word method

7/28/2019 Word Method

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TheBiblewasoiginallywitteninHebew,Aamaic,andGeek.Eventhoughthe

aveageChistiandoesnotknowtheselanguages,wecanstilldowodstudies

becauseoftheavailabilityofmanyexcellenttanslationsandefeencetools.Inthepast,peoplewhoweeinteestedindoingpesonalBiblestudyhadtolean

theoiginallanguages.OnlythosewhohadspentyeasleaningGeekandHebew

weeabletoenjoytheexcitinginsightsthatcomefomstudyingtheoiginalwods

ofSciptue.Today,howeve,theichestobefoundinwodstudiesaewithin

eachofeveyChistianwhoknowswhattoolsaeavailable.

Definition

The WodStudyMethod ofBibleStudytakesa micoscopic look at the oigin,

definition,occuences,andusesofapaticulawod,especiallyasitelatestothe

contextofapassageofSciptue.Thepuposeistoleanaspeciselyandcompe-

hensivelyaspossiblewhatthebiblicalwitemeantbythewodheused.

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THe WORD sTUDY

MeTHOD OfBiBLe sTUDY

How to Discover the Meaningsof Bible Words


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Rick WaRRens BiBLe sTUDY MeTHODs

Why you shoulD stuDy WorDs in the BiBle

IvingJensenhassaid,Justasageatdooswingsonsmallhinges,sotheimpo-

tant theological statements of the Bible often depend upon even the smallest

wods,suchaspepositionsandaticles(Enjoy.Your.Bible,WoldWidePublica-

tions,p.96).MostofthegeatdoctinesoftheWodofGodevolveaoundasingle

wod,suchasgrace,.atonement,ofaith.Inodetoundestandthedeepestmean-

ingofSciptue,wemuststudythespecificwodsthatweeused.

Coectintepetationofbiblicaltuthsdependsonthecoectundestanding

ofthewodsusedtoconveythesetuths.Daviddeclaed,ThewodsoftheLOrD

aeflawless,likesilveefinedinafunaceofclay,puifiedseventimes(Ps.12:6).

OneofthewitesofPovebsstatedsimilaly,EveywodofGodisflawless;he

isashieldtothosewhotakeefugeinhim(Pov.30:5).But these flawless wods weewitten ina language othe than ous, and

theifullmeaningsaenotalwaystansmittedcompletelythoughatanslation.In

fact,notanslationispefect,becausenotwolanguagescoespondexactly.Wod

Step One Choose Your Word

Step twO Find Its English Definition

Step three Compare Translations

Step FOur Write down the Definition of the Original Word

Step Five Check the Words Occurrences in the Bible

Step Six Find the Root Meaning and Origin of the Word

Step Seven Discover the Words Usage in the Bible

Step eight Write Out an Application


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The.Word.Study.Method.of.Bible.St

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equivalentsdonotalwaysexistbetweenlanguages,soinstudyingtheBiblewe

mayhavetoseachoutthefullmeaningofawodthatthetanslatosweeunable

tosqueezeintothechosentext.

Futhemoe,whentheoiginaltextof theBiblewastanslatedintoEnglish,some 6,000 diffeent wods wee used, wheeas in the Hebew, Aamaic, and

Geekoiginal,11,280wodsweeused(Jensen, Enjoy.Your.Bible,p.96).Sohow

doyoufit11,000wodsinto6,000?Bytanslatingsevealdiffeentoiginallan-

guagewodsintooneEnglishwod.Foexample,intheNewTestamenttheEnglish

wodservanttanslatessevendiffeentGeekwods,eachofwhichhadaslightly

diffeentshadeofmeaningfoasevant.Oulanguage,alateone,isunableto

completelygivethefullmeaningsoftheoiginalbiblicallanguages.

Wemustkeeptwothingsinmindwhendoingawodstudy.Fist,ouwodstudiesmustbebasedontheoiginallanguagewods,notontheEnglishwods.

Second,wemustalwaysallowthecontexttoindicatetheultimatemeaningofthe

wodbeingstudied,nomattewhattheEnglishequivalentmightbe.

tools you Will neeD

FothismethodofBiblestudy,youwillneedmoeefeencetoolsthanyouhave

usedwithothemethods.Thenecessaytoolsae

AstudyBible.

Sevealecenttanslations.(Thesewillenableyoutoseethewodsdif-

feenttanslatoschosefomtheoiginalones.Donotusepaaphases

inthisstudy.)

Anexhaustiveconcodance.

ABibledictionayand/oencyclopedia.

Asetofwodstudies(seetheIntoductiontothisbook).

AgoodEnglishdictionay.

IfyouhavehadsomeGeek,The.Englishmans.Greek.Concordance.of.the.

New.Testament(Zondevan)willbeuseful.

The.Word.Study.ConcordanceanditscompanionvolumeThe.Word.Study.

