OVERVIEW OF BIBLE STUDY & INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES
By Dennis Schmidt 8/2011
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This paper discusses how to understand, interpret, & use the Bible. God provided the Bible to be our guide. The key use of scriptures is to learn about God and what God wants from us. All scriptures are from the King James' version Bible.
INDUCTIVE COMMENTS:
THEME: Guidelines are needed to read scripture & interpret them correctly.
Romans 15:4 God's Words can teach any person open to learn truth.
1 Corinthians 10:11 People in the Word are our example.
2 Timothy 3:16 God breath the Word for helps to us.
PURPOSE:
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
Grace is un-merited flavor from God to us. We can not earn it, but God gives it to us because we seek to know Him.
2 Peter 1:2 Knowledge by study.
B) INCREASE FAITH:
Hebrews 11:6
KEY VERSE:
2 Timothy 3:16 God breath the Word for helps to us.
WHO: God mainly by Bible authors David, Matthew, Luke, John, and Paul
TO WHOM: Elected Christians
WHAT: Guidelines are needed to read scripture & interpret them correctly.
Following are several directions:
A) LITERAL:
Just like you read a newspaper, literal or normal interpretation is a natural description. Making each word mean something other than what the word means is not a correct biblical interpretation. The word means what its meaning is in a dictionary.
2 Peter 1:20-21 God put every Word there.
B) HISTORICAL:
The Bible is a Jewish book written by Jewish authors about Jewish historical events and a Jewish Messiah in the Jewish land of Israel. Find out about the people what, where, & events and rules of the period by a searching a bible dictionary.
Psalms 147:19
C) GRAMMATICAL:
Understand the placement and usage of words in the contexts.
D) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
It should fit with the rest of scripture. Use scripture to interpretive scriptures. Look first at the verses and chapter and book around the verse. Look next at other books by the same author. Finally look at the entire Bible. One scripture should not be used to generate a doctrine. The doctrine should be in other biblical places also.
2 Timothy 3:16 God breath the Word for helps to us.
WHY: Motivations for interpretation of scriptures.
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
Grace is un-merited flavor from God to us. We can not earn it, but God gives it to us because we seek to know Him.
2 Peter 1:2 Knowledge by study.
B) INCREASE FAITH:
Hebrews 11:6
WAY: God wants his people to earnestly seek Him. He promises to bless those that persistently search the scriptures.
Joshua 1:8
Acts 17:11
WHEREAS: Jesus is the Word of God
Psalms 40:7 Fulfilled in Hebrews 10:7 by Jesus.
Hebrews 10:7 Bible teaches of Jesus
Luke 24:27 The scriptures were written to tell about God and Jesus.
John 1:1 Jesus is the eternal Word of God.
John 5:39 Me = Jesus
WHERE: Earth
WHEN: All Times
WANT: Rules for interpretating scriptures - What does it say?
Romans 15:4 God's Words can teach any person open to learn truth.
1 Corinthians 10:11 People in the Word are our example.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Word is truth and so is Jesus. (John 14:6 Jesus=truth)
B) INTERPRETATION:
What does it mean? It means what is says unless it is a clear case of a parable with a spiritual meaning.
Proverbs 30:6 God's Words are perfect as they are.
Revelation 22:19 Interpret the Words correctly.
C) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
How does it all fit together with the rest of scripture?
John 20:30-31 Jesus is the center of the Bible.
D) APPLICATION:
How does it work - by the way that I live?
Psalms 119:11 The Word can change us.
2 Timothy 3:16 The Word is our standard & guide.
E) CORRECTION FOR ONES LIFE:
Make the Word change my life.
Hebrews 4:12
F) PRACTICAL:
The Word of God can do for you many of the following:
1) Convicts 2) Re-generates
3) Nurtures 4) Encourages
5) Cleans 6) Consults and guides
7) Protects against sin 8) Revives
9) Strengthen 10) Provides wisdom
11) Delivers 12) Help
G) NOT READING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should read his Bible each day. He should read in a systematic way, for example, a section from the Old Testament, New Testament, and poetry such as Job through Song of Solomon. These readings are like daily food which the Christian body needs. The Christian, likewise, needs scripture reading for his spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:2 Bible is spiritual food to help us grow in faith.
1 Peter 2:2 First learn elementary doctrines.
Hebrews 6:1-3 God allows us to move on to Bible meat.
H) NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should also study his Bible. He should use a method, as outlined above, to do a Topical, Biographical, Study Book or Study Chapter and important passages. In this way God will speak, through the Word, to him for his ministry and his life.
Hebrews 5:12 Let God's Word change you into His child.
WAIT: For God’s Holy Spirit to guide the Christian an understanding the meaning.
PAPER OUTLINE:
I) GOD'S WORD IS ABOVE HIS NAME MAKING IT VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM:
II) JESUS IS THE WORD-BIBLE:
III) HOLY SPIRIT:
IV) STUDY THE WORD:
V) CHRISTIAN BIBLE STUDY MOTIVATION:
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
B) INCREASE FAITH:
VI) BIBLE STUDY METHODS:
A) TOPICAL METHOD:
B) BIOGRAPHICAL METHOD:
C) STUDY BOOK METHOD:
D) STUDY OF CHAPTER AND IMPORTANT PASSAGE:
VII) BIBLE INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES:
A) LITERAL:
B) HISTORICAL:
C) GRAMMATICAL:
D) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
VIII) CORRECT BIBLICAL RULES OF INTERPRETATION:
A) OBSERVATION:
B) INTERPRETATION:
C) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
D) APPLICATION:
E) CORRECTION FOR ONES LIFE:
F) PRACTICAL:
G) NOT READING SCRIPTURE:
H) NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE:
I) GOD'S WORD IS ABOVE HIS NAME MAKING IT VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM:
The Bible is the revelation of God and how God interacts with mankind. Jesus (God) is the focal point of all scriptures & life.
