Scripture Studies in the New Testament - A Verse-by-Verse Bible Study

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 3:1-6. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Paul’s diversion -- Warning against the Judaizers -- The incompatibility of “works” and “grace” -- Is faith a “work”? -- Faith as the acceptance of God’s grace -- Christians as “the circumcision” -- Circumcision of the heart -- Boasting in Christ J...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 2:19-30. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: A comparison of two servants of God -- The true-to-life depictions of God’s servants in the Bible: strengths and weaknesses -- Timothy’s importance to Paul’s service -- Timothy as Paul’s “kindred spirit” -- Timothy’s “selflessness” in a world of...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 2:14-18. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: How to carry out Paul’s instruction from verse 5, to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus (see verses 14 to 16) -- The strict, unambiguous teaching in verse 16 -- God’s hatred of complaining and grumbling, as shown in Numbers 11 -- A reason to...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 2:12-13. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: What our reaction should be to Paul’s hymn about Christ in verses 6 to 11 -- The controversy about verse 12 -- Reconciling verse 12 (about “working out your salvation”) with Ephesians 2:8-9 -- The scope of our salvation -- Normally, we only consi...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 2:9-11. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: How Christ’s humility leads to the exaltation of Christ -- It is God the Father who exalts Christ, just as it is God the Father who will raise us up -- Jesus exalted to the highest place -- Jesus’ name above every name -- The uniqueness of the nam...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 2:5-8. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The first half of Paul’s poem: The humbling of Christ -- Christ, our example in this -- The deity of Christ, before he came to earth: affirmed many places in the Bible -- The vast gulf between who Christ was before He came to earth, and His humble...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 2:1-4. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Four motives for unity in the church -- How Paul’s style of writing in verse 1 leads to meditation -- The specific connotations of the words “consolation” and “comfort” in verse 1 -- The strong emotional words “tenderness” and “compassion” in verse...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:27-30. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: A meditation: What it means to “live in a manner worthy of the Gospel” -- Our dual citizenship -- The imagery of the Macedonian phalanx, applied to the unity of Christians -- Paul’s words to the Philippians, to prepare them for the trials ahead -...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:21-26. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Meditations on the phrase “… to die is gain” -- Our natural instincts versus the ways we are called to live as Christians -- Paul’s hypothetical choice: To “depart and be with Christ”; to “go on living in the body” -- The reason Paul believes he...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:19-21. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Paul’s attitude while facing a possible imminent death -- Paul’s reasons for thinking that his time on earth is not done -- The sources of Paul’s confidence in this -- The effectiveness of prayer -- The help of the Holy Spirit to Paul -- Paul’s a...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:12-18. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The Gospel advancing, despite Paul’s trials -- Proofs of this, in vss. 13 and 14 -- Paul’s ability to reach people with the gospel, because of his trials -- Boldness of the witnesses of Paul’s behavior during his trials -- Varying motives of thos...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:11-12. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The outworkings of Christian love: the fruit of righteousness -- The purity and blamelessness of that love -- The fullness of that love -- This fruit coming to us through Jesus Christ -- This fruit done to the glory and praise of God -- Trials an...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:7-11. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The koinonia of Paul and the Philippians -- This partnership resulting in the Philippians sharing with Paul in his ministry -- The strong partnership, extending both to Paul’s defending the Gospel and extending also to Paul being in chains -- Paul...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:3-6. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Paul’s message of thanksgiving -- The importance of thanking God -- Paul’s close relationship with God -- Praying at all times -- The strong partnership all Christians have, expressed in the Greek word koinonia -- How the Philippians expressed this...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Philippians 1:1-2. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Background on the city of Philippi -- Paul in Philippi -- The variety of people who founded the church in Philippi -- The background of the writing of the epistle -- The elements of the greeting: the senders; the addresses; the greeting -- Timothy...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 16. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The wide variety of people that Paul greets -- Phoebe -- Priscilla and Aquila, and their long partnership with Paul -- Hints about the church of Rome found in these greetings -- The church as an equalizer, bringing together into fellowship those of varied...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 15:16-33. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The elements of Paul’s service to God -- The chiastic structure in verses 16-21 -- The distinction between the teaching about Christ, and preaching the Gospel -- The Christian sacrifice: a living sacrifice -- Paul’s desire to go to Rome -- The hindra...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 15:3-15. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Working out the chiastic structure of this passage -- The center of the structure, giving the emphasis of the passage: The Jews and Gentiles praising God together -- The anchor of the structure in verses 5 and 6, parallel with verse 13 -- The parallel...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 14:13-15:2. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The six-level chiastic structure of this passage -- The emphasis in the passage (the center of the chiastic structure) in verse 17: What the kingdom of God is not, and what the kingdom of God is, under the New Covenant -- How other levels of the st...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 14:1-12. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Cross-cultural unity in Christ -- The evidence of a chiastic structure in this passage -- How to work out the chiastic structure in the passage -- The purpose of analyzing the chiastic structure: to better understand the passage -- The emphasis of the...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 14:1-12. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Paul addresses a dispute in the Roman church -- Peter learns that the food laws are not part of the New Covenant -- One purpose for the food laws in the Old Covenant: to keep the children of Israel unified, and separated from the pagan cultures -- Thi...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 13:11-14:4. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The imagery of light/day and darkness/night in the Bible -- The value of daylight in ancient times -- The day/night image, as it applies to the coming end-times -- The imagery of putting on and taking off attire -- The odd image of “armor of light”...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 13:8-14. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The never-ending debt to love one another -- Who is the creditor for this debt? -- Love as the fulfillment of the law -- The two greatest commandments -- Applying the fact that these are the two greatest commandments to solving ethical dilemmas -- Exa...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 13:1-7. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: The Christian’s relationship to governing authorities: obey them, honor them, pray for them -- What it means to “submit to authorities” -- Exception to the requirement of Christians to submit to authorities -- God’s active role in establishing all auth...

A verse-by-verse Bible study class. This study covers Romans 12:15-21. These studies focus on what the Bible says, and what it means. Topics covered: Rejoicing/mourning with enemies -- The church somewhat unique, in that it contains people of all stripes -- Not avenging / Keeping peace: following in Christ’s steps -- Do right in the eyes of everyone: Don’t be “an ugly American” -- Ways to keep pea...