The following tools have been of immense help to me as I study the Scriptures. A correct understanding of the Hebrew language, the Hebrew culture, and also the Greek language are abolutely essential to squeeze as much information out of the Scriptural texts as we can.
Note that as we study through the Scriptures, we do not want to have preconceived ideas about what the Bible says or what it means. We really want to put our prejudices and religious preconceptions aside and refrain from pouring meaning into the text. We rather want to extract the meaning from the text. In other words, we really want to contextualize the text rather than ascribing a pretext to the text. This is an important distinction.
If you study the Scriptures in order to find a justification of the New Apostolic doctrine, you will have to learn to live with contradictions and obscurities because the plain meaning of Scriptures contradicts the doctrine of the NAC. If, however, we wish to truly understand what our Creator has given to us as a record of history and His plan of salvation for us, the study of the Scriptures will be a joyful one -- one in which we need not accept contradictions because there will be none!
Yah makes His words plain and clear to all those who seek truth.
The following tools have been of immense help to me. May they be a blessing to you as well.
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