The following is an excerpt from the Best Answer to a recent Q concerning how a Jehovah's Witness Bible study is conducted...http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
"Typically, the study is progressive through the book, chapter by chapter. A chapter will usually consist from anywhere from 15-20 paragraphs and can either be covered in one sitting or broken into multiple studies. The information in each paragraph contains references back to the Bible, to show you that the information is fully supported and originated in it. There are questions at the bottom of the page that correspond to the paragraph covered, and there are review questions at the end of each chapter so that you may review the information that was covered to see if you grasp and understand the material."
Do you think that this is a proper method of studying the Bible...by studying a BOOK buttressed by the Bible?
Does this sound like a good way to study the Bible to you? (pls read the details)?
"The information in each paragraph contains references back to the Bible,"
Wow....I thought the question was how to have a BIB LE study. This sounds like a "book" study.
When we have a Bible study. we use ONLY....the Bible!
The Watchtower however teaches that one must never use the Bible alone.
The truth of God can be known only through the Watchtower organization.
Quote: All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the "greatly diversified wisdom of God" can become known only through Jehovah's channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave. The Watchtower; 10/1/1994; p. 8.
This is in sharp contrast to what even the NWT of the Bible tells us:
2 Tim 3:
16 All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.
Another answer stated that they encourage questions. This is true only to a point. Those conducting the study ask leading questions. This is literally brainwashing. You can learn more of this here:
http://www.freeminds.org/psych/howbecom....
There is a way for anyone to learn to understand the Bible.
http://www.shatterdmen.com/Hermenutics.h...
I also want to say that Jesus said that if we seek the truth, we will find it. Truth has nothing to hide but members of the soceity are told that it is dangerous to examine their religion although everyone else is told they have to do just that. I ask..if the TRUTH will set us free, why is it so dangerous to examine the WT? Remember, watchtowers are mostly used to keep people IN today.
Reply:Absolutely not, the proper way is to read it and then address the book as a whole, it's history, who wrote and was it a letter, was it a song or poem and what was the general theme of that book. We can use outsources to help us better understand but, I think that the only way to understand the Bible is to study it and pray for the Holy Spirit for understanding. looking at other ligature is not all ban as you are looking for validation to what you perceive as to the meaning.. However, help is good, but you must research the help, such as looking at it's history...The way the JW's do it, as we all know, does not work, it is a way of Brain washing....
Reply:I suppose I could bring a modified version of Calvin's commentaries to someone's house in the same way, or the "Institutes of the Christian Religion" and go over those books chapter by chapter. Questions and answers are a good way to teach doctrine to someone, biology books do the same thing in teaching evolution. With no alternative view presented, it's rather easy to prove just about any position.
Reply:You're not studying the Bible in my opinion... You're studying a book that is referencing the Bible at best.
The Holy Spirit will help you with any of the BIble. If you read it and then read a commentary to see what someone else was thinking of the passage, that's okay.
Your main focus should be to be reading the Bible... not the commentary... God gave you a brain and the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian... USE them.
Reply:Not at all. It is through actually reading the Bible and relying on the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to you, that you will benefit from God's Word. Book studies allows man to distort your perception.
I agree with KJ7gs. Especially on this part: "With no alternative view presented, it's rather easy to prove just about any position."
Reply:Many of the books about the Bible are wrong. The Bible is the only source of real truth so if we use just the Bible, we can not go wrong.
One problem however is that to understand the Bible we need to be a Christian as the Bible is written to Christians so I would suggest reading the Gospel of John if you are starting out.
Jesus told us the Holy Spirit would teach us all things so I would be very careful about the "book studies" some Bible studies soon turn out to be.
Reply:It sounds to me like the study of someones book who believes they already know what the bible says and uses their own study of the bible to support presuppositions. That is not a bible study. It is a study in the doctrine of a denomination.
Reply:Wrong!!! The Holy Spirit is being left out %26amp; it is His Help %26amp; Guidance that Christ left for us to call upon!!! This also negates Historical, Grammatical %26amp; Customs Issues of the day in which it was written!!! This is the "Way of the Cult" however, Supplanting Independent Thought %26amp; Reliance on God called "Faith"!!! John
Reply:No. They are studying the ways of a group of men in New York that wants them to believe *their* revelation of the scriptures are correct with no *if or buts* period. Well you can see the evidence in Tweety Bird answer. See how narrow-close minded she/he is. Shows its loyalty to the Governing Watchtower Body and Jesus forgotten.
Reply:You can study the Holy Bible whatever way you want.
The key is study the words of God diligently with open mind ,open heart, and with sincere prayers.
It is God who opens your understanding to understand the words and not your method.
Reply:No, some scriptures can be used to express a point but that point may only be a direction that the teacher wants you to go in to prove their point, we will never understand the bible totally.
Reply:Like a lot of other things in this world, that kind of study is backward. Bible study begins with the Holy Bible which is God's word. Other books may be used during the Bible study.
