Discipleship Lesson #13

Concerning Prayer

“One of the foundational steps in knowing God, and one of the basic demonstrations that we do know
God, is prayer—spiritual, persistent, biblically minded prayer. Writing a century and a half ago, Robert
Murray M’Cheyne declared, ‘What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is, and no more.’”
(D.A. Carson)

THE PARTICIPANTS IN PRAYER

Concerning the topic of prayer, how is God described? (Psalm 65:1-2) ___________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

On the human side, what must exist if God is to respond? (Luke 11:11-13) ________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

According to Romans 8:26-27, what role does the Holy Spirit play in the believer’s prayer life? ________
_______________________________________________________________ Read also Ephesians 6:18.

THE PREREQUISITES FOR PRAYER

What is one important precondition to prayer that was understood by the psalmist? (Psalm 66:17-20) _
_____________________________________________________________________________________

If you are married, what does 1 Peter 3:7 say about the connection between your marriage and your
prayer life? ___________________________________________________________________________

What is another aspect of successful prayer? (Hebrews 11:6) ___________________________________

What does the parable told by Jesus in Luke 18:1-5 teach about prayer that impresses God? _________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What type of prayer does not impress God? (Matthew 6:5-8) __________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What overriding quality should characterize our prayer life? (Philippians 4:4-7) ____________________

THE PATTERN FOR PRAYER. Jesus’ habitual prayer life created a desire within the disciples to develop
this aspect of their relationship with God. Using the Lord’s Prayer as a model (Luke 11:1-4), we will
identity five ingredients of effective prayer:
P (11:2a)
P (11:2b)
P (11:3)
P (11:4a)
P (11:4b)

PRACTICAL PRAYER PRINCIPLES

(1) Quiet time is the situation that works best for you; (2) Give your best time to prayer; (3) Adopt
practical ways to impede mental drift; (4) Prepare yourself for prayer; (5) Frequency and fervency is more
important than length.
 Discipleship Lesson #14
Concerning Possessions

“Sixteen out of thirty-eight of Christ’s parables deal with money; more is said in the New Testament
about money than heaven and hell combined; five times more is said about money than prayer; and
while there are five hundred plus verses on both prayer and faith, there are over two thousand verses
dealing with money and possessions. Obviously, the Bible has much to say about money management.”
(John MacArthur)

THE PURPOSE FOR POSSESSIONS

Read Matthew 25:14-30. While the parable deals with Christ’s return, list some biblical principles for
money management found in the passage. _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What did Jesus say was the purpose for God giving us material possessions? (Luke 16:10-13) ________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE PERSPECTIVE ON POSSESSION

What does Proverbs 22:7 have to say about the dangers of debt? _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Christian financial advisor Ron Blue on debt: (1) Debt is never the real problem; it is only symptomatic of
the real problem (greed, impatience, loneliness, immaturity, etc); (2) Debt becomes a trap—getting in
takes no effort, but getting out can be next to impossible; (3) Debt always mortgages the future; (4)
Borrowing may deny God an opportunity to work; (5) Not repaying debt is not an option for the
Christian; read Psalm 37:21.

What did Jesus have to say about our perspective on material possessions in the Sermon on the Mount,
found in Matthew 6:19-24? ______________________________________________________________

Read Luke 12:13-21. While the Bible does not condemn financial prosperity, what warnings did Jesus
give to keep possessions in their proper perspective? _________________________________________

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-10. First, what did Paul tell Timothy about the biblical perspective on money? ____
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Then, list the dangers that are inherent to the pursuit of possession. _____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE PRACTICE OF STEWARDSHIP. What is your reaction to Ron Blue’s statement, “every spending
decision is a spiritual decision? ___________________________________________________________

Look up the following passages and write out the biblical principle for giving.
Proverbs 3:9-10 _______________________________________________________________________
Matthew 6:1-4 ________________________________________________________________________
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 ___________________________________________________________________
2 Corinthians 8:1-2 ____________________________________________________________________
2 Corinthians 8:3-5 ____________________________________________________________________
2 Corinthians 9:7-8 ____________________________________________________________________
 Discipleship Lesson #15
Concerning the Tongue

“The boneless tongue, so small and weak, can crush and kill,” declares the Greek.
“The tongue destroys a greater horde,” the Turk asserts, “than does the sword.”
A Persian proverb wisely saith, “A lengthy tongue—an early death!”
Or sometimes takes this form instead, “Don't let your tongue cut off your head.”
“The tongue can speak a word whose speed,” the Chinese say, “outstrips the steed.”
While Arab sages says in part, “The tongue's great storehouse is the heart.”
From Hebrew wit this maxim sprung, “Though feet should slip, ne'er let the tongue.”
The sacred writer crowns the whole, “Who keeps his tongue doth keep his soul!”

