Problem Stated: A Failure to use Background Resources and Study Helps.
Many times people fail to use the great resources that God has given to his body. Sometimes the lone ranger mentality sets in and people desire to make their own way and thus they neglect many aids that could help them arrive at faithful interpretive conclusions. The body of Christ has been gifted with people who have the gift of teaching (see Eph. 4:11). Many teachers of the word have spent years in personal study and even for some in formal academic study over the word. These gifted teachers have many insights into the word. Granted, they are not perfect and should always subjected to the scrutiny of the Word as the absolute guide. Yet without humility and respect for these gifted teachers who often have the gifts of wisdom along with the gift of knowledge a person can drift for years without ever arriving at the solid or mature position in Christ Jesus. It is dangerous, sinfully arrogant, and unwise to ignore the labors of those who have gone before us in the field of biblical study. Many fine resources exist to help us in our understanding of the word. Many books help provide for us helpful cultural background information behind the text. Other books give us insight into key words that are sometimes difficult Hebrew or Greek constructions and unusual grammar functions. Some resources are systematic treatments of all of the major doctrines that can be found throughout the Bible. Other resources, like commentaries by the devout and faithful leaders of Christ's body (some past and some present) can shed light onto the word to help explain the text in its original sense to us modern readers. Bible Dictionaries, Hebrew and Greek lexicons, verse by verse exegetical commentaries, and specific books focused on specific doctrines can encourage us towards biblical fidelity. All of these resources can be an aid to us in our mental development and ability to better analyze, correlate, and discern the meaning of specific texts as well as larger portions of the Bible. Without these resources and without the expertise of those beloved supernaturally gifted laborers in the word we can often miss key concepts. For example, a thorough and consistent word study in Hebrew and Greek will show that the definition for adultery always means a man desiring or actually taking another man's woman. Adultery according to the bible is never a man having more than one lady in his familial bonds. By using concordances and dictionaries a person can examine all of the uses of the term and discover this meaning. Furthermore, with the right sources a person can examine the arguments for and against polygyny by various scholars and discern which one most faithfully interprets Scripture on the whole.
Solution? Build a Solid Resource Library One of the best ways to overcome biblical ignorance and illiteracy is to read the Bible as well as to read from solid teachers who are mature in their understanding of the word. James 3:1 tells us that not all should be teachers. In way too many instances there will be those who are not supernaturally gifted in this way yet they want to be heard and followed even though they do not have the skill and ability in understanding the word of God. Some people are gifted artists. They can draw and paint masterful presentations that capture the eye and heart of an audience. But then there are those who though sincere and good people simply do not have artistic skill. It is like that in regard to the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:11). God gives the gifts of teaching, word of knowledge and word of wisdom to some and they are thus driven with a passion to discover the meaning of God's word and are with a unique ability in their skills of not only discovering the meaning but also in sharing that meaning with others. Many of these teachers take years of their life to carefully and thoroughly research the Bible in order to be able to teach and instruct others in it faithfully. It is wise and important, therefore, to invest in study tools to grasp the Word of God better as many of these beloved teachers have published their wonderful discoveries for all of our benefit. Find tools that are well documented. Books that have a solid bibliography and extensive citations in the book shows solid research has been done. Find those scholars too who affirm the absolute inspiration view of Scripture and believe that we ought to interpret the text in its historical and grammatical sense. Also, it is wise and very helpful to obtain works by various theologians from various backgrounds so that one can evaluate different perspectives on a particular subject in hand. These quick tips can go a long way in helping you better find and apply good scholarship to your personal Bible study.
Many times people fail to use the great resources that God has given to his body. Sometimes the lone ranger mentality sets in and people desire to make their own way and thus they neglect many aids that could help them arrive at faithful interpretive conclusions. The body of Christ has been gifted with people who have the gift of teaching (see Eph. 4:11). Many teachers of the word have spent years in personal study and even for some in formal academic study over the word. These gifted teachers have many insights into the word. Granted, they are not perfect and should always subjected to the scrutiny of the Word as the absolute guide. Yet without humility and respect for these gifted teachers who often have the gifts of wisdom along with the gift of knowledge a person can drift for years without ever arriving at the solid or mature position in Christ Jesus. It is dangerous, sinfully arrogant, and unwise to ignore the labors of those who have gone before us in the field of biblical study. Many fine resources exist to help us in our understanding of the word. Many books help provide for us helpful cultural background information behind the text. Other books give us insight into key words that are sometimes difficult Hebrew or Greek constructions and unusual grammar functions. Some resources are systematic treatments of all of the major doctrines that can be found throughout the Bible. Other resources, like commentaries by the devout and faithful leaders of Christ's body (some past and some present) can shed light onto the word to help explain the text in its original sense to us modern readers. Bible Dictionaries, Hebrew and Greek lexicons, verse by verse exegetical commentaries, and specific books focused on specific doctrines can encourage us towards biblical fidelity. All of these resources can be an aid to us in our mental development and ability to better analyze, correlate, and discern the meaning of specific texts as well as larger portions of the Bible. Without these resources and without the expertise of those beloved supernaturally gifted laborers in the word we can often miss key concepts. For example, a thorough and consistent word study in Hebrew and Greek will show that the definition for adultery always means a man desiring or actually taking another man's woman. Adultery according to the bible is never a man having more than one lady in his familial bonds. By using concordances and dictionaries a person can examine all of the uses of the term and discover this meaning. Furthermore, with the right sources a person can examine the arguments for and against polygyny by various scholars and discern which one most faithfully interprets Scripture on the whole.
Solution? Build a Solid Resource Library One of the best ways to overcome biblical ignorance and illiteracy is to read the Bible as well as to read from solid teachers who are mature in their understanding of the word. James 3:1 tells us that not all should be teachers. In way too many instances there will be those who are not supernaturally gifted in this way yet they want to be heard and followed even though they do not have the skill and ability in understanding the word of God. Some people are gifted artists. They can draw and paint masterful presentations that capture the eye and heart of an audience. But then there are those who though sincere and good people simply do not have artistic skill. It is like that in regard to the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:11). God gives the gifts of teaching, word of knowledge and word of wisdom to some and they are thus driven with a passion to discover the meaning of God's word and are with a unique ability in their skills of not only discovering the meaning but also in sharing that meaning with others. Many of these teachers take years of their life to carefully and thoroughly research the Bible in order to be able to teach and instruct others in it faithfully. It is wise and important, therefore, to invest in study tools to grasp the Word of God better as many of these beloved teachers have published their wonderful discoveries for all of our benefit. Find tools that are well documented. Books that have a solid bibliography and extensive citations in the book shows solid research has been done. Find those scholars too who affirm the absolute inspiration view of Scripture and believe that we ought to interpret the text in its historical and grammatical sense. Also, it is wise and very helpful to obtain works by various theologians from various backgrounds so that one can evaluate different perspectives on a particular subject in hand. These quick tips can go a long way in helping you better find and apply good scholarship to your personal Bible study.