in the King James Bible in alphabetical order.
(Strong's Concordance is organized differently.) The concordance
is sort of a dictionary. Each English entry is followed by the
Greek or Hebrew word from which is was translated. There is also
included a form of these words which an English speaker may
pronounce; and it is this form which we use to look up more
information. In the back of the concordance it lists all the
Hebrew words, followed by all the Greek words, in which the Bible
was actually written. These words are listed in alphabetical
order according to pronunciation. For each word is a list of all
the different ways it has been translated into English, together
with the frequency of each way.
First we look up the word salt in the main list of English
words; and with the Young's Concordance we happen to be using, we
find the word salt on Page 832. Almost always the words salt is a
translation of the Hebrew word "melach." Another Hebrew word,
"melechah", is also listed. There is also a listing for the word
salted, and it is a translation of the Hebrew word "malach."
Now we turn to the back of the concordance, to the list of
Hebrew words which comes right after the main list of English
words and look for the Hebrew words "melach" and "melechah." With
the concordance we are using these words are found on Page 26.
Here we discover "melach" is used 18 times as a noun and 9 times
as an adjective, but is always translated as salt in the King
James Bible. A note suggests that we find the word "mikreh."
This word is on Page 27 and is rendered once, as "salt pits", when
used with "melach." Therefore "mikreh" does not contribute
anything new. We will keep it is mind but we will not include it
in our list. "Melach" is also listed twice in italic capitals to
signify that in those cases it is Aramaic and not Hebrew. The
word "melechah" is translated once as "barren land" and another
time as "barrenness", and of course one time in Jeremiah 17:6 as
"salt land", as we found under the English listing of the word
salt on Page 832.
Consulting the Hebrew list at the back of the concordance has
provided us with the following information. We are essentially
interested in two Hebrew words: melach and melechah. Plus we
have learned that to get all the data, to find all the verses in
which these Hebrew words are used, we must look up more than the
word salt in the main part of the concordance. All the uses of
"melach" can be found in the listing of the word salt. But for
all the uses of "melechah" we must look under "barrenness" and
"barren land." We are now in a position to gather all the Old
Testament data related to the word salt.
Now we can return to the main list of English words, find our
word salt, and know that we have all the references to "melach",
the Hebrew word for salt. Furthermore, when we turn to the words
"barren land" and "barrenness" on Page 71 of the main English word
list, we find the other 2 references to "melechah", one in Job
39:6 and the other in Psalm 107:24. A partial list of the Old
Testament occurences of the word salt would be:
Melechah
Psalm 107:34: barrenness
Job 39:6: salt land
Jeremiah 17:6: salt land
Melach
Genesis 14:3: salt sea
Genesis 19:26: Speaking of Lot's wife it says, "And she
became a pillar of salt."
Leviticus 2:13: Salt occurs 3 times in this verse. For
example, "With all thine offerings thou
shalt offer salt."
Numbers 18:19: covenant of salt This is the covenant
of the firstfruits. This passage talks
about those beasts which are redeemed.
Also this is an everlasting covenant.
Numbers 34:3,12: salt sea
Deuteronomy 3:17: salt sea
Deuteronomy 29:23: This is a curse. "The whole land thereof
is brimstone and salt."
Joshua 3:16, 12:3.
15:2,5, 18:19 salt sea
Judges 9:45: Abimelech..."beat down the city" (of
Shechem) "and sowed it with salt." This
was a curse from God, as we see in
Judges 9:57.
-
-
(other scriptures)
-
-
Ezekiel 43:24: "And the priests shall cast salt upon
them, and they shall offer them up for
a burnt offering unto the Lord."
Ezekiel 47:11: "The marishes thereof shall not be held;
they shall be given to salt."
Zephaniah 2:9: "Moab shall be as Sodom and the children
of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding
of nettles and salt pits and a perpetual
desolation."
These scriptures can be divided into different categories.
One is the obvious reference to the curse and judgment of God.
This set would include Genesis 19:26, Deuteronomy 29:23, Judges
9:45, Ezekiel 47:11, and especially Zephaniah 2:9.
Another set of verses includes the reference to the salt sea.
