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Hi Karen,
I commend you in stepping up to the task of teaching scripture. I find teaching God’s word rewarding as a devoted disciple of Christ.
It is critical to thoroughly prepare your study before you present it to others. The best method to use is called the Inductive Study Method. The Inductive Bible Study helps you find the central truth and builds that truth into your life. This study method contains three phases; observation, interpretation, and application. I would like to add a fourth phase of prayer and meditation so that we acknowledge that we need God’s Spirit to lead us into truth. Here is a breakdown of each activity.
Prayer
Prepare your heart before the inductive Bible study; spend time in prayer and meditation, asking for illumination from the Holy Spirit, hearing what He needs us to hear. Where I go for clarity is a quiet room where there are no distractions. In the book of James it tells us that if we ask for wisdom, God will give it generously.
Observation
Develop the habit of reading the whole letter through in one sitting. This is not the time to “study” your book, but read it as a complete story, always looking for the larger picture. Read the select passage several times.
Make observations on paper with questions you may have; always asking yourself; What? Where? When? Why? Who? Write down words you do not understand, or words that you want to gain a deeper understanding of the original Hebrew or Greek.
Identify interactions, reactions, and occurring themes. Observe to see if there are any texts that cross reference to other Book of the Bible. Observe to see if there are any reference texts in other books that can help you with common themes or words (Your Bible side reference is useful for this process). This process helps us understand context.
Interpretation
When we approach the biblical text, we must ask: What are the necessary conditions for apprehending and entering into fruitful dialogue with its message? What methods are most appropriate for analyzing the data”. Take the notes that you have observed and written down, and hermeneutically answer your questions. Hermeneutics is simply utilizing a sound and consistent method of interpreting a text.
Most scholars find that the Historical-grammatical method gives a firm start point in interpreting the scripture. The aim of the historical-grammatical method is to discover the meaning of the passage as the original author would have intended and what the original hearers would have understood. The original passage is seen as having only a single meaning or sense.
Milton S. Terry who wrote a book called Biblical Hermeneutics: A Treatise on the Interpretation of the Old and New Testament said: "A fundamental principle in grammatico-historical exposition is that the words and sentences can have but one significance in one and the same connection. The moment we neglect this principle we drift out upon a sea of uncertainty and conjecture."
We practice the historical-grammatical method by using our inductive method: Observation, Interpretation and Application. Each step builds upon the other, and so they follow in order. The first step of observation involves an examination of words, structure, structural relationships and literary forms. After observations are formed, then the second step of interpretation involves asking interpretative questions, formulating answers to those questions, integration and summarization of the passage. After the meaning is derived through interpretation, then the third step of application involves determining both the theoretical and practical significance of the text, and appropriately applying this significance to today's modern context.
Below are some questions that you will answer when establishing the context of the scripture:
Who wrote this book?
Who are the main characters in the story?
Who did he write this story too?
What was the message that he was trying to convey to his readers?
What is going on in this story?
When did he write this book?
When are these events take place?
Where did these events take place?
Why did he write this book?
Tools of the Trade
Research the words you do not understand or want to gain a deeper understanding. Understand the message that the writer was trying to convey, gain knowledge of the background of the Book he wrote. Great books for your interpretation study are; How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Gordon Fees & Douglas Stuart, a good Bible Commentary, a Bible dictionary, Bible Encyclopedia, Bible Atlas, Concordance, and a Bible background commentary.
Application
Next we need to determine what do these texts mean to us? This is the crux of everything, and requires proper exegesis. Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is to find the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance. This involves asking what shall I do then in light of this scripture? How do I apply this to my life knowing that this has been given by God? How does this text fit into our life today? How can I apply this into my life? How am I to react? Build a bridge from your interpretation to today’s culture.
Helpful Questions to ask to generate discussion and develop application:
What are the commands?
What are the promises?
What are the cause/effect relationships?
What are the repeated words and ideas?
What do I learn about God?
What do I learn about Jesus?
What do I learn about the Holy Spirit?
What do I learn about myself (or mankind)?
Write out any additional observations including contrasts, lists, comparisons, etc.
A Final Warning
Finally I would caution anyone considering teaching God’s word to do it prayerfully since there is a particular burden placed upon anyone performing this holy task as described in James:
James 3:1-2 (New International Version)
1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
In light of what we have just read, you can see how important it is to conduct a thorough inductive Bible study. You will be judged by God according to whether you taught the correct doctrine as well as being held accountable in applying it to your own life as a witness. If both are done with the same diligence, you will avoid false teaching as well as equip the student to pursue a Holy life in Christ’s fullness.
In Christ,
Lance "Cartoonbug"
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