June 2023 Reflections
What’s coming next on the podcast? Galatians (13 weeks) plus a deep dive into the Fruit of the Spirit (12 weeks). The podcast will return later this summer. Stay tuned for details.
How to Interpret the Bible
After you’ve done your observation, word studies, outlining and answered the questions you generated, it’s time to start putting it all together. In this step, you want to collect, refine and organize all those details you observed into a coherent meaning. Observation primarily focuses on the questions: “what does it say and how do I know?” Interpretation focuses on the questions: “what does it mean and how do I know?”
Bible Maps
After investing in a few good translations, the next tool I recommend to improve your Bible Study is a good collection of maps. While most study Bibles have some maps in the back, serious study requires access to more detailed geographical information about Palestine and the ancient near east.
How NOT to interpret the Bible
https://wednesdayintheword.com/how-not-to-interpret-the-bible-dont-think-twice/
How is the Old Testament organized?
In the Christian Bible, the Old Testament is divided into 4 main parts based on genre. Within each genre, books are organized by author, chronology and size.
May 2023 Reflections
What did you learn from Thessalonians? I’d love to hear your from you.
Study Break
The podcast is on break for some much needed study time before we start a new series.
Early Church Heresies
While not a complete list of early church heresies, these groups are the ones that the New Testament authors seem to write against and respond to most often
11 How to Handle Idleness, Work, and Generosity (2 Thessalonians 3:1-18)
Paul closes with with three directives regarding work: 1) follow Paul’s example of being willing to support himself; 2) work to meet your own needs; and 3) stop enabling those who won’t work.
10 Who is The Lawless One? (2 Thessalonians 2:1-17)
Paul reassures the Thessalonians that Christ has not returned because certain events must happen first. But they can take comfort that Christ will return to bring both justice and salvation for those who believe.
09 Handling Suffering: Encouragement for Weary Believers (2 Thessalonians 1:1-12)
Paul encourages a suffering church by reminding them of the certainty of God’s justice and judgment. One day their suffering will end. But more importantly their faithful response through suffering is evidence that they will inherit a place in the kingdom of God.
April 2023 Reflections
We finished 1Thessalonians in April and will start 2Thessalonians in May. I will finally teach a passage I’ve avoided for a long time: Paul’s discussion of the end times in chapter 2. It will be interesting!
About the Author
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.