Inductive Bible Study

Richard Krejcir

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How to incorporate an “Inductive type” of study into your home or church Bible study

The main premise of Bible study is to lead your students into a deeper faith and understanding of God through His Word. What we must not do is distract people from their growth and maturity. One of the more sorrowful ways to distract people from God’s truth is to allow pride to lead the study. Pride will cause people to pool their ignorance because they neither want to dig out the truth nor allow themselves to be properly instructed. This leads them to come up with misleading ideas that push people away from the truth!

Pride skews the road God has for us. In an Inductive Bible Study format where the teacher has a heart for God’s truth, and lets the Holy Spirit guide them into the truth of what the Word is saying, pride is squelched, and learning begins. In this way, the student’s as well as the leader’s relationship with God grows and matures. Truth is learned and truth is spread. A church then becomes built on what He has shown us in His Most precious Word rather than being built on the presumptions and the pride of the people. As students get into the Word for themselves, they will be dynamically changed by the power of God as He works through His Word. Bible study becomes more real and powerful as our sanctification (Growth in Christ) matures. Inductive Bible study gives God the opportunity to draw us, His children, deeper into relationship with Him, because it allows us to surrender our will over to His through His Word. Therefore, the barriers that separate us are broken down!

The Inductive Bible Study method was developed to try to curtail false teachings. Many people over the last three decades have contributed to this method, which traces its principles to Augustine, Aquinas, and the Reformers. By training people to get to the plain truth of the text, we do not read into it what is not there or take out what is there. And, we can do this by honestly observing the text, then asking questions and interpreting those observations, comparing them to other Bible passages, accepting God’s truth and then applying what we learn into our lives so that it impacts others.

The Into Thy Word method is designed to allow you to read the Bible and get much more out of it than you normally could by just reading it. The outline is found on the How to study the Bible channel, and the full course is in the book, “Into Thy Word.” More information is available on our Website channel, Preparing Bible Studies. Here we teach you how to outline the text and then prepare your own inductive Bible study questions, the kind of questions that stimulate discussion and excite people to learn and grow in the Word and faith.

As a leader, your task is to lead your students to the mainstreams, of the passage that follow the precepts, ideas and truths of our Lord. These are the fresh streams of truth; flows to a world that chooses to live in a desert. So you lead the student who lives in that desert yet thinks they do not need water or thinks they have enough already. You are to lift up the cross, the Person of Christ, and what He has done. You are also to show others what you have leaned and still be growing yourself, to show the wonder and truth of life that affects all of our being, that of who we are, why we are, and what we should do. The truth that created the oasis you live by, the truth of Christ and the following streams of His character. You cannot force one to drink the truths, but you can show him where they are and how to drink.

People learn best by discovering for themselves. Yet, at the same time, they need proper instruction. Stimulating discussion along with good Bible teaching will be the synergistic factor to make disciples for His glory. If all you have is good teaching, then your students may not process the information or understand it in an in-depth way. Nor, will they be inclined to take ownership of it and apply it to their lives. If all you do is have a discussion then a pooling of ignorance will occur, and your students will not receive proper Biblical instruction, possibly missing key insights and opportunities of application.

One advantage of Inductive Bible study is that no other book or study guide is really needed, once you know the steps. To begin, I suggest you use my “cheat sheet” and buy my book. (I need the money! Oh yeah, you will gain much more out of it too!) No other study material is needed. You may find a concordance helpful to find the location of all the passages that fit what you are studying, because comparing Scripture to Scripture is essential! By the way, this Inductive Bible Study technique can be used for any work of literature, topic, or study!

Thus, a good Bible study will have the key components of quality instruction and discussion. Of course, do not forget fellowship. First, it is best to have prayer and worship, then do the inductive steps, then have a discussion of those steps. The leader can then instruct on the key points of the passage. If you have a lot of people, break them down into small groups for the discussion with prepared leaders. Then, come back as a whole, with a time for questions and answers. Then, close by stating the main points of the passage and restating the application. You can also have people from each group share what they learned and the application they came up with, then choose by vote or have the leader just choose one with which to emphasize and challenge the whole group.

If you have the time and resources, give your students a handout containing the main points from your outline and the questions, just as I do with the Online Bible Studies. That way, they have something tangible to take home and study. Yours does not need to be as comprehensive as mine is. A simple, logical outline will do. We have examples for you on the Online Bible Study channel.

Good, well-thought-out questions are essential to a good Bible study. If you just have quick simple questions, then you will have a quick and simple discussion. If you have well-thought-out questions, you will have a good engaging discussion that will challenge people to take ownership of the text and grow in the faith.

How to do this:

There are many ways to lead a good Bible study. These are mere suggestions, a guide on how you may lead an Inductive Bible Study. There are no right or wrong ways to do Inductive Bible studies. The suggestions are merely tools to help you gain more insight and information from God’s Word in your personal Bible studies as well as for others who are listening to your teaching. What I will do here is give you some suggestions from my limited 20 years of experience, education, and the results from researching and interviewing the top Bible teachers. You then can tailor these ideas and customize your own format to fit the needs/age level of your students, your structure of time, and your environment.

