Tag: Bible Interpretation

Resources on Bibliology: The Study of the Bible

(Compiled by Pastor David Craig)

Authority, Canonicity, Study, Translations and Application:

(1) Can We Have Confidence the Bible Is The Inerrant Word of God?

For The Beginner:

John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs. Taking A Stand for the Bible: Today’s Leading Experts Answer Critical Questions About God’s Word.

John Ankerberg and John Weldon. The Reliability of the Bible.

Gleason L. Archer. New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties.

Matthew Barrett. God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture.

Craig L. Blomberg. Can We Still Believe The Bible?

Darrell L. Bock. Can I Trust The Bible?

F.F. Bruce. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?

Charlie H. Campbell. Archaeological Evidence for the Bible: Discoveries that Verify People, Places, and Events in the World’s Most Influential Book.

Barry Cooper. Can I Really Trust The Bible? 

Steven B. Cowan and Terry L. Wilder. In Defense of the Bible: A Comprehensive Apologetic for the Authority of Scripture.

John Dickson. A Doubter’s Guide To The Bible: Inside History’s Bestseller for Believers and Skeptics.

Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe. Making Sense of Bible Difficulties: Clear and Concise Answers From Genesis to Revelation.

Greg Gilbert. Why Trust The Bible?

Michael Guillen. Amazing Truths: How Science and The Bible Agree.

Hank Hanegraaf. Has God Spoken? Proof of the Bible’s Divine Inspiration.

J. Daniel Hays. A Christian’s Guide To Evidence For The Bible: 101 Proofs From History and Archaeology.

Joseph M. Holden and Norman L. Geisler. The Popular Handbook of Archaeology and The Bible: Discoveries That Confirm the Reliability of Scripture.

David Jackman. Opening Up The Bible.

Timothy Paul Jones. Why Should I Trust The Bible?

Walter C. Kaiser Jr. The Old Testament Documents: Are They Reliable & Relevant?

Titus Kennedy. Unearthing The Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries That Bring The Bible To Life.

D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. What If The Bible Had Never Been Written?

Don Kistler, ed. Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position On The Bible.

Erwin W. Lutzer. 7 Reasons You Can Trust The Bible.

John MacArthur. Why Believe The Bible?

John MacArthur. Final Word: Why We Need The Bible.

Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett. Is The Bible True…Really? A Dialogue on Skepticism, Evidence, and Truth.

Jonathan Morrow. Questioning The Bible: 11 Major Challenges to the Bible’s Authority. 

J.I. Packer. Fundamentalism And The Word of God.

Rene Pache. The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture.

A.W. Pink. The Divine Inspiration of the Bible.

Vern Sheridan Poythres. Inerrancy And The Gospels.

R.C. Sproul. Can I Trust The Bible?

R.C. Sproul. Scripture Alone: The Evangelical Doctrine. 

Don Stewart. 10 Reasons To Trust The Bible.

James R. White. Scripture Alone: Exploring The Bible’s Accuracy, Authority, And Authenticity.

Peter J. Williams. Can We Trust The Gospels?

Intermediate to Advanced:

Richard Bauckham. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Second Edition). 

Craig L. Blomberg. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels.

Craig L. Blomberg. The Historical Reliability of the New Testament.

D.A. Carson. Collected Writings On Scripture.

D.A. Carson, ed. The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures.

D.A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge, eds. Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon.

D.A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge, eds. Scripture And Truth.

John D. Currid. The Case For Biblical Archaeology: Uncovering the Historical Record Of God’s Old Testament People.

F. David Farnell, ed. Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate.

John Frame. The Doctrine of The Word Of God.

Paul Helm and Carl R. Trueman. The Trustworthiness of God: Perspectives on the Nature of Scripture.

K.A. Kitchen. On The Reliability of the Old Testament.

Eta Linnemann (translated by Robert Yarbrough). Biblical Criticism On Trial: How Scientific Is Scientific Theology?

John MacArthur and many other contributors. The Inerrant Word: Biblical, Historical, and Pastoral Perspectives.

John Warwick Montgomery, ed. God’s Inerrant Word: An International Symposium On The Trustworthiness Of Scripture.

(2) How The Bible Was Formed: The Canon of Scripture

For The Beginner:

Richard Brash. A Christian’s Pocket Guide To How God Preserved The Bible.

J. Danie Hays and J. Scott Duvall. How The Bible Came To Be.

Timothy Paul Jones. How We Got the Bible.

Jeff Lasseigne. Unlocking the Scriptures: What the Bible Is, How We Got It, and Why We Can Trust It.

Charles Leach and R.A. Torrey. Our Bible: How We Got It and Ten Reasons I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God.

Greg Lanier. A Christian’s Pocket Guide To How We Got The Bible.

Neil R. Lightfoot. How We Got The Bible (Revised and Expanded 3rd Edition).

John Piper. A Peculiar Glory: How The Christian Scriptures reveal Their Complete Truthfulness.

Ryan M. Reeves and Charles E. Hill. Know How We Got Our Bible.

Lawrence H. Schiffman and Jerry Pattengale. The World’s Greatest Book: The Story of How The Bible Came To Be.

W.H. Griffith Thomas. How We Got Our Bible and Why We Believe It Is God’s Word.

Intermediate to Advanced:

F.F. Bruce. The Canon Of Scripture.

F.F. Bruce. The Books and The Parchments: Original Languages, Canon, Transmission and How We Got Our English Bible.

F.F. Bruce, J.I. Packer, Philip Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry. The Origin of the Bible.

John S. Feinberg. Light In A Dark Place: The Doctrine of Scripture.

Norman L. Geisler. Biblical Inerrancy: The Historical Evidence.

Norman L. Geisler and R.C. Sproul. Explaining Biblical Inerrancy: Official Commentary on the ICBI Statements.

Norman L. Geisler, ed. Inerrancy.

Norman L. Geisler and William C. Roach. Defending Inerrancy: Affirming The Accuracy Of Scripture For A New Generation.

Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix. From God To US: How We Got Our Bible.

Stanley N. Gundry, ed. Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy.

Cahrels E. Hill and Michael J. Kruger. The Early Text of the New Testament.

Michael J. Kruger. Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and  Authority of the New Testament Books.

Michael J. Kruger. The Question of Canon: Challenging the Status Quo in the New Testament Debate.

Arthur G. Patzia. The Making of the New Testament: Origin, Collection, Text & Canon.

John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy. The Lost World of Scripture: Ancient Literary Culture and Biblical Authority.

(3) How To Study Your Bible: Biblical Hermeneutics/Interpretation

For The Beginner:

T. Desmond Alexander & David W. Baker. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship.

Max Anders. 30 Days To Understanding The Bible (Revised and Updated). 

Bill T. Arnold & Hugh G.M. Williamson. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship.

Clinton E. Arnold, ed. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: New Testament (4 vols.).

Kenneth E. Bailey. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in The Gospels.

