As Americans, we tend to see everything through the lens of ‘me’. However, we’re called together as believers to encourage, love, and teach each other. As individuals, God gives us different gifts, but these gifts are all to benefit the church – the body of believers: Big C (the worldwide church) and Little C (our individual, local church). This relates to Bible study too.
As Smethhurst (2019) writes, “I wish someone had gently pointed me to the Bible I loved and shown me the breathtaking vision it casts for Christian life – and how stunted mine was by comparison…Christianity is not a solo sport, thankfully it is a community project, a team effort” (pp. 61-62). When others are involved in study with us, we’re less likely to impose our own preferences and misunderstandings on scripture. When we’re studying with others, we can also learn from their hard-earned wisdom and experience as well as their pastoral and/or academic learning.
We should look to study different, relevant issues and passages in our families, with partners, in small groups, and in larger church settings. Conferences, schools, and other settings may also give us some unique opportunities to delve deep into specific topics.
Don’t go it alone!
ASSIGNMENT #1 – LET’S REVIEW (5Ws & the H)
· Who is thehuman author? The audience?
· What is the topic and main point? What happened? What do other versions say?
· When wastext written?
· Where were the author, audience, others located? Where does the book fit in Bible’s scope?
· Why was the text written? Focused on key issues noted above?
· How delivered? Received? Something to be done? Should you respond?
ASSIGNMENT #2 – Original Context
In its original context, Psalm 22 expressed the extreme anguish and suffering of the psalmist. Through all the physical suffering he describes (see Psa 22:14–18), he is most troubled by his feeling that God is absent. God has helped people in the past (Psa 22:4–5), and the psalmist has been faithful from birth (Psa 22:9–10), but God is not answering his cries (Psa 22:2, 7–8).
Have you experienced a time in your life when you felt like God was absent or not answering you? Looking back on the situation, can you see God’s presence (Custis, 2014, p. 41)?
ASSIGNMENT #3 – Prophetic Context
We can’t escape this life without experiencing trials. The Psalms show us that crying out to God during our trials is acceptable and appropriate. Psalm 22 is a lament psalm best known for its opening line, quoted by Jesus as He suffered on the cross (see Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). There are several other connections between this psalm and the Gospel accounts of Christ’s death. (Compare Psa 22:7 with Matt 27:39 and Mark 15:29; Psa 22:8 with Matt 27:43; Psa 22:18 with Matt 27:35, Mark 15:24 and Luke 23:34) (Miles, 2014).
Keep in mind the often “two-vision” nature of many Old Testament prophetic scriptures. Often, there is both an immediate reality and a future reality. We see this in places like Isaiah. One of the indicators of this condition is a situation where some of the prophecy is immediately fulfilled, but others do not/cannot be fulfilled until much later. For example, Isaiah 7:14 is a message given to King Ahaz of Judah. This prediction of God’s protection and rescue have immediate and future meanings. This was not likely evident to those involved then, but when considering the book as a whole it becomes evident.
That’s what we see here in Psalm 22. Undoubtedly, these words make sense to David in his current context when He wrote. This contrasts with passages like Micah 5:2 (Micah lived in the same period as Isaiah) that predicts Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, which could only be fulfilled in the future.
· What are the then current and the coming future elements of key elements of this passage?
· What do these connections teach us about how God’s plan of salvation is presented throughout Scripture?
· How does Psalm 22 help you understand Christ’s suffering on the cross?
· How does reflecting on Christ’s suffering encourage you in your trials (Custis, 2014, p. 41)?
FOLLOWUP
Learning the word is good but application makes that truth real. Remember, Pharisees & demons know God’s truth but don’t apply it as God desires (James 1:22).
· How does the truth revealed here affect my relationship with God?
· How does the truth here affect my relationship with others?
· How does the truth here affect me personally?
· How does the truth here affect my response to the enemy, Satan?
· How do I apply this truth?
· Is there a memory verse or verses for you here?
· Is there something to share with others?
REFERENCES
Curtis, Miles. 2014. Selections from Psalms: A life
of worship. Lexham Press, Bellingham, Wa. (Available in Logos function in
Faithlife.com. Go to the Winchester Community Church group. If you
haven’t already been invited and joined, please request access.)
Smethhurst, Matt. 2019. Before you open your Bible: Nine heart postures for approaching God’s word. 10 Publishing.
