Welcome to the first ever Bible Study Resources (BSR) for your connect group night or bible study nights. Here I write the full version to guide and steer the discussion with your members. The goal is to allow for members to discuss their own understanding of the scripture in Discussion Questions part, and that the this complete note version are to gently direct them to see Christ in the scripture. For the members version and the complete notes version, they can download at this link. Also as a guide, do be cognizant of people’s times, because usually for example, when it is 1.5 hour of session, I let people hang out and catch up for 30 mins, then allocate 5 mins for starting prayer and around 40-50 mins for discussion and 10 mins for prayer request at the end. We also need to be cognizant of where the discussion is going, the goal is not to finish the bible study resource but rather to allow the Holy Spirit to take charge of the discussion, if it needs to come up short then so be it, you can always cover the resource in the next study, also people’s faith levels are all different, some can receive some cannot, so we do not to enforce the topic. As much as it is good to study the bible, we are also to do life with the members and love them where they are at.
Introduction
We’re not seminary students, yet there is grace that God bestows upon the believers today on how to read the bible in the light of new covenant.
Let’s read the passage of Luke 24 Verse 13 – 33 – The story of the two disciples (Cleopas+1) walking to Emmaus (which means warm bath).
Discussion Question 1. In the passage, what is the disciples focus?
The disciple is focused on Israel as the ultimate goal, the restoration of the kingdom of Israel is what’s in their mind, rather than Jesus.
Discussion Question 2. What about our hearts, does Jesus have the ultimate seat, or is He just a means to an end?
Discussion Question 3. What is Jesus’s correction on these 2 disciples’ perspective?
In Verse 25 – What do you think what Jesus meant by His correction?
Discussion Question 4. How did Jesus correct them in Verse 26-27?
(Foolish – meaning that they don’t have the knowledge, but if we do have knowledge, we are slow to believe).
Key Study Note
In the passage, Jesus walked with the 2 disciples on the way to Emmaus and they were refrained from seeing and recognizing Him. In here we see God’s wisdom in that the 2 disciples went on a journey to discover Him through the scriptures. That is what we can learn to do too. There are 4 principles or New Covenant Keys that I think are relevant for our study of the scripture, and here we will study them.
1. The First New Covenant Key that Jesus has given to the disciples, that in the book of the Scriptures, we are to see Him.
To find Him.
Read John 5:39-47
v39 – You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are which testify of Me.
Jesus spoke not in parables in this passage. He spoke plainly that the Scriptures spoke about him.
Discussion Question 5. What is the effect of seeing Jesus in the bible for the two disciples in Emmaus road?
V32 – our hearts burn, your passion for Him arises, and we are strengthened
V33 – they walked a whole day 7 miles – 11.2 km, then their hearts burn that they can walk another 7 miles back to Jerusalem to talk to the disciples.
So by seeing Jesus, we will do all of the words of the law (in this case again refers to the Scriptures of the old books for the Hebrews, but for us, all of the bible).
Read 2 Cor 3:7-11,12-18.
Read Romans 15:4 – For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Read Jeremiah 15:16–Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts
So the first principle of reading the bible is to see Jesus in it. We would be hopeful and joyful after we read the scripture and unveil Jesus.
2. Second New Covenant Key – The concept of typology
But the bible, especially in the Old Testament has so much obscure passages, so much judgement on God’s people, on the enemies, etc.
There is a concept of typology in the bible, have you heard of it? In the New Testament, the old is revealed and in the Old Testament, the new is concealed.
Which is when you read the New Testament, it might come across as straight forward and usually it is, while the Old Testament is full of obscure passages that doesn’t make sense.
And by the wisdom of God and Holy Spirit, that the details of the spiritual truth is hidden in the Old Testament and it is alluded to in a simple way in New Testament. Or to put it simply, to know God’s heart and full details of what He means for you for that particular topic, the details are hidden in the Old Testament and we need to search it out, either by contrast or comparison.
The theologian Augustine is the one who coined the term “The old is the new concealed, while the new is the old revealed”
Read Deuteronomy 29:29 – The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed and disclosed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may do all of the words of this law.
