ONLINE BIBLE STUDY

[Digital_Angel_316]

Would anyone be interested in doing an ONLINE BIBLE STUDY?

* Does anyone have a favorite one to share? It could be a topical study, a study of a book,
or even a word study. Suggestions, ideas, comments and web sites welcome and
encouraged. A study could be from any web site or church site. We need not agree or
approve of a particular study's doctrine, but it may serve as an organized way to review the
scripture.

* Perhaps this would lead to a bit more organized approach to study of a topic, theme, book
or word.

* In addition to studying and posting to a forum thread, we could also set a time or times to
meet in the CHAT ROOM area for interactive discussion(s).

 

[zackabba]

Would anyone be interested in doing an ONLINE BIBLE STUDY?

* Does anyone have a favorite one to share? It could be a topical study, a study of a book,
or even a word study. Suggestions, ideas, comments and web sites welcome and
encouraged. A study could be from any web site or church site. We need not agree or
approve of a particular study's doctrine, but it may serve as an organized way to review the
scripture.

* Perhaps this would lead to a bit more organized approach to study of a topic, theme, book
or word.

* In addition to studying and posting to a forum thread, we could also set a time or times to
meet in the CHAT ROOM area for interactive discussion(s).

Well...I'm reading through Philippians right now. I feel like it'd be a great book to study from.

Just a suggestion

Grace and Love

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

Well...I'm reading through Philippians right now. I feel like it'd be a great book to study from.

Just a suggestion

Grace and Love

Here is one online Bible study from - (Link) -->> Free Online Bible Study Lessons
Check it out, perhaps you have or can find a better one. Also, perhaps if there is a
budding interest, we should create a POLL to: 1) see if there is interest, and 2) see where
the interests lie -- Bible Books, Topics/Themes, Word Studies, Other. Check around, let's
see what kind of interest is out there.

Note In any study, we do not (will not) be held to any format, doctrine, outline or
question set. If they ask ten questions, we can ask twenty, if they ask fill in the blanks,
we can ask for short answer, and etc. There can be flexibility but still with a format or
outline to keep the study in control (to a degree).

From the Web Site at Free online Bible Study ...

Philippians Bible Study Questions

If you want to develop a deeper understanding of Biblical principles from these Philippians
Bible study questions then this page is for you.

We are pleased to offer you this challenging study format of Philippians Bible study
questions. It is suitable for individual daily study or weekly group reviews. It offers you a
great opportunity for personal growth. The Book of Philippians presents a perspective for
us as we live our lives in a fallen world. Thank God this is only our temporary home.

Here's how it could work for you: First you read the assigned passage - usually a single
chapter. Then for the next six days you answer the 2-3 daily Philippians Bible study
questions on your own. And finally, on day seven you meet with others to discuss and
compare your answers. If you are doing an individual study we offer to share our answers
with you.

The day seven discussions of the Philippians Bible study questions are really powerful in
small groups. Not only do they provide you an opportunity to share what you learned, but
you can gain powerful insights from others. After all, The Holy Spirit works in all believers
and you can learn a lot from other believers (and vice versa).

It involves "personal application" questions where you reflect on your life experiences
and share the impact of the Biblical truths on your life with others. This study also offers
some challenging questions for those who wish to dig deeper.

Additional weekly study notes will be available and may explore the same passage which
was just discussed the week prior. This material will point more towards the big picture or
idea or take a particular topic in the passage and explore it in depth.

This website does not have all the answers and nobody expects you to have them either.
However, we can learn from each other and learn more about the life of Jesus Christ
together.

Our purpose is to learn from God's answer book - The Bible.

Our rewards are eternal and our lessons can be applied our everyday lives.

Choose which Chapter You Wish to Study from the List Below

Chapter One
Chapter 1 is where the Apostle Paul tells of his longing to see the believers in Philippi and
explains how his sufferings have resulted in glory for God Almighty.

Chapter Two
In Chapter 2 we learn that we are united in humility and learn of the great model that the
humbled and exalted Christ provided us and that we are to shine as lights.

Chapter Three
In Chapter 3 of the Book of Philippians Paul tells us about how he is sold out to Christ and
how he presses on to reach his goal and then encourages us to follow in his footsteps as
we follow Christ.

Chapter Four
In Chapter 4 of the Book of Philippians we are encouraged to be unified in joyful prayer
and to meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous,
and praiseworthy.

(Link) -->> Philippians Bible Study Questions (4 Weeks)

 

[zackabba]

I checked the study out, and it could be alright...I wish it were less "Life Application-y," though.

I'm studying from a commentary on Philippians by Moises Silva (from the Baker series, 2nd edition).

I don't know how that's relevant, but it could be...


I don't really use online Bible studies as much...so I don't know if I would be able to recommend a better one than you have.


(also, if we studied any book, I would highly recommend that we don't go "chapter by chapter." Maybe get an overview of the whole letter/book and read through it all...because, as you know, there weren't originally chapters/verses in the Bible books. It just breaks up the flow too much.)


Grace and Love

 

[loveschild]

Would anyone be interested in doing an ONLINE BIBLE STUDY?

