Sandy's Book_Bible Study

Dig Deeper How to Study the Bible to Unearth God’s Treasures SANDY McEACHERN

general info

General Facts About the BIBLE 1. 100 Million copies are printed and sold each year. 2. Historically over 5 Billion copies have been sold or distributed. 3. It is the bestselling book every year. 4. It has been fully translated into 698 languages or dialects. 5. The New Testament has been translated into 1,548 additional languages or dialects 6. There are 1,350 Bible quotations in the works of Shakespeare 7. Arguably the most important primary source for the study of ancient history 8. Unprecedented number of Bible manuscripts in existence 9. Unprecedented time gap between historical events and the manuscripts. 10. 70 Million people (and counting) have been martyred for their faith in the Bible. 11. God says the Bible will exist forever. And did you know that Christian generally assume the Bible to be... ... the Word of God. ...the primary source material for the life of Jesus Christ. ...the essential basis for understanding the Christian Faith. ...the guidebook for Christian growth. ...the source of divine wisdom for day-to-day life. ...our necessary “Food” (Jer. 15:16) ...our necessary “Water” (Eph. 5:26) ...our necessary “Light” (Psalm 119:105) Yet, though admonished numerous times to read, study and meditate on it..

...these facts are also generally true: • Many Christians do not have a consistent daily quiet time with the Bible. • Even fewer Christians study their Bible in a serious way. • Many Christians do not have a systematic understanding of any part of the Bible. • Many Christians only teaching about the Bible comes from someone else on a Sunday. • Many Christians have a desire to know their Bible better but are unsure about how to go about it. What is the purpose of this book? This book is written with the assumption that you may be one of those people who wants to study and know the Bible a little better on your own, but are unsure of how to go about it. A lot of churches and Christian organizations teach us about the Bible and its contents but do not spend much time teaching us how to study it for ourselves. It is very kind when someone gives me a fish. It will feed me for a day or two. But if someone teaches me to fish, they feed me for a lifetime. That is what this little course of study is meant to do – take you beyond dependence on others and give you some confidence to study the Bible on your own and find blessings for your soul and help as you walk the Christian path. A few brief caveats about what this book is not meant to be. It is not meant to be an exhaustive, in-depth course on how to study the Bible. In many ways it barely begins to address the subject. It is not meant to give the impression that the methodology presented here is the best or only way to study the Bible. It is simply a suggested approach that has proven helpful to the author and others through the years. 2 | DIG DEEPER

What are some of the goals of this study guide? 1. To show us that we do not have to be solely reliant on someone else to teach us about the Bible – that we can investigate it for ourselves and enjoy the blessing of God’s Spirit opening up the Word of God to us. 2. To help people gain confidence in their ability to understand the Bible for themselves. 3. To provide personal growth and spiritual strength in our own life. 4. To help us Biblically back up and support the claims we make about our God, our faith and our manner of living. 5. To enable us to clearly pass on Biblical truths and blessings to others. 6. To introduce us to the joy of finding wonderful Bible truths on our own, thus giving us real “ownership” of the Bible’s teachings and blessings. 7. To enable us to participate intelligently and helpfully in a conversational Bible study. 8. To prepare us to coherently share Bible truths in slightly more formal settings: leading a Bible study, teaching Sunday School, Camp work, youth work and perhaps even teaching and preaching to an audience. Preliminary Practical Concerns 1. PASSION: Do we have a passion for Bible study? This is a very important initial question to ask ourselves. People excel at things they are passionate about. They will gladly expend time, effort, and resources to pursue those things and think nothing of it. Our occupation, our education, our sports interests, our relationships, our hobbies and pastimes; these are all things that we instinctively find time and energy for. GOALS & PRACTICAL CONCERNS | 3

As a result, over time, we can become very proficient in these things but if Bible study is not one of our passions, our spiritual life will remain stunted and our ability to bless and help others will be minimal. May God help us to develop a passion for His Word. It is the only thing that will enable us to make an eternal difference in our own life and the lives of others. 2. PURPOSEFUL: Committing time to something is one of the primary measurements of assessing what is important to us. Often, we become excited as we learn how to do something, but when the time comes to put it into practice, we discover that this is the point it becomes challenging. As a result, the helpful things we have learned often remain simply theoretical and unapplied. The material presented here will be of absolutely no value if you are not prepared to set aside time and actually do some Bible study. This will involve an intentional and disciplined effort on your part, and it will be challenging – particularly as you move past the “getting started” phase and commit to making it a lifelong habit. It will be helpful to set aside a certain and consistent time(s) over the course of your week that you will devote to serious Bible study. It is easy sit down and spend a few hours every week watching a sporting event or pursuing a favourite hobby or pastime. These things are an important component of enjoying life, but they are not nearly as essential or beneficial as consistent personal Bible study. May God help us to give the Bible precedence in our life and to prove it by giving it the time, attention and effort it deserves. We will be richly rewarded if we do. 3. PRAYER: It is something that almost goes without saying, but when we come to study our Bible, it should always be preceded by prayer for help from the Holy Spirit. Gaining an understanding of the Bible is not a natural enterprise. It is a work of the Spirit of God. He is the author of the Scriptures and one of His ministries is to teach us God’s truth. (John 14:26; 1 John 2:27) 4 | DIG DEEPER

