ART OF BIBLICAL STUDIES
SESSION 4

From this session, I learned that most biblical words don’t have just one fixed meaning, they carry a semantic range that changes depending on context. Words like “faith” (pistis) or “righteousness” can mean different things in different passages, so it’s not enough to memorize a single definition. For example, pistis can mean believing in someone, the shared beliefs of a community, or actions that show trust and faithfulness. If we only think of faith as mental belief, we risk misunderstanding verses like James 2:17 or Ephesians 2:8–9.

I also realized the importance of using multiple Bible translations when studying, because each brings out different shades of meaning. The idea that Paul could use one word in multiple nuanced ways in the same sentence was eye-opening and it shows how intentional biblical authors were.

The key takeaway for me is that context is everything; without it, we can miss what the author is really trying to say.