Lesson 1 -- It Is Possible To Understand The Bible

God wants all men to know the truth.
  • 1 Timothy 2:4
  • John 8:31-32
 
God gave us a book we can understand.
  • 2 Timothy 3:14-17
  • Isaiah 35:8
  • Ephesians 3:3-4
  • 2 Peter 3:16
  • Acts 8:30-39
 
Understanding the Bible requires diligent effort.
  • 2 Timothy 2:15
  • Psalms 1:2
  • John 5:39
  • Acts 17:11-12
 
Understanding the Bible requires the proper attitude.
  • John 7:17
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
  • Matthew 13:10-16
 
What motivates you to study the Bible?
  • Good Motives
    • To know God’s will
    • For faith
    • To grow spiritually
    • For salvation
    • To be a better teacher
    • For guidance
  • Bad Motives
    • To defend your doctrine
    • Looking for contradictions
    • To show off your knowledge
    • For curiosities sake
    • To win an argument
    • Looking for loopholes
 
Lesson 2 – Questions To Ask When Studying The Bible
 
Failure to ask questions like “Who is speaking? Who is being addressed? What is the context?” will always lead to a misunderstanding of the Bible.
 
What do these Bible verses teach?
  • Acts 2:38; 22:16 be baptized, wash
  • Revelation 7:14 wash your robe in Jesus’ blood
  • Matthew 26:27-29 grape juice is Jesus’ blood
  • Take a bath with your robe on in grape juice?
 
What do these Bible verses teach?
  • Hebrews 10:25 go to church
  • 1 Corinthians 3:16 the church is the temple of God
  • Acts 7:30-33 take off your shoes in the presence of God
  • Go to church barefooted?
 
What do these Bible verses teach?
  • Matthew 27:5 Judas went and hanged himself
  • Luke 10:37 go and do the same
  • John 13:27 what you do, do quickly
  • Go out and hang yourself right now?
 
Who is speaking?
  • Genesis 3:4 “You will not surely die.”
  • Job 2:9 “Curse God and die!”
  • Mark 3:22 “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
 
Who is being addressed?
  • Genesis 6:14 “Make yourself an ark…”
  • Joshua 6:3 “You shall march around the city…”
  • 2 Kings 5:10 “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times…”
  • John 9:7 “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam…”
 
What is the purpose?
  • Why was the Bible written?
    • 2 Timothy 3:16-17
  • Why was the Law of Moses written?
    • Galatians 3:19-25
  • Why was each book/letter written?
    • Luke 1:1-4
    • John 20:30-31
    • 1 Corinthians 4:14
    • 1 John 1:3-4; 5:13
  • Why was each passage written?
    • Luke 15:3-32 (vv. 1-2)
    • Luke 18:2-8, 10-14 (vv. 1, 9)
    • Matthew 6:9-15 (vv. 5-8)
    • 1 Corinthians 9:1-10:13 (8:1-11:1)
 
What are all the surrounding circumstances?
  • Consider:
    • Time
    • Place
    • People
    • History
    • Customs
    • Language
    • Politics
    • Conditions
 
  • Apply to:
    • Deuteronomy 24:1-4
    • John 3:3
    • John 13:14
    • Romans 16:16
    • 1 Corinthians 11:13
    • 1 Corinthians 14:34
    • Revelation
 
Lesson 3 – The Covenants Of The Bible
 
2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
 
The Patriarchs
  • Adam – Gen. 1:28-30 (cf. 3:14-19 the serpent, the woman, and the man)
  • Noah – Gen. 6:13-22; 9:8-17
  • Abraham – Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 17:1-14; 22:18 (cf. Jos. 23:14-16; Lev. 26:14ff; Deu. 28:15ff, 63ff; Rom. 9-11; Gal. 3:8, 16, 26-29; Heb. 11:8-16 fulfilled and conditional)
 
