E.W. Bullinger

Preface

Introduction

Introductory

I. The One Great Object of the Word

1. The LIVING Word, making known the Father
2. The WRITTEN Word, revealing the Son
3. The LIVING and the WRITTEN Word
   
   

II. The One Great Subject of the Word

1. CHRIST in the Word as a whole. The KING and the KINGDOM in Promise, in Proclamation, Rejection, Abeyance, and Manifestation
2. CHRIST in the SEPARATE BOOKS of the Word
   
   

III. The One Great Requirement of the Word—"Rightly Dividing" It

1. As to its LITERARY FORM
   
   
   1. The TWO TESTAMENTS
   2. The SEPARATE BOOKS
   3. The Division of the Hebrew Text
   4. The DIVISIONS of the GREEK TEXT
   5. The Divisions of the VERSIONS, AND THE ENGLISH BIBLE

2. As to its SUBJECT MATTER
   
   
   1. The JEW, the GENTILES, and the CHURCH of God
   2. The GENTILES
   3. The EPISTLES to the DISPERSION

3. As to its TIMES and DISPENSATIONS
   
   
   1. The Word "DISPENSATION"
   2. The SEVEN Dispensations
   3. Their SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
   4. The "TIMES OF THE GENTILES"
   5. The PARENTHESIS of the PRESENT DISPENSATION

4. As to its DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH and TEACHING
   
   
   1. One part of the PAST not necessarily to be read into another part of the PAST
   2. The PAST not to be read into the PRESENT
   3. The PRESENT not to be read into the PAST
   4. The FUTURE not to be read into the PRESENT
   5. One part of the FUTURE not necessarily to be read into another part of the FUTURE
   6. The Truth and Teaching of the CANONICAL ORDER to be distinguished from the CHRONOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ORDER

Introductory

I. The Meaning of Words to be Gathered from the Scope; not the Scope from the Words

1. 2 Peter 1:20, "Private interpretation"
2. 1 Peter 3:20, "Spirits in prison"
3. Hebrews 9:16, 17, "Testament" or "Covenant"
4. Genesis 24:63, "Meditate"
5. Revelation 1:10, "The Lord's day"
   
   

II. The Scope of a Passage to be Gathered from its Structure

1. Introductory
2. The PRINCIPLES governing the Structure of Scripture
3. EXAMPLES of each principle
4. The ADVANTAGES and importance of the Structures
5. ILLUSTRATIONS of these advantages
   
   
   1. 2 Peter 1:16-21, "Private interpretation"
   2. 1 Peter 3:18-22, "spirits in prison"
   3. Hebrews 9:15-23, "Testament" and "Covenant"
   4. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, "absent from the body"
      
      

III. The Biblical Usage of Words Essential to their Correct Interpretation

1. Where ENGLISH WORDS have gone OUT OF USE altogether
   1. All to brake
   2. Away with
   3. Come at
   4. Do to-wit
   5. For to do
   6. Full well
   7. Go to
   8. Trow
   9. Wist
   10. Very
       
       
2. Where the usage of ENGLISH WORDS has become CHANGED
   1. Prevent
   2. To take in
   3. Adventure
   4. Artillery
   5. Assay
   6. By and By
   7. Charity
   8. Beeves
   9. Bonnet
   10. Carriages
   11. Clouted
   12. To ear
   13. Earnest
   14. Fast
   15. Libertine
   16. Lusty
   17. Naughty
   18. Nephew
   19. Occupy
   20. Penny
   21. Presently
   22. Publican
   23. Quick
   24. Quicken
   25. Quickened
   26. Quickeneth
   27. Quickening
   28. Simple
   29. Simplicity
   30. Sottish
   31. Vagabond
   32. Silly
       
       
3. Where the USAGE OF GREEK WORDS had become changed
   1. By God:
   2. By man:
      
      
4. Where DIFFERENT but CONCURRENT USAGES OF GREEK WORDS should be observed in the English
   1. Parousia
   2. Pneuma
   3. Church
   4. Elements and Rudiments
   5. Saints
      
      
5. Where a UNIFORM USAGE OF GREEK WORDS should not be departed from in the English
   1. Withhold
   2. Temptation
   3. Poor
   4. Paradise
   5. Sheol and Hades
   6. Mystery
   7. "At hand"
   8. "Depart"
   9. Leaven
      
      

