If you use e-sword (like I do), you can download many of these references so they are at your fingertips as you study. Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, ed.Merrill C Tenney, 5 volumes. Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, ed. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James gives us the context: We count those blessed who endured. It doesn’t matter that extra biblical sources discuss the charity of Job nor does it matter that James has discussed the poor earlier in the letter. James is inviting us to consider the endurance of Job, not his charity, his choice of friends or the state of his marriage. James is not inviting us to cram everything we know about Job into verse 5:11. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. Even when the piece of background information is incredibly obvious or widely-known, it may not be relevant. Remember context affects background information the same way it affects word studies.īackground information does not impose a particular meaning on a verse. Older volumes tend to focus more on fact-gathering while newer volumes focus more on synthesis of material and answering questions like “how do we know what we know”. While newer volumes are often preferable since they contain the latest in archeological evidence, older volumes can be superior in some respects. Multi-volume encyclopedias and dictionaries are good sources for historical background information, introductory material, word studies and biblical themes. However, they are becoming more widely available on computer software and online. Multi-volume encyclopedias used to be too expensive for home use and were confined to those with access to a large library system.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |