Though every year the Bible is the world’s most popular, purchased, and translated book, the majority of people reading the Bible have never deeply studied it, and even among those who have, many still have numerous, lingering questions, such as: “Who wrote it?” “Is it historically reliable?” “How were the books of the Bible selected?” “Is it possible that some books are missing or that others will be added?” “What is the over-arching storyline of the Bible and its primary message?” “How do we study the Bible?” “Why are there so many translations?” and “Which is the best translation?” The Bible’s Uniqueness: An Introduction to Scripture answers these questions and more. In addition, strong apologetic evidence for the supernatural nature and absolute trustworthiness of Scripture is provided throughout—both to convince skeptics and increase the faith of believers. May God open your eyes, ears, and heart to the deep riches in his eternal Word!
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
This book is also available for purchase here on Amazon.
And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.
2 Timothy 2:2 (NET)
Paul’s words to Timothy still apply to us today. The church needs teachers who clearly and fearlessly teach the Word of God. With this in mind, The Bible Teacher’s Guide (BTG) series was created. This series includes both expositional and topical studies, with resources to help teachers lead small groups, pastors prepare sermons, and individuals increase their knowledge of God’s Word.
The Bible’s Uniqueness: An Introduction to Scripture can be used for personal study or as a small group curriculum for around eighteen weeks. For small groups, the members will read a chapter and discuss the reflection questions (and anything else that stood out in the reading) within their gathering. The chapter can also be read before the gathering, with the meeting focusing only on discussion.
The law of the LORD is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the LORD are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. The LORD’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. The LORD’s commands are pure and give insight for life.
Psalm 19:7-8 (NET)
Hypothetically, what would you think if you heard God was publishing a book? What characteristics would you suspect to be true about it? You might think:
All these things are true about the Bible. There is no other book like it, including other religious texts. In this study, we will consider the uniqueness of the Bible, especially in comparison to other books.
The Bible has two authors: the first is God and the second is humans. In fact, God himself began writing the Bible. God wrote the Ten Commandments with his own hand. Exodus 31:18 says, “He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God.”
Not only did he write the Ten Commandments, but the Bible teaches that every word of Scripture is “inspired by God,” even though human authors were used to record his words. Second Timothy 3:16 says: “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” “Inspired by God” can also be translated “God-breathed.”
How is it possible that Scripture has two authors—both God and humans? Second Peter 1:20-21 gives us a hint. It says:
Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
What does it mean to be “carried along by the Holy Spirit”? In Acts 27:15, its writer, Luke, uses the same phrase to describe a ship being carried by a storm. He said: “When the ship was caught in it and could not head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.” In the same way the sailors gave way to the power of the storm and were “driven” by it, so the authors of the Bible were “carried” by the Holy Spirit in the writing of Scripture. The Holy Spirit drove them along both in the writing of the content and in keeping them from error. The writers were present, they were thinking and writing, but they were being moved by the Spirit.
Consider some specific instances where we see the Bible being written by men. Deuteronomy 31:24–27 says,
When Moses finished writing on a scroll the words of this law in their entirety, he commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the Lord’s covenant, “Take this scroll of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. It will remain there as a witness against you, for I know about your rebellion and stubbornness. Indeed, even while I have been living among you to this very day, you have rebelled against the Lord; you will be even more rebellious after my death!”
Moses wrote God’s words down in a scroll; then it was placed beside the ark of the covenant. After Moses wrote the Book of the Law, Joshua continued the writing, sharing the events of Israel’s conquest of Canaan. Joshua 24:26 says, “Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God. He then took a large stone and set it up there under the oak tree near the Lord’s shrine.”
Similarly, the prophet Jeremiah received a call from God to write. Jeremiah 30:2 says, “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Write everything that I am about to tell you in a scroll.” Throughout the Old Testament, God commissioned people to write Scripture so it would be preserved for future generations.
Likewise, the New Testament was written by people who were guided by the Holy Spirit. In John 14:26, Jesus said to his disciples, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” Later, in John 16:12-13, Christ said:
I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come.
God sent the Holy Spirit to inspire the disciples and bring to their remembrance all of Christ’s words. The Holy Spirit would not only bring things to their remembrance, but also would give the disciples further revelation. In the following texts, Paul talks about his receiving further revelation:
When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ. Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:5-6
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:11-12
This is how the New Testament and the Old Testament were written: the Holy Spirit moved upon specific individuals to write the actual words of God, so God could reveal himself to people.
In what ways did the Holy Spirit inspire these men to write Scripture? The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of Scripture through different methods. Hebrews 1:1 says, “After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets.” These various ways include:
1. Some parts of Scripture were written by dictation: the author wrote down exactly what God said. This is especially true in the Old Testament, as indicated by the prophets’ phrase, “Thus says the Lord!” When this happened, the audience knew the prophet was speaking verbatim from God.
2. Some parts of Scripture were written by the Holy Spirit inspiring the author’s words, yet embodying the author’s personality, education, writing style, and experiences. Most Scripture is written in this manner.
3. Some parts of Scripture were written using a historical method, including personal testimony and documented stories of eyewitnesses. For example, consider the introductions to 1 John and Luke:
This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life—
1 John 1:1
Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning. So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know for certain the things you were taught.
Luke 1:1-4
John shared what he had personally seen and experienced, while Luke investigated and shared eyewitness accounts.
4. Some parts of Scripture were written using other unique methods, such as dreams, visions, theophanies. Wayne Grudem’s insights on this method are helpful:
In between these two extremes of dictation pure and simple on the one hand, and ordinary historical research on the other hand, we have many indications of various ways by which God communicated with the human authors of Scripture. In some cases Scripture gives us hints of these various processes: it speaks of dreams, of visions, of hearing the Lord’s voice or standing in the council of the Lord; it also speaks of men who were with Jesus and observed his life and listened to his teaching, men whose memory of these words and deeds was made completely accurate by the working of the Holy Spirit as he brought things to their remembrance (John 14:26). Yet in many other cases the manner used by God to bring about the result that the words of Scripture were his words is simply not disclosed to us. Apparently, many different methods were used, but it is not important that we discover precisely what these were in each case.
In cases where the ordinary human personality and writing style of the author were prominently involved, as seems the case with the major part of Scripture, all that we are able to say is that God’s providential oversight and direction of the life of each author was such that their personalities, their backgrounds and training, their abilities to evaluate events in the world around them, their access to historical data, their judgment with regard to the accuracy of information, and their individual circumstances when they wrote, were all exactly what God wanted them to be, so that when they actually came to the point of putting pen to paper, the words were fully their own words but also fully the words that God wanted them to write, words that God would also claim as his own.1
One might think that the primary authors were ancient scholars and theologians; however, those are not the people God typically used. He often chose regular lay people, many lacking formal religious education. In Acts 4:13, Luke shared how the Pharisees were “amazed” at the courage of the apostles, as they could discern that “they [the apostles] were uneducated, ordinary men.” Scripture was written by farmers, fishermen, shepherds, tax collectors, and criminals. With that said, God also chose to use kings, government officials, and rabbis to author his Word. God used around forty authors from various backgrounds to write Scripture.
Why did God often use common, lay people to write Scripture? First Corinthians 1:27-29 may provide some insight into this. It says:
But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence.
It seems that God chose regular people to write the Bible to guard against the temptation of boasting in humanity (as we tend to do with authors, musicians, athletes, and political leaders), thus assuring that God would receive the glory.
Many famous writers will write approximately one page a day to complete a new book every year. In contrast, the Bible took around 1500 years to complete. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew (with a few portions in Aramaic) between 1400 and 430 BC. The New Testament was written in common Greek between 45 and 90 AD.2 The Bible was written during seasons of war, peace, famine, and prosperity. No other book, including religious texts, took such a long time to complete.
Though the authors lived and wrote during different time periods, the books are not random nor fragmented. They teach a unified story, sometimes referred to as redemptive history. They show how the world fell into sin and came under a curse, and how God chose to save the world through a messiah. The messiah came from the Jews, was rejected, crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Then, the authors detail how the gospel (the message of God saving people through their faith in the resurrected messiah) spread throughout the world, and how one day Christ will return to judge and bring forth the eternal state.
The unified story of these forty authors in sixty-six books, written over a 1,500-year time frame, is remarkable. It would be virtually impossible to find forty authors during the same time period (much less various time periods), who wrote on one subject from different angles without contradicting one another. Yet, the Bible does this over a 1,500-year period. There is no book like it.
How were the original manuscripts of the Bible continually and accurately copied so that we now have it in its original meaning, intent, and entirety today? Initially, it was written on various materials: on papyrus (a material woven from plants), on different types of animal skins, and occasionally on stone. The Old Testament, specifically, was copied over and over again by writers known as scribes.
Scribes followed stringent protocols. Before beginning to copy any text, they had to be freshly bathed and fully dressed. They had to write with meticulous accuracy at all times. Each manuscript had to be exactly the same; a piece of string had to be able to fit between every letter, and there had to be the space of a letter between each word.3 If they were writing God’s name, they could not use a newly dipped pen, lest they botch it. If a king entered the room or addressed them, they had to finish writing God’s name first. They maintained strict discipline in counting paragraphs, words, and letters to make sure that each page was the same and that they hadn’t made a mistake.4
Because of their painstaking diligence, thousands of Old Testament manuscripts, copied with tremendous accuracy, have been preserved over time. Likewise, Christian scribes meticulously copied the New Testament as well, striving to guard it from error. We have more ancient New Testament manuscripts than Old Testament manuscripts. The Bible is unique in its preservation.
Throughout the ages, great criticism has always been directed towards the Bible, declaring its inaccuracy historically, scientifically, and doctrinally. However, new evidences, including archaeological findings, continue to support the accuracy of Scripture.
For example, though many in the scientific community have declared the impossibility of the Genesis flood, historical findings show that almost all ancient people groups record world-wide flood stories which include corresponding elements such as a warning of the flood, a large boat, the inclusion of animals in the boat, a family, and sending out birds to see if the flood had subsided.5 Dr. Richard Andree, a German scholar, collected eighty-eight ancient flood stories.6 Dr. Duane Gish, in his book Dinosaurs by Design, says there are more than 270 flood stories.7 Forty-six are from Central and South America, fifty-nine from North America, thirty-one from Europe, seventeen from the Middle East, twenty-three from Asia, and thirty-seven from the South Sea Islands, New Zealand and Australia, among others.8 In addition, where many previously scoffed at the possibility of all languages originating from one language, as taught in the Tower of Babel story, many experts now believe all languages can be traced to a common origin.
Similarly, others criticize Scripture by contending that its many inconsistencies and contradictions are actually errors. However, many of these “contradictions” are simply the results of people reporting the same event or doctrine from different angles. Other purported contradictions can be explained by understanding the relevant historical background and by comparing Scripture with Scripture.
In comparing Scripture with Scripture, for example, Matthew 27:5 says Judas hung himself, and Acts 1:18 says he bought a field, fell to the ground, and his guts spilled out. Many declare, “Look, there is another error!” However, upon further scrutiny, these two portions of Scripture appear to be the same event told from two distinct perspectives. Most likely, Judas hung himself, the rope broke, and because gas had built up in his stomach, that, combined with the impact of the fall, caused his abdomen to burst and his intestines to spill out. There is no error in the differing accounts of Matthew and Acts, merely different perspectives of the same event.
Jonah 2:6 describes how Jonah, after being thrown off the boat, sank down to the “roots of the mountains.” In past generations, people mocked that story: “What mountains? There are no mountains in the ocean!” they declared. However, today, because of technological advances, we know that some of the biggest mountains are in the ocean—something previous generations were not aware of.
A final example, Revelation 11:7-10 describes how, in the end times, two prophets will be murdered, and people from all around the world will look at them, celebrate their death, and send gifts to one another. People used to declare, “How can people from all over the world look at two people in Jerusalem?” In the 1950s, nations started sending satellites to space, and today locations across the world can be seen live simply by clicking on a computer or other electronic devices. What seemed impossible 100 years ago, makes perfect sense now.
Specifically, considering the historical criticism Scripture has received, Scholar William F. Albright said this:
The excessive skepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the eighteenth and 19th centuries, certain phases which still appear periodically, has been progressively discredited. Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history.9
In addition, Nelson Glueck, the renowned Jewish archaeologist, wrote that, “It maybe stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference.”10
The Bible is unique in its survival of criticism. It continues to prove itself true scientifically, historically, doctrinally, and in many other ways, thwarting even the harshest attacks.
Not only has the Bible been historically criticized, it has also been persecuted. For example, in AD 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian issued an edict to destroy Christians and their sacred book.11 The letter ordered that churches and Bibles be burned and that those who persisted in confessing Christianity would be deprived of their civil rights. Such persecution has been active throughout the Bible’s history. In modern times (as of 2019), news reports shared how China was burning Bibles and churches in many provinces to ensure loyalty to the government.12 Bibles could no longer be purchased online, and the government was rewriting parts of Scripture to better fit communist ideology.13 Likewise, in North Korea, a person can be executed for simply possessing a Bible.14 These countries are not alone in their attacks. Currently, the Bible is banned or restricted in around fifty-two countries world-wide. Most of these are communist or Islamic nations. However, even with the great antagonism which has existed against the Bible since its inception, the Bible is still the most published and translated book in the world.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine (81). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
2 Plummer, Robert L. 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible (40 Questions & Answers Series) (Kindle Locations 1076-1077). Kregel Publications - A. Kindle Edition.
3 Accessed 8/2/19 from https://www.josh.org/faithful-transmit-old-testament/=
4 Accessed 8/2/19 from https://bible.org/seriespage/5-transmission
5 Accessed 8/29/19 from http://www.nwcreation.net/noahlegends.html
6 Accessed 8/29/19 from http://www.noahsarksearch.com/The_Explorers_Of_Ararat_1960-1968_George_Vandeman.pdf
7 Accessed 8/29/19 from https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/flood-legends/flood-legends/
8 Schaefer, Richard. Creation: “Behold it was very good.” pg. 133.
9 William, Albright. The Archaeology of Palestine and the Bible. New York: Revell, 1935. (pg. 137-138).
10 Dr. Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert, (New York: Farrar, Strous and Cudahy, 1959), 136.
11 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 14). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
12 Accessed 8/29/19 from https://www.businessinsider.com/china-burning-bibles-to-make-everyone-loyal-to-communist-party-report-2018-9
Assuming that we believe in God and that he has chosen to reveal himself through the Bible, how do we know the Bible is still accurate? We no longer have the original manuscripts; therefore, how do we know that the copies we have today are accurate? After all, we have all seen or participated in the telephone game; in a classroom, the students form a circle and one person starts the game by whispering a simple phrase into another’s ear, and that person does the same to the next person, and so on, eventually circling the entire group and arriving back to the first person. By then, the phrase is quite different from the original version. Each time someone whispered the phrase into the ear of the next person, some bit of the original phrase was altered or left out, so that by the end, it was no longer an accurate copy of the original phrase. Isn’t that what happened with all the copies of the Bible over 100’s and 1000’s of years, leading us to wonder if the Bible we have today is incomparable to the original?
This argument has often been used to discredit the accuracy of today’s Bible. Obviously, there are many weaknesses with this comparison. (1) In the telephone game, people are only allowed to share a story once, without correcting it. The whole point of the game is to get something crazy at the end. Yet, even conveying stories by word of mouth can be transferred with great accuracy if care is given in the transmission, as with oral tradition. (2) What makes this comparison more unfair is the fact that it compares transferring the spoken word to transferring the written word. Transferring written words is remarkably more accurate than transferring spoken words.
With that said, the historical reliability of the Bible is one of the more unique aspects about the Bible. An article in the North American Review said this, in comparing the reliability of Scripture to Shakespeare’s writings:
It seems strange that the text of Shakespeare, which has been in existence less than 2 hundred and eighty years, should be far more uncertain and corrupt than that of the New Testament, now over 18 centuries old, during nearly fifteen of which it existed only in manuscript… With perhaps a dozen or twenty exceptions, the text of every verse in the New Testament may be said to be so far settled by general consent of scholars, that any dispute as to its readings must relate rather to the interpretation of the words than to any doubts respecting the words themselves. But in every one of Shakespeare’s thirty-seven plays there are probably a hundred readings still in dispute, a large portion of which materially affects the meaning of the passages in which they occur.1
The historical reliability of Scripture is a mystery that attests to the sovereignty and power of God to preserve his words. To scholars it is, in fact, mind-boggling. The Bible is more historically reliable than any other ancient manuscript.
In considering the reliability of Scripture, we must consider that the oldest complete Hebrew Old Testaments date to around 1000 AD.2 This is very late, since the last Old Testament book, Malachi, was written around 433-424 BC.3 With such a great interval between the original and the copies, it would appear that critics could have a great argument against the Bible’s reliability. After all, how can we trust copies written 1400 years after the original? However, in 1947, an Arabian shepherd boy wandered into a cave in the Middle East and stumbled upon hundreds of manuscripts, which are the oldest Hebrew OT fragments ever discovered. These date back to around 250 BC to 68 AD and include not only portions of OT chapters but whole books.4 These manuscripts are called the Dead Sea Scrolls.
What makes this story even more amazing is the fact that those early copies are 95-99% the same as later copies of the OT. The 1-5% variation consist of spelling errors such as a “t” that wasn’t crossed or an “i” that wasn’t dotted, and small scribal additions. Their accuracy is virtually amazing and demonstrates how God has preserved the Bible. When considering the entire Bible and its historical reliability, as mentioned, no other ancient text can compare.
Historians use the bibliographical test to evaluate the manuscript reliability of an ancient copy of literature in comparison to the missing original.5 The test uses two standards:
For instance, of all ancient books (other than the Bible), the most historically reliable according to textual criticism is the Iliad. It was written around 750 BC yet the earliest copies (over 1,900 exist) date from 415 B.C. This makes a time gap of approximately 335 years. Consider some other ancient books:
In considering the New Testament alone, there are books with a time gap of 50–150 years. Within a time-frame of 225 years, there are over 5,600 Greek manuscripts. Within 400 years, there are over 19,000 manuscripts in Syriac, Latin, Coptic, and Aramaic.7 There are over 24,000 manuscripts of the NT—all within 95-99% accuracy of each other. The OT has over 42,000 manuscripts.8 The Bible, as a whole, has more manuscript evidence than any ten pieces of ancient literature combined. Moreover, even if we did not have any ancient New Testament manuscripts, it was so often quoted by ancient writers that by simply combining those excerpts, the entire NT can be pieced together.9
The Bible is so accurate in comparison to ancient literature that if one doubts the historical reliability of Scripture, they must also doubt that of the classics and therefore almost all we know about ancient history.10 The quotes of these two authors are helpful in considering this reality: Bible scholar Daniel Wallace said, “If we have doubts about what the autographic NT said, those doubts would have to be multiplied a hundredfold for the average classical author.”11 Likewise, Glenny Edwards said, “No one questions the authenticity of the historical books of antiquity because we do not possess the original copies. Yet we have far fewer manuscripts of these works than we possess of the NT.”12
Another test of historical reliability is the verification of internal testimony by outside sources.13 As with the manuscript evidence test, the Bible passes this one in stellar fashion as well. Not all historical details in Scripture can be verified, but its history is verifiable where it can be checked, including when Scripture discusses miracles. For example, ancient Babylonian records describe a world-wide flood in accordance with Genesis 6-8, and a confusion of language, which fits the Tower of Babel story (Gen 11).14 Archaeological findings from the site where Sodom and Gomorrah are believed to have been located, display evidence of a fiery and violent destruction in accordance with Genesis 19. “Samples from the site show that an extremely hot, explosive event leveled” the cities. Many archaeologists believe it was hit by a meteor.15 In the New Testament, cities, political officials, and events have been repeatedly affirmed by historical findings. Luke, the author of Luke and Acts, “has been described as a first-rate historian for his attention to detail and accurate reporting.”16 Sir William Ramsay said this:
Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians… Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness.17
When considering the miracles of Christ, they have strong attestation outside the Bible as well, even by those who didn’t believe he was the Jewish messiah. In the Babylonian Talmud (AD 500), it says that Christ “practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy.”18 Josephus (AD 30-100), an ancient Jewish historian, said Christ did “startling deeds” and gained a following.19 Altogether, historical findings continue to increasingly prove the reliability of Scripture.
The Bible’s historical reliability simply confirms what Scripture teaches about itself—that it is true (Ps 119:160), perfect (Ps 19:7), imperishable and enduring (1 Pet 1:23). God has truly preserved his Word both from corruption and error. It is unique in comparison to all of literature.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 McDowell, Josh, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Here’s Life Publisher, San Bernardino, Ca, 1979.
2 Accessed 9/2/19 from https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/hebrew-bible/what-is-the-oldest-hebrew-bible/
3 MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Handbook. Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
4 Accessed 9/2/19 from https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/hebrew-bible/what-is-the-oldest-hebrew-bible/
5 Accessed 2/11/2020 from https://www.equip.org/articles/the-bibliographical-test-updated/
6 Number of ancient copies and some other classic book details from McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict
7 McDowell, Josh. The Unshakeable Truth (p. 98). Harvest House Publishers.
8 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 53). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
9 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 63). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
10 Accessed 9/2/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-reliable.html
11 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 55). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
12 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 55). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
13 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 76). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
14 Accessed 9/2/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-reliable.html
15 Accessed 9/2/19 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2018/12/04/new-science-suggests-biblical-city-of-sodom-was-smote-by-an-exploding-meteor/#666ea5465c67
16 Accessed 9/2/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-reliable.html
17 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 87). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
18 The Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a. Accessed 9/2/19, as originally cited on http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/talmud.html
19 Josephus, Antiquities, 18.3. As quoted from Powell, Mark. Jesus as a Figure in History, Westminster John Knox Press, London, 1998 (pg 33).
What exactly does it mean to say, “the Bible is inerrant”? It simply means that the Bible is without error in its original autographs and therefore the copies can be trusted. There are two prevailing views in Christianity regarding inerrancy. One view is called limited inerrancy. This view limits the scope of inerrancy to such things as matters of faith and practice, or to the message of salvation. For example, one might say: “The Bible is infallible, as I define that term, but not inerrant. That is, there are historical and scientific errors in the Bible, but I have found none on matters of faith and practice.”1 Christians from liberal backgrounds often take this view.
The other view is absolute inerrancy. It teaches that “Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact.”2 In general, a simple definition might be “that the Bible tells the truth.”3 Christians from conservative backgrounds take this view. When there is an apparent error in the Bible, they claim that it is an error of the manuscript, its translation, or our understanding. Absolute inerrancy is more consistent with what the Bible teaches about itself—that the Bible is perfect and without fault.
Why is believing in absolute inerrancy so important? Simply, if the Bible is in error at even just one point, it can be presumed to be erroneous in any place. This then begs the question, “How can we trust anything the Bible says?” As soon as the foundational belief of Scripture’s inerrancy is lost, every other doctrine comes under scrutiny. First one doubts the accuracy of miraculous stories, like Moses parting the Red Sea, Jonah being swallowed by a big fish, or the flood story. Then, they doubt doctrines with greater consequences, like the creation story, Christ’s resurrection, his second coming, hell, and salvation itself. It is a very slippery slope.
Why should we believe in the Bible’s inerrancy? Essentially, for four reasons:
1. Evidence for Scripture’s inerrancy is found in God’s character.
Titus 1:1-2 says: “to further the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began.” Paul encouraged Titus with the fact that eternal life is promised by God, who cannot lie. That is why we can trust all of Scripture. Scripture is God’s Word, and God cannot tell a lie. Numbers 23:19 says this: “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?”
In fact, Christ called himself “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus is the truth because there is nothing false in him. Everything he says and does is true because he is God and that is his character.
2. Evidence for Scripture’s inerrancy is substantiated by what the Bible teaches about itself—that every word is true, not just the ideas of Scripture.
In Matthew 4:4, Christ said this, as he quoted Deuteronomy 8:3: “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jesus said that man lives on “every word” that comes from the mouth of God, not SOME words or SOME ideas. Likewise, 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” In agreement, the Psalms say:
The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life.
Psalm 19:7
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
Psalm 119:160 (NIV)
The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
Psalm 12:6 (ESV)
Scripture teaches that every part of it is true, not just some parts or the main ideas of Scripture.
3. Evidence for Scripture’s inerrancy is proven by Scripture’s preservation.
Jesus said this, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place” (Matt 5:18). As we have already examined, God has indeed preserved his Word, as seen in its historical reliability. It is more reliable than any ten ancient manuscripts combined.
4. Evidence for Scripture’s inerrancy is demonstrated by how the authors of Scripture use Scripture in such a way that supports its inerrancy.
In the Bible, at times, an entire argument rests on a single word (e.g., “God” in John 10:34–35 and Psalm 82:6), the tense of a verb (e.g., the present tense in Matt 22:32), and the difference between a singular and a plural noun (e.g., “descendant” in Gal 3:16). Let’s consider an example: In Matthew 22:30–32, the entire argument rests on a single word. The Sadducees were the liberal believers in Christ’s day—they did not believe in miracles, the resurrection, or even an afterlife. One day, they tested Christ on his belief in the resurrection. They concocted a scenario wherein a woman’s husband died and so she married his brother. The brother died and she married another brother. He died and she married another and so on until the seventh brother died. Then she died. Then, the Sadducees asked Christ, “At the resurrection, whose wife will she be?” “Basically, they argued that the idea of resurrection posed insuperable difficulties, hence it was not reasonable, therefore it was not true.”4 Consider Christ’s response:
Jesus answered them, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living!”
Matthew 22:29-32
Here, Christ’s argument rests on the tense of the word “am.” Essentially, Christ said, “Didn’t you notice that ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ was written in the present tense?” Christ was saying that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are all still alive, and therefore, would one day be resurrected. This logic confronted the Sadducee’s lack of belief in the afterlife and the resurrection. Every word has been chosen by God, even down to the tense.
We also see this in how Paul handled Scripture. In Galatians 3:16, he said:
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say, “and to the descendants,” referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” referring to one, who is Christ.
Galatians 3:16
When looking at God’s promises to Abraham and his descendant, Paul argues that the promises were not to the nation of Israel specifically, but to one descendant, Christ, and therefore, everybody in Christ (cf. Gal 3:29). He clarifies that the promises were to Abraham’s “descendant,” singular, and not “descendants,” plural. The argument rests on the singularity of a specific word God chose to use in Scripture.
The Bible is inspired and inerrant even down to the tense and plurality of the words. Every word is inspired by God and not just the ideas of Scripture. This gives credence to studying and meditating on each word of the Bible since we believe God chose them for a purpose. This is one of the reasons many Bible students study the original languages of Scripture. They do this because they are convinced of the validity of each word. Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).
This statement is true; therefore, Scriptural inerrancy must be clearly recognized as a miracle. People are sinful and prone to error. However, God is perfect and cannot err. The Holy Spirit inspired the authors in such a way that he kept them from error in the writing of Scripture.
For example, today people commonly use jargon like the sun rose (sunrise) or the sun went down (sunset). However, the sun technically never moves—the earth does. Though these are not scientifically accurate statements, they are culturally acceptable statements which are deemed truthful. Scripture uses similar statements. In Joshua 10:13-14, Scripture describes how the sun and moon stood still, as God enabled Israel to defeat an army. What really happened is God miraculously made the earth stand still. However, the narrator describes the event by how it appeared visually, just as people do today. Though not written in scientific language, it is still truthful language.
Likewise, the Bible also uses approximations. In today’s language, if one says his or her house is 5 miles away, but it is actually 4.5 miles away, the statement is not considered deceptive. The distance is understood and accepted as an approximation. If the person really lived 100 miles away, then the statement would be an exaggeration and thus considered a lie. Sometimes, approximations are used on the news when accounting for death and injury tolls after a major accident. Likewise, when we share with others about these tragedies, we, too, often use approximations. Our intent is to share the truth and the seriousness of a situation but not necessarily the precise numbers. The authors of Scripture frequently did that in their writings when counting people or deaths. For them, the focus was truthfulness and not necessarily exact precision.
Ancient Greek did not have quotation marks. When quoting someone in the ancient world, it simply had to be an accurate representation of the content of what one said.5 It didn’t have to be word for word. Therefore, authors in Scripture routinely followed that same pattern in their translations. They would often paraphrase an Old Testament text. This is how we often share what someone else said today, especially when shared verbally. Our intent is to relay the truth, and not necessarily the exact words.
It should be remembered that current scientific and historical beliefs often contradict previously held beliefs. Science and history are still evolving as more findings are discovered, but Scripture does not change. It is complete. Therefore, we can be assured that when all subsequent discoveries are revealed, Scripture will be proved correct. For this reason, Christians should not doubt Scripture’s accuracy because of scientific or historical theories, as compelling as they may be. God is the Creator of the world, and he established how the world runs (science); he also knows the beginning from the end and is in control of both (history). Therefore, we can trust what the Bible says in all areas of science and history.
When we consider how the apostles and the early church viewed the copies of Scripture, their belief in the reliability and authority of the copies is clear. Therefore, we should trust them as well. Consider the following:
He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’
Again, this is a quote from a translated copy, but it was still inspired by God. The apostles primarily quoted from Greek copies of the OT in the inspired New Testament. If Jesus and the apostles trusted the copies, then we can trust them as well.
Here is a contemporary argument. If I apply for a job, the company will most likely take a photocopy of my driver’s license and social security card to keep for its records. The company knows the copy is not perfect, it may have a smudge here or there, but in general, the copy is considered accurate and acceptable. This is how the early church handled the copies of Scripture, and so should we. God has preserved his words, and they are still authoritative.
As mentioned, when we compare the thousands of copies of Scripture, they are in 95 to 99% agreement.7 The errors are typically small copyist errors. When comparing a manuscript error with the content of thousands of other manuscripts, what was originally penned is typically clear. This is what we call textual criticism.
If there are errors in the Bible, they are errors in our understanding of the text, with the copy of the manuscript used, or with the translation. But the Bible itself cannot have errors because God is its author, and he cannot err. He has promised to preserve his Word.
What does all this mean for us?
We should not doubt spectacular stories in Scripture, such as the universal flood, Moses parting the Red Sea, Jonah being swallowed by a big fish, the virgin birth, Christ’s sinless life, the resurrection, or prophecies about the end times. We can believe the Bible’s teaching about history, science, morality, wisdom, Christ, salvation, and the end times. Scripture holds the very words of God, and therefore, it is not only authoritative and powerful, it is also trustworthy.
As mentioned, it is good to occasionally meditate on individual words—noting their tenses, meaning, position in a sentence, etc.—because each word was specifically chosen by God. Every part of Scripture (including each word) is God-inspired and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so God’s people can be equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17).
To the Sadducees, Jesus said, “Have you not read?” Yes, they had read Scripture, but they hadn’t studied and meditated on each word—and therefore missed the powerful truth of the resurrection, which would have changed their lives (cf. Matt 22:30–32). Many times, we miss a great deal in our study of the Bible as well. Therefore, we should study Scripture both telescopically (trying to understand the big picture) and microscopically (trying to understand details). Both approaches will greatly enrich our time in God’s Word.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (p. 92). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
2 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 90). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
3 Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (p. 93). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
4 MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1287.
5 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 92). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
The English word “canon” comes from a Hebrew and Greek word which means “measuring rod.”1 Later the word came to refer to a “standard” or “list.” When used of Scripture, it refers to the official list of books in the Bible. Therefore, the topic of “canonicity” refers to how the books of the Bible were recognized as authoritative. We will look first at the OT and then the NT.
