- Ch. 1
- What makes the Bible easy to understand? What makes the Bible difficult to understand?
- Why do D&H compare this process with a journey? How is it like a journey?
- In what ways are we distant from the Biblical audience? How does the Old Testament increase that distance?
- What do D&H mean by an “intuitive/feels-right approach” and a “spiritualizing approach”? Do D&H agree with these approaches? Why or why not?
- What are the characteristics of the method that D&H will advocate? What is the goal of this method?
- State the ‘premise’ of the journey in your own words. What does this matter to how we should study the Bible?
- What functions as a bridge spanning the river between us and the original audience?
- Where does the journey start? Where does the journey end? Why do you think the journey takes place in this direction?
- Restate the first step in your own words. What question should you ask? How will you accomplish the first step? What should you be able to do as the result of the first step?
- Restate the second step in your own words. What question should you ask? What are you looking for in the second step? How does this help you grasp the passage and apply it to your own life situation?
- Restate the third step in your own words. What question should you ask? Would this task be better described as “creating the theological principle” or “describing the theological principle”? Why? How is step 3 different from step 2?
- Define “principlizing bridge” in your own words. What is the significance of this principle for bible study?
- Define “the parts-whole spiral” in your own words. What is the significance of this principle for Bible study?
- Restate each of the five criteria for formulating the theological principle in your own words.
- Restate the fourth step in your own words. What question should you ask?
- Is there only one possible life application for each passage? Why or why not?
- What can you learn about the interpretive journey and each of its steps from the Joshua example?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on D&H ch. 1
- Ch. 5
- Which context does this chapter discuss?
- How was the Ethiopian pageant different from a typical North American pageant? What principle does this illustrate?
- Define “preunderstanding” in your own words.
- Can a preunderstanding be correct? It is always a hindrance to accurate understanding? What is the danger to assuming that a preunderstanding is correct? How does that hinder understanding?
- What is the difference between “overstanding” and “understanding”? Which is not appropriate? Why? How can we protect ourselves from its dangers?
- How is familiarity a danger? How can its danger be overcome?
- How does culture impact our preunderstanding? Is this influence blatant or subtle? What is “cultural baggage”? What is “culture” from which we receive these influences? How does our culture influence our reading of Biblical passages? Is this influence more intentional or automatic on the part of the reader?
- What are the two ways that “interpretational reflex” affects our interpretation?
- How does the story of the American Revolution illustrate the concept of cultural preunderstandings coloring interpretations?
- How does D&H suggest we relate our preunderstandings to the text?
- Does D&H suggest that we should try to read the Bible from a completely objective standpoint, entirely free from presuppositions? Why or why not?
- What is the difference between preunderstandings and presuppositions, according to D&H?
- What are the presuppositions that D&H suggest we have about the Bible? Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Does D&H suggest that we have total objectivity? Why or why not? What type of objectivity does D&H suggest that we have? How can we achieve that type of objectivity?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on D&H ch. 5
- Ch. 9
- What is the difference between a translation and the publisher’s marketing format?
- What is the process by which the English Bible came to us from God?
- What do we learn about the Bible from John Stott’s definition?
- How was the Bible transmitted before the invention of the printing press? How many and how ancient are the copies we currently have? What is textual criticism and what does it help us to know?
- What English translations existed before 1611? What contributions did John Wycliffe and William Tyndale make?
- What translation appeared in 1611? What contribution has this translation made? What two drawbacks are there to using this translation today?
- What are the translations that have appeared since the KJV? What is their relation to the KJV? What is the purpose/goal of each translation? How does this purpose impact the translation style and resulting Bible?
- Explain each of the major approaches to translation in your own words? How are they different? What does each approach seek to accomplish and how?
- What does D&H mean by “source language”? What do they mean by “receptor language”?
- Restate each of D.A. Carson’s observations on language in your own words. What implications does each of these have for translation?
- Does D&H think that a more literal translation is necessarily more accurate? Why or why not? What is the relation between form and meaning?
- Define “formal approach” and “functional approach” in your own words. How are these two approaches different? How are they similar? What translations are examples of each of these approaches?
- What is a “paraphrase”? How does it differ from a translation? What are examples of paraphrases?
- Survey each of the translations of I Cor. 10:13. Try to pick out the differences in translation and the way each translation’s approach to form and function has colored the result.
- Restate each of D&H’s guidelines for choosing a translation in your own words.
- According to D&H, which is the “perfect translation”? Why?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on D&H ch. 9
- Ch. 2
- What does the story of the love letter tell you about the kind of reading that D&H is recommending? What makes the lovesick boy a good reader?
