Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Methodist, Episcopalian ordain women & active homosexuals

The problem is that our ideas are only Christian to the extent that they are based on Christ.

If the Bible is not the OBJECTIVE basis for belief we are left to erroneous human ideas.

WHY? WE DO NOT AGREE! That is the proof humans are incapable of figuring it out – that’s precisely why we need GOD to tell us OBJECTIVELY.

If any part is suspect then the whole thing is suspect.

Who determines what parts to keep; reinterpret or discard?

For some it is the individual and for others it is the Church – either way it is human wisdom. How many denominations?

All human wisdom, philosophy, science and religion are based upon human understanding and desire. If the Bible is not a perfectly transmitted relation book for us to obey completely, then Christianity, by whatever denominational name, is just the same. It is all man-made ideas for man-made purposes and is in fact a monumental waste of time, effort and money.

However, if God has given us something objective, something concrete, something divinely inspired and providentially preserved that we can read and take at its basic meaning then we are saved. Such a thing saves us from human, subjective, selfish, stupid and worthless opinion. It’s not hard to figure out what the Bible says; it’s just hard to obey.

It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand. Mark Twain (1835–1910)

“I am much afraid that schools will prove to be the great gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place his child where the scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not increasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt. Martin Luther 500yrs

The Bible is a Relation Book, not a Rule Book.

Faith that God has given us something to go on….

A- Proper receptivity (Holy Spirit Relationship) Christ is the master; the Scriptures are only the servant. Martin Luther (1483–1546) Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee - The prophets wrote and spoke; unlock the truth, thyself the key, Unseal the sacred book. John Calvin (1509–1564)

B- Proper research (Put in the effort) "I hear and I forget" "I see and I remember" "I do and I understand" Instead of studying resources about the Bible, inductive study focuses first upon the Bible. We want deductive study which looks at all the stuff and makes a specific conclusion – That’s the easy way and it’s wrong. Begin with God, move to His Word and then look outside.

Exegetically (Grammatical – Archeological)

Hermeneutically (What’s the point of this text today?)

C- Proper reflection (Pray and meditate on God’s Word)

D- Proper relating (Consult others in person and through books)

E- Proper response (Hear – take into your heart – DO!)

Sincerity does not count if your wrong because you didn’t really want to be right, but if you are sincere in relationship and humble it’ll be OK

EXEGESIS: We place no premium on speculation, inventiveness or novelty in interpretation. We examine the text carefully from as many angles as possible, not adding, subtracting or distorting the intended meaning.

1.     Text. (Lower or Textual Criticism)

a) What was the original text?

b) What’s the logical and original starting and ending point of the passage?

Greek: One woman’s man

Scope – 1 Timothy 3:1-7 also linked to 3:8-13 (vv8 likewise)

ejpi>skopov  presbu>terov

2.     Translation. The goal is a translation so natural and appropriate to the receptor language that the exegete can fairly say that the translated text conveys the same thing to the mind as does the original text.

1 Timothy 3:2a ~ An overseer, then, must be… Scope

1 Timothy 3:2* ~ the husband of one wife (KJV & NASB et al.) committed to his wife (TM) he must be faithful to his wife (NLT) married only once (NRSV) and he must have only one wife (NCV)

One woman’s man We’re not talking about husband specifically its ambiguous so leave it ambiguous for now.

3.     Historical Context. (Archeology)

a) The historical backdrop affecting the passage. Greek language & customs Roman civil law city of Ephesus & Temple of Artemis Island of Crete.

b) The foreground, anything that it led to or anticipated. Church governance – Episcopal vs. Presbyterian

c) The original social setting. Marriage geared for divorce, women’s funeral vs. men’s – an appropriate activity for men.

d) Any geographical contents or allusions. Ephesus & Crete

e) The date of the passage’s composition. (About 64 E x 12, C x 30)

4.     Literary Context. What has already been said to the reader, and what does it tell the reader about subsequent passages?

a) The literary function (how it fills in, adds on, begins, completes, or balances the portion and/or book in which it occurs.

b) Examination of the placement of the text.

c) Analysis of the detail it provides.

d) Analysis of authors other uses or purposes. 1 Timothy 3:12 & 5:9 (5:14 remarry) plus Titus 1:6

ICB – NCV – NLT – NIV all have 5:9 a faithful wife, But NIV has: the husband of but one wife

5.     Form. (Higher/Historical or form analysis or criticism)

There are many genres of literature or types of written material

Instruction in the form of guidelines

6.     Structure. The structure of a unit of literature is invariably a guide to its logic.

All are qualities & the verbs are present, active, continuous - today and each day.

7.     Grammar. Idioms, Hebraisms and syntactical structure. Anarthrous so, qualitative

8.     Lexical Analysis. In all lexical study, it is imperative that the meaning in the present context be given precedence over all other considerations.

Cardinal #, female & male

9.     Biblical Context. Micro & Macro context and the reuse of the passage elsewhere in Scripture if it or any part of it is quoted or alluded to. Guidelines for community leadership applicable in America today within the overall Biblical scope of Christian life
 

10.     Theology. Defined as the systematic study of revealed truth.

Elder led Christianity

11.     Secondary Literature. Many kinds of books and articles, such as grammars, commentaries, atlases, lexicons, etc.

1st century = no polygamy so sexual self-control, 2nd & 3rd = no remarriage at all, 4th - 16th = increasingly negative view of marriage, 17th – 19th no remarried divorce’, 20th & 21st full devotion to spouse

12.     Application. The primary goal of exegesis is the determination of the meaning of a passage to its original audience.

 
Hermeneutics, the science of interpretation, attempts to bridge barriers that would prevent a modern understanding of a biblical text.

12. Application. Is Hermeneutics

1) A passage cannot mean now, what it could not have meant originally.

2) The same concepts cannot mean different things in different passages.

3) There can be no contradiction.

4) More weight is given to repetitive concepts.

5) The Devil, truly is in the details.

Chapter 1 – Build up the church in Ephesus

1 Timothy 1:3-17 ~

3As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. 5But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

8But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, 11according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Chapter 2 – A Call to Prayer ~ Women Instructed

Chapter 3 – Overseers and Deacons

1 Timothy 3:1-7 ~ It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Chapter 4 – Apostasy

1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

Chapter 5 – Honor Widows ~ Concerning Elders

 17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.

22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.
Chapter 6 – Instructions to Those Who Minister