As we considered previously, revelation was continually added to the Old Testament. It started with God writing the Ten Commandments with his own hand, then Moses writing the books of the law, Joshua adding to Moses’ work, and God successively calling other prophets to write down revelation. By God’s command, these authoritative books were kept in the tabernacle and later the temple. The last Old Testament book written was Malachi, and it was written about 430 BC—430 years before Christ came.
The period between the writing of the last OT book and the appearance of Christ is called the intertestamental period (the time between the testaments). This was a period of over 400 “silent” years, throughout which there were no Scriptural additions. There were, however, historical writings produced during those silent years, such as the Apocrypha, which are not part of the Canon. These books demonstrated the common belief among Jews that God had stopped speaking authoritatively during that time period. Wayne Grudem adds:
When we turn to Jewish literature outside the Old Testament, we see that the belief that divinely authoritative words from God had ceased is clearly attested in several different strands of extrabiblical Jewish literature.
In 1 Maccabees (about 100 BC) the author writes of the defiled altar, “So they tore down the altar and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them” (1 Macc. 4:45–46). They apparently knew of no one who could speak with the authority of God as the Old Testament prophets had done. The memory of an authoritative prophet among the people was one that belonged to the distant past, for the author could speak of a great distress “such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them” (1 Macc. 9:27; cf. 14:41).2
Because of the general consensus that God was not speaking during the intertestamental period, the fact that the OT was kept secure by the priests and Levites who served the temple, and that the OT was preserved and taught in various Jewish synagogues throughout the world, the current list of OT books was accepted “as early as the fourth century BC and certainly no later than 150 BC.”3 Though there must have been some debate, there was early universal acceptance of the established thirty-nine books. Within the New Testament, there is no record of debate amongst Christ, the disciples, or the Jews about the canonicity of the OT.4 Since the religious leaders brought other debatable questions about the OT to Christ, if the OT Canon was in doubt, it seems reasonable to presume such doubt would have been a prominent question to pose to him; however, it never was (and if it had been, it was not deemed significant enough to include in the NT canon). Also, the fact that the NT authors quoted the OT Scriptures 295 times as divinely inspired and didn’t quote the Apocrypha or any other writings as having divine authority, implies they were settled on the extent of the OT canon.5 The OT Canon debate, if any, was clearly settled before New Testament times.
Further confirmation of the OT Canon’s early acceptance is seen in Josephus’ writing (AD 37–100). He said that the Jews held as sacred only twenty-two books, which included exactly the same content as our present thirty-nine book OT Canon.6 Also, the Jewish council of Jamnia discussed the canonicity of the existing Hebrew Canon in AD 90. “Some questioned whether it was right to accept (as was being done) Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.”7 The council simply confirmed the already accepted Canon.
The questions must then be asked, “What is the Apocrypha?” and “Why do the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles include the Apocrypha in the Old Testament?” The Apocrypha are books written during the intertestamental period, which detail the history of that time period. Several of these books are included in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles. In the fourth century AD, St. Jerome, the translator of the Latin Vulgate, was the first to name the books the “Apocrypha” (meaning “hidden” or “concealed”).8
The history of how the Apocrypha was created includes the Jews being exiled by Babylon, Persia’s eventual rule over Babylon and thus the Israelites, and eventually, the Greeks conquering Persia. As Greece became the world power under Alexander the Great, Greek became the known world’s official language. Consequently, many Jews began to lose their native tongue, Hebrew, and needed Old Testaments in the Greek language. The Greek translation written during the third and second centuries BC is called the Septuagint (or LXX), which means “seventy” in Latin.9 Legend says that Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt (285-246 BC) commissioned seventy-two Jewish scholars to translate the Hebrew Bible.10 Within the Septuagint, the Apocrypha was added to fill in the historical gap between the Old and New Testament. The books were considered good reading but were never considered part of the Canon by the Jews. However, because it was included in the Greek translation of the Old Testament and many could not read the Hebrew Canon, some began to believe the Apocrypha was part of the original Canon.
Pope Damasus I, who lived from AD 305 to 384, commissioned a scholar named Jerome to translate a Latin Bible, as Rome was the dominant world power and propagator of Christianity. Jerome created the Latin Vulgate which included the Apocrypha and was used by the Roman Catholic Church and those who spoke Latin for centuries. However, when he added them, he said they were “not books of the Canon” but “books of the Church.” Unfortunately, this clarification did not stop people from considering them as part of the Canon. In 1546, at the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church officially ruled that the Apocrypha would be part of the Canon.11 It is significant to note that this council was the Catholic Church’s response to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, which challenged many Catholic doctrines12 and removed the Apocrypha from Protestant Bibles.13
Why was the Apocrypha accepted into the Canon by the Catholic Church? For at least two reasons: (1) As mentioned, during this period some believed that it was part of the Canon, because it was included in the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate. (2) Additionally, the Apocrypha was included because the teachings were crucial to certain beliefs in Catholic doctrine, which are not supported in the rest of Scripture. These beliefs include purgatory (a place for believers to go to be purged before entering heaven), almsgiving for forgiveness, prayers for the dead (the prayers of believers help the dead become purged in purgatory so they can enter heaven), and salvation by works.
Why is the Apocrypha not included in the Protestant Old Testament Canon? For many reasons:
1. None of the writers declared divine inspiration.
2. Jesus and the apostles never clearly quoted or applied it anywhere in the NT.
3. Many of the teachings contradict the Bible, such as purgatory, salvation by works, prayers for the dead, etc., and in general, many of its teachings do not fit with the character and nature of God. For example, consider the following verses from Ecclesiasticus:
Any iniquity is insignificant compared to a wife’s iniquity.
Ecclesiasticus 25:19
From a woman sin had its beginning. Because of her we all die.
Ecclesiasticus 25:24
It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined, and the birth of a daughter is a loss.
Ecclesiasticus 22:3
4. The Jews never accepted it as part of the Canon.
5. The books in the Apocrypha make reference to the silent 400 years, during which there were no prophets to write inspired materials. Consider the following verses from 1 Maccabees:
And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them.
1 Maccabees 4:46
And there was a great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since the day, that there was no prophet seen in Israel.
1 Maccabees 9:27
And that the Jews, and their priests, had consented that he should be their prince, and high priest for ever, till there should arise a faithful prophet.
1 Maccabees 14:41
In conclusion, the Apocrypha was written around 200-150 BC and was included in the Greek translation of the OT, called the Septuagint, and later in the Latin Vulgate. Because of this, some eventually began to consider it as inspired, even though it was initially merely considered good reading for Jews and Christians. Though Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians accept some of these books as inspired, Jews and Protestants do not accept them as inspired for many reasons, including the fact that New Testament never quotes them, that the doctrine within them at times contradicts Scripture, and that the authors of the Apocrypha never claim divine inspiration.14
What about the New Testament Canon: when was it formed and how? The NT process of canonization is more complex than the OT process. Unlike the Old Testament, New Testament books were not kept securely in the temple by the priests and Levites, with copies in every Jewish synagogue. The NT books were being circulated around the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Africa. At the same time, many false writings started to circulate with them and there arose a need to affirm which books were in the Canon. It should be noted that the early church did not select books for the Canon but simply recognized what God had already affirmed. Norm Geisler and William Nix said this:
A book is not the Word of God because it is accepted by the people of God. Rather, it was accepted by the people of God because it is the Word of God. That is, God gives the book its divine authority, not the people of God. They merely recognize the divine authority which God gives to it.15
Key to affirming NT books was apostolic approval. This considers whether a specific book was written by an apostle or approved by the apostles. Just as the primary writers of the Old Testament were prophets—those who proclaimed declarative words from the Lord—the primary writers of the New Testament were apostles. The apostles were Christ’s twelve disciples and a few others, such as Paul. All were official witnesses of Christ’s resurrection. In Ephesians 2:18-20, Paul described the apostles as the foundation of the church:
so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
The apostles were the foundation of the church by their teachings and their writing of the New Testament. Similarly, Peter said: “I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2). Peter declared in his letter that Jesus was speaking through the apostles and thus classified them as having the same rank and authority as the OT prophets who recorded Scripture. Dr. Michael Kruger said this about the early church’s perspective of the apostles and their writings:
If apostles were viewed as the mouthpiece of Christ, and it was believed that they wrote down that apostolic message in books, then those books would be received as the very words of Christ himself. Such writings would not have to wait until second-, third-or fourth-century ecclesiastical decisions to be viewed as authoritative—instead they would be viewed as authoritative from almost the very start. For this reason, a written New Testament was not something the church formally “decided” to have at some later date, but was instead the natural outworking of the early church’s view of the function of the apostles.16
Dr. Kruger’s insight highlights the role of apostolic approval, one of the primary instruments used when affirming the books of the New Testament. For example, the books of Mark, Luke, Acts, Hebrews, and Jude were not written by apostles but were accepted and approved by them.
There were still other criteria used in determining which books were to be recognized as part of the NT Canon. The early church asked these questions:
For example, in the case of Luke and Acts, they had the affirmation of the apostles and the early church. Luke was an apostolic associate—serving with Paul in his missionary journeys. When referring to Luke’s writings, Paul called them Scripture. Consider what Paul said, in 1 Timothy 5:18: “For the scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and, ‘The worker deserves his pay.’” When describing Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7, Paul referred to them both as Scripture. In Luke 10:7, Luke quoted Christ saying, “Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.” Paul’s affirmation of Luke’s writing shows that it was already being widely circulated and accepted by the early church.
Similarly, Mark was not only a companion of Paul but also of Peter, and the early church readily accepted his writing. Jude and James were brothers of Christ, and James, specifically, was also called an apostle (though not of the original twelve; cf. Gal 1:19, 2:6-10). These books were affirmed by the apostles, widely circulated amongst the early church, and consistent with the rest of Scripture.
With Paul, Peter specifically affirmed his writings as Scripture. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, he said:
And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.
Hebrews is another matter. The early church thought Paul wrote it; however, there is no clear textual evidence to support that belief. Nevertheless, it was included because of its rich truth and the external witness of the early church. Hebrews quotes the Old Testament more than any other New Testament book and was widely accepted by the early church, despite not knowing its authorship. Again, the church did not decide which books deserved to be in the Canon; it simply recognized what God had already affirmed.
Though there are many early NT Canon partial lists which have survived—including the Muratorian Canon (AD 170) and a list of twenty six NT books in the Council of Laodicea (AD 363)—the Thirty-ninth Paschal Letter of Athanasius (AD 367) gives the first authoritative list of the NT Canon with all twenty-seven books.18 The Council of Hippo (AD 393) and the Council of Carthage (AD 397) also had the same list.19
As mentioned, many false books were being circulated in the early church, which made identifying the official books especially important. These false books were called Pseudepigrapha, which means “false writings.” They were written between 200 BC to 300 AD.20 The true authors are unknown, but they tacked the names of famous biblical characters to the books to gain a readership. Even Paul had to deal with these types of writing. He warned the Thessalonians to not be “shaken” or “disturbed” by any letter which was “allegedly” from him (2 Thess 2:2). The books not only have false names, but historical errors, gross fabrications, and even heresy in them.
A few of them are the Testament of Abraham, the Books of Enoch, the Books of Noah, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Judas, and the Gospel of Barnabas. Why were they not included in the Canon? Simply because they failed the criteria used for recognizing canonical books. They were not written by apostles or their associates; they were not recognized by the early church; and they contradict the rest of Scripture in many aspects.
For example, the Gospel of Thomas became quite popular because of a conspiracy theory fiction book, later made into a movie, called The Da Vinci Code. In the story, the Catholic church secretly hid the Gospel of Thomas, keeping it from ever being accepted as part of the Canon. Is this possible? No. Any reader familiar with Scripture can tell that what is taught in the book doesn’t align with Scripture. For example, in The Gospel of Thomas (Saying 114), it says:
Simon Peter said to them: “Let Mary go away from us, for women are not worthy of life.” Jesus said: “Lo, I shall lead her, so that I may make her a male, that she too may become a living spirit, resembling you males. For every woman who makes herself a male will enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Clearly, its teachings fail the test of consistency. The rest of the Pseudepigrapha has similar flaws.
We’ve talked about the process of canonicity which the early church went through in affirming the official books of the Bible; however, we must now address the question, “Why should we personally trust that the Bible is God’s Word?” We certainly weren’t with the early church when the decisions were made, and most of us haven’t considered other potential books which could be included in Scripture. We can personally accept the Bible as God’s Word for the following reasons:
1. We can accept the Bible because of the Holy Spirit’s confirmation in our hearts.
Christ said this:
… I told you and you do not believe. The deeds I do in my Father’s name testify about me. But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand.
John 10:25-28
He also described, in John 10:4-5, how sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd and will not follow a stranger. Those who are truly born again recognize Christ’s voice in God’s Word, and that’s why they believe the Bible is true. This is a supernatural work which the Holy Spirit does in the life of a believer. First Corinthians 2:12-14 says the same:
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
If we are Christ’s sheep, the Holy Spirit confirms and enlightens his Word to us. Has the Holy Spirit confirmed the truthfulness of God’s Word in your heart?
2. We can accept the Bible based on God’s promises to preserve his Word.
In Matthew 5:17-18, Christ said:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.
Part of the reason we can trust that the Bible is God’s Word is because of God’s faithfulness to his promises. Not a letter or stroke of the pen will disappear from Scripture. It is imperishable and enduring (cf. 1 Pet 1:23-25). If God wanted people to know his Word, surely he would keep and preserve it. We trust that he has.
3. We can accept the Bible because there are many evidences that confirm it as truth.
There are innumerable historical evidences of the Bible’s truthfulness. As mentioned, the Bible is the most historically reliable ancient book, a fact which manuscript evidence and archaeological findings continue to affirm. In addition, the Bible contains much prophetic evidence of its truthfulness. The Bible is a prophetic book with some 1000 prophecies in it—half of them have come true and the other half awaits completion.21 Prophecies prove the truthfulness of Scripture. We’ll study some of these soon. If these were not enough, we have the evidence of changed lives. God is continually changing lives through this book. Hopefully, we’ve all experienced this as a personal evidence, which gives us confidence in God’s Word.
How do we know the Bible is complete? Will future books be added? Obviously, some have tried to add to the Canon, such as Mormons and other groups. However, historically, the church has always believed that the Canon is closed. Why? First, it should be said that the Bible never clearly says it is complete, but there are many reasons to believe it is. For example:
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://www.britannica.com/topic/biblical-literature/Old-Testament-canon-texts-and-versions
2 Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine (56). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
3 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 34). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
4 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 56). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
5 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 57). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
6 Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (p. 121). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
7 Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (pp. 121–122). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
8 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 38). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
9 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/septuagint.html
10 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://biblearchaeology.org/research/new-testament-era/4022-a-brief-history-of-the-septuagint
11 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 40). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
12 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 59). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
13 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://www.biblica.com/resources/bible-faqs/why-do-some-bibles-have-a-section-called-the-apocrypha/
14 Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (p. 59). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
15 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 26). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
16 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 27). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
17 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://bible.org/seriespage/canonicity
18Accessed 9/5/19 from https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/athanasius-defines-new-testament
19 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/canon-Bible.html
20 Accessed 9/5/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/pseudepigrapha.html
21 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 8). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
The Bible is unique in that one quarter of it is prophetic; it contains about 1000 prophecies, 500 of which have not yet been fulfilled.1 In fact, God used prophecy to prove his deity and to disprove the deity of other “gods.” Isaiah 41:21-24 says:
Present your argument,” says the Lord. “Produce your evidence,” says Jacob’s king. “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen! Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled. Or decree for us some future events! Predict how future events will turn out, so we might know you are gods. Yes, do something good or bad, so we might be frightened and in awe. Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.
God challenged other so-called “gods” to share their past prophecies or to share new ones to prove their deity. He then declared that those who worship these false gods were disgusting. In Isaiah 42:8-9 and 48:3, God said this about himself:
I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols. Look, my earlier predictive oracles have come to pass; now I announce new events. Before they begin to occur, I reveal them to you.
I announced events beforehand, I issued the decrees and made the predictions; suddenly I acted and they came to pass.
God presented prophecy as proof that he is the true God—he foretold events and they happened. Since prophecy is given as an evidence of God’s deity, these prophecies must be diligently studied to strengthen the faith of believers and used apologetically with nonbelievers. What are some of these prophetic evidences? First, we’ll consider fulfilled, past prophecies and then unfulfilled, future ones.
At times in Scripture, God gives names of prominent people and the works they would accomplish even before they were born. In fact, after challenging the false gods to prove themselves by giving and fulfilling prophecies, God predicted that he would send Israel back from captivity through a future leader, named Cyrus. Consider Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1-4:
who commissions Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd to carry out all my wishes and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’”
This is what the Lord says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold in order to subdue nations before him, and disarm kings, to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed: “I will go before you and level mountains. Bronze doors I will shatter and iron bars I will hack through. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stashed away in secret places, so you may recognize that I am the Lord, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel. For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.
What makes this prophecy even more interesting is the fact Israel had not yet been exiled to Babylon. To the Israelites, Isaiah must have appeared crazy. The book of Isaiah was written between 739—681 BC, during Isaiah’s prophetic ministry to Judah.2 In Isaiah 39, Isaiah actually prophesied to Hezekiah that in a later generation, Babylon would take Judah into exile. Then he prophesied that Cyrus, the king of Persia, would send Israel back to their land to rebuild it, which happened in 538 BC. Isaiah gave this prophecy approximately 100 years before Cyrus was born and an almost 150 years before his rule.3
Because of the difficulties of this prophecy, liberal scholars teach that Isaiah must not have written the book. They declare there must have been two or three authors (Deutero-Isaiah or Trito-Isaiah) writing the book at different times.4 Since liberal scholars don’t accept the miraculous nature of prophecy and it would be impossible for Isaiah to have lived before Israel’s exile, throughout their exile, and after their eventual return, the only conclusion for them is that the book had multiple authors. They speculate that one author would have written before the exile, another during the exile, and the final author after the exile. However, this does not correspond with the internal and external evidence of the book. In Isaiah 1:1, the author claims to have lived during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah—the kings of Judah. In addition, New Testament authors affirm Isaiah as the book’s author by their citations (cf. Matt 12:17, 15:7, etc.).5
Though the miracle of prophecy may be hard to accept for some, God predicting the future and proving himself to be God is the exact point of the context. God essentially said, “False gods, perform a miracle! Predict the future to prove yourself!” and then God predicted the future to prove his deity to all. Again, Isaiah 41:21-23 says:
Present your argument,” says the Lord. “Produce your evidence,” says Jacob’s king. “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen! Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled. Or decree for us some future events! Predict how future events will turn out, so we might know you are gods…
The fulfillment of the Cyrus prophecy happens in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 (and Ezra 1:1-11), when Cyrus issued an edict to rebuild Israel and sent a delegation to accomplish it. Second Chronicles 36:22-23 says:
In the first year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah, the Lord moved King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom. It read: “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: ‘The Lord God of the heavens has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build for him a temple in Jerusalem in Judah. May the Lord your God energize you who belong to his people, so you may be able to go back there!”
Likewise, God also prophesied about King Josiah—calling him by name and telling of his future works long before he was born. In 1 Kings 13:1-2, God predicted that a king named Josiah would arise and sacrifice the false priests on specific high places. First Kings 13:1-2 says:
Just then a prophet from Judah, sent by the Lord, arrived in Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing near the altar ready to offer a sacrifice. With the authority of the Lord he cried out against the altar, “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says, ‘Look, a son named Josiah will be born to the Davidic dynasty. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.”
This prophecy was fulfilled 300 years later in 2 Kings 23:14-20, as earlier prophesied.6 Second Kings 23:14-20 says:
He smashed the sacred pillars to bits, cut down the Asherah pole, and filled those shrines with human bones. He also tore down the altar in Bethel at the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin. He burned all the combustible items at that high place and crushed them to dust; including the Asherah pole. When Josiah turned around, he saw the tombs there on the hill. So he ordered the bones from the tombs to be brought; he burned them on the altar and defiled it. This fulfilled the Lord’s announcement made by the prophet while Jeroboam stood by the altar during a festival. King Josiah turned and saw the grave of the prophet who had foretold this. He asked, “What is this grave marker I see?” The men from the city replied, “It’s the grave of the prophet who came from Judah and foretold these very things you have done to the altar of Bethel.” The king said, “Leave it alone! No one must touch his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, as well as the bones of the Israelite prophet buried beside him. Josiah also removed all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria. The kings of Israel had made them and angered the Lord. He did to them what he had done to the high place in Bethel. He sacrificed all the priests of the high places on the altars located there, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
What are some other major prophecies in Scripture? Daniel 9:24-27 is often called “God’s Prophetic Time Clock” and “The Backbone of Bible Prophecy.”7 As background, Daniel was praying about the future of Israel (Dan 9:1-3) when the angel, Gabriel, appeared and shared with Daniel about Israel’s future, including the coming of the messiah. Consider verse 25:
So know and understand: From the issuing of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will again be built, with plaza and moat, but in distressful times.
This prophecy gives not only information about Israel’s future but also the actual date that the messiah would be on the earth. When the angel referred to “weeks,” it could also be translated “sevens,” as in the NIV. This could mean seven days or years.8 Years makes the most sense, because the context deals with Israel’s long-term future including the coming of the messiah, and also because Daniel already had been thinking in terms of years (Israel’s seventy years of exile, Daniel 9:2). The angel Gabriel told Daniel that it would be seven sevens (49) plus sixty-two sevens (434) until the messiah comes. Altogether, that equals 483 years (49 + 434 = 483). From the issuance of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the messiah came would be 483 years. Gabriel adds that Jerusalem would be rebuilt in “distressful times.” The book of Nehemiah tells us that while Nehemiah led Israel in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, there was much persecution. In one scene, the Israelites did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other (Neh 4:17).
Though Israel was sent back to their land by Cyrus, the issuing of the decree to rebuild Israel was given by King Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 B.C (Neh 2).9 When one takes into account that the Jewish calendar was 360 days and not 365 as ours is today, 483 years later would be 33 AD—right around the time of Christ’s death.10
Those who have actually counted the days claim that the prophecy was fulfilled on Palm Sunday11—the day when Jesus road into the streets of Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people shouted, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” as they recognized Jesus as the messiah. Consider what Jesus said about the city on that very day:
Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. They will demolish you—you and your children within your walls—and they will not leave within you one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”
Luke 19:41-44
Daniel 9:25 prophesies the exact day Christ would be on the earth, so Israel would be ready to accept their messiah. However, they failed to give attention to the prophecy and instead crucified the Son of God—bringing judgment upon themselves.
Along with announcing the time-period when Christ would be on the earth, the prophecy also shares glimpses into Israel’s future history. In Daniel 9:26 (ESV), the angel specifically describes Israel’s history after the 483 years, which has certainly come true. It says:
And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
The angel prophesied that Christ would be killed, the city and temple would be destroyed, and Israel would continue in a state of war and desolation until the end of days. In AD 70, the Romans destroyed the temple and Jerusalem. Israel’s history since then has proven the prophecy true as well. The nation has constantly been in a state of war and desolation, even until this day. Later, we will consider Israel’s future as prophesied in Daniel 9:27.
In Ezekiel 26-28, God predicted the destruction of a famous city named Tyre, years before it began and over 250 years before it was finally completed.12 The name Tyre means “Rock.” It was an impregnable city, known for its sea commerce. Tyre consisted of two parts: the mainland city on the coast of Lebanon and the island city off the coast of Lebanon. The city had a double wall around it that was 150 feet tall, with 25 feet of earth packed in between. In 587 BC, Ezekiel wrote three long chapters prophesying about the city’s destruction, which ultimately was fulfilled.13
Why would it be destroyed? Israel and Tyre were bitter trade-competitors until Babylon besieged and later conquered Israel in 586 BC. 14 Tyre had previously “dominated the sea routes, while Jerusalem controlled the caravan routes.”15 Without Jerusalem controlling the land routes, Tyre would be more prosperous. Therefore, when Babylon besieged Jerusalem, Tyre scoffed at the nation and boasted in its own future prosperity. This prompted God to prophesy coming judgment on Tyre—he promised to bring “many nations” against them. Ezekiel 26:2 says:
Son of man, because Tyre has said about Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I will become rich, now that she has been destroyed,’ therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Tyre! I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.
In Ezekiel 26:7-11, Ezekiel prophesied the demise of Tyre years before it began. The first nation to judge them would be Babylon. Verse 7-11 says:
For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am about to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people. He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword. He will build a siege wall against you, erect a siege ramp against you, and raise a great shield against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his weapons. He will cover you with the dust kicked up by his many horses. Your walls will shake from the noise of the horsemen, wheels, and chariots when he enters your gates like those who invade through a city’s broken walls. With his horses’ hoofs he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will tumble down to the ground.
History says that Nebuchadnezzar conquered Israel in 586 BC, then headed north in 585 BC to besiege Tyre. The siege lasted for thirteen years, until Tyre was defeated in 573 BC, as prophesied by verses 7-11.16 Afterwards, Tyre still existed but never regained its former power.
However, in verse 12, the prophecy considers the other nation which would conquer Tyre. Ezekiel changed the pronoun “he”—referring to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—to “they”—referring to Greece. Babylon started the destruction of Tyre, but Greece completed it. Ezekiel 26:12-14 says:
They will steal your wealth and loot your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your luxurious homes. Your stones, your trees, and your soil he will throw into the water. I will silence the noise of your songs; the sound of your harps will be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place where fishing nets are spread. You will never be built again, for I, the Lord, have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord.
In 332 BC, Alexander the Great destroyed the city after a seven-month siege.17 To reach the island city, he had his soldiers throw the ruins of the mainland city into the ocean to build a causeway to reach it—fulfilling the prophecy on the stones, soil, and trees being thrown into the sea (26:12).18 After destroying the city, he left it a “bare rock” (26:14). The island city has never been rebuilt, just as God foretold (26:14). Ezekiel predicted this about 250 years before it happened.19
William MacDonald, in the Believer’s Bible Commentary, said:
Over a hundred years ago a traveler described the ruins of Tyre as being exactly as predicted: The island, as such, is not more than a mile in length. The part which projects south beyond the isthmus is perhaps a quarter of a mile broad, and is rocky and uneven. It is now unoccupied except by fishermen, as “a place to spread nets upon.”20
Today, the island city of Tyre is just a bare rock which has never been rebuilt, as Scripture predicted. However, the coastal mainland still exists, as they are currently part of Lebanon.
Consider that in Ezekiel 26, there are eight prophecies alone about Tyre:
Mathematician Peter Stoner says the probability of all these prophecies happening as it did are 1 in 400 million.22 Truly amazing!
What other major prophecies are found in the Bible? In Daniel, there are some very detailed prophecies about the rise and fall of Alexander the Great—given almost 200 years before his birth.23 It should be mentioned that, like Isaiah, the book of Daniel is a battle ground for the liberal-minded. The prophetic details are too accurate for someone with a naturalistic mindset to accept. Therefore, they deny the internal and external evidence and declare, “Somebody else had to have written the book of Daniel! It couldn’t have been written around 530 BC24 before the historical events happened! It is history! Not prophecy!” Mark Hitchcock shares a story which illustrates how ludicrous some of these attacks are:
A professor at a liberal theological seminary was teaching from the book of Daniel. At the beginning of one of his lectures he said, “Now I want you to know that Daniel was written during the Maccabean period in the second century B.C. The facts were written, as all history is, after the events took place.” One young man raised his hand and asked, “How can that be, sir, when Christ said in Matthew 24:15 that the book of Daniel was written by Daniel?” The professor paused for a moment, looked the student square in the eyes, and said, “Young man, I know more about the book of Daniel than Jesus did.”25
Daniel’s prophecies about Alexander the Great are most emphasized in Daniel 8 and 11, but Greece is prophetically introduced in Daniel 2 and 7. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, which Daniel interprets, of four successive nations that would rule the earth. Initially, they are not all named, but eventually they become clear by prophecies given later in Daniel and through the confirmation of historical events. The nations are Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. In Daniel 2:37-40, Daniel’s interpretation of the dream is given:
You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. Wherever human beings, wild animals, and birds of the sky live—he has given them into your power. He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others.
In the dream, there was a statue with a gold head representing Babylon, a silver chest and arms representing Persia, a bronze belly and thighs representing Greece, and iron legs with feet made of clay and iron representing Rome (Dan 2:33-34). In Daniel 5:28-31, part of the prophecy was fulfilled as Persia eventually conquered Babylon. The prophecy of Greece, the kingdom of bronze, conquering Persia, the kingdom of silver, happened many years after Daniel’s writings. But the details of these conquests are seen in Daniel 7, 8, and 11. In Daniel Chapter 7, Daniel again prophesied about these four kingdoms, through the symbolism of various beasts. In these prophecies, Greece was symbolized by a winged leopard. Daniel 7:6 says: “After these things, as I was watching, another beast like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back. This beast had four heads, and ruling authority was given to it.” The leopard with wings represented the great speed and ferociousness of the nation’s conquering power. Alexander the Great, the king of Greece, left with his army in 334 BC at the age of twenty-two26 and essentially conquered the world in 323 BC by age thirty-three.27
Specifics about Alexander are added to this prophecy in Daniel 8, as it described the battle between Persia and Greece (334-331 BC).28 Persia was symbolized by a ram with two horns with one longer than the other, and Greece was symbolized by a goat with a conspicuous horn (or “large horn,” NIV). Daniel 8:1-8 says:
In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously. In this vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal. I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing at the canal. Its two horns were both long, but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one. I saw that the ram was butting westward, northward, and southward. No animal was able to stand before it, and there was none who could deliver from its power. It did as it pleased and acted arrogantly. While I was contemplating all this, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of all the land without touching the ground. This goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes. It came to the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed against it with raging strength. I saw it approaching the ram. It went into a fit of rage against the ram and struck it and broke off its two horns. The ram had no ability to resist it. The goat hurled the ram to the ground and trampled it. No one could deliver the ram from its power. The male goat acted even more arrogantly. But no sooner had the large horn become strong than it was broken, and there arose four conspicuous horns in its place, extending toward the four winds of the sky.
What does the ram with two horns, with one larger than the other, and the goat with one large horn represent? The ram with two horns represented Persia and the Medes, with Persia being the prominent horn. In 550 BC, Cyrus, the King of Persia, conquered the Medes29 and then united the two tribes by putting officials from both kingdoms in charge of making a great army. This army eventually conquered Babylon in 539 BC.30 Then Greece conquered Persia in 331 BC31, as symbolized by the goat with a prominent horn.
Though not explained in Daniel 8, the symbols of the ram and goat probably would have been understood by the ancient audience without further clarification. Harold Wilmington shared this: “Marcellius, a historian in the fourth century, states that the Persian ruler bore the head of a ram as he stood in front of his army.”32 Similarly, there are ancient drawings which depict Greek armies as a horned goat.33 Using animals as national symbols was common in the ancient world, even as it is today.