PREPARED HEARTS: We cannot do it on our own and if we do it can lead to pride in our own accomplishments. Spiritual pride is something to be greatly avoided. Knowledge of the Bible can sometimes puff a person up and make them feel superior. This will only lead to sorrow and disappointment. Our task is to humble ourselves and look to the Spirit of God to teach us and change use. A Short List of H elpful Bible Study Tools Strongs Concordance This resource used to be in book form and was quite large. Now the most efficient way to make use of the benefits of Strong’s Concordance is to find a digital and searchable version on a reputable Bible study website. What Strong’s Concordance allows you to do is investigate the meaning of a word in its original language (OT - Hebrew or NT - Greek). Basically, it will give you a somewhat expanded definition of virtually every significant word in the Bible and you will also be able to find their root words. Another very valuable aspect of Strong’s is that it allows you to trace how often and where a word is used in the Scriptures – in English but also in its original Hebrew or Greek form. This is a very useful ability as sometimes words that are translated similarly in English will be different in the original Hebrew or Greek. For example, we might use the English word love to cover a number of different ideas about affection, but Biblical Greek has specific words for each of these ideas. It is helpful to be able to see that. Bible Dictionary Dictionary might not be the best word to describe this resource. These books are more like encyclopedias. They contain entries (in alphabetical order) about a multitude of different Biblical topics and are very useful to investigate the historical SOME BIBLE TOOLS | 5

or cultural background of topics that catch our interest as we study. E.g. The Pharisees, the Feast of Dedication, the history of Laodicea; the town of Bethlehem. Many of them are available online: Easton’s Bible Dictionary; King James Bible Dictionary and Smith’s Bible Dictionary. But probably the best one – Unger’s Bible Dictionary - is still only available in book form. It is well worth having and provides an amazing scope of information. Bible Atlas This resource is useful to examine the geographical features of the Scriptures and to locate where places are located. There are a number of helpful ones online. A Notebook A notebook is where we keep a record of our studies. No matter how interesting a study may be in the moment, as time goes by, we can forget some of the details. Write it down and you won’t be disappointed. A Place This may sound very basic, but it is very helpful to our study habits if we have a particular place to do our study. For some this is not practical but for those who have an office or an area where a table or desk would fit, it will be a big help to have a special place set aside for this task and the resources associated with it. Online Bible Study Resources The computer and associated online study sites have revolutionized the ability of a keen Bible student to investigate the Bible. They have opened up Bible study resources that are incredibly helpful and time saving. Things that used to take a long time to research or investigate can now be done almost instantaneously. It is well worth making the effort to become proficient in your use of a good reputable site. You will be amazed at all that is available. I really like Blue Letter Bible. Some other good sites or programs are: E-Sword; Bible Gateway; BibleHub; Blue Letter Bible; and GotQuestions.org. 6 | DIG DEEPER

• A VERY IMPORTANT ENCOURAGEMENT • Home or small group Bible studies are a popular activity among Christians these days. They can be excellent if they are taken seriously and next to pointless if the participants don’t put in a serious e ort to prepare beforehand. Then they just become an exercise in pooled ignorance and worse still, unproductive disagreements and arguments. One of the best ways to ensure we keep disciplined in our own Bible study is to become involved in a lively, regular Bible study group where it is expected that we (and everyone else) will participate and contribute e ectively. Accountability like this is exceptionally helpful and motivational. If you do not have such a group in your life, I strongly encourage you seek one out. It can make an enormous di erence to the amount of e ort we put into our Bible study. The Di erence Between Devotional Study and Applied Study The Bible is a wonderful book and blesses us on many levels. One important way is through a daily consistent time of devotional reading. For this experience we come to the Bible looking for it to speak to us on a personal level and address the current concerns and issues of our life. This type of Biblical interaction is essential in a Christian’s life and is a deeply personal and intimate time with God. The subject matter of this book does not directly address this type of engagement with the Bible. It is concerned with getting to know the Bible in a more systematic way – looking at what a passage means and trying to understand its general thought flow and message. This type of study is what we are trying to help with through the contents of this book. BIBLE TOOLS & REMINDERS | 7