While salt sea can be viewed as a neutral term, in the Bible we
are reminded by this reference of the judgment of Sodom and
Gomorrah. And so this second set is also to a certain extent
associated with the curse and judgment of God.
A third set of verses contains references to the Old Testament
sacrifices. Notice that in Leviticus 2:13 the instructions are
that all offerings must include salt. Numbers 18:19 and Ezekiel
43:24 also show this. These sacrifices are a figure of the Lord
Jesus Christ and they represent His sacrifice upon the cross for
us as He endured the wrath of God. This was Judgment Day for
Jesus, as He paid for the sins ofll those who would believe on
Him. This can be supported by such scriptures as Galatians 3:13,
Hebrews 10:4-14, and I Peter 2:24. Therefore there is good
agreement between this set of verses and the first set, namely,
that salt is associated with the curse and judgment of God.
Conclusion - Old Testament
One conclusion we can draw from these verses is that salt is a
word that is associated not with blessing but with God's curse and
judgment.
Data and Organization - New Testament
Now let's look at the New Testament. When we look up salt in
the concordance we see that the word salt is expressed in Greek as
"halas", "hals", "halukos", and "halizomai." At this point it is
important to note which Greek word is the counterpart to the word
salt in the verse Colossians 4:6. It is the word "halas." That
is the Greek word that is important to us because it is the one
which is translated "salt" in the verse we are studying. But in
this case all 4 Greek words that are translated as salt are
similar and can be admitted as evidence. If there was a clear
difference between different Greek words that are translated as
salt in the King James English Bible, then only the word that
occurred in our verse would be important for analysis.
Looking at the list of Greek words in the back of the
concordance (Page 72 in the one we are using), we see that "halas"
is translated only as salt, and it occurs 8 times in the Bible.
"Hals" occurs one time in the Bible, as does "halukos."
"Halizomai" occurs 3 times, always as salt. If "halas" was
rendered as a different English word soemwhere else in the Bible,
we would have to go back to the main English part of the
concordance and find that reference. The important thing is to
trace that particular Greek word throughout the Bible, no matter
how it is translated into English. Incidentally, an Englishman's
Greek Concordance saves time by listing all the different ways one
Greek word is translated into English under the same Greek word,
together with the verses where each is found.
One further insight may be gleaned by reviewing the list of
Greek words at the back of the concordance (Page 72) and seeing if
there is a Greek word that looks similar to the one in which we
are interested. We might learn something if we look those up,
too. In our case there doesn't seem to be anything significant
which looks similar to "halas." Therefore a complete list of the
New Testament occurences of the word salt would be:
Halas
Matthew 5:13: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt..."
Mark 9:50: "Salt is good; but if the salt have lost...Have
salt in YOURSELVES."
Luke 14:34: "Salt is good: but if the salt has lost..."
Colossians 4:6: "Let your speech be...seasoned with salt..."
Hals
Mark 9:49: "Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt."
Halukos
James 3:12: "So can no fountain yield salt water and fresh."
Halizomai
Matthew 5:13: "...have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be
salted?"
Mark 9:49: "For every one shall be salted with fire, and
every sacrifice shall be salted with salt."
Most of these occurrences are pretty neutral as far as
explaining the quality of salt. In other words, Matthew 5:13
states, "Ye are the salt of the earth." We cannot say exactly
what that means by itself, even though "Ye" refers to Christians.
The word salt is found 13 times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark
and Luke. It occurs 6 times in Mark alone. Outside of that is
occurs only in Colossians 4:6 and James 3:12.
Mark 9:49, 50 would be a good place to seek for an insight.
And we find a clue in Mark 9:49: "Every sacrifice shall be salted
with salt." This is a quote from one of the Old Testament
references we just studied. The reference is found in Leviticus
2:13 and emphasizes the fact that the salt must accompany every
sacrifice. These sacrifices were figures of God's wrath. In this
case, as we saw previously, it anticipates the reality of God's
wrath upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This concept of judgment agrees
with another phrase in Mark, "Salted with fire" (Mark 9:49), since
fire also is associated with God's wrath (Hebrews 12:29).
