Discernment and Bible Study Tools

When was the last time you heard the word “discernment”?

When was the last time you used the word “discernment”?

We don’t often hear the word anymore. Part of the reason is the idea that discernment leaks into the arena of judging. And heaven forbid one Christian should “judge” the behavior or belief of another Christian. Right?

Your Tool Box

If you you’ve done any handy work around your house or in the garden, it doesn’t take long to realize having the right tool for the job saves time, money, and frustration. Trying to put two hundred screws in the deck floor with a screwdriver is futile. A power drill makes the job faster and easier. Digging a hole with a hand spade is hopeless if you’re preparing a hole large enough to plant a tree. A good long handle shovel, pick ax, and spade shovel are essential for the job.

The Challenge of the Text

We really enjoy our current Bible Study class, yet there are some things about our teacher’s approach to the text that often bewilder me.  More often than not, when working through a passage of scripture the emphasis is on word definition. This approach can be beneficial when it comes to understanding the nuance of a word that may seem common to us but in its original language may have had more substance to it. This can be helpful as we allow the word to come alive in our reading.    However, definition may not be the key to unlocking the truth of scripture but how a word is parsed.  In other words, it’s not so much the word that gives meaning, it is the structure of the word.

Parsing is a technique not commonly used and consequently we may miss many of the great truths of scripture. Unfortunately, to parse a word or to find a words “structure” it requires an original text translation (Greek or Hebrew) that also provides the parsing elements. This may seem more challenging than it is.  A simple and FREE program like E-Sword makes these readily available even though one will need to learn the parsing symbols and what they mean. That too is rather easy to do.

Here’s a simple illustration of what I mean and how a words structure carries a great deal of weight.

In John 15 Jesus talks about being the vine and, as the branches, we are to “abide” in him. The word abide is an interesting word in and of itself, meaning to stay, abide or remain. However, its use in the text is not just a matter that I “abide in him.” The structure of the word, as a present active participle means that we bear fruit because we are abiding in him. Thus showing the true intent of the verse. It is not that we simply abide as though it is a one time thing, but that we keep abiding in him and because as we do, we bear fruit. No abiding, no fruit and the text is pretty clear about what happens to branches that don’t bear fruit. That’s powerful stuff.

Too often we color the text with our own theological hues or predisposed understanding of what the text should say. A dangerous trap to both a weak, but perhaps popular, interpretation of the text and an even weaker, but perhaps popular, understanding of God. Letting the text have its own integrity is essential to an accurate understanding of scripture. As good students of the Word it is imperative that we give the text its due. We cannot do verbal gymnastics and expect to uncover the true power of the text.

There are a variety of approaches when it comes to breaking down the text of Scripture in order to determine meaning AND application.  Of course, one’s theory of inspiration can color interpretation and often supersedes the text itself. Nevertheless,  the challenge of “rightly dividing the Word of truth,” is ever before us. It is imperative that we are good stewards of that responsibility. Whether we are “casual” readers or serious “students” of the text.

Browsing Translations

Recently, for reasons mostly related  to work, I installed the new Windows 7 OS on both my laptop and desktop. For all intents and purposes things went smoothly on both. However, there were some problems on my laptop that were very frustrating but resolved to a large degree.  Each unit experienced difficulty with a reinstall of Security software. Those issues were also resolved with a bit of perseverance and a bit of technical assistance from the manufacturer.  While working on some of the issues with my laptop, a tech friend pointed me to a couple of different web browsers other than Windows Internet Explorer.  One was Google Chrome and the other was Opera.  Of course, I wanted to try them both and found each to be much faster and more efficient than IE. Each have features I like and some I don’t like. I’m not sure whether that’s because I have been accustomed to IE over the years or my learning curve is much longer than it use to be. Either way, it’s been interesting learning my way around these other programs.