Kenneth E. Bailey. Paul Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians.

Richard Bauckham. The Bible In The Contemporary World: Hermeneutical Ventures.

David R. Bauer and Robert A. Traina. Inductive Bible Study: A Comprehensive Guide to the Practice of Hermeneutics.

Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place In The Biblical Story.

John A. Beck. Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery.

John A. Beck. The Basic Bible Atlas: A Fascinating Guide to the Land of the Bible.

Barry J. Betzel. The New Moody Atlas of The Bible.

Craig Blomberg. Interpreting The Parables (Second Edition).

Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning. Interpreting The New Testament Text.

Mark J. Boda & J. Gordon McConville. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series).

James Montgomery Boice. The Parables of Jesus.

Chad Brand, Eric Mitchell, et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Thomas V. Brisco. Holman Bible Atlas: A Complete Guide to the Expansive Geography  of Biblical History.

D.A. Carson. Exegetical Fallacies.

Mitchell Chase. 40 Questions About Typology and Allegory.

Tim Chester. Bible Matters: Making Sense of Scripture.

John D Currid and David P. Barrett. Crossway ESV Bible Atlas.

Jason S. DeRouchie. How To Understand And Apply The Old Testament: Twelve Steps From Exegesis To Theology.

J.D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney, et al. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary.

ESV Exhaustive Concordance.

ESV Expository Commentary (volumes on the whole Bible – still not complete).

ESV Gospel Transformation Bible.

ESV Study Bible.

ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible.

Craig A. Evans & Stanley E. Porter, eds. Dictionary of New Testament Background.

Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth.

Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. How To Read The Bible Book By Book.

Hans Finzel. Unlocking The Bible: Three Steps To Personal Bible Study.

Al Fuhr and Andreas J. Kostenberger. Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application through the Lenses of History, Literature and Theology.

Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (12 volumes).

Scott M. Gibson and Matthew D. Kim, eds. Homiletics and Hermeneutics: Four Views On Preaching Today.

Joel B. Green, ed. Dictionary of the New Testament: Gospels (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series).

Steve & Jackie Green. This Dangerous Book: How The Bible Shaped Our World And Why It Still Matters Today.

Nancy Guthrie. Even Better Than Eden: Nine Ways The Bible’s Story Changes Everything About Your Story.

Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid. Dictionary of Paul And His Letters.

Michael S. Heiser. Brief Insights on Mastering The Bible: 80 Expert Insights on the Bible, Explained in a Single Minute.

Michael S. Heiser. Brief Insights on Mastering Bible Study: 80 Expert Insights on the Bible, Explained in a Single Minute.

Holman New Testament Commentary (12 volumes).

Holman New Testament Commentary (19 volumes).

R. Kent Hughes. Preaching the Word: New Testament Set (many volumes).

Trent Hunter and Stephen Wellum. Christ From Beginning To End: How The Full Story of Scripture Reveals The Full Glory Of Christ.

David Jeremiah. Study Bible ESV.

Dennis E. Johnson. Walking With Jesus Through His Word: Discovering Christ In All The Scriptures.

Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F.F. Bruce, and Manfred T. Brauch. Hard Sayings of the Bible.

Walter C. Kaiser Jr., and Moises Silva. Introduction To Biblical Hermeneutics.

Craig S. Keener. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament.

William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr. Introduction To Biblical Interpretation. (Third Edition).

Woodrow Kroll. How To Find God In The Bible: A Personal Plan For The Encounter Of Your Life.

Woodrow Kroll. Taking Back The Good Book.

C.S. Lewis. The C.S. Lewis Study Bible.

Tremper Longman III, & Peter Enns. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship.

John F. MacArthur. How To Study The Bible.

John F. MacArthur. The ESV MacArthur Study Bible.

John F. MacArthur. The MacArthur New Testament Set (33 volumes).

Vishal Mangalwadi. The Book That Made Your World: How The Bible Created The Soul Of Western Civilization.

I. Howard Marshall, A.R. Millard, et al. New Bible Dictionary.

Ralph P. Martin & Peter H. Davids. Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series).

Dan McCartney and Charles Clayton. Let The reader Understand: A Guide To Interpreting And Applying The Bible.

J. Vernon McGee. Briefing The Bible: A Trusted Tool To Get You Started Studying Every Book of the Bible.

J. Vernon McGee. Thru The Bible: Genesis through Revelation (5 volumes).

Henrietta C. Mears. What The Bible Is All About.

Chuck Missler. Learn The Bible In 24 Hours.

D.L. Moody. How To Study The Bible.

Andrew David Naselli. How To Understand And Apply The New Testament: Twelve Steps From Exegesis To Theology.

Lindsay Olesberg. The Bible Study Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide To Essential Practice.

James Orr. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (5 Volume Set).

Grant R. Osborne. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation.

Charles Pfeiffer and Everett Harrison. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

Pillar New Testament Commentary Set (Eerdmans, Incomplete – 15 volumes).

John Piper. Reading The Bible Supernaturally.

Robert L. Plummer. 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible.

Vern S. Poythress. Reading The Word Of God In The Presence of God: A Handbook For Biblical Interpretation.

Michael Rydelnik, Michael Vanlaningham, et al. The Moody Bible Commentary.

Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman III. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery.

James S. Sire. Scripture Twisting: 20 Ways the Cults Misread The Bible.

Matt Smethurst. Before You Open Your Bible: Nine Heart Postures For Approaching God’s Word.

Colin S. Smith. Unlock The Bible in 30 Days.

Wilbur M. Smith. The Incomparable Book: To Guide You As You Read It Through.

Klyne R. Snodgrass. Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus.

R.C. Sproul. Knowing Scripture.

R.C. Sproul. ESV Reformation Study Bible.

R.C. Sproul and Robert Wolgemuth. What’s In The Bible? A Tour Of Scripture From The Dust Of Creation To The Glory of Revelation.

Robert H. Stein. A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible.

John R.W. Stott. The Bible (God’s Word For Today).

John R.W. Stott. Understanding The Bible (Expanded Edition).

James Strong. The New Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

Charles R. Swindoll. Searching The Scriptures: Find The Nourishment Your Soul Needs.

Charles R. Swindoll. The Swindoll Study Bible (NLT).

Merrill C. Tenney. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of The Bible (5 Volume Set).

The Apologetics Study Bible (CSB).

R.A. Torrey. How To Study The Bible Intentionally.

Merrill F. Unger. The New Unger’s Bible Disctionary.

Merrill F. Unger. The New Unger’s Bible Handbook.

Douglas Van Dorn. Christ In The Old Testament: Promised, Patterned, and Present.

Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Craig G. Bartholomew, et al. Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible.

Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Is There Meaning In This Text? The Bible, the Reader, and the Morality of Literary Knowledge.

W.E. Vine. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary Of Old and New Testament Words.

Henry A. Virkler. Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation.

John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews & Mark W. Chvalas.  The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament.

John H. Walton, ed. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Old Testament (multiple volumes).

John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, eds. Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vols.).

Rick Warren. Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God’s Word.

Warren W. Wiersbe. Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 2 Vol. Set.

Warren W. Wiersbe. Delights & Disciplines Of Bible Study.

Warren W. Wiersbe. Wiersbe Study Bible (NKJV).

Michael Williams. How To Read The Bible Through The Jesus Lens: A Guide to Christ- Focused Reading of Scripture.

Paul H. Wright. Rose Then And Now Bible Map Atlas With Biblical Backgrounds and Culture.

Mark Yarbrough. How To Read The Bible Like A Seminary Professor.

Intermediate to Advanced:

John S. Feinberg, ed. Continuity and Discontinuity (Essays in Honor of S. Lewis Johnson, Jr.: Perspectives on the Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments. (Advanced)

Graeme Goldsworthy. According To Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God In The Bible.

Graeme Goldsworthy. Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation.

Michael Graves. The Inspiration and Interpretation of Scripture: What The Eary Church Can Teach Us.

Christopher A. Hall. Reading Scripture With The Church Fathers.

Elliot Johnson. Expository Hermeneutics: An Introduction.

Andres J. Kostenbeger, Darrell L. Bock, and Josh D. Chatraw. Truth in a Culture of Doubt: Engaging Skeptical Challenges to the Bible.

Stanley E. Porter, ed. Biblical Hermeneutics: Five Views.

Rhynne R. Putnam. In Defense of Doctrine: Evangelicalism, Theology, and Scripture.

E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brian. Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders To Better Understand The Bible.

E. Randolph Richards and Richard James. Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes: Patronage, Honor, and Shame in the Biblical World.

Anthony C. Thistelton. Hermeneutics: An Introduction.

Robert L. Thomas. Evangelical Hermeneutics: The New Versus the Old.

Timothy Ward. Words of Life: Scripture As The Living And Active Word Of God.

(4) Translations of the Bible and Language Helps

For The Beginner:

D.A. Carson. The King James Version Debate: A Plea for Realism.

Kevin DeYoung. Why Our Church Switched to the ESV.

Leland Ryken. Choosing a Bible: Understanding Bible Translation Differences.

Leland Ryken. The ESV And The English Bible Legacy.

Leland Ryken. The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation.

Leland Ryken. Understanding English Bible Translation: The Case For An Essentially Literal Approach.

Mark Ward. Authorized: The Use & Misuse of the King James Bible.

Paul D. Wegner. The Journey from Texts to Translations: The Origin and Development of the Bible.

James R. White. The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust Modern Translations?

Intermediate to Advanced:

Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland et al. The Greek New Testament: With Dictionary (Greek and English Edition)

Robert Alter. The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgatensia.

Colin Brown. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (4 volumes).

Philip Comfort. The Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts (2 Volumes).

ESV English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament: English Standard Version (English and Ancient Greek Edition)

ESV Greek-English New Testament: Nestle-Aland 28th Edition and English Standard Version (English and Ancient Greek Edition)

Greek-English Interlinear ESV New Testament: Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) and English Standard Version (ESV) (English and Ancient Greek Edition)

Greek-English Parallel New Testament ebook: NA28-ESV: Nestle-Aland 28th Edition and English Standard Version

J.P. Green. The Interlinear Hebrew/Greek-English Bible (4 volumes).

R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer., et al. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.

Hebrew-English Interlinear Old Testament: Bible Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS)/(ESV).

Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (10 Volumes).

John R. Kohlenberger III, Edward W. Goodrich, et al. Greek-English Concordance to the New Testament.

John R. Kohlenberger III. The Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament.

Bruce Metzger. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament.

Barclay M. Newman and Florian Voss. The Text of UBS 5, readers Edition (English and Greek Edition)

The Hebrew-English Interlinear ESV Old Testament: Biblia Hebraic Sttgartensia (BHS) and English Standard Version (ESV) (English and Hebrew Edition)

The Zondervan Greek and English Interlinear New Testament (NASB/NIV)

(5) How To Read and Apply Your Bible

Kay Arthur, David Arthur, et al. How To Study Your Bible Workbook: Discover the Life- Changing Approach to God’s Word.

Mike Bullmore. The Gospel and Scripture: How To Read The Bible.

Kevin DeYoung. Taking God At His Word: Why The Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me.

Daniel M. Doriani. Getting The Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying The Bible.

Daniel M. Doriani. Putting The Truth To Work: The Theory and Practice of Biblical Application.

J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God’s Word: A Hand-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible (4th Edition).

Sinclair B. Ferguson. From the Mouth of God: Trusting, Reading and Applying the Bible. 

George Guthrie. Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding and Living God’s Word.

Brian Hardin. Passages: How Reading the Bible in a Year Will Change Everything for You.

Matthew S. Harmon. Asking The Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible.

Howard G. Hendricks and William D. Hendricks. Living By The Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible.

Life Application Study Bible (Available in NIV, KJV, Living, NAS, and NKJV – has a plethora of notes focused on understanding and applying the Scriptures).

R.T. Kendall. The Parables of Jesus: A Guide to Understanding and Applying the Stories Jesus Taught.

Jack Kuhatschek. Applying The Bible.

Robertson McQuilkin. Understanding and Applying the Bible (Revised and Expanded Edition).

NIV Application Commentary: New Testament Set (20 volumes).

NIV Application Commentary: Old Testament Set (available in 12 volumes).

Nick Pickowicz. How To Eat Your Bible: A Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the Word of God.

Charles F. Stanley. Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition (NASB).

Hermeneutical Principles from Dr. R.C. Sproul

Bible opened image

Hermeneutical Principles 

The Analogy of Faith – (Sacra Scriptura sui interpres) – Scripture is to interpret Scripture. This simply means that no part of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture. For example, if a given verse is capable of two renditions or variant interpretations and one of those interpretations goes against the rest of Scripture while the other is in harmony with it, then the latter interpretation must be used.

Since it is assumed that God would never contradict Himself, it is thought slanderous to the Holy Spirit to choose an alternate interpretation that would unnecessarily bring the Bible in conflict with itself. The analogy of faith keeps the whole Bible in view lest we suffer from the effects of exaggerating one part of Scripture to the exclusion of others.

Interpreting the Bible Literally – The literal sense offers restraint from letting our imagination run away in fanciful interpretation and invites us to examine closely the literary forms of Scripture. The term literal comes from the Latin litera meaning “letter.” To interpret something literally is to pay attention to the litera or to the letters or words being used. To interpret the Bible literally is to interpret it as literature. That is, the natural meaning of a passage is to be interpreted according to the normal rules of grammar, speech, syntax and context.

The Bible may be a very special book, being uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit, but that inspiration does not transform the letters of the words or the sentences of the passages into magical phrases. Under inspiration a noun remains a noun and a verb remains a verb. Questions do not become exclamations, and historical narratives do not become allegories.

