FIRST QUARTER January – March 2009
Gerhard Pfandl - Principal Contributor
John the Baptist was called by Jesus to be the
greatest of all the prophets. But “the prophetic
gift involved something other than writing the books of the
Bible.” This Sabbath School Bible Study Guide not only
introduces God’s messengers through out the ages but the also
Source of all true prophecy, the ‘Gift-Giver.’
FIRST QUARTER 2009
This Sabbath School lesson help was produced
for the glory of God. It is being distributed
through the internet media for you to use
as you teach our Sabbath School classes .
Please do not alter the way
it was arranged. Thanks and
God bless.
Yours–in-Christ,Pastor N. V. Macatiag
March 14, 2009
Memory Text:
“Take heed to yourself and to the
doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing
this you will save both yourself and
those who hear you”
(1 Timothy 4:16, NKJV).
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A. Introduction
There is no question that Ellen G. White manifested in her
life and works the gift of prophecy. The inspiration that
she received is in the same level as the Old and New
Testament prophets. But not her authority. When
interpreting her writings we can apply the same principles
used in interpreting the Scriptures.
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B. The Methods
1. Sound Exegesis/Powerful Homiletics
a. Biblical exegesis is a critical explanation or
interpretation of the Bible. The goal of Biblical exegesis is
to find the meaning of the text which then leads to
discovering its significance or relevance. Wikipedia.com
Exegesis is concerned with the original meaning of a
text. It focuses on what the author wanted to say and what
the text meant to the original receiver.
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i. 1 Samuel 24:3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the
way, where [was] a cave; and Saul went in to cover his
feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the
cave.
ii. “To cover ones feet” is an old way of saying ‘to go to
the toilet’. Understanding the exegesis informs us how
vulnerable Saul was at the moment.
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b. Homiletics (Gr. homiletikos, from homilos, to assemble
together), in theology the application of the general
principles of rhetoric to the specific department of public
preaching - Wikipedia.com
March 14, 2009
Homiletics is the art of preaching. In a homiletics
class a student learns sermon preparation and how
to use the Scriptures in preaching. Sometimes a
preacher may use just the wording of a text,
without special regard for its original meaning, to
make a point or an appeal during a sermon. This is
called the homiletical use of Scripture.
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•1 Samuel 24:3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the
way, where [was] a cave;
and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his
men remained in the sides of the cave.
ii. By understanding the exegesis of the text. We can
see Saul at his most vulnerable moment, when we can
see that Saul was at the mercy of David. David could
have killed Saul at the moment but we can see the
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kind-heartedness of David. He respected God’s
anointed and by doing so honors and
glorifies God more. Homiletics is applying God’s words
into human life and situations. Thus we can see the scope
that when God chooses a person, He do so by looking at
one’s heart.
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2. Time and Place
a. A crucial rule of biblical interpretation is the principle
of studying the times and circumstances during which a
particular text was written and by whom.
i. Jeremiah 4:23-26- I beheld the earth, and, lo, [it was]
without form, and void; and the heavens, and they [had]
no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,
and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, [there
was] no man,
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•and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld,
and, lo, the fruitful place [was] a wilderness, and all
the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of
the LORD, [and] by his fierce anger. (KJV)
ii. This text frequently interpreted to mean a picture of
what will happen in the millennium. Jeremiah here is
not describing what will happen in the millennium. He
is describing what will happen to Jerusalem when
Babylon finishes it. Thus,
March 14, 2009
exegetically, Jeremiah 4:23–26 refers to the
destruction of Jerusalem. Symbolically, however, it also
refers to the time of the millennium. Ellen G. White,
therefore, quotes from Jeremiah 4 to describe the situation
on earth during the millennium.—The Great Controversy,
p. 659.
March 14, 2009
3. Context
The meaning - the parts of a written or spoken
statement that precede or follow a specific word or
passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect:
a. Immediate context –
i. Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a
new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor
come into mind.
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ii. We may think that this text refers to that
event after the millennium. But Isaiah here is referring to
that event when Israel should have lived a life of
faithfulness and obedience. But it did not happened so this
conditional prophecy did not happen.
iii. Ellen White makes the statement that “those who
accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion,
should never be taught to say or to feel that they are
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saved.” COL 155. When we study the context, we
discover that she is speaking about whether a person can
fall from grace after conversion. Many Christians in her
days believed in the doctrine of “once saved always
saved.” Ellen White was clearly against this teaching. In
context she says, “Never can we safely put confidence in
self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against
temptation.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 155.
March 14, 2009
b. Larger Context -
The larger context refers to what other texts beyond the
immediate passage have to say on a particular topic. It can
refer to other chapters in a book, the whole book, or to the
whole of Scripture.
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i. In James 2:14-26/ Eph. 2:8, 9- James is not
arguing for good works as a requirement for salvation.
Rather, he insists that there are two kinds of faith, one
valid and the other invalid. Paul speaks about the valid
faith that is followed by good deeds. James refers to
the invalid faith that stops at the intellectual level,
faith that is mere mental assent.
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ii. When reading Ellen White, we also need to look at the
larger context in her writings; i.e., everything she has
written on a particular topic. We cannot just take one or
two statements and run with them.
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C. Reactions:
1. Apart from the guidelines studied in this week’s
lesson, we need to:
(a) ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the study of
His Word;
(b) ensure that we use one or more good translations;
(c) look for principles that are universal and apply to all
people, in all places, and at all times;
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d) be willing to obey the truths we discover;
(e) be open-minded and willing to surrender previously
held positions;
(f) guard against extreme interpretations;
(g) work together with people of experience; and
(h) use common sense.
March 14, 2009
2. How are we going to use this knowledge
and apply it to our present era?
3. What are some other ways that Ellen White’s
writings have been misused? What can we
do, however, to avoid the trap of throwing the whole
thing out, simply because it has not
been used properly?
March 14, 2009
God bless and a
Happy Sabbath!