Follow the steps from the articles on “How to Outline Scripture,” and “How to Prepare Bible Study Questions.” Then:

Be prepared and follow the first step of “Into Thy Word!” You cannot lead where you have not been! Thus, the love of the Word and the right attitude will be essential and contagious. This will make a great leader and a great study if applied, or a boring study if ignored. Know the inductive process. Do your own homework of studying the text for yourself first. After you do your own work, check yourself against good commentaries, such as the NIV Bible Commentary from Zondervan, or The IVP Background Commentary, or my favorite, the Reformation Study Bible. Good, trustworthy Bible teachers are also great resources.

1. ATTITUDE is crucial!!! (Gal. 2:20)
2. REMEMBER TO ALWAYS: BEGIN and END YOUR STUDY IN PRAYER. And, in the meantime, be in prayer.
3. DIRECT YOUR WILL AND SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY!!!
4. BE OPEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Use a good format. (1 1/2 hour study is usually the norm, but you can modify it to be more or less for a Sunday school class or retreat) There is no real best way, because each group is different in age, education, and walk of life…so be open to make changes, and be flexible. What usually works well is to:

1. Begin the study in prayer. (2 to 5 Min) Consider having someone lead worship also! (10 to 15+ min)
2. Have the passage read (2 to 5 min), maybe twice in different translations. You could use the NIV or NKJV, and then a paraphrase such as the NLT (although more of a translation than the previous Living Bible, it is still a lose translation and not suited for serious study, but it is very helpful to gain insights. I highly recommend reading the New Living Translation for your Devotions. Always study off a good translation NIV, NASB, NKJV and not a paraphrase. A paraphrase is for a general overview and to gain some insights that may be lost in translations that read “wooden,” that is difficult to understand in our normal day-to-day use of language. Since it is not a word for word translation, a paraphrase is not for serious study) Have handouts with the passage in the two translations. (Print them out with wide margins for note taking.) You can get this from any Bible study software or on our Website under Bible Study Aids. That way, they can follow along in the same translations and circle key words, (in the translation, not paraphrase) highlight verses and write down notes.

The Inductive part (15 to 20 min): If your group can do this, (few will have the time or inclination) assign the text a week in advance, and have people do the inductive study themselves before the Bible Study. If not, set aside 15 to 20 minutes for people to do the steps. If space is available, spread out. For this part, people can work alone or they can work in teams of two to three or in small groups. Have no more than five in a group. Pass out copies of the “cheat sheet” (which has the main inductive steps and questions) and the “chart” (to write down notes in a syntactic and organized way) from the “Preparing Bible Studies” channel, (they are in the book, too) and have them chart the passage. If you have time restraints, you may want the students to focus on the key steps and questions from the “cheat sheet” that apply to the passage you are studying. As you and the students get more familiar with Inductive Bible Study, this step will become easier and faster!

Other ideas: students can do an outline, or use colored pens to circle key words and other information from the “cheat sheet” steps that apply to their passage. You can photocopy the passage for them if some do not want to mark in their Bibles.

1. Make sure your passage is not too long or too short for your time restraints.
2. For youth, children, or older folks, pass out colored pens to circle in their Bible what they observe--key words as well as their questions. Then, have a discussion on what it means, and discuss how they can apply it. (The book has an excellent 15 week curriculum designed for High School youth and can be used for adults too!) As the students advance, you can teach them how to outline the text too!
3. Then come together as a group and discuss (10 to 20 minutes+) what they have discovered. Use an opening statement such as “what did you discover with step…” then add your prepared questions to the discussion as they fit in. Try to have more questions prepared then what you may need. It is better to be over- prepared then under-prepared. If there are too many people, break down in small groups with prepared leaders. If you are new to this, it will take time for you to get used to it. Be honest with your students. Most people will allow you to stumble and they may get more out of it as they see you grow too! Remember, He is in charge, not you!

Teaching (10-15 min.): Here, the leader can instruct on the key points of the passage, and field questions. It is best to be prepared and have an outline to work from and to share. Remember it is God’s most precious Word you are teaching, so be enthusiastic, and have a right attitude. Do not be afraid and think you have to be able to answer all the questions people might ask. Even the great ones are sometimes stumped, or just cannot think of the answer “off the top of their heads.” (For me, the answer usually comes as I’m driving home!) If you are not sure, tell them you will research it and get back to them next week. Pride will cause you to answer a question without knowing the correct answer, and that will cause people to have the wrong answer and then spread it to others!

Save the application (5 min) for last. Brainstorm as a group the top one or two applications that the people came up with from the small groups or individual studies, or what you as the leader came up with, then discuss how you can apply them. Make a commitment to do it and then in the following week spend 5 minutes discussing how it went or what was in the way of the application. This is where the “rubber meets the road” and what helps create the maturity and growth we all need!

Close in prayer (5 min). At least once a month spend 20+ minutes in-group or small group prayer. (See prayer suggestions in our Prayer channel.)

