How Should We Study the Bible?

HOW SHOULD WE STUDY THE BIBLE?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Someone posted this question in an online forum.  I have also come across the question on a number of occasions, especially during Bible study sessions. 

I must admit that there are numerous online suggestions on approaches to the study of the Bible. Each methodology serves its purposes. What is of utmost significance is that every believer ought to engage in the regular study of God's word [cf. Psalm 119:10-12, 105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17]

Some writers recommend that the reader does a survey through the entire Bible once or even twice a year. This would involve reading through several passages or chapters of Scripture on a daily basis. This marathon method would even involve reading through a number of short Bible Books or Letters in a single day.

For instance, one can read through the minor prophets such as Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah and Haggai in one study session and in that order!

While this suggestion may be helpful in providing a scoping through the Books of Scripture [and for accessing useful information as a reader], my view is that the survey approach is not suitable for an effective devotional study of Scripture. 

While each of the above prophetic books are fairly brief in length [11 chapters in total], each Book addresses a specific context or series of contexts that are unique to each writer. 

It may be difficult to collate all these factors in one reading.

Some have also suggested a thematic approach involving the study of a Bible theme in a given season. The reader selects topics such as love, faith or prayer. They may also study Bible characters. 

This method is usually suited to the corporate study of Scripture through a church teaching series or a Bible study book. It can also be employed under individual devotional study. 

For personal devotion, I would prefer [and would highly recommend] reading through one Scripture Book [or related passages in different books, as appropriate] in a given season in smaller portions rather doing a marathon reading through the entire Bible once or twice a year. 

I believe that Scripture speaks in context under each passage/Book of study and that the best way to grow in the knowledge of the word of God is to employ the inductive study method through the passages of a given Book at a time. 

This methodology presents a great opportunity for appreciating the background under which the author wrote and in discovering his original readers/recipients and outlining the moral issues that God was addressing under each specific context.

We should remember that we are secondary readers of the Books and Letters of Scripture! We should therefore put ourselves in the historical position that the writers and recipients were before we can interpret the texts. 

This approach is known as the hermeneutical study of Scripture. 

The reader can also pick out difficult passages or texts in a given Book in the course of his study and seek pastoral assistance. It is recommended that study aids such as Bible commentaries and encyclopedias are consulted for indepth understanding.

Reading through several chapters a day under a marathon across the entire Bible is not a bad idea. It just doesn't serve the readers core purposes for methodically discerning the mind of God in Scripture. I do not recommend this approach for an inductive study of Scripture. Scripture should edify the reader and illuminate his mind. 

Besides, why should one rush through the Scriptures in such haste? 

Where is it written in Scripture that believers must read though the entire Bible at least once every year? 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2021

What Did Jesus Mean in John 15:16?

HOW SHOULD WE UNDERSTAND THE WORDS OF JESUS IN JOHN 15:16?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

John 15:16 says "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (NKJV).

PASSAGE OUTLINE

This text is part of Jesus' address to His disciples in John 15:9-17 but more significantly, a critical portion of His message that runs through the entire chapter of John 15. 

Jesus first uses the metaphor of the Vine to illustrate His relationship with His followers [John 15:1-8]. His followers are inextricably intertwined with Him, drawing from the nourishment of His word and the leading of His Spirit.

The second passage [John 15:9-17] outlines His relationship with God the Father which He says is founded on divine love and obedience. Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father and submitted to His perfect will concerning Him. He came as God incarnate in order to fulfill God's divine purposes through the redemption plan that was fulfilled under the finished works of the cross. 

This relationship with the Father is cascaded to His disciples and followers. They are to love one another. This is the sacrificial brotherly love that is a reflection of God's love for us. It seeks nothing in return (cf. Luke 6:27-36). 

The third passage [John 15:18-25] cautions believers about the hatred that this evil world harbours against Jesus Christ and His followers. A true follower of Jesus will face scorn, ridicule, open hostility and persecution from the agents of Satan, the ruler of this wicked world. They should however not despair but look to Him who went before us, having suffered and overcome this world. 

The closing passage of  John 15:26-27 speaks of the witness of the Holy Spirit who will be sent by the Father. His ministry will complement that of the disciples. 

Let us now turn to our Scripture of context of John 15:16. What did Jesus mean by this statement? 

TEXT ANALYSIS

I would propose two ways by which to exposit this text. 

First, I would consider our response to the calling of God in Christ as an extension of God's prior calling of us as believers. While this is not explicitly mentioned in the text, my view is that it is inescapably implied. No one can serve God unless they are first called by God into a loving covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.

The second context relates to the gist of the statement -  the commissioning of believers to Christian service. This can be naturally deduced from the text and the entire passage of John 15. Jesus was preparing His disciples for ministry. He knew that He won't be with them for long. It was important that they understood the joys and perils that awaited them in the ministry. 

Both dimensions are significant in outlining our relationship with Jesus Christ and our devotion and service to Him.

In our past sinful state, we had no capacity to discern the things of God and make a rational choice for obedience. When the revelation of God was proclaimed to us through the gospel and we came to Christ, our spiritual eyes were opened and the burden of our Christian witness was more profoundly evident to us. It is instructive that Jesus first loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners [Romans 5:8). 

God therefore calls sinners through the gospel, transforms them and assigns them to ministry. We should heed His exhortations even as we serve Him.

The message of the cross is His divine instrument. It is His voice that calls for our obedience and diligence. 

In the context of the above passage, Jesus confirmed that He had called and appointed His disciples into ministry. Jesus called each disciple in person and by name. Each disciple had a specific role during Christ's earthly ministry. Their primary calling was however tied to the preaching of the kingdom message. 

These roles were later expanded as the gospel spread beyond Jerusalem. 

A number of the disciples were assigned missionary work even as others took on apostolic oversight responsibilities for the growing churches. Some receded into obscurity and little is known about them beyond the narratives in the Gospels. Others, such as apostle James paid the ultimate price - they were martyred for their faith (cf. Acts 12:1-2). 

A few disciples such as Matthew, Mark, Paul, John and Peter wrote the New Testament Scriptures that are available to us today. These writings are a testimony to the diligence and enduring faith.

The final section of John 15:16 says "...that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

Why did Jesus mention this statement and what does it imply in this context? 

Jesus sought to demonstrate that there is a connection between Christian obedience and service and God's providence. His disciples would pray the Father in His name and the Father would lovingly grant their petitions according to His divine will [cf. Matthew 6:9-15, Luke 11:5-13]. 

Our relationship with God is the foundation of our divine providence in Christ Jesus.

The key issue here is that ministry can only succeed under God's divine providence. We require resources and God's enabling grace in order to advance the gospel effort to new frontiers. We depend on God to supply our needs in line with His will concerning us. The cautions outlined in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, James 4:1-6 are instructive in this context. 

Jesus calls, empowers and sends His disciples. He also provides for them so that they may accomplish His divine purposes in Christ Jesus. 

APPLICATION

What moral lesson can we learn from the lives and ministries of the New Testament disciples and apostles in the context of the words of Jesus in John 15:16?

First, those who are called to Christ are also called to Christian service. No believer is without a ministry service mantle. No matter what role or activity one is assigned in ministry, that remains their stewardship platform. Their diligence, fervency and patience will be evaluated in that context. Every believer's work will ultimately be tested by God to determine its substance and integrity [1 Corinthians 3:5-17]

As we serve God in church ministry, we should be aware of God's expectations concerning our service. We must demonstrate fruit for our diligence and labor. Notice that Jesus commissioned the disciples and commanded them to bear fruit. This fruit must remain or endure. It must be consistent and evident in our labor in the Lord. 

Secondly, we should not abuse our Christian stewardship for personal gain or seek personal acclaim for our privileged positions of ministry (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2). We are all accountable to God for the discharge of our ministry calling [cf. Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30].

Instead we should expend our resources, skills and opportunities in serving God in our generation to the glory of God. 

We are today privileged to read the historical accounts of great men and women of God whose service to God remains unparalleled over the ages. The heroes and heroines listed in Hebrews 11 are merely examples of those who stood out for God in their day and demonstrated that serving and honoring God is never in vain.

Nothing that we do for God is ever forgotten. 

The Bible proclaims in Hebrews 6:10-12 "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." 

CONCLUSION

We serve God at His divine pleasure and in accordance with His divine will. We should therefore consider our calling in ministry [by whatever description] as a privilege for serving God with faithfulness and diligence so that the fruit of our service may edify the saints and glorify God. 

There is a reward for our diligence. It is never in vain.

The Bible exhorts in 1 Peter 5:2-4: "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." 

Are you bearing fruit? 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2021

Who are the Three Men that Appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18?

