Bible Study: Methods and Techniques

Due to a death in the family, I have been neglecting the blog. I’ll be picking it up in a few days.

The Book of Burdens is a name for Isaiah 13-23. In these chapters nine burdens are proclaimed:

1. The burden of Babylon (Isaiah 13:1)
2. The burden of Moab (Isaiah 15:1)
3. The burden of Damascus (Isaiah 17:1)
4. The burden of Egypt (Isaiah 19:1)
5. The burden of the desert of the sea (Isaiah 21:1)
6. The burden of Dumah (Isaiah 21:11)
7. The burden upon Arabia (Isaiah 21:13)
8. The burden of the valley of vision (Isaiah 22:1)
9. The burden of Tyre (Isaiah 23:1)

If you have never heard it described this way, you are in good company for the term translated as “burden” (מַשָּׂא) is more properly translated “oracle”. It frequently introduces judgments or threats.

This section contains a variety of material from which one could extract and study comparatively:

• forms of oracles
• language of destruction
• fulfillment of prophecy
• historical context of oracle

Trivia: a question and answer of little or no value.

Question:
Name the seven deadly sins.

Answer:

• Pride (Vanity)
• Envy
• Gluttony
• Lust
• Anger (Wrath)
• Covetousness (Greed)
• Sloth

Compare Galatians 5:19-21

Note: this series suggests Bible study technique topics that could be introduced in a study session on these lectionary readings. The Lessons portion of this site provides the actual teaching materials.

There are three sets of readings known as midnight (eve), dawn, day or 1, 2, 3. Not all churches using the RCL have the tradition of multiple services. Because of the business of the season, I think of this as a time to apply known skills rather than a time to teach new skills.

Service I

For the United Methodist, Service I is the Christmas Eve service; for Roman Catholics, it is the midnight Mass – there being a separate service for the Christmas Vigil.

The Old Testament reading for the first service is a prophecy from Isaiah.  Elements for exploration include:

• the motif of light-dark
• the motif of oppression
• the common elements between Isaiah’s prophecy and the promises made to Abraham
• images of Isaiah that are used in the Gospels, perhaps limiting to the Gospel of Luke (the Gospel of the year)

Psalm 96 is a near duplicate of 1 Chronicles 16:23-33 .

• In 1 Chronicles it appears in the context of placing the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle; as a Psalm, it has a Greek subscript associating it with the dedication of the Second Temple. Explore how that background affects its meaning  in the context of Christmas
• While it is a bit of a stretch for the text, use the psalm as a springboard to  a discussion of the Ark of the Covenant as a type of Mary.
• Analyze the parallel structures of the Psalm.
• List the attributes for which God is praised and give concrete examples (Biblical and non-Biblical) where those attributes are shown.

The second reading is from the Letter of Paul to Titus provides these topic possibilities:

• personification of God’s grace
• Paul’s use of the Greco-Roman societal values concerning education
• compare/constrast the three virtues and three vices that are specified

Two portions of the Luke Nativity narrative may be used at the first Christmas Service – the birth of Christ and the shepherds’ adoration. As a reminder of how superficial one’s analysis is, recall Raymond E. Brown’s The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke runs over 700 pages.

• explore how Kierkegaard’s Works of Love deals with the incarnation
• take a Christmas birth carol and compare the carol and the Scripture – noting what is picked up, amplified or added
• take a visual depiction of the nativity and compare its details in the same was suggested for a carol
• do social and cultural background study to fill in details of the story and how it would have been received in its time

The related antiphons are not studied independently.

Trivia: the three services (Midnight, Dawn and Day) are also known among Catholics as the Angel’s Mass, the Shepherd’s Mass, and the Mass of the Divine Word. These names derive from the Gospel readings assigned to each Mass.

Service II

The second service is the Mass at dawn for the Roman Catholics; it is omitted in the United Methodist practice.

The first reading is from Trito-Isaiah. It’s original context is the return from exile Possible topics include:

• how is work and its produce represented in this passage; relate this to the mission of Jesus
• the NET uses “Come through” while the NRSV uses”Go through” – explore the Hebrew behind the text to understand why such a difference in translation is supported.
• identify how language is used to imply both joy and a crescendo in this passage
• what do the words “reward” and “recompense” refer to?

Note that this Psalm is contiguous with the Service I Psalm. Psalms 96, 97  and 98 are known as enthronement psalms. There are several interesting images and motifs to explore:

• the attributes of a just king
• nature symbols – meaning and use
• the light-dark motif, especially if one also pulls in its use in other Christmas readings

This second service also uses a reading from Titus. Remember that for Christmas the epistles are selected to fit the theme of the readings, unlike Ordinary time when they are a semi-continuous reading of a a particular epistle. Potential topics include:

• this reading benefits from diagramming – phrase, clause or arc
• several key theological terms are used in this passage: works of righteousness, mercy, water of rebirth, renewal, Spirit, justification, grace, hope. Take any of these words and consider its relationship to the Incarnation

The Gospel reading for Service II is from the same passage in Luke as for Service I. See the latter for suggestions for study. There is one aspect (liturgical) which is especially relevant here:

• Although Service II is from the same passage in Luke, the division between optional and mandatory parts of the reading is reversed. How would the flow of the readings differ if the long form was used for both Services in comparison to using the short form for each Service. Note especially the other readings as liturgical context.

