God's Word #2
- we're in our third topic of Basic Bible truths, talking
about God's provision through His Word
- last week we talked about the issue of the way we view the
Bible
- said there's many voices, agendas out there
- we always need to be asking ourselves - who are
listening to, how is that affecting our view of God's
Word?
- we studied some reasons why the Bible must be our guide
- the last reason we want to mention under this point is that
God has told us to reverence His Word
G. It is to be reverenced
- some folks have such a shallow view of the Bible
1. Not...a good luck charm (I had my devotions today
and now everything will go well)
...spiritual ouija board - trying to make a
decision - stick hand in - read first verse
my finger lands on – that’s God's answer
...change you by owning several - "we're a
Christian family because we have three
Bibles at home"
...just by reading - cf. typical "devotions" -
get a spiritual fix
2. right attitudes
Psalm 119:24 - my delight and my counselors
42 - answer to those that reproach
62, 164 - thanks at midnight, seven
times a day
72 - better than thousands of gold and
silver
117 - have respect continually
167 - love them exceedingly
143:10 - teach me to do thy will, for thou
art my God
3. implications
1) we can't come with our minds made up
Isa. 55:8-9 - my thoughts not your thoughts
(cf. person who has mind made up about
divorce - I Cor. 7:11)
2) Can't use my feelings to determine
interpretation - II Peter 1:20
(cf. Doc Smith - Do you like CA? - didn't
know I had to like it)
3) Can't come to take it or leave it - Jn 14:21
4) Can't come and take it casually - Luke 8:5-15
5) Can't come and forget the theme - Luke 24:25-
27
III. Need To Approach It Honestly
- I'd like to take this section of notes and talk about
principles we use to interpret the Bible
- every so often I hear someone say - "well, you can make
the Bible say whatever you want"
- INPUT - how would you respond to that statement?
- when we talk about principles of Bible study - we're
talking about hermeneutics
- hermeneutics - "the art and science of Bible
interpretation"
science - because it is guided by orderly rules
within time and space
art - application of the rules requires skill
A. Interpret the Bible by the Bible
- often call this the unity principle
- II Peter 1:20 - Scripture not of any private
interpretation
- our interpretation of any passage, especially a
seemingly obscure one, has to bear the weight of
the rest of the Bible
1. Beware of "brand new" interpretations!
- often when folks come up with something that
no one else has thought of before its because
they haven't compared that interpretation with
the rest of the Bible
2. examples
a. Matthew 6:34 - READ
- INPUT - how might this verse wrongly be
interpreted? (shouldn't plan, etc.)
- INPUT - other passages that teach
differently?
(Prov. 6:6-8, 30:24, 25)
(Prov. 14:15, 21:5)
b. Matthew 21:22 - READ
- INPUT - what kinds of things have you heard
said about prayer from this verse?
(name it and claim it)
- INPUT - what does the rest of the Bible say
about that?
1) James 5:16 - prayer of a righteous man
availeth much
2) Psalm 66:18 - If I regard iniquity in my
heart, the Lord will not hear me
3) Mark 11:25 - When you stand praying, forgive,
...that your Father, also, who is in heaven,
may forgive you your trespasses.
4) James 4:3 - Ye ask, and receive not, because
you ask amiss, that you may consume it
upon your own lusts
5) II Cor. 12:7-9 - (Paul's thorn in the flesh)
the answer may be no
6) Matt. 26:39 - (our Lord) - if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me
B. Interpret the Bible by the context
1. definition
con - "together
textus - "woven
"the connection of thought which runs through
every passage on a given subject"
2. surrounding verses
- a great rule to remember - "keep reading!"
a. Matt. 18:20
- sometimes used as a tool to get "God's
stamp of approval on what we happen to be
doing/deciding at the moment"
- INPUT - how does the context help us here?
(church discipline)
b. Matt. 7:1
- sometimes used to say that a believer should
never speak to another person about an area
of sinfulness because that’s "judging"
- cf. v 5
INPUT - ways to be sure we're interpreting
verses in their context? (read the passage
over several times in several different
versions, purchase a good commentary)
(develop)
3. parallel passages
- some verses do not have immediate contexts
- cf. the book of Proverbs
- it's important (in those cases and in all
cases) to consider what other passages
about that same topic say
- cf. study on marriage, divorce, and
remarriage in I Cor. 7
- also must consider what other places
in the Bible say about that
- INPUT - what kind of helps can be of
benefit here? (study Bibles/cross
references - computer programs)
4. word studies
a. can be very helpful
I Peter 3:1 - "...without the Word be won
by the 'conversation' of the wives"
b. need to be careful
I Cor. 7:1 - develop - "touch a woman"
5. grammar
Rom. 8:13 - subject of the verb
6. who is speaking
7. who is spoken to
