This and That: Bible-ology Part 2
The Study of the Bible
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Let’s recap where we left off at the beginning of this bible reading challenge.
First, we covered the various symbols and word pictures the Bible uses to describe itself as a means to help us understand the character of the Word of God.
Milk: Hebrews 5:12-14
A Seed That Is Sown 1 Peter 1:23
A Lamp and a Light Psalm 119:105
For the full list of descriptive words and Part 1 of This or That: Bible-ology Click below
We looked at the origins of 2 Timothy:
It is the last letter that was written by Paul in Rome before his death (c. 64 or 67), It was to Timothy and it contained 4 charges to Timothy. He is to guard the scriptures, suffer for them, continue or remain in them, and preach them. Ultimately, this letter is a last will and testament from Paul to the Church.
What is the purpose of the Holy Scriptures?
We see Timothy is challenged to maintain a close relationship with the Word of God. Paul tells him of the benefits that come from such a relationship. He is reminded that it is the Scriptures that have taught him what he knows about God. It is the Word of God that fed him and led him to this point in his life.
Paul is letting Timothy know that if he stays true to the teaching he will be thoroughly equipped for every good work. The scriptures are here to equip and are a basic need in our lives just as we need the air and water to survive.
We need the Word of God so that we can become all he created us to be for His glory. If we are going to grow in the Lord we need to know his word.
Which Brings Us to Today…
So the challenge was to create a habit of reading your bible. But now we need to step up our game. Let’s take it to the next level. While reading is important we need to dig deeper by studying the bible. When we study the Bible every day, we generate spiritual growth. Spiritual growth includes knowledge, skills, wisdom, vision, and character development. Studying the Bible is an amazing source of wisdom and guidance and helps us understand who God is and what he expects of his followers.
The Word of God is important, sufficient, and necessary.
As Paul prepared Timothy by admonishing him to continue in the things he had learned by first referencing the Holy Scriptures known since his childhood. He then spoke of the value of “all Scripture” in that all Scripture was “given by the inspiration of God”. Like Paul, John Wesley understood that Scripture should be the foundation for a believer. He spent years developing a “Method” for Christian living and at its center was not just the reading of scripture but the study of it. John Wesley strove to live a Holy life and studied scripture to succeed.
Scripture provides doctrine, teaching, and instruction telling us all that God wanted us to know regarding Himself and His will for us. It offers reproof, convicting those in error of their wrong, showing them their need to change. This correction is an improvement of character and ultimately our life. Scripture offers instruction in righteousness and principles of justice. Even King David in Ps 19 expressed that the Scriptures are truly profitable (i.e. helpful, advantageous) in making a person complete. In 2 Timothy 3:17 it states that we are thoroughly equipped for every good work.
How do we Study?
There are many different thoughts and ideas on how to study the Bible. Whether you use the S.O.A.K or S.O.A.P method. Or the Inductive Bible Study or Precepts curriculum, there is not just one way to go about this. Some like to use a guided bible study while others verse map. As part of my schooling, I have been reading about John Wesley’s methods. One of my classes focused on the Wesley Quadrilateral.
What is the Quadrilateral?
Albert Outler (b.Nov 17, 1908 – d.Sep 1, 1989) was a 20th-century American Methodist historian, theologian, and pastor. He was a professor at Duke, Yale, and Southern Methodist University. As someone who studied John Wesley, he was an authority on Wesley’s methods and practices, and led him to define and even name John Wesley’s method of study. Outler called it the Wesley Quadrilateral where he identified 4 areas in which Wesley focused his studies.
Scripture, Reason, Tradition, Experience
To Wesley Reason, Tradition and Experience helped you understand Scripture. Outler named Wesley’s process the Quadrilateral. Many study t to e Quadrilateral to help understand Wesley’s theology. However, it was not without its haters. There have been many who misinterpret the concept of the Quadrilateral claiming that Wesley did not believe in Sola Scripture.
The simplest explanation for this is that Outler, with the use of the term “Quadrilateral”, gave the impression that Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience were on a level plain. This misinterpretation has put Wesleyan Theology at odds with Sola Scriptura and fuel for debate between Armenians and Calvinists that to this day is still going on.