It just so happens that we have an illustration here of a
direct tie of a New Testament passage to our Old Testament
references through the common verse of Leviticus 2:13. These
links between Old and New Testament passages are very important
and often make a big difference in understanding a passage. The
value of these connections is based upon the relationship between
the Old and New Testament, which is cometimes expressed in this
way: The New Testament is contained in the Old Testament and the
Old Testament is explained in the New Testament.
However, Mark 9:50 states that "salt is good." So how can
salt be associated with the wrath of God? Luke 14:34 and Matthew
5:13 are parallels to the verse in Mark. They all refer to the
same thing but state it a little differently in each case. Mark
and Luke both open with "salt is good" and continue with a
reverence to salt losing its savor. Matthew, however, opens with
"ye are the salt of the earth" and then continues in a similar way
to the other 2 verses. By comparing these verses we can
tentatively conclude that the good that is in salt is related to
the fact that it is in a Christian. This conclusion is reinforced
by a statement found in Mark 9:50, "have salt in yourselves." It
is because the Christian does something with salt that makes it
good. Whatever salt means, it is referring to something
important, because if it does not have its salty character it is
counted as worthless.
Incidentally, it is important to be sure we are thinking
accurately about the Bible's use of the terms salt and saltiness.
They are such common words in our everyday experience that we
might be overly influenced by what we think they obviously must
mean. Although God chooses words that are very familiar, a little
reflection on the way He uses the words salt and saltiness reveals
that He has something quite different in mind than the physical
substance we use every day to flavor our food. He states, "when
salt has lost its savor..." But in the physical world salt cannot
lose its savor. It is either salty or it is not salt. It might
be disguised by other substances, but if it is salt it still has
the same chemical composition and savor. We are looking then for
a spiritual concept in which the spiritual counterpart to salt
appears to be one thing but in reality it is not. In other words,
there is no physical counterpart to salt losing its savor. We
either have salt or we do not. Losing our savor must mean losing
our salt. God uses words from the physical world but uses them in
a way that forces us to seek a spiritual understanding and there
is a spiritual analogy, as we shall see.
Colossians 4:6 now can help us. According to that verse, it
is our speech that must be salted. And salt is associated with
the spiritual danger of the wrath and judgment of God. Now we are
ready for our conclusion.
Conclusion - Old and New Testament
Tying all these threads together, we can write our conclusion
in this simple sentence: Colossians 4:6 means that our speech
must include the wrath and judgment of God.
Testing Our Conclusion
First of all, our conclusion fits the immediate context of our
verse. Colossians 4:3-6 is talking about witnessing. Paul
expresses his desire for an open door to speak the Gospel. He
prays that he might have the wisdom to talk to unbelievers and
that he might know how to answer every man.
What was the content of Paul's witness? His own assessment is
found in Acts 20:27. He insisted on declaring the whole counsel
of God. Paul was careful to include in his speech not only the
grace of God but also the necessary prerequisite to salvation,
which is the realization that we are under the wrath of God, for
which grace is the solution. Furthermore, notice the effort Paul
makes in Romans 1-3 to emphasize the salt of the judgment of God
in his witness.
The warnings that we saw in the three Gospels which state that
salt must not lose its saltiness can be viewed as a warning to be
sure when we witness we do not neglect the truth that judgment is
coming. The larger context of the whole Bible agrees with that,
not only in the remarks we constantly find in the Bible (II
Thessalonians 1:7-9), but also as an explicit command that we do
not neglect talking about the wrath of God in our own witness
(Ezekiel 3:17,18).
It is good to recall the fact that salt cannot really lose its
saltiness but only seems to be salt and in reality is not salt at
all if it does not have its savor. The spiritual analogy here is
that a witness who does not bring the whole counsel of God is not
a true witness and in God's eyes is worthless and to be cast out.
In addition, the fact that the Bible states, "salt is good" is
a reflection of the fact that unless we tell people the truth
about their sin and the consequent wrath upon it, we won't really
be helping them. People must face the truth before it's too late.
And a witness that is faithful to the whole Bible is a witness
that can really be used of God to save people. Our salty witness
is good in the highest degree when it arrests people in their
headlong race toward hell and turns them so that they flee to God
for mercy. It is a good for nothing thing to bring a gospel of
peace when there is none (Ezekiel 13:10 & ll). It is a good thing
to warn people while they can still be saved (Jonah 3:4,5,10.)