* Does anyone have a favorite one to share? It could be a topical study, a study of a book,
or even a word study. Suggestions, ideas, comments and web sites welcome and
encouraged. A study could be from any web site or church site. We need not agree or
approve of a particular study's doctrine, but it may serve as an organized way to review the
scripture.

* Perhaps this would lead to a bit more organized approach to study of a topic, theme, book
or word.

* In addition to studying and posting to a forum thread, we could also set a time or times to
meet in the CHAT ROOM area for interactive discussion(s).

Last time I was in chat some old man started yelling and acting crazy. I'll look at your study place tomorrow. I'm tired. Thank you.

 

[IQ]

It sounds like a great idea - I am not fond of the formality but I suppose it is necessary to avoid too much side tracking.
I'm game. Hopefully we have enough interested people

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

Well...I'm reading through Philippians right now. I feel like it'd be a great book to study from.

Just a suggestion

Grace and Love

* Do you have a Study Guide or Outline for Philippians that you can share here?

* Philippians is a short enough book that one can get through it in a relatively short
amount of time, so it need not be parceled up so much as one might think to do for
example in a Study of the Book of Revelation. One could use such an outline to start and
then edit and annotate, or use it as a pattern, and create their own outline and notes as
they go. Feel free to add and comment.

* Biblegateway has an outline that links to it's commentaries:
(these list below is a set of links to the Commentaries at Biblegateway.com)

Phiippians 1

• Introductory Matters (1:1-11)
• The Greeting (1:1-2)
• Prayer as Thanksgiving (1:3-8)
• Prayer as Petition (1:9-11)
• Paul's Affairs: Reflections on Imprisonment (1:12-26)
• The Present: Paul's Imprisonment Advances the Gospel (1:12-18)
• The Future: For Christ's Glory and the Good of the Philippians (1:18-26)
• The Philippians'' Affairs: Exhortation to Steadfastness and Unity (1:27-2:18)
• The Appeal: In the Face of Opposition (1:27-30)

Philippians 2

• The Appeal Renewed: Unity Through Humility (2:1-4)
• The Example of Christ (2:5-11)
• Application and Final Appeal (2:12-18)
• What's Next Regarding Paul's and Their Affairs (2:19-30)
• Timothy and Paul to Come Later (2:19-24)
• Epaphroditus to Come Now (2:25-30)

Philippians 3

• The Philippians'' Affairs-Again (3:1--4:3)
• At Issue: The Circumcision of Gentiles (3:1-4)
• The Example of Paul (3:4-14)
• Application and Final Appeal (3:15-4:3)

Philippians 4

• Concluding Matters (4:4-23)
• Concluding Exhortations (4:4-9)
• Closing Greetings (4:21-23)

Link: -->> BibleGateway.com - Commentaries Philippians


***********************************************************************


* Bible.org outlines and teaches it this way:

Outline of Philippians

I. Salutation, Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:1-11)

A. Salutation 1:1-2

B. Thanksgiving and Prayer 1:3-11

1. Thanksgiving (1:3-8)

2. Prayer (1:9-11)

II. Paul’s Circumstances and Encouragement for the Church (1:12-2:30)

A. Paul’s Circumstances and Attitude (1:12-26)

B. Paul’s Encouragement for the Church (1:27-2:30)

1. Concerning Humility and Obedience (2:1-18)

a. A Call to Humility (2:1-4)

b. The Example of Christ’s Humility (2:5-11)

c. A Call to Obedience (2:12-18)

2. Concerning Timothy (2:19-24)

3. Concerning Epaphroditus (2:25-30)

III. Warnings Against the False Teaching of the Judaizers (3:1-4:1)

A. The Warning: Steer Clear of the Judaizers and Their Legalism (3:1-2)

B. The Solution: Follow the Example of Paul (3:3-4:1)

IV. Final Exhortations (4:2-9)

A. Concerning Disputes (4:2-3)

B. Concerning Joy and Prayer (4:4-7)

C. Concerning How to Think and Live (4:8-9)

V. A Word of Thanks (4:10-20)

A. Paul’s Contentment (4:10-13)

B. The Philippians’ Gift (4:14-20)

VI. Final Greetings and Closing (4:21-23)

OUTLINE OF SERIES:
Lesson 1: Introduction, Background, and Outline
Lesson 2: The Greeting (1:1-2)
Lesson 3: Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Philippian Church (1:3-11)
Lesson 4: Paul’s Circumstances: Perspective, Joy, and Mission in Life—Part I (1:12-18a)
Lesson 5: Paul’s Circumstances: Perspective, Joy, and Mission in Life—Part II (1:18b-26)
Lesson 6: Exhortation to Unity—Part I (1:27-30)
Lesson 7: Exhortation to Unity—Part II (2:1-4)
Lesson 8: Exhortation to Unity—The Example of Christ (2:5-11)
Lesson 9: Exhortation to Unity—A Final Word Concerning Obedience (2:12-18)
Lesson 10: Timothy and Epaphroditus— Two Examples of Humility and Unity (2:19-30)
Lesson 11: True Righteousness (Part I)— A Study in Contrasts: The Judaizers and Paul (3:1-8)
Lesson 12: True Righteousness (Part II)— A Study in Contrasts: The Judaizers and Paul (3:9-11)
Lesson 13: The Nature of Paul’s Pursuit of Christ: Living in the “Now/Not Yet” (3:12-16)
Lesson 14: The Exhortation to Imitate Good Examples (3:17-21)
Lesson 15: General Exhortations (4:1-9)
Lesson 16: Thanksgiving for the Philippians’ Gift and a Final Greeting (4:10-23)

Link: -->> Introduction, Background, and Outline to Philippians | Bible.org - Worlds Largest Bible Study Site


* Perhaps you would like to stay on the idea of HOW to approach an online Bible study. Feel free to add suggestions and ideas.

