Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05

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

1. For sake of review, restate those biblical resources considered to be the “basic tools of biblical interpretation.” Again, restate why these tools are so fundamental to our own credible approach to the Word, especially as those entrusted with responsibility to lead and feed others in the Church. 2. What are the additional tools we considered in this segment which are designed to enhance our ability to bridge the gap between the biblical world and our own. Of these additional tools, which one(s) do you believe are more essential than others, especially for urban leaders in their responsibility to care for the souls of urban disciples? Explain your answer. 3. What are some of the major cross-reference aids for biblical exegesis, and what specifically do such aids enable us to do in regards to the text? How specifically do these helps deepen our understanding of the passage’s or book’s meaning? What cautions must be kept in mind as we employ them in our study? 4. What are those specific reference works which concentrate on supplying us insight into the history, culture, social customs, peoples, and physical environment of the biblical world? What are the main benefits of integrating these tools into our study of the text? What kinds of things must we keep in mind as we seek to take advantage of the sound research contained within them? 5. What are the biblical tools that are especially useful in helping us obtain background information on the author, date, and circumstances of the book, and certain uses of special language in the Bible (e.g., symbol, metaphor, figurative language, etc.)? What are the kinds of cautions we should be mindful of as we use these resources in our study? 6. Why are commentaries a unique kind of reference tool, compared to many of the other tools mentioned above? What are the four main types of commentaries available to us today, and how does each one function specifically? 7. While commentaries are invaluable aides in providing helpful and thorough understandings of passages and books of the Bible, how ought they never be used? Can any commentary series, however useful or brilliant, ever take the place of our own firsthand study of the text itself? Explain.

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