I. II Timothy 2:14-18<\/p>\n
A. Many people don’t actually study their Bibles. <\/p>\n
1. Instead they search for statements which prove their ideas.<\/p>\n 2. In a sense, they make the Bible speak their thoughts instead of speaking the\nthoughts of the Bible – I Peter 4:11\n
II. Observation – Seeing what is really there.<\/p>\n
A. It is natural to color what we see with our own thoughts and ideas<\/p>\n
1. I remember playing a game called “Observation”. <\/p>\n a. A “Where is Waldo” -like picture was held up for 30 seconds, then\nyou were quizzed about details in the picture. \n b. It was amazing how often you just “knew” a certain fact was true,\nbut when you went back to the picture you found your memory was\nfaulty.\n 2. If we are going to understand a book, we need to first fully grasp what is\nactually in the book.\n
B. Some things are only fully understood with repetition<\/p>\n
1. Examining a text over and over again.<\/p>\n
2. Looking at it from different perspectives to gain new insights.<\/p>\n
C. Imagine a giant jigsaw puzzle. How do you put it together?<\/p>\n
1. You first find the obvious pieces – the corners<\/p>\n
2. You then find edges<\/p>\n
3. Finally you being filling the inside<\/p>\n
D. We are going to start with the book of Galatians<\/p>\n 1. There are 66 books in the Bible, each written in a different style, in a\ndifferent time period, by different authors, for different purposes.\n
2. Is Galatians Old Testament or New Testament?<\/p>\n
a. Why is this important to take note of?<\/p>\n
3. Our Bibles are organized by types of books.<\/p>\n a. Sections of the Old Testament: Law, History, Wisdom, Major\nProphets, Minor Prophets\n b. Sections of the New Testament: Gospels, History, Letters,\nProphecy\n (1) Letters can be further divided into Letters by Paul and\nLetters by Others\n (2) The letters of Paul can be divided into Letters to Churches\nand Letters to Individuals.\n
c. Where does Galatians fit into this scheme?<\/p>\n
E. Assignment 1<\/a><\/p>\n 1. Read the book of Galatians in one sitting.<\/p>\n 2. Read the book of Galatians a second time, while jotting down the answers\nto the following questions\n a. List frequently repeated words, phrases, or ideas.<\/p>\n b. Who are the people mentioned in the book?<\/p>\n c. What events are mentioned which would help date this book?<\/p>\n d. What locations are mentioned?<\/p>\n e. What kind of book is Galatians? Historical, Biographical, Poetic,\nProverbial, Prophetic, Letter, or a combination?\n F. Discuss Assignment 1<\/a><\/p>\n 1. List discoveries on the board<\/p>\n a. Key words<\/p>\n (1) Finding keywords: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How<\/p>\n (2) Which are synonyms?<\/p>\n b. People<\/p>\n (1) Which are synonyms? Pronouns?<\/p>\n (2) Since God is Three-in-One, how do we distinguish between\nthe Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?\n c. Events<\/p>\n d. Locations<\/p>\n (1) Using a map<\/p>\n e. Time references<\/p>\n (1) Words like “then”, “after this”, “until”, “when”<\/p>\n 2. Discuss marking techniques for the text.<\/p>\n 3. Assignment 2<\/a> – Hand out the book of Galatians in double space format<\/p>\n a. Go through the entire book and mark all keywords in a consistent\nfashion.\n b. Go through the book again and mark all people<\/p>\n c. Go through the book again and mark all events, places, and\nanything dealing with time.\n d. Make a fourth pass and look for synonyms, pronouns, and mark\nthem appropriately.\n e. Try to summarize the entire book in one statement.<\/p>\n G. Discuss Assignment 2<\/a><\/p>\n 1. Do a page in class, pooling everyone’s notes<\/p>\n 2. Was there any difficult passages?<\/p>\n a. Pronouns that you were not certain as to who was being referred?<\/p>\n b. What about words, such as “this” “it” “these” “those”?<\/p>\n 3. Did you learn more in this second assignment? Why?<\/p>\n a. Forced you to read and think about each word.<\/p>\n b. Marking made you slow down.