book background method

7/28/2019 Book Background Method

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Itismucheasietoundestandandappeciateaplayifallthepopsandback-

goundscenesaeinplace.Theactosonthestagepefomagainstthebackdop

ofthepopsandpaintedsceney.ItisthesamewaywithSciptue.Godsevela-

tionwasgiveninthemidstofhistoy,andthe dramatis.personaeoftheBibleact

outtheiGod-givenolesagainstthebackgoundoftheitimes.Weundestandthe

WodofGodmoeclealywhenweseeitagainstthebackdopofthedaysinwhich

itwaswitten.

Definition

TheBookBackgoundMethodofBibleStudyinvolvesgainingabetteundestand-

ingofthebiblicalmessagebyeseachingthebackgoundelatedtothepassage,

peson,event,otopicbeingstudied.Thisinvolvesundestandingthegeogaphy,

histoicalevents,cultue,andpoliticalenvionmentatthetimeapaticulapatof

theBiblewaswitten.

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THe BOOk

BackgROUnDMeTHOD Of

BiBLe sTUDY

How to Research BiblicalBackgrounds


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Rick WaRRens BiBLe sTUDY MeTHODs

Why stuDy BackgrounDs?

Inodetogetthefullimpactofwhatabiblicalwiteissaying,itisnecessayto

tanspotouselvesbackintothetimeinwhichhelived.Sinceweaecentuies

emovedfomBibletimes,wemusttytoseetheiwoldthoughtheieyes,feel

whattheyfelt,andthenundestandhowtheHolySpiitofGodusedthemtowite

whattheydid.

OneofthepimayulesofintepetationstatesthatsincetheBiblewaswitten

inthemidstofhistoy,itcanonlybeundestoodmoefullyinlightofthathistoy.You

cannotintepettheBiblecoectlyifyouignoetheinfluenceofthetimesinwhichit

waswitten.SeiousBiblestudentswillalwayswanttoknowthegeogaphical,his-

toical,cultual,andpoliticalbackgoundsofthepassageobooktheyaestudying.

Futhemoe,befoewecanundestandthewayweaetoapplythemessage

toustoday,wemustfistbesuehowitwasappliedduingthetimesitwasfist

witten.IfwetytointepetandapplySciptueaccodingtoouownageand

cultue,wewillquicklyunintomanydifficulties.Oftenastatement,wod,custom,

oeventinanothecultueotimewillbeundestoodinasensetotallydiffeent

fomthemeaningweattachtoittodayinoucounty.

Becauseofthetemendousachaeologicaldiscoveiesinthepastcentuy,we

nowhaveamuchbetteundestandingofthecultuesandhistoicalbackgoundsof

biblicaltimes.Mostofthisinfomationisavailablethoughexcellenteseachtools.

YouwilldefinitelyhavetoconsultthesewhenyoudothismethodofBiblestudy.

the value of archaeology

Tomanypeopleachaeologyisady,boing,andlittle-knownscience.Butthanks

tothepatientwokofmanyskilledachaeologistsofmanynations,weknowmuch

moetodayaboutBibletimesthanChistiansdidevenhalfacentuyago.National.

GeographicandothepopulamagazineshavepublicizedsuchfindingsastheEbla

tablets,whichthowtemendouslightontheNeaEastof2000to2500B.C.We

canundestandtheBibletodayasnevebefoe,asacheologyhasbeenageat

enlighteneandfiendtotheseiousBiblestudent.


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The.Book.Background.Method.of.Bible.Stu

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GusW.VanBeekhaswitten,

Noone canundestand theBiblewithoutaknowledgeofbiblicalhis-toyandcultue,andnoonecanclaimaknowledgeofbiblicalhistoy

andcultuewithoutanundestandingofthecontibutionsofachaeol-

ogy.Biblicaleventshavebeenillustated,obscuewodsdefined,ideas

explained,andchonologyefinedbyachaeologicalfinds.Tosaythatou

knowledgeoftheBiblehasbeenevolutionizedbythesediscoveies is

almosttoundestatethefacts(Achaeology,Interpreters.Dictionary.of.

the.Bible[AbingdonPess,1962],1:203).

tools you Will neeD

ThismethodofBiblestudyistotallydependentontools,soyouwillhavetoobtain

someoftheseoboowthemfomyoupublicochuchlibay.Dontbeafaidof

Step One Choose the Subject or Book of the Bible

Step twO List Your Reference Tools

Step three Obtain Insights from Geography

Step FOur Get Insights from History

Step Five Discover Some Insights from Culture

Step Six Research Insights from the Political Environment

Step Seven Summarize Your Research

Step eight Write Out a Personal Application


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them.Instead,takeadvantageoftheinfomationthatscholashavespenttheilives

findingoutfoyou.Thefollowingtoolswillpovidehelpfulbackgoundmateial:

ABibledictionayand/oBibleencyclopedia

ABiblehandbook

ABibleatlas

Inaddition,youmaywanttoconsultsomeofthefollowingefeencebooksthat

dealwithgeogaphy,histoy,cultue,andeveydaylifeofBibletimes.

Archaeology. and. Bible. History by Joseph Fee and Howad Vos

(Zondevan)

The.Bible.and.ArchaeologybyJ.A.Thompson(Eedmans)

Everyday.Life.in.Bible.Times(NationalGeogaphicSociety)

Great. People. of. the. Bible. and. How. They. Lived (reades Digest

Association)

Harpers.Encyclopedia.of.Bible.LifebyMadeleineS.andJ.LaneMille

(BooksSales)

The.Oxford.History.of.the.Biblical.WorldbyMichaelCoogan(OxfodUni-

vesityPess)

The. Wycliffe. Historical. Geography. of. Bible. Lands by Howad Vos

(Hendickson)

Thisisonlyaepesentativelist,fomanyotheefeencewoksaeavailable

today. Visit you local public libay, you chuch libay, o you local Chistian

bookstoeandlookovewhattheyhave.Choosetheonesthatappealtoyouthe

most.Achaeologistsaeconstantlyupdatingtheifindingsthoughnewdiscove-

ies,sobesuetoobtainthelatesteditionofeachefeencetool.

simPle stePs on Doing a BackgrounD stuDy

TheBookBackgoundStudyFomhaseightstepsplussomeblankspacefolist-

ingtheefeencetoolsyouuse.Useadditionalsheetsofpapeifyoudonothave

oomonthefom.


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Step One Choose the Subject or Book of the Bible

Choosethesubject,peson,wod,obookoftheBibleyouwanttostudy,andbegin

gatheingefeencemateialsfoyoueseach.Theavailabilityofefeencetools

willlagelydeteminethescopeofyoustudy.

Step twO List Your Reference Tools

Listalltheefeencetoolsyouhavegatheedtodothisstudy(seeToolsYouWill

Needabove).Thisistohelpyouemembewhichbooksweemostusefulfothe

backgoundmateialyoueseachedandwhatbooksyoumaywanttoefetoin

futuebackgoundstudies.

Step three Obtain Insights from Geography

YouwillneedtobecomefamiliawiththegeogaphyofPalestineandtheNeaEast

ingeneal.Thisincludesthetypesof landfoundthee,themajomountainsand

hills,elevationandainfall,themajobodiesofwate(seas,lakes,ives),location

ofcitiesandcounties,famouslandmaks,andthebodesofsuoundingcoun-

tiesofthetimeyouaestudying.

AsyoustudytheNewTestament,paticulalyPaulsmissionaytavels,you

willneedtobecomeacquaintedwiththeMediteaneancountiesandcitiesthat

weeactiveduingthedaysoftheromanEmpie.

Inallofyoustudyofbiblicalgeogaphy,youmustcontinuallyaskthisques-

tion:WhatistheeffectofthesuoundinggeogaphyonwhatIamstudying?

Inthisstep,listalltheinsightsyoucangetongeogaphyfothesubjecto

bookyouaestudying.

Step FOur Get Insights from History

Youshouldhaveawokingknowledgeofthechonology(odeofhistoicalevents)

ofthenationofIsael intheOldTestament.Leanthepeiodsofhistoyof the

Hebewnation;findouttheoiginandhistoyoffamouscities;leanthedivisions

ofJesusministy;bewellvesedonthehistoysuoundingPaulsmissionay

tavels.Itisalsohelpfultoknowwhatmajoeventsweegoingoninothepatsof


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thewoldduingthetimeyouaestudying,inodetohaveapopepespective

onwhatGodwasdoinginthewold.

Youmightaskyouself,WhatcausedthispaticulaeventthatIamstudying?

Howdiditaffectthepeopleinvolved?HowdiditaffectthepassageIamstudy-ing?BeespeciallyawaeofeventsthatillustateGodssoveeigncontolovethe

pogessofhistoy.

Inthisstep,listalltheinsightsyoucangetonhistoysuoundingthesubject

obookyouaestudying.

Step Five Discover Some Insights from Culture

IfyouaetoundestandwhatwentoninBibletimes,youneedtoleanaboutthe

totallifestyleoftheancientpeopleintheSciptues.Heeaesomeaeasyoucan

eseachwhileaskingyouself,Howdoallthesethingsaffectthemessageand

thepeopleaboutwhomIamstudying?

