Deeper Bible is a multi-layered course designed to give you the tools to go deeper into the text of the Bible than you have ever been before.
The course is divided into Seven Levels [101 to 701]. The whole course is premised on guiding you to make your own discoveries.
The best teacher shows you where to look but doesn’t tell you what to see.
The Deeper Bible byline is: Give a person a fish, feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish feed them for a lifetime.
I am more interested in training you to feed yourself for a lifetime.
Deeper Bible Class in Jakarta. (Where’s Wally Ian?)
Upcoming Deeper Bible Courses
Deeper Bible courses are run in-person in New Zealand regularly, and occasional dates in Indonesia and Brazil. We are also developing the online versions of Deeper Bible.
Diving Deeper Into the Bible
Deeper Bible is based on the three Hebrew Houses of Learning and four Levels of Interpretation.
Rabbinical House of Learning
- The House of the Book (Beth Sepher)
- The House of Interpretation (Beth Talmud)
- The House of Allusion (Beth Midrash)
Levels of Interpretation of the Text
- Plain Meaning (Peshat)
- Hinted Meaning (Remez)
- Alluded Meaning (Derash)
- Hidden Meaning (Sod)
The House of the Book (Beth Sepher)
Levels 101 – 301 come under the House of the Book (Beth Sepher)
The key focus in the House of the Book is to pay careful attention to the text of the Bible. The Bible is your prime source for all levels of Deeper Bible, not what people say about the Bible. You learn Bible study by studying the Bible.
Level 101
Level 101 as the number suggests teaches the basic principles and approaches upon which Deeper Bible is based. This first level is comprised of five sessions of two hours and divided into the following modules:
- The Bible and Its Arrangement
- Understanding the Bible as a Whole
- The Basic Tools
- Tips for Reading Your Bible Better
- Experiencing the Bible
Level 201
Level 201 is a practical level where you put into practice what you have learned in Level 101.
You are introduced to the idea of Sense Units in the Bible and practise how to find them with the skills you have learned in the sessions of 101.
Level 201 has four different sections – one per sense unit. Each section has four sessions of two hours. At the completion of each 201 sense unit, you then complete Level 301 for that same sense unit, which is comprised of two sessions.
| Section/sense unit | Level 201 sessions | Level 301 sessions |
|---|---|---|
| This Parable (Luke 15:3) | Four x 2-hour sessions | Two x 2-hour sessions |
| Therefore Brothers (Romans 12:1) | Four x 2-hour sessions | Two x 2-hour sessions |
| This Treasure (2nd Corinthians 4:7) | Four x 2-hour sessions | Two x 2-hour sessions |
| These Things (John 20:31) | Four x 2-hour sessions | Two x 2-hour sessions |
You need to complete at least two sense units at Level 201 and 301 before moving on to Level 401. (But most of our students enjoy the process so much they are eager to complete all 4 sense units before moving on!)
In Level 201 you are given the key verse and then work in a group with others to determine the extent of the sense unit connected with each focus verse.
You are given hints as you need them to determine the extent of the sense unit. You will learn how to gain as much as you can from each sense unit by paying very careful attention to the text. It is based on making the connections the writer or the speaker of the text intends you to make.
For online students: When this course becomes available online it will be comprised of guided study on your own and in discussion with your assigned group over four weeks with consultant help as you require via video, notes and tutorial sessions as needed.
Level 301
Level 301 is a continuation of the process in 201. When you have completed Level 201 for a sense unit you then complete Level 301 for that same sense unit.
This consists of a two-hour presentation session for the Key Focus Verse helping you to come to your own conclusion about the sense unit. Then a two-hour full class discussion to help you resolve your questions and understand how sense units work.
This tutorial session and class discussion/presentation session bring each sense unit to a conclusion.
When you have completed at least two sense units at Level 201 and 301 you are able to move on to Level 401. (But most of our students enjoy the process so much they are eager to complete all 4 sense units before moving on.)
The House of Interpretation (Beth Talmud)
Level 401
Level 401 consists of 6 two-hour sessions.
- Rightly Interpreting the Word of God – Primary and Secondary Resources
- Rightly Interpreting the Word of God – When to use commentaries
- Rightly Interpreting the Word of God – Interpreting The Cultural Context
- Rightly Interpreting the Word of God – Using the Grammatical Structure
- Using the Whole Bible to Interpret the Bible
- Experiencing the Bible
For each of the above sessions you will investigate one of the frequently misinterpreted verses in the Bible and learn how to rightly interpret by practice in a working group and individual preparation for homework.
Each session includes more Bible passages to interpret and practice for homework and discuss in your tutorial group.
Level 501
Level 501 consists of 6 two-hour modulated sessions.
The whole course is spent on one large interpretive assignment allowing you to practice on yet another classic wrongly interpreted verse where you need to use the whole Bible to bring the interpretation to a conclusion.
The House of Allusion (Beth Midrash)
Level 601
Level 601 consists of 7 two-hour sessions.
- Recognising Allusions
- Solving Difficult Problems – Bible Allusions
- Moving to More Difficult Levels of Allusion
- Dealing with a Difficult Passage
- Dealing with a Very Difficult Passage
- Experiencing the Bible – An unfolding allusion in Scripture
- Unpacking the previous week’s Experiencing the Bible Session
Each of the above sessions is focused solely on Biblical examples of allusion, graded to train you to move from the easier to the harder levels. Culminating in the most exciting and practically helpful Experiencing the Bible Session in all of Deeper Bible.
Level 701
Level 701 consists of 8 two-hour sessions.
- Looking for Connectedness on the Macro Level
- Finding Connections in Passages we Know
- Making Connections within Books – Motifs
- Making Connections: Finding the Links between Books
- Two Midrashic Puzzles
- Entering the Surface Level of Sod
- Entering the Deepest Level of Sod – The Hidden Level
- Bringing Everything Together
All levels come complete with an In-Class Handbook, either hard copy or digital pdf version except for levels 201 and 501 where you are on your own assignment and writing your own book with your shared findings in your group.
Interested in attending Deeper Bible?
Each level of Deeper Bible has the previous levels as a prerequisite.
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