Dive: Digging Deep Through Scripture
Class overview: This class will cover ways to understand scripture better
through principles of interpretation as well as skills to experience God through
scripture through skills and tools. There will be exercises in reading and studying
Scripture, as well as helpful tools in leading a Bible Study and discussion.
The first session in “Dive” is to address the ways that we “come to the text.”
Before we learn tools, skills, etc., it is important to become more aware of our
particular presuppositions and biases that we possess. From there, we can be in a
better position to receive truth from God through scripture.
Choosing a version to study from
Literal & Dynamic Equivalent translations.
(Most literal)
1) New American Standard Bible
2) King James Version
3) New King James Version
4) New International Version/TNIV
5) The Living Bible
6) The Message
7) Contemporary English Version
(Most non-literal)
*Key is that all of these translations have been done by thoughtful scholars. When
a translation is in question (such as the Jehovah’s Witness’ “Recovery version”),
ask a pastor about which text to use!
Helpful Resources
1) http://home.comcast.net/~rciampa/ - A most helpful website that has links
to TONS of helpful resources on Bible Study.
2) Bible Dictionary - Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary edited by Ronald
F. Youngblood, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia edited by G.W.
Bromiley, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible edited by Merrill C.
Tenney.
3) Concordances – Strong’s or Young’s are most popular.
3) Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity
4) How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
5) How to Read the Bible For All it’s Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
6) An introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics by Walter Kaiser and Moises Silva
7) Abusing Scripture by Manfred Brauch
Definitions:
Exegesis: The careful, systematic study of the Scripture to discover the original,
intended meaning.
Hermeneutics: The science of biblical interpretation. The discipline that deals
with principles of interpretation.
Semantics: The study of meanings.
Proof-text: A verse or longer passage that is used to prove a point or a doctrine.
I.
Intro
a. Class Summary
II.
III.
IV.
b. Need for tools for better interpretation and skills to experience
transformation.
c. Class breakdown - 1 hour of teaching, 30 minutes of application
Bible Interpretation Pitfalls
a. No consideration of context (problem verses: Phil 4:13)…wigi board
bible interpretation. “Judas hanged himself,” “Go and do likewise.”
b. No distinction between general principle and promise (Psalm 37:25,
Proverbs 16:7)
c. No awareness of our personal presuppositions. ***We don’t come to
the text without presuppositions. We must be more aware of them.***
d. Abuse of Selectivity
e. Abuse of Words (live by the sword, die by the sword; the flesh)
Learning to think Contextually
a. What is the occasional nature of the book?
b. Literary context
c. Cultural context
d. Historical context
How to Study the Bible (step-by-step)
a. Observation
b. Interpretation
c. Application
Bible Interpretation Pitfalls
1. No consideration of context. This pitfall leads to a pick and choose approach to
scripture that makes a text mean what it was never intended to be.
a. wigi board bible interpretation. “Judas hanged himself,” “Go and
do likewise.”
Example verse: Philippians 4:13  “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.”
What is the danger of this kind of interpretation?


Self-deception
Misrepresent God/scripture to others
Basic rule of thumb:
 A text cannot mean to us, what it did not mean to them.
 Analyze, first, the immediate literary context and then the larger context
(from verse, to paragraph, to chapter, to book).
2. No distinction between general principle and promise. This pitfall leads to
unnecessary disillusionment. In other words, scripture and the full, complex nature
of the Christian experience is lost in simplistic idealism.
Example verses: Psalm 37:25, Proverbs 16:7
What is the danger of this kind of interpretation?
 We live with a “God owes it to me” lifestyle (prosperity gospel)
Basic rule of thumb: Note whether the promise is personal. When God said to
Paul, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no
one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” This
was spoken to Paul and should not typically be used generally.
3. No awareness of our presuppositions. This pitfall leads to overconfidence in our
perspective. It doesn’t consider that we all come to the text with our perspectives
and limits, past experiences, cultural upbringing, preconceived notions.
Example issues: Gifts of the Spirit (are they for today?), Roles in the home.
What is the danger of not being aware of our presuppositions?
Basic rule of thumb: Humility and a teachable heart is necessary as we approach
Scripture.
4. Abuse of Selectivity. This pitfall leads one to overemphasize one side of an issue,
without consideration of other perspectives in scripture.
Example issues/verses: Submission to Authority (Romans 13, 1 Peter 2:13-17,
Jesus in Mt 22:21…These verses teach that there is legitimate spheres of human
authority.
versus the ministry of the Prophets e.g. Isaiah 1:16-17, Peter and John before the
Sanhedrin council (Acts 4:18-20), Acts 5:29, Paul calling Jesus “Lord” which was
restricted to Ceasar, Bonhoeffer and other Christians against the “authority of Hitler,
the Civil Rights movement, Jesus and the Sabbath”
These verses teach that that there are times to stand against and resist the
demands of human authority.
What is the danger of the abuse of selectivity?
 Narrow mindedness
 Inability to embrace paradox and mystery
 Leads to spiritually undernourishment and immaturity

And at worst, with a heretical and counterfeit understanding of the faith,
resulting in a confused and distorted Christian presence in the world.
Basic rules of thumb:
 Never be satisfied with only part of a loaf of the “biblical bread.” If we
affirm all of Scripture as the Word of God, as a lamp for our feet and a light
for our path (Ps 119:105), as inspired for our “reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16), then being satisfied with a partial
loaf will ultimately leave us, at best, spiritually undernourished and
immature, and at worst, with a heretical and counterfeit understanding of the
faith, resulting in a confused and distorted Christian presence in the world.
 Seek to hear and understand the whole counsel of God in Scripture on
particular issues. Whenever we are confronted with the claim that “this is
the biblical teaching” on a particular issue, our first impulse should be to
listen carefully; the second should be to question respectfully and critically.
 Compare specific biblical texts—that support a particular point of view,
doctrine or practice—with the “redemptive movement” within Scripture.
The foundation for this principle is the fact that the “redemptive movement”
is present within Scripture itself. Jesus rejected the binding authority of the
Old Testament’s “clean/unclean” categories, declaring “all foods clean” (Mk
7:19), and he had fellowship and contact, contrary to the law, with the
“unclean” (such as sinners and lepers; Mt 8:1-4, Mk 2:15-16, Lk 7:39, cf. Acts
10). (e.g., Women, slaves, homosexuals)
5. Abuse of Words: This pitfall leads one to redefine words in our
context/worldview to accommodate our personal positions. Or it leads to a
misrepresentation of words because it is removed from its literary context.
Modern day examples:
 The word awful: literally means, “full of awe.” Awe has the meaning of
profound reverence, respect or admiration (as in awesome). At the same
time, awful can also mean “extremely disagreeable” or “terrible” or “very
great” (as in “an awful lot of money”). Context determines this.
 The word hand: Can refer to a group of playing cards, or “the whole person”
as in “he asked for her hand in marriage.”
 The word bad: Can mean “horrible” or “great/outstanding” depending on
context.
Biblical examples:
 The Woman as Man’s “Helper, Suitable for Him”
o The Hebrew word azar (to help) signifies the action of someone who
saves another from extremity, who delivers from death. The noun
ezer (helper) is used 18 times in the entire Old Testament. Outside of
its two occurrences in Genesis 2:18, 20 as a designation of the woman,
the word ezer, is only and always used for God as redeemer, as the one
who rescues from distress, danger, calamity and death. (e.g., Ex 18:4,
Deut 33:7, 26,29, Ps 33:20, 46:1, 115:9-11, 121:1-2)
o This word does more than evoke the idea that the woman (helper) is
to be depicted in a subservient role. In some sense, the woman is
depicted as the man’s savior; her presence with the man is
redemptive, whole-making. In no way does this word connote the
idea of the woman as man’s assistant or subordinate.
Basic Rules of Thumb:
 Remember that the biblical revelation was given within the confines of
human language. The Word of God comes to us in Scripture within the
earthen vessel of human languages—not like the words of the Qur’an,
believed to be the recitations of divine instructions recorded by Muhammad,
nor like the content of the Book of Mormon, believed to have been inscribed
by an archangel on divinely given gold tablets.
 Be attentive to range of meanings particular words have in the original
and translated languages. (flesh, head, etc.)
 We must take seriously the contexts in which words are created and
used.
 Linguistic tools and resources are critically important to avoid the
abuse of words. Consult various commentaries, bible dictionaries, etc.