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Learn how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible for yourself. Grounded in sound and memorable principles, Biblical Interpretation gives you the tools you need to study Scripture with insight, accuracy, and understanding.
Course Details
16 Units
Self-paced
7.5 hours of video
Beginner
Grasping God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays
Course Description
It’s one thing to read the Bible; it’s another to understand and apply it correctly.
Based on the popular textbook Grasping God’s Word by Old Testament scholar J. Daniel Hays and New Testament expert J. Scott Duvall, this course provides a simple and clear introduction to reading the Word of God carefully and in context, interpreting it, and then applying it faithfully.
Designed to follow Hays and Duvall’s memorable “Interpretive Journey” framework, this course equips self-learners and academic students with foundational, trustworthy principles of sound biblical interpretation.
All course material—instructional videos, readings, practical exercises, and quizzes—is available online for study at your own convenience.
By completing this course, you’ll gain
foundational principles required to understand the Bible correctly, based on material proven in college classrooms across the country
insight into issues of background context, its influence on interpretation, and how your own history impacts understanding
knowledge and tools to dig deeper into Scripture, interpret biblical texts, and rightly relate their meaning to life
practice applying interpretive principles to New and Old Testament writings
confidence in your growing knowledge through personalized review sessions, unit assessments, and award-winning memory building tools
Meet Your Instructors
J. Scott Duvall
Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
J. Scott Duvall is professor of New Testament at Ouachita Baptist University. He has coauthored several books, including Biblical Greek Exegesis: A Graded Approach to Learning Intermediate and Advanced Greek; Grasping God’s Word; Preaching God's Word; and Journey into God’s Word.
J. Daniel Hays is dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies and professor of Old Testament at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author of From Every People and Nation, and he has coauthored Grasping God's Word; Preaching God's Word; Journey into God’s Word; The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology; Iraq: Babylon of the End Times?; Apocalypse; and The Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy. He teaches adult Sunday school at his local church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and preaches frequently throughout the nation.
Course Outline
Bible Translations
Interpretive Journey
Sentences and Paragraphs
Discourses
Historical-Cultural Context and What the Reader Brings to the Text
Literary Context and Word Studies
Who Controls Meaning? and Levels of Meaning
Role of the Holy Spirit and Application
MIDTERM
NT: Letters
NT: Gospels
NT: Acts
NT: Revelation
OT: Narrative
OT: Law
OT: Poetry and Prophets
OT: Wisdom
FINAL EXAM
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