Proper tools for Studying the Bible

Six Study Essentials by Mark Driscoll

(The following was originally posted by a personal friend, and pastor of a great church in Seattle, Mark Driscoll. Since his post is so complete, I thought I would simply RE-post it here and give him the credit he deserves.
I pray you all find this post useful, and take full advantage of its wisdom.
pastor jeremy)

1. Have a good Bible.

Every Christian needs a good Bible that they can easily read and enjoy. A translation such as the English Standard Version (ESV), the ESV Study Bible is very well done, or the New International Version (NIV) is preferable as your primary reading Bible, although there are many other translations that are also quite good (e.g., New King James Version, New American Standard Version).

2. Have some good Christian books.

If you want to build a reference library, the first book you should buy is A Commentary and Reference Survey by John Glynn by John Glynn. That book will tell you which other books are the best resources available for in-depth Christian study and anyone who is serious about studying should have a copy of this book.

3. Have some good (free) online study resources.

There are many great websites that can help you do Bible word studies and such for free. Good examples include the following, with the first one built and run by Mars Hill elder, Zack Hubert:

ReGreek specializes in word studies from the Bible 's original languages.
Crosswalk has many translations and Bible study tools.
Bible Gateway has many translations and Bible study tools.
CCEL has most of the major works from Christian history for free and a “Study Bible” feature that pulls up historical church commentary on specified verses.
E Sword has numerous Bible study tools.

4. Have some good Bible software.

If you can afford it, Bible study software provides some amazing resources and companies like Logos Bible Software are worth considering.

5. Have some good websites.

There are many great resources available for free on the web with articles, books, blogs, podcasts, vodcasts, and MP3s. The following are some recommendations:

Desiring God is the website featuring a large repository of sermons and articles from my friend, Dr. John Piper.
Covenant Seminary has a “Free Downloads” link on their front page that will enable you to listen to hundreds of hours of their class lectures on many areas of Christian study. I am grateful to my friends at Covenant who have given the church such a gracious gift.
Mars Hill Church is where hundreds of hours of my teaching is available for free and has been the number one podcast on iTunes for religion and spirituality.
carm has good articles on cults, world religions, and apologetical issues.
equip.org has good articles, book reviews, and more, on cults, world religions, and apologetical issues.
www.christianitytoday.com/historyhas some great articles on Christian history and biography.
www.monergism.com has an almost overwhelming number of free articles on nearly every theological issue from a Reformed perspective.

6. Have some good community.

Most of the Bible was written to communities of people and is therefore best studied in community with other Christians. For this reason, getting plugged into a Community Group and/or taking midweek classes in addition to regularly attending a Sunday church service is essential.

Zombies are Coming!

It's been awhile, but the Zombies are coming back. I'll have at least one more post up soon, so stay tuned.

JGreen

Why no two Jesuses?

Last week, I was talking to an acquaintance, and she posed an interesting question. What was most interesting is the fact that I’d never been asked this particular question, and I had to think about it. In fact, I told her that I’d have to think about an answer and get back to her.

So, the first lesson is this: if you’re ever asked a question about Christianity, and you don’t know the answer, DON’T:

1. Panic.
2. Make up an answer.
3. Dismiss the question as nonsense.

Rather, just tell the person, “That’s a great question. I’ve never been asked that before. Can you give me a few days to think about it?” Then go home and think about it. Ask questions of people who might know how to respond. Pray.

Okay, back to the question. These are my words, but she asked something like Why did God only come once? She was interested in understanding why it was only through Jesus two thousand years ago that God decided to reveal himself to humans. Why not give us another revelation? Isn’t two thousand years plenty of time to wait?

I’ve been thinking about this for nearly a week now, and I think I have a response. I, at least, have the makings of a response.

There is a distinction to be made between the person of Christ and the work of Christ. When someone asks, “Why did God come only in Jesus?” there are two appropriate answers to give, but each answer turns on whether we’re talking about the person, Jesus, or the work which he performed.