Another test of our conclusion is in the form of a challenge.
Does John 3:17 say that a word of condemnation is not proper in
our speech? Actually, that verse does not say that Jesus did not
condemn the world, but rather that He was not sent for the purpose
of condemning it; He came as the only Savior the world would ever
know. The next few verses (18 & 19) tell us that men are
condemned already on the basis of their own wickedness. It may be
that men add to their wickedness by their unbelief. But men are
condemned first because they are sinners. Jesus did not need to
do that when He came. Nevertheless we know very well from Matthew
22 & 23 that Jesus had very condemning words to say to those who
were enemies of the Gospel. His speech was also salted with hell
and wrath. Therefore our conclusion still stands.
Application
We can go back to the verse in Acts 20:27 to see how we should
act in light of our conclusion. We have a responsibility, like
Paul, to tell the whole truth as the Bible presents it. It is up
to God to let it do its work. After all, according to Hebrews
4:12, the Bible is a two-edged sword which we must expect to cut
both ways. When we bring the news of wrath, as well as grace,
some will be saved and some will turn away (II Corinthians
2:14,15).
We can also apply this conclusion to our attitude. We must
trust God at His Word, that He will accomplish His purposes
through it (Isaiah 55:8,11). Also, we know that according to I
Corinthians 2:14 the Gospel is not particularly popular and we do
not focus upon results. We must not be only concerned about how
many people are saved when we witness, but rather we must desire
to be faithful stewards of God's Word (I Corinthians 4:2). It is
our job just to make sure our speech is both always with grace and
seasoned with salt.
An Illustration of the Value of Context
Through a Study of the Passage Acts 1:4-8
What did the apostles have in mind when they asked the
question recorded in Acts 1:6? It is usually assumed that their
question was ill timed and inappropriate because of the answer
Jesus gave them in verse 7. The normal conclusion is that they
were anticipating a restoration of the political, physical nation
of Israel, in contrast to the immediate concern of Jesus, which
was the evangelization of the world (Acts 1:8). Was their
question really based on their lack of understanding? Was it an
ignorant question? Perhaps. But any conclusion must be based
upon comparing verse 6 with the surrounding verses as well as the
rest of the Bible. We must not rest our case on what seems to be
evident from a straightforward reading of verse 6 alone.
First of all, the apostles' question follows vss. 4 and 5. We
shall appeal to the relevance of context by trying to first
understand something about these two verses, and then see if they
help us understand the apostles' motivation and interest behind
their question.
The word "He" of verse 3 is the subject of the verb command in
verse 4. So we know that the apostles remained in Jerusalem with
orders from Jesus Himself to wait for the "promise of the Father,
which saith He, ye have heard of Me." The words "of Me" mean that
Jesus is referring to the fact that He had Himself told them about
that promise previously. What could the apostles expect from the
Father? Did they know what Jesus meant when He spoke in Acts 1:4?
Consulting a listing of the word "Father" in a concordance, and
reflecting upon those references in which Jesus Himself is talking
to the apostles about the Father, we discover that the answer is,
yes. The apostles did know what Jesus meant in Acts 1:4. A few
weeks before, Jesus had said, "And I will pray the Father and He
shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you
forever" (John 14:16). That is what the Father would send to the
disciples. And more than that, we learn that the gift was
purposeful. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,...He
shall teach you all things and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).
Furthermore, the gift of the Father was more than just for the
personal edification of the apostles. They were expected to do
something with what the Father's Comforter would teach them.
According to John 15:26 & 27, of the things which the Spirit of
truth would teach them concerning Jesus, they must "bear witness."
This whole idea is repeated and emphasized in John 16:13-14. The
promise of the Father was that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit,
would come and enable the apostles to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. "When the Spirit of truth will come He will guide you
into all truth" (John 16:13). "He shall glorify Me" (John 16:14).
"He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you" (John 16:15).
Therefore, one thing the apostles knew very well was the
nature and the purpose of the promise of the Father which they
heard of previously from Jesus. God promised to enable them to
testify about Jesus to the world.
Acts 1:5 begins with the word, "For." This alerts us that it
is a continuation of what Jesus is saying in verse 4. We should
expect that, since the two verses are part of one remark by Jesus.
The phrase, "John truly baptized with water," is a reference to
Matthew 3:11. Whatever John the Baptist did, it was in contrast
to (but in verse 5) the preparation the apostles would have for
their task of bearing witness to Jesus. In verse 5 and in Matthew
11:3 the promise of the Father is expressed by being baptized by
the Holy Ghost. We know that the baptism by the Holy Ghost is
related to the promised Comforter because verse 4 is part of the
context of verse 5 and ought to be talking about the same thing.
Matthew 3:11 tells us in John's own words that his baptism served
only toward repentance. He brought people to the law of God to
show them how sinful they were. He was an Old Testament prophet,
preaching before the cross. He brought the law and could only
point ahead to the Savior which was to come (Matthew 3:3), who
would deliver men from the curse of the law. John emphasizes in
that same verse (verse 11) that a time will come when Jesus Christ
would baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. By tracing the words
baptize and Holy Ghost through the New Testament we arrive at such
verses as Acts 22:16 and Titus 3:5, which teach us that baptism in
the Holy Ghost means to be saved. Again we arrive at the
conclusion that the apostles, who knew all that past history,
realized that Jesus was talking about salvation from sin. The
apostles, obedient to Christ, were to wait for the Comforter, who
would enable them to preach this word of salvation in Jesus
Christ.
It is stated in Acts 1:5 that they personally would be
baptized, but verse 5 states this not because they had yet to be
saved (for we know from the scriptures that they were), but
because God would now identify being baptized with the Holy Ghost
(a phrase used for salvation) with enablement to preach the Gospel
(the promise of verse 4). From now on everyone who is saved would
be specifically qualified and mandated to bring the Gospel of
salvation.
Now we can directly tie all we have researched to the
apostles' question in verse 6. Notice for one thing the word
"therefore." This word signifies a cause and effect relationship
and removes all doubt about the relevance of verses 4 and 5 to
verse 6. The apostles knew what Jesus was saying in verses 4 and
5; therefore they asked the question in verse 6. Jesus had just
reminded them of a few things that they ought to know, namely, the
spiritual task of witnessing that is ahead of them. With this in
their minds, they "therefore" came together and asked, "Wilt Thou
at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?" Whatever we
think this question might mean, by applying the context, we know
that the question must be related to the bringing of the Gospel.
and in fact, alittle research into the extended context will show
that this is so.
Looking at the word restore in the concordance, we arrive at
these two significant passages. Isaiah 49:6 states that God will
some day "restore the preserved of Israel." And in the same breath
He continues on with the rest of the verse, which we know is a
reference to bringing the Gospel to the world because this verse
is quoted and explained in Acts 13:47. Certainly the context of
one-half of a verse applies to the other half of the same verse.
Therefore the restoration "of" Israel is the sending forth of the
Gospel to restore Israel to the Gospel. Secondly, a reinforcement
to this idea that "restoration" means salvation is found in Psalm
85:1 and 2. Here bringing back the captivity of Jacob is equated
with the forgiveness of iniquity, and the covering for sin. The
context (verse 2) tells us the meaning of verse 1. Bringing back
means that Jacob will be saved and Jacob refers to all God's
people, the elect, because they are the only people who are saved
from sin.
The word Kingdom must, according to the context, be related to
salvation. And so it must be taken in the sense that Jesus meant
it, as, for example, in John 18:36. It is not a political kingdom
like all the others of the world. And yet it is a real literal
kingdom; and He is a King (John 18:37), King of all those who are
redeemed. The Kingdom will be restored "to" Israel. In other
words, God's people, those redeemed from sin, will inherit the
Kingdom of God. Similarly, the word Israel, already modified from
its naturalistic and political sense to a spiritual sense by the
Isaiah 49:6 - Acts 13:47 couplet, can be related to the concept of
salvation from sin by remembering such verses as Romans 9:6. "For
they are not all Israel which are of Israel." Who then are
"Israel?" The same passage in Romans 9 tells us that the
"children of the promise" are counted for the "seed" of Abraham;
they are the true Israel. Who are these "children of promise?
