A.   God’s Role

1.   Illumination

a.   This is the work of the Holy Spirit in which He enlightens those who are saved and in a right relationship to Him that they might know and understand the Scriptures.

b.   Do not confuse illumination with revelation or inspiration.

c.    “In reference to the Bible, revelation relates to its content or material, inspiration to the method of recording that material, and illumination to the meaning of the record.” (Charles Ryrie)

d.   Illumination is God’s work of opening the spiritual eyes of our understanding that we might know the deep things of God found within His Word. (Eph.1:18) This was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians.

e.   Hence the prayer in Psalm 119:16 – “Open my eyes that I might behold wondrous things from thy Law.”

f.     Psalm 119:125 – “Give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.”

g.   Col. 1:9 – this prayer is that they might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual understanding. God fills us with that knowledge as we study His word.

h.   Through this Spiritual knowledge, we come to know more than doctrine. We come to know Christ… and commune with Him.

i.      I Pet.2:5 – Every Christian is a believer-priest. God teaches and illuminates each one of us individually. Illumination is the birth right of every believer.

j.     Luke 24:32 – God opens to us the Scriptures. This is the source of such great JOY in the Christian life. 

     2.   Teaching

a.   I Cor.2:12 – we have been given the Spirit that we might KNOW the things that are freely given to us of God.

b.   I Cor.2:14 – without the Spirit we CANNOT know the things of the Spirit. We can learn the facts, but we cannot KNOW spiritual truth and see its true significance. It is FOOLISH to the natural man.

c.    John 14:26 – the Holy Spirit is a Teacher.

                                              i.     This of course is a promise only to the apostles, but it does state that the Spirit is a Teacher.

                                             ii.     John 16:13 – He promised to guide into all truth

d.   I John 2:20 – an unction from the Spirit and ye know all things

e.   I John 2:27 – the Spirit teaches you all things  

     3.   Opening the Understanding

a.   Luke 24:45 – Then He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures.

b.   Acts 16:14 – God opened Lydia’s’ heart

c.    However, God does not open our understanding in a miraculous manner. We are not brought into a trance. He does not supernaturally “download” Bible knowledge into our heads. This is where human responsibility comes into play.

 B.   Man’s Role

     1.   Prayer

a.   Psalm 119:18 – The psalmist asked God to open his eyes. This was a prayer for illumination.

b.   Someone once said, “The man who speaks to men for God must begin by speaking to God for man.”

c.    Alfred Gibbs wrote, “Theology must be accomplished by kneeology.”

d.   Eph. 1:17-18 – Pray that God would give you the spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of Him and that He would open the eyes of your understanding.

e.   James 1:5 – Those who need wisdom from God’s Word in facing trials are told to pray and God will respond.

f.     Ps.25:4 – Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.  (This is a prayer)

     2.   Diligent study –

a.   But prayer is no substitute for study!

b.   Illumination is no substitute for study.

c.    There IS no substitute for studying.

a.   II Tim. 2:15 – Study to show thyself approved.

b.   There is no shortcut in studying the Word. It takes much TIME, but it is time well invested.

c.    Prov.2:1-6 – Seek for wisdom (in the Word) as men seek after gold.

d.   “Much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecc. 2:12b)

e.   I Tim. 5:17 speaks of elders who “labour in the word and doctrine.”   (It is labor: labor, fatigue, worn out, weary, faint)

f.     It is hard work to study and prepare a Bible lesson, and it requires sacrifice on the part of the teacher. (Cf. I Sam. 24:24 – we cannot offer something to God that did not cost us.)

g.   Heb. 5:11-14 – Diligence is required lest we decline in understanding.

h.   “The enemy will encourage you to do anything but carry out the systematic, Spirit-taught study of the Bible. He will give religious experiences, feelings and pious thoughts—all apart from God’s Word. Do not be deceived. The Scriptures are our only sustenance—there are no substitutes.” –J.B.

      3.   Perseverance: Continual studying, seeking and digging

a.   II Tim.3:14-17– Continue the things thou has learned.

b.   I Tim.4:16 – continue in doctrine.

c.    Acts 6:4 – The apostles gave themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. 

d.   Prov. 2:1-5 – Diligent effort and labor is rewarded with wisdom from God.

e.   Matt. 7:7 – Keep on knocking and keep on seeking and you will keep on finding.

f.     John 8:31 – True disciples continue in the Word. They keep on learning and digging.

g.   A disciple is a student of the Word.