Ideas for time constraint studies--such as Sunday school classes where you have less than an hour:

1. Have the students do the “inductive” part on their own before class, so class time is spent on discussion and teaching. This would be ideal if your students will commit to it. Of course, there will be those who forget or just were not able. They can still interact--do not leave anyone out.
2. Condense the above steps and concentrate on just one of the steps for the passage. Choose a “meaty” passage such as Romans 12, and spend a month in it. This could be done in four or five lessons, each one focusing on a step of the Inductive process. Examples could be: Week One, Observations; Week Two, Interpreting; Week Three, What does it mean to me; and Week Four, How to apply it.
3. Go over each step with the class in a fast paced manner (not too fast so it loses people), so the class will be more of an overview. Then, encourage people to dig out more on their own. During the class time, pause for interaction and ask questions. That way, it will be a lecture/discussion format. In addition, have five minutes of class time to ask them what they discovered on their own.
4. There are three basic parts to Inductive Bible Study. You may just want to try to focus on them, along with a quick overview and discussion:
1. OBSERVATION: What does it say?
2. INTERPRETATION: What does it mean?
3. APPLICATION: How does it apply to me?

5. Key Word Studies: Use colors; colored pens or highlighters work well. Colored pencils will work too. Pencils by “Berol” seem to work the best, and they are found at art stores. Experiment, because some highlighters bleed through to the other side in most Bibles. This is why I recommend using photocopies. You can mark key words throughout the passage. The student will be able to visualize the ideas and relationships within God's Word and how they apply to them. The key to making this work is being consistent by using the same colors in each of the steps. This will allow you to pick up Biblical truths, and enjoy your colorful work! Many people find this way very enlightening and beneficial. With this method you can identify common themes and follow the logical flow of the passage, especially in the Epistles. Colored pencils or highlighters or even a four-color pen will work. You can use the pen to make circles, underline, or even write little symbols that relate to the inductive step. For example, when I see a name for God, I mark it with a red cross. You can also use key words to answer the six “biggies,” Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why. (Use the same color for each of these.) They are the words that are repeated the most often. Other words to mark are the names of key people in the story and any pronouns. Names of God (see article on the “Names of God,” “Names of Jesus,” and the “Names of Satan”), Jesus, and Holy Spirit can also be marked. You can mark time references, adjectives, nouns, places, contrasts, comparisons, and any key phrases. When you see a transition in the subject, highlight it. In that way, you categorize, and it keeps your thoughts and what you learn in segments, which become easier to find later! Kay Arthur, of Precept Ministries, suggests using colors for symbols such as yellow for the names of Jesus, green for promises, orange for salvation, triangle for Trinity, and heart for love. Each person can chose their own colors and style. This can be a lot of fun, especially for children, youth, women, and elderly groups. I have found that men’s groups prefer a traditional Inductive approach. But, again, each group is different! Don’t be afraid to experiment! And, do not forget to make notes in the margins!

The book “Into Thy Word,” takes you through each Inductive step and has an excellent 15-week curriculum designed for high school youth. It can be used for adults too. Order the book, 'Into Thy Word' with a 15-week curriculum!

The ultimate study guide tool for studying the Bible? It is the will to do it!

Many people write in, asking how and why I wrote the book, “Into Thy Word.” Basically, it was to show how one can better study and understand the Word of God. It explains how to dig the meat out of it. (See the articles on “Why Inductive Bible Study” and others in the How to Study the Bible channel.) I have done this by incorporating what is called “exegetical tools,” methods that pastors learn in seminary in order to prepare sermons. Then, I hone them into everyday language in a logical systematic way. This is how a doctor in literature might study Shakespeare, and then explain to their students, with passion and excitement, the truths and wonders of Shakespeare.

I then did a comprehensive research project of finding out how the best Bible teachers teach and gathered their insights. Why is Chuck Swindoll better than pastor John Blow down the street? I did this by interviewing dozens and dozens of the top Bible teachers in the world, including Billy Graham, R.C. Sproul, Charles Swindoll, Chuck Smith and even C. Spurgeon through his book, "Lectures to my Students", plus hundreds of great “regular” Bible teachers to find their methods and “tricks.” I even interviewed bad Bible teachers to see their mistakes. I began doing the “How to study the Bible” seminars for others in 1988.

(I actually started doing them in 1980 for youth groups and Young Life and Campus Crusade.) This research is ongoing as I am always researching and refining “Into Thy Word.”

Visit intothyword.org

[photo: Fr John Brian, wife Teresa Kochamma, and son Christopher]

Seven Mercies

By Origen

For you, the Son of God was killed. How could it please you to sin again? And yet, lest these things not so much build up your souls for virtue as cast them down to despair, you heard how many sacrifices there were in the Law for sins. Now hear how many are the remissions of sins in the gospel.

First is the one by which we are baptized "for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4).

A second remission is in the suffering of martyrdom.

Third, is that which is given through alms. For the Savior says, "but nevertheless, give what you have and, behold, all things are clean for you. (Luke 11:41).

A fourth remission of sins is given for us through the fact that we also forgive the sins of our brothers. For thus the Lord and Savior himself says, "If you will forgive from the heart your brothers' sins, your Father will also forgive you your sins. But if you will not forgive your brothers from the heart, neither will your Father forgive you” (Mt 6: 14, 15). And thus he taught us to say in prayer, "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” (Mt 6:12).

A fifth forgiveness of sins is when "someone will convert a sinner from the error of his way." For thus divine Scripture says, "Whoever will make a sinner turn from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.,,(Jas 5:20).

There is also a sixth forgiveness through the abundance of love as the Lord himself says, "Truly I say to you, her many sins are forgiven because she loved much.” (Luke 7:47). And the Apostle says, "Because love will cover a multitude of sins" (1 Pet 4:8).