Typesofclothingpeoplewoe

Pofessionsandtadesinbiblicaltimes

MusicintheBible

AchitectualstylesintheNeaEast

MannesandcustomsinSciptue

receationinancienttimes

FamilylifeintheMiddleEast

AtintheBible

Languagesandliteatueofsuoundingnations

religiousceemoniesinIsaelandamongpaganneighbos

Falseeligionsoftheaea

Weaponsandtoolsusedbythepeople

Inthisstep,listalltheinsightsyoudeivefomthewaypeoplelivedinthei

cultues.

Step Six Research Insights from the Political Environment

MuchofwhathappenedinIsaelintheOldTestamentandintheromanwoldof

Jesus,Paul,andtheapostlesiselatedtothepoliticalenvionmentofthetimes.


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Kings,empeos,ules,andothepowesgovenedthepeopleofthetime.Isael,

foexample,spentmuchofitshistoyundefoeignuleandeveninexile.These

othenationsandpoliticalsystemsweeboundtohaveaneffectonthewayGods

peoplelived.recognize,howeve,thatGodisalwaysincontolofthepoliticalsitu-ation.EvenKingNebuchadnezzaacknowledgedthisfact(Dan.4:3435).

Egypt,Philistia,Assyia,Babylon,Pesia,Geece,andromeallplayedamajo

patintheBible.Whatweethesenationslike?HowdidtheyaffectIsaelothe

NewTestamentchuch?Manyofthepophetsmessagescanonlybeundestood

inlightoftheicuentpoliticalclimate.

Inthisstep,witedownalltheinsightsyoucanfomyoueseachintothe

politicalconditionsofthetimepeiodyouaestudying.

Step Seven Summarize Your Research

NowgobackoveStepTheethoughStepSix,andfomthedatayouhavegath-

eed,summaizeyoueseachbyansweingthesetwoquestions:

HowdoesthisbackgoundinfomationhelpmeundestandbettewhatI

amstudying?

Whatinfluencedidanyofthesefactoshaveonthesubject(obook)that

Iamstudying?

Step eight Write Out a Personal Application

Althoughapesonalapplicationmaybehadtocomebyinthistypeofstudy,you

shouldbeabletogetonefomyouoiginalsubject.Infact,eseachintotheback-

goundofyousubjectmayenableyoutofindanapplicationyoumayneedtoday,

andthedatacanhelpyoumakethatapplicationpesonallyelevant.

HOWTOFILLINTHEBOOKBACKGrOUNDSTUDYFOrM

Thefomattheendofthischapteshouldhelpyouinthisstudy,oyoumaymak

youownpapewiththedivisionssuggestedonthefom.


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Filling Out the Form

Followthestepsjustoutlinedandwiteintheinsightsgleanedfomyoueseach.

ThensummaizetheinsightsinStepSeven.Ifyouneedmoeoom,usetheback

ofthefomoothesheetsofpape.

Sample Filled-out Form

SeetheexampleonEphesusattheendofthischapte.

Assignment

SomesubjectstoconsideasyoubeginusingtheBookBackgoundStudyMethod

ae

ThebookofPhilippians ThebookofHaggai

ThebookofColossians

Thebookofruth

PhaiseesandSadducees

Templewoship

TheromansinPalestine

For Further Reading

ThebookslistedundeToolsYouWillNeedaeexcellentfogettingstatedon

thismethod.Fosomemethodologyohow-tohints,youmayeadTheHistoi-

calMethodinMeillC.TenneysGalatians:.The.Charter.of.Christian.Liberty(Eed-

mans),pages97109.Heeaesomeadditionalesouces:

The.Bible.Knowledge.Background.Commentary,.editedbyCaigEvans,3vols.(Victo)

Chronological. and. Background. Charts. of. the. New. Testament. by H. Wayne House

(Zondevan)

Chronological.and.Background.Charts.of.the.Old.Testament. byJohnWalton(Zondevan)

The. IVP.Bible.Background.Commentary:.New. Testament.byCaig Keene (InteVasity

Pess)

The.IVP.Bible.Background.Commentary:.Old.Testament. byJohnWaltonetal.(InteVasity

Pess)


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Manners.and.Customs.in.the.Bible.byVictoH.Matthews(Hendickson)

The.Zondervan.Illustrated.Bible.Background.Commentary:.New.Testament, editedbyClin-

tonAnold,4vols.(Zondevan)

The.Zondervan.Illustrated.Bible.Background.Commentary:.Old.Testament,. editedbyJohn

Walton,4vols.(Zondevan)


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BackgROUnD sTUDY fORM

1. SuBject Ephesus(BookofEphesians)

2. reFerence tOOlS uSeD

Eerdmans.Handbook.to.the.Bible

The.New.Bible.Dictionary

The.Zondervan.Pictorial.Encyclopedia.of.the.Bible.