THE OLD TESTAMENT ON THE TONGUE

Read Psalm 34:11-13. Concerning the tongue, what does the psalmist advise his children they must do
to enjoy a good life? ____________________________________________________________________

What does the psalmist pray God would do for him in regards to his tongue? (Psalm 141:3) __________
__________________________________________________________ Also read Psalm 19:14 and 39:1.

Read Proverbs 26:18-28 and list some of the sins that are committed by the tongue. ________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What are some of the positive things the tongue can accomplish? (Proverbs 25:11, 15) ______________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE NEW TESTAMENT ON THE TONGUE

My father used to say that if you look in the mirror, you will see that you have two ears and one mouth.
Commonsense tells you to listen twice as much as you talk. Read James 1:19 that supports this truth.

What does the use of your tongue reveal about your faith? (James 1:26) _________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Read James 3:1-12. What does James have to say about the individual who can control his tongue? ___
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What illustrations does James use to portray the great impact the little tongue makes? ______________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What does James have to say about the inconsistency of the tongue? ____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What does Paul have to say about the positive use of the tongue? (Ephesians 4:25) _________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Then, what does he have to say about the misuse of the tongue? (Ephesians 4:29) _________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
 Discipleship Lesson #16
Concerning the Fruit of the Spirit

“The fruit of the Spirit suggests that which is a natural product of the Spirit rather than of man, made
possible by the living relationship between the Christian and God. The singular form stresses that these
qualities are a unity, like a bunch of grapes instead of separate pieces of fruit, and also that they are all
to be found in all Christians.” (Boice)

NOTE: The nine virtues fall into three categories: (1) habits of the Christian mind that find their source in
God; (2) the believer’s relationship with other people; and (3) the personal conduct of the believer.

LOVE – is a sacrificial action, and an eventual attitude, that puts the interests of others first. Who sets
the standard for our demonstration of love? (1 John 4:7-12) _____________ Read 1 Corinthians 13 for
some of the biblical characteristics of love. How can you fulfill the love command of Matthew 5:43-48?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

JOY – is a quality that is derived from God that characterizes the Christian life here-an-now, and
anticipates heaven. What does joy come from? (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6) __________________________
Even though Paul wrote Philippians from prison, joy is the theme of the letter. How does joy fit into the
Christian life? (4:4-6) ___________________________________________________________________

PEACE – is a divine tranquility that results from a harmonious relationship with God, and then with
others. What is the difference between “peace with God” (Romans 5:1) and the “peace of God”
(Philippians 4:6-7) _____________________________________________________________________

PATIENCE – is a quality of self-restraint under difficult circumstances; the opposite of anger. How does
God demonstrate patience with us? (Romans 2:4) ___________________________________________
How does the believer develop patience? (Colossians 3:12-14) _________________________________

KINDNESS – is a sympathetic nature, a disposition to be helpful, a desire to give pleasure or relief. How
is kindness to be demonstrated by believers? (Colossians 3:12-14) ______________________________

GOODNESS – is an uprightness of soul and an action reaching out to do good, even when it is not
deserved. Read the Parable of the Good Samaritan as an illustration of goodness (Luke 10:25-37).