And there is still a seventh remission of sins through penance, although admittedly it is difficult and toilsome, when the sinner washes "his couch in tears” (Ps 6:7) and his "tears" become his "bread day and night” (Ps 41:4) when he is not ashamed to make known his sin to the priest of the Lord and to seek a cure according to the one who says, "I said, 'I will proclaim to the Lord my injustice against myself,' and you forgave the impiety of my heart" (Ps 31:5). What the Apostle James said is fulfilled in this:' "But if anyone is sick, let that person call the presbyters of the Church, and they will place their hands on him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and if he is in sins, they will be forgiven him.” (Jas 5:14-15).


Reference:
Fathers of the Church Series, Volume 83, Homilies on Leviticus by Origen.

Sponsored by A Little Spiritual Help for healing life, deepening faith, enriching practice and refreshing spirit (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/)
To contact Fr John Brian: transfiguration@usa.com

‘I AM THE RESURRECTION’

(St John 11: 25)


SUNNY THOMAS

Two graves mark the twilight and end of the Passion Week. The first causes the second, the first points to the second, and the first signifies the second, as though divinely scripted.

A distance of three miles separates the two graves; maybe a span of two weeks separates the burial at the two graves. Monuments of the first grave stands at Bethany on the outskirts of Jerusalem while the second, in the Holy City itself.

One cannot understand the meaning of the Passion Week without understanding the life-giving and the shortest sermon of Jesus at Bethany: ‘I am the Resurrection and the life’.

At Bethany well over two thousand years, Lazarus rose from death to life; in Jerusalem, Jesus rose from death to Eternal Life, because of which Lazarus too would rise to Eternal Life. Not just Lazarus, but all who have trusted Christ.

To recount the story in a quick flashback: Lazarus who was gravely ill died, and arrived Jesus three days late. His sisters, Martha and Mary, complained that their brother would not have died had Jesus arrived on time.

That sets the stage for Jesus’ sermon on Resurrection: ‘I am the Resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies’ – St John 11: 25.


‘‘I tell you the truth, the time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself ’’ – St John 5: 25 & 26. ‘‘Do not be amazed at this, for the time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out’’ – St John 5:28). Words that no man ever spoke, words that need the experience of faith to believe.

Compare the testimonies of Patriarch Abraham and St Thomas with St John’s:

‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at, and our hands have touched, this we proclaim .., writes St John in his epistle, on the person called Eternal Life, who is the Son of God. St Thomas on touching the nail prints of his crucified Lord marvels, ‘My Lord and My God!’ Abraham raised the knife in his hand to strike his son, trusting God who can bring his son Isaac back to life.

In other words, faith is trusting God in life and death. Committing to His care everything that happens, to you and to others. And accepting His Lordship over everything visible and invisible.

The theme of the Passion Week is, look beyond the grave. Set your goals for eternity, for the Kingdom life.

And here comes the King riding on a donkey, and the crowds that walked before him spread their garments on the road and cut branches of trees and spread before him as they would welcome their King. Those behind him shouted:

‘Hosanna to the Son of David,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!’

The Palm Sunday signifies his Kingdom to come:

‘Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence’ (Rev 20: 11). Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’’ (Rev 21: 1-4)

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Redeemer who has come to redeem the world from death, sorrow and pain that sin brought into the world.

On Thursday night in the Upper Room, he unfolded the mystery of the New Life to come when he told his disciples:

‘‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God’’ (St Luke 22: 15).
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying:
‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying:
‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (St Luke 22: 19 & 20).

This is the great mystery of your becoming part of Him who is Resurrection. This is the great mystery of your sharing the very life of God, which is eternal. This is the great mystery of the branches abiding in the vine and growing.

The next day on the cross, he reveals the seven-fold love radiating from his heart in each of his seven utterances:

His first utterance, ‘‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’’ (St Luke 23: 34) reflects his forgiving love.


His second utterance, ‘‘Today you will be with me in Paradise’’ (St Luke 23: 43) reflects his redeeming love.


His third utterance, ‘‘Woman, behold thy son, .. Behold your mother’’ (St John 19: 26 & 27) reflects his filial love.

His fourth utterance, ‘‘My God, my God why has thou forsaken me?’’ (St Mark 15: 34) reflects his sacrificial love, for he was the sacrificial lamb who took away the sin of the world.


His fifth utterance, ‘‘I thirst,’’ (St John 19: 28) reflects his soul-seeking love for which he laboured and was thirsty.


His sixth utterance, ‘‘It is finished,’’ (St John 19: 30) reflects his agape love that God alone is capable of by completing his Father’s plan of salvation.


His seventh utterance, ‘‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,’’ (St Luke 23: 46) reflects the eternal love that goes beyond the grave.


If ever a mortal voice needs to be recorded on that day, it was the Roman centurion’s: ‘‘Truly, truly, he was the Son of God.’’ ( St Mark 15: 39).

On Saturday, he visited the departed ones and preached the gospel of forgiveness and God’s love.

On Sunday, The Galilean women and the disciples found his tomb empty. The angel declared that he rose from the dead. Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, and all the disciples, and over five hundred people all at once, and finally Saul-turned-Paul witnessed the Desire of Ages.

The story of humanity will never be the same because of His Resurrection.