 

[zackabba]

* Do you have a Study Guide or Outline for Philippians that you can share here?

* Philippians is a short enough book that one can get through it in a relatively short
amount of time, so it need not be parceled up so much as one might think to do for
example in a Study of the Book of Revelation. One could use such an outline to start and
then edit and annotate, or use it as a pattern, and create their own outline and notes as
they go. Feel free to add and comment.

* Biblegateway has an outline that links to it's commentaries:
(these list below is a set of links to the Commentaries at Biblegateway.com)

Phiippians 1

• Introductory Matters (1:1-11)
• The Greeting (1:1-2)
• Prayer as Thanksgiving (1:3-8)
• Prayer as Petition (1:9-11)
• Paul's Affairs: Reflections on Imprisonment (1:12-26)
• The Present: Paul's Imprisonment Advances the Gospel (1:12-18)
• The Future: For Christ's Glory and the Good of the Philippians (1:18-26)
• The Philippians'' Affairs: Exhortation to Steadfastness and Unity (1:27-2:18)
• The Appeal: In the Face of Opposition (1:27-30)

Philippians 2

• The Appeal Renewed: Unity Through Humility (2:1-4)
• The Example of Christ (2:5-11)
• Application and Final Appeal (2:12-18)
• What's Next Regarding Paul's and Their Affairs (2:19-30)
• Timothy and Paul to Come Later (2:19-24)
• Epaphroditus to Come Now (2:25-30)

Philippians 3

• The Philippians'' Affairs-Again (3:1--4:3)
• At Issue: The Circumcision of Gentiles (3:1-4)
• The Example of Paul (3:4-14)
• Application and Final Appeal (3:15-4:3)

Philippians 4

• Concluding Matters (4:4-23)
• Concluding Exhortations (4:4-9)
• Closing Greetings (4:21-23)

Link: -->> BibleGateway.com - Commentaries Philippians


***********************************************************************


* Bible.org outlines and teaches it this way:

Outline of Philippians

I. Salutation, Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:1-11)

A. Salutation 1:1-2

B. Thanksgiving and Prayer 1:3-11

1. Thanksgiving (1:3-8)

2. Prayer (1:9-11)

II. Paul’s Circumstances and Encouragement for the Church (1:12-2:30)

A. Paul’s Circumstances and Attitude (1:12-26)

B. Paul’s Encouragement for the Church (1:27-2:30)

1. Concerning Humility and Obedience (2:1-18)

a. A Call to Humility (2:1-4)

b. The Example of Christ’s Humility (2:5-11)

c. A Call to Obedience (2:12-18)

2. Concerning Timothy (2:19-24)

3. Concerning Epaphroditus (2:25-30)

III. Warnings Against the False Teaching of the Judaizers (3:1-4:1)

A. The Warning: Steer Clear of the Judaizers and Their Legalism (3:1-2)

B. The Solution: Follow the Example of Paul (3:3-4:1)

IV. Final Exhortations (4:2-9)

A. Concerning Disputes (4:2-3)

B. Concerning Joy and Prayer (4:4-7)

C. Concerning How to Think and Live (4:8-9)

V. A Word of Thanks (4:10-20)

A. Paul’s Contentment (4:10-13)

B. The Philippians’ Gift (4:14-20)

VI. Final Greetings and Closing (4:21-23)

OUTLINE OF SERIES:
Lesson 1: Introduction, Background, and Outline
Lesson 2: The Greeting (1:1-2)
Lesson 3: Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Philippian Church (1:3-11)
Lesson 4: Paul’s Circumstances: Perspective, Joy, and Mission in Life—Part I (1:12-18a)
Lesson 5: Paul’s Circumstances: Perspective, Joy, and Mission in Life—Part II (1:18b-26)
Lesson 6: Exhortation to Unity—Part I (1:27-30)
Lesson 7: Exhortation to Unity—Part II (2:1-4)
Lesson 8: Exhortation to Unity—The Example of Christ (2:5-11)
Lesson 9: Exhortation to Unity—A Final Word Concerning Obedience (2:12-18)
Lesson 10: Timothy and Epaphroditus— Two Examples of Humility and Unity (2:19-30)
Lesson 11: True Righteousness (Part I)— A Study in Contrasts: The Judaizers and Paul (3:1-8)
Lesson 12: True Righteousness (Part II)— A Study in Contrasts: The Judaizers and Paul (3:9-11)
Lesson 13: The Nature of Paul’s Pursuit of Christ: Living in the “Now/Not Yet” (3:12-16)
Lesson 14: The Exhortation to Imitate Good Examples (3:17-21)
Lesson 15: General Exhortations (4:1-9)
Lesson 16: Thanksgiving for the Philippians’ Gift and a Final Greeting (4:10-23)

Link: -->> Introduction, Background, and Outline to Philippians | Bible.org - Worlds Largest Bible Study Site


* Perhaps you would like to stay on the idea of HOW to approach an online Bible study. Feel free to add suggestions and ideas.

That would be a good guideline to follow.

What I'm trying to say is that, yes, even though Philippians is a short book, it certainly is not quick to get through...in fact, I've spent over a week on it, just reading over it again and again.


But I don't have a good online Bible study idea except to go by the guidelines of what is in my, say, ESV Study Bible or Philippians commentary.


Grace and Love

 

[TheTruthWillSetYouFree]

There already is a Bible study - every single night at 10pm EST in the Bible Study room.

 

[AnandaHya]

I'm gamed set up a reading list, dates, topic of discussion and purposed meeting times and which chatroom you want to meet in. add a disclaimer that everyone is responsible for their own words and the views expressed by individuals are not necessary the views of this website, etc

Philippians sounds like as good a book as any

lol so is the first reading assignment and discussion topic?

http://bible.org/seriespage/introduction-background-and-outline-philippians

 

[zackabba]

There already is a Bible study - every single night at 10pm EST in the Bible Study room.

What book is being studied currently?

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

There already is a Bible study - every single night at 10pm EST in the Bible Study room.

I know about the 10PM Bible study, but have not (yet) visited. What is the format, is there
an outline, are there forum posts? Are there rules for posting in the Chat Room (for example
is it moderated and guided?). Do the studies cover a book, a word, a topical or thematic
approach? Do you require previous study and reading prior to the Chat Discussions? Tell us
more ...

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

I checked the study out, and it could be alright...I wish it were less "Life Application-y," though.

* I'm studying from a commentary on Philippians by Moises Silva (from the Baker series, 2nd edition).

* I don't know how that's relevant, but it could be...

* I don't really use online Bible studies as much...so I don't know if I would be able to recommend a
better one than you have.

* (also, if we studied any book, I would highly recommend that we don't go "chapter by chapter." Maybe
get an overview of the whole letter/book and read through it all...because, as you know, there weren't
originally chapters/verses in the Bible books. It just breaks up the flow too much.)

ADDED FROM ANOTHER POST:

* That would be a good guideline to follow.

* What I'm trying to say is that, yes, even though Philippians is a short book, it certainly is not quick to
get through...in fact, I've spent over a week on it, just reading over it again and again.

* But I don't have a good online Bible study idea except to go by the guidelines of what is in my, say,
ESV Study Bible or Philippians commentary.

Grace and Love

* I agree that any study should start with an OVERVIEW (and BACKGROUND)

* I don't know how to best approach a study other than going through it by each
chapter. We need not dwell on every word or verse. But when one reads through, they
read it by chapter. If one outlines the [entire] book in a first pass read, then adds details
in an 'expanded outline' in a second-read through, where key thoughts, words, concepts
etc are included, that is a start. Then one needs to re-read with a mindset towards linking
to other scripture references, and perhaps then once again, to tie it all together. Note
from the TABLE OF CONTENTS Below, the SILVA goes through verse (or section at a time,
through each chapter), with of course, an Introduction to the Letter.

*To give some sense of the complexity of this relatively short book, allow me to
reference some information and reviews from the book you mentioned - Philippians by
Moises Silva (from the Baker series, 2nd edition). Some preachers have devoted over a
YEAR for such a Study of the Book of Revelations for example.

Philippians by Moises Silva (from the Baker series, 2nd edition).

Product Description (Amazon.com)
With its user-friendly design, this commentary by Moisés Silva provides a substantive yet
accessible discussion of Philippians to help pastors, students, and teachers understand
and explain this letter.

Each passage is presented in three parts: Silva's own translation of the Greek text;
exegesis and exposition of each unit of thought; and additional notes on textual matters.
Throughout the commentary, Silva asks what is distinctive about this letter and shows
how each passage contributes to Paul's overall argument.

The second edition has been updated to interact with important recent scholarship on
Philippians and to incorporate the well-regarded BECNT layout.

# Hardcover: 272 pages
# Publisher: Baker Academic; 2 edition (March 1, 2005)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0801026814
# ISBN-13: 978-0801026812

REVIEWS: (Amazon.com)
*1) Silva's commentary on Philippians is an updated version of an earlier out of print work
and is quite good if you are looking for a commentary that is not too technical and gets to
the point of the passage. At 248 pages it is not nearly as comprehensive or in depth as
Fee's commentary (497pp.) or O'Brien's (597pp.) which are the 2 best on this letter.
However, Silva is equally adept at dealing with the important interpretive issues in much
more succinct fashion. Worth the effort.

*2)This is a very fine mid range commentary. Silva's exegetical skills are impressive, and
his decisions are nuanced via contextual awareness and linguistic sophistication. While
not as long as Obrien or Fee, it is also not as taxing on the reader. Silva has the good
sense to give us enough information without becoming pondersome or tangential.
Frankly, I wish the writers and publishers of the ever more girthsome commentaries
would take note of his approach. Highly Recommended!