IV. The Context Always Essential to the Interpretation of Words

1. The IMPORTANCE of the CONTEXT shown
2. Illustrations of ERROR arising from a DISREGARD of the Context
   1. Isaiah 52:8, "They shall see eye to eye"
   2. Habakkuk 2:2, "That he may run that readeth"
   3. Psalm 2:8, "Ask of Me"
   4. Matthew 22:32, "The God of the living"
   5. Matthew 23:3, "That observe and do"
   6. John 6:37, "Him that cometh"
   7. Acts 16:31, "Believe...and thou shalt be saved"
   8. Romans 8:28, "All things work together for good"
   9. 1 Corinthians 3:17, "Him shall God destroy"
   10. 2 Corinthians 5:8, "Absent from the body"
   11. Philippians 1:21, "To die is gain"
   12. Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation"
   13. Text-Mangling
   14. Text-Garbling
       
       
3. Illustrations of TRUTH AND TEACHING resulting from a DUE REGARD to the Context
   1. The NEARER CONTEXT
   2. The REMOTER CONTEXT
      
      

V. The First Occurrence of Words, Expressions, and Utterances Often Essential to their Interpretation

1. WORDS:
   1. "Prophet" (Gen 20:7)
   2. "Hallelujah" (Psa 104:35)
   3. "Selah" (Psa 3:2,3)
   4. "Jerusalem" (Judg 1:7,8)
   5. The Spiritual significance of Numbers
   6. The Divine Names and Titles
      
      
2. EXPRESSIONS:
   1. "The Son of Man" (Psa 8)
   2. "The Man of God" (Deut 33:1)
   3. "The Day of the Lord" (Isa 2:11,17)
      
      
3. UTTERANCES:
   1. The first utterance of the Old Serpent (Gen 3:1)
   2. The first ministerial utterance of the Lord (Matt 4:4)
   3. The first utterance of the Lord as Son of Man (Luke 2:49)
   4. The first Questions in the Old and New Testaments (Gen 3:9; Matt 2:2)
   5. The first interpretation of prophecy in the New Testament (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:22,23)
      
      

VI. The Place Where a Passage Occurs is Often Essential to its Full Interpretation

1. "All Scripture given by inspiration" (2 Tim 3:16)
2. "Come unto Me" (Matt 11:28)
3. "Anathema, Maranatha" (1 Cor 16:22)

VII. No One Passage to be Interpreted in a Sense Repugnant to Others that are Clear

1. The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
2. "Destroy not thy weak brother with thy meat" (Rom 14:15; and 1 Cor 8:11)
   
   

VIII. The Importance of Accuracy in the Study of the Words of Scripture

1. In THE REMOVAL OF ERRORS
   1. Ammonite or Moabite (Deut 23:3; and Matt 1:5)
   2. Zedekiah and Babylon (Jer 32:4, 34:3; Eze 12:13; and 2 Kings 25:6,7)
   3. Omer and Homer (Exo 16:36; and Eze 45:11)
   4. The going of Balaam (Num 22:22)
   5. God's Command concerning Sacrifices (Jer 7:22,23; and Lev 1:3)
   6. Hearing and not hearing the Voice (Acts 9:7 and 22:9)
   7. Standing, and Falling to the earth (Acts 9:7 and 26:14)
   8. Spoken and written (Matt 2:23)
   9. "Jeremiah the prophet" (Matt 27:9)
   10. The sending of the Centurion (Luke 7:3,6; Matt 8:5)
   11. The inscriptions on the Cross
   12. The offering of drink on the Cross
   13. The "others" crucified with Christ
   14. The burying of Jacob and his sons (Acts 7:15-17)
       
       
2. In the REVELATION OF TRUTH
   1. Words and Expressions:
   2. The OPPOSITE of what is said
   3. MARKS OF TIME
   4. MARKS OF REASONING
   5. NUMERATION
   6. NAMES OF PERSONS AND PLACES
   7. CHRONOLOGY
   8. SYNONYMOUS GREEK words
   9. SYNONYMOUS HEBREW words
   10. The GENITIVE CASE
       

IX. Figures of Speech

X. Interpretation and Application

1. The account of Creation (Gen 1)
2. The Rejection of Messiah (Isa 53)
3. The mourning of Israel (Rev 1:7)
4. The Potter's house (Jer 18)
5. The Ten Virgins (Matt 25)
   
   

XI. The Limits of Inspiration

XII. The Place of Various Readings

1. The Hebrew MSS of the Old Testament
2. The Greek MSS of the New Testament
3. The Ancient Versions
4. The Printed Greek Text of the NT
   
   

Conclusion

Index of Subjects

Index of Texts Explained