How to Interpret Wisdom Literature (Proverbs) PART 1
Wisdom Literature is a genre of the Bible which concerns wise words and statements made by Jewish sages. This genre can be readily found in Job, Proverbs & Ecclesiastes. This…
Understanding Biblical Prophecy PART 4—How To Interpret Biblical Prophecies.
The interpreter must pay attention to the following guidelines: • Understand the historical background of the prophet and his message. Prophecies usually make sense when read in their historical-cultural setting.…
Understanding Biblical Prophecy PART 3—Features of Prophecies.
First, note that there are general prophecies in the Bible which predict blessings or curses on Israel. Take Isaiah 14:1, for example, "For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob,…
Understanding Biblical Prophecy PART 2—The Purpose of Prophecies.
To begin with, prophecies were/are given to reveal the heart of God to men. Jeremiah 7, for example, says, "The WORD that came to Jeremiah FROM THE LORD, saying, 'Stand…
Understanding Biblical Prophecy PART 1
The Old Testament is often called "the Prophets" Matthew 5:17 (NKJV) 17 “Do not think that I came to destroy THE LAW or THE PROPHETS. I did not come to…
The Use of Parallelism in the Bible.
Parallelism is an Hebraic mode of writing. It emphasizes a statement by saying it in different ways. That is, the writer uses different words or phrases to refer to the…
Types and Antitypes.
A type (or typology) is anything in the Old Testament that prefigures (speaks of, ahead of time) the New. It could be a person, object, place, or ceremony, that points…
Roadblocks to Interpreting The Bible Accurately # 4
The fourth obstacle to an accurate interpretation of the Bible is forgetting that the Bible is literature. Many, in a bid to spiritualize the Bible, forget to acknowledge that it…
Is Feet Washing Biblical Practice?
Feet washing (also known as Maundy) is common practice in many Churches today. This practice is derived from John 13:3-5. John 13:3-5 (NKJV) 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had…
Roadblocks to Interpreting The Bible Accurately # 3 (iii)
The third question to ask in ascertaining the context of a given Biblical text is 3) What is the philosophical context of what I'm reading? The philosophical context refers to…