Truth Magazine

By 

Mike Webb

There is no more important question to ask when studying the Bible than “how do we establish Bible authority?” It is a question about which there is much disagreement in the modern religious world including the Church of Christ. In this article we simply want to look at the Bible to seek the answer to this most important question.

The Need for Bible Authority

1. We are commanded to do everything in the name of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” To do everything in the name of Christ means to do everything by his authority. In a similar passage the apostle Paul told the Corinthians to be careful “not to think beyond what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6). Both of these passages suggest the great importance of having Bible authority for what we practice in religion.

2. Examples that suggest the importance of having authority for what we do. There are many examples of men in the Bible who acted without having authority from God and they paid the price for their disobedience. One such example is Cain. Cain and his brother Abel both offered sacrifices to God (Gen. 4:3-4). God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but he rejected Cain’s sacrifice (Gen. 4:4b-5). The reason God accepted Abel’s sacrifice was that it was offered by faith (Heb. 11:4). This means that Abel obeyed God’s instructions for offering the sacrifice. Cain did not follow God’s instruction and his sacrifice was rejected. Nadab and Abihu also acted without God’s authority and were destroyed. The text says that they offered “profane fire which the Lord had not commanded” (Lev. 10:1). These are just a couple of the examples that suggest the importance of having authority for what we do.

Ways We Don’t Establish Bible Authority

1. We don’t establish authority by the silence of the Scriptures. Some believe that one way to establish authority is by the silence of the Scriptures. Some have said that where the Scriptures are silent that we are free to act. Some have written tracts and delivered sermons on what to do when there is no pattern. We must understand, however, that the silence of the Scriptures is not a means by which we establish authority. The silence of the Scriptures is not permissive. The Hebrew writer argued that Jesus could not serve as a priest under the law of Moses, not because the Scriptures said that he couldn’t, but because it never authorized it. Listen to the words of the Hebrew writer, “For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood” (Heb. 7:14). Some of our brethren today still act like the silence of Scripture is permissive. I hear brethren asking questions like “where does the Scripture say that we can’t do this or that?” When we ask questions like this we are asking the wrong question. We need to be asking “Where does the Scripture authorize it?”

 

2. We do not establish authority by expediency. Some of our institutional brethren want to list expediency as a means for establishing authority. An expedient is simply a means or method that one may use to accomplish a goal. We must recognize that for a thing to be an expediency it must first be lawful or authorized. Paul made this point in 1 Corinthians 6:12 when he said, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” We cannot claim an addition to God’s word or a substitution for God’s way as an expedient and think that it is then authorized.

3. We do not establish authority in a way different from first century Christians. Many of our liberal brethren are now calling for a new hermeneutics. We are told that the old hermeneutics is outdated and we need one for the twentieth century. We must recognize that Jesus and God have not changed (Heb. 13:8). We must establish authority today in the same way that the first century Christians did.

Three Ways to Establish Bible Authority

1. Direct Command. The first way that we can establish Bible authority is by direct command. This is when the Bible directly makes a statement or a positive command. One example of a direct command would be the apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost. Peter directly told the people to “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). All three ways to establish authority can be illustrated by the Lord’s supper. The observance of the Lord’s supper is authorized by direct command or precept. Jesus directly commanded the observance of the Lord’s supper in Matthew 26 when he said, “take eat; this is My body” and “drink from it, all of you.” Paul also directly commanded the observance of the Lord’s supper in 1 Corinthians 11:25. We can also find all three ways of establishing authority illustrated in the controversy of Acts 15 over circumcision. James in discussing the subject of circumcision of Gentiles appealed to a direct statement of Scriptures. He quoted from Amos 9:11-12 (Acts 15:16-17). After appealing to direct statement James had established that “we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19).

2. Approved Example. The second way we want to look at to establish authority is by an approved example. We are not talking about establishing authority by an example but by an approved example. By approved example we mean an example where the people were acceptable unto God.