Of course, Bible study like this is not done in a vacuum either. As we study the Bible a little more formally, there will be many wonderful devotional thoughts that will be revealed to us. There will also be many things that challenge us, convict us, and com- fort us. But it is important to remind ourselves of the difference between engaging with the Bible devotionally and coming to the Bible to study it in an organized manner. Some General Preliminary Comments About the Bible The Bible is a big book! Throughout its pages, it addresses several different audiences, covers many different types of topics and also incorporates different types of writing styles. Let’s think of each of these aspects separately: Audience Probably the most obvious indication of the different audiences the Bible focuses on is the existence of an Old Testament and a New Testament. In broad terms the Old Testament was written for a Jewish audience while the New Testament was written for the Church. Students of the Bible need to realize that while all of the Bible is applicable to us, not all of it was written to us. Many errors in Bible study come from trying to apply things that are written to the nation of Israel to the Church. We need to be especially careful in this regard when we study the Gospels. They are precious to us as Christians but they were written under the Old Testament economy while God was still dealing with His people through its principles and methodology. The book of Acts is another book that we must approach with this in mind as it is a transition book that took the people of God out of Old Testament practices and introduced the Church age to the world. As such there are unusual events and ac- tivities recorded in it that we may not experience today in the Church. The purest areas of study for the Church (and it is why we focus on them so much) are the epistles – letters written especially to the Church. 8 | DIG DEEPER

Topics Obviously the Bible overflows with different topics. It is a book about life and life is complex. However, with all the ideas and subjects addressed in the Scriptures it can be overwhelming. One little guide that will help us no matter what passage we are looking at is to remember that all of the Scripture deals with the following broad issues in one way or another: • God’s PERSON • God’s PROVISION • God’s PEOPLE • God’s PURPOSES Writing Understandably for a book that was written over the Styles course of 2,000 years, by at least 42 different human instruments, in at least five different countries, the Bible uses numerous different writing styles. The five major styles are: 1. ANECDOTAL NARRATIVE: The recounting of actual events that occurred throughout history. They range from the beginning of earthly creation, events subsequent to the inception of time, the history of the nation of Israel, events from the early days of the Church and incidents and details from the lives of various people of God. The stories or narratives contained in the Bible are very in- teresting to read and of course they are also completely true. While they do have this \"interest value\" (many who are not believers will acknowledge this readily), God has placed these stories in the Bible because they teach us valuable life lessons and it is often much easier to understand those lessons when we see them unfolding in real life. In some cases we learn what to do and in others we learn what not to do. As the old saying goes: \"If you can't be anything else, at least you can be a bad example\". A final and perhaps most valuable aspect of studying the stories of God's Word is that they establish and illustrate God's principles. We see very clearly the value of obey- ing God's precepts and also the consequences of disobeying them. GENERAL COMMENTS | 9

2. POETRY AND WISDOM: Ideas and truths concerning practical life and also various philosophical issues presented in figurative language. These writings are found in the book of Job – human suffering; Psalms – the challenges and emotions of life and the pursuit of God; Proverbs – wise sayings regarding life; Song of Solomon – the mys- teries of love; and Ecclesiastes – the meaning of life. 3. LIFE AND SAYINGS OF CHRIST: Although this is told in a narrative form, it probably needs to be dealt with separately as it focuses on the human sojourn of Almighty God in human form. It not only contains details of His life but also records His divine utterances and also records His atoning work on the cross. 4. DOCTRINAL TRUTH: These are passages that form the foundation for what we believe. Obviously they will also have extreme practical ramifications in our lives too. These books contain not only principles for us as individuals but also for the Church both local and universal. 5. ESCHATOLOGY: These are passages in the Scripture, which deal with things to come. Although many Christians enjoy studies of these things, studying these pas- sages requires a thorough understanding of the rest of the Scriptures as the sym- bolism and ideas contained within them is drawn from all of the Bible. What We H ope to Gain... “...that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col 1:9). No matter what style of writing we choose to study, what audience it is directed towards or what topics it is covering, we will be looking to gain: • Knowledge — the facts of the Bible, answers to the question what. • Wisdom — how to put our newly acquired knowledge into action wisely, answers to the question how. • Understanding — discerning the mind of God behind what He says, answers to the question why. Keeping this in mind will keep us focused on the goal of our Bible study. 10 | DIG DEEPER

