TOPICAL STUDY.
A second method of Bible study is the Topical
Method. This consists in searching through the Bible to find out
what its teaching is on various topics. It is perhaps the most
fascinating method of Bible study. It yields the largest immediate
results, though not the largest ultimate results. It has advantages.
The only way to master any topic, is to go through the Bible, and
find what it has to teach on that topic. Almost any great subject
will take a remarkable hold upon the heart of a Christian man, if he
will take time to go through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation,
and note what it has to say on that topic. He will have a more full
and more correct understanding of that topic than he ever had
before. It is said of Mr. Moody, that many years ago he took up the
study of "Grace" in this way. Day after day he went through the
Bible, studying what it had to say about "grace." As the Bible
doctrine unfolded before his mind his heart began to burn, until at
last, full of the subject and on fire with the subject, he ran out
on to the street, and, taking hold of the first man he met, he
said:"Do you know grace?" "Grace who?" was the reply. "The grace of
God that bringeth salvation." Then he just poured out his soul on
that subject. If any child of God will study "Grace," or "Love," or
"Faith," or "Prayer," or any other great Bible doctrine, in that
way, his soul too will become full of it. Jesus evidently studied
the Old Testament scriptures in this way, for we read that
"beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in
all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." (Luke, xxiv:27.)
This method of study made the hearts of the two who walked with Him
to burn within them. (Luke xxiv:32.) Paul seems to have followed his
Master in this method of study and teaching. (Acts xvi1:2, 3.)
But the method has its dangers. Its very
fascination is a danger. Many are drawn by the fascination of this
method of study to give up all other methods of study, and this is a
great misfortune. A well-rounded, thorough-going knowledge of the
Bible is not possible by this method of study. No one method of
study will answer, if one desires to be a wellrounded and
well-balanced Bible student. But the greatest danger lies in this,
that every man is almost certain to have some line of topics in
which he is especially interested, and if he studies his Bible
topically, unless he is warned, he is more than likely to go over
certain topics again and again, and be very strong in this line of
truth, but other topics of equal importance he neglects, and thus
becomes a one-sided man. We never know one truth correctly until we
know it in its proper relations to other truths. I know of people,
for example, who are interested in the great doctrine of the Lord's
Second Coming, and pretty much all their Bible studies are on that
line. Now this is a precious doctrine, but there are other doctrines
in the Bible which a man needs to know, and it is folly to study
this doctrine alone. I know others whose whole interest and study
seems to center in the subject of "Divine Healing." It is related of
one man that he confided to a friend that he had devoted his time
for years to the study of the number "seven" in the Bible. This last
is doubtless an extreme case, but it illustrates the danger in
Topical Study. It is certain that we will never master the whole
range of Bible truth if we pursue the Topical Method alone. A few
rules concerning topical study will probably be helpful to most of
the readers of this book.
I. Be systematic. Do not follow your fancy
in the choice of topics. Do not take up any topic that happens to
suggest itself. Make a list of all the subjects that you can think
of that are touched upon in the Bible. Make it as comprehensive and
complete as possible. Then take these topics up one by one in
logical order. The following list of subjects is given as a
suggestion. Each one can add to the list for himself and subdivide
the general subjects into proper subdivisions.
LIST OF TOPICS.
GOD.
God as a Spirit.
The Unity of God-
The Eternity of God.
The Omnipresence of God.
The Personality of God.
The Omnipotence of God.
The Omniscience of God.
The Holiness of God.
The Love of God.
The Righteousness of God.
The Mercy or Loving Kindness of God.
The Faithfulness of God.
The Grace of God.
JESUS CHRIST.
The Divinity of Christ.
The Subordination of Jesus Christ
to the Father.
The Human Nature of Jesus Christ.
The Character of Jesus Christ.
His Holiness.
His Love to God.
His Love to Man.
His Love for Souls.
His Compassion.
His Prayerfulness.
His Meekness and Humility.
The Death of Jesus Christ.
The Purpose of Christ's Death:
Why did Christ die?
For Whom did Christ Die?
The Results of Christ's Death.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Fact of the Resurrection.
