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Understanding the Words of the Bible
Bible Study Basics - Day 7
It's hard to understand God's Word if you don't understand God's words. That is, if you don't know the meaning of the words you're reading, you won't understand the ideas God is trying to communicate. Today, we're going to start looking at how to overcome the language problems you run in to when you study the Bible. This lesson isn't really a Bible study - it just sets the stage for our studies over the next couple of days.
Even if you have a good attitude toward becoming a better Bible reader, there are still some roadblocks to understanding its words. Today we'll look at each problem area, define it and give a quick example. To make these problems easy to remember, I've put them in the acrostic W.O.R.D.S.
- Weak Vocabulary
- Old Languages
- Remote Ideas
- Double Meanings
- Spiritual Definitions
Weak vocabulary
You don't understand the words because you need to build a better vocabulary.Example
"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." (Gal 3:19)
Old languages
You don't understand the words because they are Old English, or because of how the Hebrew and Greeks words were translated into English.Example 1 (Old English)
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (Jam 1:21)
Example 2 (Greek)
"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (Joh 15:2-3)
(Same Greek root word for purgeth and clean.)
Remote ideas
You don't understand the words because of the historical and cultural differences between our world and the world of the Bible.Example
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Gal 3:24-25)
Double meanings
You don't understand the words because of the figures of speech the Bible uses, or because the word has multiple meanings.Example
"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." (Mat 18:21-22)
(Hyperbole)
Spiritual definitions
You don't understand the words because they have special theological meaning.Example
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Rom 8:29-30)
Points to Ponder
- Are you a good reader?
- Are you working at becoming a better reader?
- Have you come across any of the reading problems we talked about today as you have studied the Bible?
Read More About It
Read the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. As you read, make note of the words and phrases that you don't understand or that you want to investigate. Try to classify each item in your list into one of the five W.O.R.D.S. problems. Don't skip over that last part, because you'll be using the classifications in your studies in the days ahead.Posted by Keith | Mon, September 12 | ∞ | Bible Study Basics
Comments
What others have said...
In some ways, writing for this site is like painting in the dark - I know its keeping me busy, but I wonder if it is accomplishing anything. Thanks for the encouragement.
Posted by: Keith | September 12, 2005 12:29 PM
Don't get weary. It's just like almost everything else in life... it gets more valuable in time. The first day you come into a classroom you can't expect the students to fall in love with you.
Take, for instance, Our Daily Bread. How many people read that every day? Plenty. But do you know how many other "Daily Bread" type magazines are out there? It's value comes both with content and consistency. I think you've got a good handle on the first; get the second one down and let the snowball roll.
After all, His Word will not return void, and that's what this is all about!
Posted by: Jesse | September 13, 2005 12:17 PM
I believe that the content of your devotions thus far and your consistency at it for many years, not just these few days of PD so far, will make all the difference. Though the comparison to another well known devotional is good for exhortation, it is also important, for you, as well as for us, to realize and make a practical distinction between those "other" ones and PD. That distinction has been characterized in this lesson, though not a Bible study, as you put it, by the way that you are not just giving a little snipet of the Bible with a few comments, but rather, are doing as your title implies, teaching us, the users, to develop a meaningful devotional life in the Bible by progressing from where we are to where we are closer to God. This does not come for the maturer Christian by snipets, but rather by building upon what we already know to a progressively greater knowledge of and application of the Word. PD helps to not only give more knowledge about the Word, but is helping to teach how to apply what has been learned in a real way to one's life (even the Andes mint is helpful). I agree with the previous post - maintain the consistency, not because it keeps you busy, but because it is an opportunity to put into application the gift that God has given you. This is not a "remote idea" or something with "double meaning" it has been in the workings for at least the eighteen years that I have known you. He that has begun a good work in you will perform it, so, let Him!
Posted by: Carl | September 15, 2005 11:39 AM
Thanks for the good counsel, Carl. You know, its not that I want people to love me, or that the site is popular. What I want to know is that God's people are being helped by what they find here at PD. The work is worth it if believers are being built up.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Pastor Gardner, I just wanted to let you know I was happy to find your site through SharperIron. It has been an encouragement to me as I've read over the posts each day in conjuction with my own Bible study. Thank you for sharing these thoughts with us.
Posted by: Esther | September 12, 2005 06:50 AM