The Bible is the written Word of God, and it is treasured by many. But it is also an ancient book about people and cultures very different than us. Thus, while we know we should read it, many of us have a hard time understanding the Bible.In thisupdated edition of Knowing Scripture, R. C. Sproul helps us dig out the meaning of Scripture for ourselves. The author says, "The theme of this book is not how to read the Bible but how to study the Bible." He presents in simple, basic terms a commonsense approach to studying Scripture and gives eleven practical guidelines for biblical interpretation and applying what we learn. With a minimum of technical jargon, Sproul tackles some of the knotty questions regarding differences of interpreting the Bible, including

- discovering the meanings of biblical words

- understanding Hebrew poetry, proverbs and parables

- approaching historical and didactic passages

- being careful with predictive prophecy

- discerning how culture conditions the Bible

- choosing and using Bible translations, commentaries, Bible software and other helps

Knowing Scripture is a basic book for both beginning Bible readers and experiencedstudents of Scripture.



R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Florida. He was also copastor of Saint Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Florida, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. His radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online.Sproul contributed dozens of articles tonational evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and schools around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone's a Theologian. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible.







J. I. Packer (1926–2020) is regarded as one of the most well-known theologians of our time. Once named to Time magazine's list of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America, Packer served as Board of Governors' Professor of Theologyat Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. His books include Knowing God, Praying, A Quest for Godliness, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, and Rediscovering Holiness.



Foreword by J. I. Packer

Preface



1. Why Study the Bible

Two Myths

The Clarity of Scripture

The Problem of Motivation

The Biblical Basis for Bible Study

The Bible as Revelation

Theory and Practice

The Sensuous Christian

A Matter of Duty



2. Personal Bible Study and Private Interpretation

Martin Luther and Private Interpretation

Objectivity and Subjectivity

The Role of the Teacher



3. Hermeneutics: The Science of Interpretation

The Analogy of Faith

Interpreting the Bible Literally

Literal Interpretation and Genre Analysis

The Problem of Metaphor

The Medieval Quadriga

The Grammatical-Historical Method

Source Criticism

Authorship and Dating

Grammatical Errors



4. Practical Rules for Biblical Interpretation

Rule 1. Read the Bible Like Any Other Book

Rule 2. Read the Bible Existentially

Rule 3. Interpret the Historical Narratives by the Didactic

Rule 4. Interpret the Implicit by the Explicit

Rule 5. Determine Carefully the Meaning of Words

Rule 6. Note the Presence of Parallelisms

Rule 7. Note the Difference Between Proverb and Law

Rule 8. Observe the Difference Between the Spirit and the Letter of the Law

Rule 9. Be Careful with Parables

Rule 10. Be Careful with Predictive Prophecy

Rule 11. Interpret the Bible with a Spirit of Humility



5. Culture and the Bible

Cultural Conditioning and the Bible

Cultural Conditioning and the Reader

Principle and Custom

Practical Guidelines



6. Practical Tools for Bible Study

Bible Translations

Study Bibles

The King James Bible

Commentaries

Concordances, Bible Dictionaries and Atlases

Word Studies

Foreign Translations

What About Greek and Hebrew?

Bible Software

Bible Reading Program for Beginners

Conclusion



Notes

Glossary