Text Driven Preaching
Question 1: Text-Driven PreachingWhen discussing doctrinal fidelity, Ned Matthews (pp. 87-92) explains that a text-driven man will be less likely to dilute the gospel for fear of the consequences and less likely to shape the message to assure popularity. Provide at...How Did Apostles Interpret the Bible?
Regarding the concept of Abner Chou’s prophetic hermeneutic, an important question is how the New Testament apostles interpreted the Old Testament prophets. Did the apostles shift the meaning of the prophets, or did the apostles find a fuller meaning (sensus...Bible Interpretation: Historical Context
To begin, I want to thank all the participants for such great questions. I do agree with Osborne that the historical background provides a three-dimensional aspect to a sermon or any biblical teaching. The question posed regarding the dangers on delivering a message...Dialectical Bible Interpretation
Although John O’Keefe and R. R. Reno explore the dialectical strategies of the Church Fathers in combination with lexical and associative strategies that often inform the development of typological and allegorical readings, the question at hand is much more...Biblical Word Studies
Semantic Range StudyA traditional word study, also known as a semantic range study, first attempts to determine what a word could mean by identifying the word’s semantic range and then attempts to determine what the word does mean based on the word’s...Hermeneutical Virtues
Discussion Board 3: Hermeneutical VirtuesAndreas Köstenberger and Richard Patterson’s book, Invitation to Biblical Interpretation, provides twelve interpretive virtues in the spirit of 1 Peter 1:3-11.[1] Powerfully, Peter explains that whoever lacks these...Why Bible Translations are Different
Arguments regarding which version of the Bible is considered the best translation have been occurring for centuries. However, students may not understand that legitimate reasons exist, which explain the differences between Bible translations. By understanding and...The Pastor Theologian
The vision of the pastor theologian is to bridge the divide between the practice of ministry and the theory of academia by encouraging pastors to become adept theologians. Because systematic theology revolves around the concerns of the church, it is not unreasonable...Theological Research
From Topic to ThesisThe treatment of sources is the concept from the book From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research by Michael Kibbe that is of most interest to me. The concept has significant implications for my research as I move forward through the PhD...Define and Describe Discipleship
Define and Describe “Discipleship”Synthesize the readings from the Dempsey & Earley and Putman et al. textbooks and give 3 characteristics of a follower of Jesus Christ. Create your own definition of a follower of Jesus; use Scripture to support your...Stages of Discipleship
Stages of DiscipleshipIn your thread, analyze and summarize the 3 stages of discipleship. Give ideas and suggestions for each stage and discuss how you plan to develop and implement those ideas in your church ministry context.ResponseDiscipleship is a process, not an...Letters Found in The New Testament
Letters Found in The New TestamentQuestionWhat are the general characteristics of letters as they are found in the New Testament? How important for interpretation are the historical and literary contexts for these documents? Why did first century writers employ the...Acts as Theological History
Acts as Theological HistoryQuestionGive an explanation of the genre of the book of Acts as theological history. What are the implications for this particular genre on the interpretation of the book? How does the reader differentiate between the theology...Characteristics of Words
Characteristics of WordsQuestionList the 5 characteristics of words. Which one was new to you? Which one do you think is most important? Why? Define “connotative” and “denotative” meanings. What are the steps for performing a word study?...Historical-Cultural Background
Historical-Cultural BackgroundQuestionDefine the phrase “historical-cultural background.” What is the significance of this material in interpreting the Bible properly? Describe the process of “contextualization.” How would you explain...Grasping God’s Word
Grasping God’s WordQuestionUsing the 9 items to consider when reading sentences as listed in chapter 3 of Grasping God’s Word (i.e., repetition of words, contrasts, comparisons, lists, cause and effect, figures of speech, conjunctions, verbs, pronouns),...Presuppositions/Foundational Beliefs and Preunderstandings
Presuppositions/Foundational Beliefs and PreunderstandingsQuestion Offer a definition of the terms “presuppositions/foundational beliefs” and “preunderstandings.” How can we test these things to see if they are adequate or appropriate?...The History of Biblical Interpretation
Consider the history of biblical interpretation and choose 1 time period and 1 person whose method offers the most promise for attaining a clear interpretation of Scripture today. Be sure to identify the person and the method with special focus on how that method aids...Allegorical Methods
Allegorical Methods QuestionThroughout the history of the Bible, allegorical methods have been employed as a means to discover a “hidden meaning” in the text. Outline the use of allegorical approaches and discuss the benefits and pitfalls of utilizing...
Freedom: How Grace Transforms Your Life Now
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