WHO WERE THE THREE MEN THAT APPEARED TO ABRAHAM IN GENESIS 18?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Genesis 18:2-5 says “Then the Lord appeared to him by [a]the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”

They said, “Do as you have said.”(NKJV).

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

Genesis 18:1 says “Then the Lord appeared to him by [a]the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.”

The above text reveals that God appeared to Abraham by the terebinth tree of Mamre as he sat down in his tent door in the heat of the day and Abraham attended to them as his valued guests. This Scripture draws a number of theological questions that must be addressed at this point.

Did God appear to Abraham in the form of a human being or were the three persons angelic beings, with one being an archangel?

If these men appeared as ordinary human beings, does this imply that God revealed Himself in flesh at this point?

Was this theophany prior evidence of God’s pre-incarnate coming before Christ?

Did Abraham understand or perceive that these men were divine beings? How should the ordinary reader of Scripture construe this text?

We shall attempt answers to some of the above questions. 

Let us begin by evaluating some theological theories advanced by Bible scholars on this text.

Some Bible scholars suggest that the three men were spiritual heavenly beings, now assuming human bodies, that they might be visible to Abraham, and conversable with him.[1] The assumption here is that God has to conform to a nature that could interact with men. This view appears to be consistent with the passage context. The men were no ordinary beings even as they had the semblance of human beings.

Some have further suggested that one of the three men was the preincarnate Christ appearing in angelic form that resembled a human being. However, and in view of the revelation available in New Testament Scripture, such a theory is open to debate. My view is that no evidence in Scripture suggests that Christ had previously appeared in a separate incarnation. 

Chuck Smith considers the three characters as God coming with two angels. Could God come in person to meet a mortal on Earth? If so why would Scripture assign to Him the semblance of a human being? Besides, there are no manifest distinctions in their appearance that assign one of the men some aspects of divinity. The three appeared as ordinary folk.

However, Smith’s observation of the Hebrew salutation “My Lord Adonay” as offered by Abraham is perhaps instructive of Abraham’s discernment of the theophany [a divine visitation or appearance by God among men]. [2]

Charles Ellicott suggests that the Genesis 18 incident is a continuation of God’s visit to Abraham that commenced in Genesis 17. God affirmed His promises to Abraham that were made under the covenant of Genesis 15. It quotes a Jewish oral tradition that says that God’s visit came three days after the circumcision and that Abraham was healing from the surgery. This is difficult to tell from the text.

God demanded the circumcision rite in Genesis 17 as a mark of His covenant relationship with Abraham and his descendants. However, the purposes and contexts of the two visitations recorded in Genesis 17 and 18, respectively, appear to be distinct from each other and this should not escape the reader’s attention.

Notice that in Genesis 17, God appears to Abraham in a form that the Bible does not describe. Was this another angelic appearance similar to the one of our passage context or was it a separate theophany? 

Genesis 17:3 says “Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him”. This is perhaps evidence of Abraham’s worship and reverence of God. He may have rightly discerned that he was in God’s holy presence and made obeisance. 

Albert Barnes recognizes that while God chose to appear in human form, this does not suggest that God only manifests Himself in a way that is rationally consistent with human faculties. 

I agree with this theological assessment of the theophany of Genesis 18. God is incomprehensible. He cannot be limited to a given way of manifestation and His appearance as a man or an angelic being does not diminish or obscure His divine essence.

Genesis 18:2 says “So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground.”

The fact that the three men appeared to Abraham, conversed with him and ate the meal offered to them confirms that they were properly possessed of human essence at this point. Nothing suggests or implies that their appearance was accompanied by any divine essence or glory. This theophany is perhaps a foreshadow of Jesus’ coming in the flesh as God incarnate many centuries later. Jesus led an ordinary life but unlike men, Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was/is without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Ellicott’s Commentary posits that one of the three men was “the angel of Jehovah,” who came as the manifestation of Deity to Abraham, and the other two were his companions, commissioned by him afterwards to execute judgment on the cities of the plain. It adds that the three were a pointer to the Holy Trinity in the Godhead. It however rejects the notion that the three were actual members of the Trinity represented in human flesh. 

I concur with this view.

