Bible Study Guide For Intermediate Level Students JOHN W. SCHOENHEIT 1 Note: Most Scriptures quoted in this book are from The New International Version (NIV). References taken from other translations or versions are noted as such, e.g., King James Version = (KJV), American Standard Version = (ASV), New American Standard Bible =(NASB), etc. In verses or quotations from other authors, words in bold print indicate our own emphasis and words inside [brackets] from Scripture or from other authors are ours. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from The King James Version of the English Bible, 1611. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible ®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible , copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (The Message) are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (RHM) are taken from the Emphasized Bible by Joseph Bryant Rotherham. Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1994. Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (ASV) are taken from The American Standard Version , ©1960. Scripture quotations marked (YLT) are taken from Young’s Literal Translation , by Robert Young, 1898. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™ Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible, Copyright ©1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (BBE) are taken from The English Bible in Basic English 1949/1964 , ASCII version Copyright © 1988-1997 by the Online Bible Foundation and Woodside Fellowship of Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research. Used by permission. Printed in 1965 by Cambridge Press in England. The sacred name of God, Yahweh, is indicated by “L ORD .” First Edition 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews, academic papers, and other non-commercial uses. For more information contact us at the address below. Printed in the United States of America. To receive our bimonthly magazine, The Sower , and a complete listing of our materials contact us at: Christian Educational Services A division of Spirit & Truth Fellowship International® 2144 East 52nd Street Indianapolis, IN 46205 888.255.6189 (317.255.6189), M-F 8:30 to 5 (EST) Fax: 317.255.6249 [email protected] www.STFonline.org For further study please visit our research website: www.TruthOrTradition.com Dedicated to helping you understand the Word of God, free from the traditions of men. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to the Principles and Keys of Bible Study………………………………….……5 Principles of Biblical Interpretation……………………….……………………………….…13 Keys to Properly Understanding the Scriptures……………………………………………....25 Comprehending What We Read………………………………….………………….……….26 Understand the Words in the Verse…………………………………………………………..30 Paying Attention to the Context………………………………………………………………38 Learning from the Scope of Scripture………………………………………………………...40 Properly Understanding the Customs of Biblical Times……………………………………..44 Noticing Figures of Speech in the Text………………………………………………………46 The Administrations In Scripture Chart………………………………..…...………………..55 Errors in Translation……………...……………………………………….………………….57 Errors in Transmission…………………………………………………………………...…..73 ADDITIONAL STUDY HELPS Books of the Bible…………………………………………………………….………………79 Abbreviations of the Books of the Bible……………………………………….……..………81 Greek and Hebrew Alphabet.…………………………………………………….…………...83 Hebrew Verbs………………………………………………………………………………...85 Greek and English Verbs………………………………….………………………………….87 The Genitive Case…………………………………………………………………………….89 Prepositions: A Basic Understanding………………………………………...………………93 Fundamentals of English Grammar………………………….……………………………...103 Words and Their Uses…………………………………………...…………………………..111 Paradigm of Personal Pronouns…………………………………….……………………….113 Connectives: Little Words with Big Jobs……………………………………...……………123 The Kinds of Figures of Speech………………………………………………..……………127 Figures of Speech in the Bible and Alphabetical Listing of Figures of Speech by English Name……………………………….133 Greek and Latin Roots…………………………………………………………..………….155 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………...…….……..167 3 4 INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCIPLES AND KEYS OF BIBLE STUDY THIS GUIDE IS FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS This Study Guide is for students of the Scripture who are serious about their faith. It assumes that the reader is familiar with the basics of Christianity such as how to get saved, the value of prayer, and importance of reading the Bible. It is for Christians who read their Bible and wonder what certain passages mean, but do not have a clear idea of how to gain more understanding, or for Christians who wonder how to learn more about what the Bible teaches. It is not a commentary, nor does it contain “all the answers” to questions about the Bible. Rather, it is a guide to learning, so the student of the Bible can learn how to answer many of the questions that may come up as he or she reads the Bible. WHY DO WE STUDY THE BIBLE ? It is important to have the proper perspective about the Bible, and understand why we study it. In these modern times, individualism is highly esteemed, and it has become fashionable for people to read the Bible and ask, “What does this mean to me?” While that question is important, there is one much more important: “What is God saying?” To answer the first question, “What does this mean to me” does not require any study of the Bible, for any passage of Scripture can mean any number of things to the person reading it. After all, it is simply his opinion. He could be either right or wrong about what the verse is actually saying, but of course it will mean something to him. God did not author the Bible to be merely a tool for personal reflection and devotion, something we ponder over and are satisfied with what it means to us. No, God gave us His Word for many reason, including, to foster the personal relationship between Himself and us; so we could obey Him and thus have the best possible lives here on earth; so we could know how to build and maintain godly marriages, families, and societies; and so we could know the way of salvation and be assured of everlasting life. We can have these things in part or in whole if we know what God says in His Word and follow His commands. No one, including God, likes to be misunderstood. When we write a letter to someone, we want him to know what we meant, not just what he thought we meant. The Bible is God’s letter to mankind, and it is important we discover and understand what He means. Each of us will stand before the Lord Jesus on Judgment Day and be rewarded or chastised based on whether or not we believed, and lived by, the directions and commands God has given to us. The Apostle Paul made it very clear that just because we are not aware of any sins we have, that does not justify us. 5 1 Corinthians 4:4 (NKJ) For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Parents and children often go through the tension between what one “meant” and the other “thought he meant.” A typical parent-teenager interaction occurs when a mother writes her teenage children a note (or perhaps now sends a text message on a cell phone) that they misinterpret. They probably miss her point for a couple reasons: they did not really pay attention to what she said, and they wanted to do something else anyway. Then the mother is angry, and unsatisfied with the “reasons” her children give as to why they ignored her wishes. Her feeling is that her message was clear enough, and had they really wanted to know what she said, it would have been clear to them. That is similar to how it will be on Judgment Day. God has given mankind written instructions by which He wants us to live. He is our Creator and Provider, and it is not unreasonable for Him to ask people to learn what He knows will benefit our lives if we obey His instructions. The heart of Bible study, then, is to find out what God says and what He means so we can follow His directions. If we do, we will be blessed both in this life and in the age to come. Jesus made it clear that those who love him obey what he says, while those who do not love him will not pay attention and obey. John 14:21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. John 14:24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. Finding out what God says and means requires study. Many Christians agree that the Word of God is “the Truth,” yet from one Bible come many differing interpretations of what “the Truth” is.