<\/p>\n 4. Grouping verses<\/p>\n a. Segmented by<\/p>\n (1) Dates<\/p>\n (2) Places<\/p>\n (3) Topics<\/p>\n (4) Doctrines<\/p>\n (5) Major Characters<\/p>\n (6) Events<\/p>\n 5. Assignment 3<\/a><\/p>\n a. Find the major segments of Galatians and mark them (you might\ndiscover more than one way to divide the book).\n b. Subdivide those segments into topics<\/p>\n H. Discuss Assignment 3<\/a><\/p>\n 1. How did you segment the book?<\/p>\n a. Where does the segments start and stop?<\/p>\n 2. Learning the details<\/p>\n a. Do not forget the context. Otherwise the overall direction and\nbegin to stray\n b. For each keyword, make a list of the things you learn about it\nwithin this book\n (1) Use a separate list for each word.<\/p>\n (2) Answer the who, what, where, when, why,<\/i> and how<\/i>\nquestions about this word\n c. Do examples in class<\/p>\n 3. Assignment 4<\/a><\/p>\n a. Complete the lists of word details<\/p>\n b. Search for contrasts, underline the contrasting ideas. Place a slash\nbetween the contrasting ideas\n c. Search for comparisons (often signal with “as” or “like”). Circle the\ntwo ideas and join the circles with a line.\n I. Discuss Assignment 4<\/a><\/p>\n 1. Finish word lists<\/p>\n 2. Review contrasts and comparisons<\/p>\n 3. Find the summaries or conclusions<\/p>\n a. Words like “for”, “for this reason”, “therefore”<\/p>\n b. Mark the word with triangular dots.<\/p>\n c. Then find the points leading to the conclusion. Mark the start of\neach point with numbers in the margins.\n 4. Assignment 5<\/a><\/p>\n a. Find the summary and conclusion words and mark them.<\/p>\n b. Find the points leading to the conclusion for each marked summary\nword. Mark the points in the margin.\n J. Discuss results of assignment 5<\/a><\/p>\n 1. Develop chapter themes. These will aid you in locating information in the\nfuture.\n 2. Develop paragraph or section themes. These will help you see the flow of\nthe book.\n 3. Assignment 6<\/a><\/p>\n a. Complete writing themes for chapters and paragraphs.<\/p>\n b. Use your themes to outline the book<\/p>\n c. Locate lists in the text. Write the lists into the margin.<\/p>\n III. Delving for Meaning<\/p>\n A. Context<\/p>\n 1. Meaning is not meaning if it doesn’t flow with the immediate context and\nthe whole book\n a. We have been working on the immediate context up until now<\/p>\n b. Our purpose is to learn what the author, who is ultimately God,\nmeant in his writing.\n 2. Meaning requires consistency with the whole Bible<\/p>\n a. How do we insure we have consistency with the entire Bible?<\/p>\n b. We need to search out similar statements in the rest of the Bible.<\/p>\n c. In other words, we need to develop a cross-reference system or at\nleast use an existing one.\n d. Use an exhaustive concordance to find where the same key words\nare used.\n (1) Problem is that many translations a word in a variety of\nways to make the reading flow better.\n (2) Pay attention to other possible translations<\/p>\n e. Use a Bible dictionary to find the shades of meaning. Many\ndictionaries give passages to illustrate each of the shades.\n f. Assignment 7<\/a><\/p>\n (1) Make a list of the verses in Galatians which you consider\nmore difficult to understand\n (2) For each difficulty, write your question at the top of a page\nof paper.\n (3) Using a cross-reference, concordance, and dictionary to\nlocate similar verses. Write down the possibilities down the\nleft in a column.\n (4) Look up each verse and write a short statement that helps\nwith your question.\n (5) Some verses will have nothing to do with your question.\nCross them off your list.\n (6) For each verse that deals with your question, look for cross-references to add to your list<\/p>\n (7) When the references comes to an end, select the prime\nverses which answer your question, add them to the margin\nof your Bible.\n 3. Rule: The Scripture never contradicts itself<\/p>\n 4. Principle: When two passages appear to conflict, pick the clear passage\nover the obscure or difficult passage.\n B. When understanding people, places, and events<\/p>\n 1. Find approximate dates for events <\/p>\n a. Record these dates in your margins<\/p>\n 2. Draw maps when places are mentioned to understand the movement and\norder of events.