Bible Studies

A New Approach to Studying and Teaching The Bible

by Henry Jaegers
07/28/21
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A New Approach to Studying and Teaching The Bible

By Henry Jaegers

As I have begun my study in the first chapter of John, I discovered a unique approach for studying and teaching the Scriptures. I have been putting together a series of outline studies in various books of the Bible. The idea came to me shortly after I read chapter 1 this morning, as an interesting way to help others to prepare and teach others, not only how to read and to teach the Scriptures, this will also be a great discipleship tool to enable your students to become effective teachers of the word of God.

This may be one of my last projects. That will keep me busy for a long time. Imagine what I am doing with John chapter 1 and to apply this method to teach the rest of the Bible.  Here are some suggestions!

1. First, copy the Scriptures and chapters that you want to study.

2. Once you have copied down the chapter, notice carefully the thought in this section, and where the new one begins. Before you go to the next section, give a title for the first section which describes the content of these verses.

Once you have finished the whole chapter, then go back over each section and makeup questions for review and discussion from what you found in your study of this chapter.

I am in the process of completing the Gospels and hope to finish the gospel of John by the end of summer. I am going back before I publish this as a book, I am going to compose questions for review and discussion after every chapter. In this manner, you will learn how to teach, by using this approach. You will not be bound by commentaries or what other people decide is the correct interpretation. This is a form of inductive Bible study, and by using a different approach. The greatest benefit of all is for you the teacher as you prepare these messages and share them with your students. Imagine your students, starting their own Bible studies using the approach that you shared with them. This is the best way that I know how to be a "person of the word".

Below is my lesson in John chapter 1 as an example of how it can be done. I hope that you will find this to be a great challenge to help you in communicating the word of God to others.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN

Chapter 1

The Eternal Geneology of Jesus Christ (According to John)

 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was at the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

The Witness of John the Baptist concerning Christ

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  And this is the record of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?  And he confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?  He said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.  And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;  He it is, who coming after I am preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John Identifies Jesus as He Arrives

 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  This is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

John Explains how He came to Recognize who Jesus was

33. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

John’s Disciples are the first to follow Jesus

 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!  And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?  He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. . And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The Call of Jesus to Phillip and Nathaniel to Follow Him

 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.  Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!  Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

1. Discuss how this first section describes how it is a genealogy of Jesus. How does it differ from that of Matthew and Luke?

2. Discuss the witness of John the Baptist when others asked him about his authority to baptize?

3. What witness did John give about Jesus, and how did he determine that Jesus was the Christ? (Or Messiah)

4. Two disciples left John to follow Jesus: one is named and the other is not. Who do you think is the Un-named disciple? Give your reason for your answer.

5. Who were the next two disciples to follow Jesus? Discuss the difference of their call in comparison to the first two