Lets Start the Gospel of John - and the Four "P's

John 1:1-18 Stop! Look! Listen! Bible Study

Lets actually use what we have discussed over the past few weeks and do a little Bible Study!! (I always use a NKJ version – so some of your wording may not be the same as mine.) We will begin with just a few verses and progress on to entire chapter studies. As you study please keep a list of resources you might use….internet, concordance, Bible dictionary, etc…. you might need to go back and find these later.

These may be very familiar verses to some of us, but lets look at them with new eyes.

STOP! Ask:
Which Bible translation am I using, and why?
Who wrote this book and why? In many of the New Testament books and letters the author will actually tell why he wrote it…. (hint hint - John 20:30-31 and 21:24-25). Keep this in mind as we study each chapter – we will ask “How did the author make his point/purpose in these verses?”

Read the verses. Slow down and read each verse. Make note of any words/concepts you do not understand – you will research these in the ‘LOOK’ phase. (For example – do you know what “Word” and “Light” mean? Why a capital “L”? ) This is the general overview section.

LOOK! Here is where you do your main research. Begin by reading it again. Again look for words you do not understand; also look for special words like “because”, “for,” when it means because, and “but.” These words all signal important information, or relationships.

Research the words/concepts you noted that you do not fully understand.
Ask and answer questions from what you have read; for example: Who is the He/Him mentioned (should be written in caps)? Re-read these verses and replace the name of the person where the He or Him as in the sentence. This makes the verses come alive with understanding.

Who is this John in these verses? John the author, or someone else?
If I was doing this study I might also write downto research “bosom of the Father, and ‘begotten.”

How is 2 Tim. 3:16-17 applied to these verses?

Do you see any “practice” “principle” “precepts” or “progressive revelation”?(If you missed the class when we discussed this....it is posted at the end of this lesson)

How did the author make his point/purpose in these verses?

LISTEN! This is the most important section of our study. Why bother to study if we are not going to “Listen” and apply God’s Word to our lives?
Always ask:
What is God trying to say to me?
What if these verses had been left out of Scripture?
How can I apply these verses to my life today in 2011?


Four Ps of Bible Study

We learn from Scripture by other ways than there being direct commands or statements. These are the "four p's"

As we study Scripture, look for the “Four P’s.” Not all sections of Scripture that you study will have each, or even one of these...but Look for:


Practice what is the ongoing custom or tradition that is repeated? What can we learn from this that will influence our understanding of the story? The practice of male leadership. Jesus prayed. Practice is something tangiible that can be seen; an action. The point is we are given an example to follow. “Practice” also teaches us something about history….manners and customs… Why is it important to look for these?

Precept a specific rule, command, instruction. Are any given? Thou shalt not kill. Wives and husbands are told to love each other and to be submissive to each other….”husbands love your wives as you love yourself and as Christ loved the church…” Why is it important for us to look for these precepts?

Principle a belief, a standard. A general truth. A fundamental assumption. "Principle" is not tangible. A generally acceptable rule of action or behavior, i.e. moral principles. General biblical principles might include the Trinity (the word “trinity” never appears in Scripture”, the sovereignty of God (as seen in the story of Esther – thought never called the sovereignty of God…. Why is it important for us to look at any principles?

Progressive Revelation information that is unveiled a little at a time. Genesis through Revelation slowly unveils teachings of the Messiah to come. Daniel and Joel, and others, give us some information, but it does not all come together until the book of Revelation. The Gospels unveil the Messiah. Revelation then ties up all the loose ends with the actual unveiling of the King of Kings who returns again to the earth for one last time.
Much of prophecy is ‘progressive revelation.’ Why is looking for progressive revelation important?


Go to my Feb. 19 post that suggests resources you might use for study/research.