One Suggested Method... C4 UP, DOWN, OUT, IN So, you have picked out a passage from the Bible that you are going to study. Great! What now? I am going to suggest four basic steps that you can follow every time you do a study. They will get you off to a good start on your study, establish a solid foun- dation for understanding pretty much any passage in the Bible and be helpful no matter how in-depth your study is going to be. I’ve used the term C4 because each step has a C word connected with it that will hopefully make it easy to remember. What follows in the next few paragraphs is a general description of each step. Once we have outlined them, we will go back and talk about practical ways to apply each one to our study. STEP ONE: CONDENSE (SUM IT UP) One of the most helpful things you can do when you begin to study a passage is to sum up what it is about. Can you condense what you have just read into a sentence or two? It is actually more challenging than you might think, but it is highly beneficial because it will help you focus in on the central idea of the passage. The Bible is full of weighty ideas but usually there is one concept that is central to fitting together everything that a particular passage is communicating. Finding that idea brings a better clarity to the entire passage. Condensing things also helps us engage with the portion as a whole. Working through the various ideas and weighing them in our mind as to how they are emphasized and presented will help us to get a much better general idea of the entire passage right from the start. Finally, summing up a passage will help you shift smoothly into the next step in your study — breaking the passage down into its components. CONDENSING | 11

STEP TWO: COMPONENTS (BREAK IT DOWN) The Bible is not a vast run on sentence of confusing ideas, although it can sometimes feel that way. The Scriptures have been carefully constructed by the Spirit of God in a divinely ordered way. They flow from one idea or event to another and once we comprehend how the passage is progressing it is amazing the things that will start to stand out to us. To see how God has constructed the passage, we need to break it down into its components. It is difficult to eat an elephant, but it can be done — one bite at a time. That is basically what we do when we come to any passage in the Bible. While it may be daunting as a whole, once we start to get it into smaller pieces it becomes not only manageable but amazing. STEP THREE: CONNECTIONS (EXPAND IT OUT) The Bible was written over the course of about 2,000 years, by many different human authors, in different countries and in different styles. Yet in spite of all that diversity it contains a unity that can only be described as supernatural. There are ideas in the first chapter of Genesis that stretch to the last chapter of Revelation. Light from other passages of the Bible often beautifully illuminate the verses we are studying. We are on solid ground with this approach to study as no less an authority than the Lord Jesus Christ often utilized this technique as He pointed his listeners back to Old Testament passages Light from other that illuminated concepts He was talking about. Paul does passages of the it too and tells us explicitly that the Old Testament account of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan is an Bible often extended lesson for Christians to study and apply beautifully beneficially to their own Christian journey. (1 Cor. 10:6, 11) illuminate the verses we are studying. 12 | DIG DEEPER

STEP FOUR: CONSECRATION (TAKE IT IN) The Bible is a living book, and an enormous part of its value is missed by those who study it to simply become more informed about its contents. God gave the Scriptures to us to change us. So, it is probably inappropriate to call this the last step. because letting the Holy Spirit apply the Word of God to our life to change us is the over-arching step of all of our Bible study. But in many instances, once we have worked our way through the first three steps of Bible study, we are in a good place to think about the lessons God has for us in the passage we have just looked at. These things will bless and change us and also give us material to pass on to others for their blessing as well. Study Bibles As a sidenote I would point out that most reputable study Bibles already do the first of these items — Condense, Components and Connections — for you. If you take a look at the following page from a study Bible I use, you will see that they give you an overall summation statement of the passage or book; they break the chapters down into smaller sections and give a title to each one of those as well, and they have a band of connections down the side of each page for you to explore other passages that may have a con- nection and bearing on the passage. Generations of Bible students have recognized the value of approaching their Bible using these three “simple” but challenging steps. CONSECRATION | 13







In order to dig in a little deeper, let’s go back and see in practical terms what we can do to accomplish each of these steps. CONDENSE: SUM IT UP! Review & Practical Steps... 1. READ IT! Understanding a passage begins with reading it! Not once, not twice but multiple times — prayerfully and carefully — focusing your mind to pay close attention to the thoughts expressed. Don’t try and figure out what it means, just concentrate on what it says. Fix your mind on what you are reading and be intentional about noting what is literally on the page. You will find that you can see a lot, just by looking and often by the time you have determined what a passage says, you will also have a very good idea of what it means. It is a great idea to write down things that you observe as you By the time work your way through the passage. Not only will a written you have record of your Bible studies become highly valuable to you over the years but writing your observations down will fix them in determined your mind and show you that even passages we think we what a passage know well will surprise us with details that we have missed, says, you will even though we have engaged with it many times before. also have a very good idea of what it means. The opposite of this approach is a quick read of a Scripture passage and then imme- diately beginning to expound on its meaning. Is this characteristic of how we do Bible study or prepare for a participatory Bible study? A positive outcome from such an approach is simply not possible. When it comes to proper Bible study, it is not enough to read a passage once and then to try and express what it means. Your understanding of the passage will be on a surface level at best. Ideas that come out of this approach will be incomplete and sometimes simply wrong. At best your ideas may be Biblically correct, but they will probably not apply directly to the study passage at all. CONDENSING | 17