- How does one develop the skill of observing the Bible?
- Which is more important to observe, small parts of text or larger chunks of text (hint: trick question)?
- Describe each of the nine things to look for in sentences with your own words. What is the significance of each device? What kind of things are communicated using each device?
- According to D&H, what is the significance when a word is repeated?
- What can you tell about a word or concept when it is contrasted with another?
- How is contrast different from comparisons?
- What does D&H suggest you do when you encounter a list?
- What is a cause and effect relationship? What does it tell you?
- What is a figure of speech? What should you do when you encounter a figure of speech to help you understand what the author is trying to communicate?
- What functions do conjunctions perform in written communication? How can attention to conjunctions help you understand the Bible?
- Why are verbs important to observe? What function do they perform? What is the difference between an active and a passive verb? What is the significance for your understanding?
- What is an antecedent and what importance does it have in looking at pronouns?
- Does D&H suggest that these are the only things to observe in sentences or just examples to get you started? What is the main goal of observing the text according to this chapter?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on D&H ch. 2
- Ch. 6
- How does knowing the historical-cultural context of 2 Timothy help you understand what Paul wrote in chapter 4:6-8? What point does D&H draw from this example?
- What are the two major forms of context?
- What is the goal of this chapter, according to D&H?
- How did God choose to speak to us? What relevance does this have to the way we study the Bible? How does the interpretive journey correspond to the way in which God has spoken to us?
- Why does D&H suggest we bother to become familiar with the original historical-cultural context? What is the implication for our task as Bible students?
- Restate the “crucial interpretive principle” in your own words. Why is this important?
- What does D&H mean by the term “historical-cultural context”? What three things are highlighted in their definition?
- What are the things to observe about the author of a passage? How do they help you understand the passage? What is the most important thing to know about the Biblical writers?
- What are the things to observe about the first audience of a passage? How do they help you understand the passage?
- What are the things to observe about the other historical cultural elements? How do they help you understand the passage? What does D&H call “one of the most productive areas of background study”? Why?
- How does D&H respond to the suggestion that background studies are “tedious ways of making the Bible less relevant”?
- What is the first danger mentioned by D&H? Why is it dangerous? How can you protect yourself from this danger?
- What is the second danger mentioned by D&H? Why is it dangerous? How can you protect yourself from this danger?
- What is the final danger mentioned by D&H? Why is it dangerous? How can you protect yourself from this danger?
- What is the greatest danger mentioned by D&H? Why is it dangerous? How can you protect yourself from this danger?
- What are the two things necessary to identify the historical context?
- Briefly describe the nature of Bible handbooks, Old and New Testament Introductions and Surveys, and Commentaries. How do each of these help to understand the historical context of a Bible book?
- Briefly describe the nature of Bible Atlases, Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, Commentaries, Background Commentaries, Old and New Testament Histories, and Special Studies in Ancient Life and Culture. How do each of these help to understand the Historical-Cultural context of a specific passage?
- Does D&H think computer software is a valuable resource for study? Why or why not?
- Does D&H think the internet is a valuable resource for study? Why or why not?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on D&H ch. 6
- Ch. 3
- What does the story of the fish tell you about good Bible study and how it is done? How does a pencil help you observe?
- Describe each of the nine things to look for in paragraphs with your own words. What is the significance of each device? What kind of things are communicated using each device?
- How does recognizing a general-specific relationship help you to understand a passage? Can the order of general then specific be reversed?
- How do questions bring an argument forward? Are all questions explicitly answered?
- What kind of questions should you ask about a dialogue?
- What key words are signals of a purpose statement relationship? What do they tell us about the statements involved?
- How is the means related to an action? What does the means tell us about the action?
- What is the signal of a conditional clause? What are the two parts of a conditional relationship?
- Besides the actions/roles of people and the actions/roles of God, what other thing does D&H suggest we look for in this section?
- What does D&H suggest we gain by recognizing emotional language in the Bible? What does it tell us about God?
- What does D&H mean by the ‘tone’ of a passage? What kind of ‘tone’s does D&H give as examples?
- What kind of suggestions does D&H give for your own observations? Why does D&H suggest using a photocopy of the passage? Find the style that works best for you.
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 3
- Ch. 7
- What does D&H say is the “most important principle of Biblical interpretation”? Why?
- What are the two major kinds of context? What are the two types of literary context?
- Describe the meaning of “genre” in your own words. What kind of genres are found in the Bible? How is genre like a game? How can ignoring genre lead to misunderstanding?
