iamaberean
New member
Many Christians read the Bible but only a few study it? An easy way to study is to answer the questions of Who, What, Where and When. By doing this we come to understand that the Bible is written for us but not about us.
I am not a scholar or student of the Bible, but Hermeneutics turns out to be the answering of the questions of the 4 W's above.
I will try to explain scripture, that to me use to be, as one might say, "That's Greek to me!"
Mat 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables
Who - Jesus surrounded by a great multitude.
What - Jesus spoke to them of many things in parables * (a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson)
Where - on the shore
When - While Jesus was here on earth
What do we know so far?
Jesus is not speaking to us directly for we were not there, but we can learn from it.
Here is what he said to them:
Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
That is the parable and then:
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
The disciples then asked Jesus the question above and He responded
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Conclusion to the above:
Parables were given to the followers of Jesus, not to the multitude.
How does the above relate to us?
If we are followers of Christ we should pray for understanding of God's word.
The whole bible is like the above and it will sometimes pertain to us also. Later on I will put scripture to you that does not pertain to us but rather is given for our understanding.
I am not a scholar or student of the Bible, but Hermeneutics turns out to be the answering of the questions of the 4 W's above.
I will try to explain scripture, that to me use to be, as one might say, "That's Greek to me!"
Mat 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables
Who - Jesus surrounded by a great multitude.
What - Jesus spoke to them of many things in parables * (a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson)
Where - on the shore
When - While Jesus was here on earth
What do we know so far?
Jesus is not speaking to us directly for we were not there, but we can learn from it.
Here is what he said to them:
Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
That is the parable and then:
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
The disciples then asked Jesus the question above and He responded
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Conclusion to the above:
Parables were given to the followers of Jesus, not to the multitude.
How does the above relate to us?
If we are followers of Christ we should pray for understanding of God's word.
The whole bible is like the above and it will sometimes pertain to us also. Later on I will put scripture to you that does not pertain to us but rather is given for our understanding.