Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05

/ 1 7 1

B I B L E I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

After reciting and/or singing the Nicene Creed (located in the Appendix), pray the following prayer:

Nicene Creed and Prayer

OGod, by your Spirit tell us what we need to hear, and show us what we ought to do, to obey Jesus Christ our Savior.

~ Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Theology and Worship Ministry Unit. Book of Common Worship . Louisville: Westminister/John Knox Press, 1993. p. 60.

Put away your notes, gather up your thoughts and reflections, and take the quiz for Lesson 3, Biblical Literature: Interpreting the Genres of the Bible.

Quiz

Scripture Memorization Review

Review with a partner, write out and/or recite the text for last class session’s assigned memory verse: 2 Timothy 3.14-17.

Turn in your summary of the reading assignment for last week, that is, your brief response and explanation of the main points that the authors were seeking to make in the assigned reading (Reading Completion Sheet).

Assignments Due

4

Tools Suitable for the Hungry Heart

Those who hold to a simplistic view of the Bible (i.e., tend to ignore the Bible’s identity as literature, and therefore subject to the rules and norms of literature) find focus on genre study and the use of scholarly tools too cumbersome and on the brink of being elitist, being only for a few people who can understand all the literary rules and can afford all the scholarly tools. They rightly are concerned about the Bible being pushed away from the ordinary person who simply loves and believes in the Lord Jesus as his disciple, and who seeks to read the Word of God with the intent to believe and obey it. They are not Greek scholars, and will never understand all the principles and rules of the Bible as literature. They do not have access to the latest lexicons or Bible dictionaries. They have relied on their own humility and openness to the Holy Spirit to help them understand the Word of God, and have submitted joyfully to the leadership of their church pastor as he has ministered the Word in their midst. Isn’t this kind of open, humble, devout use of the Scriptures sufficient for the Christian leader as well? Doesn’t a focus on tools and resources