The related antiphons are not studied independently.

Trivia:  In the  Philippines the nine days preceding Christmas are celebrated by dawn Masses – Masses beginning as early as 4:00 A.M. These are known  as the Misa de Gallo (“Rooster’s Mass”) in Spanish and in Filipino as Simbang Gabi, or “Night Mass”,

Service III

The third service is the Mass during the day in the Roman Catholic tradition. The United Methodists use this set of readings for Christmas Day.

The final set of Christmas readings begins with a reading from Deutero-Isaiah. This passage provides ample material for text and image comparison:

• consider the passage in comparison to other enthronement hymns e.g. Psalms 47, 93, 96-99
• the image of Zion or of the messenger
• again, there is an reference to the return from exile; how does that image fit into the focus of the readings on the nativity?

The psalm is again consecutive. Again, the psalm is an enthronement psalm. Potential topics include:

• explore the connotations of a lyre,  shofar or song along with an accurate understanding of the underlying denotations, of course

• analyze this psalm’s  structure as three calls: call to God’s people, call to all humanity and call to all creation

The pericope from the beginning of the Letter to the Hebrews has an interesting interplay with the Psalm:

• Hebrews 1:3-4 or Hebrews 1:2-4 is considered by some to be a hymn fragment – defend or attack that position
• Hebrews 1:5-14 is subtitled “The Son’s Enthronement” in the New Jerome Biblical Commentary. What characteristics does it share with the enthronement psalms used in the Christmas liturgies?

The Gospel for the final Christmas service is a radical break from the previous Gospels as it is not drawn from the nativity narratives of Matthew and Luke.

• explore the characteristics that  imply this reading (John 1:1-18) is a Christological hymn
• a comparison of the Wisdom of God tradition to this Word of God tradition

The related antiphons are not studied independently.

The 2009 Order-of-Service Program for King’s College Chapel’s Festival on Nine Lessons and Carols uses the following lessons:

1. Genesis 3:8-15, 17-19
2. Genesis 22:15-18
3. Isaiah 9:1, 5-6
4. Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6-9
5. Luke 1:26-35, 37-38
6. Luke 2:1, 3-7
7. Luke 2:8-16
8. Matthew 2:1-12
9. John 1:1-14

There are at least three interesting exercises that may be drawn from this performance (including the carols that follow each lesson).

• look for connections between the lessons and the carols that follow them
• compare the use of the passages in the Lessons and Carols service and the official services of the 12 days of Christmas
• create your own lessons and carols service, noting the reasons for your selections and pairings

Trivia: a question and answer of little or no value.

Question:
Name the men appointed in Acts 6:5 to “serve at table”

Answer:

• Stephen
• Philip
• Prochorus
• Nicanor
• Timon
• Parmenas
• Nicholas of Antioch

Note: this series suggests Bible study technique topics that could be introduced in a study session on these lectionary readings. The Lessons portion of this site provides the actual teaching materials.

The first reading is from Micah who, together with Amos, Isaiah and Hosea, is an 8th century B.C. prophet. Items that may be introduced through this reading include:

• From form criticism, the pattern of Old Testament prophets of prophecies of doom followed by prophecies of hope.
• From boundary demarcation, the effect of the small shift in text between the Revised Common Lectionary and the Latin rite Roman Catholic readings.
• The use of Old Testament allusions in the Old Testament: Isaiah7, 9; 2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89
• The link between Micah 4:2 and Micah 5:1 through “come forth” applied both to the law and to the Messianic king

For the responsorial psalm there are two options.  The Episcopalian Canticle 3 /15 is the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) i.e. a different designator for the standard Revised Common Lectionary text. This is the selection for the United Methodists as well. The Magnificat is a springboard to:

• a discussion of the parallels between the prayer of Hannah and the prayer of Mary
• a discussion of manuscript differences: all Greek manuscripts show Mary as the speaker, however, three Old Latin manuscripts show Elizabeth as the speaker.
• a technical grammatical issue of the use of the aorist tense

The alternative responsorial psalm is Psalm 80. Potential issues include:

• from language use, the epitaphs used for the Lord God
• from imagery, the relationship between the throne between the cherubim and Immanuel (God with us)
• from form criticism, Psalm 80 as a communal lament
• from liturgics, explore how  a communal lament fits into the sense of the 4th Sunday in Advent

The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews presents some interesting issues:

• on a basic level, the use of Psalm 40:7-9 raises typical issues of the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament
• on an advanced level, the comparison of Psalm 40:7-9 implies that the LXX rather than the Masorectic text is the base being quoted – an issue that also relates to issues of canonicity.
• on a ritual level, The New Jerome Commentary suggests that the four terms – sacrifices, offerings, holocausts, sin offerings – relate to the four main types of Jewish offerings – peace offerings, cereal offerings, holocausts, sin offerings. Offer evidence for and against this suggestion.