- What is surrounding context? Why is it important for communicating and understanding meaning? What is the immediate context?
- What are the dangers of disregarding the literary context? Why is ignoring the surrounding context dangerous? How do the chapter and verse numbers contribute to the danger?
- What is the difference between expository preaching and topical preaching? Which approach carries the particular dangers described in this section? Why? How can a preacher protect against such dangers?
- D&H says, “The Bible is more than a collection of unrelated parts.” What is the point being made? What implications does this have for interpretation?
- What does D&H mean by “identify the surrounding context”? What questions does this help to answer? What are the benefits of doing so?
- Describe each of the three steps for finding the surrounding context in your own words.
- What kind of changes mark a transition in thought and signal a new section?
- What are the two things to notice when writing a summary of each section?
- Why is it important to relate a passage to the sections that come before and after?
- What does D&H say characterizes the most valid interpretation? What is the connection between this and “God’s liberating truth”?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 7
- Ch. 4
- What does D&H mean by the term “discourse”? How does it relate to the other units that you have learned to observe (in chs. 2-3)?
- What does the story of Sherlock Holmes illustrate about good Bible Study (Hint: The fact that Sherlock Holmes regularly used cocaine is not the answer!)?
- Describe each of the things to look for in discourses with your own words. What is the significance of each device? What kinds of things are communicated using each device?
- How does D&H’s discussion of the connection between paragraphs and episodes compare with the discussion on surrounding context? What kind of things that connect paragraphs and episodes should you look for?
- What do the two examples teach you about connections between paragraphs and episodes?
- Define “major break” and “pivot episode” in your own words. What is the function of each?
- What is “interchange”? What function does it serve in narratives? What should you do when you recognize interchange in a narrative?
- Define “chiasm”. Where in a chiasm would you look for the main item of emphasis?
- What does D&H suggest will happen if you bypass the careful reading step?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 4
- Ch. 8
- According to Gordon Fee, what is the aim of word study? How is this different from determining the meaning of words?
- Describe each of the Word study fallacies in your own words. How does each mistake occur? How can you protect yourself from making each mistake?
- What are the two dangers of only studying words in English translation without looking at the original language words used by the authors?
- Why is it illegitimate to think that a pineapple comes from a pine tree?
- Why is it illegitimate to compare God’s power with dynamite?
- How does the overload fallacy disregard the way that words are normally used?
- What is the difference between word and concept in the word-concept fallacy? How can you protect from this fallacy?
- How is the selective-evidence fallacy similar to the concept of “overstanding” discussed in ch. 5?
- What are the three steps of doing a word study?
- Describe the four guidelines for choosing words in your own language.
- Why do you need to determine what a word could mean before we decide what it does mean?
- Define “semantic range” in your own words.
- Why is it necessary to find the semantic range of the original language word, not just the English word used to translate it? Are these semantic ranges always the same? Do they overlap? What are the dangers to avoid?
- How can you use an exhaustive concordance to find the underlying Greek or Hebrew word and get a sense of how this word is translated?
- What is the rule in doing word studies that overrules all other rules?
- What can checking a word’s use in context add to your understanding more than merely knowing how the word is translated?
- How does the context help determine what the word means? What is the “circle of context” and how does it inform your word studies? Which context(s) should have greater influence on your choice of word meaning?
- Describe each of the questions (about determining word meanings from context) in your own words. How does each help deciding the specific meaning from the range of possible meanings?
- What can you learn about word studies from the Romans 12:1 example?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 8
- Ch. 10
- What is the “most important question” that D&H addresses in this chapter? Why does this question matter?
- What does the Wizard of Oz illustration tell you about the central issue of the chapter? Does this illustration imply that Frank Baum intended the story to be about the gold standard? How would we know? Does this illustration imply that we cannot know Baum’s intended meaning? Does this illustration imply that Baum’s intended meaning does not exist or matter?
- What is at the heart of the debate over meaning that has been happening in recent decades?
- Describe the “authorial intention” position in your own words. Describe the “reader-response” position in your own words. How are the two positions different?
- What is the difference between asking “what does the author mean?” and “what does this mean to me?” Which is the better question to ask of the Bible?
- What is the relation between these two approaches and the possibility of communication? Which of the two positions takes communication more seriously?
- Do you think D&H are right in insisting on an authorial intention position for texts such as stop signs and electric bills? Why or why not? What implications does this have for Bible study? How is this connected with our understanding of the nature of the Bible?
- Which of the two positions do D&H prefer for Bible study? Why?
- Restate the “most basic principles of our interpretive approach” in your own words. Why does this matter?