Psalm 22 (Week 1)
SOUP & SCRIPTURE
PSALM 22 (Day 1)
APPROACH YOUR BIBLE: COMMUNALLY
As Americans, we tend to see everything through the lens of ‘me’. However, we’re called together as believers to encourage, love, and teach each other. As individuals, God gives us different gifts, but these gifts are all to benefit the church – the body of believers: Big C (the worldwide church) and Little C (our individual, local church). This relates to Bible study too.
As Smethhurst (2019) writes, “I wish someone had gently pointed me to the Bible I loved and shown me the breathtaking vision it casts for Christian life – and how stunted mine was by comparison…Christianity is not a solo sport, thankfully it is a community project, a team effort” (pp. 61-62). When others are involved in study with us, we’re less likely to impose our own preferences and misunderstandings on scripture. When we’re studying with others, we can also learn from their hard-earned wisdom and experience as well as their pastoral and/or academic learning.
We should look to study different, relevant issues and passages in our families, with partners, in small groups, and in larger church settings. Conferences, schools, and other settings may also give us some unique opportunities to delve deep into specific topics.
Don’t go it alone!
ASSIGNMENT #1 – LET’S REVIEW (5Ws & the H)
· Who is the human author? The audience?
· What is the topic and main point? What happened? What do other versions say?
· When was text written?
· Where were the author, audience, others located? Where does the book fit in Bible’s scope?
· Why was the text written? Focused on key issues noted above?
· How delivered? Received? Something to be done? Should you respond?
ASSIGNMENT #2 – Original Context
In its original context, Psalm 22 expressed the extreme anguish and suffering of the psalmist. Through all the physical suffering he describes (see Psa 22:14–18), he is most troubled by his feeling that God is absent. God has helped people in the past (Psa 22:4–5), and the psalmist has been faithful from birth (Psa 22:9–10), but God is not answering his cries (Psa 22:2, 7–8).
Have you experienced a time in your life when you felt like God was absent or not answering you? Looking back on the situation, can you see God’s presence (Custis, 2014, p. 41)?
ASSIGNMENT #3 – Prophetic Context
We can’t escape this life without experiencing trials. The Psalms show us that crying out to God during our trials is acceptable and appropriate. Psalm 22 is a lament psalm best known for its opening line, quoted by Jesus as He suffered on the cross (see Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). There are several other connections between this psalm and the Gospel accounts of Christ’s death. (Compare Psa 22:7 with Matt 27:39 and Mark 15:29; Psa 22:8 with Matt 27:43; Psa 22:18 with Matt 27:35, Mark 15:24 and Luke 23:34) (Miles, 2014).
Keep in mind the often “two-vision” nature of many Old Testament prophetic scriptures. Often, there is both an immediate reality and a future reality. We see this in places like Isaiah. One of the indicators of this condition is a situation where some of the prophecy is immediately fulfilled, but others do not/cannot be fulfilled until much later. For example, Isaiah 7:14 is a message given to King Ahaz of Judah. This prediction of God’s protection and rescue have immediate and future meanings. This was not likely evident to those involved then, but when considering the book as a whole it becomes evident.
That’s what we see here in Psalm 22. Undoubtedly, these words make sense to David in his current context when He wrote. This contrasts with passages like Micah 5:2 (Micah lived in the same period as Isaiah) that predicts Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, which could only be fulfilled in the future.
· What are the then current and the coming future elements of key elements of this passage?
· What do these connections teach us about how God’s plan of salvation is presented throughout Scripture?
· How does Psalm 22 help you understand Christ’s suffering on the cross?
· How does reflecting on Christ’s suffering encourage you in your trials (Custis, 2014, p. 41)?
FOLLOWUP
Learning the word is good but application makes that truth real. Remember, Pharisees & demons know God’s truth but don’t apply it as God desires (James 1:22).
· How does the truth revealed here affect my relationship with God?
· How does the truth here affect my relationship with others?
· How does the truth here affect me personally?
· How does the truth here affect my response to the enemy, Satan?
· How do I apply this truth?
· Is there a memory verse or verses for you here?
· Is there something to share with others?
REFERENCES
Curtis, Miles. 2014. Selections from Psalms: A life
of worship. Lexham Press, Bellingham, Wa. (Available in Logos function in
Faithlife.com. Go to the Winchester Community Church group. If you
haven’t already been invited and joined, please request access.)
Smethhurst, Matt. 2019. Before you open your Bible: Nine heart postures for approaching God’s word. 10 Publishing.