Book Background Method
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Transcript of Book Background Method
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Itismucheasietoundestandandappeciateaplayifallthepopsandback-
goundscenesaeinplace.Theactosonthestagepefomagainstthebackdop
ofthepopsandpaintedsceney.ItisthesamewaywithSciptue.Godsevela-
tionwasgiveninthemidstofhistoy,andthe dramatis.personaeoftheBibleact
outtheiGod-givenolesagainstthebackgoundoftheitimes.Weundestandthe
WodofGodmoeclealywhenweseeitagainstthebackdopofthedaysinwhich
itwaswitten.
Definition
TheBookBackgoundMethodofBibleStudyinvolvesgainingabetteundestand-
ingofthebiblicalmessagebyeseachingthebackgoundelatedtothepassage,
peson,event,otopicbeingstudied.Thisinvolvesundestandingthegeogaphy,
histoicalevents,cultue,andpoliticalenvionmentatthetimeapaticulapatof
theBiblewaswitten.
8
THe BOOk
BackgROUnDMeTHOD Of
BiBLe sTUDY
How to Research BiblicalBackgrounds
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Rick WaRRens BiBLe sTUDY MeTHODs
Why stuDy BackgrounDs?
Inodetogetthefullimpactofwhatabiblicalwiteissaying,itisnecessayto
tanspotouselvesbackintothetimeinwhichhelived.Sinceweaecentuies
emovedfomBibletimes,wemusttytoseetheiwoldthoughtheieyes,feel
whattheyfelt,andthenundestandhowtheHolySpiitofGodusedthemtowite
whattheydid.
OneofthepimayulesofintepetationstatesthatsincetheBiblewaswitten
inthemidstofhistoy,itcanonlybeundestoodmoefullyinlightofthathistoy.You
cannotintepettheBiblecoectlyifyouignoetheinfluenceofthetimesinwhichit
waswitten.SeiousBiblestudentswillalwayswanttoknowthegeogaphical,his-
toical,cultual,andpoliticalbackgoundsofthepassageobooktheyaestudying.
Futhemoe,befoewecanundestandthewayweaetoapplythemessage
toustoday,wemustfistbesuehowitwasappliedduingthetimesitwasfist
witten.IfwetytointepetandapplySciptueaccodingtoouownageand
cultue,wewillquicklyunintomanydifficulties.Oftenastatement,wod,custom,
oeventinanothecultueotimewillbeundestoodinasensetotallydiffeent
fomthemeaningweattachtoittodayinoucounty.
Becauseofthetemendousachaeologicaldiscoveiesinthepastcentuy,we
nowhaveamuchbetteundestandingofthecultuesandhistoicalbackgoundsof
biblicaltimes.Mostofthisinfomationisavailablethoughexcellenteseachtools.
YouwilldefinitelyhavetoconsultthesewhenyoudothismethodofBiblestudy.
the value of archaeology
Tomanypeopleachaeologyisady,boing,andlittle-knownscience.Butthanks
tothepatientwokofmanyskilledachaeologistsofmanynations,weknowmuch
moetodayaboutBibletimesthanChistiansdidevenhalfacentuyago.National.
GeographicandothepopulamagazineshavepublicizedsuchfindingsastheEbla
tablets,whichthowtemendouslightontheNeaEastof2000to2500B.C.We
canundestandtheBibletodayasnevebefoe,asacheologyhasbeenageat
enlighteneandfiendtotheseiousBiblestudent.
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The.Book.Background.Method.of.Bible.Stu
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GusW.VanBeekhaswitten,
Noone canundestand theBiblewithoutaknowledgeofbiblicalhis-toyandcultue,andnoonecanclaimaknowledgeofbiblicalhistoy
andcultuewithoutanundestandingofthecontibutionsofachaeol-
ogy.Biblicaleventshavebeenillustated,obscuewodsdefined,ideas
explained,andchonologyefinedbyachaeologicalfinds.Tosaythatou
knowledgeoftheBiblehasbeenevolutionizedbythesediscoveies is
almosttoundestatethefacts(Achaeology,Interpreters.Dictionary.of.
the.Bible[AbingdonPess,1962],1:203).
tools you Will neeD
ThismethodofBiblestudyistotallydependentontools,soyouwillhavetoobtain
someoftheseoboowthemfomyoupublicochuchlibay.Dontbeafaidof
Step One Choose the Subject or Book of the Bible
Step twO List Your Reference Tools
Step three Obtain Insights from Geography
Step FOur Get Insights from History
Step Five Discover Some Insights from Culture
Step Six Research Insights from the Political Environment
Step Seven Summarize Your Research
Step eight Write Out a Personal Application
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Rick WaRRens BiBLe sTUDY MeTHODs
them.Instead,takeadvantageoftheinfomationthatscholashavespenttheilives
findingoutfoyou.Thefollowingtoolswillpovidehelpfulbackgoundmateial:
ABibledictionayand/oBibleencyclopedia
ABiblehandbook
ABibleatlas
Inaddition,youmaywanttoconsultsomeofthefollowingefeencebooksthat
dealwithgeogaphy,histoy,cultue,andeveydaylifeofBibletimes.
