In-depth study

droidBebe · Aug 15, 2011

what study aides and books are best to use for in-depth bible study?

I would like to know the relationship between knowing the original languages and being able to understand the meaning of Gods word within context as much as possible, understanding that there are things lost in translation.

I guess what I am saying is that i would like to learn how to do this for myself or begin to learn but i don't know what texts and study helps are best to use or how to use them.

would someone kindly point me in the right direction??

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me.

Incariol · Aug 15, 2011

droidBebe said:
what study aides and books are best to use for in-depth bible study?

I would like to know the relationship between knowing the original languages and being able to understand the meaning of Gods word within context as much as possible, understanding that there are things lost in translation.

I guess what I am saying is that i would like to learn how to do this for myself or begin to learn but i don't know what texts and study helps are best to use or how to use them.

would someone kindly point me in the right direction??

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me.

I would look for commentaries by the Church Fathers, the people of the early Church who lived in the cultural and linguistic context you are looking for.

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droidBebe · Aug 15, 2011

what about manuscripts and lexicons and concordances?? How do they work?

TravisD · Aug 15, 2011

droidBebe said:
what study aides and books are best to use for in-depth bible study?

I would like to know the relationship between knowing the original languages and being able to understand the meaning of Gods word within context as much as possible, understanding that there are things lost in translation.

I guess what I am saying is that i would like to learn how to do this for myself or begin to learn but i don't know what texts and study helps are best to use or how to use them.

would someone kindly point me in the right direction??

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me.

Concordances can be helpful if you are researching a particular word or topic. I also enjoy a good online parallel Bible(bible.cc). This allows you to reference scripture against several different bibles at once to help you see how things can be translated differently. It's amazing how one verse can take completely different meanings from adding or removing something as simple as an "a". (ex. John 1:1) John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

wayseer · Aug 15, 2011

droidBebe said:
what study aides and books are best to use for in-depth bible study?

I would like to know the relationship between knowing the original languages and being able to understand the meaning of Gods word within context as much as possible, understanding that there are things lost in translation.

I guess what I am saying is that i would like to learn how to do this for myself or begin to learn but i don't know what texts and study helps are best to use or how to use them.

would someone kindly point me in the right direction??

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me.

Good questions.

In respect of 'original language' it would take many years of study even to begin to understand the language of the extant copies. Even if you studied Greek you would still have to understand the Greek which underpins the extant copies - which is somewhat different to modern Greek. Perhaps it is better to allow the experts who have worked in this field to do the skilled work necessary. The translations we have today are excellent and while you can easily get into arguments over the issues involved it is best to leave to leave the field to those who know.

An idea is to get hold of a good software package - eSword or Accordance for instance - which have the ability to give you the Greek words is perhaps the best most of us can hope for.

If you are looking for the cultural context you might like to look at the work of Kenneth E. Bailey and Bruce J. Malina who look at the cultural aspect of first century Palestine.

Lexicons and concordances can be useful but I would urge you to get hold of a good dictionary - say the Anchor Bible Dictionary. Yes, as a 6 volume set bit is expensive but you can buy one volume at a time. If you know half of what is contained in this collection you will be ahead of most of us.

Mr Dave · Aug 15, 2011

Hi there

Mastering the languages could take a while, but this is a useful website which you can go through each verse (select the verse at the top right). It gives the English and the Hebrew/Greek, with the direct translation in the order it's written. You can click on each foreign word (the strong's column) for a slightly deeper look at the way the word is used. 1 Samuel 17:49 Hebrew Texts and Analysis

In the above example, if you click on the word for bag (the sling David used to slay Goliath) it will tell you that that word is usually translated as 'armour'. This is the word that is used throughout 1 Samuel for armour except the one instance when Saul offers his own armour to David, so you can see how this bag is already acting in a protective way that Saul's armour wouldn't have done.

A good study Bible helps as well, and if there are any points of interest relating to the language they will probably be mentioned. With those you also get notes of relations to other verses. I use one of these - The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Augmented Third Edition, New Revised Standard Version: Amazon.co.uk: Oxford University Press: Books

Unix · Aug 15, 2011

That is not a study-bible because it is liberal. If You want to study seriously You don't need to follow the mainstream and read the most popular translations (NRSV perhaps is). There are better Bible translations, for exampel REB and NABRE OT. It's not difficult to find a used REB, go to abebooks.com and input a search phrase in the title-field "Revised English Bible". Perhaps read Gospel of Matthew also from NJB (relies of codex Bezae, a western-type manuscript).
There aren't many relevant parallel Bibles to choose from, myself I haven't found more than one and it contains eight translations of the New Testament, for example JB
Avoid of course CEV and NLT
New Jewish Publication Society Tanakh might be also something to compare to
It think that the CPDV translation of Matthew 1-16 is also good

It quickly gets exensive

EDIT September 7th 2011, still waiting to get it home: I placed an order on these:
Amazon.com: Matthew 8 20 Hermeneia Series (Hermeneia: A Critical & Historical Commentary on the Bible) (9780800660345): Ulrich Luz, James E. Crouch: Books
http://www.updated.org/printing.shtml

Mr Dave said:
A good study Bible helps as well, and if there are any points of interest relating to the language they will probably be mentioned. With those you also get notes of relations to other verses. I use one of these - The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Augmented Third Edition, New Revised Standard Version: Amazon.co.uk: Oxford University Press: Books

Brenda Morgan · Aug 15, 2011

Strong's Concordance is the most important.