*3)I never really thought much of Phillipians - I thought it was another letter to another
city written by Paul. After reading through this commentary, my opnion has totally
changed. Mr. Silvia has carefully crafted a weel documented and easy to follow journey
through Phillipinas. He spends time doing word studies (he uses conventional Greek
words/letters and then uses the English version of the Greek so you can actually say the
word out loud!)

Some might argue this is not the most scholarly written commentary, but for me, it was
all I needed. I did in the end buy two more commentaries (Fowler and Fee), but not
because of gaps in this one, rather because I was interested in other opinions and
perspective. But I do find myself coming back to this one continously.

*4)Surely there will be someone else writing about this book, so I'm going try to help you
in another way.

When you start reading biblical commentaries you will need to be aware that the
thoughts expressed by the author deal with facts and speculations that should of
happened. You can NEVER rely on only one commentary to affirm something about the
Bible. You need at least three good commentaries.

Try to read biblical commentaries from different confessions of faith (e.g., Calvinism vs.
Arminianism; Pentecostal vs. non-Pentecostal; Catholic vs. Protestant; Egalitarian vs.
Complementarian; Amillennialism vs. Premillennialism vs. Postmillennialism; etc). Look for
their arguments: What do they agree or disagree on? Which of them is closest to the
biblical text? It's not a sin to read commentaries written from other points of view. You
will notice that what is fact or solid argument will be seen over and over on different
commentaries, so you will start learning what is speculation and what is not.

As Haddon W. Robinson said in his book, Biblical Preaching, (second edition, page 22), "In
approaching a passage, we must be willing to reexamine our doctrinal convictions and to
reject the judgments of our most respected teachers."

Remember, a commentary is not the biblical text. Do not replace the authority of the
Bible with a commentary. The same apply for Study Bibles. The study notes there are not
written by "apostles and prophets," so never confuse the "gospel" with the teacher or
preacher. Learn to separate it.

Commentaries are important because nobody can get a poem from one language and
translate it with the same structure to another language. This simply does not exist.
Words, phrases, and sentences are rooted in a specific time, culture and custom. About
Bibles, the best way is to check different translations, but be cautious about a very loose
translation.

For you to appreciate any biblical commentary you need to know what level of reading
you are. I'm going call them beginner, intermediate and advanced. I recommend the
following biblical commentaries that you can start from. All of them have both Old
Testament and New Testament. (If you're thinking of buying the whole set, look for the
CD edition; it's cheaper and you can take it with you where you go.)

Beginner - NIV Application Commentary (NIVAC) by Zondervan.
(or) The Bible Speaks Today Series (BST) by IVP (This is a growing series and not yet
complete.)

Intermediate - New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT) and New
International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT) by Eerdmans

Advanced - Word Biblical Commentary (WBC) by Thomas Nelson

These are basic commentaries on their own level, but there are a lot of commentaries
today, so don't forget to look for more information. Maybe you can get information from
one of these: (1) Commentary and Reference Survey: A Comprehensive Guide to Biblical
and Theological Resources by John Glynn, (2) New Testament Commentary Survey by D.
A. Carson, (3) Old Testament Commentary Survey by Tremper Longman.

There are good and expensive commentaries such as the Anchor Bible (AB); International
Critical Commentary (ICC) or Hermeneia (HERM). [Do not forget of Calvin and Luther].

I don't know about catholic commentaries, but you can check reviews on "Sacra Pagina"
and "Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture."

Other than those mentioned above (NIVAC; BST; NICNT; WBC; AB; ICC; HERM) you can also
check: Expositor Bible Commentary (EBC); New American Commentary (NAC); Pillar New
Testament Commentary (PNTC); New International Greek Testament Commentary
(NIGTC); Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT); and others.

Another thing, it can be a very good commentary, but it does not mean that you will
agree with everything in it. Remember, "new" does not mean it's updated, and "updated"
does not mean it's better.

Purpose - You can read a book to get information, even if you are not interested in a deep
study of the biblical text. In this case it's better to start reading something from your own
confession of faith and always on your level of reading. If after some time you become
interested in more, go check other commentaries, but please, do not skip "How To Read A
Book" by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren.

Responsibility - It is your responsibility study the biblical text before checking a
commentary. Sometimes this is not an easy task so I'm giving you some other references
that you can check at the end of this review. If I had read a review like this before, I
would know how to prevent some mistakes.

Do not let you knowledge kill your faith! - "For we also have had the gospel preached to
us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those
who heard did not combine it with faith." Hebrews 4:2 NIV - (Read also 1 Corinthians
1:21-24; 2:13-14; 3:18-23; Jude 1:3).

I can't leave without suggesting some other tools to help you:
(1) How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren;
(2) Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation by Henry Virkler and Karelynne Ayayo;
(3) New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors by Gordon Fee; and
(4) Old Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors by Douglas Stuart.

[Although book #3 and 4 deals with Biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew), you can learn
a lot from them even if you do not know the languages].