The Work of Jesus

When we talk about the work of Jesus, we’re interested in understanding why Jesus came and died and how his death, burial, and resurrection atoned for our sin. If this is what my friend was getting after in her question, the answer is rather straightforward. Jesus died once for all. That is, he was the perfect sacrifice that needed to be made only one time, and that one time was sufficient to cover the sin of everyone who would call on his name in faith.

The Person of Jesus

When we talk about the person of Jesus, we’re interested in understanding who Jesus was as both a full-fledged human and as God. Our claim is that Jesus was indeed fully human and fully God; he was “of the same essence” as the Father. Jesus was God incarnate. If my friend’s question was directed at the person of Jesus, then that question was something like “Why hasn’t God come to us more than just this one time which was a very long time ago?”

This is interesting indeed. God certainly could have incarnated himself over and over again, and there are other religions, Hinduism for example, that do have their gods showing up in physical form throughout human history. So, what is it that’s so special about the God of the Bible that he only came once through Jesus? Why can’t he come to convince us today? Certainly more miracles and another resurrection would help the unbeliever out, right?

Well, not exactly. First, let’s get the concept of “revelation” straight. To say that God has revealed himself is to say that he has made himself known to us. Revelation is an act of self-disclosure. Second, there has been only one incarnation of God, and that happened in Jesus. But, it is false to think that the only act of self-disclosure God has brought about is the incarnation. In fact, while there has been only one incarnation, there have been, and continue to be, grand acts of Divine self-disclosure.

Yes, the incarnation of Jesus was the fullest revelation we’ve had, but God has also disclosed his nature, power, love, and goodness through nature, through the Bible, through the church, and through the convicting work of his Holy Spirit (who is also God). And all of these various acts of revelation have caused all humans to be without excuse.

Would yet another act of revelation help the unbeliever? Would another incarnation do the trick? Probably not, well, at least not for everyone. Some people did follow Jesus during his earthly ministry. Nevertheless, plenty of people were shouting, “Crucify him!” too. In fact, at the crucifixion we see Jew and Roman there together. That’s representative of the covenant people of God (Israel) and all the Gentile nations (since the Romans ruled to known world at the time of Jesus). They were together for one purpose, the murder of God. The unbeliever’s problem is not a lack of evidence. The unbeliever’s problem is treason, a willful subversion of the rule and reign of Christ. Thus, if God were to incarnate himself again, he would likely end up in the same boat: crucified. Sinners hate God and want him gone.

You don’t believe me? Well, there is going to be one final act of self-disclosure. We don’t call the last book of the New Testament “Revelation” for nothing. Jesus is going to come back in glory and power. The unbelievers of the earth will be waiting for him, but they will be waiting with weapons in hand to fight against him. Of course, it does not bode well for them.

At bottom, both the person and work of Jesus are sufficient to bring about salvation in all who call on him in faith. Evidence is not the real problem. God’s hiddeness is not the real problem. The problem is that sinners reject the All-Sufficient One. They close their eyes and stop their ears only to shout, “We can’t see him! We can’t hear his voice! There is no evidence!”

We should pray, “Lord, open their eyes and unstop their ears so that they may see your glory and that they may hear your call and be saved.”

Why Is Christianity Better than Religion X?

There are so many answers to this question, but I want to focus in on one. I don't know how many of you have been following this story, but there is a mother who has become a member of a religious group (it's not very well known) and her 13-year-old son has cancer. Apparently, the prescribed treatment is something like 90% effective. That is, if the boy submits to chemotherapy, he'll most likely survive. However, the mother's new religious beliefs prohibit her from allowing her son to undergo the lifesaving treatment. The boy has also spoken up to refuse the treatment.

Now, the boy is in the care of child protective services because the state is going to force him to be treated. The issue is that leaving the child in the care of the mother will result in certain death, but giving him the treatment will very likely cure him. If the mother is going to kill him, then the state sees its job as protecting the life of the child.

