Footnotes and Witness

Season 2 finale interview- Part 2 of my interview with April and Mary! We talk about favorite parts to read in the Bible and what we want to read more intently. A few outtakes on the end to help you see how fun these 2 actually are to chat with.

References:
Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole
https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-hidden-years-yours/dp/0785298398/ref=asc_df_0785298398/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312710253827&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17284126658333055657&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032002&hvtargid=pla-563077665530&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=61681020945&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312710253827&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17284126658333055657&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032002&hvtargid=pla-563077665530

my website: https://www.deborahjmckenzie.com/

This is a 2 part interview because I had my 2 besties from Texas come and chat and I couldn't cut it down anymore! Make sure you continue the conversation with part 2 to be released next day.  There may even be a few outtakes after the final credits...

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Trigger warning for this episode: I tell my experience of healing through the grief of a deceased child, a cousin who passed when she was 2. If there are sensitive hearts about this subject, I encourage you to listen to this in a space where you can really listen to the gospel. 

We need to know biblical literature because training yourself to see Jesus in all of scripture will help you build the skill of seeing Jesus on all of your life. God is in all the things and your experiences will validate the God you see in scripture. The scriptures will also validate your experiences. Sometimes we learn to read the Bible first, sometimes the scriptures first. Either way, sometimes at the same time, we learn to see and appreciate Jesus and the good news in it all. 

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Hopefully you have seen this season there are different types of literature in the Bible and you are totally capable of reading all of it. Being aware is really all it takes. The next step is inductive study methods. They teach you to slow down and see what the text is actually saying. 

Today we looked at 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and Psalm 23 

Look for connecting words and verbs:

• Connecting words -  Box connecting words. 
  COMPARE: and, like, as, just as, also, so also, even so 
  CONTRAST: but, rather, yet, however
  PURPOSE: that, so that, in order that
  RESULT: that, so that, as a result, with the result that 
  CAUSE: because, since, for
  EXPLANATION: for
  INFERENCE: therefore, for this reason
  CONDITION: if
• verbs - underline action words
  
  

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When studying discourse, keep 3 things in mind:

1. historical and situational context: why was this written?
2. God's character: what does the overarching point show you about God's character?
3. gospel: the Bible is one unifying story about God and the good news brought by Jesus Christ. How does this passage point to the gospel?

The point of discourse is specific to the original audience. We can easily go off the rails when we attempt application before reading and interpretation. The Bible is God's word given to us to be in relationship with HIM. Start there first. Try to read every epistle in its entirety before studying it. We can easily take individual scriptures and treat them as checklists and usually end up hurting ourselves and others. 

Scripture References:
Leviticus 25:6- sabbath year
1 Timothy- discourse
John 35:34 known by our love
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 Love is... 

Connect with me! 
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What is discourse? Discourse is written or spoken communication or debate. 
Major bible chunks that fall under this description are the law in OT and the epistles in NT. Out of the 27 books in NT, 21 are letters of discourse and 13 were written by Paul. 

Scripture References:
Matthew 5:12 golden rule
Matthew 5-7 Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' discourse
Galatians- Paul's letter to the church in Galatia seeking unity under Jesus Christ

3 Key things to keep in mind when reading discourse:

1. Keep situational and historical context in mind. Why was this being written and why to those people?
2. How does this discourse fit into the overall narrative of the Bible?
3. How does this point to the gospel?

Tips when reading discourse:
Always read/hear the letter in its entirety. Use a bible app to read it to you. Before you seek application (How does this apply to me?), seek God and His character. Behavioral, heart and character change is a natural byproduct of seeking God and meditating on His character. Jesus is the only one capable of changing hearts. Don't make a checklist for yourself to just "be better". Focus on Jesus, look for the gospel and and that is what will make you have a better life and heart. 