The Results of the Resurrection.
The Importance of the Resurrection.
The Manner of the Resurrection.
The Ascension and Exaltation of Jesus
Christ.
The Return or Coming Again of Jesus
Christ.
The Fact of His Coming Again.
The Manner of His Coming Again.
The Purpose of His Coming Again.
The Results of His Coming Again.
The Time of His Coming Again.
The Reign of Jesus Christ.
THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Personality of the Holy Spirit.
Deity of the Holy Spirit.
Distinction of the Holy Spirit from
God the Father, and the Son, Jesus Christ.
The Subordination of the Holy Spirit
to the Father and to the Son.
Names of the Holy Spirit.
The work of the Holy Spirit:
In the Universe.
In Man in General.
In the Believer.
In the Prophet and Apostle.
In Jesus Christ.
MAN.
His Original Condition.
His Fall
The Present Standing before God and
Present Condition of Man outside of the Redemption that is
in Jesus Christ.
The Future Destiny of those who Reject
the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
Justification.
The New Birth.
Adoption.
The Believer's Assurance of Salvation.
The Flesh.
Sanctification.
Cleansing.
Consecration.
Faith.
Repentance.
Prayer.
Thanksgiving.
Praise.
Worship.
Love to God.
Love to Jesus Christ.
Love to Man.
The Future Destiny of Believers
ANGELS.
Their Nature and Position.
Their Number.
Their Abode.
Their Character.
Their Work.
Their Destiny.
SATAN OR THE DEVIL.
His Existence.
His Nature and Position.
His Abode.
His Work.
Our Duty Regarding Him.
His Destiny.
DEMONS.
Their Existence.
Their Nature.
Their Work.
Their Destiny.
For a student who has the perseverance to carry
it through, it might be recommended, to begin with the first topic
on a list like this, and go right through it to the end, searching
for everything the Bible has to say on these topics. This the author
of this book has done, and, thereby, gained a fuller knowledge of
truth along these lines, and an immeasurably more vital grasp of the
truth, than he ever obtained by somewhat extended studies in
systematic Theology. Many, however, will stagger at the seeming
immensity of the undertaking. To such it is recommended to begin by
selecting those topics that seem more important. But sooner or later
settle down to a thorough study of what the Bible has to teach about
God and Man. The "Abstract of Subjects, Doctrinal and Practical," in
the back of "The Bible Text Cyclopedia" is very suggestive.
II. Be thorough. Whenever you are studying
any topic, do not be content with examining some of the passages in
the Bible that bear upon the subject, but find, as far as possible,
every passage in the Bible that bears on this subject. As long
as there is a single passage in the Bible on any subject that you
have not considered, you have not yet gotten a thoroughly true
knowledge of that subject. How can we find all the passages in the
Bible that bear on any subject? 1st. By the use of the Concordance.
Look up every passage that has the word in it. Then look up every
passage that has synonymous words in it. If, for example, you are
studying the subject of prayer, look up every passage that has the
word "pray" and its derivatives in it, and also every passage that
has such words as "cry," "call," "ask," "supplication," "
intercession," etc., in it. 2nd. By the use of a Bible text book. A
text book arranges the passages of Scripture, not by the words used,
but by the subjects treated, and there is many a verse, for example
on prayer, that does not have the word "prayer" or any synonymous
word in it. Incomparably the best Bible text book is Inglis' "The
Bible Text Cyclopedia." 3rd. Passages not discovered by the use of
either concordance or text book will come to light as we study by
books, or as we read the Bible through in course, and so our
treatment of topics will be ever broadening.
III. Be exact. Get the exact meaning of
each passage considered. Study each passage in its connection, and
find its meaning in the way suggested in the chapter on "Study of
Individual Books." Topical study is frequently carried on in a very
slip-shod fashion. Passages, torn from their connection, are strung
or huddled together because of some superficial connection with one
another, and without much regard to their real sense and teaching,
and this is called "topical study." This has brought the whole
method of topical study into disrepute. But is possible to be as
exact and scholarly in topical study as in any other method, and
when we are the results will be instructive and gratifying, and not
misleading. But the results are sure to be misleading and
unsatisfactory if the work is done in a careless, inexact way.