Reply:No, I guess then I am narrowed minded, but I don't care.
Ministry Assistant
Southern Baptist.
Reply:interesting
Try using a Greek/English bi-lineal against your version of the bible is what I would say.
Drop the study guide of false prophets.
Reply:Well, I think that it would be okay, but I would also read from the Bible as well, it could even be just a few verses.
Reply:No I do not.If you want to study the Bible thats what you should study.
Reply:Is not this the same time tested method that all schools use?
Let us see.
In schools, both public and private, a teacher prepares a lesson based upon a book that has been complied from other sources.
The students read and discuss the material and then their is a quiz to see if the students comprehend the material covered.
If not, then the JW's have some sort of conspiracy going on.
Of course your question begs this question, if it is not acceptable to study the Bible in an organized manner, how should it be studied? Should people approach it like the Muslims, eternally bowing over and over while trying to read?
Or what? What is your great suggestion on how to study the Bible?
Maybe the JW's should borrow the techniques of other religions, that have their studies, from books not even based on the Bible but rather, cover the religion's traditions, as if they equal the Bible.
Again, what do you suggest is a better alternative?
Or are you just asking the question with the sole intent of casting aspersions and insinuations towards the JW's?
Reply:Yes this is a very effective way to study the Bible. Something I think some people miss is, we aren't studying a book, that's supported by the Bible. We are taking the Bible and studying it in such detail that many of the books only cover a small portion. Let me give an illustration.
If you wanted to learn, Really Learn, about your laptop. Which would be better to glance through the manual, OR, read as much as you can in DETAIL about the information in the manual??
As for books that aren't essentially covering one book of the Bible, or one chapter, but are covering the Bible's stance on a particular topic.
If you have a bad rash on your foot, would you read Grey's Anatomy? Or read a book that take's the information in Grey's and puts the information that deals especially with that problem??
Reply:It is an excellent way to study the bible.
Reasoning from the scriptures is nothing new, it was often done by Jesus and the apostles. One has a biblical or spiritual subject to teach, and he shows through biblical excerpts that what he is teaching is valid.
Take, for example, Paul, who spent days teaching in the synagogue at Thessalonica:
"So according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying]: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am publishing to YOU.” As a result some of them became believers and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, and a great multitude of the Greeks who worshiped [God] and not a few of the principal women did so." (Acts 17:2-4)
As Jehovah's Witnesses study the bible with others we use various publications which often high lite various biblical or spiritual subjects. We encourage questions. We desire all to make the truth of the bible their own. And we ask all interested bible students to:
"Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Why not try this easy, fun and effective way to learn what the bible REALLY teaches? Ask any Jehovah's Witness and they will be more than happy to get you started. Also, why not check out this fine web site:
http://www.watchtower.org/
Reply:I prefer to study my Bible by reading it, and then looking up supporting information when I have questions about what it might say. For instance I might read the Psalms and then look up a commentary on the Psalms, commentaries about David and his life, or commentaries about individual verses or phrases and their meanings in the original language. Right now I am looking into reading the Old Testament in a form that is considered properly translated by the Jewish believers, since it is a Jewish scripture first and gentile second. I never knew that the gentile version was considered a mistranslation by the Jews until I got on here, and I want to see the differences for myself. (After all, I feel pretty strongly about the the Jehovah's Witnesses changing the Bible, so I should probably check it out and see if my Bible is altered from its original form.)
Reply:I know that God wrote the bible through men inspired by the Holy Spirit and God created the bible so the Gospel would be spread and taught throughout the world. Now, God spoke in parables so not all could understand. It was his purpose that it was not clear. He has reasons:
Read: Mark: 4:33-34 "And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples."
Mark: 4:11-12 "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them".
He also says in:
Daniel: 12:9 "And he says go thy way, Daniel: the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
The way to read the bible God says in:
1 Corinthians: 2:13 "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual".
You have to compared verses with the whole bible not just a few and with those that harmonize with each other for the spiritual meaning of God's message to us. Besides this we also have to check how God uses words in the bible. One ex. is: He uses the word "all" in many places and it does not mean that it is "all people" it means "his elect" in many verses. As you continue reading and studying the word, the bible confirms this to you. Most importantly you must beg God for spiritual understanding, to open your spiritual eyes and spiritual ears and if it is his will, it will be given at the appropriate time he has in mind.
Also bible translators were confused with some words and did not know what to do so they translated to the best of their knowledge and the meaning of God's message in some verses were changed. Now God wrote a perfect bible, but the translators made changes. That is why a faithful bible teacher would go back to the ancient scriptures to look up the words and study if accurate translation.
Now we don't know if it was also God's intention until he reveals at the time of the end which is now (like he says in Daniel:12:9 see above ). The Bible is a law book, it's own correction book, a dictionary and a calendar.
Eye pencil
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