How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Part 1

In this first installment of our class based on How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, we emphasized that obedience is the reason for studying the Bible in the first place. We looked at the steps involved in going from simple reading comprehension to obedience to the truth of God’s Word.

We also considered a number of points raised in Chapter 1 of the Fee & Stuart text:

• We noted an important fact about the nature of Scripture: it was not written to us, but it was written for us.
• We discussed what we mean by exegesis: careful, rigorous study of the text to get at the meaning the author intended.
• Finally, we discussed what we mean by hermeneutics: the rules that govern the way we understand the intended meaning of the text — especially as it relates to our lives.

The class goes on hiatus next week so that we can hear a special presentation on missions. In two weeks (January 28), Eric Farr will resume our study and teach on the tools you can use — and even need — to study the Bible well.