Approved example can also be illustrated by the Lord’s supper. We know the time of its observance because we have an example of early Christians observing the Lord’s supper. In Acts 20:7 Luke records, “and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7). We do not have a direct command telling us to take the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week, but we find this example of early Christians com- ing together on Sunday for that purpose. We also find an approved example appealed to in Acts 15 to help solve the circumcision problem. Peter and Barnabas “declared how many miracles and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles” (v.12). This is a case of establishing authority by an approved example. God had approved the work of Paul and Barnabas in converting Gentiles by the miracles and wonders he performed through them. These examples proved that God approved the salvation of the Gentiles and that circumcision should not be bound on them.

3. Necessary Inference. The third and final way of establishing authority we want to discuss is necessary inference. This is not the establishing of authority by an inference but by necessary inference. By necessary we mean that no other conclusion can be drawn from the text. The frequency of the observance of the Lord’s supper is established by necessary inference. We read in Acts 20:7 where the disciples partook of the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week. By necessary inference we infer that since every week has a first day that they partook every single week.

Necessary inference is also found in Acts 15. Peter related to the brethren at Jerusalem how God had acknowledged the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit (v. 8). Peter then concluded or inferred that God “made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (v.

9). These are the only three ways that we can find in the Scriptures for establishing Bible authority.

Two Kinds Of Authority — Specific And Generic

1. Specific Authority. Specific authority is when God has specified what he wants us to do, or the method we are to use in obeying him. Specific statements exclude everything outside of that which is specified. The silence of God prohibits the use of anything other than that specified. The silence of God does not permit. The type of wood that Noah was to use in building the ark is an example of specific authority. God specified gopher wood and that excluded the use of any other kind of wood (Gen. 6:14). The elements of the Lord’s supper is another example of specific authority. God has specified the elements of the Lord’s supper are to be unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. This excludes the use of any other elements on the Lord’s table. The New Testament specifies that we are to sing in worship to God (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Since God specified singing this excludes any other kind of music like instrumental music or humming.

2. Generic Authority. Generic authority is when God has not specified the action or method by which we are to obey a command. In the case of generic authority we may use any action or method that comes within the realm of the general command. The most common example of generic authority is the command to go teach the world (Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19-20). In the great commission God commanded us to go and teach the world, but he did not specify the method we are to use when we go. Therefore, we are free to use any method that falls within the general command to go. We may go by car, airplane, bus, or we may walk. All of these are authorized because they are all means of going. God commanded us to sing in worship (Eph. 5:19). God did not specify what part we are to sing or whether we are to sing by book or from memory. We are, therefore, free to choose what part we are going to sing and whether or not we are going to use a book, or what book we are going to use. When we make these decisions, we are still obeying the command to sing. This is not parallel to instrumental music. God specified singing, and instrumental music is another kind of music.

Conclusion

There is no more important question than “how do we establish Bible authority?” We need to be sure that we are teaching the younger generations these basic principles. I believe that most of the doctrinal problems in the Lord’s church could be solved if we simply learned how to establish Bible authority and then learned to respect what God authorized. 

By Steve Curtis

The purpose of this article is to examine a few methods of Bible study. One may not consciously recognize different methods of study, but may have used different methods in his own personal study or in preparation for and participation in Bible classes. In discussing these methods, our focus will be on three things: (1) techniques of different study methods; (2) advantages and disadvantages of each study method; and (3) study methods in relationship to personal study and Bible classes.

I would like to thank brother Donnie Rader for asking me to contribute to this special issue. In no way do I claim to be an authority on methods of Bible study. Everyone does not use the same methods and techniques. However, this article contains personal observations and is written in hopes that some might benefit.

Survey Study

The purpose of this method is to get an overall view of a subject. This may mean getting a broad view of the Bible as a whole, a broad view of a particular book of the Bible such as Genesis or Acts, or a broad view of a particular period of the Bible such as surveying the prophets, the kings, the life of Christ, or the epistles of Paul. It is easy to find good outlines in each of these areas that will help an individual.