What is Sola Scriptura?
Sola Scriptura is Latin for “by scripture alone”. It is a Christian Theological doctrine held by most protestant Christians that posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian Faith and practice.
First let’s clear up the misnomer that tradition, reason, and experience are on a level field with Scripture. When people think of a Quadrilateral they think of a square, something with 4 equal sides. However, not all quadrilaterals are square. I like to think of Outler’s Quadrilateral as more like a diamond, specifically a baseball diamond. Batters start at home and must run to first, then second, then third right back to home. Some batters get home on the first hit some get to second.
Applying this to the Quadrilateral, home plate is Scripture, the place where all Christians should start. Then you run to tradition i.e. first base, then reason at second base, and third base is experience and then back to home plate, where it all started with scripture. We should always start and end with Scripture.
Thomas Oden compiled a book of Albert C. Outler Essays and in it Albert Outler is quoted “the term Quadrilateral’ does not occur in the Wesley Corpus – and more than once, I have regretted having coined it for contemporary use since it has been so widely misconstructed.”
To further understand the Arminian position on Sola Scriptura one must acknowledge that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16) And here is the crux of the matter, had Wesley’s works and methods been reviewed it would be understood that Wesley absolutely believed that “All scripture is inspired of God -The Spirit of God not only once inspired those who wrote it, but continually inspires, supernaturally assists, those that read it with earnest prayer. Hence it is so profitable for doctrine, instruction of the ignorant, reproof or conviction of them that are in error or sin, correction or amendment of whatever is amiss, and instructing or training up the children of God in all righteousness.” (Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament)
How can we apply the Wesley Quadrilateral in our own lives?
Applying the quadrilateral may look a little different for each person. There was a time I used to only see Wesley’s approach as a theory in the larger scope of his methods. The more I study John Wesley and how he applied his methods, the more I am drawn to utilizing tradition, reason, and experience in a more thoughtful way. In my scripture study, I have been challenged to set up my journal in a way that puts this into practice. I have compiled a list of questions that I use during my study. In addition to the scripture, I document any resources or references.
First start with the Scripture, then I look at references and commentaries.
I ask:
Is this passage based on or connected to another passage of Scripture?
If yes, what does that passage say?
What is the original context for the other Scripture passage?
How is this passage like or different from other passages of Scripture you have read
The following section is tradition, where I ask:
What tradition did this passage of Scripture come out of?
What does the early Church teach about this?
What is the Wesleyan response?
What do biblical church leaders say?
Does this passage affirm or conflict with the traditions in your church family?
Moving on to reason, I ask:
What might have been the thought processes of the original writer?
What does logic say about the subject?
What do biblical church leaders say?
What might the consequences be?
Lastly, we look at experience:
What experience was this passage originally for or about?
What did it mean to and for the first readers?
How is this similar or different from your own experience of God?
What is God placing on my heart about this?
What are the emotions I feel?
What action steps do I need to take?
This has brought us back to the Scripture where I like to summarize what was revealed in the above sections. Scripture is a template for how tradition, reason, and experience should be lived out. Wesley’s method was simply to glean from Scripture what the Spirit authorized. In his sermon “The Means of Grace” Wesley stated “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God;’ consequently, all Scripture is infallibly true” In this manner Wesley used scripture to guide the way he lived, shaping his traditions, reason, and experiences. Sola Scriptura is the foundation for which those traditions, reasons, and experiences have value and a purpose.
I challenge you to find a method that works for you and dive in. However you hear, read, study, memorize or meditate on the word of God let it be your guide through life.
Albert Cook Outler, Thomas C. Oden (1991). “The Wesleyan Theological Heritage: Essays of Albert C. Outler”, Zondervan Publishing Company
The Wesley Center Online: Sermon #16 “The Means of Grace”
http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-16-the-means-of-grace/Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament: “2 Timothy 3:16.”
http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/john-wesleys-notes-on-the-bible/notes-on-st-pauls-second-epistle-to-timothy/#Chapter+III Zondervan,. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.