IV. Classify and write down your results.
In the study of any large subject one will get together a great mass
of matter. Having gotten it, it must now be gotten into shape. As
you look it over carefully, you will soon see the facts that belong
together. Arrange them together in a logical order. An illustrative
topical study is given below. What the Bible teaches concerning the
Deity of Jesus Christ.
JESUS CHRIST:HIS DEITY.
1. Divine names.
a. Luke, 22:70.
"The Son of God." This name is given to
Christ forty times. Besides this the synonymous expression
"His son," "My son," are of frequent occurrence. That this
name as used of Christ is a distinctly Divine name appears
from Jno. 5:18.
b. Jno. 1:18.
"The only begotten Son." This occurs five
times. It is evident that the statement, that "Jesus Christ
is the Son of God only in the same sense that all men are
sons of God" is not true. Compare Mark xi1:6. Here Jesus
Himself, having spoken of all the prophets as servants of
God, speaks of Himself as "one," "a beloved Son."
c. Rev. 1:17.
" The first and the last. " Comp. Is.
xii:4; xliv:6. In these latter passages it is "Jehovah,"
"Jehovah of hosts," who is "the first and the last."
d. Rev. xxi1:12, 13, 16.
First, " the Alpha and Omega."
Second, " the beginning and the ending."
In Rev. 1:8, R. V. It is the Lord God who is the Alpha and
Omega.
e. Acts ii1:14.
"The Holy One." In Hosea xi:9, and many
other passages, it is God who is "the Holy One."
f. Mai. iii:1; Luke ii:11; Acts ix:17; Jno.
xx:28; Heb. i:11.
" The Lord." This name or title is used
of Jesus several hundred times. The word translated "Lord "
is used in the New Testament in speaking of men nine times,
e. g., Acts 16:30, Eph. iv:1, Jno. xii:21, but not at all in
the way in which it used of Christ. He is spoken of as "the
Lord" just as God is, cf. Acts iv:26 with iv:33. Note also
Matt, xxii:43-45, Phil, ii:21, Eph. iv:5. If any one doubts
the attitude of the Apostles of Jesus toward Him as Divine,
they would do well to read one after another the passages
which speak of Him as Lord.
g. Acts x:36.
"Lord of all."
h. I Cor. i1:8.
" The Lord of Glory." In Ps. xxiv:8-10,
it is "the Lord of Hosts" who is the King of Glory.
i. Is. ix:6.
(1) " Wonderful " (cf. Judges xiii:18, R.
V.)
(2) "Mighty God."
(3) "Father of Eternity. " See R. V.
marg.
j. Heb. 1:8.
"God." In Jno. xx:28, Thomas calls Jesus
"my God," and is gently rebuked for not believing it before.
k. Matt, 1:23.
"God with us."
l. Tit. 2:13, R. V.
"Our great God."
m. Rom. 9:5.
"God blessed forever."
Proposition: Sixteen names clearly implying
Deity are used of Christ in the Bible, some of them over and
over again, the total number of passages reaching far into the
hundreds.
2. Divine Attributes.
a. Omnipotence.
(1) Luke 4:39. Jesus has power over
disease, it is subject to His word.
(2) Luke;:14-15; 8:54-55; Jno. 5:25. The
Son of God has power over death, it is subject to His word.
(3) Matt:8:26-27. Jesus has power over
the winds and sea, they are subject to His word.
(4) Matt. 8:16; Luke 4:35, 36, 41. Jesus,
the Christ, the Son of God, has power over demons, they are
subject to His word.
(5) Eph. 1:20-23. Christ is far above all
principality and power and might, and dominion and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is to come. All things are in subjection (R. V.),
under His feet. All the hierarchies of the angelic world are
under Him.
(6) Heb. 1:3. The Son of God upholds all
things by the word of His power.
Proposition. Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, is omnipotent.
b, Omniscience.
(1) Jno. 4:16-19. Jesus knows men's
lives, even their secret history.