The large horn on the goat clearly represented Alexander the Great, as clarified by Daniel 8:8. In describing him, it says: ”The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.” This appears to represent how Alexander the Great died at the young age of thirty-three, and his kingdom was divided into fourths. The “four horns” were his four generals: “Cassander over Macedon and Greece, Lysimichus over Thrace and Asia Minor, Seleucus over Syria and Babylon, Ptolemy over Egypt.”34
Daniel 11:2-4 further clarifies this prophecy, without symbols, by naming Persia and Greece and giving more detail about Alexander. It says:
Now I will tell you the truth. “Three more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth king will be unusually rich, more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. Then a powerful king will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases. Shortly after his rise to power, his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky—but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.
As shared in Daniel 11:4, when Alexander died at age thirty-three, his kingdom would not go to “his posterity” but to “others.” Alexander’s wife was pregnant with his only child when he died. Since no one knew the sex of the child, it caused dissension amongst his army about who would be king. The dissension continued even after Alexander’s son was born. Eventually, it led to the kingdom being divided amongst Alexander’s generals.35
To further add to the wonder of these prophecies, Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, shared a story about Alexander reaching Jerusalem during his military campaign. Upon entering the city, he was met by Juddua, Israel’s high priest, who came dressed in a magnificent garb. The priest declared to Alexander how Daniel predicted his defeat of the Persians hundreds of years earlier. After reading Daniel 8, King Alexander fell down and worshiped him.36
The accuracy of Biblical prophecy is clearly seen in Daniel’s prophecies of Persia’s defeat of Babylon, Greece’s defeat of Persia, and even more specifically, the details about Alexander the Great—the large horn on the goat which breaks into four horns in Daniel 8 and the mighty king whose kingdom was broken up and distributed to “the four winds” in Daniel 11. Though liberal theologians try to deny that Daniel wrote these prophecies, internal evidence (what Daniel says about himself in the book) and external evidence (the NT authors’ beliefs and the writing of ancient Jews) support that Daniel wrote these amazing prophecies—some of them over 200 years before they happened. God’s Word is truly amazing!
The next prophecy we are going to briefly consider has been called the “Battleground of Daniel.”37 It is called this because the prophecies are so accurate, people say they must be history, not prophecy. Instead of accepting the traditional dating of 530 BC, liberal scholars date it to around 165 BC. In Daniel 11:1-35, at least 100 prophecies are recorded, and maybe as many as 135.38 John Walvoord said, “Probably no other portion of Scripture presents more minute prophecy than Daniel 11:1-35, and this has prompted the sharpest attack of critics seeking to discredit this prophetic portion.”39 John Phillips noted, “When Daniel 11 was written, they were not history but prophecy. We see them as history; Daniel saw them still ahead in the unborn ages. No other chapter in all of Scripture gives us such exhibition of God’s power to foretell the future.”40
Daniel 11:1-35 covers three topics: the battle between Persia and Greece (v. 2-4), the Syrian Wars between Syria and Egypt (v. 5-35), and specifically, the rise of a Syrian king named Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a vicious enemy of the Jews (v. 21-35). In Scripture, he is used as a “type” of future Antichrist. In fact, verses 36-45 stop describing Antiochus and begin to describe the Antichrist, an end-time figure who will hate God and persecute both Jews and Christians. Because the current focus is prophecies that have been fulfilled, only the basics of verses 1-35 will be covered.
Daniel 11:2-4 says,
Now I will tell you the truth. “Three more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth king will be unusually rich, more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. Then a powerful king will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases. Shortly after his rise to power, his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky—but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.
The first part of the prophecy is somewhat of a repetition. God gave Daniel visions of what was going to happen to Israel in the future, adding more details with each successive vision. Babylon had already been conquered by Persia, but God was revealing more about the future conflict between Greece and Persia.
In verse 2, the angel said there would be four more kings who would rule in Persia and the fourth would be very wealthy and stir the nation up against Greece. As clearly seen from history, “Those four kings were Cambyses (530–522 B.C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (522–521), Darius I Hystaspes (521–486), and Xerxes (486–465).”41
The fourth king, Xerxes, was the king who married Esther, a Jewish woman who protected the Jews as detailed in the book of Esther. As mentioned, Xerxes led Persia to advance against Greece; the advance was unsuccessful, creating a bitter rivalry between the two kingdoms. Eventually, the “mighty king,” Alexander the Great, defeated Persia in 331 BC. When Alexander died, the kingdom did not go to his young son, but instead to his four generals who oversaw Egypt, Syria-Babylon, Asia Minor, and Macedon-Greece.42 Again, the Bible predicted this over 200 years before it occurred.43
Daniel 11:5-6 says:
Then the king of the south and one of his subordinates will grow strong. His subordinate will resist him and will rule a kingdom greater than his. After some years have passed, they will form an alliance. Then the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain her power, nor will he continue in his strength. She, together with the one who brought her, her child, and her benefactor will all be delivered over at that time.
Verses 5-35 is an account of the relationship and battles between the Northern Kingdom, Assyria, and the Southern Kingdom, Egypt. The first king of the South was Ptolemy I; the subordinate, who would grow strong and rule a greater kingdom, was Syria’s prince, Seleucus I. Initially, these two were allies, but as Seleucus grew in power, he eventually took control of Syria and they became antagonists.44 This was the beginning of 160 years of discord between Egypt and Syria45, during which the stronger kingdom always maintained control of Israel.46 After their initial alliance was split, the two kingdoms were eventually yoked by marriage. Antiochus II, king of Syria, married Berenice, the daughter of Ptolemy II, the king of Egypt.47 “Yet the agreement would not continue nor would Berenice retain her position of power, as Antiochus’s former wife Laodice would murder Antiochus, Berenice, and their child.”48 Daniel 11:5-35 chronicles the 160-year struggle between the two dynasties from approximately 323 BC to 164 BC.49 This information was given to Daniel because it would greatly affect Israel. The rest of the prophecy describes these battles, but we will not consider all the minute detail here.
Daniel 11:21-23 says:
Then there will arise in his place a despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit. Armies will be suddenly swept away in defeat before him; both they and a covenant leader will be destroyed. After entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force.
Verses 21-35 highlight the rise of an infamous Syrian ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes. He was an enemy of the Jews and their religion. Verse 21 says that he was not royalty and that he actually seized the kingdom by deceit. Antiochus was the uncle of the rightful heir to Syria but seized control of it, since the true heir, his nephew, was only a child. Later, the prophecy details his war with the king of Egypt (v. 25) and his persecution of the Jews.
Daniel 11:31-34 says this about Antiochus’ attack on Israel:
His forces will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary, stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. Then with smooth words he will defile those who have rejected the covenant. But the people who are loyal to their God will act valiantly. These who are wise among the people will teach the masses. However, they will fall by the sword and by the flame, and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time. When they stumble, they will be granted some help…
Antiochus stopped Jewish worship by abolishing the sacrificial system, setting up an altar of Zeus in the temple, destroying Jewish Bibles, forbidding circumcision, sacrificing a pig on the altar, and making the Jewish priests eat pig meat. According to David Guzik, Antiochus was also said “to have killed 80,000 Jews, taken 40,000 more as prisoners, and sold another 40,000 as slaves. He also plundered the temple, robbing it of approximately $1 billion by modern calculations.”50
In verse 31, the “abomination that causes desolation” was the idol of Zeus set up in the temple, which, according to Christ, was a foreshadowing of what the Antichrist will do during the end times. In Matthew 24:15-16, Jesus warned the Jews: “‘So when you see the abomination of desolation—spoken about by Daniel the prophet—standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.” The initial abomination was just a foreshadowing of a later rebellion against God during the end times. Second Thessalonians 2:3-4 describes this:
Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God’s temple, displaying himself as God.
Daniel 11:32, in describing Antiochus’ works, says a number of Jews rejected their covenant with God to follow Antiochus. Likewise, verses 33-35 describe how those loyal to God will “act valiantly” and teach many during that time period, but also suffer for their faith. Specifically, this describes the Maccabean brothers and the rebellion they inspired—eventually leading to Antiochus’ defeat. This story is more fully told in 1 and 2 Maccabees which is part of the Apocrypha. Today the Jews still celebrate this great victory. It is called the “Festival of Lights” or “Hanukkah.”
We must ask ourselves, “Why did God give such minute detail about the Syrian Wars and the future of Israel in Daniel 11?” It was primarily so the Jews would not lose hope during those hard years, especially when they were persecuted by Antiochus. Also, as they experienced the fulfillment of prophecy, it would help sustain their hope in the coming messiah and all of God’s promises in Scripture.
In verses 36-45, which we will not cover, there is a prophetic gap, as Daniel’s prophecy skips ahead to the Antichrist, foreshadowed in the person of Antiochus. The prophecies described in those verses were not fulfilled by Antiochus, which is clearly seen by their ending with the resurrection of the righteous and the unjust (12:2). It says, “Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake— some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.” The final prophecy focuses on the end times.
Similar to Antiochus, the Antichrist will greatly persecute the Jews (and Christians), as Revelation 12 and 13 describes. He will declare himself as God in the rebuilt Jewish temple, and the people of God will be tempted to fall away because of the great persecution. However, Daniel’s prophecy, as well as other prophecies, encourage God’s people to not give up hope, as Christ will eventually return to reward his people and bring justice.
Though liberal scholars try to discount these prophecies, they are important to confirm the faith of God’s people, to help unbelievers come to know God, and to encourage God’s people to persevere in hard times. To reject or minimize them is to rob people of great blessings.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 8). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
2 Accessed 8/5/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Isaiah.html
3 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 16). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
4 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 936). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
5 Longman III, Tremper. An Introduction to the Old Testament: Second Edition. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
6 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 20). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
7 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 43). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
8 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1305). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
9 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 46). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
10 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1306). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
11 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1306). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
12 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 27). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
13 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 24). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
14 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 24). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
15 Dyer, C. H., & Rydelnik, E. (2014). Ezekiel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1243). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
16 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 26). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
17 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 27). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
18 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1057). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
19 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 27). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
20 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1057). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
21 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 30). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
22 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 30). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
23 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 32). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
24 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 52). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
25 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 51). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
26 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 31). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
27 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 31). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
28 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 33). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
29 “The Persian Empire” accessed 8/6/2019 from http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/persia.html
30 “The Persian Empire” accessed 8/6/2019 from http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/persia.html
31 “Alexander the Great” accessed 8/6/2019 from https://www.ancient.eu/Alexander_the_Great/
32 Wilmington, Harold. Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible (Expanded Edition, pg. 235). Tyndale House Publishers; Carol Stream, IL, 2011.
33 Wilmington, Harold. Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible (Expanded Edition, pg. 235). Tyndale House Publishers; Carol Stream, IL, 2011.
34 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1301). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
35 Accessed 9/9/19 from http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/al/Alexander_IV_of_Macedon
36 Wilmington, Harold. Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible (Expanded Edition, pg. 235). Tyndale House Publishers; Carol Stream, IL, 2011.
37 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 52). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
38 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 55). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
39 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 53). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
40 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 54). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
41 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (pp. 55-57). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition
42 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1301). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
43 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 57). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
44 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1088). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
45 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1310). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
46 Guzik, D. (2013). Daniel (Da 11:5). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.
47 “Daniel 11” accessed 8/6/19 from https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-11/
48 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1310). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
49 Rydelnik, M. A. (2014). Daniel. In The moody bible commentary (p. 1310). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
50 “Daniel 11” accessed 8/6/19 from https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-11/
The next major prophecies we will consider are those fulfilled in Christ. “Experts claim that there are about 300 Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled just in the first coming of Christ. Thirty-three specific prophecies were fulfilled just in the final 24 hours of Jesus’ life on earth.”1 In virtually every Bible book, one will find references to the messiah. Let’s consider a few.
1. The Old Testament prophesied the lineage of Christ.
Christ would come from Abraham (Gen 12:3), Isaac (Gen 21:12), Jacob (Gen 28:14), Judah (Gen 49:10) and finally David (2 Sam. 7:12-16). Matthew and Luke show the fulfillment by recording the genealogy of Christ from both the adopted father, Joseph, and Christ’s mother, Mary.
2. The Old Testament prophesied the birthplace of Christ.
Micah predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem over 700 years before Christ’s birth.2 There were two Bethlehem’s in Israel, and Micah even predicted that it would be the Bethlehem located in Judah. Micah 5:2 says: “As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah—from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.” Matthew 2:1-2, 5-6 gives the fulfillment:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” … ”In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
3. The Old Testament gives thirty-three prophecies that were all fulfilled on the day of Christ’s death.
Let’s consider a few:
In Psalm 16:10, David prophesied Christ’s resurrection when he said, “because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.” In considering David’s writing, Peter said it was fulfilled in Christ: “David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it” (Acts 2:31-32). Isaiah seemingly prophesied it as well:
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand
Isaiah 53:10 (NIV)
Now, as we consider all these prophecies, certainly we must declare, “This is pretty convincing! If Jesus fulfilled all those prophecies, he must be the Son of God—he must be the seed that everybody was waiting for!”
What is the probability that a person would fulfill only eight of the Old Testament prophecies about Christ? Professor Peter W. Stoner states that the probability of just eight prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 1 x 10 17th. That is 100,000,000,000,000,000.
It has been illustrated like this: If you took 1 x 1017 silver dollars and placed them over Texas (the second largest US state), you would not only cover all of Texas but would have a coin pile two feet deep. If you blindfolded yourself, took one of the coins and threw it back into the pile, and walked from the beginning of Texas, stopping only once to find that coin, that is the chance that one person would fulfill only eight of these prophecies.3
The prophetic evidence concerning Christ is simply amazing! Again, the Old Testament sets forth over 300 prophecies that were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming, thirty-three of which were fulfilled on the day of Christ’s death. Each of these prophecies were written over 400 years before Christ’s birth—some of them thousands of years before his birth. God went to extraordinary lengths to make sure that the prophesied messiah was unmistakable to those who were genuinely looking.
“In a conversation about religion, Frederick II, king of Prussia (1740–1786), asked Hans Joachim von Zieten, a cavalry general, whom he esteemed highly as a Christian for his plain and uncompromised views, ‘Give me proof for the truth of the Bible in two words!’ To which Zieten replied, ‘Your majesty, the Jews!’”4 General Zieten’s observation was right. The Bible’s truthfulness and prophetic accuracy can be clearly verified in the Jews—their past, present, and future. The Bible gives many unique prophecies about them.
When God brought Israel out of Egypt, he made a covenant with them. He would be their God, and they would be his servants. In fact, the book of Deuteronomy is written in the form of an ancient contract called a suzerain contract. This was a common contract that a nation would make with a great king to secure his protection and blessing. In essence, it stated that if a particular nation would submit to a king and his commands, then that king would protect and bless them. If the covenant-bound nation would not submit to him, the king would curse and defeat them. In return for the king’s blessings and protection, the nation would be his servants—providing obedience, taxes, and reverence. That’s essentially the same type of contract God made with Israel. Throughout the contract are prophecies of blessings and curses based on Israel’s obedience or lack of it.
When considering Israel’s history, there are clear periods of blessing for obedience, such as when Joshua led Israel in conquering the promised land and when Israel was one of the more prosperous nations on earth during the reigns of David and Solomon. We also see times of cursing for disobedience, as seen during the times of Judges when Israel was continually ravaged by other nations and constantly in need of deliverance, and when God allowed Assyria and Babylon to conquer and exile Israel during the period of the divided monarchy. In fact, the prophetic books of the OT (such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea) are primarily prophecies reminding Israel to repent or they would suffer the curses of the covenant, and if they obeyed, they would receive its blessings.
In Deuteronomy 28, the blessings-and-curses format is clear. Deuteronomy 28:15 says: “However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”
What are some of the curses promised for disobedience?
“The Lord will allow you to be struck down before your enemies; you will attack them from one direction but flee from them in seven directions and will become an object of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:25
Certainly, the Jews experienced harassment, enslavement, and wars within biblical history. But, what about outside of biblical history and specifically events and circumstances which drew widespread attention? Let’s consider a few:
1. The Jews were persecuted by the Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes.
As mentioned, during the intertestamental period the Syrian king Antiochus killed 80,000 Jews, took 40,000 more as prisoners, and sold another 40,000 as slaves. He also abolished their sacrificial system, burned their Bibles, and made their priests drink pig blood.
2. The Jews were persecuted during the Crusades in the Middles Ages.
During the crusades (1095-1291), there was great antisemitism. The crusades were a series of holy wars started by the Roman Catholic church in order to gain access to Jerusalem and its holy sites, which Muslims possessed. However, as the armies went out, they also persecuted the Jews for killing Christ. There were nine crusades over almost 200 years and at least 12,000 Jews were killed in the first crusade alone.5
3. The Jews were persecuted by Hitler during the Holocaust.
During the Holocaust (1933-1945), Nazis wiped out over six million Jews with the intention of extinguishing the ethnic group.6
Certainly, as promised in the covenant for disobedience, the Jews have experienced extreme persecution at the hands of other nations—often in ways that have never happened to other nations. As Deuteronomy 28:25 said, because of their horrible experiences at the hand of enemies, they would “become an object of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.”
What other curses would Israel experience for disobedience?
Your sons and daughters will be given to another people while you look on in vain all day, and you will be powerless to do anything about it.
Deuteronomy 28:32
Their children would be deported from Israel to other nations. This happened in the Assyrian and Babylonian defeats, as Israel was exiled and their children taken captive. Daniel and his Jewish friends were part of the children deported from Israel to serve in Babylon.
The Lord will force you and your king whom you will appoint over you to go away to a people whom you and your ancestors have not known, and you will serve other gods of wood and stone there. You will become an occasion of horror, a proverb, and an object of ridicule to all the peoples to whom the Lord will drive you.
Deuteronomy 28:36-37
Certainly, this has happened in biblical history with Assyria, Babylon, and Persia but also outside of biblical history wherever Jews have lived (cf. Russia, Germany, America, Poland, etc.). Jews have always dealt with antisemitism.
All these curses will fall on you, pursuing and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping his commandments and statutes that he has given you. These curses will be a perpetual sign and wonder with reference to you and your descendants.
Deuteronomy 28:45-46
Jews are very aware of their unfortunate history—the stories are passed down from generation to generation. Some of these events are remembered in their festivals, especially those from which God delivered them.
The Lord will raise up a distant nation against you, one from the other side of the earth as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of stern appearance that will have no regard for the elderly or pity for the young. They will devour the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your soil until you are destroyed. They will not leave you with any grain, new wine, olive oil, calves of your herds, or lambs of your flocks until they have destroyed you. They will besiege all of your villages until all of your high and fortified walls collapse—those in which you put your confidence throughout the land. They will besiege all your villages throughout the land the Lord your God has given you. You will then eat your own offspring, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you, because of the severity of the siege by which your enemies will constrict you.
Deuteronomy 28:49-53
Jewish history is filled with nations coming against them, creating appalling situations. In 2 Kings 6:26-31, when Syria besieged Israel, the women were so desperate, they resorted to eating their own children, as Deuteronomy 28:53 foretold.
This is what will happen: Just as the Lord delighted to do good for you and make you numerous, he will take delight in destroying and decimating you. You will be uprooted from the land you are about to possess. The Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of wood and stone. Among those nations you will have no rest nor will there be a place of peaceful rest for the soles of your feet, for there the Lord will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a spirit of despair.
Deuteronomy 28:63-65
As mentioned, Jewish history is filled with their scattering throughout other nations. Even today, most Jews do not live in Israel but in various nations around the world. This is extremely unusual. For comparison, approximately seven million Koreans live outside of Korea while forty-nine million live in Korea. In fact, since the destruction of Israel by Rome in AD 70, less Jews have lived in Israel than outside.
In addition, as Deuteronomy 28:64 prophesied, while in exile, these Jews would not worship God but instead worship the gods of other nations. Providing evidence for this, a 2012 Gallup poll showed that Jews were the least religious people in the world—54% considered themselves nonreligious and 2% considered themselves atheist.7 A 2011 study of American Jews showed that half of all American Jews had doubts about God, in comparison to 10-15% of other American groups.8 Romans 11:7-8 and 25, says this about the Jews current religious state:
What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” … I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in
Again, part of the covenant stipulated that while in exile, the Jews would not worship the God of their fathers, which has proved true in a unique way, compared to other ethnic groups.
“When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you. Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you. Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors.
Deuteronomy 30:1-5
The Jews have experienced multiple exiles from Israel and returns to it. Mark Hitchcock said this:
The Jews are remarkable in light of the testimony of history to exile and return. In all of human history there have been less than ten deportations of a people group from their native land. These people groups disappeared in history because they assimilated into the nations to which they were exiled. However, the Jewish people did not simply experience a single exile, but multiple exiles…9
Israel is the only nation to be fully deported and then return to their land, which has happened multiple times. Even more unique is the fact that they are the only nation to lose their native tongue (Hebrew) in their deportations and restore it again.10 Their exiles and returns are as follows:
-In 740-722 BC, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and they were exiled among the nations.11
-In 586 BC, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and exiled the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Smaller deportations happened in 605 and 597.
-In 538 BC, Zerubbabel led the first return to the land.12 The second return was led by Ezra in 458 BC and the third by Nehemiah in 445 BC.
-In AD 70, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, and they were dispersed again for almost 1900 years, as only a few Jews remained in the land.13
-In 1871, a remnant of the Jews began to return, which has continued since.14
-In 1881 about 25,000 Jews were in the land
-In 1914 about 80,000 Jews were in the land
-In 1939 about 450,000 Jews were in the land
-In 1948 about 650,000 Jews were in the land
In May 1948, a major event in Jewish history happened. After the holocaust, Palestine was returned to the Israelites by the United Nations—ending British control of the land.15 Israel officially became a nation again after 1900 years primarily lived outside of their homeland. Since then, their return to the land has continued to increase dramatically.
-In 2009 about 5.4 million Jews were in the land—holding a greater population of Jews than any other nation.16 For comparison, in 2013, there were 5.3 million Jews living in the United States.17 In 1948, only 6% of Jews lived in Israel, and now 40% of Jews live there. It is estimated that by 2030 half of all Jews will reside in the land.18
In studying Jewish history, there is undeniable proof of biblical prophecy. When obedient, they were blessed by God, and when disobedient, they received his discipline. God has allowed them to suffer repeated persecutions. They have been exiled from their land and experienced returns multiple times, something which has never happened to any other nation. According to other biblical prophecies, one day Israel will not only return to the land but return to their God at Christ’s second coming. Romans 11:25-27 says:
For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
At that point, there will be a final return, fulfilling Deuteronomy 30:1-9, as well as many other prophecies regarding the Jews at last returning to the land—never to be exiled again (cf. Ez 36:24-37, 37:21-28).
A very strong evidence for the accuracy of biblical prophecy is the nation of Israel. God made a covenant with her, and history bears witness to the conditions of that covenant.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 86). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
2 “Micah” accessed 8/6/19 from https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-micah/
3 McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 231). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
4 Hitchcock, Mark (2010-04-01). The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 95). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
5 “A Brief and Incomplete History of Jewish Suffering” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.chosenpeople.com/site/a-brief-and-incomplete-history-of-jewish-suffering/
6 “The Holocaust” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-holocaust
7 “A New Poll Shows Atheism Is on the Rise, with Jews found to Be the Least Religious” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/jews-least-observant-int-l-poll-finds-1.5287579
8 “Judaism without God? Yes, say American Atheist” accessed 8/7/19 from https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-26/jew-atheist-god/50553958/1
9 Hitchcock, Mark (2010-04-01). The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 98). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
10 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 99). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
11 “When and how was Israel conquered by the Assyrians?” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Israel-conquered-by-Assyria.html
12 “Zerubbabel” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Zerubbabel
13 “Map of Pre-1948 Palestine: The Roman Exile” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/map-of-the-roman-exile-70-ce
14 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 102). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
15 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 103). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
16 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 103). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
17 A Portrait of Jewish Americans” accessed 8/7/19 from https://www.pewforum.org/2013/10/01/chapter-1-population-estimates/
18 Hitchcock, Mark (2010-04-01). The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 103). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition
We’ve discussed fulfilled prophecies, but what about future, unfulfilled prophecies? We’ll consider some of those now.
Daniel 9:24-27 (NIV) says:
Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ [483 years] It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”
In considering Daniel 9:24-27, it said there would be 483 years (69 x 7) from the call to rebuild Jerusalem to when the messiah came. As covered previously, this was fulfilled on Palm Sunday. When Christ entered Jerusalem, the people cried out, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” However, the prophecy then speaks of a prophetic gap. After the 483 years, the messiah would be killed and “a people” would destroy Jerusalem and the temple (which happened in AD 70). Then, wars would continue in Israel until the end times. After the gap, there would be one final seven-year period. At this point in history, the prophetic gap has lasted almost 2000 years.
Are prophetic gaps normal in Scripture? Yes, they are. In Isaiah 9:6, there is one. It says: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” The child being born and the son being given was fulfilled in Christ’s first coming; however, the government resting on his shoulders won’t happen until his second coming. In the first coming, Christ was a prophet, priest, and sacrifice for the sins of the world. In the second coming, he will be a king who judges and rules the earth. Again, there is a prophetic gap of almost 2000 years, so far.
Now, let’s consider the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy. Daniel 9:27 (NIV) says:
He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”
The “he” Daniel refers to is the Antichrist—a powerful end-time figure who will be antagonistic toward God and his people. He will make a seven-year covenant with Israel. Since the context is “war will continue to the end” (9:26), this probably refers to some type of peace treaty. But, in the middle of the seven years, the Antichrist will break that treaty by putting an end to the Jewish sacrificial and offering system. He will also set up an abomination at the temple until he experiences divine judgment. The future Antichrist resembles the Syrian King, Antiochus, who did similar things to Israel during the intertestamental period, including putting an idol of Zeus in the temple, as prophesied in Daniel 11:21-35.
Many things should stand out about this prophecy: (1) First, it was originally proclaimed while Israel was exiled in Babylon and there was no Jewish temple. (2) Next, Daniel 9:26 had already prophesied the destruction of the second temple, which was built in 516 BC after the Jewish return.1 After the predicted 483 years, the messiah would be cut off, the city of Jerusalem destroyed and the temple with it, which happened in 70 AD by the Romans. (3) Finally, Daniel 9:27 alludes to a third Jewish temple, which has not yet been built.
The building of the third Jewish temple is one of the great, unfulfilled prophecies in the Bible. Currently, the Muslim place of worship, the Dome on the Rock, is located where the second temple previously stood.
Is there currently any movement on the rebuilding of the temple? Obviously, before Israel regained their land in 1948, there was no talk of rebuilding the temple. However, there is now a growing enthusiasm for its construction. Consider the results of this Jewish poll:
Ynet News reported the startling findings of a poll taken on July 30, 2009. The poll asked respondents whether they wanted to see the temple rebuilt. “Sixty-four percent responded favorably, while 36% said no. … The Temple was destroyed 1,942 years ago, and almost two-thirds of the population want to see it rebuilt, including 47% of seculars.”2
Because the majority wants the temple rebuilt, there are government leaders vigorously pushing for it.3 Also, there are groups in Israel, such as the Temple Mount Faithful, who have made calls to Rome, requesting the Pope to return vessels and treasures stolen by the Romans when they destroyed the second temple in 70 AD. The hope is that these would be used in the third temple.4
Nobody knows when the third temple will be built, but with the majority of the Jews desiring it and government officials pushing for it, it may happen soon. Then the sacrificial system will resume, which the coming Antichrist will terminate (Dan 9:27).
What else do we see in the Daniel 9:26-27 (NIV) prophetic timetable? There is a prediction of the nation from which the Antichrist will come. It says:
After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”
In describing the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, it says the “people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” Who were the people that destroyed the temple? The Romans. What ruler is the passage talking about? Again, it’s describing the Antichrist who will make a peace covenant with Israel, as Daniel 9:27 describes. But how is it possible that this future world ruler will come from the Roman Empire, which no longer exists? Obviously, there must be a revival of Rome as a world power.
What is Rome’s history? After Greece conquered the world, Rome conquered Greece and became the dominant world power for many centuries. However, in the Middle Ages, Rome disintegrated. The Roman Empire, though centralized in Italy, it primarily consisted of all the European nations. It is speculated that a similar coalition will arise when it is revived. It will include some type of partnership between European nations.
From Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the fourth kingdom, many believe this to be an accurate picture of Rome’s history and future. Consider the following verses about the fourth kingdom, “the kingdom of iron”:
As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay.
Daniel 2:32-33
Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others. In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
Daniel 2:40-43
Rome is pictured as iron legs and feet mixed with clay and iron. This appears to refer to different stages of the Roman kingdom. Daniel 2:42 says, “In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile.” In the beginning, when Rome was united, it was strong and smashed everyone into pieces. However, later it began to divide and become weaker—only retaining some of the strength of the iron. In 285 AD, Roman Emperor Diocletian divided the empire into East and West because he considered it too big to govern from Rome, though together they were still called the Roman Empire.5 However, in 395 AD, under Theodosius I, the two sides broke apart, never to be reunited.6 Eventually, the Western side was conquered in AD 476, and the Eastern side was conquered in AD 1453.7 The Roman Empire disintegrated into separate countries throughout Europe.
Is there any contemporary movement to revive the Roman kingdom—a divided kingdom yet still strong? Yes, many believe so. This is seen in the development of the European Union. After World War II, there was a growing sentiment amongst European nations to forbid such a tragedy from happening again. In fact, in 1946, British politician Winston Churchill called for a “United States of Europe!” This led to the development of many different European partnerships, including the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952, the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC) and the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957, and other European entities. After many years of partnering in various ways, the European Union (EU) was formed in 1993 by the Maastricht Treaty.8 The EU is a political and economic union of European nations. One of the EU’s objectives is economic interdependence, since countries that are dependent upon one another economically are less likely to war with one another. In light of that, the EU created a common citizenship, a common dollar (the euro), and common union goals. It began with only six countries but eventually expanded to twenty-eight.9 Many see the brittle pasting-together of the European nations in the EU as beginning to fulfill Daniel’s prophecy. Before the Antichrist arrives, the ‘Roman Empire,’ which disintegrated into independent nations in the Middle Ages and has warred with one another since that time, culminating in World War II, will be reunited. It is a mixture of both strength like iron and weakness like the clay, as Daniel prophesied.
With that said, the EU doesn’t seem to be the final form of the Roman Empire. Daniel 7:23-27 gives more details:
This is what he told me: ‘The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth that will differ from all the other kingdoms. It will devour all the earth and will trample and crush it. The ten horns mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom. Another king will arise after them, but he will be different from the earlier ones. He will humiliate three kings. He will speak words against the Most High. He will harass the holy ones of the Most High continually. His intention will be to change times established by law. They will be delivered into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will convene, and his ruling authority will be removed—destroyed and abolished forever! Then the kingdom, authority, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be delivered to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; all authorities will serve him and obey him.’
In Daniel 7, an angel gave Daniel further clarification about the last kingdom: it will have ten kings who form a federation together. After them, another king will rise up, whom we know as the Antichrist. He will subdue three of the kings, leaving only seven in the federation. It then describes some of the exploits of the Antichrist. He will persecute the saints, probably in the context referring to Jews (but certainly including Christians, cf. Rev 12-13). Then his power will be taken away and destroyed forever, as the final kingdom will begin to rule on the earth. It will be an everlasting kingdom which Christ and his saints—the people of God—will rule over. One of the reasons the revived Roman Empire is so significant is because its formation tells us that Christ’s coming and eternal kingdom is near. It seems that the EU may in some form be embryonic of the final ten-king federation, which eventually becomes a seven-king federation.