Over the years I’ve also found myself experiencing different translations of the Bible. I’m never quite certain why there are so many biblical translations, even “eco-friendly” versions. Some are done for politically correct reasons – neutral language and the like, and others are done simply because they have a different theological viewpoint to promote Currently I use the Reformation Study Bible which is an ESV version. Prior to that, I used The New Oxford Annotated Bible NRSV, that one has probably been my favorite. Prior to that it was the New American Standard, before that the NIV, and prior to that the RSV and the of course there was the infamous King James Bible. Heck, even some of them were “red letter” Bibles. It’s always good to know when Jesus is talking and when he’s not. 🙂

I suppose each translation served to reflect a particular era in my theological journey. Some were chosen because they were the “in” translation at the College or Seminary I was attending. Some because is what my professors used or my pastor used. Others, I selected simply because I liked them.  My wife uses the New Living Translation and she likes it a lot. Me, not so much.  I’ve also used different translations in my study – but most of those are electronic versions all the way down to the Good News Bible.

Some people I know have used the same translation – sometimes the same Bible – all their lives. I’m not sure I would like that. It certainly prevents wrestling with different nuances of translation, but it does not necessarily serve to open the mind to new thoughts and ideas.

I’ve about run the course with the Reformation Study Bible and plan to move back to the NRSV. Not that I do not like the ESV translation, heck, I even have the behemoth ESV Study Bible sitting on my desk. Rather, I believe out of all of them I still prefer the scholarship of the NRSV.  Plus, I prefer more neutral notes in my study bible rather than notes with an obvious theological underpinning as in the Reformation Study Bible.

New things are good. Trying new things can open our mind and challenge us to learn and stretch our imagination.  But there is something about the familiar that beckons us to return. Perhaps, after a few weeks and months playing around with Opera or Google Chrome, I may find myself back at the familiar Internet Explorer. Until then, I’ll enjoy the experience of new things and see if I can master them to some degree.

Things to Share

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Post #2

From time to time there are just some things you must share with others. In this event, it is Bible study tools and web sites that might provide benefits to your study and growth as a follower of Christ.

What spurred this thinking again was my Pastor’s recommendation of a Bible study software program that he called “amazing.”  It indeed is amazing and rather expensive. Nevertheless, nosey me, decided to check it out and see what it offered. This lead me on a comparison search of other Bible software programs in the marketplace. Looking at, comparing, and reading reviews for many of the programs out there, I actually decided to stay with my freebie. It offers much of what some of the more expensive programs offer and not a lot of stuff I would probably never use. Plus, I can add modules as they become available – some free and some require a purchase.

Therefore — What’s the there for? — I decided to share a bit of what I found.

What my Pastor recommended was the Bible Scholar from LOGOS Bible Software.  There are several different versions of their software available with varying content and pricing. The nice thing is, you can start small and then build your electronic library as funds allow. One caution – these sources us a proprietary reader. As long as that software is supported you are in good stead. If not, well…..

WORDsearch also offers a variety of programs at different price points. They do have a program called “Bible Explorer” that you can download for free. If has several features that, if you do not have a Bible software program, may be attractive to you.  (I found it cumbersome to use and not as intuitive as my E-Sword software.)  This software also uses a proprietary reader called STEP. Same goes here as with the LOGOS series.

If you are into the original languages and like a more in-depth  and scholarly approach to that type of study, try BibleWorks. According to my PhD pursuing son in-law, that is what most of the graduate students prefer and use.

Now, if you’re like me and like free…there are several options. Some you download and others you use on-line.  My favorite is E-Sword. They offer an extensive array of Bibles, Commentaries, Dictionaries, Word Study aides, and more – much of it free.  I’ve used it for about a year and enjoy it a lot. My son in-law uses the “pocket version” designed for PDAs and similar devices.    Now as with many free programs donations are what keep these guys in business and allow additional programs to be offered. So I make sure I support them.

In addition, there are many web sites that you can visit to access different translations and resources.  Here are just a few that I have visited;  www.biblegateway.com, www.bible.org, www.lifeway.com, and www.studylight.org    You may find these or others useful and that’s great.

If you are serious about Bible study and if you teach or lead a small group, these tools can be very helpful. Plus, they don’t take up room on your bookshelf!

Find what works for you and enjoy the benefits of high-speed study.