PASSION WEEK MEDITATIONS

Theme: Unless I cleanse you, you have no part in me (St. John 13:8)

On seeing Jesus beside River Jordan, John the Baptist bore witness thus: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That in one sentence is the mission of Jesus Christ. The Passion Week dramatises the mission as no other week does.
On Palm Sunday, he cleansed the temple, rebuking the merchants, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”Very powerful words indeed, more powerful than the lashing whip.
Is not the cleansing of the temple a sordid reminder of the cleansing we the temple of God need? We have become moving malls and shopping windows, displaying worldly vanities and crass materialistic values. Instead of becoming the house of prayer, we have become the den of merchandise. The words that Jesus spoke should ring in our ears and lead to repentance.
On Monday he pronounced judgment on abundant show and inner barrenness. Jesus thought there was fruit on the tree but there were only abundant leaves. Many of us have abundant leaves – born into ancient Christian families that go back to the days of St Thomas, a list of genealogy that commands awe, get elected to almost every other ecclesiastic office, knowledge of liturgy and cannons. Yet we produce no fruit. When Jesus look for fruit, will he be disappointed and say ….
On Tuesday he cleansed the disciples’ little faith. The disciples marvelled that the tree Jesus cursed withered overnight. He uses this occasion to demonstrate the greatest lesson of prayer: “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt … say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
This is the most misunderstood of verses; and also the most criticized by atheists and agnostics. Remember, faith is not the exuberance of emotion, but the certainty of things unseen (the Reality). It is the certainty of the spiritual Reality, which is God Himself, and the spiritual realm and the spiritual laws. Like Newton’s Laws of Motion, the spiritual realm has its laws, which people of all religions are aware of. You need experience of God and the spiritual realm to gain the confidence and certainty that the Bible speaks of. You need first-hand experience of God, His mind and His will, and be constantly God’s companion through prayer. Then your will and God’s will converge, and you pray for the very things God desires.
One day, the famous writer P. G. Wodehouse, when he was a boy, walked into the church as the Priest was reading this verse. He wanted to get rid of his stammering for which he was laughed at. That night he prayed with all the faith he could muster that his stammering should disappear. The next morning when he got up, he was so thrilled that his stammering had disappeared. But when he started talking, he began to stammer. What disappeared instantly was his faith and he became an atheist. But much later in his life, he admitted that he would never have been a famous writer and amassed a fortune but for his stammering. Your physical handicap, your illness or your momentary financial difficulties could be a source through which God could send you showers of blessing.
On Tuesday, he lashed out at hypocrisy offering the Pharisees an opportunity to be cleansed. St Matthew (23: 13-39 ) records the 8-fold woes on hypocrisy:
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

You devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.

You travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’

You pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.

You cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.


You are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”

His public ministry begins with Beatitudes or the 8-fold blessings, and ends in the solemn warning or the 8-fold woes upon hypocrites. That is the character of the Kingdom of God – blessings upon the pure in heart, the humble, the merciful, the forgiving, and the true seekers of God and judgment upon the proud, conceited hypocrite.

On Wednesday, he prepared for the Great Cleansing to follow on Thursday and Friday. All great human and divine endeavours need preparation in silence, stillness and solitude. As man and God, Jesus needed the same.
On Thursday, he instituted the Holy Communion, the sacrament of empowerment, rooted in purging and cleansing. In the Sermon on the Mount, he taught his disciples the fundamentals of the Kingdom of God; in his farewell discourse, he taught them the mystery of the kingdom. He illustrated the mystery first by cleansing them with water and word and then taking them through the experience of Union with God. Simple yet profound is the mystery: the disciples abiding in Jesus, and Jesus abiding in the Father, and the Father in Jesus and in them. It is a Spiritual Union words have no power to express. A mystery can only be experienced, not expressed; and the Holy Eucharist remains at the heart of dynamic Christian living.

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

On Friday, he cleansed the human race by his precious Blood, offering them salvation. The immortal 7 sayings on the Cross reveal the unique person that Jesus Christ is:
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
God is agape, the transforming, transcending trans-territorial love that reaches out to everyone who cares to receive it. `The bird will sing even for the hunter who shoots her down,’ wrote a poet. That is an iota of God’s love. God loves all his creation, even those who crucify him! It is in search of them that he came into this world. If this love does not touch you and forgive those who offend you, this Good Friday has no meaning for you.
And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

On the Cross and in excruciating pain, he found time to save a life from going into hell. Pain has not dimmed his humanity or his divinity. God’s goodness knows no boundaries.


Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
Renouncing is not abdicating responsibility. He was always on his Father’s business but at her hour of need, he was there, helpless he may seem to the world but helpful to those who have eyes to see.
, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Thus begins the 22nd Psalm written by David centuries ego as inspired by the Holy Spirit. The psalm begins in despair and ends in triumph, prophetically describing the agony on the Cross and celebrating Redemption accomplished by His Precious Blood.
After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.
Everything that Jesus did was on the Divine Calendar. The following two verses reinforces the revelation.
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’”
Seeing everything that happened – the darkness at noon, the earthquake and the supernatural witnessing – the Roman Centurion exclaimed: Truly, he was the Son of God!

On Saturday, he cleansed the grave, proclaiming the Good News to the departed.
On Sunday, he brought Immortality to the human race, offering them the New Life.
Let this Passion Week and Easter be a transforming experience in witnessing Jesus Christ by your life, word and deed.

