section 1
Studying to understand the Scriptures is not too hard for us deuteronomy 30:11-16 . Though on our own, we humans are not capable of properly interpreting Scripture deuteronomy 29:4 , in Christ we are now enabled to understand the Scriptures i corinthians 2:12-16 i john 2:27 .
But remember we need to be workmen ii timothy 2:15 who participate with the Holy Spirit, not merely sideline fans ii peter 1:2-5 galatians 5:25 , so that He may justly fulfill His promise to give us understanding genesis 18:19 ephesians 3:4 as we faith-full-y use the Word hebrews 5:11-14 by reading it deuteronomy 17:18-20 job 23:12 , studying it ii timothy 2:7, 15 i peter 1:10 daniel 9:2 , practicing it john 7:17 john 3:12 and fellowshipping through it philemon 6 ezra 7:10 proverbs 27:17 ephesians 4:15 , so we will become familiar enough with it to distinguish hebrews 5:14 ezekiel 44:23 and choose isaiah 7:15 deuteronomy 30:19 i peter 2:1-3 the good over evil in every situation of life proverbs 2:1-9 psalm 32:8-10 to imitate Jesus in His love ephesians 5:1-2 . That is the mark of Christ-like maturity ephesians 4:11-13 .
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into Heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in Him.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.
my notes:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge...
For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him."
In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ...
Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the Words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my daily bread.
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care...
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the Word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.
my notes:
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own.
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel.
...speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him Who is the head, that is, Christ.
But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him.
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
section 2
Biblical hermeneutics is a fancy term for the art of correctly using/understanding Scripture ii timothy 2:15 i timothy 1:8 . This theological term is derived from Greek terms like: hermeneus {translate}, exogeomai {think through, explain out of} and epilusis {unraveling}, which now conveys the concept of correctly interpreting Scripture.
Scripture itself teaches and exemplifies how we are to study and practice it luke 24:25-27 mark 4:34 . This is not merely a translation of the words from one language, dialect, euphemism, etc. to another but gaining the true meaning of it nehemiah 8:8 acts 8:30-35 so that we may genuinely respond (Truthful & Loving) to God’s Word to us deuteronomy 30:11-20 nehemiah 8:12 acts 8:36-39 .
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.
He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.
He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything.
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can speak of His descendants? For His life was taken from the earth."
The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
my notes:
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?"
No, the Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life, and He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
my notes:
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the Words that had been made known to them.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
my notes:
section 3
There are many who have their own ideas and ways of studying Scripture. While methods of study may vary, those who want to know the Truth i corinthians 13:6 zechariah 8:19 john 7:17-18 should understand that Truth is not relative ecclesiastes 12:11 ii corinthians 13:8 john 17:17 jeremiah 23:28 , even if its application may be many and vary to circumstance, need, heart issues, timing, roles, etc., Truth is what the Lord speaks isaiah 45:19 and those words did not come in vain isaiah 55:10-11 but to be fulfilled matthew 5:17-18 .
So, our response to God should be from the Truth john 18:37 titus 1:1 . For how can we deal with each other rightly if we have not responded rightly to the Lord i john 4:7 ? His Word is the vertical plumbline for our proper standard amos 7:7-8 to reveal the horizontal measuring line of how to treat each other isaiah 28:16-17 . If we stray from the Truth into our own ways of thinking and doing things, it is merely a decaying, bulging wall beginning to collapse upon us isaiah 30:12-13 . God’s Word is the standard of true hermeneutics.
So, we will look now to what the Scriptures teach about interpreting Scripture.
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the One Who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by One Shepherd.
The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has My Word should speak My Word truthfully, for what is straw compared to grain?"—this is the LORD’s declaration.
I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me."
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel...
So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line...
Therefore the Holy One of Israel says: "Because you have rejected this message and have trusted in oppression and deceit, and have depended on them, this iniquity of yours will be like a crumbling gap, a bulge in a high wall whose collapse will come in an instant—suddenly!
Scripture quotations taken from one or more of the following versions as noted:
ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
NIV = The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NLT = The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
NASB = NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), Copyright (C) 1960,1962,1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
NKJV = New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.