The Law Of Moses
  • It was given to Israel – Exo. 19:3-6; 34:27-28; Deu. 5:1-6
  • It was not given to the Gentiles – Psa. 147: 19-20; Rom. 2:14; Eph. 2:11-12
  • It was a temporary law superseded by the gospel of Christ – Jer. 31:31-34; Mat. 17:1-5; Rom. 7:6; 10:4; 2 Cor. 3:7-11; Gal. 3:19-25; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 1:1-2; 7:11-28; 8:1-13; 9:15-17; 10:9-10
 
The Gospel Of Christ
  • The new covenant of Christ is for all nations – Mat. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; John 12:48; 14:6; Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 1:16-17; Col. 3:17; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2
 
Charting The Covenants
​The Old Testament was written for our learning.
  • Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 10:1; 1 Cor. 10:6-11
 
Compare the different laws in America.
  • The Law of the Indians
  • The Rule of England
  • The Constitution of the United States
 
Applying The Lesson Of The Covenants
  • The Sabbath – Heb. 4:9-10
  • Circumcision – Col. 2:11-12
  • Sacrifices – Heb. 10
  • The Priesthood – 1 Pet. 2:5
  • The Thief On The Cross – Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16
  • The Temple – 1 Cor. 3:16-17
  • The Law – 2 Cor. 3; Heb. 7-10
 
Lesson 4 – Comparing Scripture With Scripture
 
Consider all passages of Scripture upon any given subject before drawing conclusions.
  • Matthew 4:5-7
  • Psalms 51:5 – Eze. 18:20; Mat. 19:14
  • John 3:16 – Luke 13:3; Mat. 10:32-33; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:5; Mat. 10:22; Rev. 2:10
  • Acts 22:16 – Mat. 26:28; Rom. 6:3-5; Rev. 1:5
  • 1 Peter 1:5 – Jude 20-21
  • 1 John 4:8 – Hebrews 12:28
 
Be careful how you add up Scripture!
  • Psalms 119:160 “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”
 
All passages must harmonize, you cannot stack Scripture against Scripture.
  • Judge not (Mat. 7:1; Luke 6:37; Rom. 2:1; 14:4) versus judge (Mat. 7:16-20; Luke 7:43; John 7:24; 1 Cor. 5:12-13; 6:2-5; 14:29). Note: Consider the context of each passage.
  • Salvation not by works (Rom. 4:1-8; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5; cf. Mark 5:36) versus salvation by works (Acts 10:34-35; Gal. 5:6; Phi. 2:13; Jam. 2:14-26; cf. Acts 2:40; Rom. 1:5; 16:26). Note: A word may have more than one meaning.
  • Women forbidden to teach (1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:11-12) versus women permitted to teach (Acts 18:26; 21:8-9; Tit. 2:3-4). Note: One passage may put limitation on another.
 
Let the Bible interpret itself.
  • Plain passages can throw light on difficult passages.
    • Matthew 13:3-8 – Mat. 13:18-23
    • John 3:5 – Eph. 5:26; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:23
    • 1 Corinthians 14:2 – Acts 2:4, 6, 8; 1 Cor. 14:10-11
  • The New Testament explains Old Testament prophecy.
    • Genesis 12:3; 22:18 – Gal. 3:8, 16
    • Isaiah 7:14 – Mat. 1:23
    • Isaiah 11:1-10 – Rom. 15:8-12
    • Joel 2:28-32 – Acts 2:1-21
    • Amos 9:11-12 – Acts 15:13-18
 
Lesson 5 – Figurative Language
 
Sometimes a passage tells us it is figurative.
  • 1 Kings 18:27
  • Luke 18:1-8
  • Luke 23:35
  • John 2:18-22
  • John 7:37-39
  • John 10:1-6
  • Acts 2:13
  • Galatians 4:21-31
 
Sometimes the context of a passage demands it be understood as figurative.
  • Matthew 26:26-28 (cf. 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
  • Luke 13:31-32
  • John 4:10-15
  • 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:1-2
  • Revelation 17:2 (cf. Jeremiah 51:7)
 