THE CROSS, OUR LANDMARK

Fr M C Poulose


A seven-year-old girl one day lost her way. Nowhere to go, nowhere to turn, she spent several hours, bewildered and terrified and heartbroken. A man saw the young girl hopelessly crying. "What is the problem my dear child," asked the man."I'm lost", wailed the child. "Do not cry, I can take you home safely. Now, tell me where do you live?" "I am not sure", said the girl, "but lead me to the hill where the big wooden cross is; I can then find my way home." For the young girl that big wooden cross was her landmark. It was her symbol to come home.

There was a big wooden cross at a place called Golgotha nearly two thousand years ago. Year after year on Good Friday, we spent much time in meditation, prayer and adoration beneath the cross. It is in tasting Christ's passion on the cross that we can partake of His resurrection. By keeping and remembering Christ's cross at the center of our lives, our path will be enlightened and God's plan for us will come to fruition.

The act of remembering what Christ accomplished on that big wooden cross is simply not enough. This remembrance must lead us to the reality of the cross. Our Lord said, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." This calls for action and positive change. It is here that our faith in God is put to the test! What is this test?

First, we are called to 'deny' ourselves. The word 'deny' may be the most hated word in our society. Our modern age encourages us to deny God and to focus solely on ourselves. We are led to falsely believing that we are in charge while Christ reverses the order and tells us to deny ourselves and to focus solely on Him, because He is Lord and King. We are to deny our passions, temptations, and anything that will deter us from being close to God. We have to leave behind our selfish ways and to empty ourselves, so that God's will may abide in and work through us. We say in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done". To deny ourselves is not to lose our uniqueness as individuals, rather it is to reach our full potential as children of God.

Next we are told to 'pick up' our 'cross'. What is my cross? And what is your cross? This act of picking up our cross is different for each one of us. As Christ had His cross, we too have inherited our own. The cross can come to us in various ways. For some their cross might be a tragic life-threatening illness, while others might have what are seemingly less significant like dealing with ethical dilemmas. Whether your cross might be being falsely labelled or to be persecuted unjustly, the fact remains, that all of us have a cross to bear. We don't know why we are given a particular cross as opposed to our neighbors.


Finally, we are told to 'follow' Him. To follow Him each day of our lives, and throughout our lives. In following Him, our identity becomes Christ's. By denying ourselves in this world and picking up our cross, we walk daily to His Kingdom. At times, the cross may be burdensome, but the reward is eternal! One saint wrote, "The cross is the door to mysteries. Through this door the intellect makes entrance into the knowledge of heavenly mysteries." By experiencing the cross, we are able to share in the risen Christ.

YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU

There are four kinds of faith spoken of in the Bible:
• Saving faith
• Living Faith
• Healing Faith
• Triumphant Faith
Simon said, `Lord save me’ (Matthew 14:30)

Simon Peter wanted to imitate His Master. Peter did walk on water and performed a miracle because he trusted the Word of the Living God. But when the wind blew and the water disturbed, his faith vanished. Precisely then he started sinking. This is the story of many Christian leaders today.
The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)
(Romans 1: 17, Hebrews 10:38)
Abraham believed God and it was considered righteousness for him. The righteous man is not one who has never ever sinned. But he is one who trusts God with all his heart, all his might, all his mind and all his spirit. He is one who will rise up even if he falls seven times, not the one who has never ever fallen.
Abraham received from God the promise of a son, the promise of descendants, and the promise of land. In his lifetime, he did not see much of the promise. For 24 years after the promise, he had no son; but Abraham believed that the God who promised is capable of fulfilling his word. That was the faith of Abraham, which saw its climax at Mount Moriah.
‘Your faith has healed’ (Mark 5: 34)
People in the medical and paramedical profession have the opportunity to touch the hearts of people as no other profession can. They can reach out to the lonely and forsaken hearts and start the process of healing. Healing is not just by medicine alone, but by love and care that heal the heart facilitating the healing of the mind and body.
If you have the faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here .. and it will move.. (Matthew 17: 21)
Faith triumphs when it removes mountains. Mountains of obstacles. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor can a lighthouse or a beacon of light.
Mother Teresa was once an unknown school teacher who was unhappy because she did not find fulfillment in her life. As she was contemplating, a beggar approached her. She gave alms only to find another, and another approach her. Finally, she decided to start an orphanage, and soon she was left with no money to feed the orphans.
She decided to venture into the next house to ask for help. The Sardar next door spat on her outstretched palm. She smiled and said, ‘This is for me. Now give something for the orphans.’ Pricked by the conscience, the Sardar fell at her feet and apologized, and became the greatest patron of her orphanage. Love triumphs at home, at work, in the field, on the street. Love is faith in action.

SING WITH DAVID

An Overview of Psalms

They were written for singing. They were meant for temple worship. They are melodious lyrics, more than poems.

Compiled over a thousand years – from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra –
they are deeply emotional, heart-rending, dramatic and figurative in speech. From the depth of despair, and excruciating agony, and the torture of disbelief, they take us through the ladder of faith to the Upper Room. The Psalms inspire us to worship the Living God. The apostolic church believed there is special blessing for reading the Psalms. Ever since they were penned, the Psalms remained close to the heart of the believer.
The structure of the Book of Psalms is similar to the Five Books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, or the Book of the Law.

