From the introduction to 1,000 Bible Study Outlines by F.E. Marsh.
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Seven Rules for Bible Study
by F.E. Marsh
Introduction
The best way to prove the truth of the Bible is to study it. As the Living Word Himself proves His Deity, so the Written Word itself evidences its Divinity. Theories about Inspiration provoke controversy, but the fact of Inspiration commands attention. As life in its essence cannot be explained, so inspiration in its heart is beyond human ken. The living man proves the fact of life. The Living Book proclaims the Living Author. Men's books are bushes without the burning flame; the Word of God is a Bush flaming with the fire of God. "Inspired of God" is the Word's claim, and it contains the life of God. It is God-breathed and God-breathing. As the Creator breathed into man's body the breath of life, and thus united man's body with his created spirit, so God has taken the body of human language and united to it the Holy Spirit, and breathed the breath of the Living Christ in its sacred revelation. We do not worship the Book as a Book, but we worship Him who is revealed in it, and because of Him we prize the Book.
There are many ways in which we can study God's Word, some of which I have indicated in my "Fully Furnished" or "Christian Worker's Equipment" in which will be found, on pages 150-172, ten ways in which the Bible may be studied, namely: Geographically, Topically, Concentratingly, Geologically, Comprehensively, Critically, Grammatically, Comparatively, Textually, and Practically
Broadly speaking, if the following seven rules are followed the student will find himself so full of the truth of God's Word that he will never be wanting for a theme.
1. Study the Text in the Light of its Setting
Sometimes the division between two chapters will mar the beauty of association. We have such an instance in John's Gospel. Chapter three begins, "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus." The particle "now" which is supplied in the Revised Version leads the reader to see what has gone before. In the latter part of the second chapter we are told Christ did not commit Himself to certain disciples who professed to believe on Him, but He did commit Himself to Nicodemus, hence, in the conversation with him, as Sir Stevenson Blackwood once pointed out, Christ practically revealed to him every truth of the Gospel.
One other instance of the importance of context is the first word of John 3:16. Illuminated texts generally begin with "God so loved the world," etc., leaving out the conjunction "for." Reading the "For," we find that Christ showed the necessity of His death, in that the Son of Man "must be lifted up," before He revealed the cause of that death, is the love of God, who gave His only begotten Son. The setting of a Scripture is as important as the diamond in a ring. When the diamond is lacking the diamond ring is wanting. The ring is essential to the diamond's setting, and the diamond is necessary to give the ring importance and value.
2. Study Words and Phrases
A phrase of frequent occurrence in the Epistles is "In Christ." It will be found in at least three associations. It is an Inclusive term, for we are blessed by God the Father with all spiritual blessings "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). "In Christ'' is an Exclusive term. When Paul would designate himself, he speaks of himself as "a man in Christ" (II Corinthians 12:2). Being "in Christ", believers are no longer in sin, in the world, in condemnation, and in the flesh. Then "In Christ" is a Conclusive word, hence Peter speaks of "your good manner of life in Christ" (I Peter 3:16). At once we see the importance of the association of a phrase.
The importance of distinguishing words is necessary. There are two words rendered "Son" in the New Testament, namely "Teknon," and "Whyos." "Teknon" denotes one who is born, from "Tikto" to bear. Like the Scots, "Bairn" from "Beran" to bear, a child, a descendant. "Teknon" is never used of Christ for He was not a descendant of God nor of man, hence, this word is never used of Him as The Son of God nor as the Son of Man. Yet the word to bear is used of His birth, because as man He was actually born -- Luke 2:7. How accurate was the prophecy about Him, "Unto us a child is born, a Son is given" (Isaiah 9:6). As the Son He was not born, but given. As the child He was born and given. "Teknon" is applied to believers, because we have a spiritual origin -- John 1:12,13, R.V., hence heirship is based on sonship -- Romans 8:16,17.
"Whyos" is used in an adoptive sense, and is always applied to Christ as The Son of God and The Son of Man. It is written of Him, "Jesus Christ the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1), and "Jesus Christ the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). It is written, "She brought forth her first-born Son" (Matthew 1:25) on the human side, but on the Divine side, "God gave His only Begotten Son." The "Son" Mary brought forth was actually born, but He was not a descendant of man. He was "the Only Begotten Son" in an official sense for us, and is for us "called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Therefore as to humanity He was not the Son of man, but the Son of God; and as to His Deity, He was not a descendant of God, but God the Son. "Adoption of sons" (Whyothesia) is applied because of our identification with the Son of God, and the glory we are to have with Him. While we are not waiting for our relationship as children of God, we are waiting for our place as adopted sons -- Romans 8:15,23; Ephesians 1:15; Galatians 4:5.