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Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature
Prophecy- what is a prophet?  Someone charged by God to speak on His behalf
Books of prophecy:
Main 3: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel / 12 "lesser" prophets 12 books originally
on a single scroll: Hosea- Joel-Amos-Obadiah-Jonah- Micah- Nahum- Habakkuk-Zephaniah- Haggai-Zechariah-Malachi
what prophets did: 

• bring accountability to God's people (accusations)
• "stunts" - actions that mirror or display God's words
  
  

Scripture References: Isaiah 20:3 -stunt / Hosea - living out the metaphor of unfaithfulness
Amos - "Day of the Lord" / 2 Peter 3:10  day of the Lord compared to a thief

Apocalypse - definition: revelation given by God of a heavenly perspective 

5 steps for reading this type of literature:
1) Watch for symbols
2) Don't overanalyze or bring those symbols into a modern context
3) Keep the original audience in mind
4)Think about the purpose of the writing 
5) Study in community

Scripture References: Daniel 7
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Take a look at 2 particular type of poetical literature: psalms and the wisdom books.

• How do we read these books?
• How do they reflect God's character?
• How do they point to the gospel?

Psalms:
150 psalms making a temple of words in the form of a prayer book. Two main types are laments and praises. Some familiar psalms are 23, 91, 139
These prayers show us how to begin relationship with God. The responses and attitudes are a reflection of God's character. They all point to the coming promise, the Messiah.

Bible Project links: Overview- https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/psalms/
Structure Overview- https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/book-of-psalms/
Psalms Resources:
CS Lewis Reflections on the Psalms
Bible Project Psalms Series Podcast: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/psalms-study/

Wisdom Books:
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job- What does it mean to live a good life?
Proverbs: wisdom given in principles of life, NOT promises. Look for parallelism- 2 seemingly opposite ideas set beside one another that actually validate and life up each one.
Ecclesiastes: Is life meaningless? The proverbs don't always play out in life and this book wrestles with that. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to those undeserving. How are we to handle that in light of the gospel? Fear God and follow His commandments- you are not in charge.
Job: A narrative about bad things happening to good people. What is fair and who decides it? Many passages are written in poetical language, images and metaphors. Job demands an audience with God to explain Himself. Like a good and patient father, He does. Just not the way we might expect. 

Life with God should be wonderful and perfect and yet we know it isn't. These books explore that issue and remind us we aren't in charge. God is the only one capable of deciding what is fair and what isn't. We can be in relationship with Him because of Jesus Christ. 

For blogs, and email and more- my website 
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Poetry Overview - Up to 30% of the bible is written in poetical language
* How do we identify biblical poetry? 

• look for literal changes in the text (indentions, quotes) 
• a real ink and page bible will help you see these changes easier than digital
• books of the bible identified as poetry (Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon [songs]) 
• look for imagery-not rhyming 

* What do we do with it once poetry has been identified? 

• slow down
• read entire sections all together, then go back to analyze 

* What pitfalls should we look to avoid? 

• Avoid legalism-taking the words too literally. God is not just a rock.
• If the poetic language seems in contrast with God's character, looks for literary devices. Poetry can sometimes say the opposite of the point it is making. Think in the lines of hyperbole or sarcasm.
• You may not know everything.
• Don't think that you can't, shouldn't or will never be able to read poetry. The ENTIRE bible is for you at ALL times 

• • • 

Scripture References: 

Luke 1: 46-55 Mary's Psalm of praise 
Luke 1: 68-79 Zechariah's poem of prophecy 
Psalm 18: 2 Metaphor-God is a rock... 
Proverbs 3: 9-10 
Psalm 148- Praise the Name of the Lord 

Resources 

Bible Project (Tim Mackie)  https://bibleproject.com/
Article about reading poetry: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/learning-the-lyrics-of-god

• • • 

"Rich metaphors of biblical poetry are rooted in biblical narrative. You need the narratives to understand the poetic images and the images reveal a deeper meaning in the narrative." 

Tim Mackie Bible project poetic metaphor video 

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How does understanding biblical literature in narrative help us be better witnesses? It helps us understand how to tell a story that means something. It helps us see how to frame our own witness, to find the purpose, and share our witness. 

I hope my small example of Christmas witness can inspire and comfort you. I found hope and foundation in life's chaos because of a foundation of scripture rooted in the advent traditions of my childhood. 

Find whatever way you can to be intentional about Christmas. Have anticipation for the coming King, find light in the darkness and purpose in the celebration. Be brave and witness to others. Hopefully you can see that even if it feels like falling off a cliff, it can be as simple as asking someone how they celebrate the holidays. Then share your own Christmas Witness! 

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