Archaeology. and. Bible. History by Joseph Fee and Howad Vos
(Zondevan)
The.Bible.and.ArchaeologybyJ.A.Thompson(Eedmans)
Everyday.Life.in.Bible.Times(NationalGeogaphicSociety)
Great. People. of. the. Bible. and. How. They. Lived (reades Digest
Association)
Harpers.Encyclopedia.of.Bible.LifebyMadeleineS.andJ.LaneMille
(BooksSales)
The.Oxford.History.of.the.Biblical.WorldbyMichaelCoogan(OxfodUni-
vesityPess)
The. Wycliffe. Historical. Geography. of. Bible. Lands by Howad Vos
(Hendickson)
Thisisonlyaepesentativelist,fomanyotheefeencewoksaeavailable
today. Visit you local public libay, you chuch libay, o you local Chistian
bookstoeandlookovewhattheyhave.Choosetheonesthatappealtoyouthe
most.Achaeologistsaeconstantlyupdatingtheifindingsthoughnewdiscove-
ies,sobesuetoobtainthelatesteditionofeachefeencetool.
simPle stePs on Doing a BackgrounD stuDy
TheBookBackgoundStudyFomhaseightstepsplussomeblankspacefolist-
ingtheefeencetoolsyouuse.Useadditionalsheetsofpapeifyoudonothave
oomonthefom.
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The.Book.Background.Method.of.Bible.Stu
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Step One Choose the Subject or Book of the Bible
Choosethesubject,peson,wod,obookoftheBibleyouwanttostudy,andbegin
gatheingefeencemateialsfoyoueseach.Theavailabilityofefeencetools
willlagelydeteminethescopeofyoustudy.
Step twO List Your Reference Tools
Listalltheefeencetoolsyouhavegatheedtodothisstudy(seeToolsYouWill
Needabove).Thisistohelpyouemembewhichbooksweemostusefulfothe
backgoundmateialyoueseachedandwhatbooksyoumaywanttoefetoin
futuebackgoundstudies.
Step three Obtain Insights from Geography
YouwillneedtobecomefamiliawiththegeogaphyofPalestineandtheNeaEast
ingeneal.Thisincludesthetypesof landfoundthee,themajomountainsand
hills,elevationandainfall,themajobodiesofwate(seas,lakes,ives),location
ofcitiesandcounties,famouslandmaks,andthebodesofsuoundingcoun-
tiesofthetimeyouaestudying.
AsyoustudytheNewTestament,paticulalyPaulsmissionaytavels,you
willneedtobecomeacquaintedwiththeMediteaneancountiesandcitiesthat
weeactiveduingthedaysoftheromanEmpie.
Inallofyoustudyofbiblicalgeogaphy,youmustcontinuallyaskthisques-
tion:WhatistheeffectofthesuoundinggeogaphyonwhatIamstudying?
Inthisstep,listalltheinsightsyoucangetongeogaphyfothesubjecto
bookyouaestudying.
Step FOur Get Insights from History
Youshouldhaveawokingknowledgeofthechonology(odeofhistoicalevents)
ofthenationofIsael intheOldTestament.Leanthepeiodsofhistoyof the
Hebewnation;findouttheoiginandhistoyoffamouscities;leanthedivisions
ofJesusministy;bewellvesedonthehistoysuoundingPaulsmissionay
tavels.Itisalsohelpfultoknowwhatmajoeventsweegoingoninothepatsof
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Rick WaRRens BiBLe sTUDY MeTHODs
thewoldduingthetimeyouaestudying,inodetohaveapopepespective
onwhatGodwasdoinginthewold.
Youmightaskyouself,WhatcausedthispaticulaeventthatIamstudying?
Howdiditaffectthepeopleinvolved?HowdiditaffectthepassageIamstudy-ing?BeespeciallyawaeofeventsthatillustateGodssoveeigncontolovethe
pogessofhistoy.
Inthisstep,listalltheinsightsyoucangetonhistoysuoundingthesubject
obookyouaestudying.
Step Five Discover Some Insights from Culture
IfyouaetoundestandwhatwentoninBibletimes,youneedtoleanaboutthe
totallifestyleoftheancientpeopleintheSciptues.Heeaesomeaeasyoucan
eseachwhileaskingyouself,Howdoallthesethingsaffectthemessageand
thepeopleaboutwhomIamstudying?
