In this and two following podcasts in this series (with later I expect a screencast that will cover much the same material but not in a 5 minute format) will begin to present what I’m calling “The Five Step Bible Programme” which is developed out of teaching a similar scheme from:

Five steps from by Lincolnian

Duvall, J Scott, and J Daniel Hays. Journey into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible. Grand Rapids Mich.: Zondervan, 2008.

for an introductory course at Carey. I’ve simplified their scheme a little, and applied the step of understanding Scripture through its fulfilment in Christ to all of Scripture, not just to the Old Testament (as they do). The five steps are:

1. What DID it say (back then, to the first hearers)?
2. What is the difference (between then and now)?
3. What does it teach about God and God’s relationship with the world and us (theology)?
4. How does Jesus fulfill (fill out fully) this passage?
5. What DOES it mean (here and now)?