Welcome to Going Deeper into Bible Study!

Week 3

The Theology Program

Read the Bible for Life

Inductive/OIA Method

Observe – What do I see?

Interpret – What does it mean?

Apply – How does it work in my life?

OIA/Inductive Method Observation – What do I see? (Last Week)

STEP 1: Mark up the passage

Underline all verbs

Circle key words and phrases

Box connecting words, linking words

This Week

Finish OBSERVATION

• Step 2 and 3

• Questions to consider as you observe

• What to look for

• Writing good questions based on your observations to set yourself up for good interpretation.

Start INTERPRETATION

Observation – What do I see? STEP 2: write 2-5 observations per verse

Answer Structure Questions: • What verbs are used to describe action in the passage? What is

significant about these verbs? • What is the tone of the passage? • Are there any repeated words? Repeated phrases? • Does the author make any comparisons? Draw any conclusions? • Does the author raise any questions? Provide any answers? • Does the author point out any cause and effect relationships? • Is there any progression to the passage? In time? Actions?

Geography? • Does the passage have a climax? • Does the author use any figures of speech? • Is there a pivotal statement or word? • What linking words are used? What ideas do they link?

Six Things to Look For (Hendricks ch 19-23)

Things that are…

• Emphasized (space, stated purpose, order)

• Repeated (terms, characters, OT quote)

• Related (Q & A, cause and effect)

• Alike (similes, metaphors, parallelism)

• Unlike (but, contrast)

• True to life

– How does text explain reality, human experience?

Observation – What do I see? STEP 3: Write out Questions for Interpretation

• Flow from your observations.

• Set you up for good interpretation…helping you answer the question, “what was the intent of the author?”

• Will be some of the questions that you try to answer to get at the meaning of the passage.

• Get at the why, the point, the significance.

Observation – What do I see? STEP 3: Write out Questions for Interpretation

WHO is… • …The author talking about? • …Accomplishing the action? • …Benefiting from it?

WHAT is the… • …Meaning of this word? • …Significance of the phrase? • …Implication of this statement? • …Meaning of this figure of speech? • …Author’s flow of thought and tone? • …relationship between these phrases?

WHY did the author… • …Choose this word? • …Include this phrase or statement? • …Not include or talk about something? • …Connect these ideas?

Interpretation – What does it mean? What are we trying to do?

• Research the context and setting

• Answer our questions for interpretation

• Discover the original meaning

• Summarize the passage and create a big idea

• Come up with universal principles, timeless truths based on the passage

Interpretation – What does it mean? What are we trying to do?

In conjunction

STEP 1: Research setting and context

STEP 2: Answer your questions for interpretation

Interpretation – What does it mean? STEP 1: Answer Setting and Context Questions

Setting and Context Questions

• Who is the author or speaker? • Why was this book written? What was the occasion of the

book? • What historic events surround this book? What was happening

in the world at the time this was written? • Where was it written? Who were the original recipients? What

do we know about them? • What literary form is being employed in this passage? • What is the overall message of this book, and how does this

passage fit into that message? • What precedes this passage? What follows? How does this

passage fit the immediate context? • Where does this passage/book fit into the overall context on

what God is doing throughout the Bible – plan of God?

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

(Hendricks)

1. CONTENT

2. CONTEXT

3. CULTURE

4. COMPARISON

5. CONSULTATION

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CONTENT

What is there in the passage, raw data

Ideally you have done this work in the observation phase, observation and questions

Knowing the content well sets you up for really good interpretation

The more good work you do in observation, you will see that it really helps you in the next step

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CONTEXT - types

Literary Context

• Immediate context

• Type of literature, genre (types?)

• Grammar

• Horizons – Immediate horizon (the road ahead, behind)

– Book horizon (the foothills)

– Bible horizon (the mountain peaks)

(NT/OT and storyline)

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CONTEXT – types

Historical-Cultural Context

The time and culture of the author and his readers.

• Who is the author, who is the audience?

• Social conditions

• Economic conditions

• Political

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CONTEXT – types

Theological Context

Where does this passage fit into the unfolding of the plan of God in Scripture?

“The Bible appears like a symphony orchestra…each instrument has been brought willingly, spontaneously, creatively, to play his notes just as the great conductor desired, though none of them could ever hear the music as a whole…the point of each part only becomes fully clear when seen in relation to all the rest.” J.I. Packer

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

STORYLINE of Scripture

• Creation

• Fall

• Redemption

• Consummation

Interpretation – What does it mean? God’s Story – Acts and Scenes

Plug it into God’s play! (Readers Guide to Bible)

ACT 1 – God’s Plan for All People

• Scene 1 – Creation: The God of all life

• Scene 2 – The Fall: Rejecting God’s Vision for life

• Scene 3 – The Flood: God judges and makes a covenant to preserve life

Interpretation – What does it mean? God’s Story – Acts and Scenes

ACT 2 – God’s Covenant People

• Scene 1 – The People: God calls a covenant people

• Scene 2 – Deliverance: God Rescues His people

• Scene 3 – Covenant and Law: God embraces and instructs His people

• Scene 4 – The Land: God’s place for His people

Interpretation – What does it mean? God’s Story – Acts and Scenes

ACT 2 – God’s Covenant People (continued)

• Scene 5 – Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people

• Scene 6 – Kings and Prophets: God Divides the Kingdom People

• Scene 7 – Kings and Prophets: The Southern Kingdom as God’s people

• Scene 8 – Exile: God disciplines His people

• Scene 9 – Return: God delivers His people again

Interpretation – What does it mean? God’s Story – Acts and Scenes

ACT 3 – God’s New Covenant People

• Scene 1 – Christ’s Coming: God’s true king arrives

• Scene 2 – Christ’s Ministry: God’s true king manifests his kingdom

• Scene 3 – Christ’s Deliverance of His people: God’s work through the death, resurrection, and enthronement of His king.

• Scene 4 – Christ’s Church: God’s people advance the Kingdom

• Scene 5 – Christ’s Second Coming and Reign: God’s future for his kingdom

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CULTURE

What was life like back then?

Entering their home.

Customs, rules, ways of living.

Putting yourself in their shoes.

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

COMPARISON

How do other passages help inform/explain the meaning of a text you are studying?

Let Scripture interpret Scripture

Allow the clear passages to illuminate difficult

Use of a concordance, topical Bible, parallel Bible, online tool.

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CONSULTATION

Should be done after the hard work of studying the passage by yourself.

Use outside materials to help you answer your questions and determine meaning.

Check your answers, interpretation.

Seek to be in community as you study.

Interpretation – What does it mean? The Five C’s of Interpretation

CONSULTATION – types

Concordance

Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia

Bible Atlas

Word Study Helps

Commentary

• Study Bible

• One/Two Volume

• Multiple Volume/sets