Ep13. Exegeting Luke 2 39-40 Web V

Preparing A Short Expository Sermon An introduction to Expository Preaching Part 1 EXEGESIS * PCJB PP Presentation devised and prepared at Gujranwala Theological Seminary may be copied for non-commercial use only June 2005

Why PowerPoint? • Clarity of outline Central formatting Use few words per frame One unit of thought to each line

• Ease of editing / manipulating text • Force of impact

This Presentation… • Is prepared for use in the classroom

(using a multimedia projector beamed onto a white wall or screen; or a wide screen monitor for small groups (2-10))

• Can be easily adapted by the teacher • Allows for class interaction with the text (using the edit mode for class suggestions, e.g. for “best” lay out of the Scripture text)

Expository Preaching involves

EXEGESIS (study of the text done in the study) and

EXPOSITION (exposure of its meaning presented in the pulpit)

Exegesis and Exposition

EXEGESIS can be viewed as the process of preparing for a proper EXPOSITION It involves CAREFUL OBSERVATION at each step of the process

PREPARATION (In the Study) The steps involved in preparing An Expository Sermon

Preparation for the Sermon 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Pray for GOD to SPEAK to YOU first! Note the Kind of Writing (The GENRE) List the Units of Thought (The basic IDEAS) Observe the STRUCTURE of the Passage Analyse the CONTENT of the Passage Decide the over-all SUBJECT of the Passage Identify the TEACHING about the over-all Subject Check the CONTEXT of the Passage Expose the original HEART-BEAT of the Passage (the core message) Apply the Heart-Beat (The LESSON for us)

Example Exegesis of Luke 2:39-40

The Preacher’s Big Question How do I preach in such a way that people walk out from church saying, “This morning I have heard from God?”

J.I.Packer’s response… “I can only say that you must have heard from God before you start preaching, so that something of what you have heard and the impact it has had on you gets relayed into what you are actually saying.”

PRAY… • For God to speak to you in your

preparation • For His Spirit to guide your thoughts as you expose His Word • For Jesus to be glorified through this study and subsequent exposition

Luke 2:39-40

The TEXT

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Exegesis

Step 1

Note the GENRE (the kind of literature) of the passage: The style / form of writing used by the writer (e.g. Narrative, law, poetry, prophecy, letter, etc)

Step 1

GENRE

Gospel Narrative Note: “Gospel“ because the writer includes interpretative remarks in the narrative that point to why the narrative is Good News!

Exegesis

Step 2 Rewrite the passage as a list of the UNITS of THOUGHT* or IDEAS contained (* each sentence / clause / phrase that gives additional meaning)

Step 2

UNITS of THOUGHT

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Exegesis

Step 3 Observe the STRUCTURE of the passage SHAPE the Text to show: the relationship of the different parts

Step 3

STRUCTURE

Rewrite the passage to show the SHAPE of its STRUCTURE, using: – one line for each unit of thought – indention to relate the units to each other

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Exegesis

Step 4 Analyse the CONTENT of the passage

Asking the Questions: Who is doing What? Where? When? Why? How?

Step 4:1 The CONTENT: People

WHO are the people spoken of in this passage?

When they had finished everything required (Mary and Joseph)

by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, (Jesus)

filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

People In This Passage

• Mary and Joseph (“they“) • Jesus (“the child“) • God

Step 4:2

CONTENT: Action

What is HAPPENING? What are they DOING? (The Events / Activities)

When they had finished everything required (Mary and Joseph)

by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, (Jesus)

filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

People In This Passage are...

• • • •

Finishing a requirement Returning home Developing Blessing others

Step 4:3

CONTENT: Where & How?

Answering the questions:

Where? – In the Temble at Jerusalem (context) – To Galilee and their own town of Nazareth When? – Returned after first doing all that the law of the Lord required

Asking the Questions & Using the Bible Aids: Note: • Not every Question has an answer that can be found in the text each time (e.g. Why? & How? have no answers in this passage)

• Not every type of Bible Aid is needed each time either

Step 4:4 CONTENT: Topics

Topics include: • People involved • Activities / Events • Ideas / Principles

What are the main TOPICS?

The Main Topics • The Law’s requirements • Returning home • A child’s development • God’s blessing

Note the overlap There may be considerable overlap in the answers The questions are there to help us observe as much as possible of what the text is saying

Exegesis

Step 5 Decide the over-all SUBJECT of the passage • This subject should cover all the topics dealt with in the passage, not just the obvious ones

Step 5

Over-all SUBJECT • Mary and Joseph? • Jesus? • God ? All put together

=

The Family of Jesus

Exegesis

Step 6 Identify the TEACHING about the over-all SUBJECT Select related teaching only (Not everything that is taught in the passage!)

