HOW TO ENJOY THE BIBLE:
Or,
The "Word," and "The Words,"
How to Study them.
By
E. W. Bullinger, D.D.
1916
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
PART I
The Word of God as a Whole
Introductory
I. The One Great Object of the Word
- The LIVING Word, making known the Father
- The WRITTEN Word, revealing the Son
- The LIVING and the WRITTEN Word
II. The One Great Subject of the Word
- CHRIST in the Word as a whole. The KING and the KINGDOM in Promise, in Proclamation, Rejection, Abeyance, and Manifestation
- CHRIST in the SEPARATE BOOKS of the Word
III. The One Great Requirement of the Word"Rightly Dividing" It
- As to its LITERARY FORM
- The TWO TESTAMENTS
- The SEPARATE BOOKS
- The Division of the Hebrew Text
- Into open and closed Sections
- Into Sedarim or Triennial Pericopes
- Into Parashioth or Annual Pericopes
- The DIVISIONS of the GREEK TEXT
- The Divisions of the VERSIONS, AND THE ENGLISH BIBLE
- Into Chapters
- Into Verses
- The Chapter-Breaks
- The Headings of Chapters and Pages
- The Punctuation
- Changes in Edition of 1611 to be preferred to later Editions
- Changes in later Editions which are improvements on the 1611
- Changes now proposed as most desirable
- Parentheses
- As to its SUBJECT MATTER
- The JEW, the GENTILES, and the CHURCH of God
- The GENTILES
- The EPISTLES to the DISPERSION
- James
- Hebrews
- As to its TIMES and DISPENSATIONS
- The Word "DISPENSATION"
- The SEVEN Dispensations
- The Edenic (Innocence
- The Patriarchal (Theocratic)
- Israelite (Past)
- The Ecclesia (Grace)
- Israelite (Judgment)
- Millennial (Theocratic)
- Eternal (Glory)
- Their SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Man's condition in each
- The Crisis in each
- The "TIMES OF THE GENTILES"
- The PARENTHESIS of the PRESENT DISPENSATION
- As to its DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH and TEACHING
- One part of the PAST not necessarily to be read into another part of the PAST
- Matthew 10:5, 6; and 28:19, 20
- Luke 9:3; and 22:35, 36
- The PAST not to be read into the PRESENT
- Law and Grace
- The Imprecatory Psalms
- The Sabbath
- The Kingdom
- The Gospels
- The Sermon on the Mount
- The Lord's Prayer
- The Priesthood
- Baptisms
- The prophecy of Amos. Amos 9:11, 12. Acts 15:14-18
- The title "Son of Man"
- The PRESENT not to be read into the PAST
- The Mystery
- "Sons of God"
- The "Church"
- The FUTURE not to be read into the PRESENT
- The Great Tribulation
- The 144,000
- Sundry Prophecies: Psalm 2; Isaiah 2; Isaiah 60
- The Day of the Lord
- One part of the FUTURE not necessarily to be read into another part of the FUTURE
- The Advents
- The Resurrections
- The Judgments
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
- Matthew 25:31-36
- Revelation 20:11-15
- The Truth and Teaching of the CANONICAL ORDER to be distinguished from the CHRONOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ORDER
- The Tabernacle
- The Great Offerings
- The Four Gospels
- 1 Samuel 16-18
- The Book of Jeremiah
- The Pauline Epistles
PART II
The Words
Introductory
I. The Meaning of Words to be Gathered from the Scope; not the Scope from the Words
- 2 Peter 1:20, "Private interpretation"
- 1 Peter 3:20, "Spirits in prison"
- Hebrews 9:16, 17, "Testament" or "Covenant"
- Genesis 24:63, "Meditate"
- Revelation 1:10, "The Lord's day"
II. The Scope of a Passage to be Gathered from its Structure
- Introductory
- The PRINCIPLES governing the Structure of Scripture
- EXAMPLES of each principle
- The ADVANTAGES and importance of the Structures
- ILLUSTRATIONS of these advantages
- 2 Peter 1:16-21, "Private interpretation"
- 1 Peter 3:18-22, "spirits in prison"
- Hebrews 9:15-23, "Testament" and "Covenant"
- 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, "absent from the body"
III. The Biblical Usage of Words Essential to their Correct Interpretation
- Where ENGLISH WORDS have gone OUT OF USE altogether
- All to brake
- Away with
- Come at
- Do to-wit
- For to do
- Full well
- Go to
- Trow
- Wist
- Very
- Where the usage of ENGLISH WORDS has become CHANGED
- Prevent
- To take in
- Adventure
- Artillery
- Assay
- By and By
- Charity
- Beeves
- Bonnet
- Carriages
- Clouted
- To ear
- Earnest
- Fast
- Libertine
- Lusty
- Naughty
- Nephew
- Occupy