They are Christians, according to Galatians 4:28. They are all
who have faith as we read in Romans 4:16.
Again we are left with the conclusion that the apostles knew
what they were asking. The question in verse 6 was not an
ignorant question. The apostles knew quite well what they were
asking and were eager to see the salvation of God brought to the
whole world. They wanted the Gospel to go to all the world so
that all God's children would come to faith. Therefore the answer
Jesus gave in verse 7 and 8 does not ignore or set aside their
question but answers it. The restoration of Israel would come;
but the complete restoration, in its fullest, would not be at
"this time". Jesus says they do not need to know when the job of
evangelization would be complete, and so they would not "know the
times or seasons" when the job of restoration would be complete.
The answer to the question in verse 6 is found in verse 8. Jesus
is saying that He is resotring the Kingdom when they are bringing
the Gospel. Jesus goes back to the promise of verse 4 and reminds
them that the Holy Ghost would come upon them. And so they will
be able to witness, as was promised in John 15:26 (the words
witness and testify come from the same Greek word). The tie
between John 15:26 and Acts 1:8 is direct and sure. Therefore we
know that Jesus is reminding them of something they already were
aware of when He directed them to be witnesses throughout the
world.
In short, Jesus begins the conversation by telling them about
the promise the Father would give. They quite naturally ask when
that would be completely fulfilled. Jesus then tells them that
it's not for them to know when the full evnagelistic season would
be complete, but nevertheless they are to go out and inaugurate
it.
We might be surprised at the way that the apostles asked the
question. Why did they not, for example, just use the words and
phrases in the New Testament which are clearly identified with
bringing the Gospel? They could have used words and phrases that
come out of the passages in John 14 through 16, to which Jesus
Himself refers. However, it is not so strange that they used the
phrase "restore again the Kingdom to Israel," when we reflect on a
few facts. The Old Testament was the only portion of scripture
that they had to go on and it is the scripture that Jesus Himself
used to explain His full salvation story, as we read in Luke
24:19-27. Since Luke 24:27 says Jesus expounded all scriptures
concerning Himself, it would include passage that use "restore,
such as Isaiah 49. The men who heard Jesus expound told the
disciples what had happened (Luke 24:35). Another important fact
is that while it is true that the apostles spoke the question, it
is really God who spoke in Acts 1:6. Once this verse was set in
scripture, it became the Word of God. Of all the tings that the
apostles could have said, God guided them to say what they did
because it is what God wants to tell us about this incident.
Therefore it is natural to expect God to tie together the Old
Testament promises with the New Testament fulfillment. God,
through the apostles' question, unifies the Old and New Testament
promises. In fact, we learn that the context of any verse is
"all" the rest of the Bible. That is the context which really
matters and must be faced. As we assumed before we studied the
Bible, we must gather "all" the data; and we must expect to use
the immediate and relevant extended data before we can make a
Perhaps the emphasis that the apostles were eagerly looking
for the opportunity to testify of Jesus to the world seems to
conflict with the story in Acts 10 in which God had to take
special steps to convince Peter to evangelize the Gentiles too.
But that is not a real conflict. For one thing the question in
Acts 1:6 is a general question. When will the evangelistic
program be completed? Whether some apostles actively worked to
include the Gentiles in the Kingdom or not does not change the
fact that they asked a spiritual question, about evangelism.
Peter, for example, still well understood the nature and goal
of the Gospel. The proof of that is that before the incident in
Acts 10 Peter was still an ardent evangelist. He preaced widely,
seeking to restore many from the bondage to their sin (Acts
3:12-26). Peter just had to be further instructed about the scope
of the Gospel he so eagerly proclaimed. In fact, other apostles
quite willingly preached to Gentiles. Acts 8 tells us that
Phillip was quick to preach to an Ethiopian. He had no
reservations about preaching Jesus to a Gentile. And so our
conclusion stands. No future physical restoration of the nation
of Israel was anticipated by the apostles. The whole context of
Acts Chapter One is the inauguration of God's program of
evangelism. It was Jesus' main desire and to this all the
apostles agreed and looked forward to its completion.
Index of Preacher's Help and Notes
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