Are there anymore future prophecies to be fulfilled? There are obviously many; one of the most controversial is prophecy regarding the city of Babylon’, which will serve as the capital of the Antichrist’s kingdom during the end times.
Babylon was and is a central city in the Bible. Other than Jerusalem, Babylon is mentioned more than any other city and is commonly pictured as a place of evil. It is mentioned some 290 times (compared to Jerusalem, mentioned some 800 times).10 It is believed that the Garden of Eden, where the fall happened (Gen 3), was in Babylon. Also, after the flood, the people rebelled against God and built the Tower of Babel in the same area (Gen 11). Because of their rebellion, God confused the languages—leading people to scatter across the globe. Finally, Babylon again rose to prominence during Israel’s divided kingdom. They eventually conquered the Southern Kingdom—sending everybody into exile (Dan 1).
Many have speculated that in the same way God has chosen to show special affection for Jerusalem, Satan, who is an imitator, has chosen to show special affection for Babylon. God has called for Jerusalem to be a special place of blessing, and Satan has called for Babylon to be a special place he uses for evil. In light of this, Scripture seems to indicate that Babylon will rise to power again in the end times and be used to propagate corruption and evil. We see this in various passages. First, consider Isaiah 13:17-22:
Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them; they are not concerned about silver, nor are they interested in gold. Their arrows will cut young men to ribbons; they have no compassion on a person’s offspring, they will not look with pity on children. Babylon, the most admired of kingdoms, the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride, will be destroyed by God just as Sodom and Gomorrah were. No one will live there again; no one will ever reside there again. No bedouin will camp there, no shepherds will rest their flocks there. Wild animals will rest there, the ruined houses will be full of hyenas. Ostriches will live there, wild goats will skip among the ruins. Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses, jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. Her time is almost up, her days will not be prolonged.
Many Biblical prophecies have a dual fulfillment—both a near and a far fulfillment. Isaiah prophesied that the Medes (and Persians) would conquer Babylon. However, the prophecy seems to go from a near fulfillment to a far fulfillment in verses 19-22. It is said that Babylon will be overthrown not just by the Medes, but also by God. After God overthrows Babylon, it will never again be inhabited by humans; it will become a place inhabited by desert creatures—jackals, owls, wild goats, and hyenas. This same prophecy is given in other passages of Scripture (cf. Isaiah 14:4, 12-15). For example, consider Jeremiah 50:1 and 39-40:
The Lord spoke concerning Babylon and the land of Babylonia through the prophet Jeremiah… Therefore desert creatures and jackals will live there. Ostriches will dwell in it too. But no people will ever live there again. No one will dwell there for all time to come. I will destroy Babylonia just like I did Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns. No one will live there. No human being will settle in it,” says the Lord.
The issue with this prophecy is that it has not been fulfilled yet. In 539 BC, the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon, but not in such a way that it was never inhabited again.11 It continues to be inhabited to this day. After Babylon was conquered, Daniel continued to work for the Persians in Babylon (Dan 6). Also, American soldiers camped there during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011).
Are there other prophecies which help clarify how this prophecy will ultimately be fulfilled? Yes. In Revelation, Babylon appears to be a central city in the Antichrist’s world empire. Revelation 18:1-5 says:
After these things I saw another angel, who possessed great authority, coming down out of heaven, and the earth was lit up by his radiance. He shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast. For all the nations have fallen from the wine of her immoral passion, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have gotten rich from the power of her sensual behavior.” Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues, because her sins have piled up all the way to heaven and God has remembered her crimes.
From the description, it appears that the city will become a center of false worship, which is what the phrases “immoral passion” and “sexually immorality,” in part, refer to (Rev 18:3). This city will be instrumental in turning other nations away from worshiping God to worshiping the Antichrist and Satan (cf. Rev 13). In addition, it will be a place of tremendous wealth and trade, which will help the nations grow rich (Rev 18:3). Revelation 18:20-22 describes its destruction by God:
(Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has pronounced judgment against her on your behalf!) Then one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said, “With this kind of sudden violent force Babylon the great city will be thrown down and it will never be found again! And the sound of the harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again. No craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again; the noise of a mill will never be heard in you again.
Essentially, the same prophecies spoken about Babylon in Isaiah 13 and Jeremiah 50 are prophesied in Revelation 18. After God destroys the city, no work will ever happen in this city again; nobody will ever be married in it, and there will be no music played in it. By comparing Old Testament prophecies with Revelation 18, it seems clear that Babylon will arise again in the end times. It will be used by the Antichrist to seduce nations to evil through wealth and false religion. Eventually, God will destroy it completely, as prophesied thousands of years ago.
With that said, theologians are divided on Revelation 18. Since Babylon is a symbol of evil in Scripture, some have said it could be any major city with worldwide influence. It could be Washington D.C., Moscow, Berlin, or Beijing; however, the problem with these possibilities is they leave Old Testament prophecies about Babylon’s absolute destruction unfulfilled. For that reason, many Bible students believe that the ancient city of Babylon will be resurrected to power during the Antichrist’s end-time, world reign.
Are there any signs of Babylon being rebuilt? Yes, there are certainly rumblings. For instance, when Saddam Hussein was in power, he vowed to rebuild Babylon and make it the great city it once was. Before his death, he started the process, but it has been left incomplete. Currently, the government of Iraq is moving forward with plans to rebuild it. Mark Hitchcock shares:
The government of Iraq is moving forward with plans to protect the amazing archaeological remains of the ancient city of Babylon, even as progress is made toward building a modern city. The project, originally begun by the late Saddam Hussein, is designed to attract scores of “cultural tourists” from all over the world to see the splendor of Mesopotamia’s most renowned city. What’s more, the U.S. government has contributed $700,000 toward the Future of Babylon Project through the state department’s budget via the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. According to reports, Officials hope Babylon can be revived and made ready for a rich future of tourism, with help from experts at the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the U.S. embassy. The Future of Babylon project launched last month seeks to map the current conditions of Babylon and develop a master plan for its conservation, study and tourism.12
Finally, without even considering prophecy, Babylon is very strategic because of its location: It is geographically near the center of the world’s land masses. It is at the crossroads of three great continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe.13 For these reasons, Babylon has been called the most ideal place for a world trade center, a world banking center, a world cultural metropolis, or even a world capital!14 Many believe it is just a matter of time before this great city will be rebuilt and take center stage during the end times.
What are some of the other major, future Bible prophecies? There are many. We won’t cover these with much detail. (1) There will be a world-wide tribulation in the end times. Revelation 5-19 details much of what will happen. During this period, God will judge the earth by war, famine, disease, and other expressions of his judgment. This is also when the Antichrist will arise, inciting a rebellion against God and the persecution of his people. (2) Some think Christians will be raptured (resurrected with heavenly bodies) to be with Christ before the tribulation, during it, or at the end of it. (3) At the end of the tribulation, there will be the second coming, when Christ returns to earth with his saints to rule. Those who believe the rapture will happen at the end of the tribulation see the rapture and Christ’s second coming as occurring simultaneously. Christ will appear, saints will be raptured to meet him in the air, and they will come down to the earth with him to rule and judge. (4) After Christ returns, there will be the millennium, during which Christ rules the earth for 1000 years of perfect peace. Then there will be a period where Satan is released to tempt the nations; Christ will crush him and his followers. (5) After this, there will be the Great White Throne of Judgment. There, unbelievers will be resurrected and judged. Revelation 20 details the millennial kingdom, Satan’s final judgment, and the Great White Throne of Judgment. (6) Finally, there will be the eternal state, including a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be no death, pain, or crying—only perfect peace, righteousness, and joy, as redeemed people serve and worship God forever (Rev 21-22).
Why does God give prophecies in the Bible?
In John 15:15, Christ said to his disciples: “I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.” Likewise, when God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, God shared his plans with Abraham because he was God’s friend (Gen 18). God does the same with us through both doctrine and prophecy. God’s sharing prophecy with his followers is a sign of intimacy and trust—just as how we share intimate details with those whom we love and trust.
In John 16:32-33, Christ said this to his disciples, as he warned them of his impending death and how they would be scattered:
Look, a time is coming—and has come—when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.”
As the disciples watched Christ die and many former disciples desert him, they could take comfort in Christ’s words. God was not taken by surprise—even these horrible events were part of his greater plan. Similarly, much of biblical prophecy is given so that believers can have comfort in turbulent times. God is in control, and we can trust him.
As mentioned earlier, in Isaiah 41:21-24, God challenged the false gods to prove their deity by predicting the future or telling the past, which they could not do. This proved that they were frauds. Then God prophesied to prove his deity. He predicted over 150 years before it happened that the Persian king, Cyrus, would send Israel back to their land after the Babylonian captivity.15 In speaking about Cyrus, God said:
For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me. I am the LORD, I have no peer, there is no God but me. I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me. I do this so people will recognize from east to west that there is no God but me; I am the LORD, I have no peer.
Isaiah 45:4-6
God gave and fulfilled the prophecy so people would recognize that there is no God but the LORD. For this reason, we should use prophecy as an apologetic tool, to help people believe in the validity of Scripture and ultimately God.
In John 14:28-29, Christ talked to the disciples about his death and resurrection. He said:
You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.
Christ told them beforehand to confirm their faith. Likewise, God confirms the faith of believers through Bible prophecy as well. This is especially true as we consider fulfilled Bible prophecy in comparison to unfulfilled prophecy. We can trust that, in the same way God fulfilled prophecies about Cyrus, Josiah, Israel, and Christ, he will fulfill all future prophecies down to the most microscopic detail. God is faithful to his Word.
One of the things that makes the Bible unique is that it is a book of prophecy. It records around 1000 prophecies—500 have been fulfilled and 500 await their fulfillment. Prophecies not only show God’s wisdom, but also his control over all of history. It truly is His-story!
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 “What was Zerubbabel’s temple/the second temple?” accessed 8/8/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Zerubbabel-second-temple.html
2 Hitchcock, Mark (2010-04-01). The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 180). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
3 Accessed 9/23/19 from https://www.timesofisrael.com/zehuts-feiglin-says-he-wants-to-build-third-temple-right-away/
4 “A Request to Pope Francis to Return Temple Menorah and other Temple Vessels Hidden in the Vatican” accessed 8/8/19 from https://www.templemountfaithful.org/articles/letter-to-pope-francis-to-return-stolen-temple-items.php
5 Accessed 9/19/19 from https://www.ancient.eu/Western_Roman_Empire/
6 Accessed 9/19/19 from https://www.historyhit.com/divorce-and-decline-the-division-of-east-and-west-roman-empires/
7 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 112). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
8 “European Union” accessed 8/8/19 from https://www.britannica.com/topic/European-Union
9 “From 6 to 28 members” accessed 8/8/19 from https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/policy/from-6-to-28-members_en
10 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 184). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
11 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 188). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
12 Hitchcock, Mark (2010-04-01). The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 195). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition
13 Hitchcock, Mark. The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy, (p. 194). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Unfortunately, many Christians struggle with establishing and practicing a plan for reading and studying the Bible. Why? For many reasons. One of them is a lack of motivation. As with any endeavor, if we don’t recognize how beneficial something is, we will struggle with motivation and without motivation, we won’t do it, or won’t do it consistently.
This is, in part, why Scripture repeatedly teaches about the benefits of studying the Word of God. It challenges us to study, not only because God calls us to do so, but also because there are so many blessings for us when we do. In this lesson, we will consider ten reasons for studying Scripture, with the goal of becoming motivated to study God’s Word with greater dedication and continuity.
In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul told Timothy to continue in what he had learned—referring to the Scriptures—because it was able to give him “wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Scripture gives people wisdom on how to be saved. The Old Testament tells the story of God creating the earth, the world falling into sin and disarray, and God’s promise to redeem the world through a male child. It reveals that the child would have a Jewish lineage and that the child would be both human and divine. Then, the Gospels reveal this person as Jesus, the Son of God. The Son of God lived, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead, so we could have eternal life through faith in him. People should read the Bible because no other book teaches about how a person can be saved. The Bible teaches redemptive history—how God saves the world.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul said, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” After people accept Christ, Scripture gives them “teaching” or “doctrine.” This is one of the elements that makes Christianity unique in comparison to other religions. It is filled with doctrine. Scripture not only teaches the doctrine of salvation but also the doctrine of God. God is a triune God: a trinity. He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are three independent persons, co-equal, and yet one.
The Bible teaches the doctrine of humanity (or anthropology). People were made in the image of God and reflect God in various ways, including through being male and female (cf. Gen 1:27, 1 Cor 11:3). It teaches the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. God gave the Holy Spirit to convict unbelievers and lead them to the truth; additionally, the Holy Spirit is given to believers to empower them and transform them into the image of God. The Bible is filled with doctrinal teachings, which we need for life and godliness.
In addition, the Bible rebukes us by revealing the ways we are in sin and calls us to repent. The Bible also corrects us by not only showing us how we are wrong, but how to get right. Finally, the Bible trains us for every good work, which includes being a godly spouse, parent, child, worker, or leader. This is what we call the sufficiency of Scripture: it equips us for every good work. The more a person knows God’s Word, the more God can use them to bless others.
In Psalm 119:105, David said, “Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.” For David, to be in the Word was to be able to see clearly and make decisions about going to the left or to the right. To not be in the Word was to make decisions in the dark. The Bible tells us what to do in moral situations—do not lie, steal, or cheat—and also gives us principles for all situations, including marriage, parenting, work, and conflict, to name just a few examples. Proverbs 11:14 says there is victory or safety in the multitude of counselors. We should seek wisdom from other godly people in making decisions. Romans 12:2 teaches us about how to better discern God’s direction. It says, “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” Many can’t discern God’s voice because the world’s voice is so strong in their ears. The more we reject sin and the teachings of the world, and instead renew our minds according to God’s Word, the more we’ll be able to better discern God’s clear guidance.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV) says:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
David described how a person who rejects the world and sin and instead delights and meditates on God’s Word will become like a tree. What does the tree metaphor signify? Trees are not made for their own pleasure but for the pleasure and security of others. God said to Abraham, “I will bless you and you will be a blessing” (Gen 12:1-3). People would eat from the fruit of Abraham’s life (and his descendants) and find nourishment. Similarly, God will use those who delight in and live in Scripture to bless many. In fact, the Psalmist says, “whatever they do prospers” (v. 3).
Unlike the fruitful person in Psalm 1 whose life is a blessing to others, many people are consumed with themselves. They are takers instead of givers. That is the natural disposition of people apart from God; however, when we allow God to rule in our lives—specifically through living in and obeying his Word—he makes us givers. We become like trees, bearing fruit that many will eat.
In Psalm 119:11 (NIV), David said, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” By hiding Scripture in his heart, David was able to defeat sin. This is exactly what Christ did when tempted in the wilderness by Satan: He defeated Satan by quoting Scripture (Matt 4). Similarly, 1 John 2:14 says, “I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.” The implication is that spiritual young men (and women) conquer the devil because of their deep knowledge of Scripture, even as Christ conquered the devil. In contrast, if people are weak in Scripture, they will find themselves more vulnerable to temptation, sin, and the devil.
Paul taught that even the Old Testament narratives were meant to help us battle sin. For example, in 1 Corinthians 10:6-11, Paul said that Israel’s grumbling and committing immorality during their wilderness wanderings were included in Scripture “as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did” (v. 6). Therefore, we should study Scripture to help us conquer sin and temptations from the devil.
One of the most repeated themes in the New Testament is warnings against false teaching. Christ warned against false teaching (Matt 7:15-20). Most of Paul’s letters were written to correct false doctrines that were spreading throughout the church. He also taught that in the last days there would be many demonic teachers and teachings in the church (1 Tim 4:2).
Because of this reality, believers must continually study God’s Word to be protected. Paul described immature believers as “children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes” (Eph 4:14). Just as small children are prone to danger because of lack of wisdom and life experience, so are spiritual children. In order to grow, they must study Scripture. First Peter 2:2 says, “And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation.” By yearning for God’s Word (and therefore studying it), believers mature and become less vulnerable to false teaching. In fact, the Berean Christians in Acts 17:11 (NIV) were called “noble” because of their consistent and fervent practice of testing Paul’s teaching against Scripture to see if it was true. We must do the same.
Scripture is full of promises. Some have counted over 3,000 within Scripture. Second Peter 1:3-4 says this about God’s promises:
I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.
These promises were given to enable us to participate in the divine nature—which means to make us more like God—and to help us escape the corruption of the world. Some are unconditional, such as God’s promise, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you” (Heb 13:5). However, others are conditional—meaning that we have a role in receiving them.
Here are a few conditional promises to consider. Philippians 4:6-7 says,
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
God promises his supernatural peace for those who practice prayer, petition, and thanksgiving in everything they do. When we live out these disciplines, instead of worrying and complaining, God gives us his peace.
First John 1:9 says: “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” God promises to forgive us when we confess our sins to him; therefore, believers don’t have to live in guilt. God is gracious to forgive all our sins when we come to him with repentant hearts.
Proverbs 11:25 says: “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Likewise, Christ said, “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” (Matt 5:7). This is especially important for those in serving ministries who are prone to burn out and discouragement. This doesn’t give them a license to neglect rest and self-care, but it does mean that when they prioritize caring for others, God will care for them.
Scripture is full of God’s promises which are meant to change, direct, and comfort us.
In Romans 15:4, Paul said, “For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.” For example, many find great encouragement by reading in the Psalms, how others transparently wrestled with their faith while encountering the trials and worries of life. The Old Testament narratives also often help people endure difficulties, as they consider how others faithfully endured seemingly insurmountable circumstances and how God used those circumstances for good. God used Moses’ flight from Egypt as a fugitive and his role as a shepherd in the wilderness for forty years, as preparation for him to lead the Israelite slaves out of slavery in Egypt and shepherd them for forty years in the wilderness. God used the evil Joseph’s brothers did against him—selling him into slavery—to create character in Joseph and the circumstances where Joseph would one day rule over Egypt and help many people. We should read Scripture to gain endurance and encouragement to persevere in life’s trials.
Consider the following passages: In Ephesians 5:18-20, Paul said:
And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
When Paul commanded believers to be filled with the Spirit, he was challenging them to be continually controlled and empowered by God’s Spirit. This is clear from the implied comparison with drunkenness. In the same way wine can control a person, believers should be controlled and empowered by the Spirit. Paul then described the fruits of a Spirit-filled person: a Spirit-filled person worships God by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. While an unfilled person is consumed with themselves, a filled person is consumed with worshiping God. The filled person is thankful. When unfilled, we are prone to bitterness and grumbling, but when filled, we see God in control of even difficult circumstances, causing us to be thankful. Finally, the filled person submits to others out of reverence to Christ instead of constantly fighting with them and seeking his or her own way. Such submission is accomplished by the power of the Spirit. A Spirit-filled life is a supernatural life.
How then can we be filled with the Spirit—controlled and empowered by him? Consider a parallel passage written by Paul in Colossians 3:16-18,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
As believers allow the word of Christ to dwell in them richly, they become teachers, worshipers, Christ-conscious, thankful, and submissive. These characteristics are virtually the same as being filled with the Spirit. This makes perfect sense. Since the Spirit is the author of Scripture, he controls and empowers the person who is filled with God’s Word. Unfortunately, many lack power in their Christian life—power to conquer sin, to love others, and to be thankful, regardless of their circumstances—because they are not filled with God’s Word and therefore are not filled with God’s Spirit.
In 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV), Paul said, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Essentially, Paul said that God approves those who do their best to study and correctly handle God’s Word. Therefore, it must be realized that some will ultimately not be approved because of how they neglected and mishandled Scripture.
This is not referring to God rejecting some for salvation, as salvation comes by faith and not by works (Eph 2:8-9). But it certainly refers to being useful to the Lord and rewarded. To some, God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” and reward them (cf. Matt 25:21, 1 Cor 3:14). For others, there will be a loss of reward, based on what they did (or did not do) with God’s Word (cf. Matt 5:19, 2 John 1:8, 1 Cor 3:15). We should do our best to study Scripture, rightly apply it, and teach others so we can bring pleasure to God and be approved by him. As Paul said of himself and the apostles, we are all stewards of God’s mysteries, who must prove ourselves faithful (1 Cor 4:1-2).
Why do so many Christians struggle with reading and studying Scripture? Maybe, in part, because they have never thought deeply about how great Scripture is and the benefits of studying it, and therefore lack consistent motivation.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
When constructing a building, builders start by securing a strong foundation. If the foundation is off, the building will have problems and possibly be unsafe. Likewise, when developing a life of studying and understanding Scripture, great attention must be given to the foundation. A faulty foundation will seriously compromise one’s study—possibly leading to spiritually injuring oneself and others. Many in the body of Christ have been hurt by a faulty foundation and some have even fallen away from the faith. In this lesson, we will consider six foundations for understanding Scripture.
The first foundation for understanding the Bible is the necessity of the new nature, which we receive at spiritual birth. Consider what the Bible says about the state of every person before salvation: In 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul said: “The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Similarly, in Romans 8:7 (NIV), he said, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”
Paul taught something called human inability. When sin came into the world, it affected people in such a way that, apart from God’s grace in salvation, they cannot accept God’s Word. Scripture is foolishness to them, and they can’t understand it. Apart from saving grace, the world scoffs at a God who created the earth by his Word. They scoff at a God who judged the earth through a world-wide flood. They scoff at God’s Son becoming a man, being born of a virgin, dying for the sins of the world, and then being resurrected. Only God’s Spirit can give someone grace to accept the things of God. Therefore, people need to be born again to properly interpret Scripture.
How can a person be born again? John said this:
But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.
John 1:12-13
When a person receives Christ—believing that Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead for people’s sins and commits to following him as Lord and Savior—he or she is spiritually born again. God gives that person the Holy Spirit and a new nature with a desire to study Scripture and a capacity to understand and obey it.
With that said, it should be understood that a lot of false doctrine comes from those within the church who are not truly born again and therefore cannot properly understand Scripture. Consider what Peter said about Paul’s scriptural writings:
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.
2 Peter 3:15-17 (NIV)
Peter said that some of Paul’s writings were hard to understand and that ignorant and unstable people distorted them, as they did with other Scriptures, to their own destruction. He also said these people were lawless—meaning disobedient to God. In fact, Peter’s entire letter is a warning against false teachers. It seems evident that those twisting Scripture “to their own destruction” were not true believers (v. 16).
Christ taught something similar in the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat (Matt 13:36-43). The parable teaches that in the kingdom there are weeds—false believers—planted by the evil one, and wheat—true believers—planted by God. The apostle John taught something similar when describing the false believers and teachers who left the church of Ephesus. In 1 John 2:19-20, he said:
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us. Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you that you do not know the truth, but that you do know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
John said those who left the church because of accepting heretical doctrine were not saved. He said, “they went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.” They were never truly born again. Then John said to the church, “but you have an anointing from the Holy One and you all know” (v. 20). John believed that the true believers in Ephesus were not led astray into heretical teaching because they had an “anointing” from God. This refers to the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the term “anointing” was used for the prophets, priests, and kings who were anointed with oil, conferring upon them the recognition and resources needed for their ministries. When they were anointed, the Spirit came on them to empower them for their work. The work that John referred to is that of interpreting Scripture. True believers have an anointing which teaches them “truth” (v. 20-21) which will keep them from heretical error. Similarly, in John 10, Christ taught that his sheep hear his voice and will not follow the voice of others.
False conversion—not being truly born again—partly explains some of the great heresies infiltrating the church, such as Christ not being God or human, all people will go to heaven, salvation by works, to name a few. Being truly born again is the foundation of understanding Scripture. The person without the Spirit cannot understand or accept the things that come from the Spirit.
This does not mean true Christians will not have different understandings of Scripture, especially on minor doctrines; but in a supernatural way because of their anointing, they will be kept from heretical error which misinterprets the gospel and essential aspects of it.
Have you been born again? Do you have the Holy Spirit’s anointing to understand Scripture? With this anointing, one will have a desire to study God’s Word and the ability to understand and obey it (cf. 1 Pet 1:2, Rom 8:7, 1 Cor 2:14-15). This is a proof that one is born again by the Spirit of God, and it is crucial for studying and understanding Scripture.
This corresponds with the first point. In salvation, God enlightens our minds to understand the gospel; however, we must daily learn to live in dependence upon God to continually understand Scripture. In fact, consider what Christ said to the disciples about the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives:
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come. He will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you.
John 16:13-14
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and his job is to guide us into truth. In 1 Corinthians 2:12, Paul said: “Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God.”
We get a good picture of our need to depend on God to correctly study Scripture from the story of Christ talking with his disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. After Christ’s death, the disciples were confused about Jesus. Was he truly God? Why, then, did he die? While they were walking, Christ appeared to them (although they did not recognize him). He began to teach from Scripture, explaining that the messiah had to die and be resurrected. As Christ was teaching, Luke, the narrator, added something special to the story:
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day
Luke 24:44-46
Luke said that Christ “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Though they were saved, Christ still needed to enlighten them so they could understand Scripture. This is just as much a need for us today as it was for Christ’s disciples then. How can we depend on God so we can properly interpret Scripture?
1. To depend on God, we must approach Scripture humbly.
James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” If we approach Scripture confidently because of our educational achievements or spiritual background, we close the door to true understanding. God fights against the proud but gives grace to the humble. A great example of humility is Moses. In Numbers 12:3, it says Moses was the humblest man on the earth; soon after, it says that God spoke to him face to face, unlike with other prophets, to whom God spoke in dreams and visions (v. 6-8). No doubt, Moses’ understanding of God’s mysteries was connected to his great humility. When we are proud, we depend on ourselves. When we are humble, we depend on God (and others). Therefore, we must confess our pride and confidence and recognize our inability apart from God to understand Scripture.
Are you approaching Scripture humbly or pridefully? Sometimes, the more we learn about God’s Word, the more prone we are to pride—hindering our ability to receive. First Corinthians 8:1 says “knowledge puffs up.” Therefore, being humble is a discipline we must continually practice by the power of God’s Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22-23), especially as we grow in the knowledge of Scripture.
2. We must approach Scripture prayerfully, demonstrating our dependence on God.
Unfortunately, many Christians don’t pray when reading Scripture or listening to a sermon, which often robs them of understanding and application. We must ask God to open our minds to his Word and remove any hindrances to understanding and obedience. Consider how David prayed in Psalm 119:
Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law!
Psalm 119:18
Help me to understand what your precepts mean! Then I can meditate on your marvelous teachings.
Psalm 119:27
Give me a desire for your rules, rather than for wealth gained unjustly.
Psalm 119:36
In order to understand Scripture, we must depend totally on God—approaching Scripture humbly and prayerfully. The prideful are blocked from the riches of God’s Word—only the humble receive keys to God’s rich truths.
To understand Scripture deeply, we must not only depend on God but also seek the insight and counsel of mature believers. This is God’s ordained method for believers to study and understand Scripture. In Ephesians 4:8, 11-13, Paul said this:
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.” … It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature.
This passage describes Christ’s ascension to heaven and his bestowing gifts upon people. However, it does not itemize a list of gifts. Instead, it lists gifted people: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. By God’s providence, these gifted people are God’s blessings to his church to help her mature and grow in serving others.
If believers are going to grow in their understanding of God’s Word, they must avail themselves of these gifts. They do this by being involved in a good church where the Bible is clearly preached each week, by participating in church small groups where the Bible is discussed, and by reading good Christian books. By doing this, mature believers help other believers better understand God’s Word.
Some Christians may say, “We don’t need to depend on other believers to understand God’s Word because we have the Holy Spirit!” However, the Holy Spirit is the ultimate author of Ephesians 4, which teaches that God’s ordained method to train his church is through the teachings of mature believers. The Holy Spirit empowers this process because God has ordained it; therefore, we must take advantage of it, both to learn God’s Word and to help others learn as we teach God’s Word to others.
In John 7:16-17, Christ said: “…My teaching is not from me, but from the one who sent me. If anyone wants to do God’s will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority.”
In this text, the Jews and the Pharisees were testing Jesus. Essentially, they were asking, “Are Jesus’ teachings from God or not?” In response, Christ said the only way they could discern if his teachings were authentic was to choose to do God’s will. Negatively speaking, if they continued to have a disobedient heart, God would not give them understanding of Christ’s teachings.
This principle is true for us as well. Apart from a willingness to obey God’s Word, God will not give us understanding. This is especially noteworthy because often we come to Scripture with our own presuppositions and ideas. We are looking to support what we already believe or want to do, which only hinders true understanding. Sometimes, people even approach Scripture like the Pharisees did with Christ—already antagonistic towards what they perceive God is saying through the text. They don’t like what Scripture says about this topic or that topic. Sometimes, they even force their presuppositions into the text—making the text say something it doesn’t say. An obedient heart is crucial to properly grasp Scripture. Without it, God will not give us understanding.
In fact, a disobedient or antagonistic heart will often lead to deception. In 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV), Paul described the influx of false teachers in the end times and how they originated. He said:
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
Paul taught that demons would deceive people who apparently were already living hypocritically, and these same people would espouse demonic lies. Because these people professed Christ but lived in unrepentant sin, their consciences stopped working and they became vulnerable to deception.
The conscience is a natural warning system from God in all people. It is not perfect, as it has been tainted by sin, but it does provide guard rails to our thinking and actions, indicating approval when we do well and disapproval when we do wrong. If we continue to sin, over time the conscience becomes hardened and stops working as it should.
Without the warning system which cautioned that practicing sexual immorality is wrong, lying is wrong, cheating is wrong, abusing people is wrong, these professed believers practiced these sins—making themselves more vulnerable to demonic deceptions. Eventually, they themselves championed and taught various demonic doctrines. A hardened conscience can lead to all types of wrong views and sins.
In the same way that an obedient heart allows the Holy Spirit to bring understanding, a disobedient heart allows demons to bring deception—even leading some to become false prophets and teachers. Satan uses people with twisted consciences to twist God’s Word. This is what the Pharisees did—they twisted God’s Word to their own benefit and others’ demise. Obedience is a critical foundation to knowing God’s Word.
What are some applications we can take from our need to have an obedient heart to understand God’s Word?
1. We should consider the need for an obedient heart as an encouragement and promise to those who truly want to understand Scripture.
Christ said, “If anyone wants to do God’s will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority” (John 7:17). There are many difficult doctrines in Scripture and various views about them; however, if we truly want to obey God’s will, God promises to give us understanding. We should bring this promise before God as we seek to understand his Word.
2. We should consider the need for an obedient heart as a warning to the disobedient.
The more we disobey Scripture, the more prone we are to compromise what it says and lead others astray. This should be sobering for every Bible student. Many cult leaders and followers started out in the church and so did many atheists.
In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul said, “Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach. Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” Our life and doctrine are inseparable. They affect one another. An ungodly life negatively affects our doctrine, and false doctrine negatively affects our lives. Therefore, we must protect both.
In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul said, “Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.” “Make every effort” can also be translated “be diligent” or “do your best.” One of the reasons there is a lot of misinterpretation of Scripture is simply due to laziness. Many come to Scripture apathetically—unwilling to work hard or give their best efforts to understand it—which often results in misinterpretation. This was especially important for Timothy because he was a teacher and his interpretations affected others—both positively and negatively. However, even without being a teacher, our misinterpretations give the devil an open door into our lives and others.