New.TestamentbyralphWinte(WilliamCaeyLibay).


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three common Difficulties in Doing WorD stuDies

AsyoubeginthismethodofBiblestudy,youneedtobeawaeofsomedifficulties

youmightuninto.

1..Sometimes.several.Greek.words.are.translated.by.just.one.English.wordWe

havealeadynotedthattheEnglishwod servanthassevenGeekequivalents,

eachwithadiffeentshadeofmeaning.Besuetocheckyouconcodancecae-

fullytoseeifthismightbetueofthewodyouaestudying.Findoutwhateach

diffeentoiginalwodmeant.

2.Sometimes.one.Greek.or.Hebrew.word.is.translated.several.ways.in.English

Toovecomethisdifficultyyouwillhavetodoacaefulstudyonallthediffeent

endeingsofthatoiginalwod.Youcandothisquiteeasilythoughtheuseofyou

exhaustiveconcodance.Foexample,theGeekwod koinonia. istanslatedfivediffeentwaysintheKingJamesVesion:(1)communicationonce;(2)com-

munion4times;(3)contibutiononce;(4)distibutiononce;and(5)

fellowship12times.

Followthispocedueinsolvingthisdifficulty:

Listthediffeentwaysthewodistanslated.

Listhowmanytimesitistanslatedeachway.

Giveexamplesofeachtanslation(ifpossible).

Witedownhowthediffeentmeaningsmightbeelated.

Detemineifthewiteofthebookisusingthewodyouaestudyingin

asinglesenseoisgivingitamultiplemeaning.

3.Sometimes.an.original.word.is.translated.by.a.whole.phrase.in.English This

difficultywilltakealittlemoewoktoovecomebecauseconcodancesdonotlist

wodtanslationsbyphases.Youwillhavetocompaetheecentvesionsofthe

Bibleyouaeusingtoseehowthevaioustanslatoshaveendeedthewod.Fo

example,PauldeclaedtotheCointhians,Butweall,withopenfacebeholding

asinaglassthegloyoftheLod,aechangedintothesameimagefomgloyto

gloy,evenasbytheSpiitoftheLod(2Co.3:18KJV).Thephasebeholding

asinaglassisjustonewodintheoiginalGeek(katoptrizomenoi),andyouwill

discovesomeinteestingtuthswhenyoustudytheoiginofthatwod.


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simPle stePs on Doing a WorD stuDy

TheWodStudyFomhaseightsections,onefoeachofthestepsinthisstudy,

andaspacefolistingtheefeencetoolsthatyouuseindoingit.

Step One Choose Your Word

InyoupeviouspesonalBiblestudy,youmayhavewondeedwhatcetainwods

meant.Chooseawodthatyouwondeedaboutoaeinteestedin,ochooseone

fomthelistinappendixE.

Step twO Find Its English Definition

UseyouEnglishdictionayandwiteoutthedefinitionoftheEnglishwod.List

withthedefinitionanysynonymsoantonymsofthewod.

Step three Compare Translations

readindiffeentecenttanslationsthepassageswheethiswodisused.Wite

downthediffeentendeingsofthewodthatyoufind.Takenoteofanyendeings

thataeepeatedlyandcommonlyusedinthesetanslations.

Step FOur Write Down the Definition of the Original Word

Findoutwhattheoiginalwodisinyouexhaustiveconcodanceowodstudybookandwitedownitsdefinition.Youmayfindithasanumbeofusages.

Step Five Check the Words Occurrences in the Bible

Usingyouconcodanceagain,findouthowandwheethewodisusedinthe

Bible.Askthesequestions:

HowmanytimesdoesthewodoccuintheBible?

Inwhatbooksdoesitoccu?

Whatwitesusedthewod?

Inwhatbookdoesitoccumost?

WheedoesthewodoccufistintheBible?

WheedoesitoccufistinthebookIamstudying?


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Step Six Find the Root Meaning and Origin of the Word

Thisstepbingsyouintosomeeseach.Youwillwanttoeadafullediscussion

ofthemeaningandoiginofthewodyouaestudying,usingaBibledictionay,a

Bibleencyclopedia,awodstudyset,oatheologicalwodbook.

Step Seven Discover the Words Usage in the Bible

HeeyouwillwanttofindouthowthewodisusedintheBible.Thestudyof

theootmeaning(StepSix)toldyouwhatthewodmeant originallyandwheeit

camefom,butsomewodschangetheimeaningswiththepassageoftime.Also,

theymighthavediffeentmeaningsindiffeentsituationsandcontexts.Inthefinal

analysis,theusageofawodisthemostimpotantfactoindeteminingitstue

meaning.Fulfillthisstepinthefollowingtheeways:

1.Find.out.how.the.word.was.used.during.the.time.the.book.of.the.Bible.was.

writtenHowwasitusedinothewitingsbesidestheBible?Tofindoutwhatthe

wodmeantandhowitwasusedinthecultueoftheday,youwillhavetolookat

extabiblicalmateials(foexample,histoiesofthetime);manytimes,howeve,

thewodstudysetyouaeusingwillhavethisinfomation.Advancedstudentsand

peoplewhoknowtheoiginallanguagesmayfindthisinfomationintheological

dictionaiesandHebewandGeeklexicons.

