03.07.17 - Crossing Over To The Other Side

Tuesday Night Bible Study  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  49:08
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Pastor Wells teaches a beginning five-step system of interpretation that can be used to mine meaning from the Biblical text.

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Introduction

The process of interpreting and grasping the Bible is similar to embarking on a journey. Reading the text thoroughly and carefully lies at the beginning of the journey. From this careful reading we become able to determine what the passage meant in the biblical context– that is, what it meant to the biblical audience.
However whenever we seek to apply this meaning to our lives in particular, we will always run into problems of one kind or another. We are separated from the biblical audience by culture, customs, language, situation, circumstance and a vast span of time.
These differences for a barrier, a river if you will, that separates us from the text and hinders us from applying meaning to our person lives.
If that weren’t enough, consider that we are separated by a new covenant. We are New Testament believers and we come to God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. However, the Old Testament Saints did not have the benefit of Jesus at the time. Also, they did not have all 66 books of the Bible.
So we have challenges. In Matthew 14:29 Peter walks on the water.
Matthew 14:29 NKJV
So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
So if we don’t walk on the water, are we less of a Christian than we ought to be? There is a need to interpret the scripture correctly.

We need a valid, legitimate approach to the Bible, one that is not based strictly on intuition and feeling. We need an approach that derives meaning from within the text, but one that also crosses over to the situation for today’s Christian.

Keep in mind that our goal is to grasp the meaning of the text God has intended. We do not create meaning out of a text; rather, we seek to find the meaning that is already there.

Therefore, there are steps we should take for the journey that is before us.

Step 1: Grasping the Text In Their Local.

Our first step is to read the text carefully to understand what the text meant to the Biblical audience.
Look and look and look again. Look at the grammar. Be sure to analyze all of the important words of the text. Moreover, be sure to consider the context the passage is representing. Lastly, consider the passage that precedes your text and the passage that follows it!
Then lets create two or three sentences that bring the meaning of the passage.

Step 2: Measure The Width Of The River

Gather the differences between our circumstances and the situation of the Biblical audience. Gather the unique differences of the text.

Step 3: Cross The Principle Bridge

Ask yourself, is there a principle to be found in this text? Find the principles that are based on the meaning of the text.

We can summarize the criteria for formulating the theological principle with the following:

The principle should be reflected in the text.

The principle should be timeless and not tied to a specific situation.

The principle should not be culturally bound.

The principle should correspond to the teaching of the rest of Scripture.

The principle should be relevant to both the biblical and the contemporary audience.

Step 4: Consult The Biblical Map

Ask yourself how your principle lines up with the rest of the Bible

Step 5: Grasp The Text In YOUR LOCAL!

Reading God’s Word Is the Key!!!

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