3. Find Out About Eastern Customs
When a corn chandler in this country measures corn, he puts the corn as lightly as possible in the measure, and then uses a "strike" to level the corn with the rim; but in the East it is the man who buys the corn who measures it. It is to this Christ refers when He says, "Give and it shall be given you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over" (Luke 6:38). Geikie describes the process: "When grain is bought after harvest, for winter use, it is delivered in sacks, and the quantity in these is always tested by a professional measurer. Sitting on the ground, this functionary shovels the wheat or barley into the measure, which is called a tinmeh, using his hands to do so. When it is quite full, he shakes the tinmeh smartly, that the grain may settle; then fills it to the brim again, and twists it half round with a swift jerk as it lies on the ground, repeating both processes till it is once more filled to the top. This done, he presses the contents with his hands to fill up any vacant space, till at last, when it will hold no more, he raises a cone on the top, stopping when it begins to run over at the sides, and this only is thought to be good measure."
What an illuminating explanation is given in the Eastern custom above, illustrating as it does the abundant giving of God in return for our giving to Him. Many more illustrations might be given evidencing the importance of knowing the customs of the East.
4. Be Sure of Facts
Many a skit has been made about Jonah being swallowed by a whale! We are sometimes told "a whale has not a gullet big enough to swallow a man." That may be true of a Greenland whale, but not so with the Mediterranean whale.
Frank Bullen, in his book on "The Cruise of 'The Cachalot'," refers to the blunder which a popular M.P. made some time ago, when he referred to a whale in the following words: "Science will not hear of a whale with a gullet capable of admitting anything larger than a man's fist." Bullen relates the fact that a sperm whale, on one occasion in its death agony, vomited a piece of cuttlefish as big as their hatch house. He says: "For the first time it was possible to understand, that, contrary to the usual notion of a whale being unable to swallow a herring, here was a kind of whale that could swallow -- well, a block four or five feet square." On another occasion Bullen relates: "The ejected masses of food were of enormous size, one piece of cuttlefish being eight feet by six feet."
Another mistake about Jonah is made, namely, that he was alive in the sea-monster. His body was in the fish, but he cried "from the belly of Hell" (Jonah 2:2), which proves he was in the place of disembodied spirits, for "Hell" is the Hebrew "Sheol," which corresponds to the "Hades" of the New Testament. To be a perfect type of Christ, Jonah must have died and been raised from the dead -- Matthew 12:40, for this was the "sign" or miracle to the people of Nineveh -- Matthew 12:39,41.
5. Scripture Will Explain Scripture
As the light in the lampstand gave "light over against it" (Exodus 25:37), so Scripture illuminates and explains Scripture. In Genesis 37:25-29; 39:1, there seems to be two parties to whom Joseph was "sold" -- "Ishmaelites" and "Midianites." Higher Criticism immediately comes to the conclusion there are two narratives which contradict each other. "According to J.," he was sold (so we are told) to the "Ishmaelites," and "according to E.," "The Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt to Potiphar." Then the critics further say, "If (mark the "if") the text were a unity the Midianites would have been the Ishmaelites." That is just what they were. How do we know? In Judges 8:24, we are told that the Midianites whom Gideon defeated were Ishmaelites. All Midianites were not Ishmaelites, but all Ishmaelites were Midianites; just as all Englishmen are Britishers, but all Britishers are not Englishmen, as our Scots friends are quick to remind the English when an Englishman talks about England and he means Great Britain.
Another case where Scripture explains Scripture is in the use of the word "these" in John 21:15. Some have thought that "these" refers to the fish, but the remote context shows Christ refers to Peter's fellow-disciples. In Matthew 26:33, Peter says, "Though all" ("men" is in italics; see Mark 14:29), that is "all" the rest of the disciples, "shall be offended because of Thee, yet will not I." So Christ seems to say, "Lovest Thou Me more than these? You professed to do so, Peter, but you were no better than the rest, although you professed more. My Word was true, all of you were offended and proved unfaithful." This goes to prove the desirability of comparing Scripture with Scripture, and of patient reading and study.
6. Benefit of a Correct Translation
Even one who does not know Hebrew and Greek, with a good concordance and lexicons can get a correct text. Take a simple illustration. There is the primary particle ei., which Strong in his concordance called "a particle of conditionality," but of which Bullinger in his lexicon says, "But if in the indicative mood, assumes the hypothesis as an actual fact." Take a few passages where the particle is rendered "if," and instead of "if," read "since."
Luke 4:3: "If Thou art the Son of God. " -- "Since Thou art the Son of God."
Romans 8:31: "If God be for us." -- "Since God is for us."
1 Thessalonians 4:14: "If we believe." -- "Since we believe."
Colossians 3:1: "If ye then be risen with Christ." -- "Since ye then are risen with Christ."
1 John 4:11: "If God so loved us." -- "Since God so loved us."
See the importance of reading "Since" instead of "If" in the case of the temptation of Christ.
Godet says: "If Thou art, expresses something very different from a doubt, this 'if' has almost the force of 'since'." This must be, as the context proves. Satan had just heard Christ was the Son of God, and immediately he says, "Since Thou art the Son of God, command these stones be made bread."
This page Copyright © 1999 Peter Wade. The Bible text in this publication, except where otherwise indicated, is from the King James Version. This article appears on the site: http://www.peterwade.com/.
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