A Case for Christ and A Study of the New Testament: The importance of studying the Bible in context

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Last week we started a new series by reviewing our ministry statement and by looking at the importance of prayer in the life of a believer in Jesus. In addition to the regular practice of prayer should be our regular practice of learning God’s Word. Here are some guidelines that will help you as you make a commitment to growing in your knowledge of God’s plan and purpose found in the Bible:

READING—STUDYING—MEDITATING

Know the difference

Reading: Get the big picture (the story) by reading the Bible in large chunks—an individual book or a complete storyline within a book—just like any good novel.

Studying: Get a study Bible and some tools like a Bible dictionary or concordance, and then use the hermeneutic method below.

Meditating: Pick out Scripture (after doing the above) and pray over it, thinking on its application for your life.

Note: We must be careful not to confuse New Age or Eastern meditation methods with Christian meditation on God’s Word.

MEDITATING IS NOT EMPTYING YOUR MIND, IT IS FILLING YOUR MIND WITH THE THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM GOD’S WORD!

Two important principals to follow when studying Scripture:

Principle #1:
Never read or study a Bible Verse by itself

Reading a Bible verse by itself and trying to interpret what it means based on “what you feel” can be dangerous, especially if you are leading a study. You will most likely get a wide range of opinions and trouble may arise. Many cults have begun this way because of twisting the Scriptures, or singling out a verse to fit a personal agenda, and syncretizing of other beliefs can easily infiltrate Christian teachings this way.

Here’s an example of how ‘not’ to do a Bible study:

Principle #2:

Use Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics describes the task of explaining the meaning of the Scriptures. Using hermeneutics helps us to accurately understand what the message (verse, or passage) is trying to communicate and it is easy to do once you understand a few basic principles for reading literature in its historical context:

  1. Author, Audience and Genre: Who wrote it, when, and to whom? What is the literary style the author used (genre categories often include historical narratives, letters (epistles), wisdom literature, prophetic writings, etc.)?
  2. Purpose: Why was it written? What was going on in the culture at the time of the writing or events? What did God want them to know? 
  3. Context: What is the flow of thought? It is important to read before and after the verse, passage, or chapter you are studying to get the big picture. This sometimes requires reading the whole book in one sitting and then going back to take notes or make outlines. Cross-referencing other passages from other books of the Bible can be helpful here, especially when questions arise.
  4. Interpretation: What does the verse or passage mean? This is done only after studying the context. It should relate to the overall purpose.
  5. Application: How can we apply this Scripture to our lives? Application should always be done last after proper interpretation is made. It is important to follow this order. If you start with personal application, instead of doing the above first, you may not get the correct context and thus misapply it to your life.

Cross-referencing:

One of the most amazing things about the Bible is that it confirms and supports itself. All 66 books written hundreds of years apart, and in some cases over a thousand years apart, reinforce and reference each other. At times when you find a difficult passage, or concept, it is helpful to see where else in the Bible it is talked about.

This is of the main reasons we know we have the right Bible, and books therein. The chart below captures the 2800 references in Scripture:

(Chart taken from Gary Bates and Lita Costner’s book “How Did We Get Our Bible?”)

Cross References…

  1. are usually listed in the side or middle margins of a study Bible.
  2. help support the section of Scripture you are studying by showing other locations in the Bible where you can find similar themes, further information, or confirmation of the subject.
  3. help in doing word studies.
  4. are powerful because they show the commonality in thought and theme across both the Old and New Testaments.
  5. show the unveiling of God’s redemptive plan throughout history from Genesis through Revelation.
  6. were used by Jesus and the Apostles as they regularly quoted from the Old Testament.
  7. validate the authors and books of the Bible as they quote or speak of each other
  8. help eliminate the so-called missing books of the Apocryphal and Gnostic writings because they do none of the above (for additional information on this topic click here)

Cross-referencing examples:

New Testament cross-references to the Old Testament:

  • Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (NIV)
  • Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)

and…

  • The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 (NASB)
  • “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11 (NASB)

Example of a topical cross-reference study:

Lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and pride of life: This is emphasized in Scripture as the reason for the fall of humankind, and the reason for evil and suffering we endure in this life. Jesus’ overcame these three things in the wilderness temptation. Near the end of the New Testament John warns the Church. See…

  • Genesis 3: The Fall
  • Matthew 4: Jesus’ overcomes Satan’s temptation
  • 1 John 2: John’s warning to the early Church

Jesus used cross-referencing and in doing so He validated the Old Testament as historical by referencing people and places that were real, not myth. For example, in the Gospel record Jesus refers to Adam and Eve, Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, Jonah and many other events and people.

See… Matthew 10:15; 12:40; 19:4; 22:29; 22:43-44; Mark 7:13; Luke 11:28; 17:26

Jesus also said (concerning the Old Testament):

  • This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. Luke 24:44
  • Jesus speaking to the Jews on a Sabbath Day said… You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me… John 5:39
  • I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:18
  • Scripture is always true. John 10:35b

According to the United Bible Societies’ Greek Testament, there are 343 Old Testament quotations and 2,309 Old Testament allusions and parallels in the New Testament. As New Testament believers, we cannot “unhitch” the Old Testament from our faith.

Spending Daily Time With God:

It is important to set aside regular time to spend with God in prayer and Bible study. Having tools and a plan will help you do this. Share your ideas with others and check out the following suggestions:

Get a good study Bible:

The “Life Application Bible” in NASB, NIV or NLT is a good recommendation

Study Bibles: Versions and Translations

Literal Translations: 

These are considered to be ‘word for word’ translations and can be more difficult or rigid reading in English, but they work closest to the original Hebrew/Greek.

Examples: New American Standard Bible; King James Version; New King James Version; Revised Standard Version; New Revised Standard Version; English Standard Version

Dynamic Equivalent Translations:

These are considered to be ‘thought for thought’ translations and are clearer in reading. They work to find equivalent concepts in English while keeping with the closest meaning possible.

Examples:  New International Version; Holman Christian Standard Bible; New Living Translation; New English Version; Revised English Version

Paraphrase Translations: 

These are considered to be the easiest to read, with story like qualities, but are not recommended for in-depth study. Originally designed for children.

Examples:  Message Bible; Good News Bible; Living Bible; Phillips; New Century Version

Get resources to help you study:

It is important to be discerning when looking for resources and Bible study aids. Here are a few good recommendations (and there will be more along the way):

Supplemental books and websites:

Going Deeper:

Check out this short clip by Apologist Greg Koukl, President of Stand to Reason Ministries: “Never Read A Bible Verse” 

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB)

Bible Study:

Pray first: Always pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word.

We are studying through the Gospel of John. Before starting answer the following “hermeneutical” questions to help with the overall understanding of this Gospel:

  1. Who is the author and what is his background (how is he qualified to write this narrative)?
  2. Where else in the Bible can we find this author and did he write any other books?
  3. Who is the audience and when was it written?
  4. What was going on in the culture at the time?
  5. What purpose did he have in writing this Gospel narrative (the genre) since there were three others previously written?

Extra Credit: How is this Gospel different from the other three? (You may need to look at a study Bible comparison chart or other similar type of reference)

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for Christ and A Study of the New Testament” with a focus on the importance of practicing Apologetics!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15

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