Literal Interpretation and Genre Analysis – The term genre simply means “kind,” “sort” or “species.” Genre analysis involves the study of such things as literary forms, figures of speech and style. (E.g. Miracles – Jonah; Hyperbole “a statement exaggerated fancifully, for effect” [see Mt. 9:35]; Personification “a poetic device by which inanimate objects or animals are given human characteristics” [see Isaiah 55:12]).

The Problem of Metaphor – A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or a phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (e.g., Jesus saying: “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved.”).

The Medieval Quadriga – The “fourfold” method of interpretation examined each text for four meanings: literal, moral, allegorical, and analogical meanings. The literal sense of Scripture was defined as the plain and evident meaning. The moral sense was that which instructed humans how to behave. The allegorical sense revealed the content of faith, and the analogical expressed future hope. Thus passages, for example, that mentioned Jerusalem were capable of four different meanings. The literal sense referred to the capital of Judea and the central sanctuary of the nation. The moral sense of Jerusalem is the human soul (the “central sanctuary” of a person). The allegorical meaning of Jerusalem is the church (the center of Christian community). The analogical meaning of Jerusalem is heaven (the final hope of future residence for the people of God). Thus a single reference to Jerusalem could mean four things at the same time. If the Bible mentioned that people went up to Jerusalem, it meant that they went to a real earthly city, or that their souls “went up” to a place of moral excellence, or that we should someday go to heaven. During the reformation there was a firm reaction to this type of allegorizing. The Martin Luther rejected multiple meanings to biblical passages, he did not thereby restrict the application of Scripture to a single sense. Though a scriptural passage has one meaning, it may have a host of applications to the wide variety of nuances to our lives.

The Grammatical Historical Method – The grammatical-historical method focuses our attention on the original meaning of the text lest we “read into Scripture” our own ideas drawn from the present. Grammatical structure determines whether words are to be taken as questions (interrogative), commands (imperative) or declarative (indicative). For example, when Jesus says, “You shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8), is He making a prediction of future performance or issuing a sovereign mandate? Though the English form is unclear, the Greek structure of the words makes it perfectly clear that Jesus is not indulging in future prediction but issuing a command.

Other ambiguities of language can be cleared up and elucidated by acquiring a working knowledge of grammar. For example, when Paul says at the beginning of his epistle to the Romans that he is an apostle called to communicate “the gospel of God,” what does he mean by of? Does the of refer to the content of the gospel or its source? Does of really mean “about,” or is it a genitive of possession? The grammatical answer will determine whether Paul is saying that he is going to communicate a gospel that comes from and belongs to God. There is a big difference between the two, which can only be resolved by grammatical analysis. In this case the Greek structure reveals a genitive of possession, which answers the question for us.

Source Criticism – For example if we follow the notion that Mark was the first Gospel written and that Matthew and Luke had Mark’s Gospel in front of them as they wrote, many of the questions of the relationship of the Gospels can be explained. We see further that both Luke and Matthew include certain information that is not found in Mark. Thus it seems that Luke and Matthew had a source of information available to them that Mark did not have or did not choose to use. Examining further, we find certain information found in Matthew that is found neither Mark nor Luke, and information that is in Luke that is found only in Luke. By isolating the material found only in Matthew or only in Luke, we can discern certain things about their priorities and concerns in writing. Knowing why an author writes what he writes helps us to understand what he writes. In contemporary reading it is important to read the author’s preface because the reasons and concerns for writing are usually spelled out there.

Authorship and Dating – If we know who wrote a particular book and know when that person lived, then of course we know the basic period when the book was written. If we know who wrote a book, to whom, under what circumstances and at what period of history, that information will greatly ease our difficulty in understanding it. By using methods of source criticism we can isolate materials common to particular writes (e.g. – most of the material we have about Joseph is found in Matthew because he was writing to a Jewish audience and the Jews had legal questions concerning Jesus’ claim of messiah-ship. Jesus’ legal father was Joseph, and that was very important for Matthew to show in order to establish the tribal lineage of Jesus).

Grammatical Errors – When Martin Luther said the “Scriptures never err,” he means that they never err with respect to the truth of what they are proclaiming.

*Adapted from Chapter 3: Hermeneutics: The Science of Interpretation from R.C. Sproul. Knowing Scripture. IVP: Downers Grove, IL.: 2009.

Do All the Commands of the Bible Apply To Christians Today?

Do All the Commands of the Bible Apply Today?

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By Robert L. Plummer

“Why do you insist that homosexual behavior is wrong when the Bible also commands people not to wear clothes woven from two different kinds of materials (Lev. 19:19)? You just pick and choose your morality from the Bible.” Such accusations against Christians are not uncommon today. How can we, in fact, determine what biblical commands are timeless in application? Do we have a biblical basis for obeying some commands in Scripture while neglecting others?

Covenant Bound Commands

In looking at this important question, we first need to distinguish between commands linked to the old covenant that have been superseded in Christ and commands that are still to be lived out on a daily basis by God’s people. Though a bit of an oversimplification, it can be helpful to think of God’s commands in the Old Testament as divided into civil (social), ceremonial (religious), and moral (ethical) categories. Those laws that relate to the civil and ceremonial (for example, food laws, sacrifices, circumcision, cities of refuge, etc.) find their fulfillment in Christ and no longer apply. The idea that Christians are not expected to obey the Old Testament’s civil and ceremonial commands is found throughout the New Testament. For example in Mark 7, we read: Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this, Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.'” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean”). He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.'” (Mark 7:14-23, my emphasis).

Similarly, in Acts, we read: The apostles and elders met to consider [the question of whether Gentiles needed to be circumcised to be saved]. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:6-11 – note – As a missionary accommodation [so as not to offend Jews], the early Christians did forgo some permitted foods {Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 8-10}).

Not only the civil and ceremonial laws but also the timeless moral demands of God find their fulfillment in Christ. Yet, these moral commands continue to find their expression through the Spirit-empowered lives of Christ’s body, the church (Romans 3:31).

Some speculate as to the reasons for some of the more unusual commands in the Old Testament. Why does touching someone’s dead body make one unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11-13)? Why was eating catfish forbidden (Leviticus 11:9-10)? Sometimes pseudoscientific reasons are offered, such as in books that encourage people to eat like the ancient Israelites (E.G., Jordan Rubin, The Maker’s Diet: The 40 Day Health Experience That Will Change Your Life Forever [Lake Mary, FL: Siloam, 2004]).

Elsewhere, pastors or commentators wax eloquent on the symbolic meaning of various commands. Admittedly, there are some symbol-laden divine instructions; yeast, for example, seems to have repeated negative connotations in the Bible (Exodus 12:8-20; 23:18; Lev. 10:12; Luke 12:1; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9 [Yeast can refer to pride, hypocrisy, false teaching, etc. But note how it symbolizes a positive pervasive influence in Luke 13:21]). Moving beyond the few explicit indications, however, the suggested symbolic for Old Testament regulations quickly becomes quite fanciful. Whatever the reason for the various commands (frankly, some of which are puzzling), it is clear that one of their main functions was to keep God’s people as a separate, distinct group, untainted by the pagan cultures around them (Exodus19:6; Ezra 9:1; 10:11). Also, some of the biblical commands imply that the surrounding nations engaged in the exact practices God forbade, apparently with pagan religious connotations (Lev. 19:26-28). God preserved the Jews as his chosen people, through whom he revealed his saving plan and finally brought the Savior at the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4).

