1. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – LCMS Milaca, Minnesota
Christianity 101
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – LCMS Milaca, Minnesota

2. Week 1 – The Bible Bible means “book” The Two Testaments
We also call the Bible: Scripture, Holy Bible, Holy Scripture, and God’s Word
The Two Testaments
The Bible is broken into two “testaments”
The OLD Testament
The NEW Testament
The Bible was written over a period of about 1900 years, beginning about 1400 BC with the last book written about ad 95.
There is a period of about 350 years between the testaments
The old testament was first translated into Greek about 200 years BC. The Greek trans. Is called the Septugent or LXX for “70” since, legend has it, 70 scribes did the work.
Old Testament does not always mean Law and NT does not always mean Gospel

3. Week 1 – The Bible The way in which we read the Bible matters!
Exegesis
To “take from” the Bible meaning and understanding
Eisegesis
To “put into” the Bible our own meaning and understanding
Major church splits and denominations exist because of these methods!
Orthodox Lutherans (LCMS, WELS) are Exegesis!
Other Lutherans (ELCA) are Eisegesis!

4. Week 1 – The Bible Methods of Biblical Interpretation
Grammatical-Historical (Exegesis)
Critical-Historical (Eisegesis)

5. Week 1 – The Bible The Grammatical-Historical method Orthodox method
“orthodox” means “historic”, or widely-accepted in Christendom.
It also means “the way in which Scripture teaches”
The Apostles, most early church fathers, and most theologians still use or used this method
Luther insisted upon Grammatical-Historical method

6. Week 1 – The Bible Fundamentals The plain reading is the best meaning
Let Scripture interpret Scripture (the analogy of faith)
Do NOT go beyond what is written
“All the Law and the Prophets” (all of Scripture) points to Jesus!
Scripture is divided into Law and Gospel
Law accuses us of our sin, shows us our depravity
Gospel assures us of our salvation and offers forgiveness, life and hope
“All Scripture is God-breathed”
The Bible not only “contains” God’s Word – the Bible IS God’s Word!
Infallible
Divine/Holy
Unbroken/unbreakable

7. Week 1 – The Bible The Critical-Historical Method (eisegesis)
The “academic” method of interpretation
Found its footing in early Postmodernism
“What is truth”
Throughout church history (and in Judaism) whenever splits or doctrinal schisms arose, it more than likely had something to do with people eisegeting. It’s in our nature.

8. Week 1 – The Bible Fundamentals
The Bible only “contains” God’s Word but also contains the thoughts, opinions, and nuances of the authors and their times
We must filter out cultural and personal nuance to find the true meaning as it applies today
And instead apply our own cultural and personal nuance TO the text
“What does this mean….TO ME”
It is perfectly fine for a single passage to have multiple and opposing meanings
Afterall, it’s about what it says to the individual in real-time

9. Week 1 – The Bible CH Method Fundamentals, continued
CH assumes that there are rational, testable reasons for things like miracles or, ultimately, whether or not Jesus even died on the cross.
CH seeks the “moral of the story” or the “message” rather than the historical narrative
By nature, we are all Critical Historians!
We need to be very careful NOT to read into the Bible what we think it should say or what we think it does say
We instead must learn to silence our minds and opinions and simply read the Scripture.
Eve was a critic of God’s historic promise!

10. Week 2 – Jesus is the Center
How the Law and the Prophets point TO Jesus
10 Commandments show us that we are sinners and “increase our trespass”
People in the OT, including the Law Giver (Moses) are often “types” of Christ by their words and deeds (and even names)
The Law sets the standard that Jesus Himself would fulfill
Many of the Psalms prophecy and teach about Jesus
The prophets directly prophesied of the coming Messiah and His work
Even King David saw the coming of the Lord and believed

11. Week 2 – Jesus is the Center
How the Gospels teach OF Jesus
The Gospels give us the historic Jesus (birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension)
The Gospels give us the Jesus of whom the Law and Prophets testified (born of a virgin, savior, messiah, ruler, Lord, God in the flesh, etc.)
The Gospels give us the divinity of Jesus (miracles, standing against satan, etc.)
The Gospels give us the purpose of Jesus (to die and rise again and atone for the sins of the world)
The Gospels give us God!

12. Week 2 – Jesus is the Center
How the Epistles instruct us INTO Jesus
The Epistles also teach us about Jesus
But much of the Epistles teach us what it means now that we belong TO Jesus
As Christians, we are set apart IN Jesus to do good works that He prepared for us
As Christians, we are sanctified (made holy) by the righteousness OF Jesus vs. our own works or attempts
As Christians, our Lord will never leave us but continually instructs us and calls us, enlightens us by the Holy Spirit, forgives us our sins, and sustains us by His Sacraments

13. Week 2 – Important things to know/memorize
Location of the Ten Commandments
Exodus 20
Deuteronomy 12??
Order of Commandments
Roman Catholic/Lutheran count
Protestant Count
Tables of the Law
Commandments as God’s love for us

14. Week 2 – Important things to know/memorize
The Lord’s Prayer
A model prayer, but more than a model prayer
Jesus literally taught the disciples to pray the prayer
The Conclusion (for Thine is the…)
The Apostles’ Creed
Why use Creeds?
Creeds in the Bible
History of our Creeds