How to Study the Bible for All
It’s Worth
Part 2
The Problem
• There is ongoing discussion over whether
modern man can, or was ever intended to,
understand God’s will for his life by reading
scripture.
– Some say the Holy Spirit speaks to each through
the Bible in a unique way.
– They conclude it is not surprising we do not
understand the Bible alike or worship in the
same way.
– They also believe that we are all on the way to
heaven, though we use different paths.
– Scripture reveals Christ and his apostles had a
quite different view of scriptural authority.
Jesus’ Thinking
• A trap set by the Sadducees demonstrates
that the Lord thought God’s word was
written to be understood by men.
• The Sadducees did not believe in the spirit
world, angels or life after death.
• They attempted to trap Jesus with a
hypothetical question.
Jesus’ Thinking
• The story is told in Matthew 22:23-28.
– The Sadducees told of a woman who married
a man and each of his 6 brothers as each, in
turn, died childless (Levirate marriage
described in Genesis 38:6-11; Deuteronomy
25:5-10).
– Then, the woman died.
– “Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of
the seven will she be? For they all had her.”
The Lord’s Answer
• The Pharisees assumed marriage
continued in the resurrection and could not
answer the dilemma presented.
• The Lord refuted it based on his own
authority, stating that those in the
resurrection are neither married nor given
in marriage.
• Instead, in the resurrection, they would be
like the angels (Matthew 22:29-30).
The Tense of One Word
• The Lord proved man has a spirit by using
the tense of one word (Matthew 22:31-32).
– The word was in the Pentateuch, which the
Sadducees accepted as delivered by God
through Moses (Exodus 3:6, 15).
– The Lord spoke to Moses of those who had been
dead for a long time.
– Yet, Jesus asked, “But concerning the
resurrection of the dead, have you not read what
was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of
the living.”
The Sadducees Defeated
• “But the Sadducees held that a dead man
had ceased to exist, that he had vanished to
nothingness. According to their view,
therefore, God had styled himself the God of
nothing” (J. W. McGarvey, The Fourfold Gospel).
– Such a powerful argument based upon the tense
of one word could only be made by one who
believed in the plenary verbal inspiration of the
Bible.
– Further, it is evident the Lord believed God
revealed his will in such a way that man can
understand and use it to reason precisely the
meaning and application in his daily pursuits.
Method
• Everyone who reads the Bible for
understanding will use some method of
interpretation, so it should not be
surprising that the Lord used one.
• “Method” can be defined as, “a systematic
procedure, technique, or mode of inquiry
employed by or proper to a particular
discipline or art” (Merriam Webster
Online).
The Inductive Method Described
• “A leading or drawing off a general fact from
a number of observations and experiments”
(D. R. Dungan, Hermeneutics)
– No interpretation is true that does not harmonize
with known facts.
– We must be sure to gather as many parts as
possible so we can clearly identify the whole.
– For instance, we do not know everything Jesus
ever did or said, but we do have sufficient
evidence to prove he is the Christ (John 20:3031).
A Careful Search for Truth
• In our courts, which use the inductive
method, we want all the evidence carefully
sought out and presented.
• We do not want a doctor to operate based
upon 1 inconclusive test.
• With our souls at stake (John 8:32), we do
not want our understanding of doctrine
based on only a few verses read without
proper consideration of other facts.
Inference Used in the Inductive
Method
• Lot went down into Egypt.
– Genesis 12:10 says Abram went down into
Egypt, without mentioning Lot.
– Genesis 13:1 tells us Lot came up out of Egypt.
• The purpose of the book of Acts may be
inferred from its content.
– “It is a necessary inference that the writer aimed
to inform the reader accurately of the beginnings
of christianity [sic] and of the divine directions by
which men turn to the Lord and form churches”
(Clinton Lockhart, Principles of Interpretation).
The Road to Emmaus
• Jesus joined 2 disciples on their walk to
Emmaus (Luke 24:13-24).
– There was great confusion among the disciples
following the resurrection of Jesus.
– Two on the road to Emmaus were talking about
reports concerning the same.
– Jesus, unrecognized by them, asked what they were
talking about and why they were sad.
– They marveled at his ignorance of the happenings in
Jerusalem, briefly reporting Jesus’ crucifixion, the
women finding the empty tomb and the angel’s report
that he was alive.
Jesus’ Response
• “Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones,
and slow of heart to believe in all that the
prophets have spoken! Ought not the
Christ to have suffered these things and to
enter into His glory?’ And beginning at
Moses and all the Prophets, He
expounded to them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning Himself” (Luke
24:25-27).
Reporting to the Eleven
• After breaking bread with them in
Emmaus, their eyes were opened to
recognize Jesus.
