How To Understand the Bible Part 3 of 4

How to Study and Understand the Bible

How to Study the Bible and Understand It
(pt 3 of 4)

Acts 8:26-31, 35

Introduction

I. We Must Have Certain Attitudes and Qualities

A. Love of, and earnest seeker after truth Mt. 5:6; Jn 7:17

B. Willing to be taught Jas 1:21

C. General qualities: normal education, open-mind, common sense

II. The Setting and Historical Circumstances

A. Who? Speaker, writer, recipients Acts 5:38, Jn 16:13

B. Where? Place, customs, etc. Lk 10:25ff

C. When? Old Testament or New Testament; date; situation and circumstances; rulers Lk 23:42-43

D. Why? Underlying purpose Eccles 3:19

III. The Words Used

A. Author’s own definition is best and final Jn 7:38-39

B. Interpretation is one, applications are many

C. Word means what author used it to mean Mt 12:40; Jn 7:15

D. Etymology -- various parts of compound words

E. Time affects the meaning of words Ps 119:147; 1 Pet 2:12; Acts 8:33

F. Consider the antithesis (the contrast) in author’s mind Eph 5:18

G. Any word (expression) excludes only that to which it is opposed 1 Pet 3:21; Acts 16:31

IV. The Sentence Structure (syntax) and Grammar

A. Watch punctuation

B. Observe parts of speech -- noun, verb, adverb, adjective, Mt. 5:14: 1 Cor 11:27

C. Plural or singular? Heb 12:23

D. Pronoun’s antecedent Eph 2:8; Acts 2:1-4

E. Pronoun: interrogative (a question) or relative (statement)? Ps 112:1; Heb 1:7

F. Genitive case (“of”): appositive (=), distributive (from), possessive (belonging to), objective or subjective?
Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 12; Mt 8:14; 2 Cor 5:14; Eph 4:11-16

Do you really want to know and do the will of God?
John 7:17