\n 3. Look up other references to people and build a character sketch of each\nperson.\n a. Example: What is Peter like? What in his history shows the\nconsistency of his behavior?\n b. Record the verses which help you understand why a person\nbehaved in a certain manner or shows consistent tendencies to do\nsimilar things.\n 4. Using a Manners and Customs book to learn how things are done in that\ntime period.\n a. Example: Sheep and Shepherds.<\/p>\n C. Consider the meaning in light of the literary style of the book<\/p>\n 1. Example: Proverbs are wise sayings. They record the generally tendency of\nlife, but they are not necessarily absolutes.\n D. Figurative language<\/p>\n 1. Simile: A comparison between two things connected with words, such as\n“as”, “like”, “such as”, “as … so”\n a. examples: Revelation 1:14; Psalm 42:1<\/p>\n 2. Metaphor: An implied comparison between two things.<\/p>\n a. Example: John 15:5; Ephesians 6:17<\/p>\n b. The hint is if taken absolutely literally, the comparison would be\nnonsense.\n 3. Exaggeration or hyperbole: A deliberate exaggeration for emphasis<\/p>\n a. Example: Psalm 119:20 – a soul is not physical. It cannot be\ncrushed, but it wording is an exaggeration of grief.\n b. Example: Matthew 23:24 – People can’t swallow camels, but it\nillustrates searching for minor problems while missing the large,\nobvious ones.\n 4. Metonymy: A association where one object is used for a related object.<\/p>\n a. Example: Mark 1:5 – country used to represent the people in the\ncountry\n 5. Synecdoche: Where a part is used to represent the whole or the whole is\nused to represent the part. Also a singular can be used for a plural or a\nplural for a singular.\n a. Example: Mark 1:5 – While a large portion went out, it does not\nimply every single person went.\n b. “God” can refer to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit or the Godhead\nas a whole.\n c. Jeremiah 25:29 – one sword represents many swords.<\/p>\n 6. Personification: An object is given characteristics or attributes that belong\nto people\n a. Example: Isaiah 55:12<\/p>\n 7. Irony: A statement which says the opposite of what is meant. It can take\nthe form of a rhetorical question.\n a. Example: I Corinthians 4:8<\/p>\n b. Example: I Kings 22:1-23<\/p>\n c. Ironic statements are spotted when the statement is obviously not\ntrue and the target audience would know it is not true.\n 8. Assignment 8<\/a><\/p>\n a. Go through the book and mark the examples of figurative language.<\/p>\n E. Representative language<\/p>\n 1. Parables<\/p>\n a. They illustrate a doctrine. They should not be used to establish the\ndoctrine.\n b. Purpose: Matthew 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-12<\/p>\n c. To keep to the point search for why it was told. What prompted the\nparable?\n (1) Luke 15:2<\/p>\n (2) Luke 18:9<\/p>\n d. Look to see if the parable has been explained. Do not add meaning\nthat the speaker doesn’t give.\n e. Find the central idea of the parable. No detail of the story should be\ngiven a meaning that is no in accordance to the central theme\n f. Distinguish relevant and irrelevant details. Some details are added\nto polish the story, but do not add meaning to the central theme.\n (1) Example: Mark 4:13<\/p>\n (2) Example: The meaning of the broom in the parable of the\nlost coin.\n g. Make sure you understand the customs of the day.<\/p>\n (1) Example: The parable of the wise and foolish virgins.<\/p>\n 2. Allegory<\/p>\n a. A past event used to illustrate deeper meanings than what the\nsurface story appears to give.\n (1) In a sense, it is an extended metaphor.<\/p>\n (2) Again, it is illustrative. You don’t establish doctrine with an\nallegory.\n b. List the features or key people, events, or places in the allegory.<\/p>\n c. Note the interpretation given within the text. Allegories almost\nalways have its meaning described within themselves.\n d. Don’t extend the allegory beyond the intended point.