BOOK I – Psalms 1-41

BOOK II – Psalms 42-72

BOOK III – Psalms 73-89

BOOK IV – Psalms 90-106

BOOK V – Psalms 107-150

While each of the five books concludes with a praise (doxology), Book V concludes with a psalm of praise (Psalm 150). Books I and II are primarily composed of Davidic Psalms. Book III includes Psalms of Asaph, and the sons of Korah. Books IV and V include anonymous Psalms, along with those of David and others.

Based on their themes, Psalms may be classified as:
Royal Psalms emphasise "God as King"; look for phrases like "the Lord reigns" or imageries of the Creator, the Savior of Israel, and "the coming One".
Zion Psalms focus on Jerusalem, preferring its endearing name, Zion; they rhapsodise over God's chosen site for the Holy Temple, the place for true worship in His name.
Penitential Psalms confess sins and ask God forgiveness, and then praise Him in the joy of renewed fellowship (e.g., Psalm 51).
Wisdom Psalms read like the Book of Proverbs. They juxtapose the righteous and the wicked, the wise and the foolish, the blessed and the abominable. Its sub-category, Torah Psalms focus on the beauty, truth, and sufficiency of the law of God.
Imprecatory Psalms ask God to curse the wicked, which might shock the New Testament readers, but reinforces God's abhorrence of evil.
Passover Psalms (113-118) are sung at the beginning of the Passover. Psalms 113-115 were sung at the temple during the slaying of the animals; Psalms 116-117, during the meal, and Psalm 118 at the end.
Hallel Psalms are clustered at the end, focusing on the Exodus and praising the Lord for His salvation, literally from Pharaoh and his armies and spiritually from Satan and the dark forces.
Lament Psalms are written in distressing times to pour out one’s sorrow and vexation of spirit which even the righteous pass through, life being a blend of good times and bad times. But God wipes away the tears of His children, as the faithful experience time and again.

Another way of gaining an overview of the Book of Psalms is to follow the history of Israel. Based on the history around the Davidic Covenant, the book may be classified afresh as:

INTRODUCTION: The righteous one 1-2
BOOK I: David’s conflict with Saul 3-41
BOOK II: David’s kingship 42-72
BOOK III: The Assyrian crisis 73-89
BOOK IV: The destruction of the temple and the Exile 90-106
BOOK V: The Return and the new era 107-145
CONCLUSION: The climax of praise to God 146-150

Theology of Psalms
The Lord rules the universe; He will establish His just rule on the earth through the righteous, who will prosper while the wicked perish. Since the OT did not spell out the final judgment in eternity, its theology worked through events of their world.
Wisdom Literature
Wisdom Literature is a manual for the wholeness of life, out of the brokenness of life. The Hebrew Wisdom Literature, of which the Book of Psalms is a part, was indeed influenced by contemporary Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Canaanite-Phoenician literatures. By around the second century B.C., a three-fold division of the Hebrew Scriptures arose: The Law, The Prophets, and The Writings. The books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job were described by the mnemonic title “The Book of Truth”
Rhythm of Thought
The Rhythm of Thought and the Rhythm of Sound are unique characteristics of the Hebrew Poetry and Wisdom Literature. The key to thought rhyme is in the technique of parallelism (the matching of one thought with another).
Synonymous parallelism exactly balances the thoughts or meanings in two lines by saying the same thing twice in nearly the same way:
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them (2: 4).
The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head (7: 16)
Climatic parallelism develops a thought begun in the first line by adding to enrich one’s thinking:
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
or stand in the way of sinners,
or sit in the seat of mockers (1: 1).
This technique highlights something more important to follow:
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates
day and night (2: 2).

A profound example is Psalm 95:
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord (the meaning of worship);
.. the rock of our salvation (the object of worship, v 1).
Let us come before him with thanksgiving (the attitude of worship, v 2).

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (v 6);
for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture (the why of worship, v 7).

Today, if you hear his voice
do not hearken your hearts
as you did at Meribah
(the warning to worshippers and the theme of the Psalm, v 8).
For forty years I was angry with that generation
(the lesson from history for worshippers, v 10).

Occasionally they are expressed in a three-tier structure in which each line repeats the first, except in the last where a new thought is added. Psalm 29:
Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength (v 1).
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name;
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness (the theme of the Psalm, v 2).

The voice of the Lord is over the waters ..
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon (3, 4 & 5).
The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert …
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks … (7, 8 & 9)

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace (10-11).

Emblematic parallelism uses images to convey the poetic meaning. While one line conveys the main point in a direct fashion, the second line illuminates it by an image:
Who is like the Lord Our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? (113: 5, 6).

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him (103: 13).

The Lord is my shepherd, ..
he makes me lie down, ..
he leads me..
he restores my soul..
he guides me…
even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
your rod and your staff, they comfort me..(23: 1,2,4)

Antithetical parallelism balances the thoughts within a pair of lines by stating truth in the first and the contrast in the second:
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish (1: 6).

They dug a pit in my path –
but they have fallen into it themselves (57: 6).