Again, consider the story of the Bereans in Acts 17:11, “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” The Bereans are memorialized in Scripture because when taught by Paul, they examined Scripture with “great eagerness” every day to discern what was true. Unfortunately, there are very few noble Christians. Most simply accept what they were taught by parents, friends, pastors, and teachers. Even our best teachers make mistakes and, therefore, must be tested.
It’s especially important to be diligent in our study of Scripture because some doctrines are hard to understand (cf. 2 Peter 3:15-16). What is the Trinity? How do we reconcile God’s sovereignty and human responsibility? How could Christ be fully God and yet fully human? Though some doctrines are hard to understand, they are still indispensable—bearing blessings for proper interpretation and consequences for misinterpretation. Difficulty in understanding a text or doctrine does not excuse us from diligent pursuit of proper interpretation and application. God even promised special blessings to those who read, heard, and obeyed the words of Revelation, which is probably the most difficult book in the Bible to understand (Rev 1:3).
Working hard to understand Scripture is not only necessary because some teachings are hard to understand, but also because of how pervasive false teaching is in the church. In Matthew 7:13-20, Christ described how hard it was to enter the kingdom of God, and one of the reasons was because there were so many false teachers. There are many on the wide road that leads to destruction instead of the narrow road, in part, because of rampant false teaching. Without working hard to understand God’s Word, we are prone to be led astray—even unto damnation.
How can we practice diligence in our study of the Bible, like the Bereans?
It has been well-attested that the best way to learn is to teach. We remember 10% of what we hear, 20% of what we read, 70% of what we discuss, and 95% of what we teach. And throughout Scripture, it is clear that God desires every believer to teach in some capacity. In fact, in Hebrews 5:11-12, the author said:
On this topic we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food.
The author said that the Jewish Christians should have been teaching others, but they needed to be retaught the basics and couldn’t learn deeper theology because of that. That’s how many people are in the church today. They have to be continually retaught because they don’t retain what they learn.
All believers are called to teach God’s Word. Parents should teach their children (Eph 6:4). Older women should teach younger women (Titus 2:3-4). Believers should teach one another in all wisdom (Col 3:16), and they should also teach unbelievers (Matt 28:19-20). If one struggles with identifying whom to teach, he or she should simply find somebody who knows less and teach that person—even if it is a child or an unbeliever. This is the best way to retain what one has learned and learn more.
In this study, we considered six foundations for understanding Scripture. Apart from them, there will be cracks in our foundation which will hinder our ability to understand Scripture, grow in spiritual maturity, and help others. In fact, bad foundations can hurt us and others.
Foundation 1: We Must Be Born Again to Understand Scripture
Foundation 2: We Must Depend on God to Understand Scripture
Foundation 3: We Must Depend on Mature Believers to Understand Scripture
Foundation 4: We Must Develop an Obedient Heart to Understand Scripture
Foundation 5: We Must Develop a Diligent Spirit to Understand Scripture
Foundation 6: We Must Teach Others to Understand Scripture
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
How do we prepare our hearts to study the Bible? One of the ways we do this is by getting rid of every potential hindrance to studying and understanding God’s Word. Ezra 7:10 (ESV) says, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” In the KJV, it is translated that Ezra “prepared his heart.”
In Scripture, the heart often refers to the mind, will, and emotions. It is the center of who we are. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.” Our heart affects our jobs, families, friendships, and our relationship with God and his Word. In Matthew 13:1-23, Christ illustrated this in the Parable of the Soils. In it, he described God’s Word being sown into the ‘soil’ of four different hearts—the wayside ground, the rocky ground, the thorny ground, and the good ground. Though each received the Word, only the good ground produced fruit that lasted. Therefore, we also, like farmers, must discern the ground of our heart and prepare it to receive God’s Word and produce fruit.
In this lesson, we will consider six hindrances to studying Scripture, which will aid us in preparing the ground of our heart so it can produce maximum fruit.
James 1:21 says, “So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.” What’s interesting about James’ command to get rid of sin is that it implies that God’s Word was already in the hearts of the hearers; however, it was ineffective. In order for the Word to change them, they needed to get rid of sin. Sin hinders our ability to truly receive God’s Word.
Peter said something similar, “So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation” (1 Pet 2:1-2). Since Peter called believers to get rid of sin before commanding them to “yearn” for or “crave” God’s Word, the implication is that sin not only stops us from truly receiving God’s Word but also from desiring it. Many believers struggle with their appetite for God’s Word because they delight in sin and in the world. Likewise, in 1 John 2:15, John said, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” There is a principle working in the world system that draws people away from God. It seeks to satisfy people apart from God, and it is utterly antagonistic to him.
Consider this saying: “The Word of God will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Word of God.” People’s relationship to God’s Word is often an indicator of their relationship to sin. A life characterized by not attending church nor participating in a small group (where God’s Word is taught), or by not reading God’s Word will lead people into sin. When people are living in sin or being drawn to it, they will often stop attending places or doing things where they hear God’s Word. Sin is a hindrance to studying God’s Word.
In the Parable of the Soils, Christ said this about the rocky ground:
The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.
Matthew 13:20-21
This type of soil represents people who hear the Word in church, small group, through their personal study, or by some other means, and they accept it joyfully. However, their faithfulness to it lasts only a short time. When trials or persecution come, they quickly fall away. The ground of their heart is shallow, their commitment weak; therefore, they don’t continue in obeying God’s Word and many ultimately fall away from God.
This is the uncommitted heart. People with an uncommitted heart may look as if they are living a life that honors and prioritizes God. They may study Scripture, attend church, and participate in small groups regularly, but they produce no lasting fruit because of their lack of commitment. They want God and his Word as long as things are good, as long as God is blessing them; but as soon as things go wrong, they fall away from Scripture reading, church attendance, and obedience to God. They may even get angry at God and deny him altogether.
How can we tell if we have an uncommitted heart? Simply by considering how we respond in trials. If we continually get angry at God and run away from him in trials instead of running to him, we have an uncommitted heart, which negatively affects our ability to receive God’s Word.
Consider our typical response to one who is uncommitted or untrustworthy: Would we entrust our deepest secrets to someone who is uncommitted or untrustworthy, or give them an important task? No, we wouldn’t, because they would probably be unfaithful with it. We can be sure that God doesn’t entrust the revelation of his Word to someone who is uncommitted or untrustworthy, either. Psalm 25:14 says, “The LORD’s loyal followers receive his guidance, and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.” God reveals his Word to his “loyal followers”—not the uncommitted ones. Shallow hearts only get shallow revelation. As they become faithful with little, then God will give them more (cf. Lk 16:10). When they are unfaithful with little, God takes away even what they have (cf. Matt 13:12). The uncommitted heart is a hindrance to studying God’s Word.
In Matthew 13:22 (NIV), Christ described the thorny ground and how worry kept this type of heart from fruitfulness. In explaining it, Christ said, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life … choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
Some of the most frequent commands in Scripture are, “Don’t be afraid,” “Do not worry,” or “Be anxious for nothing.” What is wrong with worrying? Worry essentially says to God either “I don’t trust you!” or “You are not in control!” However, Scripture tells us that God works all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph 1:11) and that he specifically works all things for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28). Though hard things happen in our lives, God is always in control and using them for our good; therefore, we must trust him.
Consider this from a human relationship standpoint: if we don’t trust somebody, then that distrust will affect what we give them or accept from them. Similarly, how can we expect God to teach us his Word if we don’t trust him? One of the prominent themes of Scripture is our need for faith—for us to trust God. We need to put our faith in God for salvation (Eph 2:8-9), but we also need to put our trust in him to receive many of his promises. In Mark 9:23, Christ said to a father seeking healing for his child, “All things are possible for the one who believes.” Since fear is basically a lack of faith, it prohibits our ability to receive God’s promises and his Word.
In reality, many people faithfully spend time in God’s Word, yet God’s Word is ineffective in their lives because of their propensity to worry. They constantly worry about their future, their past, their relationships, and everything else. Consequently, their worry chokes God’s Word and makes it unfruitful (Matt 13:22). Therefore, if we are going to prepare our hearts to study God’s Word, we must resolve not to worry but instead to pray, give God thanks, and trust him. Philippians 4:6-7 says,
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
And 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
When describing the thorny ground which didn’t produce fruit from God’s Word, Christ not only mentioned worry, but also the deceitfulness of wealth as a hindrance. Again, Matthew 13:22 (NIV) says, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but … the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
This seems to be one of the temptations that kept Eve from obeying God’s Word. Though Eve had everything in the world, Satan focused her attention on the one thing that she didn’t have—the fruit of the forbidden tree. She looked at the fruit, lusted for it, and ate it—disobeying God’s Word.
Since then, “the deceitfulness of wealth” (or materialism) has been a major hindrance to studying and obeying God’s Word. Christ declared that a person can only have one master, God or Money; otherwise, the person will hate one and love the other (Matt 6:24). Christ also emphasized how hard it was for a rich man to get into heaven (Matt 19:23). We are often deceived by wealth. We are tempted to think that it will ultimately satisfy us, so we pursue it more than God. Paul taught Timothy that many had pierced themselves with many sorrows because of the love of wealth and some had even fallen away from the faith (1 Tim 6:9-11).
For this reason, if we are going to prepare our hearts to study God’s Word, we must guard against materialism—loving things more than God and others. It’s very easy for money, clothes, cars, and electronics to become our idols—hindering our love for God’s Word, our ability to understand it, and our desire to obey it.
How can we protect our hearts from materialism? By being obedient to God in these ways: (1) Christ taught that we should not store up treasures on earth, because they are temporary and tend to consume our hearts, but to instead store up treasures in heaven, which are eternal (Matt 6:19-21). Likewise, Paul taught that we should guard our hearts from being “engrossed” with the things of this world (1 Cor 7:31 NIV). To live in the world, we must use things (cars, phones, laptops, Internet, money), but we must guard against being engrossed in them. Sometimes that means not acquiring them, giving them away, or simply being disciplined with them. (2) We are to practice contentment. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Paul said if we have food and covering, we should be “content.” Contentment is a spiritual discipline we must learn and practice. It often starts with simply giving God thanks for what we have and choosing to not pursue more than what we have. Unfortunately, since our hearts are so deceitful, many are unaware of how consumed their hearts are with material things and how that idolatry has hindered their ability to desire, study, and obey God’s Word.
Do you have a materialistic heart? Christ said we can only have one master—God or money. We will love one and hate the other. In order to study God’s Word, we must love God and be careful of materialism, which can choke God’s Word and render it ineffective.
Another common hindrance that keeps many from knowing and receiving God’s Word is simply busyness. We get a good picture of this in the Mary and Martha story in Luke 10. In the story, Jesus visited Mary and Martha’s home. While there, Jesus was teaching and sharing God’s Word with the disciples. Mary sat with them and listened while Martha was the ‘good’ hostess—working feverishly to serve everybody. Eventually, Martha complained to Jesus and asked him to tell Mary to help with serving. Jesus replied: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:41-42).
Likewise, many people won’t study Scripture simply because they are too busy. Often what keeps them away from studying God’s Word are not bad things; they can be very good things like school, work, family, or hobbies. However, often the enemy of the best thing is not the evil but the good. No doubt, this is why Paul prayed this for the Philippians:
And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11
As people made in the image of God, we have a tremendous capacity to love; however, our love must be wise. We must be able to discern what is best so we can be holy, fruitful, and bring maximum glory to God.
Is busyness keeping you from studying God’s Word and receiving all the benefits which come from it, including fruitfulness? Be careful of the hindrance of the busy heart.
The sectarian or denominational heart is the believers’ tendency to exalt a leader, church, or denomination to the point that it hinders their ability to rightly interpret and obey Scripture. This tendency has plagued the church since its inception and even before the church was formed. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-5, Paul rebuked the Corinthians for unduly exalting their teachers:
So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human? What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us.
This same heart tendency is demonstrated by Joshua in his reverence for Moses. In Numbers 11:28-29, two men were prophesying in the Israelite camp and Joshua responded: “‘My lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!’”
Similarly, we have a propensity to divide into factions around great leaders, churches, and denominations and to become jealous to protect them, even when they are potentially in error. When we overly-reverence them, we risk becoming blind to their flaws. Our idolization hinders our ability to rightly understand and apply God’s Word. Robert West in his book, How to Study the Bible, gives a challenging warning against overly exalting our teachers, which can also be applied to our churches and denominations:
Christians must also beware of becoming -ites. These are believers who automatically accept everything that a certain Christian author says or writes. Using the names of popular contemporary Christian authors, these people could be known as Swindollites, Lucadoites, or LaHayeites.1
Though God uses great teachers and leaders to help us grow, we must remember they still have clay feet—they stumble and make mistakes, including misinterpreting Scripture. Certainly, this is also true with churches and denominations. None of them have a patent on the truth. With that said, we should allow God to use our teachers, churches, and denominations to help us learn truth. However, we must, like the Bereans, test everything taught (and practiced) by comparing it to God’s Word (Acts 17:11), holding fast to the good and discarding the bad.
As an application, we must continually come before Scripture with an open heart and mind—trying to honestly discern what Scripture says, even if it differs from what we’ve previously learned or accepted. We must recognize that only God’s Word is infallible—not ourselves, our culture, great leaders, churches, or denominations.
Even as Ezra prepared his heart to study Scripture, we must do the same. We must get rid of every potential hindrance to studying and obeying Scripture. As Proverbs 4:23 says, we must guard our hearts, for out of them flow the issues of life. We must be especially careful of hindrances like:
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 West, Robert M. How to Study the Bible (Value Books). Barbour Publishing, Inc. Kindle Edition.
When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13
What types of resources does one need to study the Bible?
If you visited the home of someone who is great at something, typically you would find that he or she would have collected many tools and resources related to their hobby or craft. Great fishermen will have an assortment of fishing rods, types of lures, the appropriate clothes, and possibly even a boat. Great musicians will have a collection of instruments, sheet music, perhaps electronic equipment, and the like. Great businessmen will have books on leadership, marketing, and maybe even statistics. Similarly, people who are going to go deep in their study and understanding of the Bible will also need a collection of helpful resources.
In fact, many believe that 2 Timothy 4:13 mentions the tools of the greatest apostle. When Paul asked for “parchments,” he was probably asking for the Hebrew Scriptures, which were often written on bark or animal skins. The “scrolls” were very likely parts of the New Testament and other resources used to study Scripture. There were many Jewish writings on the Old Testament which Paul, as a Pharisee, would have had at his disposal. Presumably, these were the resources that he was requesting. Charles Spurgeon used this passage to rebuke pastors who preached but neglected study. He said this of Paul:
He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, and yet he wants books! He had seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He had had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had written the major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books!1
To study God’s Word deeply, Christians should seriously consider developing their libraries.
Now some would automatically reject this and say, “All we need is our Bibles for study!” However, for at least two reasons, outside resources are needed for deeper study: (1) The first reason is that the Bible is an ancient manuscript. We need to know the historical background and culture, which is often different from ours, to properly understand the text. Resources outside the Bible will help with that. (2) And secondly, God has chosen to mature his church through gifted people teaching the Word. In Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul said this:
It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,
Often people rely on God to equip the church only through the oral instruction given by teachers in Sunday service or Bible study. This is certainly part of God’s plan to edify and instruct his people; however, God also builds the church through the writings of gifted teachers. In fact, God chose to build up the church not only through the oral teachings of the apostles but specifically through their writings—many of which are now known as Scripture.
God, by his grace, has equipped many great teachers to write about Scripture to aid the church in understanding his Word. Unlike the Bible, these resources are not inspired, and as such, should never replace Scripture. But, properly used, they can greatly supplement our studies and help us understand the Bible better.
Like Paul, we must use our “scrolls” to help us understand the Bible—the historical background, the ancient culture, the nuances of the original languages, how a specific text corresponds with the rest of Scripture, etc.
What types of tools should Christians use to help them understand Scripture better? It should be noted that many of these resources can be found on the Internet for free. However, one will have to spend some money to adequately expand their library.
As mentioned, when Paul asked for the parchments, he was probably referring to the Old Testament, of which there were multiple versions. Often when Paul or other NT writers quoted the Old Testament, they quoted the Septuagint—the OT Greek translation. Other times, they used the Hebrew translation. Similarly, reading and referencing multiple translations will aid our understanding of Scripture, as well.
Multiple translations are helpful because one translation alone cannot fully capture the meaning of a word in the original Hebrew or Greek. For instance, in English there is one word for ‘love,” but in Greek, there are at least four, each depicting distinct types and characteristics of love. Sometimes by using different translations and comparing them, it helps us have a fuller understanding of a given word or verse.
It has often been asked, “What is the best Bible translation?” The simple answer is, “Whatever one you will read!” There are many versions: The English Standard Version, the New American Standard, the New King James, the NIV, the NET, among others, are all rich translations, which benefit readers in some way or another.
The below online resources provide multiple Bible translations for study:
Why is a study Bible so important? A study Bible minimizes one’s need for multiple resources. The first few pages of each book in a study Bible includes introductory material: author, original audience, historical background, the purpose of the book, etc. Surveying the introductory material of a Bible book before reading the book is like surveying the forest before looking at each tree—it will often enrich one’s Bible reading.
In the center of each study Bible page, there are Scripture cross-references for each verse. When you read a verse on divorce (cf. Matt 5:31-32), several similar verses are provided (cf. Matt 18: 3-9, 1 Cor 7:10-14), which will enhance one’s understanding of the particular passage or the topic within the passage you are reading. A study Bible also has small commentary for many of the verses in a chapter. Do you ever look at a verse and say, “What does that mean?” The commentary will often provide both insight and application. Also, a study Bible will have a small concordance where one can look up verses by simply remembering key words in the passage. Here are four recommended study Bibles:
Comments in a study Bible will be concise; however, commentary volumes will give a more thorough explanation of each verse. These are especially helpful for not only comprehending verses but for preparation to teach them. Often commentaries lead the reader from asking the question “What does this mean?” to “What do we do about it?” This is especially true of commentaries made for personal devotions and for helping pastors prepare to teach. Purchasing one or more commentaries for each Bible book is costly; however, there are free high-quality commentaries online, as well as good single volume commentaries for purchase. Some examples of both are below:
Likewise, there are many good commentary series with single volumes of various Bible books. For example, The Preaching the Word series, The Tyndale Commentaries, The MacArthur New Testament series, and The Bible Teacher’s Guide series. With that said, it should be noted that not all commentaries are created equal. Some are written by liberal scholars with a naturalistic bend—meaning that they don’t believe in miracles, such as the resurrection. Some are academic—focusing on the original languages, which might be hard to understand without language training. Each commentary will reflect the theological persuasion of the author (Reformed, Arminian, Dispensational, Lutheran, etc.). Nonetheless, God has especially gifted commentators from various theological persuasions to write certain books or a series of books. To discern the best commentaries, it is wise to consider reviews, get counsel, and if possible, read portions of the commentary before purchasing.
Unlike commentaries, which focus on a single Bible book and verses within it, systematic theologies teach what the whole Bible says about major topics like God the Father, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, salvation, angels, and eschatology (end times). Within those major topics, they cover sub-topics, including the Trinity, God’s sovereignty, election, the security of a believer, and demons. There are many fine systematic theologies available: Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology (and the smaller version, Bible Doctrine), Millard Erickson’s Christian Theology (and the smaller version, Introducing Christian Doctrine), and Charles Ryrie’s Basic Theology, among others.
A concordance is helpful for locating passages in the Bible. It indexes Bible words in alphabetical order—allowing people to find verses they are looking for by only remembering a key word in a certain passage. Concordances are based on specific Bible translations; therefore, looking up words from the KJV in a NIV concordance might not be very helpful. The indexed words in a concordance are also often connected to the original language equivalent—allowing a person to look up the exact meaning in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic. A popular concordance based on the KJV is Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Additionally, if a significant portion of a passage is entered online, search engines like Google and Yahoo can function like concordances, when those phrases are searched.
There are many other great Bible tools including biblical encyclopedias, which have hundreds of articles about topics in Scripture, Bible atlases, which help with understanding the geography in Bible times, and Bible surveys, which provide an overview of every book in the Bible. If we are going to thoroughly study Scripture, like Paul, we need our “scrolls” and “parchments” (2 Tim 4:13). Do you have yours?
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Accessed 9/26/2019 https://bible.org/seriespage/13-facing-winter-seasons-2-timothy-49-22
When studying the Bible, an important acronym to remember is OIL: Observation, Interpretation, Life application. Observation asks this question about a passage, “What does it say?” Interpretation asks, “What does it mean?” Life Application asks, “What should we do about it?” Only after diligently analyzing a passage can one truly find its meaning, and only after understanding the meaning of a passage can one properly apply it. Observing, interpreting, and applying are skills which the Bible student must develop to become competent at studying Scripture. We will look at each skill separately.
A popular genre of film and books is criminal scene investigation (CSI). CSI stories follow a regimented procedure: after a crime is committed and discovered, the police isolate the crime scene to make sure no one tampers with evidence. Then, investigators screen the area for items such as blood, hair, broken glass, bubble gum, and receipts. They do this because they realize that any detail, even a tiny detail that seems insignificant, might lead to solving the crime. Like an investigator meticulously studying a crime scene for clues, Bible students must learn to develop a similar procedure when studying Scripture. Several components are necessary for a Bible student to do this:
First, Bible students must believe that all Scripture matters—even seemingly insignificant details. Consider the following verses:
Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4
Second Timothy 3:16 tells us that “every” or “all” Scripture is inspired, not “some.” Jesus stated that we live by “every” word that comes from the mouth of God. In fact, in Matthew 5:18, Christ said this: “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.” These verses emphasize that every portion of Scripture is important—even the smallest letter and stroke of a letter. This realization is vital to developing the skill of observation. God chose the specific words, including tenses, in a passage for a purpose. Therefore, we must develop keen vision to notice details and seek to understand what the Holy Spirit, through human authors, was trying to say to the original audience and now to the contemporary audience.
We can discern the importance of every word and how it can lead to both meaning and application by observing how Christ confronted the Sadducees’ lack of belief in the resurrection in Matthew 22:30-32. He said:
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.
Christ asked, “have you not read what was spoken to you by God, ’I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?” Surely the Pharisees had read it before, just as most Christians have, but what made Christ’s reading of this OT text so different was his keen observation of it. Christ pointed out that though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were dead, the original writer wrote about them in the present tense, which meant they were still alive and therefore would be resurrected.
Believing in the importance of every aspect of Scripture is indispensable. If we don’t believe that all of Scripture is important, we might skip certain parts (like genealogies or historical details) or not read God’s Word at all. If we’re going to develop observation skills, we must believe that “all Scripture is God-breathed,” that we are called to live by “every word” of God, and that even the smallest letter and least stroke of the pen will never pass away. Just as Christ asked the Sadducees, we must ask ourselves, “Have we truly been reading?”
What else is needed to properly observe Scripture?
To properly observe Scripture, we must become spiritually inquisitive. We must ask questions about the Bible and its passages. Many can’t understand Scripture deeply merely because they’re not interested in knowing the meaning and application of Scripture. They’re simply content to read it, if that. This is part of the reason why, in 1 Peter 2:2, Peter commanded believers to “yearn” for “spiritual milk” like an infant. People won’t need to be told to read the Bible, memorize it, and study it, if they actually “yearn” for it. Yearning will motivate us to do all those things. Therefore, God commands us to have a hungry disposition, as we will need it to understand Scripture and grow from it.
Certainly, we see this inquisitive, hungry disposition in the disciples, who often asked Christ questions about his teachings. For example, consider the disciples’ interaction with Christ after he taught the Parable of the Sowers in Luke 8:8-9:
But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he said this, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant.
After presenting the parable, Jesus added, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” This meant that not everybody was capable of understanding the parable—including his own disciples! However, their desire to understand it and their request for Christ to explain it was proof that they had ears to hear. Sadly, most people read passages in the Bible without any understanding and simply move on to the next verse. They don’t ask questions of the text, pray about it, or research it further. Having “ears to hear” doesn’t just mean we understand Scripture when we read it; it means we desire understanding and are willing to pursue it. This separated the disciples from the rest of the hearers in Luke 8:8-9, who didn’t understand the parable either but failed to pursue further explanation.
As we read the Gospels, the inquisitive nature of the apostles continues to be displayed. After Christ taught the need to pursue reconciliation with those who sinned against us, Peter asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?” (Matt 18:21). Similarly, after Christ taught the disciples about the destruction of the temple in Matthew 24:3, they asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
One might say, “We don’t have Christ here to ask questions of the Bible. How do we get further understanding of his words, and the Bible’s teachings in general, like the disciples did?” In John 14:16-17, Christ said this to the disciples, after telling them that he would be leaving them: “Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate [or Counselor] to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” Christ used an interesting word to refer to the Holy Spirit. Two Greek words are typically used for “another.” One means “another of a different kind,” and the other is “another of the same kind.” Christ used the latter. Essentially, Christ said to his disciples, “I will send you someone just like me. I will not leave you as orphans. I will send the Holy Spirit to you. He will teach you the truth and explain things to you. He will be your counselor. In the same way, you asked me questions, ask him questions.” Christ has given us this Counselor as well—the Spirit of truth. He will lead us into all truth, as we depend on him.
Therefore, it must be understood that those who don’t prayerfully ask questions of the Bible—trying to understand its meaning and applications—will not grow in understanding it. Like the multitudes who listened to Christ while never understanding his words, so is the person who reads Scripture and listens to sermons, yet never asks questions or pursues answers. Again, Christ said, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” The person who has ears is the one with an inquisitive nature—who genuinely wants to understand and obey God’s Word.
What should we do if we don’t desire to read and understand God’s Word?
As we become spiritually inquisitive, we must ask questions of Scripture as we study it, such as:
These questions are fundamental to reading in general; however, it is helpful to write the questions down and routinely ask them while reading the Bible, until this becomes a natural habit. For example:
Who: Who is the author of the text? Who was this text originally written to?
What: What exactly is being said? What does the writing mean? What is the theme or purpose of the writing? What is the historical background? What type of writing is this—narrative, prophecy, letter, sermon, song, prayer, quotation, etc.? What is the immediate context of the passage?
Why: Why was this written? Are there any purpose clauses (these typically begin with so, because, to, for, so that, etc., which help discern the author’s purpose in writing a specific text)?
When: When was this written or when will this promise be fulfilled? Are there any time references in the text such as before, after, until, then, etc.?
Where: Where was this text written? Where is the narrative taking place?
How: How does this passage connect with other teachings in Scripture? How should this passage be applied? How should I pray from this passage?
While reading the text and asking questions, take note of details which may provide answers to the questions or prompt further questions. Specifically, focus on details such as:
As one practices searching passages for details, his or her eyes will begin to readily pick up noteworthy aspects that lead to interpretation and application. Secondary tools (like commentaries and systematic theologies) will help with training one’s eyes to do this, continually pointing the person back to specific aspects of the text and their meaning/application.
As these questions are asked and details are noticed, they will often inspire the Bible student to further research. This research might lead to reading the text over and over again, reading the surrounding text to establish context, consulting a study Bible or commentary, or directing questions to a more knowledgeable believer. Eventually, if not immediately, these practices will reveal the meaning of the text (interpretation) and how to apply it (life application).
What are some tips to help with observation?
1. Saturate the study of Scripture with prayer. In Psalm 119:18, David said, “Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law!” Like David, we should ask God to open our eyes before studying his Word and while studying it. We should also pray for grace to live out the truths learned from Scripture.
2. Read the text over and over again (including the surrounding context). Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV) describes how God blesses the person who delights in and meditates on God’s Word. The Hebrew word for “meditate” was used of a cow chewing her cud. A cow has a four-chambered stomach, and because of that, she chews, swallows, and regurgitates over and over again as the food works its way through each chamber. Cows do this in order to maximize extraction of nutrients. Similarly, we’ll find as we prayerfully re-read Scripture over and over again that God blesses such study. The Holy Spirit will extract maximum nutrients from the text to edify us. In referring back to the crime scene investigator illustration, often the investigator realizes that he’s missing something and, therefore, revisits the crime scene to look for further clues. We must also do that as we study God’s Word. And since Scripture is living and active (Heb 4:12), we will find that God continually meets us in the text, no matter how many times we’ve read it before.
3. Allow secondary materials to be secondary. The Bible is the primary source and the Holy Spirit is the guide. Consider commentaries, systematic theologies, Bible dictionaries, and any other secondary material, only after prayerfully meditating on the text. Allow the Bible tools to refocus one’s eyes on the text in a fresh way, in order to aid in finding meaning and application.
Are you prayerfully observing God’s Word—meditating on it to extract all the nutrients for your spiritual health? Or, are you simply reading Scripture, quickly skimming it, or neglecting it all together? If we are going to understand God’s Word, we must believe that all Scripture matters, develop a spiritually inquisitive nature, prayerfully ask questions of the text, begin to notice details, and research for answers. These are critical steps in discerning meaning and then applying it.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
After observing Scripture—considering what it says—one must interpret what it means. The science of Bible interpretation is called biblical hermeneutics. People may think that understanding the Bible is something mystical, but it is not. Hermeneutics is something we do every time we read a newspaper, article, or letter. We are simply using interpretation principles to discern what the author meant when writing to a specific audience. A text generally has one meaning (interpretation), though it may have many applications. The primary difference when interpreting Scripture as compared to secular writings, is the fact that the Bible is God’s Word and therefore is without error. Consequently, when confronting seemingly conflicting texts or ideas in the Bible, the interpreter must find out how the texts or truths work together or harmonize without contradicting one another.
Below are hermeneutical principles which will help us understand the meanings of biblical texts:
Possibly, the most important hermeneutic principle is to read Scripture “literally”—according to the plain or normal sense. It’s been said that “if the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense, lest one make nonsense.” Or, a humorous way to memorize this principle is with the acronym KISS—Keep It Simple Stupid! When the text is symbolic or meant to be a figure of speech, it is clear by the context. For example, poetry (like the Psalms) commonly employs symbols and figures of speech. Apocalyptic literature (prophetic literature about the end of the world) like Revelation, Ezekiel, or Daniel also uses symbols. However, historical literature and epistles do not. In general, stick to the plain sense unless the context demands otherwise.
Here are a few ways to identify symbols. (1) Often the writers of Scripture will introduce a symbol and then provide the literal meaning of it. For example, Revelation 1:16 says, “He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth…” Revelation 1:20 tells us that the stars refer to churches. (2) Sometimes, the context necessitates a symbolic or metaphoric interpretation by contradicting other Scriptural truths. For example, Psalm 91:4 says this about God, “He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.” God having wings is clearly a metaphor because Scripture tells us that God is spirit and, therefore, has no physical body (John 4:24, cf. Lk 24:39). (3) Other times the symbolism is clear because of the impossibility of a literal reading. For example, Psalm 98:8 says, “Let the rivers clap their hands! Let the mountains sing in unison.” The author is obviously using symbols of fantastic joy over God and his works (cf. Ps 98:1)!
At times throughout history, interpreters carefully sought hidden, spiritual meanings behind every text—rendering the Bible almost impossible to understand. For example, a tree represented obedience, a river represented the Holy Spirit, and fruit represented evil. Be wary of these types of interpretations, which are not clearly supported in the immediate context. Hermeneutics protects against these types of readings, just as it does with all literature. Again, when interpreting Scripture, keep it simple by using the literal principle, unless the context necessitates otherwise.
