Knowing God’s Word helps me to love Him with all my heart, soul and mind.
Step1 : “Grasping the text in their town” or “Reading in context”
The Bible was written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit in a certain time and place and oftentimes to a certain people. If we want to learn to love God the best we can, it is helpful to learn to read the Bible in it’s context before thinking about “today.” We can start that journey by looking at certain features in the sentences. Here are a few:
Repetition Comparison Cause and effect
Contrasts Lists Figures of Speech
Example – The use of repetition. When the Bible repeats words in a verse, passage or book we should pay special attention. Those words will help us draw out the meaning and purpose of the text. Think of repetition as a flashing sign that draws attention
Example Passages:
1 John 2:15-17
John 15:1-10
Deeper Dive Into Repetition
Helping Your Hermeneutic: Repetition (5 Min Read) — Reformed & Confessional
Another Passage to look at
Jonah 1
Questions to ask yourself:
What are the repeating words and thoughts in this passage?
Who is doing these actions or who are these actions talking about?
What is the reason the repetition is present?
Does the repetition give you a deeper understanding of what is going on? (hint: afraid and fear)
Resources:
“Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays