Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible
At Crossway’s blog, Peter Gurry and John Meade walk through “5 Myths about How We Got the Bible.” They cover some popular urban legends:
At a recent Simeon Trust preaching workshop, I was reminded by instructor David Helm that “in epistles, grammar always wins.” By this, he meant that, when we’re studying biblical discourse (as opposed to narrative or poetry), the most important interpretive questions and conclusions must rely heavily on the text’s basic grammar.
That raises a probing question for students of the Bible: Do you know basic grammar?
For example, perhaps you’re fond of turning to Ephesians 1 when arguing for the doctrine of predestination (since God “chose us” and “predestined us for adoption”). But do you know what Paul’s main point was in Eph 1:3-14? That’s not a difficult question—at least, if you can identify the main clause (the subject and main verb) of that one, lengthy sentence. I encourage you to comment below if you can identify that main clause (and bonus points if you can do it in three words!).
Or perhaps you prefer to argue in favor of the doctrine of universal atonement from 1 Timothy 2:4 (since God “desires all people to be saved”). But what is Paul getting at by divulging God’s salvific desire for all people? A grade-schooler could answer this question, since grammatically, there is nothing obscure about either the main clause of that sentence or the antecedent to which the demonstrative pronoun refers. Gold stars will be given to anyone who comments below with that sentence’s main clause and antecedent.
Now maybe my use of technical grammar language (clause? antecedent? huh?) is distracting for you. Do you really have to know all that lingo in order to study the Bible?
No, you don’t have to know the lingo. You can study the Bible just fine without being an expert in the terminology. But you must still understand what the concepts mean. At least, if you would like to study an epistle or speech properly.
In particular, any student of the Bible would be greatly helped by grasping the parts of speech and knowing how they function in sentences. Can you define the following?
That list doesn’t contain all parts of speech, but they are the ones you frequently bump into. In fact, the previous sentence contains every part of speech on the list; can you find each one?
Syntax is the label for how the words in the sentence fit together. And the most important aspects of syntax to master for Bible study are:
Finding and labeling such clauses for what they are, you will grow to interpret the epistles clearly and accurately. In the previous sentence, “finding and labeling such clauses” is dependent; that’s not the sentence’s main idea. The main idea is found in the main (independent) clause: “you will grow.” That’s what I’m after in not only this paragraph but this post!
I hope to post a few crash courses in grammar and syntax in future weeks, but I can go only so far. Yet you are not on your own to figure this out. Many resources are available to help English speakers learn basic grammar.
Here is a free, brief online course for those learning English as a second language. Native speakers know these grammar rules intuitively but will profit immensely from learning why the language works the way it does.
The classic Schoolhouse Rock has a series of entertaining shorts, with fantastic music, about grammar and syntax. “The Tale of Mr. Morton”—teaching subjects and predicates—is my family’s favorite.
As for books, here is a list of the best English grammar books on the market. I typically recommend The Elements of Style (#16 on the list), as I’ve read and benefitted from it myself. But #17 (English Grammar to Ace New Testament Greek) also looks promising, even for those who don’t plan to learn Greek. I’m sure anything on the list would be useful, so find whatever looks appealing and give it a try.
In epistles, grammar always wins. So when you study epistles, you won’t want to be on the losing side.
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Psalms 120 through 134 are known as a collection, entitled the Psalms of Ascent. Jeffrey Stivason briefly explains how they were used in Israel, how the collection is structured, and how it exalts the coming Messiah.
Brothers and sisters, the Psalms of Ascent are a reminder of what we possess in Christ. So, let us take up these Psalms. Let us read and remember that Christ built His house, laying Himself as the chief cornerstone. What is more, each of us are living stones situated one beside another creating a beautiful house temple to His glory. Therefore, let each psalm take us on a pilgrimage to our Christ. And there let us be glad and rejoice for we are safe in Him who is our God!
“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you” (Ps 128:1-2).
When someone decides they want to study God’s word, the first major skill to learn is that of observation. What does the text say? Good students train themselves to look long and hard at the passage, to take in all that the biblical author offers up.
And as people learn to observe the Bible, I have found them frequently to struggle with two dangers.
The first danger is to skip past observation too quickly. Observation tends not to be the most exciting part of Bible study. What really matters is interpretation; what does it all mean? Or perhaps the greater desire is for the relevance of application. How does all this connect to our lives? Those prone to this danger need to learn the patience of the long, hard look. Have you fully observed the structure? Have you captured the essential grammar? Have you noticed the flow of though and transitions through the passage?
The second danger is to live in observation and never move on to interpretation or application. When someone learns to observe, the skill can be thrilling. It earns the student praise, especially when they can find something in the text that others around them haven’t noticed before. In addition, observation is quite neutral, avoiding the painful labor of interpretation or the uncomfortable humility required for application.