Typesofclothingpeoplewoe
Pofessionsandtadesinbiblicaltimes
MusicintheBible
AchitectualstylesintheNeaEast
MannesandcustomsinSciptue
receationinancienttimes
FamilylifeintheMiddleEast
AtintheBible
Languagesandliteatueofsuoundingnations
religiousceemoniesinIsaelandamongpaganneighbos
Falseeligionsoftheaea
Weaponsandtoolsusedbythepeople
Inthisstep,listalltheinsightsyoudeivefomthewaypeoplelivedinthei
cultues.
Step Six Research Insights from the Political Environment
MuchofwhathappenedinIsaelintheOldTestamentandintheromanwoldof
Jesus,Paul,andtheapostlesiselatedtothepoliticalenvionmentofthetimes.
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Kings,empeos,ules,andothepowesgovenedthepeopleofthetime.Isael,
foexample,spentmuchofitshistoyundefoeignuleandeveninexile.These
othenationsandpoliticalsystemsweeboundtohaveaneffectonthewayGods
peoplelived.recognize,howeve,thatGodisalwaysincontolofthepoliticalsitu-ation.EvenKingNebuchadnezzaacknowledgedthisfact(Dan.4:3435).
Egypt,Philistia,Assyia,Babylon,Pesia,Geece,andromeallplayedamajo
patintheBible.Whatweethesenationslike?HowdidtheyaffectIsaelothe
NewTestamentchuch?Manyofthepophetsmessagescanonlybeundestood
inlightoftheicuentpoliticalclimate.
Inthisstep,witedownalltheinsightsyoucanfomyoueseachintothe
politicalconditionsofthetimepeiodyouaestudying.
Step Seven Summarize Your Research
NowgobackoveStepTheethoughStepSix,andfomthedatayouhavegath-
eed,summaizeyoueseachbyansweingthesetwoquestions:
HowdoesthisbackgoundinfomationhelpmeundestandbettewhatI
amstudying?
Whatinfluencedidanyofthesefactoshaveonthesubject(obook)that
Iamstudying?
Step eight Write Out a Personal Application
Althoughapesonalapplicationmaybehadtocomebyinthistypeofstudy,you
shouldbeabletogetonefomyouoiginalsubject.Infact,eseachintotheback-
goundofyousubjectmayenableyoutofindanapplicationyoumayneedtoday,
andthedatacanhelpyoumakethatapplicationpesonallyelevant.
HOWTOFILLINTHEBOOKBACKGrOUNDSTUDYFOrM
Thefomattheendofthischapteshouldhelpyouinthisstudy,oyoumaymak
youownpapewiththedivisionssuggestedonthefom.
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Rick WaRRens BiBLe sTUDY MeTHODs
Filling Out the Form
Followthestepsjustoutlinedandwiteintheinsightsgleanedfomyoueseach.
ThensummaizetheinsightsinStepSeven.Ifyouneedmoeoom,usetheback
ofthefomoothesheetsofpape.
Sample Filled-out Form
SeetheexampleonEphesusattheendofthischapte.
Assignment
SomesubjectstoconsideasyoubeginusingtheBookBackgoundStudyMethod
ae
ThebookofPhilippians ThebookofHaggai
ThebookofColossians
Thebookofruth
PhaiseesandSadducees
Templewoship
TheromansinPalestine
For Further Reading
ThebookslistedundeToolsYouWillNeedaeexcellentfogettingstatedon
thismethod.Fosomemethodologyohow-tohints,youmayeadTheHistoi-
calMethodinMeillC.TenneysGalatians:.The.Charter.of.Christian.Liberty(Eed-
mans),pages97109.Heeaesomeadditionalesouces:
The.Bible.Knowledge.Background.Commentary,.editedbyCaigEvans,3vols.(Victo)
Chronological. and. Background. Charts. of. the. New. Testament. by H. Wayne House
(Zondevan)
Chronological.and.Background.Charts.of.the.Old.Testament. byJohnWalton(Zondevan)
The. IVP.Bible.Background.Commentary:.New. Testament.byCaig Keene (InteVasity
Pess)
The.IVP.Bible.Background.Commentary:.Old.Testament. byJohnWaltonetal.(InteVasity
Pess)
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The.Book.Background.Method.of.Bible.Stu
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Manners.and.Customs.in.the.Bible.byVictoH.Matthews(Hendickson)
The.Zondervan.Illustrated.Bible.Background.Commentary:.New.Testament, editedbyClin-
tonAnold,4vols.(Zondevan)
The.Zondervan.Illustrated.Bible.Background.Commentary:.Old.Testament,. editedbyJohn
Walton,4vols.(Zondevan)
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
1. SuBject Ephesus(BookofEphesians)
2. reFerence tOOlS uSeD
Eerdmans.Handbook.to.the.Bible
The.New.Bible.Dictionary
The.Zondervan.Pictorial.Encyclopedia.of.the.Bible.
