In starting off, we are going to deal with first things first, namely, how to study the bible. In this first post, I am going to give an overview of four basic steps to follow in interpreting scripture. As follow up post, I will deal with each step individually and expand on the idea.
Before we dive in, we must realize that studying the bible is like a journey. We have to learn how to read the text carefully, determine what the passage meant to the original audience, grasp the theological concepts, bring it back to the gospel, and see how it applies to our lives. Often, what happens is that we try to apply the meaning of a verse to our lives without understanding what it meant to the original audience. We are separated from the biblical audience by language, custom, culture, situations, and time. This means that we have some major “gaps” in our understanding to bridge. Too many times we base our applications on how the text “looks” or “feels” to us. This often leads to spiritualizing and allegorizing things in scripture that were never meant to be read this way. Then, there is the problem of taking things out of context and drawing a meaning which the original author did not intend. We have to remember that our job is not to try and create a meaning for the text, but to find the meaning that is already there. So, before we can make application, we have to takes some steps to discover the meaning.
Step 1: Discover the meaning of the biblical author.
This means we need to read the text carefully and observe it. We need to try and see as much as possible in the text. Meticulously examine the grammar and analyze all significant words.
There also needs to be some study of the historical and literary context. Who is the author writing to and in what time period did they exist? What was their culture like? Is the author writing a letter, poetry, or a narrative?
Then, there is context. How does the passage relate to what precedes and follows it?
Step 2: Evaluate the differences between the biblical audience and us.
The amount of work in this area varies depending on culture, language, situation, time, and covenant. After evaluating these things, we need to look for significant differences between our situation today and the situation of the Biblical audience.
For example, in Joshua 1:1-9, the people of Israel are preparing to enter the Promised Land. Moses has just died and Joshua has been appointed to take his place. In this passage God speaks to Joshua to encourage him to be strong and faithful in the upcoming conquest of the land. What are the differences? We are not entering or conquering the Promised Land. We are not the new leaders of the nation of Israel. We are not under the old covenant. Therefore in order to apply this passage appropriately, we have to take these things into consideration.
Step 3: Discover the theological principle.
Here, we are looking for the theological principle or principles that are reflected in the original meaning of the text that are identified in Step 1. In other words, the theological principle is part of the meaning. Our task is not to create a new meaning, but to discover the one that was intended by the author.
Also, we must recall the differences from Step 2 and identify any similarities between the situation of the biblical audience and our situation. Look at Joshua 1:1-9 again. Let’s first examine the similarities: We are also the people of God; we are in covenant relationship (new); we are not leaders of Israel, but many of us lead in the church or lead our families etc; we are not invading the promised land but we are seeking to do the will of God and accomplish what He wants us to do.
After reviewing the similarities and differences, we need to return to the meaning for the biblical audience and try to identify not only a broader theological principle that is reflected in the text, but also one that relates to the similarities between us and the biblical audience.
Finally, we need to enter into what is known as the parts-whole spiral. This is where we must go back and forth between the text that is before us and the rest of the Bible. In other words, the theological principle that you come up with should not only be present in your text, but the rest of the scripture also.
Here are some criteria to follow:
-The principle should be reflected in the text
-The principle should be timeless and not tied to a specific situation
-The principle should not be culturally bound
-The principle should correspond with the rest of scripture
-The principle should be relevant to both the biblical and the contemporary audience
-The principle should be brought back to connection with the gospel
Step 4: Apply the principle.
While there will only usually be one theological principle in the text, there can be numerous applications. This is because we as Christians find ourselves in many different specific situations. Each of us will grasp and apply the same theological principle in slightly different ways, depending on our current situation and life circumstances. We will expound more on this in the weeks to come.
In closing, nothing can be more detrimental to our spiritual lives and to the lives of those we disciple than believing bad doctrine. The fact of the matter is that in some cases, bad doctrine is not essential to salvation, but it is to obedience. In other cases, it is the difference between heaven and hell. Therefore, we need to do ourselves, our families, and others a tremendous service by taking the time to understand God’s word. Some may be thinking, “I don’t need to do all this to understand God’s word.” No, you don’t need it to understand the gospel, that is a simple message, but if you want to go beyond “Jesus loves me,” it requires work. So yes, we do need to do all this to make sure we understand God in the way that He has revealed Himself though His word. It takes time, patience, and commitment, and I hope to walk you through this process and equip you to better study God’s special revelation about Himself