The solution to both dangers is to remember that observation is a means to an end. Observation is not the final goal of Bible study; it is a means for provoking accurate interpretation and targeted application. And observation is not merely academic window dressing; it is the means for productive interpretation. If your observation is poor, your interpretation won’t be much better.
Learn to observe well. And learn when to move from observation to interpretation. Observation provides the foundation for the rest of your study, so it is worth it to hone your instincts for this skill.
Matt Cohen is writing about preaching, but his question applies just as much to leading Bible studies: “Is Sermon Application Legalism?”
Allow me to illustrate the potential error that I am referring to. Consider a pastor preaching from Ephesians 5:25, which reads, “Husbands, love your wives (imperative), as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (indicative).” The preacher elaborates,
“Husbands, God’s word calls you to love and lay down your life for your wife. Our failure to obey this command reveals our desperate need for our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is the true and ultimate husband who laid down his life to save, protect, and provide for us, his bride, the church. All honor and glory to Jesus our Lord. Husbands, praise Him, the great husband of the church!”
What is wrong with the pastor’s exegesis of Ephesians 5:25?
Before clicking over to the article, can you identify what would be wrong with the proposed application of the hypothetical preacher? Why is that approach not the solution to the danger of legalism?
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” (Matt 1:23)
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46)
“Not one of his bones will be broken.” (John 19:36)
“You are my Son, today I have begotten you.” (Heb 5:5)
Since the Bible had no verse divisions until the 16th century AD, we ought to consider what this implies about how to read and study the Bible. Ancient readers had no map or reference system to pinpoint particular statements. They could not speak with precision about a textual location such as Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14.
Instead, they referenced Scriptures by broad indicators such as:
They did not quote things the way we do. They did not have MLA- or APA-style citations, word-perfect precision, or bibliographical indices.
In fact, most people didn’t read their own copies of the Scripture. Most of what they knew about Scripture came through oral delivery, repetition, and memorization.
So if we read our Bibles only like 21st century students at institutions of higher education, we will not be reading them like 1st century commoners, or even nobility, receiving these remarkable works of literature from the hands of Jesus’ first followers.
What does this mean?
Often there’s a verbal connection to the exact verses being quoted. For example, when Peter wants to make a point about being “living stones” (1 Pet 2:5) he grabs a few key statements with the word “stone” in them (1 Pet 2:6-8). But his goal is not to produce sound bytes fitting for a radio interview, or back-cover blurbs promoting a book. He believes the referenced OT passages have something of their own to say, building a theology of God’s stone-construction program, which Peter now interprets and applies for a new audience.
When a NT author quotes the OT, he believes the OT passage has an argument to make that he now commandeers for his own use. The quotes are not window dressing, with the real argument coming before or after the quote. No, the quotes are a fundamental part of the argument. The quotes contain the premises upon which the conclusion stands. We might misunderstand the conclusion if we haven’t identified the premises (in their original context).
To use the four quotes from the top of this post: “Immanuel” had a fulfillment in Isaiah’s day that illuminates why Jesus’ fulfillment was so much greater, and even unexpected (Isaiah 7-8). Jesus’ feelings of abandonment don’t capture the whole story of what happened on the cross (Psalm 22). Jesus’ death was more about the idea of Passover than it was about checking off a prerequisite prediction about bodily injury (Exodus 12). Christ’s appointment as high priest involved more than a particular pronouncement from on high; it involved lasting victory over the rebellious kings of the earth (Psalm 2).
Sometimes the NT author applies a timeless principle. Sometimes he makes a theological connection to the person or work of Jesus Christ. Sometimes he sees a shadow that has become reality. Sometimes he identifies a pattern of life meant to be followed.
When Jesus explains the parable of the soils to his disciples, he references Isaiah 6 (Mark 4:11-12). Many quickly conclude that Jesus is laying out a strategy for intentional deception by parable. This seems obvious if we look only at the precise words and statements being quoted. But go back to read Isaiah 6, in the context of Isaiah’s book of prophecy, in the context of all the prophets, and only then does it become apparent that Jesus’ parables are actually meant to remove deception, to make things crystal clear (something which Mark explicitly suggests—Mark 4:21-22). Jesus is not trying to make people blind. He’s trying to expose the fact that they are already blind because they worship blind and deaf idols and refuse to listen to him. They become like what they worship.1 We see in many other places that the parables were far more illuminating than obfuscating (Mark 3:23ff, 7:17-23, 12:12; Luke 12:41, 15:1-3, 18:1, 18:9, 19:11).
Bible study is for everyone, even ordinary people. But that doesn’t make it quick or easy. Let’s do good work so we can understand the meaning these authors intended to communicate to us, especially when the NT uses the OT to make its point.
Nothing surpasses Beale and Carson’s tome, Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Baker Academic, 2007), which analyzes every NT quotation of and credible allusion to the OT. This reference work shows how important it is to look up OT quotes in their context.