- Penny
- Presently
- Publican
- Quick
- Quicken
- Quickened
- Quickeneth
- Quickening
- Simple
- Simplicity
- Sottish
- Vagabond
- Silly
- Where the USAGE OF GREEK WORDS had become changed
- By God:
- areth (arete), praise
- hqoV (ethos), manners
- aggeloV (angelos), angel
- corhgew (choregeo), supply
- ekklhsia (ecclesia), church
- paraklhtoV (parakletos), comforter, advocate
- skandalon (scandalon), offence
- By man:
- zwopoiew (zoopoieo), quicken
- paroikoV (paroikos), neighbour
- praktwr (praktor), officer
- phra (pera), scrip
- presbuteroV (presbuteros), elder
- anaginwskw (anaginosko), persuade
- apostomatizw (apostomatizo), question
- grafw (grapho), wrote
- apecw (apecho), reward
- bebaiwsiV (bebaiosis), confirmation
- to dokimion (to dokimion), trial
- dikaioV (dikaios), righteous
- ilasthrion (hilasterion), propitiation
- euerghthV (euergetes), well-doer
- plhqoV (plethos), multitude
- mikroV (mikros), little
- paradeisoV (paradeisos), paradise
- kuriakoV (kuriakos), Lord's
- ceirografon (cheirographon), handwriting
- adoloV (adolos), sincere
- sfragizw (sphragizo), seal
- caragma (charagma), mark
- anapempw (anapempo), send
- biazomai (biazomai), suffer violence, press
- katakrima (katakrima), condemnation
- upostasiV (hupostasis), substance
- Where DIFFERENT but CONCURRENT USAGES OF GREEK WORDS should be observed in the English
- Parousia
- Pneuma
- Church
- Elements and Rudiments
- Saints
- Where a UNIFORM USAGE OF GREEK WORDS should not be departed from in the English
- Withhold
- Temptation
- Poor
- Paradise
- Sheol and Hades
- Mystery
- "At hand"
- "Depart"
- Leaven
IV. The Context Always Essential to the Interpretation of Words
- The IMPORTANCE of the CONTEXT shown
- Illustrations of ERROR arising from a DISREGARD of the Context
- Isaiah 52:8, "They shall see eye to eye"
- Habakkuk 2:2, "That he may run that readeth"
- Psalm 2:8, "Ask of Me"
- Matthew 22:32, "The God of the living"
- Matthew 23:3, "That observe and do"
- John 6:37, "Him that cometh"
- Acts 16:31, "Believe...and thou shalt be saved"
- Romans 8:28, "All things work together for good"
- 1 Corinthians 3:17, "Him shall God destroy"
- 2 Corinthians 5:8, "Absent from the body"
- Philippians 1:21, "To die is gain"
- Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation"
- Text-Mangling
- Text-Garbling
- Illustrations of TRUTH AND TEACHING resulting from a DUE REGARD to the Context
- The NEARER CONTEXT
- Genesis 35:2 and 34:26-29, "Put away the strange gods"
- 2 Kings 4:13 and 3:16, 17, "Wouldst thou be spoken for to the King"
- Daniel 5:30, 6:1; and Esther 1:1-3, "The 120 and 127 Provinces"
- Ephesians 3:15 and 1:21, "The whole family"
- The REMOTER CONTEXT
- Genesis 19 and 14, The cities and the city
- Genesis 24:24, and 18:11, 12, Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel
- Genesis 37:25, 28, 36; and Judges 6-8, The Ishmaelites and Midianites
- Exodus 6:16-20; and Numbers 26:59, Moses' parents
- Numbers 16:1; and Numbers 3:29, 2:10, The sons of Kohath
- Numbers 16:27; and Numbers 26:11, The sons of Korah
- Joshua 3:15, 4:19; and Exodus 11:31; Joshua 2:6, Jordan overflowing in time of harvest
- 1 Samuel 13:19; and Judges 3:16, 31, 5:8, 14:5, 6, No smith found in Israel
- 1 Samuel 17:4; and Joshua 11:21, 22, Goliath of Gath
- 1 Kings 17:9, 12 and Joshua 19:28
- 2 Chronicles 17-24; and Joshua 21:13, "Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel"
- 2 Chronicles 22:11, 12, and 24:7, Joash, Jehosheba, and nurse
- 2 Chronicles 21:10; and Joshua 21:13, The revolt of Libnah
- 2 Kings 18:13-16; and Isaiah 39:2; 2 Chronicles 32:22, 23, The depletion of Hezekiah's treasury
- Isaiah 62:2-5; and 2 Kings 21:1, The land shall be called Hephzibah
- Jeremiah 13:18; and 2 Kings 24:12, 15, "Say unto the Queen"
- Mark 14:51, 52; and John 12:10, The young man who fled from Gethsemane
- John 21:15; and Matthew 26:31, 33, "Lovest thou Me more than these"
- Acts 2:16; and Joel 2:28-32, "This is that"
- 1 Corinthians 11:10; and Genesis 6:1, 3, Power on her head
- Galatians 3:15-17; and Genesis 15; Acts 7:6, The 400 and 430 years
- Galatians 3:20; and Genesis 15:12, "God is one"
- Hebrews 12:17; and Genesis 27:34-38, "No place of repentance"
V. The First Occurrence of Words, Expressions, and Utterances Often Essential to their Interpretation