Can you imagine working a thousand piece puzzle without knowing what the finished product looks like? Just taking one piece, it would be difficult to get a general idea of where it fits into the picture. Does it go in the top or bottom, left or right? Without any idea of the finished product, would you pick up a piece and examine it for every detail to place it where it belonged exactly? Or, would it be easier to put all the pieces with a flat edge together, all the blue pieces together, etc.? By getting a general idea of each piece, eventually one could put all the flat pieces together to form the border, all the blue pieces together to form the sky, and so on. Eventually, by taking a general observation of each piece, one could have an overview of the whole picture. Now, imagine the difficulty someone with no overview or broad picture of the Bible would have trying to take one piece and understand the whole.

The advantage of surveying a subject would be getting a broader picture. To get a broader view of the Bible, reading is essential. Read to get a general idea as opposed to under- standing every detail and remembering every fact. In Acts 7, we find one of the longest recorded sermons. Stephen preached this sermon to the Jews. His main point, found in verse 51, is “You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.” How does he develop this point? Starting back in verse 2, Stephen uses an overview of the history of the Jews to show their fathers had rejected deliverers such as Joseph and Moses just as they had rejected Christ, the Son of God. Without his audience having an overall view of their history, Stephen could not have made his point as forcibly as he did. Think about how difficult it would be to understand the book of Hebrews without any idea of the tabernacle, the sacrifices, and the function of the priests under the law of Moses. Having an overview of the entire Bible will assist one in understanding biblical principles and contexts of Scripture.

No one method discussed in this article can stand on its own. The disadvantage to this method, if taken alone, would be a lack of knowledge concerning terms and principles contained within the context of Scripture. With just an overview of the Bible, one might believe the Ten Commandments are applicable today. One might believe instrumental music is acceptable in worship because king David used it. Terms, verses, contexts of Scripture, and Biblical principles can be greatly abused when one is satisfied with just a general picture of the Bible.

Individually, each person will have to determine how in-depth his survey will be. One might consider his knowledge of the overall Bible and the amount of time to invest in the survey to determine how in-depth the survey would be. This method of study will be a good means by which to build and fortify one’s foundation of faith. In a Bible class environment, the class needs to understand the purpose of the survey and the amount of time to complete it. A disciplined teacher will keep the class on track and focused on the broad picture and overall view. Examining every detail may cause the class to miss the forest for the trees.

Detailed Study

The purpose of this method is to examine each detail to have a fuller understanding of all that God has to say. Using this method, one may consider several factors. If one were going to do a detailed study of the book of James or the book of Joshua, factors such as authorship, date of writing, reason for being written, who is being addressed, and their home life should be considered. Also, one should include consideration of political, social, economic, and geographical settings. If one were to do a detailed study on marriage, it would be important to consider all of God’s word on that subject. Factors such as how the term is used in the Old Testament and New Testament would be important. Defining the term as it is used in its different forms and in its original use would be important to a full understanding.

The advantage of using a detailed study is being able to achieve a good understanding concerning all God has to say on a particular subject or in a particular context of Scripture. For example, a detailed study avoids taking a subject like the Ten Commandments or instrumental music out of context. The disadvantages of this method would be the self- discipline involved in such a committed effort, the time required, and the necessity of having a good library with at least a Bible dictionary, commentaries, concor- dance, and some type of Bible encyclopedia. Some may find it is hard to make time for such a study and may not have access to good library materials.

For the individual who would use this method, time allowing for thorough investigation of those factors mentioned above is important. With the proper attitude, this method will help to build upon the foundation of our faith. In a Bible class environment, students must be willing to invest the amount of time and effort at home to participate and fully benefit from such a Bible class study. Only well prepared teachers can bring each detail to light.

Verse By Verse

The purpose of this method is to examine the whole context of a particular book of the Bible. This provides a wonderful opportunity to consider every aspect of God’s word. Certainly detail is an important aspect of this method. One may consider comparing several translations of the text, defining important words and key passages within the text and examining what commentators have written. After such, it is important to organize information and thoughts into an outline so that each verse, each sentence, each paragraph and chapter are understood in relationship to the whole book.