<\/p>\n e. Don’t expect to assign meaning to every detail. After all this was a\npast event. \n 3. Types<\/p>\n a. It comes from a Greek word dealing with stamping. The die is the\ntype and the impression is the antitype.\n b. Types are always identified by God, though not necessarily\nexplicitly.\n (1) Example: Romans 5:14<\/p>\n (a) Adam is the type<\/p>\n (b) Jesus is the antitype<\/p>\n (2) Example: I Corinthians 15:45<\/p>\n 4. Symbols<\/p>\n a. A picture or an object that represents another object<\/p>\n b. Example: Revelation1:20<\/p>\n c. A symbol may take on different meanings in different context<\/p>\n (1) Example: Ephesians 5:26; John 7:37-39<\/p>\n d. While a symbol may represent several things, in any single passage\nit has a single meaning\n e. Find other passages which give meaning to a symbol to understand\nthe possible representations.\n 5. Assignment 9<\/a><\/p>\n a. Look for and mark all representative language<\/p>\n b. Note the meaning in your margins or mark with graphics.<\/p>\n F. For really puzzling passages, check several commentaries.<\/p>\n 1. Commentaries are the writings of man. They can be, and frequently are,\nwrong. \n 2. Yet, sometimes a commentator will mention a view or a passage that will\nshed light on a passage\n G. Composition Styles<\/p>\n 1. Writings are organized to help bring across a meaning<\/p>\n 2. Preparation – background information given to prepare the reader for the\nmaterial that follows\n a. Example: John 1:1-18<\/p>\n 3. Comparison – two things are compared to show similarities<\/p>\n a. Example: II Timothy 2:3<\/p>\n 4. Contrast – Two things are compared to show differences<\/p>\n a. Example: II Timothy 1:9<\/p>\n 5. Repetition – Used to highlight an idea<\/p>\n a. Example: John 1:1-14<\/p>\n 6. Progression – Ideas are built upon previous ideas<\/p>\n a. Example: John 1:1, 14, 17 – We are not fully told who is the word\nuntil verse 17.\n 7. Climax – The pinnacle reached by a progression<\/p>\n 8. Pivotal Point – Where there is a change elements of story<\/p>\n a. Example: Matthew 24:35 is the pivot between the Matthew 23:1-24:34 and Matthew 24:36-25:46<\/p>\n b. Acts which follows Peter and then Paul<\/p>\n 9. Radiation – a central idea from which or to which other ideas point<\/p>\n a. Example: I Corinthians 15 radiates around the resurrection<\/p>\n 10. Interchange – A sequential alternating between two or more thoughts.<\/p>\n a. Example: The beginning of Luke: John-Jesus-John-Jesus<\/p>\n 11. General to Specific (Deductive) or Specific to General (Inductive)<\/p>\n 12. Cause and Effect<\/p>\n a. The cause of Lazarus’ death – John 11:4<\/p>\n b. The effect of Lazarus’ death – John 11:45; 12:17-18<\/p>\n 13. Explanation – An idea is presented and then explained<\/p>\n a. John 6 – bread of life<\/p>\n 14. Interrogation – Question, generally followed by an answer<\/p>\n a. Romans 6:1-2<\/p>\n 15. Summary – Restating highlights<\/p>\n a. Deuteronomy 1-4<\/p>\n b. Acts 7<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to Study the Bible: Galatians\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNext Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How to Study the Bible Galatians Class Notes I. II Timothy 2:14-18 A. Many people don’t actually study their Bibles. 1. Instead they search for statements which prove their ideas. 2. In a sense, they make the Bible speak their thoughts instead of speaking the thoughts of the Bible – I Peter 4:11 II. Observation – Seeing what is really…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":67515,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-67519","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":26926,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/some-thoughts-on-psalms\/","url_meta":{"origin":67519,"position":0},"title":"Some Thoughts on Psalms (Study)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Some Thoughts on Psalms I've been collecting various notes by people on Psalms. Perhaps one day I'll edit them into a coherent whole, but for now, they are just a collection of ideas on various aspects of the Psalms. 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