Pre-conceptions about a passage are what lead us to this type of approach. If we have been a Christian for a while, we will have a body of “Bible knowledge” in our mind, through sermons or Sunday School or things we have read. That is a good thing, but the tendency will be to access that general knowledge when we come to a particular passage and then apply those general ideas as to what we think the passage is about. If we haven’t put in the time, we will focus in on those very quickly and while our thoughts may be Biblically correct, they will have little to do with the passage at hand. Here is a good question to keep asking yourself as you draw conclusions about a passage: “Is that really what it says?” One of the most valuable attitudes you can bring to Bible study is humility — to assume that there is much for us to learn no matter how familiar a passage may be. Approach each passage prayerfully and humbly and you will always see and learn something that you never noticed before. IN SUMMATION: Probably the most fundamentally important thing you can do to sum up your study passage is to carefully read it multiple times. Your reading should flow from start to finish, paying attention to what you are reading but at this point not getting bogged down in details or tangents. Once you are done, if you have time read it again. 2. L K FOR KEY WORDS! Another good way to determine what a passage is about is to focus on key words that are in the passage. That may sound simplistic, but how else can we maintain an honest focus on what we are studying? And if a passage uses a certain word don’t use another word – even if it sounds like a worthwhile synonym. Stay as close as you can to what is in the passage. 18 | DIG DEEPER

Sometimes key words are words that are repeated in the passage. Sometimes they occur only once. A good way to determine whether a word is important is to ask yourself whether the passage would be understandable without it. Key words are words that are vital to a passage A good way to and their absence would leave the passage confusing determine and without meaning. whether a word Eventually you should try and sum up what you are is important is reading. Don’t try and put together something fanciful. to ask yourself Most often your title will contain words or phrases from whether the passage would be understandable without it. the passage. If the passage is about Jesus turning water into wine, then say “Jesus Turns Water Into Wine at a Wedding”. You shouldn’t say “Jesus Affirms Weddings”. He is affirming weddings but that is a conclusion and not what the passage directly says. We’ll eventually get to that when we start to make applications. Here is a little phrase a friend shared with me about summing things up. I thought it was helpful. My friend did not know the source, so my apologies to whoever said it first. When it comes to focusing in on what a passage is about: “The main thing is the plain thing, and the plain thing is the main thing.” SOME PRACTICE PASSAGES On the next several pages, you will find some exercises to help you develop the skills of summing things up. Flip the book upside down to see my summations for each passage as well as a second focus on what words or idea I think are vital to the passage. See how we compare in our thinking. NOTE: For now, only do the “Condense” section. CONDENSING: LET’S PRACTICE! | 19

Practice #1 - Ephesians 2:4 & 5 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #1 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: 20 | STUDYING THE BIBLE God Makes Us Alive By Grace The Vital Idea: Made Alive by God

Practice #2 – Mark 10:17 17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #2 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: A Person Wanting to Inherit Eternal Life The Vital Idea: Inheriting Eternal Life LET’S PRACTICE! | 21

Practice #3 – John 7:37-38 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #3 SUGGESTION: Summed Up: 22 | DIG DEEPER How the Thirsty Can Receive Abundant Waters The Vital Idea: Come to Me (Jesus) and Drink

Practice #4 - 1 Peter 1:3 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #4 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: A Living Hope From the Father Through Jesus’ Resurrection The Vital Idea: A Living Hope LET’S PRACTICE! | 23

Practice #5 - Colossians 1:9-11 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #5 SUGGESTIONS: 24 | DIG DEEPER Summed Up: Knowing His Will and Its Outcomes The Vital Idea: Living Out the Knowledge of His Will

Practice #6 – Acts 2:32 – 28 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you your- selves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowl- edge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ Practice #7 – Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s, Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Turn over for more space... LET’S PRACTICE! | 25

PRACTICE #6 SUGGESTIONS: Components Summed Up: The Work of Christ and Its Connections Results The Vital Idea: 26 | DIG DEEPER Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