- Define “author” in your own words. Who is the author of the Bible? How does this impact our manner of Bible study?
- Define “meaning” and “application” in your own words. How are they related? How are they distinguished? How does each of these concepts fit in the interpretive journey? How does each of these concepts fit in your own activity of Bible study?
- According to D&H, what is the “meaning we seek to find in our Bible study”?
- Describe “signs” in your own words. What significance does this have for Bible study?
- How does context help us understand the author’s intended meaning of words?
- How does the limitation of language impact our approach to Bible study? Should the limitations of language force us to abandon the search for authorial intent? Why or why not?
- In light of this chapter, is D&H justified to insist on careful, diligent reading and observation? Why or why not?
- hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 10
- Ch. 11
- How is this chapter related to chapter 10? How would your approach to levels of meaning be different if you adapted the “authorial intent” position? How would your approach to levels of meaning be different if you adapted the “reader response” position?
- What does the story of the story of the college Bible study demonstrate (beside the fact that you are desperately looking for a date)? How does D&H evaluate the approach of the students? Are they following the interpretive journey? How would the interpretive journey help?
- What does D&H think about the dichotomy between “literal” and “spiritual” meanings? Why do they say this?
- Define “literary meaning” in your own words. How does it relate to the “spiritual meaning”?
- Define “Allegory” in your own words. Why did allegorical interpretation begin in the church? Do you think this was a good reason? Why or why not?
- Is “allegorical interpretation” the same thing as “allegory”? What is the difference?
- Does D&H think that allegorical interpretation is a valid approach to the Old Testament? Why or why not? How does D&H suggest we evaluate interpretations of Genesis 2? What does this tell us about Bible study?
- What do the connections between Christ and the tabernacle tell us about Bible study? What are the limits beyond which we cannot press the connection? How can we guard our interpretation against farfetched conjectures or even well-meaning guesses and connections that are not intended by the author?
- Define “typology” in your own words. How is it different from allegorical interpretation? What aspects of the tabernacle point forward to Jesus in a legitimate typological interpretation?
- What is D&H’s view of Bible codes? Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Describe Gematria and ELS codes in your own words. How are they different?
- Describe the general reasons against ELS being more than just coincidence.
- How does D&H answer the question about levels of meaning in the conclusion? Do you agree? Why or why not? Has your mind changed after having read this chapter? How and why?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 11
- Ch. 12
- How is this chapter related to all the chapters on methods, tools and observations? How is it related to the idea of authorial intent?
- Define the word “inspiration” in your own words. What does this tell us about the relationship between the Spirit and the Bible?
- Define “illumination” in your own words. How is it different from inspiration? What does it tell us about the relationship between the Bible and personal experience and tradition?
- How does D&H answer the question if people can grasp the Bible without the Spirit? Why is there more than one answer? What are the different types of ‘grasping’ that cause the need for different answers? In which areas does the Spirit predominately work? Do you agree with D&H’s response? Why or why not?
- According to D&H, what help can we expect from the Spirit in interpreting the Bible? How is point 1.a. related to point 1.b.? How is point 2.a. related to point 2.b.? How does point 3.a. related to point 3.b.? How do all these points apply to our activity of Bible study? Do you agree with D&H? Why or why not?
- Define “sanctification” in your own words. How does this relate to the Spirit’s work in our Bible reading? How does this relate to the “spiritual maturity” of the reader?
- What connection does D&H (and Paul) make between prayer, the work of the Spirit and understanding?
- What are the dangers of “over-intellectualizing” the act of Bible study? How can you avoid these dangers?
- What are the dangers of under-intellectualizing? How can you avoid these dangers?
- Hyperlink to practice quiz on ch. 12
- Ch. 13
- Does knowing the Bible automatically lead to life change? Why or why not?
- What is Jesus’ formula for loving Him in John 14:21?
- What is the difference between knowing how to apply a text and actually applying it? How can we overcome this difference?
- How is our application tied to the meaning of the text? How does the interpretive journey help us to make this connection?
- Describe each of the three substeps of Step 4 in your own words. What do you learn about each of these substeps from the Philippians 4:13 example?
- Why does D&H suggest asking what to think and what to do? Why do they include both mindset and action? Why is it important to apply the meaning in both of these areas?
- How does creating real world scenarios help to make the application specific?
- Define “contemporization” in your own words. Give an example of contemporization.
- What is the caution that D&H gives about real world scenarios and contemporization? What is the danger of ignoring this warning? How can we protect ourselves from this mistake?
- Hyperlink to Practice quiz on ch. 13