FAITHFULNESS – is the trait that makes a person one on whom others can rely, hence, trustworthy. How
does God demonstrate His faithful? (1 Corinthians 10:13) _________________________________
How can the believer demonstrate his faithfulness? (1 Corinthians 4:1-2) _________________________

GENTLENESS – means a mild and gentle friendliness, and is the opposite of being rough and bad-
tempered. Read 1 Timothy 6:11-12. How does the command to be gentle not contradict the image of a
Christian soldier? ______________________________________________________________________

SELF-CONTROL – is the mastery of self, the exercise of self-restraint, especially in sexual matters. The
opposite is self-indulgence, and the “acts of the sinful nature” as listed in Galatians 5:19-21. What is the
illustration of a life that lacks self-control? (Proverbs 25:28) ____________________________________
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-4 that describes our self-indulgent world.
 Discipleship Lesson #17
Concerning the Christian Home

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
 
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
(Solomon, Psalm 127:1-2)

THE HUSBAND/WIFE RELATIONSHIP

Read the narrative of Genesis 2:18-25. Why did God create Eve and bring her to Adam? ____________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What caused Adam and Eve’s first argument? (Genesis 3:1-13) _________________________________

As the spiritual leader of the home, what does Paul say is the husband’s responsibility toward his wife?
(Ephesians 5:25-33) ____________________________________________________________________
What is the wife’s responsibility to her husband? (Ephesians 5:22-24) ____________________________

According to Peter, what are the negative consequences of not fulfilling your God-given responsibility
toward your wife? (1 Peter 3:7) __________________________________________________________

List some of the characteristics of a godly wife in the acrostic poem found in Proverbs 31:10-31. ______
_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE PARENT/CHILD RELATIONSHIP

How are Christian parents to view their children? (Psalm 127:3-5) _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

How can parents impress on their children the reality of God? (Deuteronomy 6:1-9) ________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What are parents not to do to their children? (Ephesians 6:4) __________________________________

What are parents to do positively for their children? __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ Also read Proverbs 22:6.

Read the narrative of 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25. How did Eli fail as a parent? ______________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How does the narrative apply to your family situation? ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What is the child’s obligation to his parents? (Ephesians 6:1-3) _________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
 Discipleship Lesson #18
Concerning the Temptation

Legend tells the story of an Indian that climbed to the top of a mountain. When he reached the summit,
he saw a snake which spoke to him. “I’m’ about to die. I am freezing and starving. Wrap me under your
shirt and take me down to the valley.” “No,” said the Indian. “I know your kind. If I pick you up, you will
bite me and I will die.” “No,” said the snake. “If you do this for me, I’ll not hurt you.” At last the Indian
gave in and tucked it under his shirt. Upon reaching the valley, he removed the rattler and laid it on the
warm ground. Whereupon the snake coiled and planted its deadly fangs in his leg. “But you promised,”
said the Indian as the venom entered his bloodstream. “You knew what I was when you picked me up,”
said the serpent, slithering away.

THE SOURCES OF TEMPTATION. We often hear the expression, “The devil made me do it.”

Read James 1:13-15. What is one primary source for temptation? ______________________________

What is another source of temptation for believers? (Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; 1
Thessalonians 3:1-5) ___________________________________________________________________

THE STEPS OF TEMPTATION. James describes the process of temptation with the illustration of a
fisherman. Reread James 1:13-15 and write out the biblical expressions that match the fourfold process.

Attraction – ___________________________________________________________________________
Seduction – ___________________________________________________________________________
Conception – __________________________________________________________________________
Reproduction – ________________________________________________________________________

CASE STUDIES OF TEMPTATION. Noting the fourfold process of temptation outlined above, examine
three biblical case studies that illustrate this process and write out your observations.

Eve (Genesis 3:1-6). ____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Achan (Joshua 7). ______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

David (2 Samuel 11:1-5). ________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

RESOURCES FOR TEMPTATION. God gives believers several resources to deal with temptation. Read the
following passages and write out the principle.

Luke 4:1-13 ___________________________________________________________________________

Romans 13:11-14 ______________________________________________________________________
1 Corinthians 10:13 ____________________________________________________________________
Ephesians 6:10-18 ______________________________________________________________________
Colossians 3:1-5 _______________________________________________________________________
1 Timothy 6:6-10 ______________________________________________________________________
 Discipleship Lesson #19
Concerning Convictions

“The church was never meant to be a cozy club of like-minded people of one race or social position or
intellectual caliber. Christians are not clones, identical in all respects. But this very variety puts strains on
us all. How are we to coexist within one church? There are bound to be tensions in the Christian society,
and this part of Romans shows that those tensions have been there from the first. It is easier to put our
trust in Christ for salvation than to solve the hard problems that confront us when we try to live out the
implications of our faith in a society that is not Christian. Paul gives us advice as to how we are to live
with others who love the Lord but who do not see what we are doing as the ideal way of living out the
Christian faith.” (Leon Morris)

INTRODUCTION. There are many areas of the Christian life the Bible clearly addresses with prohibitions
and directions. But what about all those areas of contemporary life the Bible did not address? How are
personal convictions developed using biblical principles when the direct prohibition is not given? The
apostle Paul lays out four guidelines to help the believer develop personal convictions.