3. geOgraphical BackgrOunD
ThecitywassituatedonthewestencoastofAsiaMinoat themouthof
theCaysterive,oneofthefoumajoeast-westvalleysthatendedinthe
AegeanSea.Itwasatthebeginningofamajohighwaythatwenteastwad
acossAsiaMinointoSyia,thenintoMesopotamia,Pesia,andIndia.
Ephesuswasalagepotcityandhadapopulationofaound400,000inthe
apostlePaulstime.ItwasthemostimpotantcityintheromanpovinceofAsia.Itsstategiclocationcausedittobethemeetingplaceofthelandand
seatadeoutesinthatpatofthewoldinthosedays.
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
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4. hiStOrical BackgrOunD
Ephesuswasanancientcitywhoseoiginsaelostinthemistsofantiquity.It
wasknownasanimpotantpotcityinthedaysoftheancientHittites(ealy
1300sB.C.).
Aound1080B.C.itwastakenandcolonizedbytheGeeksfomacossthe
AegeanSea,andGeekwaysandinfluencesweeintoduced.Fivecentuies
lateitwastakenbythelegendayKingCoesus,whoestoedAsianinfluence
tothecity.
ThePesianstookEphesusin557B.C.,andtwocentuiesofconflictwiththe
Geeksoveitfollowed.AlexandetheGeatcaptuedthecityin335B.C.,and
theGeekinfluencepevaileduntilromantimes.
Theromanstookthecityin190B.C.,anditemainedintheihandsothei
allies handsuntil afte the daysofPaul. It became themajo city in the
romanpovinceofAsia,althoughPegamumemainedthecapital.
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
5. cultural BackgrOunD
FomthetimetheGeekstookthecityin1080B.C.,cultualconflictexisted
betweentheAsianandGeekwaysoflife.Theoiginaleligionincludedthe
woshipofthemothe-goddesswhomtheGeekslatecalledAtemis(Diana
intheromansystem).Heetheoiginalgoddesshadashine,andtheGeeks
latebuiltagandtemplethatbecameknownthoughoutthewholeMedite-
aneanwold.
BeingatthecossoadsofEuopeandtheFaEast,thecityhadanintena-
tionalflavoaspeopleofmanybackgounds,paticulalytadesandsailos,
mixedheefeely.Thusitwasacosmopolitancity,pimailyGeekincultue
butwithAsianundepinningsexistingtheeatthesametime.Ithadallthe
conveniencesofamodenromancitygymnasium,stadium,theates,and
acentalmaketplace.
6. pOlitical BackgrOunD
InPaulsday,sinceitwasacityloyaltorome,itwasgovenedbytheroman
poconsulfomPegamum.Itwasallowedtohaveitsowngovenmentand
wasdividedintotibesaccodingtotheethniccompositionofitspopulation.InPaulstimetheeweesixtibes,andtheepesentativestotheigatheing
electedthetownclek,whowasesponsiblefoallpublicmeetings.
OthegovenmentofficialsincludedtheAsiachs,municipalofficesofrome,
andtheNeokoos,thetempleofficials.
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
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7. SuMMary OF inSightS
ThecityofEphesuswasanimpotantcity,andbecauseofitsstategicvalue,
Paulandhisteamheadedtheeontheisecondmissionayjouney.Paullate
ministeedtheefosometimeonhisthidjouney.
Becauseofitscosmopolitanpopulation,heewasanoppotunityfoministy
tomanydiffeentkindsofpeoplesromans,Geeks,andtheAsiansofthat
patofAsia.Also,aministycouldbehadwiththetavelesandtades,who
camebothbylandandbysea.
Ephesushistoyandgeogaphymadethecitystategicfotheplantingof
chuchesandthenspeadingthenewsofthegospelthoughoutthewhole
teitoyaounditaswellastomanyotheplacesthoughthecaavansand
shipping.
8. perSOnal applicatiOn
InadayofpopulationexplosionitismyesponsibilitytowitnesstoJesus
Chistinthestategicplacesofthewold.ThismeansthatinmytownIneed
tofindoutwheethestategiccentesofpeoplegatheingae.ThenIshouldplantogothee,bothbymyselfandwithmychuch,totestifytothegaceof
Godandhissalvation.IwilltalkwithSamandJoeaboutthis,andwewilllay
planstogethefoevangelizingoucommunity.
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
1. SuBject
2. reFerence tOOlS uSeD
3. geOgraphical BackgrOunD
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
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4. hiStOrical BackgrOunD
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
5. cultural BackgrOunD
6. pOlitical BackgrOunD
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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM
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7. SuMMary OF inSightS
8. perSOnal applicatiOn