1. Methods of Bible Study
Week 3

2. Genres of the New Testament
And an Inductive Study of Colossians

3. GENRE: the GOSPELS CHALLENGES “Pericopes” = pronouncement stories
Jesus did not write the gospels
“Pericopes” = pronouncement stories
Four gospels by four authors
“synoptic” gospels = Matthew, Mark, Luke
Different Christian communities
They stand together:
Facts about Jesus
Teachings of Jesus
Bear witness to Jesus

4. The Gospels continued GUIDELINES: 1st century Judaism
Written about Jesus
Written by 4 men
Written to different audiences
Historical Context- Culture & Religion
Jesus
1st century Judaism
Audience- disciples, crowds, opponents

5. The Gospels continued Authors Selectivity Arrangement Adaptation
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John

6. The Gospels continued PROCESS Observe- What do I see?
Individual stories & discourses
Who, What, Where, When, How
Collective stories & discourses
Connections, comparisons
Literary forms
Parable, hyperbole, proverbs, simile & metaphor, question, irony

7. The Gospels continued
Interpret- What does it mean? How does it relate to Here and Now?
Think horizontally- what do the other gospels say?
Appreciate the distinctives
Think vertically- How does this represent Jesus?
Look for how Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy
Look for the eternal, cross-cultural, timeless truths

8. The Gospels continued Apply- What do I do? What is the timeless truth?
Meditate, Practice
Who should I be?
How should I think?
What should I do?
Where should I go?
Who will I teach?
Remember: we live in the tension of already and not yet…

9. Genre: the PARABLES CHALLENGES Hard to understand Original audience
Was Jesus trying to be obtuse?
Original audience
Hear what they heard = cultural context

10. The Parables continued
GUIDELINES
The point of the parable is crucial
The purpose is to respond in a certain way
Definitions:
True parable is a story with an intended response
Similitudes were illustrations taken from everyday life
Allegory assigns separate meanings to all elements of the story and those become the point of the story

11. The Parables continued
PROCESS
Observe- What are the key points of reference?
Read again and again
Interpret- What was the point?
Apply- What do I do?
Translate the point into my cultural context
All the parables in some way proclaim the Kingdom of God and the urgency of choosing Him

12. Genre: ACTS CHALLENGES Is it precedent or principle?
Norm to be restored or ideal to be approximated?
What is our purpose in reading?
History
Devotionally

13. Acts continued GUIDELINES Luke Gentile Holy Spirit inspired
Hellenistic historiography = written to encourage, entertain, moralize, inform, offer an apologetic

14. Acts continued PROCESS Observe- What do I see? Read again and again!
Who, what, where, when, how
Repetition of words, themes
Find the summary statements
1st = Acts 6:7
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

15. Acts continued Interpret- What does it mean? Apply – What do I do?
Luke is demonstrating the movement of the gospel
Not a theological treatise
What is the point of each passage?
Apply – What do I do?
Principle? Timeless Truths, Luke’s intent
What is explicit/ imperative? = primary
Precedent? (All of us do this, but inconsistently!)
What is implied, derived? = secondary

16. Genre: the EPISTLES CHALLENGES One-sided telephone call!
Problem passages
God’s word to THEM, not us
Details may be difficult, but what is the bigger point?
Humility
Application
There and Then coming to the Here and Now
Cultural relativity

17. The Epistles continued
GUIDELINES
Occasional documents = written in 1st century to specific audience in a specific situation
Not written to be theological treatises
Caution: we may come asking questions they were not asking!
“Task theology”
Theology applied and directed to a specific need

18. The Epistles continued
Common form:
Introduction
Author
Audience
Greeting
Prayer of thanksgiving
Body
Conclusion
Final greeting
Farewell
Etc.

19. The Epistles continued
PROCESS
Observe- What do I see?
Read- entire letter at one time, out loud!
Reconstruct- the big picture
Who, what, where, when, why, how of their situation
Repeat!
For smaller sections and paragraphs

20. The Epistles continued
Interpret- What does it mean?
Paragraphs: What is the point?
Series of Paragraphs: What is the point?
Trace the answers to the question(s), paragraph by paragraph
Timeless Truths – what is central to the message of all of Scripture? Consistently taught throughout all of Scripture? Inherently true in all situations?

21. The Epistles continued
Apply- What do I do?
Timeless Truths- find a parallel contemporary situation
A text can never mean what it never meant
Practice:
Who should I be?
How should I think?
What should I do?
Where should I go?
Who will I teach?

22. INDUCTIVE METHOD COLOSSIANS Observe- What do I see?
Interpret- What does it mean?
Apply- What do I do?