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Study of the Bible
By Rev. W. H. Griffith Thomas, D. D. One of the Most Eminent Expositors of Scripture Living Today
Note:—This is another of the series of Bible addresses delivered by Dr. Thomas at the Montrose (Pa.) Bible Conference last summer, several of which have appeared in The King's Business. This one was delivered on August 7.
i. The Telescopic Method. This may be described as the endeavor to obtain “a bird’s eye view of the Bible,” a knowledge of Books and portions, rather than of texts. It is often said that a man is in danger of not seeing the wood for the trees, meaning that he is so intent upon particular trees that he is unable to ap preciate the beauty and proportion of the trees as a whole which form the wood. In the same way, it is only too possible to concentrate attention on words and texts and fail to see the larger aspects of God’s Word. For this reason, it is necessary and important to master each Book by itself. God has given the Bible in separate, though connected Books, sixty-six in number, and we shall be doing what is at once the most natural and also the most helpful thing by endeavoring to master each Book. Per haps there are three questions to be asked as we approach a Book: What? When? Why ? That is, we must see what the Book contains; try to discover something of the date and circumstances of its issue, and
the Bible is a revela- tion, wields an authority, con- f Z ^ j ^ J i a i n s a message and carries a power, it is essential to Ifcok a *^0) know its contents. For only in proportion as we are acquainted with it, can its revelation, authority, message, and power have their proper effect in our lives. This calls for Bible Study and there are various methods', all of which are helpful. The following books among others may be mentioned: ‘‘The Joy of Bible Study by Harrington C. Lees: “How to Study the Bible for Greatest Profit,” by Dr. Torrey ; “The Study of the Bible,” by Dr. W. Ev ans; “Methods of Bible Study,” by Grif fith Thomas. But in particular there are two ways which call for special attention. I. T he Bible should be- studied like any o th er book. This means that we should endeavor to become acquainted with it, getting to know what it contains, and it implies nothing short of actual mastery of the contents. We may proceed along two distinct, yet con nected lines of work.
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