Many supposed inconsistencies of Christian morality (for example, the charge that Christians pick and choose their morality from the Bible) are explained by understanding the provisional and preparatory nature of the civil and ceremonial laws of the old covenant period. The parallel is not exact, but imagine how foolish it would be for someone to raise the accusation, “Millions of people in every state of the Union are flaunting the Constitution! You don’t really believe or obey your Constitution, which states in the Eighteenth Amendment:

The manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited (The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified January 16, 1919). To which we would reply, “Yes, that amendment once was the law of the land, but it was superseded by the Twenty-first Amendment, which begins ‘The eighteenth article of the amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.'” (The Twenty First Amendment was ratified December 5, 1933)

The Bible is not a policy book, with each page giving equally timeless instruction. Yes, “Every word of God is flawless” (Proverbs 30:5). Nevertheless, the Bible is more like a multi-volume narrative, in which the later chapters clarify the ultimate meaning and sometimes the temporary, accommodating nature of earlier regulations and events (e.g., Matthew 19:8). Old Testament commands that are repeated in the New Testament (for example, moral commands, such as the prohibition of homosexuality [Lev. 18:22; 1 Cor. 6:9]) or not explicitly repeated (as are the civil and ceremonial laws [Mark 7:19; Heb. 10:1-10]) have abiding significance in the expression of God’s Spirit-led people.

Prescriptive Versus Descriptive

If we reflect on what biblical texts are applicable today. It is also important to consider whether a text is prescriptive or descriptive. That is, does a text prescribe (command) a certain action, or does it describe that behavior? This question can be complex, as some behaviors are described in praiseworthy ways so that they essentially have a secondary prescriptive function. Luke, for example repeatedly reports Jesus’ praying (e.g. Luke 3:21; 5:15-16; 6:12; 9:18-22; 29; 10:17-21; 11:1 22:39-46; 23:34, 46). Such descriptive passages complement more explicit exhortations to pray in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 11:2-13; 18:1-8; 22:40, 46). So, a good general rule is that a behavior reported in the text may be considered prescriptive only when there is subsequent explicit teaching to support it.

Another situation where we must consider the prescriptive nature of texts is Christian baptism in the New Testament. Some Christians claim that baptism must be performed immediately upon a convert’s initial profession of faith. In support, they cite a number of narrative texts in the New Testament, which describe baptism as coming immediately or very soon after a person believes (e.g., Acts 2:41; 8:12, 38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:15, 33; 18:8). However, nowhere in the New Testament do we find an explicit prescription such as this “Baptize persons immediately after they believe.” It is clear that all believers are to be baptized (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 1:13-16), but the exact timing of that baptism in relation to conversion is not explicitly stated.

In further thinking about the timing of baptism, we should note that many early conversions reported in Acts came within families or groups that were steeped in the Old Testament Scriptures. Yes, the early church was quick to obey Jesus’ command for disciples to be baptized, but the background and setting of these early believers differs considerably from those of most converts today. Also, the evidence of conversion that accompanied the apostolic preaching in Acts was often dramatic and/or miraculous. Since we lack an explicit command on the timing of baptism, wisdom must be applied in discerning the reality of our converts’ faith. Thus we conclude: immediate baptism could be advisable or further times of instruction and observation may be necessary.

Culture, Time, and Biblical Commands 

In relation to culture and time, the moral commands of Scripture can be divided into two categories.

(1) Commands that transfer from culture to culture with little or no alteration.

(2) Commands that embody timeless principles that find varying expressions in different cultures.

Many commands in Scripture are immediately applicable in other cultures with little or no alteration. For example, in Leviticus 19:11 we read, “Do not steal.” While cultures may have varying understandings of private property and the public commons, all humans are equally bound by this clear supra cultural command. It is wrong to pilfer the private property of others.

Other commands of Scripture, while immediately applicable across various futures, have implications depending on the culture in which they find expression. For example, in Ephesians 5:18, we read, “Do not get drunk on wine.” This command applies in a timeless way across all cultures. It is always wrong to get drunk with wine at any time in any culture. In more detailed application, however, the student of Scripture also should ask what other substances a culture may offer that have a similar effect to wine (for example, being drunk with vodka, getting high on marijuana, etc.). In seeking such implications within new cultures, the initial command, while immediately understandable, is given broader application. One way to develop applications is to distill the principle of the original command–for example, “Do not take a foreign substance into your body to the degree that you lose control of your normal bodily functions or moral inhibitions.” Then, one can go on to discuss what substances in different cultures would present this danger and thus should be forbidden from human intake to the degree that they cause the deleterious effect (Stein uses Ephesians 5:18 to illustrate implications [Robert H. Stein, A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules {Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994}], 39).

The close similarity between drunkenness from beer, vodka, or wine is relatively transparent to most readers. But what about a command with more cultural veneer? In 1 Corinthians 11:5, for example, Paul writes, “And every woman who prays or prophecies with her head uncovered dishonors her head–it is just as though her head were shaved.” Should women today, then, always cover their heads when they pray in public? Again, it is important to ask the purpose behind Paul’s original command. Was it specifically the physical placing of a piece of cloth on a women’s head that concerned him? Was it not, rather, the woman’s submission to her husband that this head covering expressed in the culture to which Paul wrote (See 1 Cor. 11:1-16 and confer Benjamin L. Merkle, “Paul’s Argument from Creation in 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 and 1 Timothy 2:13-14: An Apparent Inconsistency Answered,” JETS 49, no. 3 [2006]: 527-48). If so, we can ask, “Does a woman covering her head in our culture express submission to her husband?” Transparently, it does not. What behaviors, then, communicate a woman’s submission to her husband? Two examples from the Southeastern United States are a woman’s wearing of a wedding ring on her left finger and the taking of her husband’s last name (without hyphenation). While a woman keeping her maiden name may not express an unbiblical independence in some cultures (China, for example), within the circles where I grew up, a woman keeping her last name after marriage was an implicit rejection of biblically defined gender roles.

Finally, we should note that there are some nonmoral commands that are not applicable outside of their original setting. These are commands the author intended to be fulfilled only once by the intended recipient(s) and did not see as paradigmatic in any way. The list of such commands is very small. One example would be 2 Timothy 4:13, where Paul asks Timothy, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.” Such a command was obeyed by Timothy, we presume, and has no further application in any other culture or time.

Below is a list of guidelines to help determine in what way a biblical command may find varying expressions in other settings.