(5) "Basics of Biblical Greek" Grammar by William D. Mounce [after you start reading it
maybe you can add "Biblical Greek Survival Kit" and

"Sing and Learn New Testament Greek" audio CD by Kenneth Berding];
(6) "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy (Third Edition with Cd-Rom).
(7) Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Complete and Unabridged.

- All of these will help you to understand HOW a good commentary must be written.
- Good Luck!

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

I'm gamed set up a reading list, dates, topic of discussion and purposed meeting times and which chatroom you want to meet in. add a disclaimer that everyone is responsible for their own words and the views expressed by individuals are not necessary the views of this website, etc

Philippians sounds like as good a book as any

lol so is the first reading assignment and discussion topic?

Introduction, Background, and Outline to Philippians | Bible.org - Worlds Largest Bible Study Site

* It seems you approve of the Bible.Org web site / study guide. Have you checked it out,
have you looked at others?

* I would like to spend some time in preparation of an APPROACH to online Bible Study

* I would like to get some additional input/comments, and potential interest from other
forum members before diving in to any study online that has commitments (of sorts)
from members. Perhaps after additional research and discussion here, the first chat
session could be set up to review the approach, the outline(s), the chat guidelines and
such like.

* I think a lot of discussion could take place in the forum during the week for example,
with a Friday Night or Saturday evening or Sunday Afternoon Chat Session to review the
posts, and the study guide

* All are welcome/encouraged to read through Philippians and any commentary they
might think valuable.

* Philippians is a good letter to start with because it is relatively short and straight
forward. Note however the length of some of the commentaries on Philippians I posted in
a previous post. It can be as simple or as complex as we make it - so we should have
some guidelines in mind before we start.

* All feel free to comment on their past experiences or current ideas on how to approach
such a study, perhaps others from the 10PM study will comment, perhaps we should
intrude on that study a few times to see how it is run, and maybe ask some questions of
the moderator(s) and participants.

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

(also, if we studied any book, I would highly recommend that we don't go "chapter by chapter." Maybe get
an overview of the whole letter/book and read through it all...because, as you know, there weren't originally
chapters/verses in the Bible books. It just breaks up the flow too much.)


Grace and Love

I agree that sometimes Themes and Concepts cross chapter boundaries. The Bible.Org outline excerpted
below shows just how correct that point is -

Bible.org outline:

Lesson 6: Exhortation to Unity—Part I (1:27-30)
Lesson 7: Exhortation to Unity—Part II (2:1-4)
Lesson 8: Exhortation to Unity—The Example of Christ (2:5-11)
Lesson 9: Exhortation to Unity—A Final Word Concerning Obedience (2:12-18)
Lesson 10: Timothy and Epaphroditus— Two Examples of Humility and Unity (2:19-30)

 

[zackabba]

* I agree that any study should start with an OVERVIEW (and BACKGROUND)

* I don't know how to best approach a study other than going through it by each
chapter. We need not dwell on every word or verse. But when one reads through, they
read it by chapter. If one outlines the [entire] book in a first pass read, then adds details
in an 'expanded outline' in a second-read through, where key thoughts, words, concepts
etc are included, that is a start. Then one needs to re-read with a mindset towards linking
to other scripture references, and perhaps then once again, to tie it all together. Note
from the TABLE OF CONTENTS Below, the SILVA goes through verse (or section at a time,
through each chapter), with of course, an Introduction to the Letter.

*To give some sense of the complexity of this relatively short book, allow me to
reference some information and reviews from the book you mentioned - Philippians by
Moises Silva (from the Baker series, 2nd edition). Some preachers have devoted over a
YEAR for such a Study of the Book of Revelations for example.

Philippians by Moises Silva (from the Baker series, 2nd edition).

Product Description (Amazon.com)
With its user-friendly design, this commentary by Moisés Silva provides a substantive yet
accessible discussion of Philippians to help pastors, students, and teachers understand
and explain this letter.

Each passage is presented in three parts: Silva's own translation of the Greek text;
exegesis and exposition of each unit of thought; and additional notes on textual matters.
Throughout the commentary, Silva asks what is distinctive about this letter and shows
how each passage contributes to Paul's overall argument.

The second edition has been updated to interact with important recent scholarship on
Philippians and to incorporate the well-regarded BECNT layout.

# Hardcover: 272 pages
# Publisher: Baker Academic; 2 edition (March 1, 2005)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0801026814
# ISBN-13: 978-0801026812

REVIEWS: (Amazon.com)
*1) Silva's commentary on Philippians is an updated version of an earlier out of print work
and is quite good if you are looking for a commentary that is not too technical and gets to
the point of the passage. At 248 pages it is not nearly as comprehensive or in depth as
Fee's commentary (497pp.) or O'Brien's (597pp.) which are the 2 best on this letter.
However, Silva is equally adept at dealing with the important interpretive issues in much
more succinct fashion. Worth the effort.

*2)This is a very fine mid range commentary. Silva's exegetical skills are impressive, and
his decisions are nuanced via contextual awareness and linguistic sophistication. While
not as long as Obrien or Fee, it is also not as taxing on the reader. Silva has the good
sense to give us enough information without becoming pondersome or tangential.
Frankly, I wish the writers and publishers of the ever more girthsome commentaries
would take note of his approach. Highly Recommended!

