Can you assist with a homework assignment? You will need to respond to two classmates discussion. This is Week 5 Discussion Board Response Post. I will upload instructions.
Discussion 1:
Chapter 15 How to make accurate observations
One of the key steps when it comes to making accurate observations is identifying first where one lacks. Lack of acquaintance with the bible, depending too much on source material, and observing in a distracting environment are all major reasons why many observation attempts fall short. The reason for observation is to find important information in a passage, evaluate the information, and create an analysis on the scripture. Some elements that are looked for in observation are elements of structure, relationships, parts of speech, and grammar (Cartwright, Hulshof, 2019 p. 91). This allows us to start asking the questions of who, what, where, when, why, and how which is discussed more in detail in future chapter 17.
Chapter 16 How to use multiple translations of the Bible
Each translation of the bible undergoes strict analysis and has a translation committee behind it. Many verses are the same between multiple translations and committees, however the are bound to be a few verses, words, or phrases that differ between each one. The goal of observing multiple translations is to be able to identify details in passages that may need to be studied further. There are many steps that can be taken when making observations across multiple translations: Stay Simple, Use Three to Five Translations, Choose translations that cover the full spectrum of translation types, Choose a base text as the standard comparison, and color code your work (Cartwright, Hulshof, 2019 p. 96).
Chapter 17 How To Ask Questions
Asking questions is an excellent way to start moving past just reading the Bible but truly being able to understand it. Who, what, where, when, why and how are all important questions that need to be asked by those that read it. Most of the questions are self explanatory in either the reason its asked or what the answer will be. The question of why is the hardest yet likely the most important to understand. Why can be difficult as not in the question but in deciphering the answer. The answers to each of these questions can have crossover with each other which is okay as all the answers are true.
Chapter 31 Apply: How to Live Out What You Learn
The last and final step when observing, studying, and analyzing scripture is learning to apply it to ones life. There have been many thought out and discussed suggestions on how to apply what is learned to ones life such as: asking nine questions as they relate to numerous relationships of your life, creating an application nerative, and comparing your needs to the needs of the Bible passage (Cartwright, Hulshof, 2019, p.176). There are four questions for application: Duty what should I do, Character who should I be, Goals what should I pursue, and Discernment how can I distinguish truth from error? By asking these questions, either consciously or subconsciously, We are being shaped and molded into the image of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit as he works through the Word of God (Hartwrgith, Hulshof, 2019 p. 179).
References:
J. Cartwright, C. Hulshof, Everyday Bible Study, Second Edition, 2019
Discussion 2:
How to See Jesus in the Bible:
The Bible is not designed as a how-to manual for rules of life. Ultimately the Bible is a collection of stories and correlations between the Old and New Testament that show Gods plan of redemption for man in a fallen world through Jesus Christ. By looking for references to the Old Testament in the new Testament, paying special attention to the stories of salvation and redemption from sin, and using typology to identify foreshadowings of Christ in the Old Testament are all ways that we can help identify the works of God through Jesus in both books of the Bible.
How to live out what you learn:
Ultimately, we must apply our knowledge gained through the study of Scripture to our life in meaningful ways to allow the purifying beauty of Christ work through us. Utilizing the four questions for application as outlined in Everyday Bible Study of Duty, Character, Goals, and Discernment (Page 178) offers us a framework to apply to all situations and facets of life, both consciously and unconsciously. This framework is vital to helping us see things through Gods ultimate vision and brings us in closer unity to his ultimate goals for us on Earth.
How to study the Old Testament Genres, Part 1: Law
At the fundamental level, the law reveals our guilt before God. The laws function as a mediator for fallen man and gives us a powerful provision to remedy our sinfulness. To study the law, we must consider first the historical and cultural issues that may require further understanding to know what the law in relation to. It is also useful to categorize laws that are applicable to modern day and those that may no longer be as relevant. The New Testament addresses this to some degree with affirmations from Jesus. Other laws help us to identify things that are of most importance or value to God his desires. Using our power of discernment to identify these important characteristics of law and the genre of law will help us study and apply the concepts presented in a useful manner.
How to use multiple translations:
According to EBS (page 94): When you compare several translations and find different words or phrases in each of them, this is noteworthy. In this case, the translation committees do not agree on the best way to express the word, phrase, or sentence in English. This means that while they do generally agree on the overall message, there will be certain words or phrases that could possibly have a different connotation in English. Utilizing multiple translations, especially those that cover a spectrum of translation types, and then measuring these against one standard text to stay on track are all useful in effectively studying multiple translations of biblical texts.
