Using the 9 items to consider when reading sentences as listed in chapter 3 of Grasping God's Word (i.e., repetition of words, contrasts, comparisons, lists, cause and effect, figures of speech, conjunctions, verbs, pronouns), list as many observations as you can find in Acts 1:8. You may list these by noting what category the item falls under (e.g., "contrasts") and then offering an example of that item. For example, an observation would be to note that the sentence starts off with the conjunction "but," which connects the sentence to the one above it in a contrasting matter. This item could be listed under both "conjunctions" and "contrasts." We will follow the basic instructions for this assignment as given on page 64 of your text. Do not offer an interpretation or an application of the text. At this point I want you to list as many of the 9 items as you can find. How do you think this exercise helps you to understand the text better? What did you discover that you did not already notice about this passage?
Acts 1:8 New Living Translation (NLT) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends[a] of the earth.”
Skill in interpreting the Bible is needed to obtain a good understanding of its message. Grudem emphasizes the need to have technical skills as well as spiritual receptivity. In the book Grasping God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, nine significant items are given consideration when studying the sentences and messages in the Bible. These nine important items include cause and effect, figures of speech, contrasts comparisons, repetition of words, lists, conjunctions, verbs, and pronouns. In the aspect of word repetition, only the conjunction “and” and the pronouns “you” and “my” were repeated. The conjunction “and” was used to connect one place to another place such as Samaria and the ends of the Earth. Other than “and”, the conjunction “but” was also present in Acts 1:8. The conjunctions “and” and “but” are used to provide contrast to the verse prior to it. In the given verse, “but” is used to start the statement. According to Duvall and Hays, conjunctions serve as mortars that fasten the phrases and sentences. Since “but” is seen at the beginning of the verse, one must check Acts 1:7 to determine what it is referencing at. Hence, it can be said that “but” in the verse can function both as a conjunction and as a form of contrast. Other form of contrasts in the verse is displayed to show the condition of the disciples prior to and following the coming of the Holy Spirit. The verse implies that prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit; the disciples were powerless and only received power after the coming. Contrast is also presented to provide distinction to the scope of locations such as the “list” of places stated in the verse, “Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.”
Figures and speech, as suggested by Duvall and Hays, communicate an image through the use of words beyond its literal context. The figure of speech present in Acts 1:8 can be found in the phrase “ends of the Earth”. Earth has no beginning and no end because Earth is said to be an oblate spheroid. Therefore, there is no end to it. However, in the verse “the ends of the Earth” can mean the most distant place in reference to the disciples’ location. Comparison or comparing in the verse is evident in the implication that the power the disciples will receive from the Holy Spirit will be the same power that the Holy Spirit and Jesus possess.
In doing the activity of recognizing the nine items to consider when reading the sentences, I realized that in reading scriptures and passages from the Bible, one must dig deeper in order to obtain the real message of the verses. As Taylor postulated, every passage in the Bible has more than one meaning or interpretation.I also realized that not all words stated in the Bible are in their literal meaning. They can simply be figures of speech that are used to communicate a more meaningful message.
Utilizing the 9 items a reader should observe in paragraphs (see chapter 4 of Grasping God’s Word), list as many of these items as you can observe in Philippians 2:1-4. Offer the items as a list (e.g. you could list the “emotional terms” of the passage including such words as “encouragement” or “comfort”). The goal is to see how many of the 9 you can find in Philippians 2. We are not interested here in interpretation or application, just observations concerning the details of the paragraph with regards to the 9 items a reader should observe. What details did you discover that you had not noticed before? How do you think this exercise can help you to interpret the text better?
Philippians 2:1-4 New Living Translation (NLT) Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
In the book Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Klein, Blomberg, and Dallas suggest that all understanding necessitates a framework within which to take meaning. Fee and Stuart suggest reading the importance of determining the central core of the message before forming any conclusion. According to J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays in Grasping God’s Word, explained the importance of distinguishing the nine elements in passages. These nine components include the following: lists, repetition of words, contrasts comparisons, cause and effect, figures of speech, conjunctions, verbs, and pronouns. Word repetition is highly evident in the passage. There is constant repetition of the word “any” and the word, “don’t”, which is a contracted form of the words “do not”. Constant repetition of words implies emphasis. In the passage, the word “any” refers to any person and the word “don’t” refers to a strong emphasis of not doing anything that is deviant to what is ethically acceptable. Contrasts are also evident in the verse. The author contrasted selfishness with humility. In finding comparisons, Duvall and Hays suggest to look for individuals, ideas, or objects that can be likened to each other in terms of similarities. In the verse, the people are told that they are comparable to each other in that they are all united for one single purpose.
The author also made use of lists by naming the effects of being in Christ. The list includes fellowship, affection, encouragement, unity, love, joy, and purpose. Cause and effect is also found in Philippians 2:1-4. The author claims that if people have encountered fellowships, love, and joy and other emotions mentioned in the list, then there is accountability among them to stand united. Conjunctions such as or, and, but, and if were also applied in the verse. The conjunction “if” ties together the characteristics of someone found in Christ. The conjunction “and” joins together the words compassion and affection. “But” conjunction is used to create a contrast between the behavior that is promoted and the behavior that should not be inculcated. Duvall and Hays also suggest looking at the verbs used. According to the authors, it is essential to determine whether the verbs used are in present form, past form, or future form and whether they are active or passive verbs. The verb constantly used in the passage is the verb “do” which is in present form. Moreover, the authors suggest looking at the pronouns and their antecedents. For example, “one another” refers to those who are members of Christ’s body and “your” refers to people reading the scripture. In Philippians 2:1-4, there is no figure of speech used. The passage serves as a direct message to the people.
In this exercise, I learned the importance of knowing the pronoun antecedents to recognize the person conveying the message. I also realized that there are passages that do not need to use figures of speech to deliver the message. Rather, the passages direct the message straight to the readers. To understand the text better, it is necessary to consider the nine items suggested by Duvall and Hays.
Works cited
Duvall, J. Scott, and J. Daniel Hays. 2001. Grasping God's Word. 1st ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.
Fee, Gordon D, and Douglas K Stuart. 1982. How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth. 1st ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.
Grudem, Wayne A, C. John Collins, and Thomas R Schreiner. 2012. Understanding Scripture. 1st ed. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway.
Klein, William W, Craig Blomberg, Robert L Hubbard, and Kermit Allen Ecklebarger. 2003. Introduction To Biblical Interpretation. 1st ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Taylor, Gene. 1995. 'How To Study The Bible'.