(1) Rephrase the biblical command in more abstract, theological terms. Is the injunction a culturally specific application of an underlying theological principle? Or are the command and cultural application inseparable?

(2) Would a modern-day literal application of the command accomplish the intended objective of the biblical author’s original statement (assuming you can determine the objective of the biblical author’s command)?

(3) Are there details in the text that would cause one to conclude that the instructions are only for a specific place or time?

(4) Are there details in the text that would cause one to conclude that the instructions have a supra cultural (that is, the command applies unchanged in different cultures)?

(5) Do your conclusions about the debated passage cohere with the author’s other statements and the broader canonical context?

(6) Is there a salvation historical shift (old covenant to the new covenant) that would explain an apparent contradiction with other biblical instructions?

(7) Beware of a deceitful human heart that would use hermeneutical principles to rationalize disobedience to Scripture. Interpretive principles, like a sharp knife, can be used for both good and ill.

*The article above was adapted from Question 19 “Do All The Commands of the Bible Apply Today?” in the excellent book by  Robert L. Plummer. 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible. Grand Rapids: MI, Kregel Publications, 2010.

Bridging the Gap From the Biblical Text From “Then” to “Now”

1 Triangle, 3 Corners, 4 T’s

Unknown

By Tim Challies

As Christians we have the great privilege of knowing that God speaks to us through his Word, the Bible. There is no other book like it—no other book that rewards us with God’s own words. But to know what God says to us, and how God means for us to live, we need to do a little bit of work. Every Christian, and every preacher in particular, has to go from the text to today. We all wonder, “But what does this mean to me?” or “What does this mean to my congregation?”

Every word of the Bible was written at a certain time and in a certain context. Even the most recent of those times and the nearest of those contexts is at a great distance from us in time and space. Thus, when we read the Bible, we have to determine how those words apply to us today in our very different times and very different contexts. It is not always a simple task.

TTTT1We have all seen situations—and many of us have caused situations—where we have been sloppy in going from the text to today. The young man who marches three times around a young woman and waits for her walls of romantic resistance to crumble is not properly understanding how to go from the text to today. Similarly, the muscleman who tears a phone book in half while quoting, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” is not properly accounting for the context of that verse.

There are different ways Christians attempt to get from the text to today in ways that are faithful and accurate. I’m going to borrow from my friend James Seward and display one of these ways with a triangle that has four T’s on it. Look at figure 1 and you’ll see it: One triangle, three corners, four T’s.

TTTT2We will begin with the right side of the triangle. Let’s let the top corner represent our text—any text within the Bible. The bottom-right corner will represent today. You can see this in figure 2. What we are prone to do is to hurry our way from the text to today, just like that young man and that muscleman. We underestimate or under-appreciate our cultural and chronological distance from the text and are too quick to assume we know how to apply the text to our lives today. We sometimes get it right, but often we do not. Every Christian acknowledges this as a potential problem and different traditions attempt to deal with it in different ways.

I am convinced that the most faithful way to deal with it leads us to the bottom-left corner of the triangle. The TT down there stands for them/then—the people for whom the words were originally written (see figure 3). What if, instead of going straight from the text to today we go from the text, to them/then, and only then to today? In this way, before we apply the text to ourselves, we attempt to understand what the words meant to those who first heard them. So when Paul wrote the church in Philippi and said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” what did he mean? What did he mean to communicate to them/then? Once we have established what the text meant to them/then, we can more accurately apply it to ourselves—to us/now.

TTTT3How can we go from the text to them/then? Broadly, through prayer, through meditation, and through study. We pray and ask the Holy Spirit to illumine the text so we rightly understand it; we meditate on the text, expecting that God will reward this deep contemplation with greater understanding; we study the text through cross-references, word studies, sentence diagraming, commentaries and other resources. We do all of this to understand what the text meant to the original recipients.

Once we have done that—once we have a solid understanding of what the text meant to them/then, we are prepared to visit the third corner of the rectangle. Now we take what we have learned and we ask how it is meant to impact us today. How do we do this? Largely through prayer and meditation, though some further study may be involved. Now we pray and ask God to show us how he can apply his truth to the specifics of our lives and times; we continue to meditate on the text, looking for immediate application, and still trusting that God will use our deep contemplation to give us insights into his Word. You can see this all in figure 4.

TTTT4In his book Expositional Preaching, David Helm gives an example of how he, an experienced preacher, was too quick to go from the text to today. He had determined that he would preach 2 Corinthians 8-9 at time when his church needed a financial boost. Even before he began his sermon preparation he knew what he would say—he had a major theme, he had an outline, and everything else he needed to make a great, Bible-based appeal for money. But as he dove into the text he realized that his understanding of the text was too simple: this text isn’t about regular and cheerful giving to meet the church budget, but about a famine relief collection for churches full of Jewish Christians. He came to see that this collection was meant to serve as a test of these Corinthian Christians so that if they gave generously, it would show that they aligned with Paul and the gospel over against the so-called super-apostles. When he went from the text to today he had one sermon, but when he went from the text to them/then to today he had a very different one, and one that more faithfully understood the original meaning of the text. I suspect almost every preacher—every expositional preacher, at least—has had a similar experience at one time or another.

A couple of weeks ago I quoted David Helm and his concern with lectio divina. His concern is exactly this—that lectio divina may too quickly move from the top of the triangle to the bottom-right. It moves from one corner to the other through prayer, meditation and contemplation, but in all of that may not adequately account for the distance between the text and today. This is true, at least, when lectio divina is done apart from serious study and serious work in the text prior to that contemplation. On the other hand, people who value study may be too reliant on their effort while short-changing both prayer and meditation (and I put myself squarely in this camp). And this is why I find this simple triangle so helpful. In three corners and four little T’s it helps us move from the text to today in a way that faithfully captures what God means to communicate to us.

Source: http://www.challies.com (June 2, 2014).

What Are the Basics of Bible Study? By John MacArthur

There is nothing more important for the Christian than to seek Jesus, hear from Him, obey Him, and proclaim Him daily. Few people that I know of have been more faithful in doing these four things than Pastor John MacArthur in our generation. Therefore, who better to write about on how to study the Bible than someone who has been doing it with great passion and great effectiveness for over fifty years. Enjoy this article by Pastor John MacArthur. – Dr. David P. Craig

Personal Bible study, in precept, is simple. I want to share with you 5 steps to Bible study which will give you a pattern to follow:

STEP 1—Reading. Read a passage of Scripture repeatedly until you understand its theme, meaning the main truth of the passage. Isaiah said, “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Is. 28:9,10).

Develop a plan on how you will approach reading through the Bible. Unlike most books, you will probably not read it straight through from cover to cover. There are many good Bible reading plans available, but here is one that I have found helpful.

Read through the Old Testament at least once a year. As you read, note in the margins any truths you particularly want to remember, and write down separately anything you do not immediately understand. Often as you read you will find that many questions are answered by the text itself. The questions to which you cannot find answers become the starting points for more in-depth study using commentaries or other reference tools.

