Thank you to everyone who has submitted questions so far. We’ve had an enjoyable time reading through these and are excited to share with you the answers throughout the next coming weeks. In this episode, Pastor Jim will be sharing his advice concerning reading & understanding the Word.

To check out last episode’s questions, as well as Jim’s foreword on answering these, click here.

Question 1.

How am I to read and study bible books that contain chapters of just listing names, like chronicles? I find it hard to see what God is trying to show me during these chapters.

You must be referring to genealogies and censuses. And there are quite a few places where we find them. Each are for their own particular reasons and context, and therefore arranged accordingly. Some seeming contradictions are actually different editorial emphases, and some individuals having multiple names to name a couple of challenges. Some lists are used for credentialing, and some are for arguing a point. There are many reasons and just as many ways to extract benefit in studying them.

But the most important “thread” is the line that connects to Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham, Judah, King David, etc.

Still there are many “nuggets” to be gained along the way to Jesus as various characters within the list, and each editorial context of listing have unique Gospel points.

The initial reading will seem like a pile of foreign names, interesting sounding but irrelevant. But upon multiple subsequent passing through the Bible, from time to time, you’ll come across certain names that you hadn’t expected to see outside those lists, and suddenly, they are more than just a name.

The point is, everything, anything in life, is hard at first. And instead of asking a massive general questions like, “How do I understand the whole thing at once?” Try asking a specific question, and go after the answer, one concrete question at a time. Also, see how many names from a particular list show up in other narrative passages, and highlight them on the list. Sometimes the highlights will fill up the list, or they will show a pattern, or something else. How exciting!

Also click here for more information on this topic.

Question 2.

What does "edifying" mean?

This word is often interchangeably used with “build-up” (Gk. oikodomei) [Rom.14:19; 15:2; 2Cor.13:10; etc.], and it literally means to raise up a structure necessary for a building, such as walls and supporting beams and roof. And the word “edify” shares the root-meaning with edifice or building.

As you can see the importance of a building to be standing firm and built up, the idea of edifying a person is also to raise up the inner person to be strong and fortified through various means, most importantly spiritually.

Here’s an article that highlights various ways to “edify” another brother or sister in Christ.

If you have ever wondered about topics such as these, are curious about the how’s and why’s of Christianity or have any other questions in general ask Pastor Jim anything here.