How to Read the Bible So That It Makes Sense

Outline  October 19 – Where Do Bibles Come From?  Today, Oct. 26 – What’s the Point?  Nov. 2 – 16 – Finding the Point  November 23 – What Difference Does It Make?

Review from Last Week

 One of the reasons why we end up being “kids who can’t read good” when it comes to the Bible is because we don’t realize what we’re reading.

Review from Last Week  One of the reasons why we end up being “kids who can’t read good” when it comes to the Bible is because we don’t realize what we’re reading.  When you read the Bible you are having an encounter with three “things.”

Review from Last Week When You Read the Bible You’re having an …

Review from Last Week When You Read the Bible You’re having an … 1.Encounter with text.

Review from Last Week When You Read the Bible You’re having an … 1.Encounter with text. 2.Encounter with human author(s).

Review from Last Week When You Read the Bible You’re having an … 1.Encounter with text. 2.Encounter with human author(s). 3.Encounter with the Author (i.e. God).

Review from Last Week  Therefore, if we want the Bible to make sense when we read it, we must pay attention to three things.

Review from Last Week  Therefore, if we want the Bible to make sense when we read it, we must pay attention to three things. 1.We need to study words and how they work.

Review from Last Week  Therefore, if we want the Bible to make sense when we read it, we must pay attention to three things. 1.We need to study words and how they work. 2.We need to study the world of the inspired human authors.

Review from Last Week  Therefore, if we want the Bible to make sense when we read it, we must pay attention to three things. 1.We need to study words and how they work. 2.We need to study the world of the inspired human authors. 3.We need an honest desire to seek God.

Where to Start?  In order to understand what God is wanting to tell us through the words of the inspired authors, we first need to have a basic understanding of how words work.

What Is a Word?

 A word is a symbol that represents a range of possible meanings.

What Is a Word?  A word is a symbol that represents a range of possible meanings.  For example, the word “draw” could refer to using a pencil, pulling a gun out of a holster, or a lottery raffle.

What is a Word?  Therefore, the goal of a word study is to determine which possible meanings are actually intended by the author in this context.

What is a Word?  Therefore, the goal of a word study is to determine which possible meanings are actually intended by the author in this context.  It is the CONTEXT (immediate, overall and cultural) that determines which one of the possible meanings the author intended.

What is a Word?  Therefore, the goal of a word study is to determine which possible meanings are actually intended by the author in this context.  It is the CONTEXT (immediate, overall and cultural) that determines which one of the possible meanings the author intended.  Note: occasionally the author intends two meanings as in a play on words or metaphor. But the author NEVER intends all the meanings. Usually there is only one intended meaning for a word.

What is a Word?  An illustration of how context determines the meaning of a word:

What is a Word?  An illustration of how context determines the meaning of a word: Draw

What is a Word?  An illustration of how context determines the meaning of a word: with Draw

What is a Word?  An illustration of how context determines the meaning of a word: with Draw pencil

What is a Word?  An illustration of how context determines the meaning of a word: with Draw pencil

What is a Word?  Therefore, it is the context which helps us understand which specific meaning is intended by the author.

What is a Word?  Therefore, it is the context which helps us understand which specific meaning is intended by the author.  There are at least three levels of context that are worth examining: the immediate context of the paragraph, the overall context of the book/Bible, and the cultural context (how the word is used outside the Bible in the same time period).

What is a Word?  Therefore, it is the context which helps us understand which specific meaning is intended by the author.  There are at least three levels of context that are worth examining: the immediate context of the paragraph, the overall context of the book/Bible, and the cultural context (how the word is used outside the Bible in the same time period).  We will look at the role of the overall context and the cultural context in later sessions. For now we are going to focus on the immediate context of the paragraph.

What is a Word?  Therefore, it is the context which helps us understand which specific meaning is intended by the author.  There are at least three levels of context that are worth examining: the immediate context of the paragraph, the overall context of the book/Bible, and the cultural context (how the word is used outside the Bible in the same time period).  We will look at the role of the overall context and the cultural context in later sessions. For now we are going to focus on the immediate context of the paragraph.  What’s important to remember, from what we’ve learnt so far is that if we want to know the meaning of something we work from the outside in, not vice verse (i.e. we don’t start by studying individual words, we start with a paragraph or larger because we need the context provided by the surrounding words to determine what the individual words mean in the first place).

What’s the Point?

1.The importance of finding the main point.

What’s the Point? 1.The importance of finding the main point.  For words to be make sense, they must be organized around a central idea or thought.