Rhythm of Sound
To appreciate the Rhythm of Sound, one needs to know the Hebrew language. So we dare not explain but mention some of the technique in the passing. Worth mentioning is the Acrostic Psalm 119, in which each stanza begins with a Hebrew alphabet (aleph, beth, gimel, daleth, corresponding to a, b, c, d …)

The other techniques employed are:
Alliteration, Paronomasia (word play through the repetition of similar-sounding words), Onomatopoeia (sounds suggesting meaning), Ellipsis (omission of a key word in parallel construction), Inclusio (repetition of words/phrases).

John Calvin describes the Psalter as, “An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul; for there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to the life all the grieves, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.”
The joy of reading about Psalms cannot duplicate the joy of reading Psalms.

SUNNY THOMAS

I THINK, I WRITE, I TEACH; THEREFORE I AM

Born in a small village in Kerala, I spent my formative years in the idyllic setting of the land of rivers and hillocks and a culture that is so distinct. But all that is beautiful has disappeared without a trace in modern affluence! The nostalgia of that beautiful human relationship I grew up in always inspires me to create something beautiful wherever I go.

I launched my journalistic career in Bombay, a city of Professional Paradise with an enchanting ambience of cosmopolitan culture that is today defaced by the political culture. After short tenures with The Indian Express and Free Press Journal, I came to New Delhi, the political wildlife sanctuary of India. There I spent nearly two decades with The Economic Times, reading voraciously and writing books. The transition from The Economic Times to The Times of India was smooth because it was a transit within the Times empire.

To make life meaningful, I started teaching. Initially, I started enjoying it more than my students. But of course, as time went by, they too started enjoying it as I could read it on their faces. Today when I switch on my television, I see my former students everywhere: I see Rahul Shivshankar and Sanket Upadhyaya on Times Now; Saira Jacob, Swati Maheshwari and Sweta Rajpal Kholi on NDTV; Gaurav Kalra and Mugdha Kalra on CNN-IBN; Rahul Kanwal and Hindol Sengupta with Headlines Today; and Sakkal Bhatt with Door-Darshan.

At the moment, I am with Times School of Journalism, which trains young journalists for The Times Group. A job that I have been doing for the past seven years and a job that I enjoy to the hilt.

Join me! Together let us build this blog. Let us build something beautiful to honour our Creator.

Visit: www.globalmediaschool.com

4 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW

• God is Holy
• God is Love
• God is Wisdom
• God talks silently

The fool does not believe in God because he is a fool. There are intellectual fools, celebrity fools, millionaire fools, and genuine fools.
Today the world is on the brink of a disaster. There never was a time like this when hundreds of fools are willing to die for no cause at all – but just to kill innocent people. When the rich nations are trapped into their own illusions and comfort, leaving the poor to languish in poverty and illiteracy, this is bound to happen. Nuclear weapons are powerless against these subterranean creatures coming out straight from hell.
In such uncertain times, the only certainty is God and God’s word. It’s so comforting and reassuring. Imagine a man lives for 60 years but has not known God, the source of all life and the meaning. It is indeed monumental folly. Such people are driven to depression and even to suicide. In the absence of God, they trust in transient things that are today and are not tomorrow. No wonder they cave in when their hopes flounder.
God is truth, because He alone is unchanging. And hence real. Trusting God makes good sense like building an edifice on a strong foundation. This foundation is metaphorically called the Rock, or the Rock of Ages, who is Jesus Christ, the central theme of scripture. You will stand like Mount Zion when you trust in God.

GOD IS HOLY
God is invisible and therefore we don’t see Him. But we can feel and experience Him. We can worship and adore Him. We can know Him only when He chooses to reveal Himself. But His Word speaks to us and His Spirit communes with us. God is the purest of being, and we call God Holy. Isaiah the Prophet was overwhelmed when he saw in a vision the glory of God. And he sang, `Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts…’

GOD IS LOVE
God’s love is an extension of His Holiness. We are created in His image and likeness, which means man has a spark of godliness in him that he can develop to his great advantage. To live life to the full, he should have godliness in him. The downfall of all human civilizations is due to the repetitive mistake of man turning away from God and doing things exactly the opposite for which he is designed. Like His Maker, man is designed to love, love his fellow human beings. Societies that have loved have flourished, setting up educational institutions, hospitals, charity homes, instead of siphoning off all the money for arms and armaments. Families built on sacrifices have stronger bond than families built on property. Men and women who have made great sacrifices are long remembered in the annals of history than those who made others sacrifice.

GOD IS WISDOM
God is the fountainhead of all wisdom. And the reverence of God is the beginning of all wisdom. Wisdom apart from God is folly however wise that may look to human perception. The human mind is trapped in the present unable to look beyond. Limited by time and space, the rational mind cannot fathom the cosmic forces. Let alone the eternal truths. To understand God and His Wisdom, you need the seventh sense which is spiritual intelligence.

GOD IS TALKING SILENTLY
When God talks, only the purest can hear. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a small still voice (I Kings 19: 12-13).

That’s the voice of God. `Come unto me, and I will teach you great and unsearchable things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). God is not talking to Christians alone but to the entire humanity. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus is the voice of God, God in human flesh, offering forgiveness and love to all – the only way we can build a better civilization in a hate-filled world.

(This website is an attempt to make this small still voice heard in every part of our planet).

THE WORD-POWER

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
As the rain and the snow
Come down from heaven,
And do not return to it
Without watering the earth
And make it bud and flourish,
So that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
But will accomplish what I desire
And achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55: 8-11

HOLY BIBLE

HOLY BIBLE