BACKGROUND. Before we examine Paul’s discussion on the topic of Christian liberty, the modern
believer needs to understand the cultural/religious issues that divided believers in the first century.
Jewish believers who responded to the Gospel brought their devotion to the Mosaic Law with its dietary
and religious regulations into the Church. Later, when Gentiles started responding to the Gospel, their
general ignorance of the Mosaic code created real problems for Jewish believers. The two key areas of
conflict were meats offered to idols and the observance of religious days.

GUIDELINE #1. Read 1 Corinthians 10:23. What initial principle does Paul lay out? _________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

How does Philippians 1:9-10 elaborate on this first guideline? __________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

GUIDELINE #2. Read 1 Corinthians 6:12. What additional principle does Paul state here? ___________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

In addition to obvious sin, what else should the believer be concerned about? (Hebrews 12:1) ________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

GUIDELINE #3. While the first two guidelines focus on the individual believer, who is the focus of this
guideline? (1 Corinthians 8:4-13) _________________________________________________________
Look at the guideline again by reading Romans 14:13-23.

GUIDELINE #4. What ultimate principle should guide the believer’s decisions? (1 Corinthians 10:31) ___
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Whose reputation is at stake as believers live out their lives? (Romans 15:1-6; Matthew 5:16) ________

Read Romans 14:5. When it comes to developing personal convictions, what should be the overriding
guideline? ____________________________________________________________________________

Discipleship Lesson #20

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

“No local congregation will be what it should be, what Jesus prayed that it would be, what the Holy Spirit
gifted it and empowered it to be, until it understands spiritual gifts.” (John MacArthur)

THE RECIPIENTS OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-7. According to the apostle Paul, who are the recipients of spiritual gifts? ____
_____________________________________________________________________________________

According to the above passage, and 1 Peter 4:10, why are spiritual gifts given to believers? __________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS. There are three key passages where some of the spiritual gifts are listed. Read
them and list the spiritual gifts.

Romans 12:3-8 ________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Ephesians 4:11-12 _____________________________________________________________________

WARNINGS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS. C. Peter Wagner has a helpful chapter on what spiritual gifts are
not. Because there can be confusion over spiritual gifts, he lists four areas that need attention.

1. Don’t confuse spiritual gifts with natural talents. Spiritual gifts are reserved exclusively for
believers. Non-believers also have natural talents, but they cannot be used to serve God.
Spiritual gifts and natural talents may have a discernible relationship, because in many cases God
takes a natural talent and transforms it into a spiritual gift at conversion.
2. Don’t confuse spiritual gifts with the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is not discovered as are the gifts.
Fruit is developed as the believer grows in the Christian life. Spiritual gifts define what a believer
does, while the fruit of the Spirit defines what a Christian is.
3. Don’t confuse spiritual gifts with Christian roles. For example, in my role as a pastor I may be
required to do certain tasks that I am not spiritually gifted to do. All Christians are required to
share their faith, but they may not have the gift of evangelism.
4. Don’t confuse spiritual gifts with counterfeit gifts. Just like Pharaoh’s magicians could reproduce
some miracles, Satan has the capacity to counterfeit some of God’s spiritual gifts.

FINDING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

1. Study the Bible. Learn your church’s position on gifts. Read extensively.
2. Experiment with as many gifts as possible. Look around your church and see what are the needs
and then try to meet those needs. Try new opportunities to see if that is where you are gifted.
3. Examine your feelings. You will find God’s calling through your gift with a “Eureka feeling.”
4. Evaluate your effectiveness. If God has gifted you in a certain area, you should expect results.