These types of problems are not uncommon. Often, Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions. The courts usually get involved if the patient is a child, and the court orders the child to undergo treatment. Other cases pop up as well from time to time.

I used to think that the state should stay out of it. I use to think that infringing on their civil liberties and religious beliefs put the government one step closer to infringing on my liberties and religious beliefs. But I've come to change my mind.

There is an intrinsic problem when we talk about beliefs as "religious" as opposed to some other kind of belief. The problem is that "religious" usually goes hand in hand with their being a matter of taste or false. If their false beliefs or just a matter of taste, then the state does have an interest in ordering citizens to abide by true and objective beliefs if it serves the greater good. And, in these problematic medical cases, it is true that chemotherapy will cure cancer and won't send you to hell. Blood transfusions will save a life, not damn it to everlasting punishment. The court is, therefore, forcing people to live in reality.

Christianity is superior to these other religions because our beliefs are not "religious." Christianity is true and it is rational. Thus, these crazy medical problems just shouldn't arise within the Christian worldview. Any legitimate treatment will comport well with what we believe because that the treatment is beneficial is true, and all truth is God's truth.

The real issue is that Christianity fits the facts about the world around us. If the world makes medical discoveries or theoretical scientific discoveries, the Christian worldview can adopt them without making ad hoc accomodations--we're just adding to our stock of true beliefs.

How to Study the Bible

the following is taken from a fellow Christian website (www.gotquestions.org). It is so thorough and understandable, that I had to pass it on...

The question being asked is, "How should I study the Bible so that I do not end up creating or joining a cult?"

Question: "What is good Biblical exegesis?"

Answer: Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it. Exegesis is a part of the process of hermeneutics, the science of interpretation. A person who practices exegesis is called an exegete.

Good biblical exegesis is actually commanded in scripture. “Study [be diligent] to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). According to this verse, we must handle the Word of God properly, through diligent study. If we don’t, we have reason to be ashamed.

There are some basic principles of good exegesis which serious students of the Bible will follow:

1. The Grammatical Principle. The Bible was written in human language, and language has a certain structure and follows certain rules. Therefore, we must interpret the Bible in a manner consistent with the basic rules of language.

Usually, the exegete starts his examination of a passage by defining the words in it. Definitions are basic to understanding the passage as a whole, and it is important that the words be defined according to their original intent and not according to modern usage. To ensure accuracy, the exegete uses a precise English translation and Greek and Hebrew dictionaries.

Next, the exegete examines the syntax, or the grammatical relationships of the words in the passage. He finds parallels, he determines which ideas are primary and which are subordinate, and he discovers actions, subjects, and their modifiers. He may even diagram a verse or two.

2. The Literal Principle. We assume that each word in a passage has a normal, literal meaning, unless there is good reason to view it as a figure of speech. The exegete does not go out of his way to spiritualize or allegorize. Words mean what words mean.

So, if the Bible mentions a “horse,” it means “a horse.” When the Bible speaks of the Promised Land, it means a literal land given to Israel and should not be interpreted as a reference to heaven.

3. The Historical Principle. As time passes, culture changes, points of view change, language changes. We must guard against interpreting scripture according to how our culture views things; we must always place scripture in its historical context.

The diligent Bible student will consider the geography, the customs, the current events, and even the politics of the time when a passage was written. An understanding of ancient Jewish culture can greatly aid an understanding of scripture. To do his research, the exegete will use Bible dictionaries, commentaries, and books on history.

4. The Synthesis Principle. The best interpreter of scripture is scripture itself. We must examine a passage in relation to its immediate context (the verses surrounding it), its wider context (the book it’s found in), and its complete context (the Bible as a whole). The Bible does not contradict itself. Any theological statement in one verse can and should be harmonized with theological statements in other parts of scripture. Good Bible interpretation relates any one passage to the total content of scripture.

5. The Practical Principle. Once we’ve properly examined the passage to understand its meaning, we have the responsibility to apply it to our own lives. To “rightly divide the word of truth” is more than an intellectual exercise; it is a life-changing event.