      4.   Reading

a.   Rev.1:3 – Blessed is he that readeth.

b.   Eph. 3:3-4– “When ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.”

c.    Rom.15:4 – “These things were written for our learning.”

d.   I John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…”

e.   I Tim. 4:13 – give attendance to reading

f.     It might seem quite obvious, but if we are not reading the Word on our own, we will not understand the Word.

g.   The better you know the Bible as a whole, (which comes from reading) the better equipped you are to interpret any portion thereof. It gives you wisdom and discernment. You avoid making “rookie” mistakes in interpretation.

h.   If you are going to study a book of the Bible, read it over and over again. If it is an epistle – read it every day while you study it. If it is a larger book, read a portion of it each day. Let it sink in.

i.      Don’t rely on hearing messages at church only.

j.     Read the Word on your own. As you do, the messages at church will be more meaningful and helpful.

k.    If you don’t read, much of what you hear will go over your head.

l.      Improve your reading skills. If you don’t know what a word means, use a dictionary. Take a Basic English course if necessary to brush up on your reading skills.

m.  Neh. 8:5-6 – When you read the Bible, do so with reverence. It is not like any other book. Reading the Bible should evoke worship. 

5.   Meditation

a.   Josh.1:8 – Meditate in God’s Word night and day.

b.   Psalm 119:97-99

                                              i.     Verse 97 – The psalmist meditated in the Word because he loved the Word.

                                             ii.     Verses 98-99 – The psalmist meditated on the Word because through the Word he was made wiser.

 

c.    II Tim. 2:7 – Understanding comes by considering. As we consider, God gives us understanding.

                                              i.     Consider: to think upon, heed, ponder, reflect upon; present active imperative

                                             ii.     Give: to give to another; to bestow;   aorist optative  (a prayer)

                                           iii.     AS we meditate on His Word, God gives understanding. It is God’s reward for those who seek and hunger.

d.   But do not use meditation as a substitute for study. Meditation is most valuable AFTER you study!

e.   Meditation on the WRONG interpretation of a verse is not all that helpful.

6.   Bible Teachers

a.   Ephesians 4:11 – God appointed pastors and teachers in the Body to teach His Word.

b.   Teachers are a part of God’s plan for learning His Word.

c.    The Spirit’s work as a Teacher and Illuminator does not mean that human teachers are not necessary.

d.   Some have proudly declared, “I have the Holy Spirit as my teacher. I don’t need church. I don’t need the ministry of a human teacher. I have the Holy Spirit!”

e.   Nothing could be further from the truth. The Holy Spirit inspired Eph. 4:11 which tells us of the importance of human teachers.

f.     Pastors and Bible teachers are gifts from God to you for your learning and spiritual growth.

g.   I Cor.12:28 – God hath set  teachers in the church.

h.   Nehemiah 8:8 – Bible teachers are to give the sense of a passage and cause men to understand the reading.

i.      Be faithful in attending Sunday School, church services, Bible studies, etc.  (Heb.10:24-25)

j.     Neh. 8:8 – A Bible teacher should enable you to understand what the Bible means. That is God’s purpose for teachers.

k.    Through written literature, we have access to Bible teachers from ages past too! There is a vast reservoir of good Bible teaching to be found in Christian literature. But there is a danger is that too. Be careful what you read. Find out if it is worth reading. 

7.   Maintain a right heart attitude.

a.   I Cor. 3:1-2 – Carnality hindered the Corinthians from understanding the meat of the Word.

b.   Isaiah 59:2 – Sin separates us from God, without whom we cannot learn. Sin keeps us in the dark and hinders us from being enlightened.

c.    Chafer noted that God made understanding His Word “dependent upon a state of heart which is not only yielded to God, but is ever ready to be conformed to the Word He has spoken.”

d.   Spiritual understanding is as much an activity of the heart as it is of the head.

e.   Both head and heart need to be engaged in the process of learning. 

8.   Use good tools

a.   Bible dictionaries (Vines; Zodhiates; Word Study of the NT & OT)

b.   Bible encyclopedias (Ungers; ISBE)

c.    Concordance

d.   Englishman’s Concordance

e.   Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

f.     Naves Topical Bible

g.   Greek and Hebrew word study books

h.   Commentaries

i.      Bible software

j.     Internet websites: (The following web sites have much good information, but we cannot endorse everything on these sites. Read with discernment.)

                                              i.     salembible.org

                                             ii.     middletownbiblechurch.org

                                           iii.     stempublishing.com

                                           iv.     preceptaustin.org

                                            v.     bible.org

                                           vi.     Biblical Discernment Ministries

                                         vii.     Cobblestone Road Ministries 

9.   Don’t be afraid of using technology in the study of God’s Word.

a.   A teacher or pastor can use Bible software either to (1) study God’s Word more effectively and efficiently or (2) as a means of avoiding Bible study by copying someone else’s studies. 

b.   The fault lies with the character of the person, not the “tool”.  It all depends upon what you DO with the tool.

c.    We have wonderful tools today for studying. There is no excuse NOT to study and learn