The advantage of such a study is that it equips the individual not only with a thorough understanding of God’s word, but also assists one in understanding words and verses within the context of their use. Most of us have probably experienced studying with someone who jumps around the Scriptures, taking words and passages out of their context to support some false idea. Some denominationalist may read Acts 16:15, which tells us that Lydia and her household were baptized, as proof for infant baptism. Some of our liberal brethren may take passages like Galatians 6:10, “do good unto all men,” and James 1:27, “pure and undefiled religion . . . is to visit the orphans and widows,” out of context for authority for the church to show benevolence to non-saints or for working through human institutions. Some brethren might read Acts 11:20 concerning the Christians “preaching the Lord Jesus” as proof that they did not preach the church, but the Lord. A good verse by verse study of these passages in their context would help avoid some misunderstandings. One disadvantage a person might consider when using this method is that information from the study might not be profitable without understanding it in relationship with the broader overview of the Bible. Therefore, some may not find such a study interesting.

Individually, one can select a particular context that he does not fully understand or has not studied in detail. Taking good notes as the study progresses, one could eventually have his own personal commentary. Consideration for the age and maturity of students should be considered in a Bible class environment. Again each student must put forth effort at home to benefit from such a study. The teacher should not allow the study to become so detailed that the class loses interest.

Topical Study

The purpose of this method is to examine a word or subject comprehensively. This method of study might begin by using a concordance to locate as many passages as possible that refer to the subject of interest. Study each passage within its context to determine which passages contribute insight into understanding the subject or topic. The goal would be to learn everything possible God has said on a particular subject.

The advantage of a topical study is that it enables one to examine and understand all that God has said on a particular subject. This is an asset in personal work, teaching Bible classes, delivering sermons, extending invitations, etc. For example, take the topic of baptism. Using a topical study, we find that the Bible teaches that baptism is essential unto salvation (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). Baptism is for the remission of sins and follows repentance (Acts 2:38). The action of baptism for the remission of sins involves a burial (Rom. 6:4). What type or kind of burial is baptism? It is a burial in water (Acts 8:38). If all one knew about baptism was from Mark 16:16, how would he be able to know that baptism for the remission of sins is immersion in water? How would one be able to teach others all that God has said on the subject?

Any one of these methods by itself is not sufficient. This method becomes a disadvantage if there is no understanding of how the topic fits into the broader scope of the Bible. If one only has a topical knowledge of the Bible, he does not have a full understanding of God’s word. Many are probably familiar with the story of the six blind men who were asked to identify an elephant. Each man was given a different part. If each man’s idea of an elephant was only as extensive as the part he held, we know he would not fully understand what an elephant is. 

Individually, anyone interested in teaching must have some topical knowledge of basic Bible subjects. Since everyone is to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope that is in you,” it will do us well to equip ourselves with such knowledge. One might start with a subject he lacks knowledge of or he may choose some subject that will assist him in studying with a particular individual. Unfortunately, some never consider all the Bible has to say on a particular topic. Therefore, it is an effective means of teaching in a Bible class. It would be wise for the teacher to have studied the topic comprehensively to avoid seeming contradictions and taking passages out of context.

Conclusion

As mentioned before, I do not claim to be an authority in this area and now you know I have not lied. Hopefully, these observations will make us more consciously aware of different methods of study, see the importance of each, and the necessity of not being satisfied with just one approach in Bible study.

By Rick Duggin 

After a frustrating and unprofitable study with Watch- tower representatives, a young Christian mourned that if only she had known the Greek, she could have refuted their assertions, and possibly could have converted them. Since she did not know Greek and did not have time to learn it, she did the next best thing — she called in a “hired gun” to lead the next discussion. The ability to read Greek, in her opinion, was a intimidating weapon with which she could silence every objection of her opponents.

There are several misconceptions in this thinking. (1) It implies that if we do not know Greek and Hebrew, we cannot know the Bible as we should. (2) It tends to exalt the person who is acquainted with biblical languages, and to discredit all who lack this knowledge. (3) It gives a wrong message to those whom we are trying to teach. Our next door neighbor may already believe that the Bible is hard to understand. If we strengthen this impression by implying that he must learn the original languages to understand God’s truth, we may discourage him from further study.

Some Dangers To Avoid

1. The average person who knows nothing of the original languages can understand the Bible. Roman Catholics wrongly claim that the “Church” is the official interpreter of Scripture. We must not turn language scholars into our official interpreters. Most Christians do not know Greek or Hebrew, but their study of the English translations can equip them to know God’s will (Eph. 3:3, 4; 5:17). The most celebrated Greek and Hebrew scholars of our day do not understand God’s plan of salvation, the work of the church, or how to worship him in spirit and in truth. 