Each portion of Scripture must be understood in its original historical setting, including the author, audience, cultural background, place, and the situation that prompted the writing of the text. Many errors in interpretation occur simply because the reader interpreted according to his or her own experiences and cultural understanding. However, proper Bible interpretation seeks to understand Scripture in the way the original audience would have understood it. Consequently, interpretations that the original audience would not have concluded are likely incorrect. At times, the Holy Spirit, through a different author, reveals to us that a historical person, event, or object was a type of Christ or had some deeper meaning which the original audience wouldn’t have discerned. Generally speaking, the historical and cultural setting is key to proper interpretation.
For example, in Matthew 5:29-30, Christ said this about defeating lust:
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.
How would the disciples have understood Christ’s words about tearing out one’s eye and cutting off one’s hand? Are there historical equivalents that might help with interpretation? In that historical setting, Christ’s words were war terminology. For victors, it was common practice to take prisoners of war. Typically, the prisoners would be maimed or blinded so they could never attack the victors again. That is why the Philistines blinded Samson after defeating him. By blinding him, they aimed to guarantee that Samson would never be able to attack them again. The Babylonians also did this with the Jewish king, Zedekiah; they blinded him and kept him imprisoned until his death (Jer 52:11). However, since tearing out one’s eye and cutting off one’s hand would not keep a person from lusting (what about the other eye and hand?), it is clear that Christ’s words were metaphoric. Christ taught that believers should get rid of anything they were looking at (symbolized by eyes) and anything they were doing (symbolized by hands) which provoked them to lust. Understanding the historical/cultural context helps with interpreting Christ’s words.
Another example of the importance of the historical principle is seen in the story of Jonah. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and call the Assyrians to repent. However, Jonah rebelled against God’s Word and fled in the opposite direction. To better understand the narrative, knowing the history between Israel and Assyria is crucial. These nations were bitter enemies. In fact, Assyria would some decades later conquer the Israelites and force them into exile. The nations’ histories show us why Jonah despised the Assyrians so much and longed for their destruction. Additionally, understanding their histories also makes Assyria’s repentance at Jonah’s preaching even more miraculous.
A good Bible student by necessity must be a good historian. Commentaries and other tools will help with this, but the more one is familiar with the whole counsel of Scripture (from Genesis to Revelation), the more the ancient culture becomes familiar, leading to more accurate interpretations.
The contextual principle means we must interpret Scripture in its literary context. This is extremely important because without considering the literary context of a verse, one could interpret it to mean essentially anything. For example, Philippians 4:13 says, “I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.” If taken without considering the context, this verse could be misinterpreted as being able to do whatever we desire, including hitting a home run, dunking a basketball, or winning the lottery. This particular verse is often misconstrued as a promise for such things. To properly understand what Paul said, we must consider the context in which Paul said it. Philippians 4:11-12 says:
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.
It is incorrect to interpret this passage as a blank check, as if we can do anything we want through Christ. Paul was not saying he could break out of prison, conquer the Roman army, or anything like that. He was emphasizing that, through Christ, he could be content in every situation—specifically, any economic situation, whether “well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Certainly, this is true for us as well. We can experience the joy of the Lord in any situation. In fact, we are commanded to “Rejoice in the Lord” (Phil 4:4) and “in everything give thanks” (1 Thess 5:18). These are disciplines we must practice, which are only possible because of Christ.
Here are some tips to help with applying the contextual principle:
As the context of the surrounding verses, chapter, and book are identified, it will help guide and protect one’s interpretation.
The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. We must always interpret Scripture by comparing it to Scripture itself. If we come to an interpretation of a certain text that contradicts what the Bible says as a whole, then that interpretation must be wrong.
A great example of using the compatibility principle is seen in how Christ corrects Satan’s abuse of Scripture when he tempted Christ in the wilderness. After Satan took Christ to the top of the temple, he said:
… “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’
Matthew 4:6
Satan interpreted Psalm 91:11-12 as a promise of God’s protection in every situation, including a person intentionally trying to hurt himself. Essentially, Satan said to Christ, “Jump off this building because God has promised to protect you!” Psalm 91 certainly describes the blessings on the person who “lives in the shelter of the sovereign one” (v. 1) and makes his “refuge in the Lord” (v. 9); God often protects them in special ways. However, the Psalm does not tell the follower of the Lord to intentionally try to hurt himself. Christ corrects this misinterpretation, not by appealing to the immediate context of the Psalm, but by comparing Satan’s interpretation to what Moses taught in Deuteronomy 6:16. In Matthew 4:7, Christ said, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” Christ used the compatibility principle to prove Satan was twisting Psalm 91. We must do the same, both to find out what a verse means and what it does not mean.
The compatibility principle is especially important when considering what appears to be contradictory texts or doctrines. Here are a few rules to help with using the compatibility principle:
To successfully compare Scripture with Scripture, analyzing the cross-referenced verses in a study Bible, looking up key words in a Bible concordance to find similar verses, or studying a corresponding doctrine in a systematic theology or Bible encyclopedia are helpful.
The grammatical principle is simply recognizing rules of language, which include grammar and sentence structure. One must be able to recognize the subject and verb of a sentence—whether the verbs are past, present, or future tense. One should recognize when nouns or pronouns are singular, plural, possessive, or non-possessive. One should recognize adjectives, adverbs, dependent and independent clauses. It is particularly important to recognize conjunctions, as they connect words, sentences, phrases, and clauses. We will consider a few of them:
Without recognizing the grammar in a sentence, paragraph, or chapter, it is impossible to truly understand the meaning.
Since the Bible is a work of literature, it includes different literary styles called genres. To interpret verses in various genres, we must understand each genre’s unique rules of interpretation. Thinking of the various genres as sports with different rules is helpful. For instance, in basketball, a person can’t kick the ball like in soccer. And in soccer, one can’t tackle like in football. Each game has its own rules; if those rules are broken, one will get a foul and possibly be removed from the game. Likewise, each genre has rules we must abide by to properly interpret a text. The primary genres are as follows:
It is important to identify the genre of specific writings so we can properly interpret them. Again, history is primarily meant to show us what happened, not to develop doctrines from. Throughout history, cults have taken the stories of polygamy (having multiple wives) in the Old Testament and made doctrines out of them—meaning they start to believe it is acceptable for men to have multiples wives. The narratives weren’t meant for developing doctrines—that’s what the epistles are for and the doctrinal aspects of the narratives, such as Christ’s teachings in the Gospels. Similarly, with wisdom literature such as the Proverbs, if we make them promises, we will misinterpret and misapply them. They are simply general principles for wise living.
God did not reveal all his truths at once. There is a continual progression of revelation throughout Scripture. To properly interpret, we must take into account the then-current state of revelation. We must ask, “What had God revealed to those people during that historical period?” When considering God’s rejection of Cain’s offering, it would be wrong to read into the narrative a full-blown understanding of the Mosaic law and its stipulations for offerings. At the time it happened, God hadn’t made those known yet. Similarly, when reading the stories of Job and the Patriarchs, we must remember that no Scripture had yet been written, though God had certainly been speaking to them. Understanding how the original readers would perceive something is foundational for proper interpretation. Again, it is wrong to accept an interpretation of Scripture that the original audience would not have understood. This is only acceptable when later biblical authors reveal a deeper biblical meaning of a certain OT passage. For example, in John 3:14, Christ taught that when Moses instructed the dying Israelites to look at the bronze serpent to be healed, the bronze serpent was an Old Testament typology representing Christ. Christ would one day be put on a cross and those who looked to and believed in him would be saved. Though the original audience of Israelites wouldn’t have understood that the bronze serpent had a deeper meaning, the Gospel of John tells us it does. As a general principle, we should not accept an interpretation that the original audience would not have naturally come to.
Christ is the major theme of Scripture, and therefore we should look for references to him throughout it and come to know him in a deeper way through our study. In John 5:39-40 and 46, Christ said this to unbelieving Jews:
You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me, but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life. … If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
Similarly, Jesus said this to his disciples after his resurrection, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled” (Lk 24:44). The law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms were one of the ways the ancient Jews referred to the whole Old Testament. All the Old Testament pointed to and was fulfilled in Christ.
In what ways is Christ seen throughout the whole Old Testament? (1) Christ is seen in prophetic references—prophecies about his birth, life, death, resurrection, and future reign. (2) He is seen in typologies—images of Christ throughout the Old Testament. Colossians 2:16-17 says, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days—these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!” New Testament authors often alert us to OT pictures of Christ. Adam was a type of Christ (cf. Rom 5:14-15, 1 Cor 15:45). As Adam led the world into sin, Christ leads the world into righteousness. Moses was a type of Christ (cf. Dt 18:18, Acts 3:22). As Moses instituted the Old Covenant, Christ instituted the New Covenant. As mentioned, the bronze snake in the wilderness was a type of Christ (John 3:14). When the dying Israelites looked to the bronze snake on a pole for healing, it was a foreshadowing of how the world would look to Christ, who died on the cross, for salvation. (3) We also see Christ in the Old Testament law, not just in types, but also in the fact that the law ultimately demonstrated people’s need for a savior. Galatians 3:24 says, “Thus the law had become our guardian [or tutor] until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith.” By giving the law to Israel, God taught them their inability to keep God’s law and that ultimate salvation could only come through the prophesied messiah. (4) In addition, genealogies often point to Christ. Many of them include members of Christ’s lineage, as demonstrated in his genealogical records in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.
However, not only is Christ promised in the Old Testament, he is revealed throughout the New Testament. The four Gospels tell his story. Acts details the building of his church through his disciples. The Epistles share his teaching through the apostles. Revelation teaches about his return, including his wrath, victory, and kingdom.
The Christological principle does not mean we should allegorize Scripture (making every detail a symbol of him) or think that every verse directly points to Christ in some way. What it does mean is that while studying Scripture, we should be aware that there are often references to Christ throughout and take note of them. Studying Scripture should make us know and love Christ more.
Jesus taught that his sheep hear his voice and that they would not follow the voice of another (John 10:4-8, cf. 1 John 2:20). God has uniquely gifted his followers with the ability to understand his Word. Second Corinthians 2:12 says we have received God’s Spirit “so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God.” In addition, God has given gifted teachers to the church to help believers come to a unity of the faith (Eph 4:14). Therefore, in interpreting Scripture, there is great wisdom in finding out how believers (present and past) have interpreted certain passages or looked at certain doctrines. Proverbs 24:6 says, “for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory.” “Victory” can also be translated as “safety” (KJV).
We get a picture of this in Acts 15. There were false teachers in the early church, insisting that Gentiles needed to be circumcised and practice the Mosaic law (v. 1, 5). In response to this, Paul and Barnabas traveled from Antioch to Jerusalem to meet with the leaders of the church. After discussion, James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, definitively declared that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised, nor practice the Mosaic law (v. 19-20).
Similarly, there has been significant attacks on specific doctrines throughout history, causing the church to bond together and wrestle with Scripture to discern what it truly says—often leading to a general consensus. For instance, the doctrine of the Trinity, the full deity and humanity of Christ, and the inerrancy of Scripture, have all been grappled with and agreed upon by the majority of the church throughout history. There is great wisdom and protection in studying the conclusions of the ancient and contemporary church.
With that said, simply because the majority of the church believes something (or has believed something), doesn’t necessarily mean it’s correct. It does mean that we should give great consideration to their conclusion. This is where cults have often failed. Though the church has largely accepted the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity/humanity of Christ, or salvation by faith alone, cults choose to ignore those conclusions—believing that God has given them special revelation that the majority of the church has missed. As Scripture tells us, there is safety and victory in the multitude of counselors. Christ has uniquely given his church the ability to understand his Word; therefore, we must consider the historical conclusions of other saints. This can be done by studying commentaries and systematic theologies, both contemporary and ancient ones.
What are some tips for applying the church witness principle?
What are some hermeneutical principles to help us properly interpret Scripture?
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Accessed 9/3/2019 from https://carm.org/mormonism/baptism-for-the-dead-in-1-corinthians-15-29
There is a story of a young man who was looking for direction in life. “What should I do with my life?” he prayed. He opened his Bible and put his finger in it—hoping that God would give him direction. It landed on Matthew 27:5, which read, “Then he went out and hanged himself.” Perplexed, not understanding what the text meant for his life, he tried again. This time his finger landed in Luke 10:37, which read, “So Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’” Becoming nervous, he tried one more time, with his finger landing in John 13:27. It read, “Jesus said to him, ‘What you are about to do, do quickly.’” Though humorous, this story illustrates the dangerous ways in which some people are tempted to apply Scripture.
What are some principles that will help with applying Scripture? For both laymen and serious Bible students, application is often the hardest part of Bible study. Many people have left their devotions or a sermon struggling with the question, “What do I do with what I’ve learned?” Application is the “so what” after understanding what a passage means. It is taking a passage originally written to an ancient world and applying it in the contemporary world. In this lesson, we will consider principles that help with proper application.
Throughout history, there have been appalling misapplications of Scripture, such as with early Americans burning witches during the Salem Witch Trials, or the enslavement of Africans. These tragic errors often happen, in part because when studying the Bible, people don’t recognize the different dispensations in Scripture and therefore misapply the texts. It has often been said, “Everything written in the Bible is written for us, but everything written is not necessarily written to us.” This is why recognizing dispensations, or epochs of biblical history, is so important.
Recognizing dispensations essentially means asking the question, “Am I part of the people to whom this portion of Scripture was originally written?” For example, Israel was originally called to practice the Sabbath by not working from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown. Those who broke this law were to be stoned (Num 15:32-36). Since Paul taught that we are not under the Old Covenant but under the New Covenant (cf. Rom 6:14), we as Christians don’t practice this regulation, and we certainly don’t stone anybody. In addition, the necessity of practicing certain dietary restrictions and festivals given to Israel were removed in the New Covenant (Col 2:16-17).
Recognizing dispensations is also important when considering prophetic literature. For instance, in Revelation 13, the Antichrist and his prophet command people to accept the mark of the beast, and those who won’t, cannot buy or sell. One must ask, “Has this prophecy been fulfilled or is it still anticipating future fulfillment?” If this passage awaits a later fulfillment, it would be wrong to directly apply this to people in the current dispensation by saying something like: “Do not accept ______ or you will have accepted the mark of the beast and therefore are under God’s judgment!” In addition, there are prophecies that only fit in the millennial kingdom—such as people living extraordinarily long lives during that period, and those who die before 100 years of age being considered accursed (Is 65:20). Again, since this passage awaits a later fulfillment, it would be wrong to declare that somebody who currently doesn’t live to 100 is cursed by God. To apply those promises to this age would be to misapply them. Recognizing dispensations is important for proper application.
If we are going to recognize dispensations, we must first ask, “What is a dispensation?” Dispensations are periods of time or stages in biblical history where God has given particular moral responsibilities to his people. A dispensation is often marked by:
What are some questions for us to ask in order to discern the dispensation of a passage?
What are the dispensation periods in the Bible and the regulations given in them? Below is a brief summary of commonly recognized periods:
1. Innocence (from the creation of man to the fall of man). Adam and Eve were called to tend the garden and to be fruitful and multiply. They were called to eat only plant life. The only clear prohibition given was to not eat of the tree of good and evil. This dispensation ended in Genesis 3, when man ate of the forbidden tree and sin entered the world.
2. Conscience (from the fall to the flood). God did not give rules to humanity during this time. Scripture records no “thou shalts!” or “thou shalt nots!” Humanity was ruled by their God-given moral conscience, which they clearly rejected (cf. Rom 2:14-15). Genesis 6:5 says, “But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.”
3. Human Government (from after the flood). After the flood, God established capital punishment for the death of a human, whether the murder was committed by another person or an animal (Gen 9:2-6). This represented the establishment of civil government. God told Noah that whoever shed the blood of man by man, his blood would be shed. In addition, God said that both plants and animals would be food for humans.
4. Promise (from the patriarchs). God chose to make a covenant with Abraham and his seed to bless the world (cf. Gen 12:1-3, 22:15-18, Gal 3:7). This was fulfilled in Israel, who became the stewards of God’s law and the temple. It was ultimately fulfilled through the promised Jewish messiah—Jesus Christ—who has truly blessed the world by providing a means of reconciliation with God through his death for sin and resurrection. This promise will be fulfilled completely when Christ returns and rules on the earth.
5. The Mosaic Law (from Mount Sinai to the cross). This covenant was established with Israel on Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments and the law. God called Israel to be a priestly nation that would bless the world. Israel was required to obey the Mosaic law. If they did, God would bless them, and if they did not, God would curse them (Dt 28). The Mosaic law was perfectly fulfilled through Christ’s righteous life and death for sin, which paid the penalty for everyone’s sins (cf. Matt 5:17, Rom 10:4). The Mosaic law was temporary and ended upon Christ’s death (cf. 2 Cor 3:7-11).
6. Church (from Pentecost to the Rapture/Second Coming). In Acts 2, at Pentecost, the promised Holy Spirit came upon the church—baptizing her, making her the body of Christ, and empowering her to serve the Lord (1 Cor 12:13). The church is a gathering of believers, Jewish and Gentile, together in one body. In Ephesians 3:4-6, Paul called this a mystery which was not fully revealed to past generations. This age will be marked by the gospel going out to the nations. It will continue until Christ raptures his church, giving each member a resurrected body.
(6b.) Tribulation (from the final years of the Church Age to the Second Coming or from Rapture to Second Coming). Historically, most believe that the church age will last until Christ comes, which would include the church going through the tribulation period. In the tribulation, Satan will deceive the nations through the Antichrist, and God will pour out his judgment on the nations (Rev 5-19). Then Christ will come, rapture his church, and judge the nations. This is called the historical premillennial view. However, one of the most popular views today is the premillennial dispensational view. They believe that the church age will end at the rapture, when Christ secretly comes to take his church to heaven before (or during) the seven-year tribulation. The tribulation will end when Christ visibly and triumphantly returns with his saints to rule and judge the earth.
7. The Messianic Kingdom (from the Second Coming to the Great White Throne of Judgment). According to Revelation 20, when Christ returns, he will judge the world and Satan, and then establish a 1000-year rule of peace. After this time, Satan will be let loose to deceive the nations into rebelling against Christ. Christ will destroy the rebels, and then unbelievers will be resurrected for their final judgment at the Great White Throne of Judgment, after which they will be cast into the lake of fire. Some interpret Revelation 20 as symbolically representing the church age, with Christ eventually coming to judge the world and Satan, and then ushering in the eternal stage. This is called the amillennial view.
8. The Eternal Stage (from the Renewal of the Heaven and Earth to Eternity). God will renew the heaven and earth through fire (2 Pt 3:10-13)—creating a new heaven and earth. The capital city of heaven, Jerusalem, will come to earth thereby making it heaven on earth. The nations of the earth will flock to Jerusalem, as God’s presence will abide there. There will be no evil, mourning, or death in the new heaven and earth (Rev 21-22).
Again, recognizing the dispensation is important to properly apply Scripture. Everything is written for us but not everything was written to us. With that said, all Scripture has applications, but they are not always direct applications, such as Israel stoning those who didn’t practice the Sabbath, or those living during the tribulation being warned about not accepting the mark of the beast, or, during the millennium age, those people who die before reaching 100 years of age being considered accursed. In those cases, we look for contemporary equivalents which correlate with the time frame we live in.
The next thing we must do to apply a text is to find the contemporary equivalent. Keep in mind, there are varying degrees of contemporary equivalency, depending on the historical context. Sometimes the equivalency remains the same, as with truths like “do not lie, steal, or murder.” However, with commands or maxims such as not eating food offered to idols or not muzzling an ox while it treads grain, it becomes more difficult to discern. When considering contemporary equivalency, the closer we are to the same historical situation in the Scripture, the greater authority the application has. The further away, the less authority the application might have.
How can we find contemporary equivalents, especially when the ancient situations are so different? To help, here are some situations to identify and questions to ask:
Begin by identifying the people in the passage, the characters who are actively involved. Sometimes no specific individuals or groups will be named (such as when reading specific passages in Proverbs or Romans). Instead, focus on the author, the original audience, and God. Ask questions like:
Let’s consider the story of David and Goliath. Who are the people in that story? They are David, Goliath, Saul, Israel, and the Philistines. Considering each character’s role in the story will help with finding applications. For example, Israel (the people of God) might have applications for the church. Saul might have special applications for a spiritual or secular leader. The Philistines might have applications for the world and its ungodly influence. Goliath might have applications for a prideful person (or a difficult trial we encounter). David might have applications for any child of God. To whom do we relate most: the faithless Israelites, faithful David, the unbelieving and antagonistic Philistines, the scared leader, Saul, the proud giant, Goliath? How are the people in the story most similar to those around us? Identifying and considering the people is an important step towards application, especially when reading narratives.
This step places the passage in its original setting—the historical and cultural context. The more one knows about the culture, history, and problems of the people in the passage, the more one will be able to find parallels to life today. Ask questions like:
Is the context the Jews in the wilderness, as in parts of Exodus and the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy? Is the context the exiled Israelites serving in Babylon, as in Ezekiel or the book of Daniel? Understanding the context helps identify applications. For example, Israel’s years of wandering in the wilderness might have general applications to going through trials and waiting seasons. The Israelites’ being exiled in Babylon might have applications for working or going to school in a secular environment.
This step answers, “What’s happening in the storyline?” Usually, this can be discovered by knowing the context of the passage or the book. Ask questions like:
For example, in the book of Judges, the storyline is the recurring unfaithfulness of the Israelites, God’s discipline through hostile nations, Israel’s repentance, God’s deliverance through a judge, and the story repeating itself. As we consider the storyline in the book of Judges, we can apply this to ourselves personally, to our churches, and to our nations. We routinely repeat patterns of sin, discipline, repentance, and restoration. Israel’s example should remind us to turn away from sin and remain faithful to God. It should also help us be prophets to others who persist in those patterns.
To do this, we should ask questions like:
Often, the theme of a book is clearly stated. For example, in 1 John 5:13, John says, “I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” The major theme of the book is assurance of salvation—knowing that one has eternal life. Throughout the book, John provides tests of true salvation, which have very direct applications to Christians today. In other books, the theme is discerned by its repetition throughout the book. For example, in Philippians, the words “joy” and “rejoice” are used more than twelve times.1 Therefore, having joy in the Lord is one of the main themes of the book. This theme stands out even more when considering the historical context: Paul wrote the book, while he was in prison, to Christians who were suffering persecution. Certainly, this theme should challenge readers to pursue joy in the Lord regardless of their situation, even as Paul encouraged the Philippians to do so. Understanding the theme of a book is important for discerning applications.
When studying a text, we should always look for universal principles. For example, when Christ was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, he always countered with Scripture. Consider Matthew 4:3-4:
The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
We must ask ourselves, “What are the universal truths in this passage?” In order to defeat temptation in our lives, we must know God’s Word and directly apply it to specific temptations. If this is a timeless principle, we should be able to see it taught throughout Scripture, which we do. In Psalms 119:11, David said, “In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.” By memorizing Scripture, David was able to defeat specific temptations. We also see support for this universal principle in Paul’s call to take up the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to stand against Satan and demons (Eph 6:17). Each specific Scripture is meant to help us defeat the devil in the specific way he attacks.
How do we find universal principles? We should ask questions like:
To apply Scripture, we must identify the people, the place, the plot, the major themes of the ancient text, and find universal principles for our contemporary world.
For example, in 1 Corinthians 9:9 and 14, Paul said this:
For it is written in the law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”
God is not concerned here about oxen, is he? … In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.
“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” was originally written to Israel in the book of Deuteronomy. Israel was a farming society, to which that passage directly applied. How might we apply the truth in that passage to contemporary society? Consider how Paul applied it: in the same way that an ox should be able to eat from the grain that he is laboring over, pastors should be able to make their living from preaching the gospel. Although we are New Testament believers, and not under the rule of Old Testament law specifically addressed to Israel, applications and abiding truths can still be applied. The specific contemporary application to not muzzle an ox would be for farmers to provide food for their laboring animals. But the general principle presented here is that a laborer is worthy of his wages, which applies to pastors or any other laborer.
Here is a contemporary illustration: if a wife asks her husband to pick up his shoes, the direct or specific application would be for him to pick up the shoes. But what is the general application which the wife really wants (one that a wise, discerning husband will understand)? The general application is that the husband not create more work for her by making a mess, which applies to more than just leaving his shoes lying around. Also, the wife is probably implying, “Help out around the house, please!” When deriving meaning from conversations, we go from specific to general all the time. We’re simply discerning the broader principle behind someone’s words.
Bryan Chapell, the former President of Covenant Seminary, calls this the “Fallen Condition Focus.” Since Scripture was written to sinners so they can become saved, and to believers so they can become holy (2 Tim 3:14-17), each text, whether explicitly or implicitly, exposes our spiritual brokenness. Consider the following texts:
Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
1 Corinthians 10:11
For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.
Romans 15:4
Through Scripture, God is pointing out people’s sin and calling them to salvation and righteousness. Therefore, to properly apply Scripture, we must identify the sin principle behind the text. We should ask, “In what way is God exposing the spiritual brokenness of the original audience?”
Even passages that deal specifically with encouragement or grace in a sense still reckon with sin. For example, Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” What is the sin that the Holy Spirit is identifying through this passage? The sin is their propensity to lack divine joy and to live in discouragement—as though God were not in control, working things for their good—and also how they probably sought joy in things other than God, which left them empty. Certainly, circumstances affected this: they were being persecuted (Phil 1:27), they had false teaching in the church (Phil 2:2), and they had discord (Phil 4:2); however, they could still have joy in Christ, regardless of their circumstances. Like the Philippians, we often lack joy in the Lord and often fail to seek it from him. We try to find our joy in other things, things that can never satisfy. This is what the Holy Spirit was seeking to expose and change in the original audience and in our lives.
Let’s consider another passage: What is the sin principle in Romans 12:2? It says, “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.”
The primary issue that the Holy Spirit seems to be addressing was the Roman Christians’ tendency to model the world and think like them. This is true of believers throughout history. Israel wanted to be like the ungodly nations: to be ruled by a king, worship idols, and practice their sexual ethics (or lack of). Similarly, contemporary Christians often look just like the world in their entertainment, language, dress, and ethics.
As we have seen, the sin principle is often clear in warning passages (like “do not conform to the world”) but it is also implicit within grace-filled passages. Philippians 4:13 says, “I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.” Implied in this verse is the fact that we often lack the ability to do what God has called us to do because we rely on our own strength instead of God’s. Paul was able to be faithful in prosperity or poverty because of Christ (cf. Phil 4:10-11), and the Philippians could find grace in their own circumstances through Christ as well. The sin principle is the believers’ tendency to not rely on Christ, but instead strive to do things through their own power.
How can we find the sin principle in any given Bible passage?
In Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,” the key word is “conform.” The believers were conforming to the world. In Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord! Again, I say rejoice!” The key word is “rejoice.” It implies a sin problem: a lack of joy in the Lord, or a lack of seeking joy in the Lord. In Philippians 4:13, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength,” the key word is “strength.” Because we don’t rely on God but instead seek to do things in our own power, we are often weak and discouraged. In the last two examples (Phil 4:4 and 4:13), the sin was implicit, not explicit; therefore, we simply considered the opposite of the key words. The opposite of “rejoicing” in the Lord is having a lack of joy from not abiding in Christ. The opposite of “strength” which comes from the Lord is weakness which comes from a lack of abiding in him. An implied sin can often be identified by considering the opposite of the key word.
Another example of this is Colossians 3:16, which says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.” The key word is “dwell.” In Greek, it means to “dwell as a resident.” Though this is not a warning passage, it implies that God’s Word is often more like a visitor in many believers’ lives rather than a resident. Because of this, they don’t experience the blessings of God’s Word indwelling them, such as teaching others with wisdom, singing to the Lord, and being thankful. The sin principle in Colossians 3:16 is the believers’ tendency to not dwell in God’s Word and how they, therefore, lack the corresponding fruits.
Some people only see the sin of others in Scripture and not the sin in their own lives. It’s like those who listen to sermons and think about how it applies to somebody else, without recognizing their own need for the message. Israel worshiped idols, but we have our own idols, even if they are our job, spouse, digital toys, clothes, or future plans, etc. To find the sin principle, we must remember that the Holy Spirit was trying to make the original audience holy in some specific way, as he is also doing in us. We must find that ‘holy burden’ in the text and apply it to our lives.
Just as there are underlying sin principles in every passage, often grace principles are present as well. Throughout all of Scripture, we encounter grace: evidences of God’s care and unmerited favor toward humanity. After Adam and Eve sinned by not trusting God, God gave the promise of the messiah. After the flood, God gave the rainbow. When Israel was in sin, he sent prophets. After the crucifixion, there was the resurrection. There is often grace to be found within a text.
To accurately discern the grace principle, we need to consider the context of the whole story. For example, while God is not explicitly named in the book of Esther, his fingerprints are clearly identifiable. We can recognize God’s sovereign hand in the unfolding events of the story. Was it mere coincidence, when the enemies of Israel had received permission to destroy the Jews, that the king was married to a Jewish woman and that her Jewish uncle had recently foiled a plot to kill the king? Certainly not. God providentially intervened to bring redemption for the Jews, as they were given permission by the king to destroy their enemies. Esther’s story demonstrates how God defends his people and uses all things (including evil) for their good (cf. 2 Thess 3:3, Rom 8:28, Eph 1:11).
Let’s consider Matthew 11:28-30 as another example:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.
In this text, the grace principle is Christ’s promise to give rest. However, we must notice that this promise is conditional. Christ only bestows this grace upon those who come to him in salvation and serve with him (“take my yoke upon you”). Not everybody experiences Christ’s rest and, of those who do, some experience it to greater degrees, as they faithfully serve with Christ in reaching the world.
What are some questions that will help us identify the grace principle?
To apply, we should consider what God is doing in the text and if there are any promises that we should receive or pursue.
Cultural exegesis is essentially being able to critically evaluate culture—understanding its norms, strengths, weaknesses, etc.—and apply Scripture to it. This is important so we can apply Scripture both to ourselves (as participants in a culture) and to the world around us.
Let’s consider an example: James 5:16 says, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” If confessing our sins and praying for one another leads to healing, how does a people (and the culture they represent) fail to do this and miss God’s promises? Since the fall, people have lived with shame, leading them to spiritually, emotionally, and physically try to hide from God and from others. Unfortunately, this is true in our churches, as well. Many Christians lack open relationships with others, where they are confessing sin, praying for one another, and receiving God’s healing. In some ethnic cultures, like Asian ones, the concept of “saving face” is exceedingly powerful; the cultural requirement to “save face” can hinder transparent sharing and the healing God promises. Recognizing tendencies of a particular culture are critical for discerning applications.
To practice cultural exegesis, we must ask questions like:
These questions should be applied to a nation, a city, an ethnic group, an age group, a gender, a family, and even ourselves.
One obstacle to doing cultural exegesis, and therefore applying the Bible to our lives and others, is that sometimes it’s hard to identify strengths and weaknesses within our own culture. Often, we just accept norms of our cultural environment without questioning or weighing them against Scripture. However, to properly apply Scripture to ourselves and others, we must understand our own culture and the cultures of those God has called us to minister.
In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, Paul said this:
For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law. To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law. To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.
Essentially, Paul did cultural exegesis—learning a culture and adopting non-sinful aspects of it in order to win the people of that culture to Christ. We must learn to do the same in order to effectively apply God’s Word to ourselves and those around us.