Discipleship Lesson #21

Concerning Evangelism

“Evangelism is expressing what I possess in Christ and explaining how I came to possess it. In the truest
sense, evangelism is displaying the universals of God’s character – His love, His righteousness, His justice,
and His faithfulness – through the particulars of my everyday life. Therefore, evangelism is not a ‘special’
activity to be undertaken at a prescribed time. It is the constant and spontaneous outflow of our
individual and corporate experience of Christ.” (Joseph Aldrich)

THE CONTEXT OF THE GOSPEL

The term “gospel” comes from the Greek (euangelion) and it means the “good news” about
Jesus Christ. Read Romans 1:14-17 and describe the elements of this good news. __________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. According to the apostle Paul, what truths constitute the gospel, the “good
news” about Jesus Christ? _______________________________________________________________

THE CONTACT OF THE GOSPEL

According to Jesus, how will the world realize its need of him? (Matthew 5:13-16) _________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

The believer who is serious about living out his faith will soon realize he is an alien living in a foreign
land. How can you resist the temptation to live an isolated life, while resisting the world’s sin? (John
17:13-19) ____________________________________________________________________________

What was Paul’s strategy for effectively sharing the gospel with as many people as possible? (1
Corinthians 9:19-23) ___________________________________________________________________

An evangelism strategy for sowing the Word is called “raising the flag.” It is a natural way of letting
others know you are a Christian without preaching at them. Think of some examples of this strategy. __
_____________________________________________________________________________________

A second strategy is called “the faith story” which is a time in your life when a biblical truth made an
impact on your life. Give an example of this strategy. _________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Read the narrative found in Mark 5:1-20. What is the starting point for sharing your faith? __________
_________________________________________________________________ Also read 1 Peter 3:15.

THE CONTENT OF THE GOSPEL. Look up the “Romans Road” and list the biblical truths that constitute
the plan of salvation. Also read Ephesians 2:1-10.

Romans 3:10-12, 23 ____________________________________________________________________

Romans 6:23 _________________________________________________________________________
Romans 5:8 __________________________________________________________________________
Romans 10:9-10 _______________________________________________________________________

Discipleship Lesson #22

Concerning Worship

“Worship matters. It matters to God because he is the one ultimately worthy of all worship. It matters to
us because worshiping God is the reason for which we were created.” He goes on to observe, “Each of us
has a battle raging within us over what we love most, God or something else.” (Bob Kauflin)

THE PURPOSE FOR WORSHIP

According to Job 38:4-7, what was the first instance of worship recorded in Scripture, and why? ______
_____________________________________________________________________________________

According to Revelation 4:9-11 and 5:11-14, what is the final scene of worship in the Bible? __________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Peter Leithart writes, “It is a fundamental truth of Scripture that we become like whatever or whomever
we worship.” Read Psalm 115:1-8 and state how the psalmist agreed with this assessment. __________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

The basic definition of “worship” is the “worthship” of the person or thing that is reverenced. For the
Christian, God is the only one who is truly worthy of our worship. So, the goal of corporate worship is to
highlight the worthiness of God in our adoration and to demonstrate the danger of worshiping
alternative gods. What did Paul write in Romans 1:21-25 that would support this statement? ________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

According to Psalm 133, what two priceless things did the psalmist compare the gathering of the twelve
tribes of Israel in Jerusalem to worship God? ________________________________________________

According to Hebrews 10:19-25, what is one of the outcomes of regular corporate worship for the New
Testament church? ____________________________________________________________________

THE PRACTICE OF WORSHIP

According to Ephesians 5:18-21, what elements went into corporate worship for the early church? ____
_____________________________________________________________ Also read Colossians 3:15-17.

D.A. Carson advises, “If you wish to deepen the worship of the people of God, above all deepen their
grasp of his ineffable (beyond words) majesty in his person and in all his works.” Bob Kauflin agrees,
“The better we know God through his Word, the more genuine our worship will be.” How does Paul’s
advice in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 support this? ____________________________________________________

The theologian D.A. Carson writes, “What ought to make worship delightful to us is not, in the first
instance, its novelty or its aesthetic beauty, but its object: God himself is delightfully wonderful, and we
learn to delight in him.” With this thought in mind, what practical steps could you take to prepare
yourself to have a more meaningful worship experience on Sunday? _____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Discipleship Lesson #23

Concerning Suffering

“I believe Christians walk a mental tightrope and are in constant danger of falling in one of two
directions. On this subject, errors in thinking can have tragic results. The first error comes when we
attribute all suffering to God, seeing it as his punishment for human mistakes; the second error does just
the opposite, assuming that life with God will never include suffering.” (Philip Yancey)