Practice #7 – Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #7 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: Remembering the Lord’s Benefits The Vital Idea: The Lord’s Benefits LET’S PRACTICE! | 27

Practice #8 - Psalm 95:1-7 1O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salva- tion. 2Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. 6O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 7For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #8 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: 28 | DIG DEEPER Approaching God for Thanksgiving and Worship The Vital Idea: Coming with Thanksgiving and Worship

Practice #9 – Mark 4:1 - 9 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and pro- duced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” 9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Components Connections PRACTICE #9 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: A Parable About A Sower, His Seed and the Soil The Vital Idea: LET’S PRACTICE! | 29

Practice #10 - Luke 7:36-50 36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely for- gave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Condense SUM IT UP: VITAL IDEA: Continued on next page... 30 | DIG DEEPER

LET’S PRACTICE! | 31 PRACTICE #10 SUGGESTIONS: Summed Up: The Vital Idea: Connections Components

COMPONENTS: DIVIDE IT UP! Review & Practical Steps... Now that you’ve had a chance to sum up some passages, we want to talk about step two, dividing the passages into logical components of thought and trying to discern the thought flow that the Holy Spirit incorporated into them. Imagine trying to study a Bible that did not have chapters and verses. It would add considerable challenge. Just as chapters and verses were added to the Bible to enable easier understanding, so doing your own breakdown of the passage you are studying will make your study more helpful and attainable. In a certain sense this process simply involves reading the passage enough times to become very familiar with it and carefully examining how it moves from one verse to the next. But there are other things that will help us too. They are listed below: 1. USE THE FOLLOWING HELPFUL QUESTIONS: Who, What, When, Where and Why. a) Who is central to the passage? As you read along, make note of who the main characters are. b) What are the characters doing? Or if it is not a “story” passage, what are the verbs or action words in the passage? c) When is the action in the story taking place? d) Where are things taking place? What is the setting of the passage? e) Why are these things being presented in the manner they are in the passage? 2. LOOK FOR TRANSITION WORDS. Finding the point where TRANSITION one idea or event moves on to the next one is challenging. But WORDS: once we are able to find these points more readily, it really will be a big help in understanding the passage we are studying. • Therefore • Wherefore There are words that are consistently used to make transitions and once we get into the habit of looking for them it will make it •Because • Since easier to see where things are moving from one idea to another. This is especially helpful when • If we study the epistles of the New Testament. • Then • For this reason • So that • And •But 32 | DIG DEEPER

When it comes to those parts of the Bible that are story based, it is TIME helpful to look for words related to the passing of time. That is only WORDS: natural when you think of a story and how it unfolds chronologically. It is also worth noting when the Bible mentions a date and references, • Then for example, to Jewish Feasts and to a particular hour in the day. • When •The next day But don’t discount the idea of time when you study doctrinal • There was passages. It can be important in these passages too, as there are • Came often references to ideas past, present and future. • Went • Morning • Evening • And •But 3. TAKE NOTE OF WHAT JESUS HAS TO SAY. The words of the Lord Jesus are always full of meaning, wisdom and importance. Red letter Bibles, which print the words of Jesus in red, reflect how worthwhile it is to pay attention to His words. It is also important to note that often what Jesus says will flow out of something that He has just done or is going to do. His words will give deeper insight into why He has done these things and will give us Then “object lessons” for the accompanying teaching. Jesus words are also some- Jesus said... times connected or motivated by events that are happening around him. Fo- cusing on His words will give us context and understanding of these events. 4. COMPARISONS AND CONTRASTS. The Bible frequently utilizes contrasts and especially comparisons. Seeing the similarities or differences between things is a very helpful way to gain an understanding of an idea or concept. Be on the lookout for contrasts or comparisons in the passage you are studying. They appear more frequently than you think. 5. PUT YOURSELF IN THE STORY. One of the most helpful things I have learned to do in my Bible study is to really make an effort to put myself in the story. Several benefits come from this. First of all, these stories happened in real time. After our first read of the Bible we know the outcome of the stories it tells. For example... COMPONENTS | 33