Sometimes common sense indicates a passage is figurative.
  • Psalms 18:2
  • Jeremiah 1:18-19
  • Matthew 5:27-30
  • Luke 9:62
 
Types Of Figurative Language
  • Simile – a comparison using “like” or “as” (Mat. 3:16; Acts 2:2-3)
  • Similitude – a drawn out simile (Mark 4:26-29)
  • Metaphor – an implied comparison (Gen. 49:9, 21, 22; Mat. 5:13-14; 26:26-28; Luke 13:32; John 10:7; 15:1)
  • Allegory – a drawn out metaphor (Gal. 4:21-31; Eph. 6:11-17)
  • Parable – an earthly story with a heavenly meaning (Mat. 13:1-52)
  • Fable – an allegory using personification (Jud. 9:7-21)
  • Irony – ridicule exposing error by seeming to approve it (1 Cor. 4:8-14)
  • Sarcasm – using irony to mock, scorn or show contempt (Mark 15:31-32; 2 Cor. 12:13)
  • Metonymy – one thing is put for another (Gen. 9:25 Canaan for his descendants; Exo. 12:21 Passover for lamb; Hos. 1:2 Land for the people of the land; Luke 16:29 Moses and the prophets for their writings)
  • Synecdoche – whole for part or part for whole (Jud. 12:7; Mat. 12:40; Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 2:2)
  • Hyperbole – an exaggeration to stress a point (Jud. 7:12; 2 Sam. 1:23; Psa. 6:6; Mat. 23:23-24; John 21:25; Eph. 3:8)
  • Personification – inanimate things are animated or given human characteristics (Num. 16:32; Job 28:14, 22; Psa. 98:8; 114:3-4; Isa. 55:12; Hab. 3:10; Mat. 6:34; 1 Cor. 12:15-16)
  • Anthropomorphism – God is given human characteristics (Gen. 3:8; 8:21; 11:5; Psa. 8:3; 1 Pet. 3:12, 22)
  • Types/Shadows – a representation of something to come (Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 8:5; 9:9, 23-24; 10:1)
  • Apocalyptic – an unveiling or revelation; a type of literature using visions and symbols (e.g. Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Joel; Zechariah, Revelation; cf. Mat. 24:29-31; Rev. 1:1-3, 20)
 
Lesson 6 – Prophecy
 
We must recognize the sometimes figurative nature of prophecy (Heb. 1:1; Rev. 1:1).
  • Isaiah 40:3-5 – Mat. 3:1-3 John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord by his preaching of repentance and the coming of the kingdom
 
We must not set one prophecy against another prophecy (1 Cor. 14:33).
  • Isaiah 11:6-8 – Isaiah 35:8-9 Lions or no lions? Just symbols of peace
  • Ezekiel 37:22, 24 – Jeremiah 23:5 David or Jesus? Jesus is the greater David from whom Jesus came and of which David is a type
  • Ezekiel 38:11-12, 17-23 – Ezekiel 40:5; 42:20 Walls or no walls? Just symbols of God’s protection, security of His people
 
We must accept the inspired interpretation of prophecy (Rom. 3:4).
  • Isaiah 11:1-10 – Romans 15:8-12 peace in the church of Jesus Christ
  • Amos 9:11-12 – Acts 15:13-18 salvation of Gentiles in the church
 
We must accept the time element stated for the fulfillment of prophecy (Acts 1:6-7).
  • Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 2:26-45; Joel 2:28-32 – Mark 1:15; 9:1; Acts 2:16-17 God’s house, kingdom came in the last days during the days of the Roman kings and the lifetime of some of the apostles, with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
  • Matthew 24:1-3 – Matthew 24:4-36 The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem happened after the signs Jesus gave, when the city was surrounded by armies (cf. Luke 21:20), during the generation (cf. 1:17; 11:16; 12:38-45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36) of Jesus and His apostles but nobody knows when the end of the world will come.

Written by Robert Dodson