THE REASONS FOR SUFFERING

Read the narrative of Job 1-2. What is your reaction to the contest God initiated with Satan that resulted
in the suffering of Job, a righteous man? ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
According to Eliphaz in Job 4:1-8, what was the cause of Job’s suffering? _________________________

Read Psalm 38 which is a lament. What was the cause of the psalmist’s suffering, and also the cure?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What was Joseph’s perspective on human suffering and God’s purpose for one’s life? (Genesis 50:15-21)
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What intensified the psalmist’s suffering in Psalm 13? ________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________ Also read Psalm 22:1-2.

THE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH SUFFERING

How does the sufferings of Christ help the believer deal with personal suffering? (1 Peter 2:18-25) ____
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Also read Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Philippians 1:27-30.

What do you think the apostle Paul meant when he wrote in Colossians 1:24 “Now I rejoice in my
sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of
his body, that is, the church”? ____________________________________________________________

If you are suffering because of your faith, what is the apostle Peter’s advice to you? (1 Peter 3:13-17) __
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What resources does Peter remind the believer that he has to deal with suffering? (1 Peter 5:6-11) ____
_____________________________________________________________________________________

To understand how God can allow suffering in the lives of His children and still be loving, I recommend
the following books. “Through Gates of Splendor” by Elizabeth Elliot. “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten
Boom. Books by Joni Eareckson Tada. The Book of Job. “Disappointment with God” by Philip Yancey is
somewhat a commentary on the Book of Job in response to another person’s trial. In these books you
will learn about believers whose faith was deepened because they went through periods of extended
suffering and found God still to be good.

Discipleship Lesson #24

Concerning Hermeneutics

“Hermeneutics is both a science and an art. As a science, it enunciates principles, investigates the laws of
thought and language, and classifies its facts and results. As an art, it teaches what application these
principles should have, and establishes their soundness by showing their practical value in the elucidation
of the more difficult scriptures. The hermeneutical art thus cultivates and establishes a valid exegetical
procedure.” (Milton Terry)

IMPORTANCE

Biblical interpretation is important because it is essential for understanding and teaching the Bible
properly. There are three steps in Bible study. Observation asks “What does it say?” Interpretation asks
“What does it mean?, that is, What did it mean back there and then? Application asks “How does it
apply to me?” or “What does it mean here and now?”

Observation of biblical passages should be done systematically. Martin Luther said he studied the Bible
as one who gathered apples. “First I shake the whole tree, that the ripest may fall. Then I climb the tree
and shake each limb, and then each branch and then each twig, then I look under each leaf.”

Observation is accomplished with the following steps: (1) Read the passage repeatedly; (2) Note the
passage’s basic subject matter. “I have six faithful serving men who taught me all I know; their names
are What and Where and When and How and Why and Who”; (3) Determine the literary genre; (4) Gain
familiarity with the historical background of the book such as the author, the audience, the
circumstances, date, geography and culture.

DEFINITIONS

Hermeneutics is the science (principles) and art (task) by which the meaning of the biblical text is
determined. The English word “hermeneutics” comes from the Greek verb  and the noun
. The word points back to the wing-footed messenger god Hermes in Greek mythology (Acts
14:12). He was responsible for transmuting what is beyond human understanding into a form that
human intelligence can grasp. He is said to have discovered language and writing and was the god of
literature and eloquence, among other things. He was the messenger or interpreter of the gods, and
particularly of his father Zeus.

Exegesis is the determination of the meaning of the biblical text in its historical and literary contexts. A
text without a context is a pretext. It is the careful, systematic study of the Scriptures to discover the
original intended meaning. On the other hand, eisegesis is the mistake of reading one’s setting back into
the passage.
Exposition is the communication of the meaning of the text along with its relevance to present-day
hearers. This process is necessary for five reasons: (1) Because of the historical gap (the Pentateuch was
written 1400 B.C. and Revelation A.D. 90); (2) Because of the cultural gap (Ruth 4); (3) Because of the
linguistic gap; (4) Because of the philosophical gap; and (5) Because of the spiritual gap (Hebrews 5:11; 2
Peter 3:15-16).