Step 6 TEACHING about the Subject What does this tell us about the overall subject: The Family of Jesus ?

When they had finished everything required (Mary and Joseph)

by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, (Jesus)

filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

TEACHING about the Family of Jesus • They lived according to God’s Law. • They put God’s business before their own business. • As a result God blessed them.

Exegesis

Step 7 Check the CONTEXT of the passage

CONTEXT Context may refer to several things: •

The literary context of the passage – The verses before and after – The book in which it occurs – The total writings of the author

CONTEXT Context may also refer to: •

The canonical context (The context of the whole of Scripture)

This answers the questions: • Is my interpretation of the passage consistent with Biblical teaching? • What light does the rest of Scripture throw on this passage?

CONTEXT It may also refer to: •

The historical, cultural and geographical context, i.e. the background of the time and place in which the passage was written (or to which it refers)

Background Study generally requires the use of

Bible Aids. These can provide two sorts of information: 1. Related material found elsewhere in Scripture conveniently collected together 2. Information only found outside the Bible

Using Bible Aids • Concordances - to discover what other biblical passages say on the same theme / subject passages

• Bible Dictionaries - for more information on a word / subject / person

• Bible Atlases - to locate places mentioned • Commentaries - for other interpretations and further insights about the content and authorship

Using Bible Aids • Concordances (to discover what other biblical passages say on the same theme / subject): – List key words in alphabetical order – Record instances where such words appear in other biblical passages (using Bible references)

Using Bible Aids

Note: Do your own initial study of the passage before consulting any study aids. (Resist the temptation to take short cuts!)

Exegete Verse 39 Background and Context

What did the Law of the Lord require of them? We need to consult a commentary here. We might turn to John Nolland’s comments in the Word Biblical Commentary…

Note on Commentaries: Commentaries vary in their emphasis Preachers consult commentaries for: • Background • Application • Character Studies • Exegesis

Commentary “Lev 12 required that a Jewish woman who gave birth to a son should forty days after the birth go to Jerusalem and offer for the purposes of ritual purification two sacrifices in the temple…

…In the case of a firstborn son there was also a requirement that he be acknowledged as belonging to the Lord in a special way (Exod 13:2, 12, 15). In fact the child had to be redeemed by the payment of a fee of five shekels (Num 18:15–16)…

…Though this payment could be made anywhere in the land, the ideal was to present the child at the temple (Neh 10:35–36). And when this was done, the purification and presentation would be done together…

…To use two turtledoves or young pigeons for the sacrifice instead of the usual lamb and one turtledove or pigeon was actually a concession for poor folk.” (Lev 12:8).[1] [1]Nolland, John, Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 35a: Luke 1:1-9:20, (Dallas, Texas: Word Books, Publisher) 1998.

Background & Context What did the Law of the Lord require of them? From this Commentary we learn: a) That Mary had to purify herself by offering two sacrifices in the Temple b) That Mary made a payment for the birth of her first-born (a reminder of Israel’s redemption from Egypt)

Theological Background Note:

Exegesis of a different passage might benefit from: A study of significant WORDS in the text (A Bible Dictionary and a Concordance would be helpful here)

Geographical Background A Bible Atlas would show where Nazareth was in relationship to Jerusalem How relevant would such information be for our understanding of the passage in this instance?

Exegesis

Step 8 Expose the original HEART-BEAT (the core message) of the passage

Step 8

HEART-BEAT

In your own words what is the central message of the passage - its “heart-beat“?

The HEART-BEAT

Making obedience to God‘s law a family priority precedes God‘s blessing

Exegesis

Step 9 Apply the Heart-Beat i.e. turn the original Core Message into the LESSON for us today

Application

We too must put God’s business before our own. ~ with relevant family examples -

Hannah, and Eli, Etc.

Summary of Preparation 1. Note the Kind of Writing (The GENRE) 2. List the Units of Thought (The basic IDEAS) 3. Analyse the STRUCTURE of The Passage • •

Its Shape (showing relationships of different parts) Its Repetitions (suggesting significances /emphasis)

4. Analyse the CONTENT of the Passage • • •

People involved Actions Ideas / Topics

Summary of Preparation (cont) 5. Find the over-all SUBJECT of the Passage 6. Identify the TEACHING about this over-all Subject 7. Check the CONTEXT 8. Expose the original HEART-BEAT of the Passage 9. Apply the Heart-Beat (The LESSON for us today)

The END of Part 1