1. Interpretation Summary
Dr Rick Griffith
Singapore Bible College
Biblestudydownloads.com

2. Basics of the Journey Duvall & Hays, Grasping God's Word
Above is a pictorial representation of our consistent approach to biblical interpretation. We call it the Interpretative Journey. There are 5 steps on this journey:
Grasping the Text in Their Town
Measuring the Width of the River to Cross
Crossing the Principlizing Bridge
Consult the Biblical Map
Grasping the Text in Our Town
By embarking on this journey we commit to the goal of grasping the meaning of text. We do not create meaning out of a text; rather, we seek to find the meaning that is already there.
Duvall, J. Scott, and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God's Word: A Hands-on Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible. Third Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.
Duvall & Hays, Grasping God's Word

3. Step 1: Grasping the Text in Their Town
Basics of the Journey
Step 1: Grasping the Text in Their Town
Question: What did the text mean to the biblical audience?
Duvall & Hays, Grasping God's Word

4. Basics of the Journey Step 1 Their Town:
Read the text carefully and make observations.
Study the historical and literary context.
Synthesize the meaning of the passage for the biblical audience.
The synthesis statement should use past tense verbs and refer to the biblical audience.
Duvall & Hays, Grasping God's Word

5. Basics of the Journey
Step 2: Measuring the Width of the River to Cross Question: What are the differences between the biblical audience and us?
Duvall & Hays, Grasping God's Word

6. Basics of the Journey Step 2 River Measurement:
Account for common differences: culture, language situation, time and covenant.
Focus on the unique differences found in a specific text.
If you are studying an Old Testament passage, you must account for the life and work of Jesus Christ.
Students often get bogged down in the common differences that possibly have little impact on the interpretation of a passage. It is important for them to realize that to take the Interpretative Journey means that we must account for the unique set of differences that we find in any given text.
Duvall & Hays, Grasping God's Word

7. How to Restore Relationships
Matthew 18: Exegetical Outline
10 December 2006
6 March 2011

8. Matthew 18:15-20 How to Restore 15-17 Why to Restore 18-20
If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
How to Restore 15-17
Why to Restore 18-20
two main teachings on restoring Christians in sin

9. I. (15-17) The manner in which the church should correctly restore a sinning Christian is by keeping the matter as private as possible.
(15) A private sin should be dealt with only between those directly involved so as to make restoration of the offender easier.
(16) Unrepentant sin after a private confrontation should be exposed only to one or two more persons in order to facilitate restoring the sinner.
(17a) Unrepentant sin after a small group attempt at restoration should be brought before the entire church body as a deterrent to continued sin.
(17b) Unrepentant sin after exposure to the church should result in requiring each church member to relate to the sinner as an unbeliever (this includes removal from membership).

10. II. (18-20) The reason the church can restore or excommunicate errant believers is because it acts as an extension of the authority of God Himself.
(18-19) Churches that prayerfully restore or excommunicate sinful believers act in the place of the Father.
(18) The church must announce guilt or innocence based upon what God has already determined.
(19) Church leaders who prayerfully make a judgment can have confidence that they have acted according to God's will.
(20) Churches that restore or excommunicate sinful believers act in the presence of Jesus Christ.

11. Exegetical Idea: The reason the church should restore a sinning Christian correctly is because this restoration is carried out as an extension of God's authority.
(15-17) The manner in which the church should correctly restore a sinning Christian is by keeping the matter as private as possible.
(18-20) The reason the church can restore or excommunicate errant believers is because it acts as an extension of the authority of God Himself.

12. Converting the EO to the HO
Cyclical Inductive
Passage Outline
Sermon Outline
EI: The reason the church should restore a sinning Christian correctly is because it extends God's authority.
Intro MPI: How do you restore sinning Christians God's way?
I. Keep the matter as private as possible (15-17).
I. (15-17) The manner in which the church should correctly restore a sinning Christian is by keeping the matter as private as possible.
(Why can we restore or excommunicate members?)
After Passage Outline MPII… Question: How should we start the sermon—with the why or the how question? Answer: How is better, even if it is not the subject of the whole passage.
After Sermon Outline MPI… Question: How should we transition into MPII? Answer: Use the interrogative of EO MPII ("reason"), resulting in a "why" transition that gives the subject of HO MPII.
II. Our church extends the authority of God Himself (18-20)!
II. (18-20) The reason the church can restore or excommunicate errant believers is because it extends the authority of God Himself.
MI: We must restore sinning members properly because we act on God's behalf

13. How do we restore sinning Christians properly?
Our First Question Today... (introduces MP I for vv )
How do we restore sinning Christians properly?
Fill in your bulletin outline

14. I. Keep the matter as private as possible (15-17).
The Point of Verses 15-17

15. Our Goal:
Our Goal:
Restoration!

16. God's 4-step restoring process…3 2 1
…reveals the issue to more people each step

17. Transition after MPI finished: Our 2nd question is answered in vv
Transition after MPI finished: Our 2nd question is answered in vv : Why do we restore sinning Christians properly?

18. II. Our church acts as an extension of the authority of God Himself!
The Point of Verses 18-20
II. Our church acts as an extension of the authority of God Himself!

19. Matthew 18:19
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven" (NIV).

20. Why discipline? When we seek to restore someone…
We act in the place of the Father (18-19)
We act in the presence & authority of Christ (20)

21. Matthew 18:20
"For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them" (NIV).

22. We restore sinning members properly since we act on God's behalf
Exegetical Idea: The reason the church should restore a sinning Christian correctly is because this restoration is carried out as an extension of God's authority.
Main Idea:
We restore sinning members properly since we act on God's behalf

23. Proverbs 30:18-20 (NIV)
"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:"
the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on the rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a maiden

24. Black