2.Find.out.how.the.word.is.used.in.the.Bible Usingyou exhaustive con-

codance,findouthowthewodistanslatedeveytimeitappeasintheBible.

OftentheSciptuesdefinewodsthoughusageandillustations;thisisawayof

findingoutthesciptualdefinition.Youmayalsoasksomeoallofthefollowing

questions:

Howdoesthewiteusethewodinothepatsofthebook?

Howdoesthewiteusethewodinothebookshehaswitten?

Howisthewodusedthoughoutthewholetestament?

Does the wod have moe than one usage? If so, what ae its othe

uses?

Whatisthemostfequentuseofthewod?

HowisitusedthefisttimeintheSciptues?


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3.Find.out.how.the.word.is.used.in.the.context.of.the.passage Thisistheulti-

matetest.Thecontextwillbeyoumosteliablesoucefoinsightsintowhatthe

witeeallymeant.Askthesequestions:

Doesthecontextgiveanycluestothemeaningofthewod?

Isthewodcompaedocontastedwithanothewodinthecontext?

Istheeanyillustationinthecontext thatclaifiesthemeaningof the

wod?

Step eight Write Out an Application

Be especially caeful to keep you goalof application, not intepetation only

inmindwhenyoudoawodstudy.remembethatyouaedoingpersonalBible

study,notjustconductinganacademicexecise.Discoveingthefullmeaningofa

biblicalwodisnotanendinitself,becauseawodstudywithoutapplicationhas

littlespiitualvalue.Indoingthisstudy,constantlyaskyouself,Howcanunde-

standingthiswodstengthenmyspiituallife?Sowiteoutanapplication,using

thesuggestionsinchapte1.

resource Books useD

Thelastblanksectiononyoustudyfomhasaplacetolisttheefeencetoolsyou

usedinyouwodstudy.Thisistohelpyouemembethemostusefulesouce

booksfouseinthefutue.

HOWTOFILLINTHEWOrDSTUDYFOrM

UsetheWodStudyFomattheendofthechapteoyouownsheetofpapewith

thesamedivisions.

Filling Out the Form

Followthestepsoutlinedaboveandwiteinthediscoveiesyoumake.Ifyouneed

moeoom,usethebackofthefomosheet.


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Sample Filled-out Form

Seetheexampleofthewod repentinthesamplefilled-outfomattheendofthis

chapte.

Assignment

YoumaywanttostatthisBiblestudymethodbystudyingwodsyouhavebeen

wondeingabout.Oyoumaywanttobeginwithsomeimpotantdoctinalwods.

AsuggestedlistofwodsispovidedinappendixE.

For Further Reading

The.Complete.Word-Study.Dictionary.of.the.Old.Testament.byEugeneCapente(AMG)

Gems.from.the.Original.byHaoldJ.Bey(BacktotheBibleBoadcast)The.New.International.Dictionary.of.New.Testament.Theology:.Abridged.Edition,. editedbyVelyn

Vebugge(Zondevan)

New.Testament.Words.byWilliamBaclay(WestminsteJohnKnox)

A.Theological.Word.Book.of.the.Bible,.editedbyAlanrichadson(Macmillan)

A.Theological.Word.Book.of.the.Old.Testament,.editedbyLaidHaisetal.(MoodyPess)

Vincents.Word.Studies.in.the.New.Testament.byMavinr.Vincent(Hendickson)


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WORD sTUDY fORM

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1. engliSh wOrD repent(nounrepentance)

2. engliSh DeFinitiOn

Tofeelsuchemoseoegetfopastconductastochangeonesmind

egadingit.

3. cOMpariSOn OF tranSlatiOnS Luke13:3

repentNIV,NASB,KJV,Amplified,etc.

TunfomyousinsGood.News.Bible

LeaveyouevilwaysandtuntoGodLiving.Bible.

4. Original wOrD anD ShOrt DeFinitiOn

metanoeo(Geek)tochangeonesmind

metamelomai(Geek)toegetoshowemose


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WORD sTUDY fORM

5. OccurrenceS in the BiBle

TwodiffeentGeekwodsaetanslatedepentintheNewTestament:

A.Metanoeorepent(veb)34times repentance(noun)24times

5timesinMatthew 3timesinMatthew

2timesinMak 2timesinMak

9timesinLuke 5timesinLuke

5timesinActs 6timesinActs

1timein2Cointhians 1timeinromans

12timesinrevelation 2timesin2Cointhians

1timein2Timothy

3timesinHebews

1timein2Pete

B.Metamelomai

repent(veb6times)

3timesinMatthew

2timesin2Cointhians

1timeinHebews

is iss

ThewodisneveusedinthegospelofJohn;butitisusedinrevela-

tion12times.