3. geOgraphical BackgrOunD

ThecitywassituatedonthewestencoastofAsiaMinoat themouthof

theCaysterive,oneofthefoumajoeast-westvalleysthatendedinthe

AegeanSea.Itwasatthebeginningofamajohighwaythatwenteastwad

acossAsiaMinointoSyia,thenintoMesopotamia,Pesia,andIndia.

Ephesuswasalagepotcityandhadapopulationofaound400,000inthe

apostlePaulstime.ItwasthemostimpotantcityintheromanpovinceofAsia.Itsstategiclocationcausedittobethemeetingplaceofthelandand

seatadeoutesinthatpatofthewoldinthosedays.


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4. hiStOrical BackgrOunD

Ephesuswasanancientcitywhoseoiginsaelostinthemistsofantiquity.It

wasknownasanimpotantpotcityinthedaysoftheancientHittites(ealy

1300sB.C.).

Aound1080B.C.itwastakenandcolonizedbytheGeeksfomacossthe

AegeanSea,andGeekwaysandinfluencesweeintoduced.Fivecentuies

lateitwastakenbythelegendayKingCoesus,whoestoedAsianinfluence

tothecity.

ThePesianstookEphesusin557B.C.,andtwocentuiesofconflictwiththe

Geeksoveitfollowed.AlexandetheGeatcaptuedthecityin335B.C.,and

theGeekinfluencepevaileduntilromantimes.

Theromanstookthecityin190B.C.,anditemainedintheihandsothei

allies handsuntil afte the daysofPaul. It became themajo city in the

romanpovinceofAsia,althoughPegamumemainedthecapital.


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5. cultural BackgrOunD

FomthetimetheGeekstookthecityin1080B.C.,cultualconflictexisted

betweentheAsianandGeekwaysoflife.Theoiginaleligionincludedthe

woshipofthemothe-goddesswhomtheGeekslatecalledAtemis(Diana

intheromansystem).Heetheoiginalgoddesshadashine,andtheGeeks

latebuiltagandtemplethatbecameknownthoughoutthewholeMedite-

aneanwold.

BeingatthecossoadsofEuopeandtheFaEast,thecityhadanintena-

tionalflavoaspeopleofmanybackgounds,paticulalytadesandsailos,

mixedheefeely.Thusitwasacosmopolitancity,pimailyGeekincultue

butwithAsianundepinningsexistingtheeatthesametime.Ithadallthe

conveniencesofamodenromancitygymnasium,stadium,theates,and

acentalmaketplace.

6. pOlitical BackgrOunD

InPaulsday,sinceitwasacityloyaltorome,itwasgovenedbytheroman

poconsulfomPegamum.Itwasallowedtohaveitsowngovenmentand

wasdividedintotibesaccodingtotheethniccompositionofitspopulation.InPaulstimetheeweesixtibes,andtheepesentativestotheigatheing

electedthetownclek,whowasesponsiblefoallpublicmeetings.

OthegovenmentofficialsincludedtheAsiachs,municipalofficesofrome,

andtheNeokoos,thetempleofficials.


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7. SuMMary OF inSightS

ThecityofEphesuswasanimpotantcity,andbecauseofitsstategicvalue,

Paulandhisteamheadedtheeontheisecondmissionayjouney.Paullate

ministeedtheefosometimeonhisthidjouney.

Becauseofitscosmopolitanpopulation,heewasanoppotunityfoministy

tomanydiffeentkindsofpeoplesromans,Geeks,andtheAsiansofthat

patofAsia.Also,aministycouldbehadwiththetavelesandtades,who

camebothbylandandbysea.

Ephesushistoyandgeogaphymadethecitystategicfotheplantingof

chuchesandthenspeadingthenewsofthegospelthoughoutthewhole

teitoyaounditaswellastomanyotheplacesthoughthecaavansand

shipping.

8. perSOnal applicatiOn

InadayofpopulationexplosionitismyesponsibilitytowitnesstoJesus

Chistinthestategicplacesofthewold.ThismeansthatinmytownIneed

tofindoutwheethestategiccentesofpeoplegatheingae.ThenIshouldplantogothee,bothbymyselfandwithmychuch,totestifytothegaceof

Godandhissalvation.IwilltalkwithSamandJoeaboutthis,andwewilllay

planstogethefoevangelizingoucommunity.


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1. SuBject

2. reFerence tOOlS uSeD

3. geOgraphical BackgrOunD


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4. hiStOrical BackgrOunD


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5. cultural BackgrOunD

6. pOlitical BackgrOunD


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7. SuMMary OF inSightS

8. perSOnal applicatiOn

book background method

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