Resources for finding important themes in a passage.

An interesting step in the Bible study challenge from faithlife:

https://faithlife.com/logos-30-day-challenge/reader?readingPlanId=2b45bbd6a5da424abac54db24a74e75e&sessionDate=2017-01-09

So in general, particular resources are mentioned repeatedly:

IVP New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.

Dictionary of Bible Themes.

Lexham Theological Wordbook.

I would add:

Lexham Bible Guides.

Where to Find it in the Bible.

Collins Thesaurus of the Bible.

From distinguished posters:

https://community.logos.com/forums/p/121982/799231.aspx#799231

So if possible, I would like to know what other resources, techniques do you use to find the important themes in a passage.

Thanks ahead of time for the input.

God bless.

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Comments

MJ. Smith

Sorry but this is too fun an opportunity to resist. The primary technique I use is to read the passage - seems to work pretty well too. [;)] Seriously, I use thematic indexes to find other passages with the same theme not to find the theme of the passage I am reading.

Hamilton Ramos

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875500#Comment_875500

True, but what Faithlife lesson implies to me, is that with an enlarged conceptual framework, people are able to see important underlying issues that can yield great insight.

Not many work at deliberately enlarging the conceptual framework (e.g. a good explicit knowledge of Biblical theology thrusts), but for those that do, I would like to know what resources and techniques they use.

Blessings.

P.S. Do you read in original language, taking into consideration key aspects of that language worldview, or do you use our modern worldview frame to infer what the passage may also be about?

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875521#Comment_875521

I would like to know what resources

Living and learning libraries can have many useful resources, suggest filtering library for:

(Subj:Bible AND (Subj:("cross reference",indexes,"Theology-Dictionaries") OR Title:(Lexham,Themes)) -Subj:(Comment,Masorah) -Title:(Abridged,Edition) -Type:(Bible,Manual,Media,Notes)

Do you read in original language, taking into consideration key aspects of that language

Thankful for visual filter highlighting so can "see" range of Greek verbal expression in Greek plus resources with Interlinear OR Reverse-Interlinear tagging. Logos wiki => Examples of visual filters

Keep Smiling [:)]

delete12066188

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875521#Comment_875521

Hi Hamilton

I started to use Opentext, cascadia aso to find the Main Themes in the Passage I study. Then I go to Historians and Churchfathers to understand the Background and Meaning of the Passage. I also study the Mansucripts to see what was realy in the Text.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875521#Comment_875521

Do you read in original language, taking into consideration key aspects of that language worldview,

I am not fluent in the original languages and do not pretend that I am. Nor do I accept the idea of Boaz tying worldview to language which was seriously quested by the 70's and dead by the mid 80's - culture can and does make distinctions not embedded in their vocabulary. However, in determining what the text meant to the author I obviously limit myself to the author's context.

or do you use our modern worldview frame to infer what the passage may also be about?

I am unable to step outside the modern worldview - I can merely try to limit my tools and knowledge to what I believe to have been available at a particular time in the past in order to understand how the text was seen at that time (think reception history).

For a quick summary of what you appear to be driving at I always recommend the Logos resource Torah Through Time by Shai Cherry. It's first chapter gives a very useful summary.

My starting point as to what the Word of God is is rather different than yours, as I am sure you remember so I can't really answer without getting into a long, inappropriate theological discussion.

Hamilton Ramos

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875528#Comment_875528

God bless all:

KS4J:

"(Subj:Bible AND (Subj:("cross reference",indexes,"Theology-Dictionaries") OR Title:(Lexham,Themes)) -Subj:(Comment,Masorah) -Title:(Abridged,Edition) -Type:(Bible,Manual,Media,Notes)

Awesome, thanks. I keep thinking that you should write a "Power tips for Logos soft book", I would order it immediately [:)].

Sascha John:

"I started to use Opentext, cascadia aso to find the Main Themes in the Passage I study. Then I go to Historians and Churchfathers to understand the Background and Meaning of the Passage. I also study the Mansucripts to see what was realy in the Text."

Thanks for the description of your methodology. Excellent workflow.

MJ:

"Nor do I accept the idea of Boaz tying worldview to language which was seriously quested by the 70's and dead by the mid 80's - culture can and does make distinctions not embedded in their vocabulary"

I started to read Dr. Heiser Mobile ed course on working with Hebrew using Logos. He kind of makes one see how dependent we are on worldview to understand what we read.

In theory there are some Scholars that have developed the ability to think closer to the thought patterns of their study era. Not that I have tried to do it, but I can relate, as studying a bit about anthropology we were made to study about hot and cold cultures (in modern times), and I was able to understand first hand the described differences as I have experienced both types of cultures.

I always cherish your recommendations for resources. It would be awesome to have a list of topics on the left, and your recommended resources on the right, that would be a great guide.

With respect to the Word of God, I really do not recall your position. I do believe that the God of the word is greater than our present word of God (Bible).

So there are things that cannot be understood just by studying the Bible exclusively, things that need to be experienced in a relation with God Himself, by interacting with the H.S. changes can occur unlikely in any other way (like did to Paul in a way no book could).

And is precisely because interaction with the Holy Spirit that some get insights not immediately obvious but still valid thrusts in the Bible, and many men and women of God through time and across traditions have gotten some of those insights, that is why I asked about methodology to determine thrusts (both explicit and implicit) from the Bible.

Thanks to all for your valuable input, it is a blessing to have such great input from real lovers of God, and His Word.

Blessings.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875653#Comment_875653

I'd agree knowing the literalness of the language and expertise doesn't equate to understanding meaning. Adding context does little more, in packaged redactions. One is left with surviving traditions. 'Themes'.

Hamilton Ramos

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/875664#Comment_875664

Thanks Denise for your input.

Just to give an example of how different frameworks affect interpretation:

Liberation theology (taken to extremes by many), did point to the fact that Jesus' cause was with the lost, the least and the last. And it does not have to be just in the physical, spiritually many people are bankrupt, and are in need of liberation.

Another example is Feminist theology, one related area was feminist ethics, where the loyalty and concern for family and communal group interests is stressed. The application is of course obvious: before giving aid to the non-believer / secular, in theory we should see that people in the faith that are in need, are helped to a point that they can take care of themselves in a dignified manner first.

Lastly, one of the brilliant lessons I got from you, is to acknowledge that many translators had the Greek NT in one hand, and unearthed creed / confession on the other, and this may have introduced invalid theological constructions in those translations, that are in reality superimposed to the authorial intent of the Holy Spirit.

Just some examples. I do think that an enlarged conceptual framework is good, but we still have the undelegable responsibility to see if things are so.

Scripture, Reason, tradition and experience must all be critically analyzed, and with the aid of the Holy Spirit, the best conjecture given the available evidence be held as valid theological construction up to that point, in my own opinion of course.

Blessings.