FOURTH EDITION

How to Read

the Bible

for All Its Worth

Gordon D. Fee

Douglas Stuart

ZONDERVAN

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

Copyright © 1981, 1993, 2003, 2014 by Douglas Stuart and Gordon D. Fee

This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook. Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.

This title is also available in a Zondervan audio edition. Visit www.zondervan.fm.

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fee, Gordon D.

How to read the bible for all its worth/ Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart.—Fourth Edition

pages cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-0-310-51782-5 (softcover)

1. Bible—Study and teaching. I. Stuart, Douglas K. II. Title

BS600.3.F44 2014

220.6'1—dc23

2013041169

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

For copyrights of other translations see p. 10.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design and illustration: JuiceBox Designs

Interior design: Matthew Van Zomeren

For our parents

Donald and Grace Fee

and

Streeter and Merle Stuart,

from whom we learned

our love for the Word

Contents

Abbreviations

Abbreviations of Translations

Preface to the Fourth Edition

Preface to the Third Edition

Preface to the First Edition

1. Introduction: The Need to Interpret

2. The Basic Tool: A Good Translation

3. The Epistles: Learning to Think Contextually

4. The Epistles: The Hermeneutical Questions

5. The Old Testament Narratives: Their Proper Use

6. Acts: The Question of Historical Precedent

7. The Gospels: One Story, Many Dimensions

8. The Parables: Do You Get the Point?

9. The Law(s): Covenant Stipulations for Israel

10. The Prophets: Enforcing the Covenant in Israel

11. The Psalms: Israel’s Prayers and Ours

12. Wisdom: Then and Now

13. Revelation: Images of Judgment and Hope

Appendix: The Evaluation and Use of Commentaries

Scripture Index

Names Index

Abbreviations

OLD TESTAMENT

Gen Genesis

Exod Exodus

Lev Leviticus

Num Numbers

Deut Deuteronomy

Josh Joshua

Judg Judges

Ruth Ruth

1-2 Sam 1-2 Samuel

1-2 Kgs 1-2 Kings

1-2 Chr 1-2 Chronicles

Ezra Ezra

Neh Nehemiah

Esth Esther

Job Job

Ps/Pss Psalms

Prov Proverbs

Eccl Ecclesiastes

Song Song of Songs

Isa Isaiah

Jer Jeremiah

Lam Lamentations

Ezek Ezekiel

Dan Daniel

Hos Hosea

Joel Joel

Amos Amos

Obad Obadiah

Jonah Jonah

Mic Micah

Nah Nahum

Hab Habakkuk

Zeph Zephaniah

Hag Haggai

Zech Zechariah

Mal Malachi