The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers (Kregel Academic, 2018). In this book, Abner Chou explains how biblical writers made use of earlier scriptures. Along the way he gives many examples to prove that the quoting authors were concerned with the quotes’ original context, and Chou shows how the quoting authors appropriated that original context for their new purposes.
1I am indebted to G.K.Beale, We Become What We Worship (IVP Academic, 2009) for these insights about Jesus’ parables and Isaiah 6.
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Jenny Marcelene shared with her kids some of her own insights from studying Revelation. And in this piece she also shares them with us. Revelation is such an important book to be studying when times are tough. Here are four teachings from the book to help our children in the days to come:
Ryan recently encouraged us to read across the chapter breaks in the book of Nehemiah. Those chapter divisions are not original to the text. Sometimes they helpfully follow the literary divisions, but sometimes they do not.
Here is another example from the New Testament, in 2 Timothy. Reading across the chapter break helps us to avoid speculative (and thereby incorrect) interpretation.
In 2 Tim 2:20, Paul introduces the metaphor of a great house with a variety of vessels: some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Much could be said about the metaphor, its role in Paul’s argument, and its connection to Numbers 16, which Paul alludes to right before in 2 Tim 2:19. For now, I would like to highlight only that the metaphor involves a contrast between honorable vessels and dishonorable ones. A contrast between those that are useless and those who are ready for “every good work” (2 Tim 2:21).
The next paragraph describes what Timothy ought to cleanse himself from, in order for his conduct to be honorable and useful to his master. And though the chapter ends there, the thought continues right into chapter 3, where useless and dishonorable influencers are described. Paul then returns to the topic of Timothy’s usefulness as a minister (“complete, equipped for every good work” – 2 Tim 3:17).
So the metaphor introduced in 2 Tim 2:20-21 governs this entire section of the letter.
If I were leading a small group or teaching the passage, I might still separate 2 Tim 3:10-17 as a unit. But I would be sure to keep all of 2 Tim 2:20-3:9 together lest we lose the explicit contrast Paul develops.
Please make good use of the chapter divisions in your Bible. Often they are quite useful! But be alert that times of difficulty will come, when those chapter division will hinder your understanding rather than help it. The solution is to observe well and make sure you follow the author’s train of thought. Sensitivity to literary markers and transitions will serve you well.
Tommy Keene exaggerates only slightly: “Everything I need to know about Revelation I learned in the first eight verses.”
Different types of literature work in different ways. So as Bible students, we ought to have some idea of what we’re looking for when we begin to observe a text. And since epistles are logical literature, clearly presenting arguments, with premises and conclusions, we should look for such things. The conclusions are the main ideas of which the author wishes to persuade his audience. They can come in a variety of flavors.
Sometimes, conclusions come in the form of thesis statements that summarize the main argument of an entire letter.
For example, Eph 4:1 summarizes the letter’s entire argument in two parts: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to [Part 2] walk in a manner worthy of [Part 1] the calling to which you have been called.”
Another example is Hebrews 1:1-3, which states the letter’s thesis up front: “…God…has spoken to us by his Son…who sat down…”
John does the same thing in his first epistle: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
Alternatively, thesis statements can come at the beginning of a section, to introduce the topic of the next division.
Hebrews does this all through the letter, weaving the topic statement of each new portion into the transitional paragraphs between sections. For example, see Heb 2:17: “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” This conclusion to the first section introduce the next section, which explains how Jesus is both a faithful high priest (Heb 3:1-4:14) and a merciful high priest (Heb 4:15-5:10).
Another example is 2 Timothy 2:1-2: “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” This thesis introduces the section, which expands on the how to entrust the message to faithful men (2 Tim 2:3-7) before also expanding on how to be strengthened by grace (2 Tim 2:8-13).
One more example: 1 Peter 2:11-12 is the thesis for the entire section that goes from 1 Peter 2:11 to 1 Peter 4:11. Everything contained in the thesis statement gets expanded on throughout the section: abstaining from passions (1 Pet 4:1-6), honorable conduct among Gentiles (1 Pet 2:13-3:7), being spoken against (1 Pet 3:8-22), and glorifying God (1 Pet 4:7-11).
Sometimes, the thesis comes at the end of a section, summing up the argument in that part of the letter.
For example, Romans 3:19-20 condenses the argument of Rom 1:18-3:20. 1 Cor 14:39-40 states the argument of that chapter (though that argument was also introduced in 1 Cor 14:1). Philippians 4:1 states the thesis of Paul’s argument that he presented all the way from Phil 1:12 to that point.
Whether you are studying a lengthy or brief amount of text, don’t forget that the authors of epistles generally wanted to persuade their readers to believe or do something. They knew as well as writers do today, that one key to persuasion is to explicitly inform your audience what it is you would like to persuade them of. Therefore—here is my thesis statement at the end—we ought to look for thesis statements in the Bible’s logical literature, especially epistles.