James 1:22 says, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” If we are going to do what Scripture says, we must not only discern the application of Scripture, but also plan how to apply it. Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead only to plenty.” It has also often been said, “To fail to plan is to plan to fail.” Therefore, if we are going to apply Scripture, we must make an action plan.
What are some questions and steps to help develop an effective action plan? We should ask ourselves:
These plans will be conditional or unconditional, depending on the passage and our status. For example, Ephesians 5:25-27 says:
Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious—not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
For the husband who wants to love his wife by washing her with the Word, an unconditional action plan might be:
For a single woman hoping to eventually be married, she might have a conditional plan that starts with, “When considering a potential husband, I will look for a spiritual leader.” For a single man, his conditional plan might start with, “I will focus on growing spiritually first before pursuing a potential wife.”
The plans of the diligent lead to profit. If we’re going to apply God’s Word, we must make action plans—both conditional and unconditional ones.
What principles should one employ to find biblical applications?
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1957). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
When people go to the gym and work out, they often don’t see results for at least two reasons: For some, they do the same exercises over and over again. Our bodies adapt really well to repeated actions, and therefore, our muscles stop growing in endurance, strength, and size. For others, they simply have no plan at all. They aimlessly pick up this weight or work out on that equipment. Without any real plan, they don’t see much positive change. Both groups often become bored and discouraged with their workouts, in part for lack of results.
People often experience this in their Bible study times as well—going through seasons of dryness—not as interested, motivated, or fruitful. Sometimes this happens because of unrepentant sin in their lives, but often it is like people in the gym—they have no Bible study method at all (just picking random chapters and verses), or they do the same thing over and over again and have never changed. Often using a different Bible study method brings freshness to our study of Scripture—inspiring us and making our time more fruitful.
There are many Bible study methods, each with different aims and benefits. To have a balanced method of study, we need to both study the breadth of Scripture—seeing the big picture—and the depth of Scripture—seeing the details in every book, chapter, and verse. All methods have their benefits, and so it is wise to at times employ various ones. We’ll consider several different methods that can enhance our understanding and enjoyment of studying the Bible.
The “read the entire Bible method” is just that: one reads the Bible completely every couple of months, once a year, or once every couple of years. It is important to read the entire Bible multiple times so one can understand the whole and how it relates to the parts. Without routinely doing this, one will be more prone to misinterpret and misapply Scripture. The Bible, though comprised of individual books, is a whole and must be understood as a whole.
How much time should it take one to read the entire Bible? Various Bible reading plans can be found, many of them on the Internet. In general, a person can read the Bible completely in a year if he or she reads 3.25 chapters per day (or, around twelve to fifteen minutes a day). Also, a person can read the Bible every three months by reading thirteen chapters a day (around fifty to sixty minutes per day). This could be done by having two thirty-minute Bible reading sessions a day, perhaps in the morning and in the evening.
We’ve considered the amount of time required; now let’s consider how one should read strategically through the Bible books. Again, there are many plans. Most people initially try to read straight through from Genesis to Revelation. However, though zealous at the outset, they often get stuck in the wilderness of a few hard books (like Numbers and Leviticus) and don’t pick it up again. To offset that possibility, many have found it helpful to read the Old Testament and New Testament concurrently—possibly a few chapters of the NT in the morning and a few of the OT at night. With that method, a person will repeat the New Testament, which has only twenty-seven books, several times, while simultaneously completing the Old Testament once, which has thirty-nine books.
The expositional method requires that one study a single Bible book deeply, to understand both the big picture and the details of the book, including verse meanings and applications. The word “exposition” simply means to “expose.” A good example of this method is found in the book of Nehemiah, when the Levites read the Book of Law to the Israelites and then explained it to them. Nehemiah 8:7-8 says:
Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—all of whom were Levites—were teaching the people the law, as the people remained standing. They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it and imparting insight. Thus the people gained understanding from what was read.
Exposition is more than simply reading the words on a page. It is purposeful reading with the intent of finding the meaning and application of the whole book, including understanding verses in their context.
How should one study a book expositionally? (1) Choose a book of the Bible to study. (2) Before beginning to study it, read the introductory material about the book in a study Bible or commentary. This will help a person see the forest before the trees—the big picture before the details. (3) Read a portion of the book: a paragraph, half a chapter, or a whole chapter. Probably an entire chapter is ideal. (4) Apply the OIL skills (Observation, Interpretation, and Life Application) while reading—noting details, asking questions, performing research to answer the questions, and finding applications. (5) Read a commentary or expositional sermon series alongside one’s Bible reading to aid with understanding and application. A trustworthy free online resource is David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary. (6) Complete an entire book of the Bible this way—verse by verse, section by section, chapter by chapter. Then, tackle another Bible book.
A topical study is the study of a specific theme or subject in the Bible, such as the names of God, the characteristics of God, prayer, or spiritual disciplines. A great illustration of this method is when the resurrected Christ approached the disciples on their way to Emmaus. The disciples were discouraged because the messiah had died, and they were confused. Jesus encouraged them by guiding them through a topical study about the messiah through the Old Testament. In Luke 24:25-27, he said this:
So he said to them, “You foolish people—how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures.
Christ took the disciples through the Old Testament passages, including prophecies and typologies, which showed how the messiah would die and enter into glory. For example, Isaiah 53 talks about how the messiah would be crushed for our iniquities, die, be buried, and be raised again. Psalm 16:10 (NIV) also describes how Christ, God’s holy one, would not see decay. For the disciples to understand God’s purpose in Christ’s death and resurrection, they needed to know what Scripture specifically taught about those themes.
Similarly, we also gain great benefit from studying topics in Scripture. It starts with asking questions like, “What does the Bible teach about God’s providence, spiritual disciplines, the church, creation, or the resurrection?”
How should we implement the topical study method? (1) Select a topic. (2) Use a concordance to look up relevant verses on that topic. (3) Study those verses by applying the OIL skills and consulting pertinent commentaries. (4) Finally, study books that have already thoroughly gathered and systemized Biblical information on those topics. Systematic theologies, Biblical encyclopedias, popular Christian books, and even websites like Bible.org or gotquestions.org, are helpful resources. For most, working backwards will be the best method to study a Bible topic. Gather books and articles that have systemized the biblical information on the topic (systematic theologies, articles, etc.). Then, study in detail the verses they cite. Just as Christ encouraged the disciples through this type of study, we’ll often be greatly encouraged as well.
Another way that one can enrich his or her Bible study is by simply studying a Bible character. Researching that person’s strengths, weaknesses, victories, failures, and life-changing experiences can provide insight into one’s own life. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us.” The “therefore” in the verse points the readers back to Chapter 11, which focuses on Old Testament heroes of the faith.
These Old Testament saints lived as pilgrims on earth as they awaited God’s promises; they did mighty feats and suffered greatly, all while trusting in God. The author of Hebrews teaches us that contemplating the faith exhibited by these great saints helps us remove anything that hinders our spiritual journey, including sin, and inspires us to run our divinely given races with perseverance. God specifically chose the Old Testament characters—including their failures and successes—to help us faithfully live our lives. Often, OT character studies are reserved only for children, but adults need to study them as well. In addition, there are also many New Testament characters to consider studying, such as the apostles and their associates.
How should one do a biographical study? (1) Study all the major passages covering the character’s life. (2) Focus on the character’s strengths, weaknesses, failures, successes, and impactful events. (3) Discern life principles that can be applied from their journey. (4) Read books or expositions that focus on the character’s life.
Again, one can also work backwards by first studying the books that have systematized the biblical material, and using them to point to verses or experiences of the characters which can be studied in depth. Chuck Swindoll published a series called Great Lives from God’s Word. Gene Getz wrote the series, Men of Character. John MacArthur published a book on the 12 disciples called Twelve Ordinary Men. The Bible Teacher’s Guide has books on Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Nehemiah.
A commonly neglected method of studying the Bible is simply memorizing Scripture. In Psalm 119:11, David said, “In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.” By memorizing Scripture, David found strength to conquer temptation. Similarly, when Christ was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, he continually contested each temptation with corresponding Scripture. Since Scripture is so important for prevailing against sin and temptation in the Christian life, it is very clear why so many succumb to temptation—they simply don’t have God’s Word hidden in them. They can’t call upon it when encountering a lie of the enemy.
Bible memory is not easy. It takes dedication to memorize a verse and repetition to keep it memorized. However, the investment is worth it. It’s important for victory in our own spiritual life and in helping others have victory. If a person memorizes one verse a month, that equals twelve a year, one verse every two weeks equals twenty-six a year, and one verse a week equals fifty-two a year.
This method is based on Psalm 1:2, where David described how God blessed the person who meditated on God’s law, day and night. As mentioned, when considering how to develop Observation skills, the word “meditate” was used of a cow chewing its cud. Since the cow has a four-chambered stomach, it chews, digests to one chamber, regurgitates, chews again, digests to the second chamber, and so on. In this way, the cow extracts all the nutrients out of that one bite. Similarly, in the meditation method, a person reads one verse, or a couple of verses, over and over again, noting key words, repetitions, the context, the grammar, and other elements of the text, in order to understand, apply, and pray Scripture.
For example, one might read Psalm 23:1 (ESV) in the morning and meditate and pray on that for fifteen to thirty minutes. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” The person would consider what it means for God to be “The Lord,” what it means for God to be a “Shepherd,” what it means for God to be “my” personal Shepherd, what it means to “want,” what his or her “wants” are, and so on. Throughout the meditation, the person might write out questions, insights, applications, and prayer requests. The person may also read the verse in other Bible translations and read what commentaries say about it. They continually “chew” on the verse, talking to God about it and bringing requests before the Lord over it (for him or herself and also for others). Then, the next day, he or she would repeat the same process with Psalm 23:2.
This is the meditation method. One is trying to gain all the insight and nutrients possible from one verse or a few verses. When God’s people do this and delight in it, God blesses them (Ps 1:1-3).
In this method, a person will: (1) Choose a book of the Bible, for instance, Matthew. (2) Read Chapters 1-7 every day for seven days (or fewer chapters). (3) While reading each chapter, outline it, noting the major topic of the chapter, themes of paragraphs, flow, events, and significant verses. (4) Repeat this process with Chapters 8-14 for seven days, and so on. In four weeks, all twenty-eight chapters will be mapped out and the reader will have read Matthew seven times.
What’s the benefit of this method? Many Christians can be called “concordance handicapped.” They often say to themselves or others, “There is this verse… It says something like this… Where is it located?” By reading Matthew and outlining it seven times in a month, the map of each chapter will begin to stick in a person’s mind. For example: In Matthew Chapter 1, we have Joseph’s genealogy, Joseph being told about Mary’s birth, and his marriage to her. In Chapter 2, we have the travels of the Magi to see Christ, Herod’s anger and murder of innocent babies, and Joseph’s family fleeing to Egypt. In Chapter 3, we have John the Baptist’s ministry, which includes Jesus’ baptism. Because of the repetition, a person’s mind begins to store up and organize information and operate like a concordance.
There is great benefit in studying each book of the Bible this way. One’s mind will develop a map of each Bible book and cease to be as dependent upon secondary resources (or other people) to navigate through the Bible.
This Bible study method is very popular. With it, Christians allow a devotional book to direct their Bible study. Each chapter of the devotional book focuses on a verse or verses to read, providing a devotional article that gives practical insights about that Bible passage and possibly a prayer that the reader can lift up to the Lord. The primary purpose of this method is not necessarily to gain a deeper Scriptural knowledge, but rather to find immediate encouragement and strength for the day. There are many popular devotional books. One of the most popular is Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest.
Though the devotional method is extremely popular, it should not be the only method used. It tends to make the reader more dependent upon the secondary resource (the devotional book), rather than the Bible. It is best used as a supplement to one’s regular Bible study.
The purpose of the survey method is to gain a general understanding of every book of the Bible. Typically, one would read a Bible survey book that gives introductory material to every book of the Bible including: author, audience, date, historical background, major themes in the book, and even any controversial passages. As the survey guides the reader to noteworthy insights or passages in the book, the Bible student would then read those Bible passages and briefly study them. Popular survey books include Tremper Longman’s Introduction to Old Testament, D.A. Carson’s Introduction to the New Testament, and The MacArthur Bible Handbook. With that said, like the devotional method, the survey method is best used as a supplement to one’s regular study, as it depends heavily on secondary resources rather than Scripture itself.
Each method has its benefits and weaknesses. Using each method in different seasons will help a person develop a fuller understanding of Scripture. We need to understand both the breadth and depth of Scripture—the forest and the trees. The more we know Scripture, the more God can use us for his kingdom (2 Tim 3:16-17). What are the various methods?
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
There are many repeated themes in Scripture, but only a few that flow continuously from Genesis to Revelation. We will consider some of those here.
Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” From the beginning of Scripture to its end, God continually makes himself known. Scripture teaches his person, character, works, plans, and his standards. Theologians refer to God making himself known as “revelation.” The reason this is called revelation is that we cannot know God unless he reveals himself to us.
As mentioned, God reveals himself by creating the heavens and earth, including people. In fact, Scripture says that humanity was made in the very image of God (Gen 1:27). This tells us that by studying humanity, we can learn a lot about God (and vice versa). God demonstrates many aspects of human personality—joy, wrath, jealously, love—with one exception: God’s person is perfect and ours is flawed.
At times, God reveals himself by speaking. He spoke to Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, among others. At times, he revealed himself through dreams and visions, as seen in the story of Joseph and Daniel. God revealed himself through angels, prophets, and apostles, who spoke for him.
Obviously, God revealed himself specifically through the writing of Scripture and its teachings. God wrote the Ten Commandments with his finger. Then he commanded Moses, Joshua, and others, to write down his Words and teach them to others. These writings remain for all people to read in Scripture.
God revealed himself through the person of Jesus Christ, his Son, who lived on the earth 2000 years ago. John 1:1-3, and 14 says this:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created… Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
Jesus is not only the Son of God, but he is also the Word of God—symbolizing how he is the very communication of God. Therefore, as we study Christ’s actions and teachings, we learn more about God.
Finally, God also reveals himself through biblical history. For example, in 1 Corinthians 10:6-11, Paul said this about God’s judgment of Israel during their wilderness wanderings:
These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did. So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
As holy and righteous, God judged Israel for their complaining, idolatry, and sexual immorality, and these stories are included in Scripture as warnings to us against committing the same sins.
The historical accounts and events recorded throughout Scripture serve to illustrate and remind us of who God is. Therefore, biblical history is God’s story—meant to teach and reveal God’s ways to people. This teaches us how God is sovereign and in control of all events, using them for his purposes. Ephesians 1:11 says that “God works all things according to the counsel of his will” (paraphrase). Likewise, Romans 8:28 tells us that “God works all things for the good of his saints” (paraphrase). Biblical history (and all history) reveals God, since he is in total control of it—both the good and bad—using it all to reveal himself, teach his ways, and fulfill his plans.
One of the major themes of Scripture is the self-revelation of God. Scripture begins with the account of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them. After, it continues to reveal his person, character, works, and plans throughout the entirety of the Bible.
What are other major themes of Scripture?
“There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible. Only four of them don’t involve a fallen world: the first two and the last two—before the Fall and after the creation of the new heaven and new earth. The rest is the chronicle of the tragedy of sin.”1 This theme is repeated over and over again. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating of the forbidden tree. When this happened, God revealed to them the negative results of sin: there would be enmity between the devil and the woman, friction in marriage (and all relationships), pain in birth, difficulty in work, and ultimately death. Then, God removed them from the garden.
After the fall, sin and its consequences continued. Cain, the older of Adam’s first two sons, murdered Abel. Lamech, Cain’s son, murdered another man. Genesis 5 lists the first genealogy which documents the effects of sin, as people experienced physical death: “So and so lived and then died, so and so lived and then died” (paraphrase).
Genesis 6 details how sinful and corrupted the world had become and God’s ensuing consequences. Since sin so ravaged humanity, God decided to destroy everybody except for Noah, his family, and some animals, in a world-wide flood. God is holy and cannot accept sin.
After renewing the earth through the flood, God started over with Noah and his family; however, eventually humanity rebelled against God again at the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11, after God had called for people to multiply and spread throughout the earth, they chose to disobey him and instead remain in one place and build a tower, so as to make their names great. In response, God judged all people by confusing their language, which forced them to relocate and spread throughout the earth.
What are other examples of sin and its consequences? After judging the world at Babel, God decided to bless the family of Abraham. From this family all the nations would be blessed and come to know the true God. From Abraham came the nation of Israel—designated to be a nation of priests who would be a light to the world. However, they continually rebelled against God and received his judgment. Initially God called Israel to judge the sinful Canaanites by wiping them out and taking possession of their land. But Israel never completely destroyed the Canaanites and instead was influenced by them to practice evil—idolatry, sexual immorality, and even sacrificing their children to false gods. Therefore, because of Israel’s disobedience, God judged Israel through other nations and eventually exiled them from the land of Canaan for a season.
After God brought Israel back to Canaan, he sent Jesus, the Son of God, to be Israel’s king and save them from sin. However, Israel rejected Christ and crucified him on the cross, with the help of Romans. Decades later, God would judge Israel through the Romans—destroying their capital city, the temple, and exiling Israel from the land again.
The book of Acts shares how God formed the church through both Jews and Gentiles. Christ’s apostles taught the gospel in Jerusalem, but because of persecution from Jews, believers spread to other parts of the world and taught the gospel there. Even in those parts of the world, Christians were still persecuted both by Jews and pagans. The history of the early church is essentially how God used bad for good, as persecution itself led the church to spread its message throughout the world.
Finally, the book of Revelation shares God’s wrath outpoured on the whole world for their sin and rejection of Christ. There will be earthquakes, meteor showers, wars, poverty, famine, disease, and eternal damnation for the lost when Christ returns to rule on the earth. Revelation 6:16-17 says, “They said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?’”
One of the major themes of the Bible is sin and its consequences. Sin is absolutely destructive; therefore, God sent his Son to redeem people from the power, penalty, and presence of sin. Those who reject Christ will suffer both present and eternal consequences for their sins.
What other themes do we find in Scripture?
Scripture repeatedly gives examples of God rewarding those who practice faith and obedience in contrast to those who persist in disobedience and unbelief and disobedience. A powerful evidence of this is the story of Enoch. In Genesis 5, we read a genealogy detailing who lived and died, but in the midst of this genealogy is recorded the fact that Enoch ‘walked with God’: his death is not recorded because Enoch did not die. Genesis 5:24 says: “Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away.” Moses, the author, gave the secret to blessing in the midst of experiencing the curse—an obedient and faithful relationship with God. Enoch was taken to heaven without ever dying. Hebrews 11:5 says this about Enoch: “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God.”
Likewise, Noah was obedient and faithful, a righteous man who walked with God. Genesis 6:9 says, “…Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God.” When the world was destroyed because of disobedience by a world-wide flood, Noah and his family were spared because of his faithfulness.
In addition, in Genesis 12:1-3, God promised to bless Abraham and make him a great nation if he left his family to journey to a land which God would show him. From Abraham, God brought forth Israel and eventually Christ, who would die for the sins of the world. God blesses those who trust and obey his Word.
In fact, in the law God gave Israel, he said this:
You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:5-6
In this verse, God promised to not only bless Abraham’s lineage for faithfulness but anybody who loved God and kept his commandments. Scripture is full of such promises:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)
God blesses and prospers those who stay away from wickedness and instead choose to delight in and meditate on God’s Word. He prospers everything that they do. Second Chronicles 16:9 (NIV) says: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God is searching for such people because he desires to bless and use them greatly!
Likewise, Scripture tells of many heroes who experienced God’s favor because of their faith and obedience. God called a young boy named Samuel to be a priest, prophet, and judge, in contrast with the older priests who were corrupt and soon to be judged. He used a young boy named David to defeat the hero of the Philistines, while all the trained, battle-seasoned soldiers were demoralized and afraid. He blessed a young boy named Daniel and his Jewish friends who, in Babylonian exile, refused to compromise their faith by eating defiled meat. Because of their faith in him, God made them ten times wiser than all the wisemen in Babylon and promoted them to high places in the Babylonian government.
These promises and examples are not exclusive to the Old Testament; the theme of rewards for faith and obedience is found in the New Testament as well. Throughout the New Testament, Scripture says God rewards those with faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” In fact, nobody can be saved apart from faith. John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Being delivered from eternal damnation—separation from God’s blessing—and being given eternal life comes from faith in Christ.
In addition, God abundantly blesses his children who, by faith, obey him. John 15:7 says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.” Living in God’s Word and obeying it leads to a powerful prayer life. James 5:16 says, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” One reason God continually gives examples and exhortations demonstrating his blessings for faithfulness and obedience is because he desires many to choose this path instead of the path of the wicked (cf. Ps 1:1-3). Which path will you choose?
Election is God’s right to choose some for special blessings, based on no merit of their own but simply because of his sovereign right to choose. This is seen throughout the Scripture and without an understanding of this theme, many become confused or consider God as being unfair. How is election presented throughout the Old and New Testament?
When reading through Genesis 1-11, it is clear God chose Enoch for blessing because he walked with God, as did Noah. But why did God choose Abraham? Unlike Enoch’s and Noah’s narrative, the text never says, “Abraham walked with God,” yet God chose him for special blessing. In fact, Scripture seems to indicate that Abraham came from a family of idolaters and that he was an idolater himself. Joshua 24:2 says, “…Here is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘In the distant past your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped other gods.”
Why, then, did God choose Abraham? Election. God simply chose Abraham based on God’s sovereignty. In addition to choosing Abraham, God gave him a conditional promise that eventually became unconditional. By faith, Abraham had to leave his land and family and go to the land that God would reveal to him. If he did that, God would bless him and use him to be a blessing to the nations. Abraham obeyed God’s call to leave his homeland, and God blessed Abraham and his seed. Christ ultimately came through Abraham’s lineage to bless the nations. Abraham’s call demonstrates election—God elected Abraham based on nothing he had done, in order to bless the world.
How else is God’s election seen in Scripture?
Abraham’s son, Isaac, had twins—the older was Esau and the younger was Jacob. In that culture, the eldest son would receive both the monetary inheritance and the spiritual blessing, which in this case included God’s promise to Abraham to bless the world. Esau should have received the blessing; however, Scripture says God chose Jacob instead. Why? Romans 9:10-13 says:
Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac—even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)—it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
God chose Jacob over Esau, even before they were born, so that “God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls.”
In what other ways do we see election in Scripture?
Out of all the nations on earth, Israel was called to write all but two of the books of the Bible (Luke and Acts); they were called to have God’s presence dwell among them in the tabernacle and later in the temple. They were called to witness to the Gentiles about the true God. Finally, the messiah came through their lineage.
But why did God choose Israel? Were they more qualified than other nations? In Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Moses said:
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth. It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you—for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples. Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors that the Lord brought you out with great power, redeeming you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
God chose them simply because he chose to set his affection on them and because of his oath to the patriarchs, who were also elected.
In Jeremiah 1:5, God said, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.” Since this happened before Jeremiah was born, it had nothing to do with his personal merit. It had all to do with God’s sovereign right to choose to use him in a special way.
Where else do we see God’s theme of election?
Though Paul was a persecutor of Christians, God chose him to be an apostle. Paul saw the resurrected Christ, founded many churches throughout the Gentile world, and eventually wrote almost half of the New Testament. Acts 9:13-16 describes how God called Paul to apostleship through a man named Ananias:
But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on your name!” But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
In God’s electing purposes, Paul was a chosen vessel to spread Christ’s name before Gentiles, kings, and Israel, even though he had previously persecuted Christians. Where else do we see evidences of God’s election?
Scripture teaches that believers were chosen even before time to salvation and also for a special use. Consider the following verses:
For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will—to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son.
Ephesians 1:4-6
For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.
Ephesians 2:10
How can God choose people for salvation and special works even before they are born? Some might say, “Isn’t that unfair?” Certainly, this is not an unexpected question. In Romans 9:14-21, Paul anticipated it as he taught about election. Consider what he said:
What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” But who indeed are you—a mere human being—to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?
Paul doesn’t really answer the question. He simply says, “God is God!” As potter, he can make one pot for this purpose and another for that purpose. It is a mystery. However, it’s a mystery that is illustrated throughout Scripture from Abraham, to Jacob, to Israel, to Jeremiah, to Paul, to believers, and even to angels (1 Tim 5:21).
Now, there is obviously controversy over the topic of election. However, the controversy does not revolve around whether God elects. Scripture is very clear that he does. The question is, “Why does God elect?” Does he elect based on some foreknown faith or goodness in others? Or is it simply out of his right to as God? In Romans 9, Paul clearly makes the argument that God chooses based on his sovereignty alone and nothing inherent in people.
The theme of election is runs throughout the Bible. It may seem unfair or hard to accept, but it is continually repeated in various ways throughout Scripture.
The Christocentric nature of Scripture is taught throughout the Bible. Consider the following verses:
You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me
John 5:39
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures
Luke 24:44-45
Jesus said the Scriptures taught about him. Though “Scriptures” in that context referred to the Old Testament, it can be rightly applied to all of Scripture. In what ways is this true?
As mentioned previously, there are over 300 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Christ’s first coming. This includes such things as Christ’s genealogic record, birth, life, death, and resurrection. The first prophecy was proclaimed immediately after the fall. Genesis 3:15 (NIV) says: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring a and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Christ came to undo the works of the devil in the world, including the curse.
We find foreshadows of Christ throughout Scripture. Colossians 2:16-17 says: “Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days—these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!” The food laws, holy days, and festivals were all just pictures foreshadowing Christ himself.
Adam was a type, a foreshadow of Christ. Romans 5:14 calls him “a type of the coming one.” Romans 5:17 says, “For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!” By the same principle that Adam’s sin brought death to all, Christ’s righteousness brings life to all who accept him by faith.
In addition, Christ was always pictured in the sacrificial lamb in the Old Testament. In John 1:29, when John saw Jesus, he said: “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Also, the prophet Moses was a type of Christ. In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you—from your fellow Israelites; you must listen to him.” In the same way that Moses instituted the Old Covenant with the blood of animals, Christ instituted the New Covenant with his own blood. Christ said, “for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28).
Christ’s burial and resurrection are foreshadowed in the story of Jonah’s three days in the belly of a fish. In Matthew 12:40, Christ said, “For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.”
Furthermore, the Old Testament tabernacle and temple were pictures of Christ. In the same way that the glory of God inhabited the tabernacle and temple, Christ was the glory of God manifested in human flesh. In John 1:14, John said this about Christ: “Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.” “Residence” can also be translated “tabernacled.” Christ is the tabernacle of God. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form.”
Christ is the theme of Scripture. The Old Testament veils Christ in prophecies and types, while the New Testament reveals Christ. His story is told in the Gospels and the advance of his church is told in Acts. His teaching through the apostles is revealed in the epistles, and finally, his wrath over sin and eternal kingdom is revealed in Revelation.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 MacArthur, John (2003-08-21). The MacArthur Bible Handbook (Kindle Locations 301-303). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
It is often argued that there are two principal themes of Scripture: covenant and kingdom. God is building his kingdom on the earth and he is doing so through covenants with people. In this section, we will focus first on the theme of covenant.
Covenants are bonds God makes with individuals or nations in order to accomplish his redemptive plan. The word “covenant” in Hebrew means “to cut.” It pictures how blood was often used to seal or confirm a covenant. For example, in Genesis 15:7-18, God instructed Abraham to take certain animals, cut them in half, and place each half opposite the other. At this point, when establishing ancient covenants, it was customary that both parties would walk between the two halves of the dead animals, essentially saying, “Let this happen to me if I don’t fulfill my part of the covenant!” But in a surprising move, God himself walked between the dead animals (v. 17), essentially declaring, “Let this happen to me if I don’t fulfill my part of the covenant!” In other words, God promised to bear all the responsibility of fulfilling his covenant with Abraham.
With many covenants, often a sign symbolizing the covenant agreement is performed or given. For example, rings are commonly exchanged in weddings as symbols of fidelity to the marriage covenant. Likewise, regarding God’s covenant with Noah to never destroy the world through a flood, God symbolized his promise with the sign of the rainbow.
Why does God give covenants in Scripture? Again, from the beginning of Scripture, it is clear God is building a kingdom. God called Adam and Eve to subdue and rule over creation (Gen 1:28), and though the first humans failed, God is still partnering with people to get his will done on earth. Christ taught his disciples to pray this in the Lord’s Prayer, “may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). Through prayer and the works of believers, God is building a kingdom on the earth, which started with Adam and Eve in the garden and continues with Abraham and his seed. God is still calling people and saying to them, “Follow me! I will be your God and you will be my people, and I’ll use you to bless the earth!”
There is some debate as to the exact number of covenants: some argue for seven while others argue for eight. Not all are specifically identified as covenants in Scripture, but they bear covenantal characteristics. Some are temporary, established only for a particular season until the next covenant is in place. Many of them overlap, as God uses each covenant to fulfill the other. In this study, we will consider eight covenants.
The Edenic Covenant was in place at creation before the fall. (1) It primarily detailed humanity’s responsibility towards creation. In Genesis 1:28, God commanded Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” Also, they were allowed to eat only from seed-bearing plants and trees with fruit and seeds in it. Animals, who were under Adam and Eve’s rule, were allowed to eat only green plants for food (Gen 1:29-30). (2) In addition, Adam and Eve were commanded to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if they did, they would die (Gen 2:16-17). In effect, this covenant was conditional. If they obeyed God and did not eat of the tree, God would provide for them, bless them, and they would live eternally.
Though not called a covenant in Genesis, in Hosea 6:7, God said this about Israel, “But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.” God’s instructions to Adam and Eve in Eden were indeed a covenant. Adam and Eve were called to rule. God was king, and Adam and Eve were his vice-regents. When humanity broke the Edenic Covenant, it triggered a cascade of consequences, which we will consider under the Adamic Covenant.
After humanity broke the Edenic Covenant, ushering in the fall, God implemented the Adamic Covenant. This covenant included the negative effects of the fall on creation and humanity (Gen 3:16-18) and the promise of a redeemer who would eventually restore creation (Gen 3:15). The consequences of the fall include Adam and Eve’s relationship remaining in perpetual conflict, which would ultimately lead to all types of human conflict—fights, divorce, murder, and war. Eve would struggle with pain associated with childbearing, including infertility, labor pains, the death of the mother, or the death of the child. Also, the earth would be cursed; it would not only be less fruitful, but also bear thorns and thistles. But most significantly, humanity began to die (cf. Rom 6:23). They died spiritually, as they experienced separation from God. After the fall, Adam and Eve hid from God, and humanity, since then, does the same. People hide from God, do not seek him or obey him (cf. Rom 8:7). Also, people die physically, from old age and sickness. Finally, people experience eternal death—eternal separation from God’s blessing in a place of judgment (2 Thess 1:9).
But, in the midst of the details of judgment, God gave Adam and Eve hope, in Genesis 3:15. This verse is often called the proto-evangelium—a compound Greek word that means “first gospel.” Genesis 3:15 says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This essentially promised a perpetual battle between Satan and his demons with the woman (and through her, all humanity), and ultimately Satan and his demons with Christ—the seed of the woman. Satan would strike Christ’s heel, as pictured in his death on the cross, but Christ would strike Satan’s head—referring to a fatal blow. Christ would defeat Satan and ultimately restore God’s kingdom, healing all of humanity and creation. This covenant was fulfilled in Christ’s death and resurrection, but it will be ultimately fulfilled when Christ eternally judges Satan and rules the earth as the unrivaled King (Rev 20-22).
