Discussion Questions

Bercot compares interpreting Scripture to examining land titles where “hundreds of thousands of dollars” depend on careful interpretation; what does this analogy suggest about the seriousness with which God expects His people to handle His words? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot compares reading Scripture to checking land papers where a lot of money is at risk. What does this show about how seriously God wants us to handle His words?

Bercot’s second principle is “start at the beginning,” which he applies by saying Christians should begin with the teachings of Jesus rather than with Paul; how would this change the way many believers approach doctrines such as salvation, grace, obedience, and discipleship? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says we should “start at the beginning,” meaning we should begin with Jesus’ teachings before Paul’s. How might this change the way Christians think about salvation, grace, obedience, and discipleship?

The chapter argues that many evangelicals “virtually ignore Jesus’s teaching” or reshape His words to fit Paul’s writings; where do you see this tendency in modern Christianity, and why might it feel safer or more comfortable than taking Jesus’s words at face value? JumpstartAnother way to ask: The chapter says many evangelicals ignore Jesus’ teachings or change their meaning to fit Paul’s writings. Where do you see this today, and why might it feel safer than taking Jesus’ words plainly?

Bercot quotes Jesus: “A disciple is not above his teacher,” and then says modern Christians often make “Paul the disciple greater than Jesus the teacher”; what does this reversal reveal about our assumptions concerning authority, inspiration, and the lordship of Christ? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says Christians often treat Paul, the student, as greater than Jesus, the teacher. What does this show about how we think about authority, Scripture, and Jesus as Lord?

The chapter says the early Christians understood Paul “in the context of Jesus’s teachings” and that their gospel was “above all, the gospel of Jesus”; what assumptions about Scripture, discipleship, and obedience would have shaped that early Christian approach? JumpstartAnother way to ask: The chapter says early Christians understood Paul through Jesus’ teachings, and their gospel was mainly the gospel of Jesus. What beliefs about Scripture, discipleship, and obedience shaped that view?

Bercot identifies the practice of beginning with Romans rather than Jesus as a tradition influenced by Martin Luther; how might inherited Protestant or evangelical traditions keep Christians from noticing what the New Testament itself emphasizes? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says starting with Romans instead of Jesus comes from a tradition shaped by Martin Luther. How might Protestant or evangelical traditions keep Christians from seeing what the New Testament stresses most?

The third principle says to begin by giving each sentence its “ordinary, plain meaning” before trying to harmonize it with other passages; what kinds of teachings of Jesus or the apostles become more challenging when we allow them to speak plainly first? JumpstartAnother way to ask: The third principle says we should first take each sentence in its plain, normal meaning before comparing it with other verses. Which teachings of Jesus or the apostles become harder when we do this?

The fourth principle says to look at every statement in Scripture that applies or could apply to a topic; how does this confront the habit of building doctrine from a few favorite proof texts while ignoring passages that complicate our theology? JumpstartAnother way to ask: The fourth principle says we should look at every Scripture that may speak to a topic. How does this challenge the habit of using only a few favorite verses while ignoring harder ones?

Bercot says he will not share his own conclusions about salvation because he wants readers to examine the Scriptures for themselves; what heart attitudes are necessary for a Christian to approach Scripture with a “blank slate” rather than with a desire to defend familiar conclusions? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot does not share his own view on salvation because he wants readers to study Scripture for themselves. What kind of heart does a Christian need to read Scripture with a “blank slate” instead of defending old beliefs?

Bercot chooses the woman’s prayer covering as a test case because it is not usually considered a central doctrine yet exposes how Christians handle ambiguous or uncomfortable passages; how should believers respond when Scripture addresses a practice that modern Christianity has largely dismissed or reinterpreted? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot uses women’s prayer coverings as a test case because it is not seen as a main doctrine, but it shows how Christians handle unclear or uncomfortable passages. How should believers respond when Scripture teaches a practice that most modern Christians ignore or explain away?