2. Christians who have no knowledge of Greek or He- brew can teach Bible classes effectively. Denominations often require their preachers to spend a few years studying the original languages in seminaries, but this knowledge does not necessarily improve their ability to teach, and it certainly does not enable them to teach the truth. Some of the best Bible teachers that I have ever heard knew little or nothing about Greek and Hebrew. 

3. Though he does not know the original languages, the studious child of God can refute false doctrines. Curtis Porter knew only enough about the Greek alphabet to use a lexicon, but I know of no one who had more skill in refuting unscriptural arguments than he had. C.R. Nichol, on the other hand, was a good student of Greek, and he had many debates, but he did not parade this knowledge to impress his listeners. In one debate he allowed an opponent to draw him off into a discussion of Greek in every speech except the first and last ones, and he was disappointed with every speech except these two. Since his audience had not studied Greek, they could not know whether brother Nichol or his opponent was right. Whenever we base an argument solely on the original languages, most people in the audience must take our word for it. 

4. There is no substitute for studying the context of a passage. It is not wrong to quote Greek and Hebrew words while teaching a Bible class — the biblical writ- ers themselves quoted foreign languages (see Mark 5:41;

15:34, and many others). The issue is how valuable this information will be to you or to your class. Suppose you are studying to teach a class on 1 Kings 12, and you want to know more about the “young men” who gave advice to Rehoboam. When you locate this word in a lexicon, you may be frustrated to learn that the word yeled means “child, young man, son, boy, fruit.” You have merely exchanged an English word for a Hebrew word that means the same thing. In this instance, a study of the context would have proved more profitable to you and the class than the ability to recall the Hebrew word.

 5. The study of biblical languages must not become an end in itself. An old Scottish proverb says, “Greek, Hebrew, and Latin all have their proper place. But it is not at the head of the cross, where Pilate put them, but at the foot of the cross, in humble service to Christ.” We must guard against any attempt to display our knowledge. Preaching and teaching must not become an ego-trip that focuses attention on the speaker. Whether the language is Greek, Hebrew, Latin, or English, before we pronounce an impressive array of words, we should first decide whether our purpose is to please God or to impress men. 

6. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The average man can learn how to perform an appendectomy in about ten minutes. If something goes wrong, however, he will need at least four more years of complex study to handle the emergency. Most people would not allow even the most talented medical student to operate on them. A little knowledge is too risky. 

In a few moments, the average man can learn the Greek and Hebrew alphabets, and this knowledge gives him access to lexicons. This can be dangerous. We have often heard someone quote Thayer to prove a point, only to find that he was quoting Thayer’s comments instead of his definitions. When a lexicographer assigns a particular definition to a word, that is one thing; when he says that it means a certain thing in a particular passage, be careful. At this point he has stopped giving definitions and has started making comments.

The 1952-1974 editions of the Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich lexicon include this definition of psallo — “. . . our lit., in accordance w. O.T. usage, sing (to the accompaniment of a harp). . .” (899). This is commentary, pure and simple. Bauer’s original German edition translated psallo as sing. Arndt and Gingrich added the phrase, “to the accompaniment of a harp.” This biased addition caused such a protest that Danker, to his credit, omitted the phrase in the 1979 edition of Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich-Danker.

Though students of Classical Greek highly value the lexicon by Liddell-Scott-Jones-McKenzie-Barber, they nevertheless view it as a form of commentary. Why? Be- cause the meaning of a word depends on its context, and the only way for classical students to be sure of its definitions is to spend years reading the original texts of Plato, Aristotle, Thycydides, and many others. Few students have the time and determination to reach this level of scholarship, but the fact that they put so much effort into reading multitudes of original texts, and not in merely quoting from lexicons, should tell us something. In one way, the good Bible student has an advantage over classical scholars. We have a relatively small amount of material to understand — the Old and New Testaments — and we can read the material again and again in reliable translations, thus seeing for ourselves how God uses words in their context. This does not imply that lexicons are generally unreliable, but it does admonish us to exercise great care when using them.

