1. Religious Anthropology
December 10, 2013

2. Doctrine of Illumination
The basic thrust of the Holy Spirit’s illumining or enlightening work relates primarily to our welcoming of the truths of Scripture rather than to our understanding of them.

3. In illumination, the Spirit’s job is not to do our work for us
In illumination, the Spirit’s job is not to do our work for us. Read the quote on page 64.
P 65 – Pretext or Context: Meaning comes from the top down, not from the bottom up, from the larger units of Scripture to the smaller units.

4. Meaning from the top-down
Genre: Type of communication
Big idea of the unit of thought
Big idea of the paragraph
Sentence
Meaning from the top-down
Word

5. Case Study: The Importance of Context
Pp67-70 – The proper and improper interpretation of Mathew 18:19-20.
- Common mis-interpretation:
- Verses and Chapters (Stephanus):
- Textual context of passage:
- Historical context of passage:
- Proper interpretation:

6. Commonly misinterpreted Scriptures

7. Philippians 4:13 - Common misinterpretation:
- Silent reading of Philippians 4. How do you feel about the chapter division?
- Meaning in context:

8. Religious Anthropology
December 11, 2013

9. Matthew 23 Homework
Take 5-10 minutes to finish up or add nuanced observations to your Matthew 23 Critical Reading.
Switch with your partner and look at their observations.

10. Meditation What do you think of when you hear the word meditation?
What do you think Biblical Meditation is?

11. Jesus’ Meditation: Matthew 4
In the wilderness on what was Jesus meditating?
What we learn from Jesus’ mediation:
1. He meditated on long chunks of Scripture rather than isolated verses
Larger portions give us a full thought, not a fragmented idea
We see the connections between the parts of a larger unit of thought
We give the Holy Spirit more to work with in renewing our minds
2. Jesus allowed previous experience of God’s people to inform is response
Parallels between 40 years in the wilderness and Jesus’ 40 days.
3. Meditation gives specific God-centered responses to temptation.

12. Defining Meditation 2 parts p88-89
שִׂיחַ – siach – to muse about, to consider deep at length – non-verbal.
הָגָה – hagah – to growl, utter, speak, or muse - verbal

13. Defining Meditation
Feedback Loop

14. Lectio Divina – p91
4 parts:
Lectio
Meditatio
Oratio
Contemplatio

15. Lectio Divina – Concerns?
1. Sometimes pits informational against formational
2. Pulls everything through an individualized formational keyhole.

16. How to start meditating?
Start by combatting 4 main hindrances:
1. Business
2. Noise
3. People
4. General Distraction
Three tips pp95-96