*3)I never really thought much of Phillipians - I thought it was another letter to another
city written by Paul. After reading through this commentary, my opnion has totally
changed. Mr. Silvia has carefully crafted a weel documented and easy to follow journey
through Phillipinas. He spends time doing word studies (he uses conventional Greek
words/letters and then uses the English version of the Greek so you can actually say the
word out loud!)

Some might argue this is not the most scholarly written commentary, but for me, it was
all I needed. I did in the end buy two more commentaries (Fowler and Fee), but not
because of gaps in this one, rather because I was interested in other opinions and
perspective. But I do find myself coming back to this one continously.

*4)Surely there will be someone else writing about this book, so I'm going try to help you
in another way.

When you start reading biblical commentaries you will need to be aware that the
thoughts expressed by the author deal with facts and speculations that should of
happened. You can NEVER rely on only one commentary to affirm something about the
Bible. You need at least three good commentaries.

Try to read biblical commentaries from different confessions of faith (e.g., Calvinism vs.
Arminianism; Pentecostal vs. non-Pentecostal; Catholic vs. Protestant; Egalitarian vs.
Complementarian; Amillennialism vs. Premillennialism vs. Postmillennialism; etc). Look for
their arguments: What do they agree or disagree on? Which of them is closest to the
biblical text? It's not a sin to read commentaries written from other points of view. You
will notice that what is fact or solid argument will be seen over and over on different
commentaries, so you will start learning what is speculation and what is not.

As Haddon W. Robinson said in his book, Biblical Preaching, (second edition, page 22), "In
approaching a passage, we must be willing to reexamine our doctrinal convictions and to
reject the judgments of our most respected teachers."

Remember, a commentary is not the biblical text. Do not replace the authority of the
Bible with a commentary. The same apply for Study Bibles. The study notes there are not
written by "apostles and prophets," so never confuse the "gospel" with the teacher or
preacher. Learn to separate it.

Commentaries are important because nobody can get a poem from one language and
translate it with the same structure to another language. This simply does not exist.
Words, phrases, and sentences are rooted in a specific time, culture and custom. About
Bibles, the best way is to check different translations, but be cautious about a very loose
translation.

For you to appreciate any biblical commentary you need to know what level of reading
you are. I'm going call them beginner, intermediate and advanced. I recommend the
following biblical commentaries that you can start from. All of them have both Old
Testament and New Testament. (If you're thinking of buying the whole set, look for the
CD edition; it's cheaper and you can take it with you where you go.)

Beginner - NIV Application Commentary (NIVAC) by Zondervan.
(or) The Bible Speaks Today Series (BST) by IVP (This is a growing series and not yet
complete.)

Intermediate - New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT) and New
International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT) by Eerdmans

Advanced - Word Biblical Commentary (WBC) by Thomas Nelson

These are basic commentaries on their own level, but there are a lot of commentaries
today, so don't forget to look for more information. Maybe you can get information from
one of these: (1) Commentary and Reference Survey: A Comprehensive Guide to Biblical
and Theological Resources by John Glynn, (2) New Testament Commentary Survey by D.
A. Carson, (3) Old Testament Commentary Survey by Tremper Longman.

There are good and expensive commentaries such as the Anchor Bible (AB); International
Critical Commentary (ICC) or Hermeneia (HERM). [Do not forget of Calvin and Luther].

I don't know about catholic commentaries, but you can check reviews on "Sacra Pagina"
and "Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture."

Other than those mentioned above (NIVAC; BST; NICNT; WBC; AB; ICC; HERM) you can also
check: Expositor Bible Commentary (EBC); New American Commentary (NAC); Pillar New
Testament Commentary (PNTC); New International Greek Testament Commentary
(NIGTC); Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT); and others.

Another thing, it can be a very good commentary, but it does not mean that you will
agree with everything in it. Remember, "new" does not mean it's updated, and "updated"
does not mean it's better.

Purpose - You can read a book to get information, even if you are not interested in a deep
study of the biblical text. In this case it's better to start reading something from your own
confession of faith and always on your level of reading. If after some time you become
interested in more, go check other commentaries, but please, do not skip "How To Read A
Book" by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren.

Responsibility - It is your responsibility study the biblical text before checking a
commentary. Sometimes this is not an easy task so I'm giving you some other references
that you can check at the end of this review. If I had read a review like this before, I
would know how to prevent some mistakes.

Do not let you knowledge kill your faith! - "For we also have had the gospel preached to
us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those
who heard did not combine it with faith." Hebrews 4:2 NIV - (Read also 1 Corinthians
1:21-24; 2:13-14; 3:18-23; Jude 1:3).

I can't leave without suggesting some other tools to help you:
(1) How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren;
(2) Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation by Henry Virkler and Karelynne Ayayo;
(3) New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors by Gordon Fee; and
(4) Old Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors by Douglas Stuart.

[Although book #3 and 4 deals with Biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew), you can learn
a lot from them even if you do not know the languages].

(5) "Basics of Biblical Greek" Grammar by William D. Mounce [after you start reading it
maybe you can add "Biblical Greek Survival Kit" and

"Sing and Learn New Testament Greek" audio CD by Kenneth Berding];
(6) "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy (Third Edition with Cd-Rom).
(7) Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Complete and Unabridged.