(2) Mark 2:8; Luke 5:22; Jno. 2:24- 25;
(Acts 1:24.) Jesus knows the secret thoughts of men. He knew
all men. He knew what was in man. (cf. 2 Chron. 6:30;Jer.
17:9, 10. Here we see that God "only knoweth the hearts of
the children of men.")
(3) Jno. 6:64. Jesus knew from the
beginning that Judas would betray Him. Not only men's
present thoughts but their future choices were known to Him.
(4) Jno. 1:48. Jesus knew what men were
doing at a distance.
(5) Luke 22:10, 12; Jno. 13:1; Luke
5:4-6. Jesus knew the future regarding not only God's acts,
but regarding the minute specific acts of men, and even the
fishes of the sea.
NOTE Many, if not all, of these
items of knowledge up to this point could possibly, if
they stood alone, be accounted for by saying that the
Omniscient God revealed these specific things to Jesus.
(6) Jno. 21:17; 16:30; Col. 2:3. Jesus
knew all things, in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.
Proposition. Jesus Christ is omniscient.
NOTE There was, as we shall see
when we study the Humanity of Christ, a voluntary
veiling and abnegation of the exercise of His inherent
Divine omniscience. (Mark 11:12-14; Phil. 2:7.)
c. Omnipresence.
(1) Matt. 18:20. Jesus Christ is present
in every place where two or three are gathered together in
His name.
(2) Matt. 28:20. Jesus Christ is present
with every one who goes forth into any part of the world to
make disciples, etc.
(3) Jno. 3:13. The Son of man was in
heaven while He was here on earth.
NOTE This text is doubtful. (See
R. V. and the Variorum Bible.}
(4) Jno. 14:20; II. Cor. 13:5. Jesus
Christ is in each believer.
(5) Eph. 1:23. Jesus Christ filleth all
in all.
Proposition. Jesus Christ is omnipresent.
d. Eternity.
Jno. 1:1; Mic. 5:2; Col. 1:17; Is. 9:6;
Jno. 17:5 (Jno. 6:62; Jno. 8:58; I Jno. 1:1, 27); Heb. 13:8.
Proposition. The Son of God was from all
eternity.
e. Immutability.
Heb. 13:8; 1:12. Jesus Christ is
unchangeable. He not only always is, but always is the same.
f. Phil. 2:6.
Jesus Christ before His incarnation was
in the form of God.
NOTE " Morphe" translated "form"
means "the form by which a person or thing strikes the
vision; the external appearance" (Thayer, Grk-Eng.
Lexicon of the N. T.)
g. Col. 2:9.
In Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead in a bodily way.
Proposition. Five or more distinctively
divine attributes are ascribed to Jesus Christ, and all the
fulness of the Godhead is said to dwell in Him.
3. Divine Offices.
a, Creation.
Heb. 1:10; Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16. The Son
of God, the eternal Word, the Lord, is creator of all
created things.
b, Preservation.
Heb. 1:3. The Son of God is the preserver
of all things.
c, The forgiveness of sin.
Mark 2:5-10; Luke 7:48-50. Jesus Christ
had power on earth to forgive sins.
NOTE He taught that sins were sins
AGAINST HIMSELF. Luke 7:40-4.7, both Simon and the woman
as sinners were debtors to Him, but in Ps. 57.- 4 sin is
seen to be against God and God only.")
d, Raising of the dead.
Jno. 6:39-44; 5:28-29. It is Jesus Christ
who raises the dead. Ques. Did not Elijah and Elisha raise
the dead? No; God raised the dead in answer to their prayer,
but Jesus Christ will raise the dead by His own word. During
the days of His humiliation it was by prayer that Christ
raised the dead. Jno. 11:41.
e, Transformation of bodies. Phil. 3:21, R.
V.
Jesus Christ shall fashion anew the body
of our humiliation into the likeness of His own glorious
body.
f, Judgment. II Tim. 4:i, R. V.
Christ Jesus shall judge the quick and
the dead.
NOTE -Jesus Himself emphasized the
Divine character of this office. (Jno. 5:22-23.}
g, The bestowal of eternal life.
Jno. 10:28; 17, 2. Jesus Christ is the
bestower of eternal life.