TheauthoLukeuseditthemost(LukeandActs).

repentanceisnotemphasizedmuchintheEpistlesbecausetheywee

wittentobelieves.


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WORD sTUDY fORM

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6. rOOt Meaning anD Origin (s fc books)

Metanoeoliteallymeanstopeceiveaftewad.ItismadeupoftwoGeek

wods:meta

,whichmeansafte(implyingchange),andnoeo

,whichmeans

topeceive(nousisGeekfothemind).

Fomthiswegetthemeaningoftochangeonesmindopupose.Inthe

NewTestamentthischangeisalwaysfothebette,anditdenotesagenuine,

completechangeofheatandlife.

Notonlydoesitimplyatuningaway(negative)fomsin,butatuningto

(positive)thatwhichisightandgodly.Itmeansmoethanjustfeelingsoy

fowongyouvedone.Italsomeanstocompletelychangeyoumindabout

thesinandgoadiffeentway.

Metamelomaicomesfommeta(afte)andmelo(tocaefo).Itmeansto

egetoexpessemosefosomethingyouwishyouhadntdone.Itmeans

tohavepainfulanxiety(soow)oveapastdeed.Thisisnotgenuineepen-

tance.Itmeanstoegetsomethingyoudidwithouteveeallychangingyou

mindaboutit.(ImsoyIgotcaught,butImnotsoyIdidit.O,Imnot

sueIwouldntdoitagain.)ThebestillustationofthisisJudas.Hewas

egetfulfobetayingJesus(metamelomaiMatthew27:3),butheneve

genuinelyepentedofit(metanoeo).


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WORD sTUDY fORM

7. hOw the wOrD waS uSeD

A. i O ws:

Metanoeo was not used much inclassical Geek liteatue. When thewodwasused,itdidnotmeantheadicalchangeofamanslifeasa

wholeasitdoesintheNewTestament.

B. too Bbl:

repentance(nham)intheOldTestamentisseenmostclealyinEze-

kiel18and33:1020.

repent was the basic message of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2),

Jesus(Matt.4:17),the12disciples(Mak6:12),PeteatPentecost

(Acts2:38).

ItiscommandedbyGodfoeveyone(Acts17:30;2Pete3:9).

Itispatofsavingfaith(Luke13:5;Acts3:19).

Itpoducesjoyinheaven( Luke15:7,10).

Itispovenbyouactions(Acts26:20).

Jesus used the wod 17 times in the Gospels and 8 times in

revelation.

Whatcausesustoepent?

Godsgoodnesstous(rom.2:4)Godlysoowfoousin(2Co.7:910)

Godsgace(2Tim.2:25)

ItisafoundationaltuthoftheChistianlife(Heb.6:1).

C. i Co of passa: 2 Coas 7:9 10

Thisveseshowsthediffeencebetweengenuineepentance(metanoeo)

andmeeeget(metamelomai).realgodlysoowbingsaboutgenuine

epentance.Thisbingsaboutachangeoflife,notjusteget.


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WORD sTUDY fORM

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8. applicatiOn

O do you show contempt fo the iches of his kindness, toleance, and

patience,notealizingthatGodskindnessleadsyou towadepentance?

(romans2:4)

S o cofss/ad o c

IhaveheldapesonalgudgeinmyheatagainstJohnevesincetheincident

inthemountainslastfall.Ithasputastainonouelationship.TheLodhas

convictedmeaboutthisinthepast,butIhaveputoffmakingestitution.I

knowIhavesinned.Iwanttoepentofthissinnow.TomoowaftenoonIwill

gotoJohnandaskhisfogiveness.Iwanttostaightenthismatteout.

reSOurce BOOkS uSeD

Vines.Expository.Dictionary.of.New.Testament.Words

Youngs.Analytical.Concordance.of.the.Bible.Dictionary.of.New.Testament.Theology,.Vol.1


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WORD sTUDY fORM

1. engliSh wOrD

2. engliSh DeFinitiOn

3. cOMpariSOn OF tranSlatiOnS

4. Original wOrD anD ShOrt DeFinitiOn


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WORD sTUDY fORM

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5. OccurrenceS in the BiBle


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WORD sTUDY fORM

6. rOOt Meaning anD Origin (s fc books)


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WORD sTUDY fORM

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7. hOw the wOrD waS uSeD

A. i O ws:

B. too Bbl:

C. i Co of passa:


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WORD sTUDY fORM

8. applicatiOn

reSOurce BOOkS uSeD

word method

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