Is There No Value In Looking Up Hebrew and Greek Words?

If our preceding remarks have persuaded you that word studies and lexicons can be dangerous, you may be planning to include your word study books in your next yard sale. Before you do, let’s consider the other side of the issue. My purpose in the first part of this article is not to discourage the use of lexicons altogether, but rather to warn against some common abuses of them. While we would not allow a medical student to operate on us, our society does encourage average, non-medical people to learn first-aid. Why do we do this? Because it is better to know a little than to know nothing at all. The same principle is true of lexicons. There are times when the use of biblical lexicons can be very rewarding.

1. A word study can help to explain a passage to a Bible class. When Daniel explained the handwriting on the wall (Dan. 5) to King Belshazzar, why did he use upharsin in verse 25 and peres in verse 28? The “u-” of the first word means “and.” The “-p” becomes “-ph” when following the conjunction “and.” The “-in” is simply the plural form of the word. Thus the consonants are the same in both words — prs. While this is not absolutely essential to understanding the narrative, it may answer a few questions.

2. There are times when lexicons can help to refute false doctrines. Visitors from the Watchtower Society often portray themselves as skilled students of biblical languages, and they often seek refuge from difficult questions by mis- representing both the definitions and the grammatical rules of Greek and Hebrew works. This refuge often backfires. For example, they teach that death is annihilation, and often base their position on the word apollumi, which is translated “destroy” in such passages as Matthew10:28. They claim that apollumi teaches annihilation. They also teach that the earth will endure forever. But in Hebrews 1:11 the word apollumi refers to the heavens and earth. It requires a great deal of talent to stretch the definition of a word so far that it can include something that is annihilated in one verse and something that endures forever in another verse.

3. It can shed light on passages. When I first learned that the “simplicity” that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3) does not refer to the fact that the gospel is written in simple language, but to that which is single or sincere, in contrast to duplicity, I was forced to rethink an expression that I had heard and used for several years. (The gospel is written in simple language, but this is not the word or the place to prove it.)

It is enlightening to study the King James Version’s “Easter” in Acts 12:4. The word pascha occurs about thirty times in the New Testament, and in every case it is translated “passover,” except in Acts 12:4. All other versions that I have checked, including the New King James, consistently translate it “passover” in every passage.

Once I sat in a Bible class once where some were wondering if the “governor” of the feast (John 2:8, 9) was different than the “ruler” of the feast (John.2:9, KJV). A good concordance shows that the original uses the same word each time. The New King James Version uniformly translates it “master” of the feast.

Another passage that may seem confusing is Galatians

1. Paul refers to “another” gospel (v. 6) which is “not an- other” (v. 7). The original uses two different words. Heteros of verse 6 refers to a gospel of a different kind than Paul preached, while allos of verse 7 refers to a gospel of the same kind. False teachers wanted to substitute another (different) gospel for the one that Paul preached.

How Do I Find Words In A Lexicon?

There are several ways to look up words in lexicons, but we will limit our discussion to the two easiest.

1. Use Strong’s Concordance. First, find the word that you want to research. Second, locate the number that Strong’s assigns the word. If the number is in italics, the word will be found in the Greek dictionary in the back of Strong’s; otherwise it is Hebrew and will be found in the Hebrew dictionary. Third, find Strong’s number in one of the lexicons that is keyed to this concordance. For example, the word love in 1 Corinthians 16:22 is numbered 5368. Thayer’s lexicon is now coded to Strong’s numbering system, enabling someone who possesses no knowledge of Greek to find words just by matching the numbers in the two volumes.

This procedure is especially helpful in the study of He- brew words. The word love in Psalm 119:97 in Strong’s Concordance is number 157. Using this number, we can turn to the Index of the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, or to The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon, both of which are keyed to Strong’s, and easily obtain definitions that were once restricted almost entirely to those who knew Hebrew.

