Notes from 'How to Study and Teach the Bible'

They're sketchy - sorry about that.

Interpretation
-What’d God mean?
-What’s he getting across to the original audience?
-What’s the sin problem the original audience is facing?
-How do you participate in the original audience’s sin condition?
-How does the text point to Christ – since all Scripture does.

Drench this in prayer - The Holy Spirit makes Scripture effective (see the HS notes)

-Most important question of interpretation – before application – what did God mean to the original audience?

Steps

-read the book over and over and over again – what’s the flow of the whole book?
-There is a flow to Exodus, Nehemiah, Romans
-Some books not – some of the poetry, prophets
-reading is GOOD with God’s word!
-fits individual passages into the context of the book (Rom. 7:14-25 ex)
-often gives historical context – example, Colossians, Galatians 2 ex

-read the passage – over and over again

-make observations
-paraphrase!
-look for logical connecting words (Rom 8:9-13 ex.)
-repeated words or themes/concepts (have people read matt. 8)
-what’s the point of the section – how’d you boil it down to a sentence?

-ask questions of the stuff you don’t understand – and seek to answer them using
-logical context (those connecting words!!)
-book context – thematic stuff – where is it in the book?
-analogy of Scripture!!!!!!
-Vine’s – commentaries - Calvin on ccel.org

-given the point – what’s the sin being pointed to in the original audience? (Ex. 6:1-9)

-how do you sin that way? (PRAY PRAY PRAY)

-How does Jesus fix it? Remember X Training notes re: Scripture – it’s all about Jesus
-Look for where OT things are mentioned in the NT
-search online bibles!!!!

-What are some ways that the NT talks about Jesus that fulfill OT stuff?
-Adam 2
-Noah rescued by unity with Christ/baptism – 1 Peter 3
-Babel – nations created – nations redeemed rev. 7
-God promises the ‘land’ to Abraham – but it’s really to Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel – so God in fulfilling promises to Israel is bringing about Jesus’ Kingdom
-The temple – Jesus – us, by incorporation
-The priesthood
-Purity – purity needed to enter God’s presence – purity Christ has to do so for us
-Moral laws -> we can’t obey, Christ did in our place
-ceremonial laws – purity symbolizing purity in God’s presence, accomplished by Christ for us
-Kings -> Jesus’ future Kingship (2 Sam 7)
-Jerusalem – place of kingdom/meeting with God (Nehemiah example)
-Look at context in NT!!!! Eph 4:15-17 – stands on 11-13 – and ch’s 1-3
-obedience in NT NOT about Lawkeeping
-affects memorizations

-Learn redemptive history – read “God’s Big Picture”
-Expand and earn the Kingdom – Adam
-Future kingdom lost (fall)
-Kingdom Promised (Abraham)
-Kingdom prefigured (Israel)
-must be earned to be kept -> Christ by pointing out sin
-still by faith/grace -> remnant, ultimately Christ
-Kingdom began by Christ
-Law(!) – live this way, but mostly, you need grace
-miracles – physical Kingdom evidence
-death-resurrection – Kingdom secured
-Kingdom spiritual (Church)
-Obeying Kingdom Law from Jesus’ ruling the heart
-Spreading it through evangelism, conversion
-Kingdom finished (Jesus returns)