Psalms 138:2 Word higher then God's name.
II) JESUS IS THE WORD-BIBLE:
Psalms 40:7 Fulfilled in Hebrews 10:7 by Jesus.
Hebrews 10:7 Bible teaches of Jesus
Luke 24:27 The scriptures were written to tell about God and Jesus.
John 1:1 Jesus is the eternal Word of God.
John 5:39 Me = Jesus
III) HOLY SPIRIT:
The person who studies scripture needs the Holy Spirit to open the Word to him.
Matthew 13:11-13 Isaiah 6:9-10
John 16:13
IV) STUDY THE WORD:
God wants his people to earnestly seek Him. He promises to bless those that persistently search the scriptures.
Joshua 1:8
Acts 17:11
V) CHRISTIAN BIBLE STUDY MOTIVATION:
A) GROW IN GRACE BY GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD:
Grace is un-merited flavor from God to us. We can not earn it, but God gives it to us because we seek to know Him.
2 Peter 1:2 Knowledge by study.
B) INCREASE FAITH:
Hebrews 11:6
VI) BIBLE STUDY METHODS:
Bible study, as compared with daily Bible reading, should be done in a systematic method such as one of the following:
A) TOPICAL METHOD:
Select a subject and trace it through the scriptures using a concordance, study Bible (chain reference type), and dictionary.
B) BIOGRAPHICAL METHOD:
Select a person and trace the person through the scriptures using a concordance, study Bible, and dictionary.
C) STUDY BOOK METHOD:
Select a book and understand or master its authorship, to whom it is addressed, its purpose, main teaching by using a concordance, study Bible, and dictionary.
D) STUDY OF CHAPTER AND IMPORTANT PASSAGE:
Select a chapter in a book and understand or mastering its authorship, to whom it is addressed, its purpose, main teaching by using a concordance, study Bible, and dictionary.
VII) BIBLE INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES:
Guidelines are needed to read scripture & interpret them correctly.
Following are several directions:
A) LITERAL:
Just like you read a newspaper, literal or normal interpretation is a natural description. Making each word mean something other than what the word means is not a correct biblical interpretation. The word means what its meaning is in a dictionary.
2 Peter 1:20-21 God put every Word there.
B) HISTORICAL:
The Bible is a Jewish book written by Jewish authors about Jewish historical events and a Jewish Messiah in the Jewish land of Israel. Find out about the people what, where, & events and rules of the period by a searching a bible dictionary.
Psalms 147:19
C) GRAMMATICAL:
Understand the placement and usage of words in the contexts.
D) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
It should fit with the rest of scripture. Use scripture to interpretive scriptures. Look first at the verses and chapter and book around the verse. Look next at other books by the same author. Finally look at the entire Bible. One scripture should not be used to generate a doctrine. The doctrine should be in other biblical places also.
2 Timothy 3:16 God breath the Word for helps to us.
VIII) CORRECT BIBLICAL RULES OF INTERPRETATION:
A) OBSERVATION:
What does it say?
Romans 15:4 God's Words can teach any person open to learn truth.
1 Corinthians 10:11 People in the Word are our example.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Word is truth and so is Jesus. (John 14:6 Jesus=truth)
B) INTERPRETATION:
What does it mean? It means what is says unless it is a clear case of a parable with a spiritual meaning.
Proverbs 30:6 God's Words are perfect as they are.
Revelation 22:19 Interpret the Words correctly.
C) CORRELATION OR INTEGRATION:
How does it all fit together with the rest of scripture?
John 20:30-31 Jesus is the center of the Bible.
D) APPLICATION:
How does it work - by the way that I live?
Psalms 119:11 The Word can change us.
2 Timothy 3:16 The Word is our standard & guide.
E) CORRECTION FOR ONES LIFE:
Make the Word change my life.
Hebrews 4:12
F) PRACTICAL:
The Word of God can do for you many of the following:
1) Convicts 2) Re-generates
3) Nurtures 4) Encourages
5) Cleans 6) Consults and guides
7) Protects against sin 8) Revives
9) Strengthen 10) Provides wisdom
11) Delivers 12) Help
G) NOT READING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should read his Bible each day. He should read in a systematic way, for example, a section from the Old Testament, New Testament, and poetry such as Job through Song of Solomon. These readings are like daily food which the Christian body needs. The Christian, likewise, needs scripture reading for his spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:2 Bible is spiritual food to help us grow in faith.
1 Peter 2:2 First learn elementary doctrines.
Hebrews 6:1-3 God allows us to move on to Bible meat.
H) NOT STUDYING SCRIPTURE:
The Christian should also study his Bible. He should use a method, as outlined above, to do a Topical, Biographical, Study Book or Study Chapter and important passages. In this way God will speak, through the Word, to him for his ministry and his life.
Hebrews 5:12 Let God's Word change you into His child.
RETURN TO THE: BIBLE PAPERS HOME PAGE
This page is maintained by Dennis Schmidt. Please send your questions or comments to (dennisaschmidt1@gmail.com)