Follow a different plan for reading the New Testament. Read one book at a time repetitiously for a month or more. This will help you to retain what is in the New Testament and not always have to depend on a concordance to find things.

If you want to try this, begin with a short book, such as 1 John, and read it through in one sitting every day for 30 days. At the end of that time, you will know what is in the book. Write on index cards the major theme of each chapter. By referring to the cards as you do your daily reading, you will begin to remember the content of each chapter. In fact, you will develop a visual perception of the book in your mind.

Divide longer books into short sections and read each section daily for 30 days. For example, the gospel of John contains 21 chapters. Divide it into 3 sections of 7 chapters. At the end of 90 days, you will finish John. For variety, alternate short and long books, and in less than 3 years you will have finished the entire New Testament—as you will really know it!

STEP 2—Interpreting. In Acts 8:30, Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Or put another way, “What does the Bible mean by what it says?” It is not enough to read the text and jump directly to the application; we must first determine what it means, otherwise the application may be incorrect.

As you read Scripture, always keep in mind one simple question: “What does this mean?” To answer that question requires the use of the most basic principle of interpretation, called the analogy of faith, which tells the reader to “interpret the Bible with the Bible.” Letting the Holy Spirit be your teacher (1 John 2:27), search the Scripture He has authored, using cross-references, comparative passages, concordances, indexes, and other helps. For those passages that yet remain unclear, consult your pastor or godly men who have written in that particular area.

Errors to Avoid – As you interpret Scripture, several common errors should be avoided.

Do not draw any conclusions at the price of proper interpretation. That is, do not make the Bible say what you want it to say, but rather let it say what God intended when He wrote it.

Avoid superficial interpretation. You have heard people say, “To me, this passage means,” or “I feel it is saying. . . .” The first step in interpreting the Bible is to recognize the four gaps we have to bridge: language, culture, geography, and history (see below).

Do not spiritualize the passage. Interpret and understand the passage in its normal, literal, historical, grammatical sense, just like you would understand any other piece of literature you were reading today.

Gaps to Bridge – The books of the Bible were written many centuries ago.

For us to understand today what God was communicating then, there are several gaps that need to be bridged: the language gap, the cultural gap, the geographical gap, and the historical gap. Proper interpretation, therefore, takes time and disciplined effort.

Language. The Bible was originally written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Often, understanding the meaning of a word or phrase in the original language can be the key to correctly interpreting a passage of Scripture.

Culture. The culture gap can be tricky. Some people try to use cultural differences to explain away the more difficult biblical commands. Realize that Scripture must first be viewed in the context of the culture in which it was written. Without an understanding of first-century Jewish culture, it is difficult to understand the gospel. Acts and the epistles must be read in light of the Greek and Roman cultures.

Geography. A third gap that needs to be closed is the geography gap. Biblical geography make the Bible come alive. A good Bible atlas is an invaluable reference tool that can help you comprehend the geography of the Holy Land.

History. We must also bridge the history gap. Unlike the scriptures of most other world religions, the Bible contains the records of actual historical persons and events. An understanding of Bible history will help us place the people and events in it in their proper historical perspective. A good Bible dictionary or Bible encyclopedia is useful here, as are basic historical studies.

Principles to Understand

Four principles should guide us as we interpret the Bible: literal, historical, grammatical, and synthesis.

The Literal Principle. Scripture should be understood in its literal, normal, and natural sense. While the Bible does contain figures of speech and symbols, they were intended to convey literal truth. In general, however, the Bible speaks in literal terms, and we must allow it to speak for itself.

The Historical Principle. This means that we interpret in its historical context. We must ask what the text meant to the people to whom it was first written. In this way we can develop a proper contextual understanding of the original intent of Scripture.

The Grammatical Principle. This requires that we understand the basic grammatical structure of each sentence in the original language. To whom do the pronouns refer? What is the tense of the main verb? You will find that when you ask some simple questions like those, the meaning of the text immediately becomes clearer.

The Synthesis Principle. This is what the Reformers called the analogia scriptura. It means that the Bible does not contradict itself. If we arrive at an interpretation of a passage that contradicts a truth taught elsewhere in the Scriptures, our interpretation cannot be correct. Scripture must be compared with Scripture to discover its full meaning.

STEP 3—Evaluating. You have been reading and asking the question, “What does the Bible say?” Then you have interpreted, asking the question, “What does the Bible mean?” Now it is time to consult others to insure that you have the proper interpretation. Remember, the Bible will never contradict itself.

Read Bible introductions, commentaries, and background books which will enrich your thinking through that illumination which God has given to other men and to you through their books. In your evaluation, be a true seeker. Be one who accepts the truth of God’s Word even though it may cause you to change what you always have believed, or cause you to alter your life pattern.

STEP 4—Applying. The next question is: “How does God’s truth penetrate and change my own life?” Studying Scripture without allowing it to penetrate to the depths of your soul would be like preparing a banquet without eating it. The bottom-line question to ask is, “How do the divine truths and principles contained in any passage apply to me in terms of my attitude and actions?”

Jesus made this promise to those who would carry their personal Bible study through to this point: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17).

Having read and interpreted the Bible, you should have a basic understanding of what the Bible says, and what it means by what it says. But studying the Bible does not stop there. The ultimate goal should be to let it speak to you and enable you to grow spiritually. That requires personal application.

Bible study is not complete until we ask ourselves, “What does this mean for my life and how can I practically apply it?” We must take the knowledge we have gained from our reading and interpretation and draw out the practical principles that apply to our personal lives.

If there is a command to be obeyed, we obey it. If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. If there is a warning to be followed, we heed it. This is the ultimate step: we submit to Scripture and let it transform our lives. If you skip this step, you will never enjoy your Bible study and the Bible will never change your life.

STEP 5—Correlating. This last stage connects the doctrine you have learned in a particular passage or book with divine truths and principles taught elsewhere in the Bible to form the big picture. Always keep in mind that the Bible is one book in 66 parts, and it contains a number of truths and principles, taught over and over again in a variety of ways and circumstances. By correlating and cross-referencing, you will begin to build a sound doctrinal foundation by which to live.

What Now?

The psalmist said, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:1,2).

It is not enough just to study the Bible. We must meditate upon it. In a very real sense we are giving our brain a bath; we are washing it in the purifying solution of God’s Word.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8).

Here is the spring where waters flow,

To quench our heat of sin:

Here is the tree where truth doth grow,

To lead our lives therein:

Here is the judge that stints the strife,

When men’s devices fail:

Here is the bread that feeds the life,

That death cannot assail.

The tidings of salvation dear,

Comes to our ears from hence:

The fortress of our faith is here,

And shield of our defense.

Then be not like the swine that hath

A pearl at his desire,

And takes more pleasure from the trough

And wallowing in the mire.

Read not this book in any case,

But with a single eye:

Read not but first desire God’s grace,

To understand thereby.

