PRINCIPLES OF BIBLE STUDY - 3

3.   THE APPLICATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.

We now consider how best to apply this wonderful book to our lives for maximum value.  This may require a different arrangement in our daily lives, and certainly will require a positive attitude.   We need to read it, study it, understand it and obey it.  It must become authoritative in our lives.   In approaching it we must understand that the Divine Author is also the Divine Teacher.   "He shall teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things whatsoever I have said unto you."  John 14v26   Before we tabulate the various ways in which we can profit from this book, attention is drawn to Nehemiah 8v1-9 where it is recorded that the words of the Lord were spoken in the ears of people, many of whom for seventy years had been without.   The book was opened, it was read, it was read distinctly, the speaker gave the sense, the hearers had understanding there was much weeping and obeying when the words of God were spoken.   Again in Deuteronomy 6v6-8, after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the words of Moses to the people of Israel were as follows:  "these words, which I shall command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house, and on thy gates."

•  Read the word.     -     We cannot apply what we do not know.   If we adopt a regular pattern of reading,  say three chapters one day four the next, and so on, we will have read through the whole bible in one year.   This would take approx. 30 minutes every day and readings should be consecutive, preferably from beginning to end to get the sense of progressive teaching.  Try to arrange your reading at the same time every day.
• Study the word.     -     Take a smaller portion, when able, and read over several times, first to get the context of the portion, and then the details.   This is harder work mentally but more rewarding and can lead to the next stage which is as follows.
• Meditate on the word.     -     In line with Deuteronomy 6, this book should be with us from morning till night.   David spoke of the blessed man in Psalm 1 saying  "In His law doth he meditate day and night."  This is the exercise which the Holy Spirit can most use for our benefit.
• Desire the word.     -     In the same verse in Psalm 1 David writes  "His delight is in the law of the Lord."   Psalm 119v2,  the Psalm which is all about the word David writes  "the law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver."   Psalm 19v7-10 - there is a sixfold description of the character of the word and its benefits, suggesting a tremendous variety, so there will be no boredom.   "The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.   The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple,  the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes, the fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.   more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."   In Matthew 4v4 Jesus said that the word of God should be more important to us than our daily food.   Scripture speaks of the  "milk of the word" 1st Peter 2v2 and also of spiritual meat 1st Corinthians 3v2.
• A reverential fear of the word.     -     James 1v21   "Receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls."   Isaiah 66v1-2  Here is what God says about His word  "to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at My word."
• Obedience to the word.     -     Like the angels of heaven we should do His bidding immediately and without question.   Revelation 1v3  "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand."

PRINCIPLES OF BIBLE STUDY - 2

THE ACCURACY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.

In Acts 18v24-26,   Priscilla & Aquila took Apollos the great preacher aside and taught him the way of God "more perfectly."   The word means "accurately."   There is therefore a need to accurately interpret this book.   In 2nd Timothy 2v15  Paul wrote to Timothy commanding him to "be diligent, show thyself approved unto God, a workman not ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."   In 2nd Timothy 2 the believer is presented in seven different metaphors:

In verse  1    he is a son and exhorted to be strong in the grace in Christ.  

In verse  3    he is a soldier and is required to endure hardness.  

In verse  5    he is an athlete and must therefore play by the rules. 

In verse  6    he is a vinedresser and must first partake of the fruit. 

In verse 15   he is a student workman and must show diligent accuracy.  

In verse 21   he is a vessel and must be cleansed and fit for the Master's use.  

In verse 24   he is a servant and must be gentle and patient towards all.

It is in that context that Paul requires Timothy to show diligent accuracy in the presentation and interpretation of Holy Scripture.  He calls it the "word of truth" and it contains many divisions and many distinctions.   Distinctions between Jew & Gentile, Israel and the Church, different dispensations, two advents of Christ, two resurrections, five judgements, differences between law and grace, standing and state, salvation and rewards, profession and true faith.   Where these distinctions are not observed, confusion exists, and the profitability of the word is reduced.

Illustrations of the above are best found in the letter to the Hebrews:

• Hebrews 2v8     -     The writer argues from the authority of a single word "all."
• Hebrews 2v12   -     Quoting from Psalm 22v22 the writer argues from the expression   "my brethren," that it behoved the Son of God to put on the nature of man  .
• Hebrews 7v3     -     "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life."   The writer argues from silence, (that is what the bible doesn't say,) and builds a teaching upon it.   Thus God's word is important and accurate, not only of what it says, but in what it doesn't say.  
• Hebrews 8v8-13  -     Quoting from Jeremiah 31v31, the writer argues from the word "new" to establish that the old covenant has ended and the new covenant is in place.
• Hebrews 7v2     -       A note is made of the order of titles, first king of righteousness, and after that king of peace. 
• Hebrews 12v27  -     The writer interprets  Haggai 2v6  "yet once more signifying the removing of those things that are shaken ......"

With these and many other examples we note the minute attention to detail by the writers of Holy Scripture.   Expressions like  "the Lord spake unto Moses," "the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah,  Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah etc.etc." all of these make this book authoritative for everyone today.   The writings are both accurate and authoritative in the realm of history, science, culture, language, prophecy, wisdom and doctrine, both as to the core message and also to the very words used.

PRINCIPLES OF BIBLE STUDY - 1.

1.   AUTHORSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Over 3,000 times the bible claims to be God's word. and, therefore absolutely true.   Common phrases such as  "the word of God," "the word of the Lord," "the Lord spake," "God said," etc .are common, and so the bible is of Divine origin.  Those who disagree must prove otherwise and, so far, none have.  Written by more than 40 different human authors over 1600 years, and collected over many continents, there is but one divine author, the Holy Spirit of God, the third Person of the Godhead.

2nd Timothy 3v16-17     -     "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."   Note the amazing detail in this:

• All scripture is God breathed (Theopneustos); only two things in scripture at said to be God breathed namely human beings (Genesis 2v7) and Holy Scripture (2nd Timothy 3v16).   The Holy Scriptures are therefore the very breath of God.
• Profitable for doctrine........ teaching what is true.
• Profitable for reproof......... convicting what is false.
• Profitable for correction..... correcting what is wrong.
• For instruction in righteousness....... instruction in what is right.

All this that the man of God might be fitted to do the work of God.   It is the believer's manual for Christian living, it is not designed for sceptical minds.

2nd Peter 1v21     -     "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."   The word for "moved" means  "borne along;" that is, as they spoke, or wrote, their words were guided by the Divine Spirit.

Matthew 5v18    -     When Jesus spoke of Holy Scripture in terms of "the law and the prophets," He said it was accurate to the last jot (the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet) and the last tittle (the smallest mark of intonation).

This brings us to the statement made by bible scholars "the verbal, plenary, inspiration of Holy Scripture."    This means that every word is inspired, every letter, and every mark of intonation.   Like its author the scriptures are absolute perfection.   Every word, every preposition, every adjective, every conjunction, has been placed with Divine precision.   Warnings are given throughout the Bible regarding tampering with this word.

This means that every part of the Bible is inspired, including the genealogies such as the generations of Ishmael (Genesis 25v12-18), and the historical genealogies of 1st Chronicles chapters 1-3.  In the form of narrative, poem, song, and prophecy, from Genesis to Revelation the whole book is inspired and should be read and studied in its entirety. 

Note how the apostles viewed Holy Scripture; they weighed every word, and expounded its meaning.   Peter's theology was dogmatical, Paul's theology was exegetical, John's theology was spiritual, yet they all insisted that the basis for faith was the inspired scriptures of truth.