Covenant Treasure Institute
THE BIBLE SERIES
Foreword
The basis for all that we believe, the basis for all faith, the basis for all growth is the Bible you hold in your hand.
We come to know Him through the Bible, our minds are renewed through the Bible, we see Him through the Bible, and we are changed into His image through the Bible. Therefore it is of the utmost importance that we begin our course of ministry education with this instruction.
In Bible I, you will learn the mechanics of the Bible as a book. How it came to be written, when it was written, who wrote it. You will learn how it came to be translated into English and why you can trust its’ accuracy.
In Bible II you will complete a survey of the Old Testament. You will learn how and why the Old Testament is relevant to an understanding of the New Testament. You will learn about the Hebrew mindset concerning the Torah or the Law. You will come to understand how to study the prophetic books and the historic and poetic books. You will also learn the chronology of the events in the Old Testament.
In Bible III you will learn what transpired in the years between the writing of the Old and New Testaments. Your survey of the books of the Bible will continue with the New Testament and its’ divisions. You will walk through the gospels with an understanding of the political, social and religious climate in Jesus’ day. You will find the roots of your Christian birth and walk in the book of Acts. You will learn the effect of the revelations imparted to the Apostle Paul concerning the church. Also included in this study is a brief synopsis of the book of Revelation.
It is our fervent prayer that this series will inspire you, and through it, the Holy Spirit will create a deep hunger in you to study the Bible. So open your heart to receive revelation in the “knowledge of Him” and prepare to be challenged and changed!
In His love,
Patricia T. Smith, President
Covenant Treasure Institute
Covenant Treasure Institute
READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE
By Patricia Smith
We are privileged to live in a time when Bible study materials of all types and media are available to us. A new student of the Bible can sometimes be overwhelmed by the vast array of Bibles and Bible related information stocking the shelves of the local Christian bookstore.
So what do we really NEED in order to “rightly divide” God’s Word?
First, we need a BIBLE, and preferably a good STUDY BIBLE. There are many translations of the Bible to choose from.
The King James Version (KJV) is the Bible commonly accepted by Christians worldwide. It is a bestseller that has been translated into nearly every known language and dialect in the world. This Bible was originally translated in the year 1611 in England at the order of the Protestant King James. The English language has changed considerably since that time, particularly in America. There are some very valid reasons to justify the majority use of the KJV, however, there are many versions available to you if you have difficulty reading and understanding it.
Among what this writer feels are the best and most accurate modern translations are:
The Amplified Bible
The New King James
The American Standard
New International Version
There are also several “fun” versions (not from original text, but paraphrases in modern dialogue, complete with colloquialisms and slang), such as:
The Message Bible
The Cotton Patch Version
For the serious student, we recommend that you have a KJV, New KJV or Amplified Bible. As you locate the shelves where these versions are displayed at your Christian bookstore, you will find there are an array of “study Bibles” available within these sections. Among them are:
Thompson Chain Reference
Scofield
Dickson
Ryrie Study Bible
Dake’s Annotated Bible
The ones we have listed are some of the older accepted reference Bibles, trusted and used by ministers for many years, some of them over 100 years old. There are other “newcomers” on the shelves as well, some of them very good. Among these are:
Max Lucado’s Study Bible
The Women’s Study Bible
Spirit-filled Life Bible
Various Teen and Student Bibles
A good “study Bible” will contain a comprehensive:
Concordance
Subject Index
Proper Name Index
Geography/Maps
Each “study Bible” has additional helpful information unique to it, and you may want to spend some time selecting the one that you like best.
The other ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL to thorough Bible study is a:
STRONG’S CONCORDANCE
It is also helpful to have a good commentary or set of commentaries, such as:
Matthew Henry’s Commentary
W.E. Vines Commentary
All the helps mentioned above are also included in some very good Bible Study Programs that you can download onto your computer. Some are user friendly and others are not.
E-Sword
Is free and you can find it easily by going to a search engine such as Yahoo or Jeeves and typing in “E-Sword” or “Free Bible Study Programs.” I personally have PC Bible as well, which costs approximately $39.95, but is very user-friendly. These programs contain a complete Strong’s Concordance, several versions of the Bible and commentaries as well. Some also contain geography and maps. So if you are computer-literate, you may prefer to do your study in this manner.
After you have gathered all the materials you need, and if you are not using a computer, then a notebook and pen, you are ready for the next and most important step:
PRAYER
The Holy Spirit is the Teacher. We are Spirit beings, we have souls and we simply live in bodies of flesh. It is the Spirit and only the Spirit man that can truly learn the things of God. We then, transform and renew our minds and yield our flesh to what we have learned in our Spirits. If we try to reverse the order, it results only in religious exercise.
Spend time in prayer before you study. Allow the Presence of God to settle in on you. Ask HIM to open the eyes of your understanding and wash your mind of any preconceived notions you may already have, and for Holy Spirit to teach you in a life-changing way. THIS IS WHAT MAKES BIBLE STUDY THE MOST EXCITING AND EXHILERATING EXERCISE IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE! Without it, it can be simply drudgery. With it, it is amazing, miraculous and energizing and operative in your life.
There are several ways to study. My personal favorite is:
Verse-by-verse
Others prefer to study:
By subject
If you have the ability to visualize or imagine, put yourself into the very scripture and see yourself THERE at the time of the writing! If you prefer to research a subject through the Bible, then take your concordance and find all the scriptures pertaining to that subject before you draw a conclusion as to the full meaning involved.
Whatever you do….LISTEN! You will hear. Then WRITE! Journal what you hear. Ask God to make you thirsty for knowledge. Expand your horizons. READ, watch the Discovery Channel! Research lifestyles, customs, cultures. LEARN! Everything you learn will enhance what you have been taught in the Bible.
Solomon said, “get wisdom, get knowledge, but with all your getting, get understanding”
Only God can give you understanding. Seek and search in His Word. It is a veritable gold mine just waiting for you!