Sermon Tone Analysis

PRACTICAL Studies in 2nd and 3rd John

 

! Introduction

Because the books of 2nd and 3rd John has a significant amount of practical theology interwoven in its text it has many practical “day to day” applications.

Through this study you will see how to apply these truths to your life as well as gain insight into your relationship with God.

The method that you will use in this study will be “inductive.”

By this it is meant that you will read the text and observe certain things about what the author wrote.

Through your understanding of Bible history, what you discover about the text and your current relationship with God you will be able to pull practical applications from the text.

There may be times in this study that you will not understand a term that is used.

In the Glossary there are definitions of the terms used in this book.

By using these definitions you will find your study will be enhanced and your personal applications become more practical.

The text that is used in this study is the New International Version.

Because all English translations of the Bible such as the King James, New King James, New American Standard Bible, etc. are all translations of the Hebrew (in the case of the Old Testament) or Greek (in the case of the New Testament); there will be occasions which those who translated the passages thought that the use of one English word over another would more clearly bring out the meaning.

If you know Greek or Hebrew you might disagree with the translation.

This does not mean however that the translation is wrong, only that there are different “flavors” of translations.

A good example of this translation technique can be found just by reading the first three verses of 2nd John:

| King James | New King James | New International | New American Standard |

| 1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3 Grace bea with you, mercy, /and/ peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

[1]   | 1 The Elder,To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:3 Grace, mercy, /and/ peace will be with 2you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.[2] | The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

[3]   | The elder to the  chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,     2 for sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:3  Grace, mercy /and /peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.[4]

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One of the observations that you might make after reading the above versions is that one may seem more appealing to the way you speak and read.

Another observation is that to really do an in-depth study of a particular book or passage you might want to look at various translations.

By looking at various translations you will be able to gain a deeper insight into the meaning of words and phrases.

Finally, by looking at other translations you might begin to ask why a particular word was used over another.

For example in verse 1 all of the translations say “… whom I love in truth” except for the New International version which says “… whom I love in the truth” (emphasis mine).

Why does the NIV use a definite article (the) and all the other translations don’t?

Is there a reason to, or not to, use the definite article?

These questions might cause other questions to be asked and through this process you might encounter a deeper meaning in the passage.

*The steps you will use in this study*

Many books have been published that teach Bible Study Methods.

Each has its strengths and weaknesses and most people tend to take some part of one method and add it to another method.

In addition if you have had some kind of language training or been taught to use some of the language tools you will probably use these in your personal study.

It does not matter whether you are someone who has never studied the Bible or one who has studied it for 50 years.

In either situation you will be able to receive valuable truth from the same passage.

In addition you may study a passage or book one time and be able to apply what you found to your life and then the next time you study that same passage or book get something else to apply.

The Holy Spirit will illumine you as you grow.

I will say more about the term “Interpretation” later in this book however right now it is important that you understand that there is only one “Interpretation of a passage.”

There is a difference between “Observation”, “Application” and “Interpretation.”

Because you can easily mix up these terms it is important to know the difference between them.

*Observation*

When you “observe” something you simply make comments about what you see.

For example, if you observed the room you are currently in you might say something like: “I see three chairs in this room, a table, some pictures on the wall, and a door.”

If you were outside you might say: “I see four trees, several birds sitting in those trees, and a lawn.”

You have not placed any value on those items you have only observed that which you have seen.

Observation is only remarking on what you have seen.

It never involves saying things like: “I must…” or I have to ….”.

When you observe you put yourself on the outside and look into that object, picture, room, etc.

*Question*

When you make observations you will invariably find that you will begin to ask questions.

For example: “Why did the author choose this word?” or “Why did the author write in this manner rather than another (ie.

Poetry vs. Short Story)?”

These types of questions will help you understand the book better by “getting in the author’s head” and find out the “What’s” and “Why’s” of his thinking.

Questions will also help you in making the next step easier.

The summarization process is based on everything that you can glean from the text of the book or passage, your knowledge of who the author is, and to whom he was writing.

By asking questions you will find those answers and be able to gain greater insight through the Holy Spirit.

*Summarization*

Summarization is putting the text into your own words.

This process is also known as “paraphrasing.”

During the summarization process you will begin to gain an even deeper insight into the author and the meaning of the book or passage.

There is an old cliché which says: “A mist in the pulpit is a fog in the pew.”

This cliché means that if you do not have a clear understanding of what the passage means then when you attempt to communicate that meaning that you do not fully understand to others, your confusion will become a complete misunderstanding to those listening.

*Interpretation*

Interpretation generally, but not always, refers to something theologically.

For example when Jesus said “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) he is making a theological statement.

Therefore the interpretation of this passage would seem to be that Jesus is saying He has the same attributes as God the Father.

You could then interpret the passage to mean that Jesus claimed to be God.

There is a problem with interpretation however.

The problem is that there can only be one correct interpretation of any passage of Scripture (2 Pet.

1:20-21).

There may be many opinions as to what a particular passage means but eventually only one of those opinions, possibly, will turn out to be correct.

Therefore you must be VERY careful when you declare that a particular passage means something.

A classic example of this problem is found in the Revelation of John.

Revelation 20:1-6 presents a time when believers who have been martyred for Christ are resurrected to rule with Christ for 1,000 years.

If one uses a normal method of interpretation, i.e. the words mean what they say, then you would say that there is a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ (known as the “Millennium”).

However many denominations in Christianity view this passage as meaning that there is a time (now) in which those who die for Christ are ruling with him.

There are also some who believe virtually anything in-between these two “interpretations.”

Only one of those interpretations can be correct, but which one?

The method of how you interpret is known as “Hermeneutics.”

What you believe a passage means is determined by applying hermeneutical principles.

Therefore if your “hermeneutic” is that you do not believe that the words mean what they seem to mean then there must be another meaning.

Most of the Bible is very clear on its meaning and because of this we can be very sure of our understanding of the Scriptures.

However there will be some passages that could have multiple meanings, based on your presuppositions.

Therefore when you are studying a passage, or book, it is good to find out what others believe about that passage or book AFTER you come to your conclusion.

This may cause you to change your mind or confirm what you believe.

If there is a passage that has multiple meanings then you must decide on what you believe and why.

You cannot be dogmatic about that passage because someone else may hold to another position that could be the correct position.

*Application*

When you create an “application” about something you use a personal pronoun such as “I” and “We”.

An example of an application could be found in the 10 commandments: “I should honor my mother and father.”

“I should put no other thing before God.”

Notice when you “apply” something you use a personal pronoun to make it real in your life.

You should be able to write down an application in such a way that you would be able to create a sentence or two on how that application could be carried out.

For example:  Because I am to honor my mother and father I need to listen to what they have to say and then honestly evaluate their position before I jump to any conclusions.

*Method used in this study*

This study will use the “Historical~/Grammatical” method.

This method is commonly known as the “Normal” method of interpretation.

You will assume, unless it makes better sense not to, that the words mean what they say.

This method allows for various figures of speech such as “Allegory”, “Hyperbole”, etc.  but for the most part it will assume that the words generally mean what they would mean to that person during the time that the book or passage was written

Because the Historical~/Grammatical method obviously uses both grammar and what others have held throughout the time that the Bible has been compiled you will eventually want to consult with others, through the use of commentaries and discussions.

However you will first want to find out what you think that the passage says and then research what others say.

*The Process used in this study*

This study will take six weeks.