• We know that Shadrach, It’s good to remember Meschach and Abednego that these stories hap- will survive the fiery furnace. pened to real people But they didn’t know. who experienced them minute by minute. That • We know that the ship car- rying Jesus and His disciples “in the moment” made it through the storm to the other side. But the appreciation and under- disciples weren’t so sure. standing of the story is very important. Secondly, it is important to try and see the Bible and its stories through the lens of the society, social interactions, history and culture of the time. We do not even realize how much the lens of our own thinking, culture, society and place in history colours our thinking. Do your best to immerse yourself in the time and place of the Bible and you will notice things from a completely different perspective. 6. ASK QUESTIONS. Beyond the basic questions referred to in Point #1, you should be actively engaged in asking questions about the passage. For some reason many people read passages and just pass over things they don’t understand. There are con- crete questions to ask such as where a particular story takes place or who a certain group of people were and there are abstract questions to ask such as why God allowed such a thing or why Jesus acted in the fashion He did. Whether concrete or abstract, asking all kinds of questions will bring clarity to a passage, deepen our understanding and can only help us to know our Bible better. Writing them down will keep a record of our thoughts and also will be a blessing as we find answers to what we have asked. 7. MEDITATE. To meditate simply means to spend some time thinking about something. Meditation is something that God asks us to do in relation to His Word (Josh. 1:8), so that divine 34 | DIG DEEPER

admonition in itself should make us interested in doing it. As is usual with God’s commands though, mediation will also prove highly beneficial to us. Many a passage will be further opened up to us as we take some time to think about it. Our world is an incredibly noisy and distracting place. We can let our minds be filled with all manner of things to think about but meditating on a passage will bring great blessing and insight. Getting a summary statement understanding of a passage is challenging. So too is the process of breaking a passage into its components and getting a sense of its thought flow. But once you have done these things on your own, you will have really accomplished something worthwhile As we have already discussed, a commitment of time is going to be critical to this process as is continuing to patiently working at it. Don’t be discouraged if it is not easy at the start. Keep at it! All skills take time to hone and perfect. Martin Luther said: “I study my Bible as I gather apples. First, I shake the whole tree that the ripest might fall. Then I shake each limb and when I have shaken each limb, I shake each branch and every twig. Then I look under every leaf”. What a great image and template for our own approach. Practice Passages Now that you’ve thought a little bit about how to break down a passage into its components, go back to the passages that you made summary statements for and try work on breaking them down. Try and give a title to each section and explain how the flow of thought is moving from the beginning of the passage to the end. You’re doing great! Only two more sections to consider... COMPONENTS: LET’S PRACTICE! | 35

CONNECTIONS: EXPAND IT OUT! Review & Practical Steps... The third basic activity to consider when studying a passage is to search out various ways in which the passage connects with other passages in the Scripture. Perhaps a custom is mentioned that is tied to an Old Testament ritual. Perhaps another story is alluded to. In many cases there are principles that are expressed in other parts of the Bible that are illustrated by a story somewhere else, and we will be blessed when we are able to link them together. Many different subjects and doctrines are developed in different portions and books of the Bible. In fact, the whole of the Bible is interconnected and being able to draw these connections together brings great light to our Bible study. An excellent little rule to remember when studying the Scripture is that the Bible is its own best interpreter. Here are some different Biblical connections that you can search out in your own Bible study: TEXTUAL REFERENCES: When a passage specifically refers to another portion of Scripture we are literally being directed by God to make the connection to see why it is associated with what we are studying. This is particularly important in studying the New Testament, as there are numerous Old Testament allusions (see: John 3:14; Galatians 4:22-31; Acts 2:16-21). TOPICAL CONNECTIONS: The Bible is a book that is full of doctrines and various subjects. Seldom is one dealt with in totality in one place. To fully understand a subject we need to look at the different places that it is referred to. Sometimes it will only be a passing reference, sometimes it will be a fuller exposition, but all of the passages need to be considered to fully understand a subject. In connection with topical connections is the rule of First Mention. This rule of Bible study states that the first time a topic in the Bible is presented, you will always find very helpful information that will often provide a good base for the rest of the Bible’s infor- mation on that subject (see: Genesis 18:2; Genesis 6:5,6, & 8:21). In connection with the rule of First Mention is the rule of Full Mention. This rule states that there is usually a place in the Scripture where a considerable or “full” 36 | DIG DEEPER