• When he vanished, they went back
amazed to the 11 and those with them.
• They reported the Lord was risen and had
appeared to Simon.
• They told how he was made known to
them in the breaking of bread.
Jesus’ Words to the Assembly
• Jesus appeared, pronounced peace upon
them, told them to handle his feet & hands to
confirm he was flesh, not spirit and ate some
food.
• “He then said to them, ‘These are the words
which I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were
written in the Law and the Prophets and the
Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their
understanding, that they might comprehend
the Scriptures” (Luke 24:36-45).
Peter’s Pentecost Presentation
• When the 12 began to speak in other
languages, a multitude assembled wondering
how it had happened (Acts 2:1-13).
• Peter said this is that spoken of by Joel (Acts
2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32).
• He said David foretold Jesus’ resurrection
(Acts 2:25-32; Psalm 16:8-11).
• David also prophesied the Father would
make Jesus the Christ (Acts 2:33-36; Psalm
110:1).
Stephen’s Sermon: Abraham
• God’s call and promise to Abraham
– Called in Ur – Acts 7:2; Genesis 11:31-32
– Called in Haran – Acts 7:3; Genesis 12:1
– The move to Canaan – Acts 7:4; Genesis
12:5-7
– The promised land and son – Acts 7:5;
Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:4, 18; 17:8; 26:3
– Bondage in Egypt prophesied – Acts 7:6-7;
Genesis 15:13-14
– Circumcision commanded – Acts 7:8; Genesis
17:9-14; 21:1-5
Stephen on Joseph
• Joseph, sold by his brethren, but God was
with him
– Acts 7:9-10a; Genesis 37:26-28; in Potiphar’s
house 39:5; in prison 39:21-23; and in
interpreting the prisoners’ dreams 40:6-23.
• Joseph, the governor of Egypt
– Governor because of the wisdom God gave him
– Acts 7:10b; Genesis 41:1-43.
– As governor, he met with his brothers and father
– Acts 7:11-14; Genesis 41:46-47:12.
– Both Jacob and his sons were buried in Canaan
– Acts 7:15-16; Genesis 47:13-50:14.
Stephen on Moses Birth and
Call to be a Deliverer
• The Pharaoh who knew not Joseph – Acts
7:17-19; Exodus 1:1-22.
• Moses’ birth and adoption – Acts 7:20-22;
Exodus 2:1-10.
• Moses flees from Egypt to Midian – Acts
7:23-29; Exodus 2:11-22.
• Moses’ call to be God’s deliverer – Acts
7:30-35; Exodus 3:1-4:31.
God Brought Them Out
• Acts 7:36
• God showed wonders and signs in Egypt –
Exodus 5:1-12:51.
• God showed wonders and signs in the
Red Sea – Exodus 13:17-14:31.
• God showed wonders in the wilderness –
Exodus 16:1-17:16; Leviticus 10:1-7;
Numbers 11:1-2.
Stephen’s Comments on Moses
• Acts 7:37-41
• Moses prophesied God would raise up a
prophet like him from among his brethren
– Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19.
• Moses received God’s word – Exodus
19:3.
• Yet the people would not follow God but
asked Aaron to build an idol, which they
worshiped – Exodus 32:1-6.
God Gave Israel Up
• Acts 7:42-44a
• God turned from his people and gave
them up to worship idols devoted to all the
heavenly host – Amos 5:25-27.
• Yet, they had the tabernacle witnessing to
the true God, which was made according
to the pattern – Exodus 25:40.
The Tabernacle and Temple
• Acts 7:45b-47
• Israel had received the tabernacle and
taken it with them into the land of promise
– Joshua 3:14; 18:1.
– God drove the Gentiles out before them –
Joshua 23:9.
• David asked to build a temple for God, but
God gave that task to Solomon – 2
Samuel 6:1-7:13; 1 Kings 6:1-38.
God Dwells in Heaven
• God Most High does not dwell in man made
temples – Acts 7:48-50; 1 Kings 8:27; Isaiah
66:1-2; Psalm 102:25.
• Stephen concluded the Jews had always
rejected God and his Spirit – Acts 7:51-53.
– They persecuted the prophets.
– They killed John the baptizer.
– They betrayed and murdered the Just One,
having received the Law through angels, but
refusing to keep it.
Lessons in the Response
• The audience response stopped Stephen
before more could be said (Acts 7:54-60).
– They perfectly understood the conclusions he was
drawing from a careful review of scripture and
reacted violently.
– The stoning is evidence the inductive method can
be used to understand God alike.
– It is further evidence that some will reject truth, even
responding with violence.
– However, such rebellion does not prove the method
is erroneous.
– Instead, it shows man continues to read God’s word
and go his own way.