Pray still in faith with this respect,

To bear good fruit therein,

That knowledge may bring this effect,

To mortify thy sin.

Then happy you shall be in all your life,

What so to you befalls:

Yes, double happy you shall be,

When God by death you calls.

(From the first Bible printed in Scotland—1576)

Adapted from the “Introduction” to John MacArthur. ESV MacArthur Study Bible. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010.

About the Author: Dr. John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. Grace Church has grown from 450 members in 1969, when MacArthur accepted the pastorate, to over 12,000 today. He is also the president of The Master’s College and Seminary in Newhall, California, a prolific author of more than two dozen books, and the speaker on the worldwide radio broadcast, Grace to You, heard over 700 times daily–every half hour, day and night, somewhere around the world. 

The primary emphasis of MacArthur’s ministry has always been the expository preaching and teaching of God’s Word through a verse-by-verse exposition of the Scripture. His studies pay particular attention to the historical and grammatical aspects of each biblical passage. MacArthur’s recently published book, How to Get the Most from God’s Word, released in conjunction with The MacArthur Study Bible, is designed to fill what he sees as “an increased hunger for the meat of the Word.” He assures the reader that the Bible is trustworthy and that an understanding of Scripture is available to everyone. He then provides guidance on how to study the Bible and how to discern the meaning of Scripture for oneself. Dr. MacArthur explains that the book and the Study Bible have been “in the works for 30 years…the product of 32 hours a week, 52 weeks a year…dedicated to the study of God’s Word.” He asserts that “God’s Word is the only thing that satisfies my appetite, but it also arouses an even deeper hunger for more.”

Among MacArthur’s other books are The MacArthur New Testament Commentary series, The Gospel According to Jesus, The Master’s Plan for the Church, Saved Without a Doubt, The Glory of Heaven, Lord Teach Me to Pray, Unleashing God’s Word in Your Life, Safe in the Arms of God, The Second Coming, Why One Way?, and Truth for Today, and Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ. His books have been translated into Chinese, Czechoslovakian, French, Finnish, Hungarian, Korean, Polish, Romanian, Spanish, and several Indian languages. Though occasionally viewed by some groups as a controversial figure for strong critiques of freudian psychology, trends in the modern charismatic movement as well as the self-esteem movement, John MacArthur is seen by many as a champion of correcting many of the ills of evangelical Christianity. He is also a champion of helping believers grow stronger in their relationship with God through the committed study of the Word and personal commitment to the local church.
MacArthur spent his first two years of college at Bob Jones University, completed his undergraduate work at Los Angeles Pacific College, and studied for the ministry at Talbot Theological Seminary. John and his wife, Patricia, live in Southern California. They have four grown children — Matt, Marcy, Mark, and Melinda–and eight grandchildren.

Book Review: Continuity and Discontinuity edited by John S. Feinberg

Great Discussion of the Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments

This book contains various perspectives from leading theologians on issues related to that which continues and discontinues from the Old Testament into the New Testament.

Half of the contributors in this book would consider themselves “Covenant Theologians” – including contributions from O. Palmer Robertson, Willem VanGemeren, Knox Chamblin, Bruce K. Waltke, Fred H. Klooster,  Martin H. Woudstra, and Sam Storms. The other half would lean dispensational or in the discontinuity camp – including essays from John S. Feinberg, Paul D. Feinberg, Robert L. Saucy, Walter C. Kaiser, Allen P. Ross, and Douglas J. Moo.

The book is a tribute to S. Lewis Johnson– long time Bible teacher at Dallas Theological Seminary and Teaching pastor at Believer’s Chapel in Dallas, Texas (he went to be with the Lord on January 28, 2004). The beginning of the book and ending of the book contain some well written tributes from Sam Storms and John Sproule to Johnson and expound upon his outstanding attributes as a scholar, exegete of God’s Word, pastor, mentor, friend, and southern gentlemen – he was born in Birmingham, Alabama.

After a wonderful historical essay on the debate of continuity and discontinuity by Rodney Peterson the format of the book addresses issues related to six key areas: 1) Theological Systems and the Testaments; 2) Hermeneutics and the Testaments; 3) Salvation and the Testaments; 4) The Law and the Testaments; 5) The People of God and the Testaments; and 6) Kingdom Promises and the Testaments. Each of these six topics contains an essay from a continuity perspective followed by an essay from a discontinuity perspective.

Here are some of the issues addressed in the book:

Are Christians to see ethical dilemmas such as capital punishment and abortion enforced today?

Are Israel and the Church one or distinct today?

How do believers relate to the Old Testament law in practice today?

One of the points that became increasingly clear to me as I read this book was that the more one moves in the discontinuity direction, the more dispensational he is likely to become, and the more one moves in the direction of continuity, the more covenantal he will become.

This book is simply outstanding. It’s not an easy read – but well worth the effort. In my experience most people from both sides of the continuity/discontinuity continuum have a lot to learn from one another and this book helps people in either camp come closer to the center in balancing how to effectively understand and interpret the two Testaments of the Scriptures. I highly recommend this book to help you become a more effective interpreter of the Scriptures and lover of Jesus Christ at the center of it all.

 

Book Review: New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason L. Archer Jr.

The author – Gleason L. Archer Jr., (1916-2004 – B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Harvard University; B.D., Princeton Theological Seminary; L.L.B., Suffolk Law School) was a biblical scholar, theologian, educator, and author. He served as an assistant pastor of Park Street Church in Boston from 1945 to 1948. He was a Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary for 16 years, teaching New Testament, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic. From 1965 to 1986 he served as a Professor of Old Testament and Semitics at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois. He became an emeritus faculty member in 1989. He also served for many years as a minister of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The remainder of his life was spent researching, writing, and lecturing.

Legend has it, (I have not been able to verify whether this is 100% true or not) that he was so gifted in languages that for fun (and as a challenge) he would study the Bible in a different language every year to continue to grow and develop mentally.

Archer served as one of the 50 original translators of the NASB published in 1971. He also worked on the team which translated the NIV Bible published in 1978. I give this introduction, because many people are not familiar with Archer (unfortunately), but he was a brilliant Christian scholar who could have excelled as a lawyer (his father was the founder and president of Suffolk Law School), and chose to use his exceptional gifts to defend the inerrancy and integrity of the Scriptures over the span of his entire adult life. I would say that along with Bruce Waltke and Walter Kaiser Jr., he was one of the most elite and influential Old Testament Evangelical Scholars at the end of the Twentieth Century.

As for this book – it’s simply outstanding. It covers all the thorny issues from Genesis to Revelation in biblical order, and considers questions from the cultural, linguistic, and authorial intent of each passage considered. Of all the books I have on questions, and Bible answers, this is the one I turn to the most. It is extremely thorough and will increase anyone’s’ belief in the supernatural authorship of the sixty-six books in the Protestant Canon. It is definitely a “must have” for any interpreter/student/teacher of the Bible, or an apologist for the Christian faith.

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