amount of information is given concerning a subject. While this passage will not provide all that there is to know about a subject, it is certainly an important source to investigate and will provide a good sense of what your topic is about (see: I Corinthians 13:1-8). These rules can certainly be helpful when it comes to getting an understanding of a Biblical subject but nothing replaces simply doing the work of searching out and studying the various places a subject is dealt with in the Scripture. ANALOGY (COMPARISON) CONNECTIONS: Many of the stories in the Bible are examples of truths and concepts that are presented in other places. This is especially helpful to us as Chris- tians as God has given us pictures and examples to help us grasp some of the doctrines and ideas associated with our salvation. Many of these examples are in the Old Testament but there are also examples in the Gospels and Acts. Take for example the issues associated with the exodus of the nation of Israel from Egypt. The events of that occasion mirror that of the Christian in our “salvation” experience—from deliv- erance through a lamb’s blood to passing through the waters of the Red Sea. In the Gospels of the New Testament, there are five different occasions when people are healed of their blind- ness, reminding us of the truth of II Corinthians 4: 3-6, that a vital aspect of salvation is being able to see clearly spiritually. EXEMPLARY CONNECTIONS: Associated with the previous subject but not exactly the same, exemplary connections are those Old Testament and New Testament stories and characters that give us examples as to how we should be living our lives. These examples are as broad as showing us how we should exercise faith in our Christian life (see: Hebrews 11) to the devas- tating effects of the tongue (see: I Samuel 22:6-23). These connections are particularly helpful for those who are communicating the Word of God to others as it allows us to make solid prac- tical applications for their (and our own) benefit. GEOGRAPHICAL CONNECTIONS: It is interesting to see how even the places where Biblical events took place can illuminate our understanding of the Bible. When a place is mentioned in a passage you are studying, it is often helpful to trace some of the other events that occurred there (see: Bethlehem in Genesis 35:16-20; Ruth 1:1; Matthew 2:1). MAKING CONNECTIONS | 37

CHARACTER CONNECTIONS: Another interesting subject to make connections with is that of the characters of the Bible. God has given us the record of many different men and women in the Scriptures. Some show us what to do, and some show us what not to do, but all are helpful in some fashion or another. Beyond the original telling of their story it is surprising where these characters will be mentioned (see: Moses mentioned 11 times in Hebrews; Abra- ham mentioned 9 times in Galatians). WORD OR PHRASE CONNECTIONS: Sometimes it is interesting to trace the mentions of a particular word or phrase. In putting them together you can often learn a very stimulating les- son (see: “as for me”; “one thing”; the mentions of Christ’s “hour” in John’s Gospel). PRACTICE: Take a look back over the various passages we have already looked at and see if you can think of at least one Biblical connection for each passage. How does it enhance your understanding of this passage? CONSECRATION: TAKING IT IN! Review & Practical Steps... After we have worked our way through a passage it is important to think of ways in which we can apply what we have learned to our lives. God’s Word was never meant to be studied in a vacuum. Our first focus in Bible study should always be personal growth and application. It is not to accumulate knowledge or to prepare some thoughts for a message or somebody else’s benefit. As someone has said, “It is not how you are going through the Bible that counts, it is how the Bible is going through you”. As we study we want to grow and learn. Often applications jump out at us and touch a particular spiritual need that we are experiencing in that moment. Other times, the application is a little more work to dig out. Here are some “categories” of application that will help us find helpful practical items wherever we have been studying: I KNOWLEDGE — We want to know more about the Bible and its subject matter. As you study each passage, ask your self how it deepens your knowledge of the four main themes of the Bible: the Person of God; the People of God; the Provision of God; or the Plan of God. All of these themes run liberally through the Bible and are lifelong pursuits for us. 38 | DIG DEEPER

II EXAMPLES — Does the passage I am studying give me an example to follow? The Bible is full of information designed to help us live as we should. What examples are in the passage I am studying and how can I put them into practice? III ERRORS — The Bible also warns us about errors to avoid. Does the passage I am studying warn me of any sin or iniquity to avoid? Does it convict me about something I am doing that I need to forsake? IV COMMANDS — The Bible is very straightforward about many issues that concern us. In many cases, God gives us clear commands regarding our behaviour and activities. Are there any such commands in the passage you are studying? V PROMISES — The Bible is also a Book of promises. God promises many things to His people, but we miss out on His blessings because we fail to claim them. We need to be looking for promises in our study passage and then claim them. VI PRAYER — Prayer is essential to the spiritual well being of Gods people. God has chosen to record many prayers in His Word so that we might learn from them. Is there a prayer in my study passage that I should be echoing? Are there prayer requests in my passage that I need to take before the Lord? • THE CHARACTER OF GOD AND THE PERSON OF CHRIST • It seems worthwhile to give the closing word to one more important aspect of Bible study – God Himself and the living Word of God – Jesus Christ – the one who perfectly expresses who God is. The central focus of the entire Scriptures is to glorify God and reveal His character to us. As you go through a passage be on the lookout for what the story reveals about who God is and what aspects of His character are revealed. Of course, we know too that the Lord Jesus is to be found in all the Scriptures (Luke 24:27) so as you look at your story, be sure to look for glimpses of Him. This will be much more concrete in the stories of the Gospels but as we read Old Testament stories we will find Him there too as He appears in symbol and picture. CONSECRATION & THE CHARACTER OF GOD | 39