Using the Tools at Your Disposal

Start with Foundations  Understanding the difference between doctrine and text  Read the Introduction to the Bible translation  Recognize assumptions in translation  Theological perspective  Literal vs. Dynamic Equivalence  Dealing with idioms

Some Examples  NIV translates sarx.  NIV removes gar.  NASB, NIV, NKJV translates ekklesia.  NASB, NIV, NKJV, RSV, NRSV, NLB translates hadash – kaine  John 1:17 “but” added in KJV, NKJV  Many more

Comparative Texts  Look at multiple translations – notice differences  Do a quick search of the Greek or Hebrew – notice oddities  Do a little etymological research – look for umbrella meanings  Remember HOW the language works

Greek  Analytical  Nuanced  Cognitive  Internal  Noun based  Tense structure similar to English

Hebrew  Phenomenological  Sparse  Behavioral  External – community conscious  Verb based  Tense structure not similar to English

Rules for Exegesis 1. Context, context, context 2. What genre is the text? 3. What is the grammar/syntax of the text? 4. What would it mean to the audience that first heard it? 5. What was the cultural setting of the author? 6. What parts of the text are culturally located; what parts are not? 7. How is the text used in this passage?

TOOLS – Blue Letter Bible

TOOLS – Hebrew4Christians

TOOLS – Eshavbooks.org

TOOLS – David Fohrman

TOOLS -

TEXTS

Interlinear with Strong’s Numbers

A Strong’s-related Dictionary

Dictionaries

Commentaries

Practice

Community and Prayer  Debate is Healthy  More minds = better thought  The leading of the Spirit  A word of caution

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