Because of the results of sin, humanity’s depravity grew worse and worse, until God vowed to judge the world through means of a flood. Before sending the flood, God initiated a covenant with Noah; God promised that Noah’s family would survive the flood, repopulate the earth, and rule it. In Genesis 6:18, before the flood, God said this to Noah: “but I will confirm my covenant with you. You will enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” After destroying the earth through the flood, God promised in Genesis 9:13 to never again destroy the earth through a flood and gave Noah the symbol of the rainbow as a perpetual reminder of that promise. God also gave Noah many other instructions, including:
The Abrahamic Covenant, which is an everlasting covenant (Gen 17:7-8), is God’s pledge to use Abraham (and his family) to be a blessing to the nations. Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV) says:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Initially, this covenant was conditional upon Abraham’s obedience in leaving his home to go to Canaan; however, it later became unconditional. As cited in Genesis 15, God walked between the cut animals as he swore to fulfill the covenant through his power alone. In addition, as God reaffirmed this covenant throughout Abraham’s life, God added stipulations and elaborated on the details of it. The covenant includes:
God would eventually reaffirm many of these covenant promises with Abraham’s seed—Isaac, Jacob, and the nation of Israel. God planned to bless the nations through Israel by allowing them to be prophets and priests to the world, and ultimately by establishing Christ through their lineage. Christ would die for the sins of the world.
Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant is not an everlasting covenant. It was a temporary, conditional covenant established to prepare Israel for the messiah. In Galatians 3:19 and 24, Paul said,
Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered through angels by an intermediary… Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith.
The Mosaic law is a collection of 613 laws given to Israel in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. (1) These laws taught God’s holiness and his standards for people to practice. (2) Since nobody could ever live up to God’s standards, the law also gave people a way to atone for their sins through various sacrifices. With each sacrifice, it reminded them that they could never be holy as God was holy, and that they needed a substitute to atone for their sins. (3) Their sacrifices ultimately pointed to Christ, who would pay the penalty for the sins of every person in the world. They needed the Savior promised in the Genesis 3:15 proto-gospel. The law was not given to every nation, but only to Israel and foreigners who became part of Israel.
These 613 laws incorporate ceremonial, civil, and moral laws. Ceremonial laws include specifics about how the Israelites should live with God dwelling in the camp or city (including food, clothing, sanitation, and sacrifice requirements). Civil laws include the administration of justice for murder, stealing, idol worship, and other offenses. The moral law includes the Ten Commandments. In Deuteronomy, the laws include blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. These are written in the form of a suzerain covenant—a covenant that a small nation would make with a great king for protection. The Old Testament historical books, from Joshua to Esther, are actually detailing Israel’s obedience and disobedience to God’s commands, including evidence of God’s faithfulness to bless and curse Israel in accordance with God’s laws.
The Palestinian Covenant is the covenant that not all accept as a separate covenant. Many believe that it is actually part of the Mosaic covenant, as it is given at the end of the book of Deuteronomy. However, there are reasons for considering it as a separate covenant. (1) Deuteronomy 30:1 indicates that this promise will happen at a time after both the blessings and curses of the Mosaic covenant have been fulfilled in Israel. It says: “When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you…” (2) In addition, Moses gave promises not stipulated in any other part of the Mosaic covenant, promises which look forward to the New Covenant. Specifically, God promised to bring them back to the land of Canaan and give them circumcised hearts so that they will love God with all their heart and soul. Deuteronomy 30:5-6 says:
Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors. The Lord your God will also cleanse your heart and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live.
While the Mosaic Covenant was temporary and fulfilled at Christ’s first coming, this promise in Deuteronomy 30:5-6 is brought to completion in the New Covenant, fully realized in Israel at Christ’s second coming. Consider the following New Covenant promises:
“‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land. I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations. Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 36:24-28
“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the LORD. “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the LORD. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.
Jeremiah 31:31-33
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
Romans 11:26-27
At Christ’s coming, all Israel will repent of their sins, be regathered to their land, and given a new heart to faithfully obey God’s laws. The Mosaic law provided no empowerment to fulfill God’s laws—only reparations for failure to do so.
According to Deuteronomy 30:1-7, the Palestinian Covenant says:
The Palestinian Covenant is a continuation of the Abrahamic Covenant, wherein God promises to give Abraham’s descendants the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession (cf. Gen 17:7-8). This will be fulfilled in the New Covenant—at Christ’s second coming. Only when Israel is obedient to God and serving King Jesus will they dwell and prosper in the land of Palestine.
During the United Kingdom of Israel, David became Israel’s second king. David was called “a man after God’s own heart.” Though he had flaws, David lived a life of obedience to God. Because of this, God covenanted with David to give him a son who would build God a temple and have an everlasting reign. Second Samuel 7:8-16 says:
“So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you leader of my people Israel. I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed any more. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief from all your enemies. The Lord declares to you that he himself will build a dynastic house for you. When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent.’”
This prophecy has dual fulfillments—a near and a far fulfillment. As a near fulfillment, it was partially fulfilled in David’s son, King Solomon. Solomon built God a temple and during his reign Israel lived in peace and prospered. However, when he sinned God disciplined him. The kingdom of Israel was divided into two kingdoms: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. God did not fully take away the kingdom from Solomon, as his sons ruled the smaller kingdom, Judah.
Nonetheless, some parts of this prophecy could never be fulfilled in Solomon. He died and therefore did not have an everlasting reign. The prophecy is fulfilled in Christ. He came from David’s lineage to be their king and to usher in his eternal rule called “the kingdom of heaven.” However, the Jews rejected him and crucified him. Now, Christ reigns at the right hand of God until he returns to judge and rule the earth (cf. Acts 2:29-36, Ez 37:22-25). He will have an eternal kingdom.
Also, Christ’s mission of “building God a house” may be interpreted as having dual fulfillments: it is fulfilled in the church, as we are the temple of God (cf. Matt 16:18, 1 Cor 3:16-17), but others believe it will be fulfilled in Christ’s building of a literal temple at his coming and millennial reign as prophesied in Ezekiel 40-42 (cf. Rev 20).
The Davidic Covenant promises:
Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic king—he rules in heaven and will one day rule on earth. At his first coming, he began to build his church (Matt 16:18), which is the temple of God (1 Cor 3:16-17), and one day, at his second coming, he will build another temple which will fulfill detailed prophecies in Ezekiel 40-42, as he reigns over all nations on the earth during his millennial reign (Rev 20).
God promised Israel another covenant because they couldn’t fulfill God’s first covenant with them. In Jeremiah 31:31-34, God prophesied about this future New Covenant:
“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord. “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people. “People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Ezekiel 36:26-30 also describes this future covenant with Israel:
“‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land. I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations. Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you. I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.
What are some of the dominant characteristics of the New Covenant?
In considering all these New Covenant promises to Israel in the Old Testament, one must ask, “How can the church (made up of both Jew and Gentile believers) then take part in the New Covenant, as clearly taught throughout the New Testament (cf. Lk 22:20, 1 Cor 11:25, 2 Cor 3:6)?” The following views address that question from two different positions:
1) Some believe that the church has replaced Israel, and therefore no promises remain specifically applicable to the nation. This is called “replacement theology.” The problem with this view is that many of God’s promises to Israel have no literal fulfillment, including the land promise, which is considered an everlasting covenant.
2) Others believe that God will ultimately fulfill his promises to the nation of Israel (cf. Rom 11:26-29), but the church takes part in many of the promises because of her new relationship to Christ. Since believers are in Christ (Eph 1:3), baptized into his body (1 Cor 12:13), and co-heirs with him (Rom 8:17), the church will, in some sense, take part in the promises to the nation of Israel. Nonetheless, some promises may only apply to the nation of Israel, such as being regathered from exile at Christ’s return. The New Testament teaches that the church takes part in New Covenant promises, such as the forgiveness of sins, receiving the Holy Spirit, and having God’s laws written on their hearts. However, participation in other promises will have a future fulfillment, as the church rules with Christ in the millennial kingdom (cf. 1 Cor 6:2-3, Rev 20:4-6).
Through his covenants, God is fulfilling his eternal plan on the earth. After Adam broke God’s Edenic Covenant, God promised to bring the one who would restore God’s rule on the earth—the messiah. In God’s redemptive plan, he covenanted with Noah, Abraham, Israel, and David. Now, he has partnered with the church—made of Jew and Gentile believers—through the New Covenant to bless the nations. When the promised king returns, Israel will return to God, in partial fulfilment of the New Covenant, resulting in blessings for the nations. In speaking about Israel’s restoration to God, Paul said:
I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous. Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring?
Romans 11:11-12
God is a God of covenant; he says, “You will be my people and I will be your God, and I will use you to build my kingdom.”
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
With this final theme, we will take a closer look at God’s kingdom, which many believe is the dominant theme in Scripture—the one which best encapsulates biblical history from Genesis to Revelation. How does Scripture develop this theme? The theme of God’s kingdom is introduced at the very beginning. When God created the earth, he appointed Adam and Eve, king and queen over it. In the creation narrative, kingdom language is used. Genesis 1:26, 28 says:
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” … God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”
They were called to “rule” or have “dominion” over the earth, including the animals. Again, this is kingdom language. God was the ultimate King, and Adam and Eve were his vice-regents, overseeing the earth.
However, after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they lost their rule to a usurper. In fact, Scripture speaks of Satan as having some type of rule on this earth, though still under God’s sovereignty. Consider the titles of Satan in the following verses:
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
John 12:31
in which you formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience
Ephesians 2:2
among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4
He is called “ruler of this world,” “the ruler of the kingdom of the air,” and “the god of this age.” Revelation 2:13 actually says Satan has some type of throne on this earth, from where he exercises his rule. It says:
‘I know where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to cling to my name and you have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives.
In Matthew 4:8-9, when Satan tempted Christ by offering him the kingdoms of the world if he would only bow down to Satan, it was a literal offer. God originally planned for his earthly kingdom to be ruled benevolently through righteous humans. But now Satan rules this earth, enforcing his will through the unrighteous, though still under God’s sovereignty.
After Adam and Eve’s fall, God promised to restore a righteous human leader. The Old Testament is full of prophecies about this future ruler. Genesis 3:15 says, “And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring’s heel.” A son coming from a woman would one day crush the head of Satan, the usurper—destroying all his works—and ushering in the benevolent rule God originally intended for the earth.
Again, prophecies about this person abound throughout the Old Testament, each one revealing more information. From Abraham we learn that a person would come who would bless all nations. Genesis 22:18 (ESV) says, “and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” From Abraham’s grandson, Judah, a ruler would come to whom all nations would submit. Genesis 49:10 says, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.” This everlasting king is most clearly pictured in the Davidic Covenant. Second Samuel 7:12-13 says:
When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent.
The prophetic details become even clearer in the book of Daniel, as he prophesied about the four kingdoms—Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 2, 7, 8, 9)—who would rule on this earth right before the kingdom of God was established. God’s kingdom would eventually crush those kingdoms and eternally rule the earth. Daniel 2:43-44 says:
And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.
Likewise, after describing four world powers that would rule the earth, Daniel 7:13-14 describes how God would establish the everlasting kingdom in those days:
I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.
The prophecies in Daniel clearly state that God’s final kingdom would be established during the reign of the fourth kingdom, which would one day destroy God’s temple (cf. Dan 9:25-27, Dan 7:19-28). Since Rome was the ruling power while Christ was on the earth and eventually destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, as Daniel prophesied (cf. Dan 9:25-27), Rome is clearly the fourth kingdom, the kingdom of iron, which will eventually be crushed along with the others (cf. Dan 2:43-44). Therefore, many believe that a revived Roman kingdom (a conglomerate of European nations) will assume world power before Christ’s return.
When we get to the Gospels, they clearly demonstrate how the Jews were waiting for the messiah and his final kingdom. They were under Roman rule, waiting for God to set them free by a deliverer like Moses and for God’s kingdom to be physically established.
However, this final kingdom would not initially be established as a physical kingdom, but instead as a spiritual one. While Christ lived and ministered here on earth, people continually asked him about this coming kingdom. For example, in Luke 17:20-21, Christ said this to the Pharisees, who were asking when the kingdom would come: “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” God’s kingdom was established during the time of Rome, but it was as a spiritual kingdom. God’s kingdom exists wherever God rules through his people. Matthew 4:23 describes how Christ traveled to various places “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” It was Christ’s custom to invite people into the kingdom—accepting, through Christ, the rule of God in their hearts.
One of the ways Christ taught about God’s kingdom was through parables that described the spiritual reality of the present kingdom. For example, in Luke 19:11-27—the Parable of the Minas—Christ described an interim period in the kingdom. A nobleman made travel plans to receive his appointment as king. Before he left on his journey, he gave his servants the responsibility of investing his money (minas) for the purpose of making a profit. After receiving his throne, he returned to reward his servants for faithfulness or judge them for laziness.
Christ currently sits at the right hand of the Father as King and soon will return to rule the earth and reward his faithful servants with varying types and degrees of rulership. Those who are faithful will be given cities to rule in the future kingdom (Lk 19:17-18). During this interim season, believers have been given an extraordinary stewardship: the advancement of God’s kingdom. When Christ returns, he will reward them in accordance to their faithfulness.
Christ also taught, in the Parable of the Weeds (Matt 13:24-43), that throughout this interim season, weeds will be planted by Satan, and wheat will be planted by God. The weeds and the wheat grow side by side during this interim period; however, at the end of the age, the angels will throw the weeds into the fire and bring the wheat into the barn. Since the kingdom is the place of God’s rule, it seems that the weeds represent false believers and the wheat represent true believers. Consequently, in this season, the church will experience false teaching, ungodliness, and corruption propagated by weeds (and immature wheat). But one day God will separate the false from the true.
Matthew 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, also illustrates this truth. During this interim season, the true believers, represented by the sheep, will demonstrate acts of mercy to the hungry, thirsty, unclothed, and imprisoned. When they perform these acts of mercy “to the least of these,” they are ministering to Christ and proving the validity of their salvation. At the end of the age, the sheep will enter the kingdom, and the goats, who called Christ ‘Lord’ but didn’t live lifestyles of mercy, will be rejected and experience eternal punishment. When Christ returns to establish his kingdom on earth, he will separate the true from the false (cf. Matt 13:47-51, the Parable of the Net; Matt 7:21-23).
During this interim period, the kingdom will also experience explosive growth as people share the gospel and live out their faith amongst unbelievers. The Parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13:31-32 illustrates this. In it, Christ described the kingdom as a mustard seed which, though tiny, grew into a tree. When this happened, the birds of the air perched in its branches. The seed growing into a tree represents the explosive growth of the church. After Christ’s death, there were 120 followers praying together in one room when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost in Acts 2. Almost immediately after, 3,000 were saved (Acts 2:41), which soon grew to 5,000 (Acts 4:4). When persecution came, the gospel spread throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Though persecuted, the church grew and continues to grow. Currently, Christianity is the biggest religion in the world: 31.2% of the world’s population, which equals about 2.3 billion people.1
However, with that said, many believe the birds perched on the branches represent evil within the church. In a previous parable—The Parable of the Sowers of the Seed (Matt 13:1-23)—the birds, as explained by Christ, represented the devil. Therefore, though the kingdom would experience this rapid growth from humble beginnings, it will be polluted with evil, as seen in church corruption, false teachers, and cults, among other manifestations of evil. Though the final stage of the kingdom will be perfect, the current stage is not. This corruption will cause many to fall away from the faith and keep many from ever accepting the faith.
The final stage of this kingdom will begin at Christ’s return as he establishes his eternal rule on the earth. He will judge sin and restore peace and righteousness in creation. The righteous will rule with Christ for eternity. Revelation 11:15 says: “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.’”
Established at creation, lost at the fall, prophesied throughout the Old Testament, currently present in spiritual form, one day, the kingdom will be a physical reality on earth. Lord, let your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10)!
One of the things that makes the Bible unique is its themes: the theme of God’s revelation, sin and its consequences, God rewarding faith and obedience, election, Jesus Christ, covenant, and kingdom.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 “Christians Remain World’s Largest Religious Group but They Are Declining in Europe” accessed 8/13/19 from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe/
What is the Bible’s structure? The Bible is comprised of sixty-six books, consisting of thirty-nine Old Testament books and twenty-seven New Testament books. It was written over a time frame of 1500 years. Scholars believe the first book of the Bible written was Genesis or Job, completed around 1400 BC, and the last book of the Bible written, Revelation, was completed around AD 90.1 The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, with some small parts written in Aramaic. The New Testament was originally written in Greek. We’ll consider the structure of both, starting with the OT.
There are three categories of OT books: history, poetry, and prophecy. The structure of the English OT is very easy to discern: The first seventeen OT books are history. They detail creation, the fall, the call of the patriarchs, Israel’s slavery and deliverance from Egypt, Israel’s conquest of Canaan, their rebellion against God, their exile and eventual return to the land. The next five are poetry. The final seventeen are prophetic books.
What are the seventeen historical books? They include all the books from Genesis to Esther and recount the history of Israel. The first five, Genesis to Deuteronomy, are often called the Law or Pentateuch (“five books”). The following is the list of all the historical books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
Within the seventeen historical books, there are two sub-groups: primary and secondary books. There are eleven primary and six secondary books. The primary books give chronological history, and the secondary overlap with or repeat certain aspects of the chronological history given in the primary books. As examples, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ruth, and Esther are secondary books because their stories occur during the history of the other eleven primary books. Leviticus, which focuses on the priestly functions, happens during the Exodus and Numbers’ period. Deuteronomy happens during Numbers and Joshua. It does not advance historically. Ruth takes place during the book of Judges. First and 2 Chronicles cover David’s life through the Babylon exile, which is a later repeat of 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings.
After the seventeen historical books, there are five poetical books, sometimes called wisdom literature. They are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
After the seventeen historical books and five poetical books, there are seventeen prophetic books, which close the OT canon. Within the prophets are two sub-groups called the major and minor prophets. Why are they called major and minor? It has nothing to do with content, but rather the length of the content. The major prophets are larger books and the minor prophets are small books. The major and minor prophets are as follows:
In considering the OT structure, if one wants to learn the history of Israel, he or she should read Genesis to Esther, the first seventeen books of the OT. If one wants to read the poetry of Israel, he or she should read from Job to Song of Solomon, the five books in the middle of the OT. If one wants to read the prophetic literature of Israel, he or she should read Isaiah to Malachi, the last seventeen books of the OT.
When considering the Hebrew Old Testament (or Bible), it is divided differently than the English one. First, instead of thirty-nine books, most Hebrew OTs have twenty-four books (some have twenty-two) because of how certain books are combined. For instance, in the Hebrew Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah are combined into one book, as are 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. Finally, the minor prophets are assembled together in one book called The Twelve.
Also, instead of the main categories being history, poetry, and prophets as with the English Bible, the Hebrew Bible is divided into the five books of Moses (or Law), Prophets, and Writings.2 This system of organizing the OT Scripture was even in use during Christ’s ministry. In Luke 24:44, Christ said this to his disciples: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Instead of calling the last section Writings, it was often referred to by its largest book, Psalms. Below is the Hebrew OT arrangement:
The New Testament is also assembled into three categories of books: historical, Pauline, and general epistles. There are twenty-seven books overall: five historical, thirteen Pauline, and nine general epistles. The historical books include the Gospels and Acts—they tell the story of Christ and his disciples, and how the church grew throughout the ancient world. The Pauline epistles include Paul’s letters to various individuals and churches. The general epistles are the writings of other apostles and their associates to various individuals and churches. The book categories are as follows:
When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not include chapter and verse divisions. Early Jews and Christians, when referencing a Scripture text, would refer to it by the book, author, and a textual event, with little further specificity.3 For example, when Christ referenced God’s words to Moses in Exodus 3, he said: “…have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?” (Mk 12:26). The current chapters and verses were added for better referencing by various scholars at different periods of time, starting around 900 AD and being completed around 1551. The first English Bible translation to have our current chapter and verse divisions was the Geneva Bible of 1560.4
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 Accessed 2/11/20 from https://www.gotquestions.org/write-the-Bible.html
2 Accessed 11/4/2019 from https://torah.org/learning/basics-primer-torah-bible/
3 Plummer, Robert L. 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible (40 Questions & Answers Series) (Kindle Location 616). Kregel Publications - A. Kindle Edition.
4 Plummer, Robert L. 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible (40 Questions & Answers Series) (Kindle Locations 640-641). Kregel Publications - A. Kindle Edition.
The Bible is the single-most translated book in the world. There are over 7,097 known languages and the complete Bible has only been translated into approximately 700 of them. But with that said, a portion of the Bible has been translated into 3,312 of the 7,097 known languages.1 It is difficult to determine how many English translations there are because it is hard to distinguish between a new translation and a revision. However, there are as many as fifty documented English Bible translations.2
Why are there so many English translations, especially when considering there are thousands of other languages without a translation? There are three reasons for continually updating an English translation: (1) Because of archaeological findings in the last few centuries, new Bible manuscripts have been found which are older and more trustworthy than previous manuscripts. Though the differences are minor, they still, at times, require updates to older translations or for new translations to be created. (2) The English language is always changing. If one were to read an English Bible translation from 400 years ago, it would be virtually incomprehensible to most English speakers today. Changes include spelling, grammar, and phraseology, which makes updated Bible translation necessary. (3) There are different Bible translations based on method of translation. The two primary methods are formal equivalence (literal), which attempts to translate word for word from the original language. The other method is dynamic equivalence (paraphrase), which attempts to translate the author’s original thought. The strength of the word for word method is that the translator inserts less interpretation (what the translator thinks it means) into the translation. However, the weakness is that it often sacrifices readability. The strength of the thought for thought method is readability, and its weakness is often more of “this is what the translator thinks it means” rather than “this is what it says.”3 Each Bible translation is at different points of the word for word (formal) and thought for thought (dynamic) scale. For example, consider the graph below with various translations and their place on the scale:
Word for Word (Formal) |
Thought for Thought (Dynamic) |
||||||||||
<_____________________________________________________________________> |
|||||||||||
NASB |
ESV |
KJV |
NKJV |
HCSB |
NET |
NIV |
TNIV |
NCV |
NLT |
Living Message |
|
The most literal or “word for word” versions are the New American Standard Bible (NASB), English Standard Version (ESV), and the King James Version (KJV). The most paraphrased versions are the Message, Living Bible, and the New Living Translation (NLT). The New International Version (NIV) and New English Translation (NET) strike a balance between the two translation methods.
Below are examples of the same verse in some of the popular English translations, and the slight differences between them:
|
KJV |
NASB |
ESV |
NIV |
NLT2 |
Message |
Proverbs 18:24
|
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. |
A man of many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. |
Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. |
Which English Bible translation is the best one or the one a person should use? All the Bible versions have their strengths and weaknesses. The right Bible depends on what factors are most important for an individual. Is readability most important? In that case, the person should try the NLT or NIV. Is translation closest to the original language most important (which is often necessary for teachers and preachers)? Then perhaps the person should select the NASB or ESV. It has been said the best Bible version is the version that one will read most. In studying Scripture, it is best to use multiple versions, since no single translation can capture all of the original meaning.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 How many languages has the Bible been translated into?” accessed 8/13/19 from https://www.christianlingua.com/into-how-many-languages-has-the-bible-been-translated/
2 What are the different English Bible versions? Accessed 8/13/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-versions.html
3 What are the different English Bible versions? Accessed 8/13/19 from https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-versions.html
4 “Translation Comparison Charts” accessed 8/13/19 from http://www.apbrown2.net/web/TranslationComparisonChart.htm
The Bible’s story is unique in that it spans from before creation to the eternal state. Its story has been summarized in several helpful ways—a two-part model, a three-part model, a seven-part model, and a twelve-part model. The two-part model is called Promise-Fulfillment. The Old Testament promises the coming of a Redeemer (Christ), and the New Testament is the fulfillment of that promise, as Christ is introduced in the Gospels, dies and resurrects, and will return to fully establish his kingdom in the book of Revelation. In addition, there is a three-part model which includes: Creation, Fall, and Salvation. Genesis 1-2 documents how God created the earth. Genesis 3 documents how Adam and Eve fell into sin which brought about sin’s consequences. And Genesis 4 through Revelation 22 document salvation history—how God moves in history to restore people and the earth.
A more thorough summary is the seven-part model:
Another summary is a twelve-part model, which focuses on the stages of biblical history:
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
1 “Putting the Bible together” accessed 8/13/19 from https://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2017/09/08/putting-bible-together/
2 McMath, J. T. (2014). Judges. In The moody bible commentary (p. 355). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
As the Psalmist said, the Bible is perfect, reliable, fair, pure, right, trustworthy, valuable, and delightful (Psalm 19:7-10). Since the Bible is God’s Word, it is truly unique. There is no other book like it. In fact, one of the things we haven’t considered is the tremendous testimonies of how the Bible has changed people’s lives—set them free, given them hope, joy, and purpose in life. Psalm 1:2-3 declares how God blesses those who delight in and meditate on God’s Word day and night. He makes them like fruitful trees whose leaves do not wither and who prosper in everything they do. Will you allow God’s Word to save you, change you, and make you a blessing to others?
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
Leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide can be done in various ways. One format for leading a small group is the “study group” model, where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.
The strength of the study group is the fact that the members will be required to prepare their responses before the meeting, which will allow for easier discussion. In addition, each member will be given the opportunity to teach, which will further equip their ministry skills. The study group model has distinct advantages.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
Writing is one of the best ways to learn. In class, we take notes and write papers, and these methods are used to help us learn and retain the material. The same is true with the Word of God. Obviously, all the authors of Scripture were writers. This helped them better learn the Scriptures and also enabled them to more effectively teach it. As you reflect on God’s Word, using the Bible Teacher’s Guide, take time to write so you can similarly grow both in your learning and teaching.
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.
How can a person be saved? From what is he saved? How can someone have eternal life? Scripture teaches that after death each person will spend eternity either in heaven or hell. How can a person go to heaven?
Paul said this to Timothy:
You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14-15
One of the reasons God gave us Scripture is to make us wise for salvation. This means that without it, nobody can know how to be saved.
Well then, how can a people be saved and what are they being saved from? A common method of sharing the good news of salvation is through the Romans Road. One of the great themes, not only of the Bible, but specifically of the book of Romans is salvation. In Romans, the author, Paul, clearly details the steps we must take in order to be saved.
How can we be saved? What steps must we take?
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” What does it mean to sin? The word sin means “to miss the mark.” The mark we missed is reflecting God’s image. When God created mankind in the Genesis narrative, he created man in the “image of God” (1:27). The “image of God” means many things, but probably, most importantly it means we were made to be holy just as he is holy. Man was made moral. We were meant to reflect God’s holiness in every way: the way we think, the way we talk, and the way we act. And any time we miss the mark in these areas, we commit sin.
Furthermore, we do not only sin when we commit a sinful act such as lying, stealing, or cheating. Again, we sin anytime we have a wrong heart motive. The greatest commandments in Scripture are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:36-40, paraphrase). Whenever we don’t love God supremely and love others as ourselves, we sin and fall short of the glory of God. For this reason, man is always in a state of sinning. Sadly, even if our actions are good, our heart is bad. I have never loved God with my whole heart, mind, and soul, and neither has anybody else. Therefore, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). We have all missed the mark of God’s holiness and we must accept this.
What’s the next step?
Why are we under the judgment of God? It is because of our sins. Scripture teaches that God is not only a loving God, but he is also a just God. And his justice requires judgment for each of our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the payoff of sin is death.”
A payoff or wage is something we earn. Every time we sin, we earn the wage of death. What is death? Death really means separation. In physical death, the body is separated from the spirit, but in spiritual death, man is separated from God. Man currently lives in a state of spiritual death (cf. Eph 2:1-3). We do not love God, obey him, or know him as we should. Therefore, man is in a state of death.
Moreover, one day at our physical death, if we have not been saved, we will spend eternity separated from God in a very real hell. In hell, we will pay the wage for each of our sins. Therefore, in hell people will experience various degrees of punishment (cf. Lk 12:47-48). This places man in a very dangerous predicament—unholy and therefore under the judgment of God.
How should we respond to this? This leads us to our third step.
Romans 6:23 does not stop at the wages of sin being death. It says, “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Because God loved everybody on the earth, he offered the free gift of eternal life, which anyone can receive through Jesus Christ.
Because it is a gift, it cannot be earned. We cannot work for it. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.”
Going to church, being baptized, giving to the poor, or doing any other righteous work does not save. Salvation is a gift that must be received from God. It is a gift that has been prepared by his effort alone.
How do we receive this free gift?
If we are going to receive this free gift, we must believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Because God loved us, cared for us, and didn’t want us to be separated from him eternally, he sent his Son to die for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Similarly, John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God so loved us that he gave his only Son for our sins.
Jesus Christ was a real, historical person who lived 2,000 years ago. He was born of a virgin. He lived a perfect life. He was put to death by the Romans and the Jews. And after he was buried, he rose again on the third day. In his death, he took our sins and God’s wrath for them and gave us his perfect righteousness so we could be accepted by God. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” God did all this so we could be saved from his wrath.
Christ’s death satisfied the just anger of God over our sins. When God looked at Jesus on the cross, he saw us and our sins and therefore judged Jesus. And now, when God sees those who are saved, he sees his righteous Son and accepts us. In salvation, we have become the righteousness of God.
If we are going to be saved, if we are going to receive this free gift of salvation, we must believe in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-5, Rom 10:9-10). Do you believe?
Romans 10:9-10 says,
Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.
Not only must we believe, but we must confess Christ as Lord of our lives. It is one thing to believe in Christ but another to follow Christ. Simple belief does not save. Christ must be our Lord. James said this: “…Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear” (James 2:19), but the demons are not saved—Christ is not their Lord.
Another aspect of making Christ Lord is repentance. Repentance really means a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Before we met Christ, we were living our own life and following our own sinful desires. But when we get saved, our mind and direction change. We start to follow Christ as Lord.
How do we make this commitment to the lordship of Christ so we can be saved? Paul said we must confess with our mouth “Jesus is Lord” as we believe in him. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you admit that you are a sinner and understand you are under God’s wrath because of it; if you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross for your sins, and rose from the dead for your salvation; if you are ready to turn from your sin and cling to Christ as Lord, you can be saved.
If this is your heart, then you can pray this prayer and commit to following Christ as your Lord.
Dear heavenly Father, I confess I am a sinner and have fallen short of your glory, what you made me for. I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins and rose from the dead so I can have eternal life. I am turning away from my sin and accepting you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life and change me. Thank you for your gift of salvation.
Scripture teaches that if you truly accepted Christ as your Lord, then you are a new creation. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come!” God has forgiven your sins (1 John 1:9), he has given you his Holy Spirit (Rom 8:15), and he is going to disciple you and make you into the image of his Son (cf. Rom 8:29). He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5), and he will complete the work he has begun in your life (Phil 1:6). In heaven, angels and saints are rejoicing because of your commitment to Christ (Lk 15:7).
Praise God for his great salvation! May God keep you in his hand, empower you through the Holy Spirit, train you through mature believers, and use you to build his kingdom! “He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this” (1 Thess 5:24). God bless you!
Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown
Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.
BTG Publishing all rights reserved.