BIBLE STUDY BASICS September – November 2016 NHCC www.northernhillscofc.org/ biblestudybasics

Personal Study 2015 – 2,036 responders Bible Reading 88% own a Bible 48% - non-Bible readers 14% (of 52%)- Daily Readers Bible Reading 46% - No Time 61% - Wish read it more often

Personal Study Where are you in your own personal study? Wishes they had more time? Doesn’t understand it as well as they’d like? Don’t know how to study? Don’t know why they don’t study more?

Course Objectives Study Principles Appreciation Tools Context, Approach, Attitude Appreciation Depth, Richness, Fun, Necessity Tools Data Collection, Lexicons, Commentaries, Internet resources, methods

Why Study? Christianity is an individual relationship within a body Scripture was written for everyone to read & understand -1st Tim.2:4 Scripture is Applicable – 2nd Tim. 3:16-17 Living & Active- Heb. 4:12 Helpful & Guiding – Psalm 119 Basis of Transformation-Rom. 12

Ignorance Prejudice Improper Methodologies Cultural Blindness Reasons for Not Understanding Scripture Ignorance Prejudice Improper Methodologies Cultural Blindness Arrogance Lack of authority Translations Attitude

Wrong Approaches Illumination Letting the Spirit “guide” you into “truth” Existentialism/Relativism “You interpret it your way and I’ll interpret my way” without discussion Despair/Ignorance “Hard sayings” Arrogance My interpretation or the highway

Right Approaches God wants us to understand We worship God We respect the Word Excellent Literature Scripture is relevant & fresh It’s powerful It’s indispensable It’s God’s own Book

Rules of Interpretation One meaning, different applications Simple & obvious is often right Let the writer’s explanation be the primary explanation Context, Context, Context Interpret Scripture in light of Scripture

Rules of Interpretation Let plain passages interpret obscure ones Find out about circumstances & culture Rightly divide the Word Use logic & common sense Know the limits of our understanding & divine revelation

Terms & Definitions Exegesis Eisegesis Narcigesis Critical explanation; Bringing out the meaning of the text Eisegesis Putting meaning into a text; reading in your own ideas Narcigesis Putting yourself, your culture, your principles in the text

Terms & Definitions Hermeneutics Epistemology Homiletics Branch of knowledge dealing with interpretation; method of study Epistemology How you know what you know; why you believe what you believe Homiletics The study of preaching; organizing preaching & teaching points

What parts of the Bible “scare” you? Discussion What’s been a time you’ve been changed by what you learned in Scripture? What’s your confidence level of opening the Bible anywhere & learning something from that spot? What parts of the Bible “scare” you?

My personal goal for this course is… Write Down My personal goal for this course is…

Next Time The Richness of the Text Sitz-en-leben Bible Literature Psalm 119 Exercise