The New Englishman's Hebrew Concordance
The New Englishman's Greek Concordance

The Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words

The Interlinear NIV Hebrew English Old Testament
The Interlinear NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English

These are the books I use most often.

Of course I use online... BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 100 versions and 50 languages.

I have about 10 commentaries but every commentary has the prejudice of the authors.

droidBebe · Aug 15, 2011

I don't understand what's happening: I don't feel like reading my bible is fulfilling anymore. What's up w that?

I thought that maybe it meant I should study deeper?

Mr Dave · Aug 15, 2011

We all go through phases. Maybe you'll come out of it. I'll pray you do

Deeper study might help.

What are you reading at the moment, if you're doing all the Psalms. it might just be getting monotonous They're great obv, but all in one go isn't the same as Revelation is it

droidBebe · Aug 15, 2011

You've got a point there

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement!

razeontherock · Aug 15, 2011

I would point out that there are some posters here who do their own translations, and some that are native speakers of Greek. (Probably Hebrew, too) One that I know of is LLoJ - Little lamb of Jesus. Not an easy read, but if you're stuck on a chapter, the depth can help.

Good to see you back! How've you been?

droidBebe · Aug 15, 2011

razeontherock said:
Good to see you back! How've you been?

Thanks. I won't complain but I have been sad.

juvenissun · Aug 18, 2011

droidBebe said:
what study aides and books are best to use for in-depth bible study?

I would like to know the relationship between knowing the original languages and being able to understand the meaning of Gods word within context as much as possible, understanding that there are things lost in translation.

I guess what I am saying is that i would like to learn how to do this for myself or begin to learn but i don't know what texts and study helps are best to use or how to use them.

would someone kindly point me in the right direction??

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me.

The best study guide is the Holy Spirit.

What does this mean practically? That means YOU are your own teacher. Here is how to do it:

1. Read the Scripture.
2. If no question, then continue. (This step is very important. i.e. Clearly identify your question. If you don't have question, then don't bother to find any answer or read any references)
3. If question raised, then see if you can find answer to your question by searching Bible references (commentaries, dictionaries, lexicon, translations etc). A good online source is Biblos.com: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages . And there are many other good sites too.

That is it. It might be slow or very slow, but it is solid, effective and is the most useful way. According to my experience, you will never find any single book which satisfies your as the only study guide or reference.

droidBebe · Aug 18, 2011

juvenissun said:
The best study guide is the Holy Spirit.

What does this mean practically? That means YOU are your own teacher. Here is how to do it:

1. Read the Scripture.
2. If no question, then continue. (This step is very important. i.e. Clearly identify your question. If you don't have question, then don't bother to find any answer or read any references)
3. If question raised, then see if you can find answer to your question by searching Bible references (commentaries, dictionaries, lexicon, translations etc). A good online source is Biblos.com: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages . And there are many other good sites too.

That is it. It might be slow or very slow, but it is solid, effective and is the most useful way. According to my experience, you will never find any single book which satisfies your as the only study guide or reference.

Thanks!

**Confirmation!**

Unix · Aug 19, 2011

1 Thessalonian 5:6 confirms that Gospel of Matthew was allready written when 1 Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians. This read from My NABRE Oxford large print Bible parallel verse references

droidBebe · Aug 19, 2011

Thank you for so many suggestions and such eagerness to assist me in this matter.

Brenda Morgan · Aug 19, 2011

droidBebe said:
I don't understand what's happening: I don't feel like reading my bible is fulfilling anymore. What's up w that?

I thought that maybe it meant I should study deeper?

Start reading from Genesis onward as if it were a History book. It is a great story. Forget about the religious ideas. Read it as if you were an observer looking at another culture. I think you will enjoy it.

Brenda Morgan · Aug 19, 2011

Unix said:
1 Thessalonian 5:6 confirms that Gospel of Matthew was allready written when 1 Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians. This read from My NABRE Oxford large print Bible parallel verse references

Can you explain?

razeontherock · Aug 19, 2011

I would point out that this last idea isn't necessarily referring to what was written at that time, but at the least it must've been taught tot he audience Paul was addressing. (In Church, obviously)

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