What’s the Point? 1.The importance of finding the main point.  For words to be make sense, they must be organized around a central idea or thought.  Therefore, each passage or paragraph in the Bible will be organized around one central idea.

What’s the Point? 1.The importance of finding the main point.  For words to be make sense, they must be organized around a central idea or thought.  Therefore, each passage or paragraph in the Bible will be organized around one central idea.  In order to understand the meaning and relevance of a Bible passage we must first discover the main idea or point the passage is organized around.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts:

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts: Subject: What the passage is talking about.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts: Subject: What the passage is talking about. Complement: What the passage is saying about what it is talking about.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts: subject & complement

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts: subject & complement  Every coherent idea can be stated in a single sentence.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts: subject & complement  Every coherent idea can be stated in a single sentence.  The main point of a particular passage accounts for all of the parts without introducing foreign parts.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point.  Every coherent idea has two parts: subject & complement  Every coherent idea can be stated in a single sentence.  The main point of a particular passage accounts for all of the parts without introducing foreign parts. Tip: If you state the subject in the form of a question, the complement is always the complete answer to that question.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point. ( Example: Matt. 5:3-12)

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point. ( Example: Matt. 5:3-12) Subject: Who is Jesus intent on blessing?

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point. ( Example: Matt. 5:3-12) Subject: Who is Jesus intent on blessing? Complement: Those who are oppressed, those who choose to help them and who are persecuted for doing so.

What’s the Point? 2.Finding the main point. ( Example: Matt. 5:3-12) Subject: Who is Jesus intent on blessing? Complement: Those who are oppressed, those who choose to help them and who are persecuted for doing so. Main Point: Jesus is intent on blessing the oppressed and those who help them and are persecuted for it.

Conclusion

I.Context is what makes words mean something.

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph.

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph. II.Each paragraph or passage in the Bible is organized around one central idea or main point.

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph. II.Each paragraph or passage in the Bible is organized around one central idea or main point.  Every idea has two parts:

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph. II.Each paragraph or passage in the Bible is organized around one central idea or main point.  Every idea has two parts: 1. A subject: what it is talking about.

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph. II.Each paragraph or passage in the Bible is organized around one central idea or main point.  Every idea has two parts: 1. A subject: what it is talking about. 2. A complement: what it is saying about what it is talking about.

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph. II.Each paragraph or passage in the Bible is organized around one central idea or main point.  Every idea has two parts: 1. A subject: what it is talking about. 2. A complement: what it is saying about what it is talking about.  Therefore, the goal we need to aim for when we’re reading the Bible is to find the main point of a paragraph or larger passage.

Conclusion I.Context is what makes words mean something.  Therefore, if we’re going to read the Bible in a way makes sense, we need to read it in “chunks.” In other words, in sections no smaller than a paragraph. II.Each paragraph or passage in the Bible is organized around one central idea or main point.  Every idea has two parts: 1. A subject: what it is talking about. 2. A complement: what it is saying about what it is talking about.  Therefore, the goal we need to aim for when we’re reading the Bible is to find the main point of a paragraph or larger passage.  This is what will make the biggest difference between experiencing the Bible as a random collection of bizarre things to a book where you can see how the parts fit together and make sense.

Exercises 1.A good sermon leaves you wondering how the preacher knew all about you.

Exercises 1.A good sermon leaves you wondering how the preacher knew all about you. Subject: What is the test of a good sermon?

Exercises 1.A good sermon leaves you wondering how the preacher knew all about you. Subject: What is the test of a good sermon? Complement: It reveals what you are.

Exercises 2.Today’s pulpit has lost its authority because it has largely ignored the Bible as the source of its message.

Exercises 2.Today’s pulpit has lost its authority because it has largely ignored the Bible as the source of its message. Subject: Why has the modern pulpit lost its authority?

Exercises 2.Today’s pulpit has lost its authority because it has largely ignored the Bible as the source of its message. Subject: Why has the modern pulpit lost its authority? Complement: It has ignored the Bible.

Exercises 3.The young have lots of time and few memories while the elderly have lots of memories and little time.

Exercises 3.The young have lots of time and few memories while the elderly have lots of memories and little time. Subject: How do the young and old differ in their memories and time?

Exercises 3.The young have lots of time and few memories while the elderly have lots of memories and little time. Subject: How do the young and old differ in their memories and time? Complement: The young have few memories and lots of time while the elderly have lots of memories and little time.