Proposition. Seven distinctively Divine
offices are predicated of Jesus Christ.
4. Statements which in the O. T. are made
distinctly of Jehovah God taken in the N. T. to refer to Jesus
Christ.
a, Ps. 102:24-27, comp. Heb. 1:10-12.
b, Is. 40, 3-4, comp. Matt. 3:3, Luke 1:68,
69, 76.
c, Jer. u:20; 17, 10, comp. Rev. n:23.
d, Is. 60:19 (Zech. 2:5) comp. Luke 2:32.
e, Is. 6:i; 3:10, comp. Jno. 12:37-41.
f, Is. 8:13-14, comp. 1 Pet. 2:7-8.
g, Is. 8:12-13, comp. 1 Pet. 3:14-15, R. V.
h, Num. 21:6-7, comp. 1 Cor. 10, 9. (See R.
V.)
i, Ps. 23:1;Is. 40:10-11, comp. Jno. 10:11.
j, Ez. 34:11; 12:16, comp. Luke 19:10.
k, Lord in the O. T. always refers to God
except when the context clearly indicates otherwise: Lord in the
N. T. always refers to Jesus Christ except where the context
clearly indicates otherwise.
Proposition. Many statements which in the O.
T. are made distinctly of Jehovah God are taken in the N. T. to
refer to Jesus Christ, i. e. , in N. T. thought and doctrine
Jesus Christ occupies the place that Jehovah occupies in O. T.
thought and doctrine.
5. The way in which the name of God the Father
and Jesus Christ the Son are coupled together.
II Cor. 13:14.
Matt. 28:19.
I Thess. 3:11.
1 Cor. 12:4-6.
Tit. 3:4,5, comp. Tit. 2:13.
Rom. 1:7. Many instances of this sort (see
all the Pauline Epistles).
Jas. 1:1.
Jno. 14:23, "we," i. e. , God the
Father and I.
2 Pet. 1:1. (Comp. R. V.)
Col. 2:2. (See R. V.)
Jno. 17:3.
Jno. 14:1, comp. Jer. 17:5-7.
Rev. 7:10.
Rev. 5:13; comp. Jno. 5:23.
Prop. The name of Jesus Christ is coupled
with that of God the Father in numerous passages in a way in
which it would be impossible to couple the name of any finite
being with that of the Deity.
6. Divine Worship to be given to Jesus Christ.
a. Matt. 28:9; Luke 24:52; Matt. 14:33, comp.
Acts 10:25-26; Rev. 22:8-9; Matt. 4:9-10.
Jesus Christ accepted without hesitation
a worship which good men and angels declined with fear
(horror).
Ques. Is not the verb translated worship
in these passages used of reverence paid to men in high
position? Yes; but not in this way by worshippers of
Jehovah, as is seen by the way in which Peter and the angel
drew back with horror when such worship was offered to them.
b. 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 12:8, 9; Acts 7:59. (R.
V.)
Prayer is to be made to Christ.
c, Ps. 45:11; Jno. 5:23; comp. Rev. 5:8, 9,
12, 13.
It is God the Father's will that all men
pay the same divine honor to the Son as to Himself.
d, Heb. 1:6; Phil, 2:10, n. (Comp. Is. 45:21,
23.)
The Son of God, Jesus, is to be worshiped
as God by angels and men.
Proposition. Jesus Christ is a person to
be worshiped by angels and men even as God the Father is
worshiped.
General Proposition. By the use of
numerous Divine names, by the ascription of all the
distinctively divine attributes, by the predication of
several divine offices, by referring statements which in the
O. T. distinctly name Jehovah God as their subject to Jesus
Christ in the N. T., by coupling the name of Jesus Christ
with that of God the Father in a way in which it would be
impossible to couple that of any finite being with that of
the Deity, and by the clear teaching that Jesus Christ
should be worshiped even as God the Father is worshiped in
all these unmistakable ways, God in His word distinctly
proclaims that Jesus Christ is a Divine Being, is God.
One suggestion remains to be made in regard to
topical study. Get further topics for topical study from your book
studies.
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