Lecturer: Dr Paul Thompson
paul.t@kvbcequip.org
+60 19 898 6509
Online via Google Classroom
Tuesday, 7.00 pm-10.00 pm
3 units
COURSE AIMS
- Become competent at observing and engaging with any Biblical text in English to ascertain its authorial meaning prior to preaching or teaching it.
- Understand theologically why we should practice historical-grammatical exegesis.
- Distinguish between the text’s authorial meaning, and its contemporary significance /
application(s). - In preparation for writing exegetical essays in future subjects (that will also engage with other
sources), be able to integrate observations to identify the text’s key idea(s).
SCHEDULE
| Date | Class / Tutorial | Length (hrs) | Content | Pre-reading |
| 13/1/26 | C1 | 3 | • Introduction • Phrases, clauses & sentences | |
| 20/1/26 | C2 | 3 | • Grammar | Volderman, Help with English, 20-35, 38-45, 54-55, 60-61 |
| 27/1/26 | C3 | 3 | • Verbs, pronouns, lists, comparisons, contrasts & repeated words • Integration & significance | |
| 3/2/26 | T1 | 1 | Online MBS-only tutorial | |
| 10/2/26 | C4 | 3 | • Conjunctions & dependent clauses | Volderman, Help with English, 64-73, 82-83 |
| 17/2/26 | CNY Break | |||
| 24/2/26 | C5 | 3 | • The interpreter • More detailed observations | Volderman, Help with English (all) |
| 3/3/26 | C6 | 3 | • Paragraphs & discourses | |
| 10/3/26 | No class. Some MBS students attending Psalms intensive | |||
| 17/3/26 | Mid-Semester Break | |||
| 24/3/26 | T2 | 1 | Online MBS-only tutorial | |
| 31/3/26 | C7 | 3 | • Observational & exegetical essays | |
| 7/4/26 | C8 | 3 | • Context & words | |
| 14/4/26 | C9 | 3 | • Biblical Theology | Roberts, God’s Big Picture or Goldsworthy, Preaching Whole Bible |
| 21/4/26 | C10 | 3 | • God, Christ, us & me | |
| 28/4/26 | T3 | 1 | Online MBS-only tutorial | |
| Total | 30+3 |
Reading:
- MBS undergraduate students can choose between either Goldsworthy or Roberts.
- MBS graduate and all Equip students must read Goldsworthy.
- All students must have read Vorderman prior to the specified class.
Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans; Leicester: InterVarsity, 2000.
Roberts, Vaughan. God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002.(website) https://www.godsbigpicture.co.uk/;
(video course) https://clayton.tv/find/explore/1272/0i0/2973/.
Vorderman, Carol. Help Your Kids with English: A Unique Step-by-step Visual Guide; Key Stages 3 & 4, Ages 10–16. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2013.
Assessment Package
You are prohibited from using commentaries and all other resources for all assignments. I will fail any
assignment in which I detect their use. The only item you can use is an electronic version of the ESV Bible
text.
Further instructions for assignments will be given in class.
| No. | Weighting | Type | Word length1 | Deadline 2 |
| 1 | 100% class attendance | |||
| 2 | Reading | |||
| 3 | 33¹⁄₃ | 6 (six) weekly observation & mark-up assignments | Midnight before class begins | |
| 4 | 33¹⁄₃ | Observation essay | 3,000 | Friday, 22 May |
| 5 | 33¹⁄₃ | Exam | 3 hrs | Tuesday. 19 May |
| 6 | Student feedback |
- 100% class attendance
- Reading
- Six weekly observation & mark-up assignments (prior to classes 2–7):
Late submissions after midnight but before the class begins will be penalised by a third of a grade (3⅓%). Homework submitted after class begins will not be marked and will be awarded 0%. - Observation Essay of a Bible passage:
a. 50% of marks will be for your marked up observations—observe everything we have covered in class: both to date and in later classes. Submit this separately.
b. 50% of marks will be for how your essay summarises your observations. You will need to integrate your observations and judge which of them are particularly significant. - Exam: observation and mark-up of another Bible passage under exam conditions.
- Complete student feedback form.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Beynon, Nigel and Andrew Sach. Dig Deeper: Tools to Unearth the Bible’s Treasure. Leicester: Inter-Varsity, 2005.
Conan Doyle, Arthur. Sherlock Holmes. 62 vols. 1887–1927. https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php/The_62_Sherlock_Holmes_stories_written_by_Arthur_Conan_Doy
le.
Duvall, J. Scott and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible. 4th ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020.
Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans; Leicester: InterVarsity, 2000.
Roberts, Vaughan. God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002.(website) https://www.godsbigpicture.co.uk/;
(video course) https://clayton.tv/find/explore/1272/0i0/2973/.
———. Gambar Besar dari Allah: Menelusuri Alur Cerita Alkitab. Jakarta: Perkantas, 2014.
Vorderman, Carol. Help Your Kids with English: A Unique Step-by-step Visual Guide; Key Stages 3 & 4, Ages 10–16. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2013.