A Disciple’s Habit

Scripture

What we study determines what kind of habits are to be formed in our lives

 

“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God my be thoroughly equipped for every good work”

II Timothy 3: 16-17

“Scripture can not be broken” – Jesus John 10:35

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word” Psalms 119:9

Blessed is the man…delights in the word (law) of the LORD, and on His words he, meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit…” Psalms 1:1-3

Scripture BasicsWhen you read you should:

1. Summarize - the narrative. Making sense of the passage.

2. Understand - What does this mean? Why would God choose this story and these words/tense/phrase/person/story/theme? What is the purpose?

3. Application - How does this change me? In light of this scripture, how shall I live?

Beginning Study MethodsMost of these elements can be applied at different levels: sentence,

paragraph, story/event, chapter, book, whole Bible

Summary: Understand and be able to tell the basic story

Character/Biographical sketch: Explore the actions, motives, emotions, transformation, impact… of the individuals in the narrative

Primary theme/Subordinate themes: See example

Word study: See example

Phrase study: See example

Background: What was the historical, political, religious, cultural, philosophical and religious setting for the text?

Structure analysis: A lot of possibilities here. Why is the narrative built in this order? What is the pivot point? Repeated words/phrases/metaphors? What would happen if you changed individuals, location, verbs. I’ve included one example

Meaning(s) Why did God include this_____________?

Application: How will I apply what God says through His word?

Word StudyPsalm 23

“The LORD is my shepherd

I shall not want.”

“All scripture is God-breathed…”

What does this word* mean? Why is this word* chosen and why is it

placed here? What other word* could have been

chosen? What does this (or the negative) imply? Where else in scripture are these words*

found?

* tense/phrase/person/story/theme

The: ________________________ LORD: ______________________ is: __________________________ my:_________________________ shepherd:_____________________ I: ___________________________ shall:_________________________ not:__________________________ want:_________________________

The

LORD

is

my

shepherd

not

a

some

singular

Why not

GodAdoni

Elohim

Elroi

I AM “YWH”

Moses and Burning bush

Other places it is used

Did you know the Jews refused to pronounce this word?

Why not another verb?

What comes to mind when you hear this word?

What does this word signify?

What was the point of this encounter?

Why not a, the, our, righteous, good, kind?

“How does this word fit with “The LORD”?

Out of all of the things that the LORD is, why this word? What if you were reading it for the first time?

If He is this, what am I?

What are the characteristic of a shepherd?

Where else in scriptures is this shepherd/sheep motif used?

What are the characteristics of sheep?

Why not “is like a”

Notice the big hinge coming next!

Job description

Psalm 23“The LORD is my shepherd

I shall not want

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

For You are with me;

Your rod and staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Psalm 23Word Study - Verbs

God’s Action He is He makes He leads He restores He guides You are with me Your rod/staff comfort You prepare You anoint

Man’s Action I walk (I will not want/fear) I dwell

Phrase Study (in a single book)

“Come unto me”In the Gospel of Matthew 5:24 –1ST Go and be reconciled then come… 8:11 – Many will come from the east and the west and take their

places with Abraham 11:28- Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened 14:28 –Lord…tell me to come to you on the water. Jesus said,

Come. 16:24 –If any one would come after me he must: deny, take, follow 19:14 –Let the little children come…because… 19: 21–If you want “telos”: go…sell…give…then come …follow 25:34 Come, you who are blessed…

Theme (over several chapters)

Gospel of Matthew 5-9 - Authority of Jesus Chapters 5, 6, and 7- Teaching: Over man’s conduct & O.T. Law Chapter 8 Over sickness Worst kind 1-4 (touches and speaks) Gentiles and distance 5-13 (speaks) Common and uncommon 14-16 (touches only and speaks only) Over prophecy (the past) 17 Over man’s motives 18-22 Over nature 23-27 Over demons 28-34 Chapter 9 - Over Sin

1:1-2:11Hannah & Samuel

2:12-17Eli’s sons were

wicked men

2:18-21But Samuel

2:22-25Eli and son’s

sins

2:26Samuel continued

2:27-36Eli and sons

warned

3:1-4:1Samuel ministered

4:1b-7:2 Consequences of

Eli and sons

Structure (Biographical Interchange)

“’The days are coming,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord’”

Amos 8:11