Jamieson Fausset observes that the manner in which the three men were received by Abraham suggests that the visitors were of extraordinary stature.[3] Abraham did more than a customary welcome. The very low bow and the choice of a calf was instructive of highly valued guests. If the exhortation of Hebrews 13:2 is accepted as a reference to Abraham’s case, we can infer that Abraham was perhaps unaware of the identities of the three men at the point that they appeared to him in Genesis 18:1-2. His discernment of the men however widened as he engaged them.

Genesis 18:3-5 says “and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”

They said, “Do as you have said.” (NKJV).

This passage primarily describes Abraham’s act of hospitality towards the three men. This was consistent with Middle Eastern culture of Abraham's day. It was customary to treat strangers with kindness. It also reveals Abraham's personal character as a hospitable person.  

Some scholars have singled out Abraham’s reaction as he served the men as evidence that the men were possibly of strange complexion. Notice that Abraham stood by them under the tree as they ate (Genesis 18:8). This action is believed to be largely inconsistent with Middle Eastern culture where the host ate with his guests. It is however difficult to tell what exactly informed Abraham’s conduct at this point. Were these men of rare complexion and countenance?

Notice further that in the conversation of Genesis 18:9-10, the three men asked about the whereabouts of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. God of course knew exactly where she was! However, cultural concerns perhaps kept her from coming close to the strangers.[4]

One of the three men, speaking in the first person, says “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Genesis 18:10). This is definitely God’s authoritative voice conveyed under incredible circumstances and this is perhaps the reason Sarah laughed within herself in disbelief (Genesis 18:12). She was well beyond child bearing age. God in His divine omniscience noted Sarah’s unbelief and confronted it (Genesis 18:13-15). Sarah came to realize that God’s divine eyes illuminated the thoughts of the heart [cf. Jeremiah 17:9-10]. This is true of us too. Nothing is hidden from God, not even the deepest secrets and emotions of our hearts.

Of more significance, however, is the fact that God, in Abraham's context, demonstrated that He alone can beat the biological clock because He is the author of life. Nothing is impossible with God. By His immeasurable grace, God determined to give Abraham a son by his wife Sarah despite her barrenness and advanced age.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

So, who were the three men that appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18?

In conclusion, we can summarize the key lessons of our study of the above passage as follows:

First, the three men were angelic/heavenly beings who took on human form. One of the three may have been an archangel who was God’s principal messenger. God could not have come in His divine glory because no mortal could behold God in the fulness of His glory and live. God proclaims to Moses in Exodus 33:20, saying, “You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live.”

Secondly, Abraham did not immediately appear to discern the identity of the three men until they conversed with him and finally revealed their identity. It is possible that Abraham’s discernment continued to grow as the strangers engaged him in a conversation. The more we engage with God in devotion and in the study of His word, the more we grow in the knowledge and discernment of Him (cf. Psalm 1; Ephesians 4:11-15).

Thirdly, the three men were not the three members of the Holy Trinity in human form. One of the men however appeared to possess some divine essence, speaking in the first person as God. However, the first conclusion above rules out the possibility. Nothing in the passage indicates that the members of the Trinity took on human form.

Fourthly, it appears that God revealed Himself to Abraham through an unnamed archangel. He was accompanied by two angels who were sent to destroy the city of Sodom. It is instructive that the wickedness of this city was earlier mention in Genesis 13:13. 

God therefore appeared to Abraham in a manner that could only have been described in detail by Abraham himself. Unlike Daniel’s experience with God’s archangel, Gabriel, in Daniel 8-9, God concealed this critical information from us.

Finally, the revelation of the imminent destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah confirms that the men were indeed God’s angels on a mission. 

God often used angels to deliver messages to His people and to execute His divine judgment on the wicked. He also sent angels to protect, rescue and guide His people (cf. Exodus 32:34, 33:2, Numbers 20:16; Judges 6:12, 21-22, 13:20; Acts 12:5-19).

On account of Abraham’s covenant relationship, God chose to reveal His mission to him. The angels were on their way to Sodom for a divine mission. We can safely conclude that the men contemplated in Genesis 18:22 are the two angels that are later mentioned in Genesis 19:1. This confirms that the third man who remained with Abraham was possibly God’s archangel who commanded the mission.

When God disclosed to Abraham that the angels were on their way to destroy Sodom, Abraham was disturbed because Lot, his nephew with whom he had parted ways in Genesis 13 dwelt there! 

Genesis 18:32-33 reveals that there were less than ten righteous men in the city of Sodom. Lot, his wife and his two daughters were the only souls that God graciously sought to spare and the four were asked to flee out of the city as God rained brimstone and fire on it (Genesis 19:23-25).