- All of these will help you to understand HOW a good commentary must be written.
- Good Luck!

Wow I didn't even know you could get the outline online!

You're right in saying that Philippians is a very complex book.

And I agree there should definitely be an overview...I think that was what I was trying to get at.



Grace and Love

 

[Digital_Angel_316]

I might consider (propose?) a sort of "Two-Pass" approach to such an online Bible Study:


1) Start with some generally accepted Outline(s), maybe one that is generated by
comparing several outlines from commentaries, Bible Studies, Study Bibles and etc.

1A) Merge the various outlines into one, keeping even excess concepts to start

1B) Read through the book and make a first pass "rough draft" outline update

This would be the first week (or two) effort and output, posted to forum, discussed in chat as needed

******************************************************************************

2) Re-Read the Book, going through now by OUTLINE SECTION (or Sections) and NOW ..

2B) Starting from the UPDATED DRAFT OUTLINE, Read the entire book and take notes:

2B-1) Is this section correct - name/concept, tie-in to previous and next sections,
2B-2) is there a different theme/partitioning
2B-3) Section SUMMARY STATEMENT - one sentence
2B-4) KEY CONCEPTS/THEMES
2B-5) KEY VERSES
2B-6) KEY WORDS (Original Language meanings, allegory, allusion, metaphor, simile, hyperbole etc)
2B-7) KEY TIE-INS (reference book-chapter-verse, theme, within or across books) (a good study bible cross references, e.g. NIV also)
2B-8) KEY LIFE APPLICATION (one sentence, a paragraph, a reference to a foot or endnote)
2B-8A) - Personal
2B-8B) -Societal
2B-8B-1) - Historical
2B-8B-2) - Current Events
2B-8B-3) - Future Signs
2B-9) KEY TRANSITION (how does this section end, and how does it lead to the next section)
2b-10) KEY OUTPUT AND UPDATE: (Agree upon and update the original draft outline)

******************************************************************************

So, now, the new Outline would look like something below:

* Bible.org outlines and teaches it this way:

Outline of Philippians

I. Salutation, Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:1-11)

A. Salutation 1:1-2

B. Thanksgiving and Prayer 1:3-11

1. Thanksgiving (1:3-8)

2. Prayer (1:9-11)

WE ADD OR MODIFY TO GET --
**********INSERT ADDITIONS, EDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, MODIFICATIONS
FROM THE ABOVE PROCESS INTO THE ORIGINAL "DRAFT OUTLINE"**********
2B-1) Is this section correct - name/concept, tie-in to previous and next sections,
2B-2) is there a different theme/partitioning
2B-3) Section SUMMARY STATEMENT - one sentence
2B-4) KEY CONCEPTS/THEMES
2B-5) KEY VERSES
2B-6) KEY WORDS (Original Language meanings, allegory, allusion, metaphor, simile, hyperbole etc)
2B-7) KEY TIE-INS (reference book-chapter-verse, theme, within or across books) (a good study bible cross references, e.g. NIV also)
2B-8) KEY LIFE APPLICATION (one sentence, a paragraph, a reference to a foot or endnote)
2B-8A) - Personal
2B-8B) -Societal
2B-8B-1) - Historical
2B-8B-2) - Current Events
2B-8B-3) - Future Signs
2B-9) KEY TRANSITION (how does this section end, and how does it lead to the next section)
2b-10) KEY OUTPUT AND UPDATE: (Agree upon and update the original draft outline)

**********REPEAT THE PROCESS FOR THE NEXT SECTION OR GROUP OF SECTIONS**********

II. Paul’s Circumstances and Encouragement for the Church (1:12-2:30)

******************************************************************************

This is one approach that occurred to me, that might keep a study on track, and relatively
succinct in terms of time. In fact, once reviewed, critiqued and updated, such an
approach would lend itself to assigning various elements of an outline to various
contributors --
* a Key Verse expert
* a Greek/Hebrew word expert,
* a language/grammar expert,
* an exegete expert (cross referencing),

But everyone still contributing in each area for wholeness. The output "Product" would be
a nice summary, but expanded outline, with references and notes.

Feel free to review, critique, comment, add to, take from, or propose an altogether
different approach, this was just one late-night thought to start the thinking process up.
Some of these changes might just be a line or two, a list, or even footnotes at the end.
Some things, such as "life application" section may be just a sentence including all the
areas, or may be more appropriate after several sections or at the end of a chapter or
major section area.

THINK ON --->>> COMMENT ON ...

 

[OceanEagle1]

Good morning. I'm new to this site but instantly got chill-bumps because I've been studying Phillipians for the last 3 days. I'd love to participate.
Ocean

 

[Ugly]

Good morning. I'm new to this site but instantly got chill-bumps because I've been studying Phillipians for the last 3 days. I'd love to participate.
Ocean

This thread is from 2011. The person who made the thread was banned long ago.

 

[OceanEagle1]

Thanks Ugly ... wow any advice / suggestions to give me? What forum or chat area do you participate in? Where is a good place for new members to get acquainted and find different active bible studies? Thanks in advance;
Ocean