The King James Version of Deuteronomy 22:19 uses the obscure word “amerce.” While you could check the New King James Version to learn that it translates this word by “fine,” as in a financial punishment, this would not tell you if the Hebrew word behind the translation occurs only here, or if it can be found in other passages as well. Noting that Strong’s assigns number 6064 to this word, you turn to Brown-Driver-Briggs, see that it discusses the Hebrew word anash on pages 778-779, and learn that it occurs in about seven other places in the Old Testament, though it is not translated by the word “amerce.” In this way, the lexicon serves as an abridged concordance.

2. Use Young’s Concordance. Many people find that Young’s Concordance is easier to use than Strong’s. This book classifies the biblical words of the King James Version in groups, each of which is based on the original Hebrew and Greek words. For example, the word “love” in John 21:15-17 can be found under two entries in Young’s — Number 5 which gives the references for the verb agapao, and Number 7 which gives those for the verb phileo.

After looking up “amerce” in Young’s, and seeing that it comes from the Hebrew word anash, you may turn to the index-lexicon to the Old Testament in the back of the book, find ANASH (in upper-case English letters), and learn that the second form of the word is translated in the King James Version in the following ways — amerce, 1; condemn, 2; punish, 1; be punished, 1, etc. This is a very helpful tool that will pay rich dividends to the serious student of God’s holy Word.

By Donnie V. Rader

An Outline as a good preview and overview of a chapter before a detailed study is made. It likewise serves as a review and good way to summarize when the study is finished.

I am convinced that an outline of a text is half of the work of interpretation. That is, of course, if the outline harmonizes with the text. By now, most who hear me preach or read my material should know that I strongly believe that an outline is essential to a good study of any text or topic.

It will be helpful (particularly in the New Testament) if those who teach (and those who want to be effective students as well) learn how to outline a text. I promise you, if you learn to do this, your study of the text will be most enjoyable. Outlining a book or chapter is one of the most effective ways of getting the grasp of a book or text.

Organization is the key to almost anything we do. Thus, to get the great- est benefit from your Bible study it will help to know something about the principle of outlining. Those wanting to make their own outlines of a book or chapter may find this information about how to outline useful.

Let’s take a look at what an outline is, how to make one and how to use it.

What Is An Outline?

An outline is “a summary of a written work or speech, usually analyzed in headings and subheadings” (The American Heritage Dictionary Second College Edition 882). It is “a short summary of the main topics or principal ideas of a written work or speech” (World Book Encyclopedia,

1989, Vol. 14, 887).

Outlining is a way of organizing ideas or thoughts. A writer may make an outline (an organized collection of what he wants to say) from which he will write his article or book. This takes the ideas from an outline to a written document. This can also be done in reverse: taking the thoughts or idea from a written document to an outline. This is what we do when we outline the writings of the New Testament.

An outline shows the breakdown of the author’s thought patterns.

Types Of Outlines

There are informal and formal out- lines. An informal outline is merely a rough “skeletal” outline which may only have three or four points that are not developed in the outline.

A formal outline will contain more information and will organize the points showing the relationship of main topics to supporting ideas. In formal outlining there are topic and sentence outlines. (1) “A topic out- line presents information in parallel phrases or single words” (Harbrace College Handbook, 1984, 448). This method summarizes the chief points and sub-points in brief phrases. (2) A sentence outline uses complete sentences for each point. Most of the outlines that I do are topic outlines.

Now, let us consider various ways to outline a text of the Bible. One method is to make an expository out- line by listing some practical points from a section of Scripture. For ex- ample, one may take 1 Peter 2:8-9 and build a five or six point sermon outline on the duties of a Christian. This is a good sermon outline, but it does not tell us much about the flow of the chapter.

A second method is to make an expository outline by listing some practical lessons from an entire chap- ter. For example, Titus 2 could be used to list a number of qualities of the children of God. Again, this is a good study, but this method does not give the reader an analysis of the flow of the context.

A third method is to outline the points of the chapter and add explanations and passages that deal with the same subject. For example, as one would outline 2 Thessalonians 2 (concerning the apostasy that would occur before the second coming) he might add Acts 20:28-32 and 1

Timothy 4:1-3 in the outline. This type of outline might also have some explanation of the various idea of who the “man of sin” is.

