CYC’s In Depth Bible Study Seminar

Topics that will be covered

1.       Textual analysis

2.       Word study

3.       Interpretations

4.       Applications

Introduction

Why we have this class?

I.       Textual Analysis

A.     What is textual analysis?

Textual analysis has to do with dissecting, asking questions, finding answers, counting, categorizing, and comparing

Note: Do not look at reference books first

B.     Why do we need it?

1.        To thoroughly understand what the passage is saying

2.        To prepare us to correctly interpret the passage

C.     How do we do textual analysis?

1.        Divide chapter into sections and give a title for each section/Structure analysis

Why? So we process what we read and came to an overall understanding of what this section is about

2.        Ask questions in each section: who, what, when, where, why, how, how many, and find answers in the text

Example: Ask questions in Col 1:1-14 and divide it into sections according to the questions we ask

3.        Find out what the pronouns ‘he, she, it, they, them, things, both’ refer to.

4.        Finding the key words or main points

Example: What did they decided to do in Neh 10:30-39?

5.        Comparing similarities and differences to see the whole picture

Compare different records of the Lord calming the storm in the synaptic gospel

II.    Word study

A.     Why study ‘word’?

1.        To understand the message clearly

2.        It is the smallest unit of the study

B.     What is word study?

1.        Use the concordance to find the word or verse we forget where it is

 a.      HW: Where is the verse that says ‘God is love’

 b.      HW: Where is the verse that says ‘Put my tears into Your bottle’? (Ps 56:8)

2.        Know the definition

 a.      Example: Melchizedek, king of Salem in Heb 7:1-2 explains what it means

 b.      From 2Ki 2, check the word ‘Gilgal’ from dictionary and story in Josh 5, ‘Bethel’ in Hebrew dictionary ‘Jericho’ in Greek dictionary, and ‘Jordan’ in dictionary and think of geographical meaning

3.        Study the metaphorical meaning

 a.      What is metaphor? A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally in order to suggest a resemblance; something is used to represent something else; symbol

 b.      Example of metaphor and the assignments:

(a)     Bee(s) – using concordance to find all the words ‘bee(s)’ and read the context to know its metaphor

(b)     ‘Measuring line’ and ‘plummet’ in 2 Ki 21:13 – find the metaphorical meanings using concordance

(c)     Firstfruit(s) – using concordance and categorize the list of firstfruit(s)

 c.      Principle that we used in Dan 2 to understand the dream

C.     The requirements to do word study

Through cultivation: prayer in Spirit and study the word of God

Find the spiritual teachings from the 4 locations (Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, and Jordan) in 2Ki 2

III. Interpretation

A.     Why do we need to interpret correctly?

1.        Bible told us to correctly divide the word of truth (2Tim 2:15)

2.        To save ourselves and others (2Pet 3:16)

Example: 1Cor 14

B.     How do we interpret?

1.        Be familiar with Bible passages

Example: Saul killed himself (1Sam 31:4), or was Saul killed by an Amalekite (2Sam 1:5-10)?

2.        Having finished word study

Understand what the words and verses are saying (2Ki 21:13)

3.        Having finished textual analysis

Understand overall event, cause and effect, and characters

4.        Not subtract or add (Deut 4:2; 12:32, Rev 22:18-19)

5.        Do not force interpretation or twist (2Pet 3:16, Mt 23:15; 2Cor 4:2, Gal 1:6-9)

6.        Can not contradict (2Cor 2:17, Eph 2:19-20)

7.        Edify (2Tim 3:15-17), not destroying the faith (2Tim 2:17-18)

8.        Use Bible to explain Bible (Lk 24:25-27, 44-46; Acts 18:28)

IV.  Application

A.     What is application?

To apply the Biblical teachings in our daily life through meditation.

B.     Why do we need application?

We can not be benefited from knowing the teachings, but without knowing how to apply in our lives.

C.     How do we do the applications?

1.        Know their situation by putting ourselves into their shoes

How does it feel to have Judas to betray you?

2.        Change ‘they’ to ‘we’, ‘he’ to ‘I’ in the questions

What are the things ‘they à we’ decided to do in Neh 10:30-39?

3.        Think of ways that we can achieve from what we learn from the Bible

4.        Think of similar situation in the Bible and how characters overcome

What did Nehemiah à We do to overcome stressful situation in Neh 4:7-15?

5.        Think of similar situation that we have encountered or had happened to someone else. Either we can learn a lesson from them or imitate their conducts and way of solving the problems.

6.        Think of things that we have heard or observed to illustrate to us how to do it or/and encourage us to do it

7.        Think of analogies or stories to illustrate to us how to do it or encourage us to do it

8.        Think how it applies to our different aspects of life

Religious life, family life, career life, social life, our behaviors, our attitudes and values, and our inner world

9.        Think about what I should do the next time if I encounter this problem

10.     Pray for Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Eph 1:17-18)

Ask God to open our spiritual eyes see wonderful things in the Scripture, God’s blessings, and guidance.