Six Questions to Ask when Studying the Bible

I have been enjoying Mark Driscoll's audio and video resources, and I listened to a very helpful message he gave to a group of church planters at the Dwell conference in New York City in 2008. I decided that the content was so helpful that I wanted to take notes:

Six questions to ask when studying the Bible:

1.What does the Bible say? (The Biblical Question)

• Driscoll and Acts 29 upholds Verbal Plenary Inerrancy - "the very words of Scripture in all of Scripture are without error"
• Become someone who really enjoys your Bible
• Make time to fast from internet, cell phones, meetings, radio, television, technology - seek silence and solitude to spend time with the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures - give yourself permission to be alone with God

2. What does the Bible mean? (The Theological Question)

• Use commentaries, Bible software, books, etc. - check your understanding with reliable sources

3. What is going to make this passage stick? What's the hook? (The Memorable Question)

• a word, i.e., hesed
• an emotion, i.e., bitterness from the book of Ruth
• an image, i.e., the throne from Revelation
• a doctrine, i.e., providence from Joseph
• a life study, i.e., Nehemiah

4. Why, or how, is there resistance to this truth? (The Apologetic Question)

• Start with you, and ask God to convict you of the resistance you have to the truth
• How do we answer the objections that come up so that people are left without an excuse
• People will defend themselves, or find some excuse as to why they are the exception to the rule
• "This was the hallmark of good Puritan preaching"

5. Why does this matter? (The Missional Question)

• It matters for me, my marriage, my church, my city, etc.
  
• The Bible is not just true, it is helpful! It's a better life!

6. How is Jesus the hero? Where's Jesus? (The Jesus Question)

• The whole Bible is about our God, Jesus Christ. John 5 - if you don't love Jesus, you don't understand the Bible. Luke 22, 24, Jesus taught that the Bible was about him.
• Prophecies about Jesus, Christophanies, types (2nd Adam, prophet, king, sacrificial system, priests, temple, tabernacle, shepherds, judges), similar ministries (greater Adam, greater Isaac, greater Able, greater Jacob, greater Joseph, greater Moses, greater Job, greater David, greater Jonah, greater Boaz, greater Nehemiah, greater Hoseah), Jesus is seen in the Old Testament in events (exodus, passover, atonement, propitiation, expiation), titles for God (Son of Man, suffering servant, first and the last, light the rock, shepherd, savior, lord of glory)
• "Don't be excited about church planting or preaching. Be excited about Jesus and then open your mouth!"
• "My goal is to tell you that the Bible is true and Jesus is everything. . . . That fixes so many problems"
• "If Jesus isn't the reason that you go to the Scriptures, he will oppose you in everything you do."

I hope this is as helpful for you as it has been for me.

~Todd