Biblical Interpretation

Biblical Interpretation

Henderson Training Institute

Spring 2018

Biblical Interpretation: Course Syllabus

Spring 2018

Co-Instructor: Brandon Shafer |

Co-Instructor: Brett Middleton |

Class meeting: Wednesdays from 6:15-7:30pm. We will begin every week in the Worship Center for prayer and singing at 6:15pm and breakout for classrooms at 6:30pm. Classroom is W-204.

Course Description

This course is designed to provide an introduction to bibliology and hermeneutics. The emphasis will be on equipping you to become better readers, interpreters, and doers of God’s Word. We will study the origin, inspiration and authority of the Bible. The majority of the course will cover effective ways to understand God’s inspired Word. The overarching goal is to lead you to further worship God through understanding and submitting under His Word.

Course Objectives

Knowing:

  • What is the Bible?
  • Where did the Bible come from?
  • Basic convictions about the Bible: inspiration, inerrancy, authority.
  • Basic methods of biblical interpretation.

Being:

  • Refined conviction concerning the inspired nature of the Bible.
  • Commitment to a loving, humble and worshipful approach to Bible study.
  • Commitment to both understanding and submitting under God’s Word.
  • Commitment to carry out the challenges of applying proper hermeneutical principles to our study of the Scriptures.

Doing:

  • Cultivation of spiritual habits necessary to rightly interpret God’s Word.
  • Formulation of simple and effective habits for Bible study and interpretation.

Course Texts

Required:

Stein, Robert H. A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules, 2nd Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1994, 2011. 228pp.

Sailhamer, John. The Zondervan Quick Reference Library: How We Got the Bible, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998. 91pp.

Recommended for Further Study:

Fee, Gordon D., Stuart, Douglas. How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002. 444pp.

Fee, Gordon D., Stuart, Douglas. How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981. 287pp.

Plummer, Robert L. 40 Questions for Interpreting the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2010. 345pp.

Ferguson, Sinclair B. From the Mouth of God: Trusting, Reading, and Applying the Bible. Carlisle,

PA: Banner of Truth, 2014. 209pp.

Cooper, Barry. Can I Really Trust the Bible?Croydon, UK: The Good Book Company, 2014. 81pp.

DeRouchie, Jason S. How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R

Publishing, 2017. 583pp.

Naselli, Andrew D. How to Understand and Apply the New Testament. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R

Publishing, 2017. 384pp.

Optional Course Assignments

Essays:

  1. Short Essay #1

Complete one of the following assignment options:

Option 1: In 2-3 pages, state your understanding of what the Bible says about itself. Use only the Bible, no outside resources. The purpose of this essay is for you to begin to learn about the Bible from the Bible.

Option 2: In 2-3 pages, select five words that you believe define/describe the very nature of the Bible. Expound on each word, explaining why you believe this to be true and supporting it with Scripture.

  1. Short Essay #2

In 2-3 pages, explain your method for deciphering meaning in Scripture. In other words, when you approach a biblical passage, how do you go about learning what it means?

  1. Final Essay

Complete one of the following assignment options:

Option 1: The purpose of this paper is for you to reflect upon the content of this course from start to finish. This paper should be 3-5 pages and answer the following questions:

  1. What does the Bible say about itself?
  2. What have you learned about interpreting the Bible from this course?
  3. How should/do these truths influence your daily life?

Option 2: In 3-5 pages, walk through an assigned passage of Scripture. Observe, interpret, and apply this particular passage using whatever methods appropriate for the genre. After interpreting (and prior to applying) be sure to clearly state what you believe to be the main point of the passage. Then, proceed to apply this main point to your current life situation.

Exegetical Reflections:

Every week of this course, you will set yourself under the influence of a particular biblical passage. Through meditation, prayer, and whatever interpretive methods we’ve covered thus far in the course, you are to reflect on the assigned passage. There is no set length for these assignments—only the requirement that you sufficiently answer the Exegetical Reflections Questions listed below. The goal of the reflections is to encourage you not only to read the Bible, but also to meditate upon it and allow it to live within and through you from week to week.

Course Schedule

The following is our intended course schedule. This schedule is open to alteration throughout the semester if the teachers see fit.

Date / Class Topic / Reading Due / Assignment Due
February 7 / Introduction to Course:
What is the Bible? Revelation: General and Specific / How We Got the Bible: Sailhamer, 9-12
February 14 / Where did the Bible Come from?
Who Wrote the Bible? Issues of Inspiration and Canonization / Sailhamer, 14-45 / Short Essay 1
Exegetical Reflections
Luke 24:36-49
February 21 / What is the Bible Like?
Doctrines of Scripture / Sailhamer, 48-88 / Exegetical Reflections
2 Timothy 3:10-17
February 28 / Introduction to Hermeneutics:
Principles of Interpretation; Methods of Interpretation / A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Stein, 1-29; scan pp. 30-53 and be sure you have a grasp on highlighted words and their definitions. / Short Essay 2
Exegetical Reflections
Psalm 119 (any two consecutive sections)
March 7 / Biblical Exegesis:
The OT Law (OT Historical Narrative) / Stein, 68-108 / Exegetical Reflections
Exodus 2
March 14 / Biblical Exegesis:
The OT Prophets / Stein,137-151 / Exegetical Reflections
Ezekiel 34:1-24
March 21 / ***NO CLASS***
Spring Break
March 28 / Biblical Exegesis:
The OT Writings (Poetry, Psalms, and Proverbs) / Stein, 109-136 / Exegetical Reflections
Proverbs 13
April 4 / Biblical Exegesis:
The Gospels/Parables/Acts / Stein, 158-173 / Exegetical Reflections
Luke 18:9-14
April 11 / Biblical Exegesis:
The Epistles / Stein, 189-208 / Exegetical Reflections
Romans 5
April 18 / Biblical Exegesis: Revelation/Apocalyptic; Course Conclusion / Stein, 152-157, 174-188 / Final Paper
Exegetical Reflections
Revelation 21:1-8

Exegetical Reflection Questions

For the Week of ______

  1. What is the genre of this passage?
  1. What happens in this passage?
  1. List events (if narrative)
  1. List truths (if other genres)
  1. What (if anything) confuses you about this passage?
  1. Summarize this passage in one sentence (take context into consideration).
  1. What is the main point of this passage? What does it mean in context?
  1. How should this passage live within you and through you this week? (Application/Significance: What difference should this passage make in your life?)
  1. Pray over this passage with the following people in mind:
  2. Yourself
  3. Family
  4. Friends
  5. Church
  6. Lost People
  7. The Nations

Revisit:

  1. How has this passage lived within you and through you this week? (What difference has this passage made in your life?)

1