A fourth method simply follows the flow of the context as it was intended for the original readers. This method seeks to fit every verse and thought in the chapter into the outline. This attempts to make an outline as if it were the outline from which Paul (or any other writer) wrote. This is the method that is generally followed in my outlines. Two things are done with this type of outline: (1) It shows how the writer’s thoughts develop. (2) It shows how the different parts of the chapter or book fit together.

The outlines that I use do not attempt to analyze each verse, but they give an overall preview of each chapter.

How To Outline

The following is a step by step procedure for making an outline of any chapter of the Bible. To say the least this is how I have gone about making the outlines that I have used. Let’s take 2 Thessalonians 1 as an example as we discuss each of these simple steps.

1. Read and reread the chapter —three or four times.

2. Watch for thought patterns to develop. Get a piece of paper and begin notation of these patterns. If it appears that verses 1-4 deal with one thought and 5-10 with another, write that down. Keep in mind that your first concept about the thought patterns may not even resemble your final outline.

In the case of 2 Thessalonians 1 it seems that verses 1-4 may be one thought (about thanksgiving to God) and verses 5-10 deal with another (about the judgment) and verses 11-12 deal with a prayer for the Thessalonians.

3. Check commentaries, introductions to the New Testament and Bible handbooks to see how others have out- lined the chapter. With some chapters you will find that nearly all outline it alike. With others, there are no two outlines similar. Not all commentaries give an outline of the chapter. Barnes Notes, the Gospel Advocate series, Benson and others will usually give a brief outline of each chapter. Also the New King James Version has a good system of paragraph divisions and section headings that are helpful.

In our model chapter (2 Thess. 1) Barnes suggest the following divisions: 1-2, 3-4, 5, 6-10, 11-12. Benson divides the chapter this way: 3-4, 5-10, 11-12. The GA commentary (Lips- comb) only has two divisions:  1-2, 3-12. After considering these and other outlines, we will compare them with each other and with our own notes that we made earlier seeing which one(s) best analyzes the chapter. Our final outline may borrow a little from each one of these or it may ignore most of them.

4. Find the major divisions of the chapter. Set them on a piece of paper using Roman numerals. Try to make sure that all major points are of equal importance. The same would be true for sub-points. That is, do not list as a sub-point a statement that does not have any bearing on the major point. When trying to fit every verse into an outline this is not always easy (or even possible in some cases) to do.

In our sample text (2 Thess. 1), I would put these major divisions down on my paper.

I. Greetings (vv. 1-2).

II. Thanks to God for the Thessalonians’ faithfulness and endurance (vv. 3-4).

III. Looking toward the judgment will help you endure (vv. 5-10).

IV. Prayer that the Thessalonians will continue to endure (vv. 11-12).

Obviously, the general theme of the chapter is enduring persecution. All of the major divisions (with exception of the greetings) have an equal bearing on the theme.

5. Reread each major section and watch for thought patterns within the major divisions. These will be your sub-points. Put these on your paper by indenting below your major point and use capital letters to identify your points. Then divide any sub-points by indenting and using Arabic numbers. Any divisions beyond that should used lower case letters and then Arabic numbers in parenthesis.

Back to our model text. As I reread verses 3-4 I see three things for which Paul was thankful. I list these as the sub-points.

A. Faith grows exceedingly (v. 3). B. Love abounds (v. 3).

C. Patient in persecution and tribulation (v. 4).

The same must be done for each major division.

The Value Of Outlining

An outline helps the reader to see the structure of the author’s argument or point. Consequently, it serves as a good preview and overview of a chapter before a detailed study is made. It likewise serves as a review and a good way to summarize when the study is finished.

Outlining serves as an aid to interpretation. The outline helps the reader to see the context in which the verse(s) set. If there is a difficult verse in the chapter, I can know that whatever it means it has something to do with the topic or theme of that particular section. One-half of the job of interpreting a passage is accomplished when you have completed your outline.

These outlines can serve as reminders of what each chap- ter is about. I have put each of these outlines in the margin of my Bible so that anytime I turn to a passage I can see the chapter title, key verse, and the divisions of the chapter at a glance. This is very helpful when I have to deal with a passage that I may not have studied for a while.