- WORDS:
- "Prophet" (Gen 20:7)
- "Hallelujah" (Psa 104:35)
- "Selah" (Psa 3:2,3)
- "Jerusalem" (Judg 1:7,8)
- The Spiritual significance of Numbers
- The Divine Names and Titles
- EXPRESSIONS:
- "The Son of Man" (Psa 8)
- "The Man of God" (Deut 33:1)
- "The Day of the Lord" (Isa 2:11,17)
- UTTERANCES:
- The first utterance of the Old Serpent (Gen 3:1)
- The first ministerial utterance of the Lord (Matt 4:4)
- The first utterance of the Lord as Son of Man (Luke 2:49)
- The first Questions in the Old and New Testaments (Gen 3:9; Matt 2:2)
- The first interpretation of prophecy in the New Testament (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:22,23)
VI. The Place Where a Passage Occurs is Often Essential to its Full Interpretation
- "All Scripture given by inspiration" (2 Tim 3:16)
- "Come unto Me" (Matt 11:28)
- "Anathema, Maranatha" (1 Cor 16:22)
VII. No One Passage to be Interpreted in a Sense Repugnant to Others that are Clear
- The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
- "Destroy not thy weak brother with thy meat" (Rom 14:15; and 1 Cor 8:11)
VIII. The Importance of Accuracy in the Study of the Words of Scripture
- In THE REMOVAL OF ERRORS
- Ammonite or Moabite (Deut 23:3; and Matt 1:5)
- Zedekiah and Babylon (Jer 32:4, 34:3; Eze 12:13; and 2 Kings 25:6,7)
- Omer and Homer (Exo 16:36; and Eze 45:11)
- The going of Balaam (Num 22:22)
- God's Command concerning Sacrifices (Jer 7:22,23; and Lev 1:3)
- Hearing and not hearing the Voice (Acts 9:7 and 22:9)
- Standing, and Falling to the earth (Acts 9:7 and 26:14)
- Spoken and written (Matt 2:23)
- "Jeremiah the prophet" (Matt 27:9)
- The sending of the Centurion (Luke 7:3,6; Matt 8:5)
- The inscriptions on the Cross
- The offering of drink on the Cross
- The "others" crucified with Christ
- The burying of Jacob and his sons (Acts 7:15-17)
- In the REVELATION OF TRUTH
- Words and Expressions:
- "From above" (Luke 1:3)
- "Another King" (Acts 7:17)
- "The world that then was" (Gen 1:1,2)
- The mention of the "blood" in 1 John 1:7 and 2:1
- "Accepted" and "Acceptable" (Eph 1:6; and 2 Cor 5:9)
- "Man" and "Men"
- Remembering and Forgetting
- The OPPOSITE of what is said
- "Out of the Scriptures" (Acts 17:2)
- "Waiting for God's Son" (1 Thess 1:9)
- "Except there come the Apostasy" (2 Thess 2:3)
- MARKS OF TIME
- "The second day" (Josh 10:31,32)
- "Then came Amalek" (Exo 17:8)
- "Then will I sprinkle" (Eze 36:25)
- "Then shall the offering" (Mal 3:4)
- "Then they that feared the LORD" (Mal 3:16)
- "Then we which are alive" (1 Thess 4:17)
- "Then shall the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 25:1)
- "Immediately" (Matt 24:29)
- "Afterward" (Joel 2:28)
- "At that time" (Matt 11:25)
- MARKS OF REASONING
- "Therefore, I beseech you" (Eph 4:1)
- "Therefore I charge you" (2 Tim 4:1)
- NUMERATION
- 50,070 (1 Sam 6:19)
- 42,000 (Judg 12:6)
- The Census of Numbers 1 and 36
- NAMES OF PERSONS AND PLACES
- Of PERSONS
- The same Name borne by different Persons
- The same Person bearing different Names
- Changes in Names
- The Divine Names
- Of PLACES
- The same Name given to different Places
- The same Place called by different Names
- CHRONOLOGY
- The 120 years of Genesis 6:3
- The 400 years of Genesis 15:3 and Acts 7:6
- The 430 years of Exodus 12:40 and Galatians 3:17
- The 450 years of Acts 13:20
- The 490 years of Daniel 9:27
- The 480th year of 1 Kings 6:1
- SYNONYMOUS GREEK words
- SYNONYMOUS HEBREW words
- The GENITIVE CASE
- The Genitive of Character
- The Genitive of Origin
- The Genitive of Possession
- The Genitive of Apposition
- The Genitive of Relation
- The Genitive of the Material
- The Genitive of the Contents
- The Genitive of Partition
- Two Genitives: one dependent on the other
IX. Figures of Speech
X. Interpretation and Application
- The account of Creation (Gen 1)
- The Rejection of Messiah (Isa 53)
- The mourning of Israel (Rev 1:7)
- The Potter's house (Jer 18)
- The Ten Virgins (Matt 25)
XI. The Limits of Inspiration
XII. The Place of Various Readings
- The Hebrew MSS of the Old Testament
- The Greek MSS of the New Testament
- The Ancient Versions
- The Printed Greek Text of the NT
Conclusion
Index of Subjects
Index of Texts Explained