Genesis 19:15-17 says, “When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” (NKJV).

CONCLUSION

The Bible may not have expressly stated or revealed with absolute certainty the identities of the three men but knowing their mission and the context in which they appear to Abraham, my view is that we can attempt a theological construction of their identity without necessarily violating the word of God or drawing abstract assumptions.

Scripture is open to interpretation and Scripture interprets Scripture. 

Of course our answers (or attempts thereat) may not conclusively resolve the mysteries behind difficult passages of Scripture but we should draw some theological principles for our moral application from the study of a passage of Scripture. 

The above passage, like any other section of Scripture, was definitely intended to be read, understood and applied by the reader. 

Shalom

References

[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Gen/Gen_018.cfm

[2] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/csc/genesis-18.html

[3] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/18-2.htm

[4] Abraham and Sarah’s Hospitality in Theology of Work Project, https://www.theologyofwork.org/old-testament/genesis-12-50-and-work#abraham-and-sarahs-hospitality-genesis-181-15

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2021

Does the Bible Forbid Cremation of Bodies?

 

DOES GENESIS 3:19 CONVEY BIBLICAL AUTHORITY ON CHRISTIAN BURIAL? DOES IT SPEAK AGAINST CREMATION OF BELIEVERS?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I have come across this question on a number of occasions. Cremation is traditionally identified with Eastern societies, majorly among Hindus. It is nowadays an increasingly common method of disposing human bodies even among sections of conservative African societies who traditionally bury the dead.

The Jews buried their dead. Jesus Himself was buried in a borrowed grave. Some African societies did not bury their dead. They simply discarded the bodies, leaving them at the mercy of wild animals!

Does the Bible expressly or impliedly address the above question? Would a believer violate Scripture if they expressed in their will that they wished to be cremated upon death? Should Christians be buried rather than cremated?

Genesis 3:19 says

"In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread

Till you return to the ground,

For out of it you were taken;

For dust you are,

And to dust you shall return."

Some have cited the above text of Scripture as evidence that burial rather than cremation was intended by God for His covenant people.

This scripture speaks of the origin of the physical or material nature of the human body and its earthly rather than heavenly destiny. My view is that whether the believer's body is cremated or buried in a grave, it ultimately returns to the dust, the very place Scripture describes above!

The human body bears the consequences of the curse of Adam! The Bible teaches that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God!

What do we learn from Genesis 3:19? 

The theological context of the above Scripture can be distilled from the passage of Genesis 3:1-24 which is dedicated to the Fall and judgement of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. 

It speaks about the origin of the Fall through the disobedience of the woman and the man in Genesis 3:1-7 and the divine consequence that followed in Genesis 3:8-24.

When we read Genesis 3:19 in its passage context, we discover that it is not an authority on Christian burials.

The New Testament Scripture does not convey an explicit doctrine on Christian burials even though passages of Scripture such as 1 Corinthians 15 appear to presuppose burial in line with Jewish and Greco-Roman culture.

The Bible reveals that a believer who dies in Christ awaits the resurrection of the dead in Christ [cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17]. It matters little, in my view, how his body was disposed of.

Even if the believer's is cremated or perishes in the sea or is dissolved in sulphuric acid other agent as happened in Nazi death camps during Hitler's Third Reich, this will never affect the resurrection of the believer from the dead at the sound of the last trumpet! 

We learn from 1 Corinthians 15:42-43 that  "...the body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." The sowing here is a metaphorical reference to the burial of the believer. 

One cannot help but imagine that some believers in societies that traditionally bury the dead may consider the cremation scene as repulsive because of cultural concerns. Similarly, the Hindu Christian would perhaps cringe at the notion of burial being carried out in the place of their traditionally established cremation method! 

My view is that burials and cremations should be consigned to the exigences of culture and should not inform Christian doctrine.

I am therefore hesitant to teach that Genesis 3:19 speaks against cremation or that it is an authority on Christian burial as the sole method for disposal of human bodies.

Revelation 20:13 says "The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works."

Who buried those who died in the sea?

My view is that while burial is a decent and environmentally healthy method of disposing of human bodies, the Bible does not expressly teach or imply that a believer must be buried in the ground. 

Burials and cremations are the subject of human cultures and traditions. They do not affect the believer's destiny in Christ.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2021