Step 6: Put it all Together

Into Thy Word -

Exegetical Process

Step 6: Put it all Together

(This step can be incorporated into the final steps of the inductive method on “How does it apply? and “Charting”).

This is where you reconstruct your work for the intended purpose for Christ’s glory. Now, go back to your paraphrase and add what you missed; and, if needed, subtract what you got wrong or rework what needs to be clarified, and start to polish it up.

You can have an exegetical paper, sermon, or Bible study that looks like this: Your paraphrase is about a paragraph or two that explains the general meaning of the passage in a way that you and your audience can clearly understand. Then, you can write out a short paragraph explaining the context or background of what is going on in and around the passage. Write out what you have learned in your explorations, such as using bullet points on each main word meaning or precept in verse order. Then, clarify what you are saying so it is simple and concise and make an application that you have lived out before asking others to do so (this is how most of the Into Thy Word Bible studies are done; look at any of the James or Peter studies for example.)

· Smooth it out; add further explanations, questions, and illustrations, depending on how you will use it.

· Make sure you do not spiritualize something that is not there, such as telling people to allow a snake to bite them because Paul did.

· Make sure you do not go by your experience; rather, seek His experience. Be an humble learner of His Word and an humble teacher too! Pride has no place either in the pulpit or in the Kingdom of God!

· Make sure you do not rationalize your behaviors or ideas by seeking a passage to justify them, usually out of context or intent.

· Make sure you do not make dogmatic assertions when it is not justified, such as a way of dress, one style of preaching as better than another, or a minor doctrine like tongues. Major on the majors; minor on the minors.

· Make sure you do not rationalize the passages or bring into His Word your way of theological thinking. Rather, allow Scripture to dictate your theological views.

· In preparing a “topical study,” follow the same procedures, as it is always, always best to go to the passage to look for what it says, not what we want to find. Thus, use a concordance to look up all the passages related to your topic and then exegete the pertinent ones; develop an outline and logical flow from your exegetical work and you will have a topical study!

Hermeneutical Questions to Ask Yourself to Help Prepare Your Lesson:

· How can you best take what the Bible is saying and bring it to the people you are teaching?

· Your goal is to write and/or teach so your audience can understand and apply His precepts to help them learn about and then lead transformed lives. In prayer, ask God how you can do this and do it better.

· Ask what the implications are and how you can understand and communicate them.

· What do you want your audience to understand?

· What can I do to make God’s Word real in the lives of the people in my care? What will be my church’s response? How will I handle people’s negative opinions and objections to growing and learning, and do so in kindness and love?

· Good exegesis means that the precepts we have dug out are to be applied and not set aside.

· To grow in Christ, we need to be equipped by His precepts and be ready for His service. (2 Tim. 3:15-16)

· Remember, the Word of God’s purpose is to transform us into the image of God—to model His character! And then, we can show and tell others.

· Pray and ask God how to implement His truth in you before you ask others to do so.

· The Word of God should lead us to model the character of Christ, and to form us in the image of God. How should we carry out these changes and then communicate to others how to do so?

Into Thy Word Ministries

www.intothyword.org