History and Christianity

With Abraham, we come to a watershed in Genesis. From the creation of the universe through Noah and Babel, to Abraham, the author of the book is reporting history. However, the stories prior to Abraham fit squarely into “prehistory”: they report the details of a culture too far removed from the present to be reached by the tool bag of the historical sciences. But the story of Abraham brings the Bible into a time frame verifiable by the historian. From this point on, the revelation of God to humans takes place within the sphere of verification, and this leaves the Bible liable to falsification by the historian.

This is important because no other major religion makes these kinds of claims. Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. use stories outside the realm of real space and time to communicate religious teaching. For example, it does not matter to Hinduism wether Arjuna ever really existed. The Gita is trying to teach a moral not history. However, Judaism and Christianity stand or fall on the history that the Bible relates. If we discover that there was no such person as Abraham, then we have no hope because there was never any covenant between God and Abraham. If we find the real bones of Jesus of Nazareth, then he did not resurrect; we have no hope because there was no price paid for our sin.

Since there are real ways that the Bible could be proven to be a false account of history, we say that the Bible is “falsifiable.” This is not a bad thing. Our Bible makes claims about the way that the world is and expects that seekers will discover evidence that the world really is that way. Being falsifiable means that the Bible lays it all on the line and invites critical scrutiny. The Bible is not scared of being proven false, but this is not because it runs from the attacks of its enemies. Rather, the Bible erases the line between some irrational non-cognitive “faith” and fact. The Bible purports to relate fact and runs headlong into the battle to defend its fact-claims.

So, history is important for the Christian because our faith rises and falls on our account of world history.

Questions for thought:

1. Why should we think that the Bible, specifically the New Testament, is true?
2. How much would solid evidence that disproved the resurrection affect your faith in Jesus?
3. Should we, or, minimally, can we, take the Bible to be true on the basis that it claims to be God’s word?
4. If you answered “Yes” to 3 above, how do you get around also trusting in the Koran? It too claims to be the Word of God, but is it? How do you know?

Jeremy Green

UNwind

All of us are fully aware of the struggles and temptations of daily life. Lust, anger, jealously, pride, gossip, and the rest are always trying to get the better of us, and they seem to be attacking us everywhere we go. The Bible tells us that the only way to overcome these temptations is to "rest in the Lord" and to allow His Spirit to guide us, protect us, and deliver us. Tragically, however, finding the time and place for this necessary and daily spiritual rejuvenation has always been next to impossible. That is, until now...

Recently, FHCC has begun opening the Storefront from 7-8pm on Monday and Tuesday nights, to provide all people time to UNwind. This 1-hour or rest allows opportunity for personal prayer, Bible reading, and one-on-one discipleship. Silence is encouraged, but for those who really had a rough day, a trained FHCC volunteer is always available to pray with you.

Please consider making UNwind a part of your regular routine. Ambient lighting, fresh coffee, and relaxing worship music provide an intimate feel and comfort, and an ample supply of Bibles and devotionals are always on hand to guide you. MAKE TIME FOR GOD.

Mother Day Service

Join us this Sunday as we celebrate the perfectly imperfect life of Abraham's wife, Sarah. This godly woman serves as an example for all of us, and will provide a great opportunity to invite your mom, wife, or neighbors to church.

A free gift of appreciation will be given to EVERY WOMEN who attends. You're going to love it!!

*The 10am will take place INSIDE the Midway Movie Theater.

Water Baptism Service

On Sunday, May 17, FHCC will celebrate water baptism at our Storefront location. We encourage all of FHCC to be a part of this monumental event, and ask that you also invite your friends and neighbors.

Following Jesus in water baptism, not only draws the believer closer to God, but also makes a powerful witness to the unbelieving world around us. If you have not yet been water baptized as an adult, do not miss this opportunity.

A time of refreshments and community will commence immediately after the service on May 17th.

Date: Sunday, May 17, 2009
Place: FHCC Storefront Location
Time: 5:00-6:00pm

Sign up now to be baptized.