The gospel readings, long and short form, have already been discussed in the Latin rite (Roman) Catholic readings for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Additional suggestions include:

• The use of cross-references, compare Luke 1:42 to Judges 5:24, Judith 13:18, Deuteronomy 28:1, 4 and 2 Baruch 54:11
• The use of discourse analysis techniques to explore this highly verbal narrative.
• The implied role of God in these narratives under the assumption that all scripture in some sense speaks of God.

The related antiphons are not studied independently.

Note: this series suggests Bible study technique topics that could be introduced in a study session on these lectionary readings. The Lessons portion of this site provides the actual teaching materials.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe provides an opportunity to discuss how the church calendar reflects the particular situation of the parish.

For the first reading, there is a choice of two passages – oracles from Zechariah relating to the return of the Jewish exiles or an apocalyptic passage from John’s Revelation. Regarding the Zechariah passage two major concerns are:

• the role of the exile in Jewish thinking especially as it relates to sin and debt (consider the position of Gary A. Anderson in Sin: A History)
• the rereading of prophecies  as a result of the return from exile not re-establishing the David monarchy (consider the position of  George W. E. Nickelsburg in Reading the Hebrew Scriptures in the First Century: Christian Interpretations in Their Jewish Context)

Alternatively, the reading from Revelation is a springboard for discussions of:

• From form criticism, define apocalyptic literature.
• From religious language, consider how the opening verse implies a theophany.
• From religious symbols, consider possible identifications for the woman – Mary (the new Eve), the heavenly Jerusalem, personified Wisdom, the Church – with emphasis on the multivalence of symbols.

The responsorial psalm is a blessing of Judith by Uzziah.

• From an intertextual perspective, compare the blessing here to the blessing in Genesis 14:19-20
• From a canonical perspective, discuss the role of the deuterocanonical books
• For a discussion of the difference between ‘factual’ and ‘truthful’, consider the ramifications of considering the Book of Judith to be dramatic fictional narrative.

Note that the Gospels for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and for Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary have the option to be duplicates. See the Immaculate Conception for methodological notes for the first option.

• Either reading is appropriate for a discussion of the “Hail Mary” prayer

Issues raised by the second option include:

• From an tertextual perspective, the significance of “leaping in the womb” (compare Esau and Jacob)
• Consider what is meant by “literal meaning in Elizabeth’s interpretation of John’s leaping
• Consider the similarities and differences between praising an individual and praising God.

The related antiphons are not studied independently.

Note: this series suggests Bible study technique topics that could be introduced in a study session on these lectionary readings. The Lessons portion of this site provides the actual teaching materials.

Topics linked to this pericope include:

• from genre criticism, a discussion of etiological stories
• from linguistics and culture, a discussion of the etymology of names and the importance of names
• from traditional Biblical interpretation, Eve as a type of Mary
• from figurative language, the image of the snake in the Bible

This psalm suggests topics such as:

• from figurative language, the anthropomorphic image of God
• from figurative language, the anthropomorphic image of land(s)
• from prayer genres, the prayer of praise

The reading from the epistle allows discussion of:

• the use of incipits in the lectionary
• from linguistics, the use of preformative verbs
• from grammar, the use of phrase diagrams. These diagrams can be drawn easily in Logos 3 or Logos 4 as well as in a standard word processor

As we reach the Gospel, it becomes apparent that none of today’s readings explicitly teach the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. This makes the discussion of the relationship between Scripture and Tradition especially relevant. Other potential topics include:

• the “Hail Mary” (Ave Maria) prayer
• the use of the of the prayer as a text in music
• a comparison of the annunciation of birth 3-part narratives (annunciation of birth, giving the child a name, specification of the child’s destiny):
  • Genesis 16:11-12, 17:19
  • 1 Kings 13:2
  • Isaiah 7:14-17
  • 1 Chronicles 22:9-10
  • Luke 1:28-33

  See The New Jerome Biblical Commentary.

The related antiphons are not studied independently.

No, this does not refer to an idiotic psalm, it refers to private psalm-like compositions in early Church/chant history. The examples still used in liturgy are:

• Te Deum
• Phos Hilaron
• Gloria in excelsis Deo
• Te decet lauds

For fun one could analyze what qualities of psalms exist in these hymns. Hint: they are not metrical.