No wonder that Jesus also spoke in parables, so that those who searches and understands the truth will value it more. Now back to typology or types. It is referred to as “Tupos” in Greek as mentioned in 1 Cor 10:11
1 Cor 10:11 – (Berean Literal Bible) – Now these things happened to those as types and were written for our admonition, to whom the ends of the ages have come.
While in New King James Version, it says examples – 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Discussion Question 6. What are some of types / Tupos that you know in the bible? .
There are 5 different types of revelations as explained in the word of Paradise, which has its etymology from the word PaRDeS which are Pshat, Remesh, Drush, Sod and last one Sod of Sod. With Pshat as the most literal meaning of the scripture and Sod is the scriptural truth that can only be brought forth by the Holy Spirit. In this case the typology that points to Jesus will be Sod of Sod, the deepest level of understanding.
In the case of Typology even Jesus expounds on this a couple of times in the synoptic gospels
Read Matthew 12:38-39 The Sign of Jonah:
Discussion Question 7. What happened to Jonah? How is the story of Jonah is contrasted to Jesus?
Typology here is that Jonah was in a fish for 3 days, and Jesus died was in darkness/Sheol for 3 days. When Jonah emerged out of the fish, he preached and people repented. When Jesus appeared after the Resurrection, people believed Him to be true to His words that He is the Savior and God incarnate.
Paul also expounds on this in 1 Cor 9:9-12, -> Deut 25:4, And in 1 Tim 5:17-18,
Read 1 Cor 9:1-18 – Paul’s Rights as an Apostle,
Read 1 Tim 5:17-18 – Honor the Elders
17Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
18For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
Discussion Question 8. What is Paul alluding to out of Deuteronomy 25:4 in his discourse to Corinthians and his letter to Timothy?
Paul extracted the scriptural truth on 1 Cor 9:9-12 of the oxen plowing as those who are in ministry and should not be devoid of their physical/monetary reimbursement/salary. So is the passage about an ox treading grain or is it about monetary/physical reward for those who are in the ministry? And in 1 Tim 5:17-18 , Paul is regarding to those who are ministers or those in the profession of spreading the gospel, that they should be counted worthy for double honor/salary.
Discussion Question 9. Is there any other typology that you can think of?
Read John 3:14 – 21 Moses lifts up the serpents also from Numbers 21:4-9
What about as Moses lifts the serpent? How is the story of Moses lifting the serpent contrasted to Jesus?
The typology here is that the bronze serpent is lifted on a cross, just as Jesus himself is lifted on a cross. The serpent here represents all the evil and the sin and all that is preventing us to come closer to God and that it is bronze meaning judgement (it has been judged). And in the story, Moses mentioned that whoever looked at the serpent will live, while those who looked at their wounds from the snake bite dies. It also is a principle to us that whoever looks to Jesus will live, because the cross is the symbol of our redemption.
The second principle is to read the bible to seek out the detail of the truth behind the superficial passage
Read Leviticus 26:10 – You will eat the old grain of the previous year and will clear out the old to make room for the new
Prayer Time:
Any prayer request?
Father, I pray that through this study, your words have been planted in their hearts. I pray that they see your son Jesus when they read scripture and that you give them the wisdom to discern and recognize Jesus in the Old Testament. May it bring them life, joy and peace in Jesus name. Amen.
Ending Remarks:
If you got through those discussion questions for the first 2 Principles of New Covenant Keys with your members, I’m not sure how much time you spent, maybe it’s just the right time, maybe you went over. There is much more to say for How to Read the Bible Series, and the next 2 Principles of New Covenant Keys are going to be covered in the next part of the series.
So with these 2 Principles of New Covenant Keys to read the bible, I hope that:
1. You can see Jesus in the Bible and experience hope, joy and strength
2. You can recognize Jesus in the typology and extract all the nutrients and juices from the details
3rd and 4th Principle are to be covered in the next series here (link will be updated when the post is ready). Until then God bless you all.