Cross - References
THE BIBLE STUDY METHODS
Whisnant’s Style

• Today I am going to start a series on articles of how I have studied the Scriptures since 1982. All my studies were by reading books. I can’t conceive what it would have been like with the current ability to use the material on the in Internet. I will list the references books used in my studies and some current tools for Bible Study as well.

It is important to keep in mind the need to arrive at a basic understanding (author’s intent) of the passage being studied before moving on to other passages, in order to avoid making inaccurate comparisons

Keep in mind the "word study" method is different than Cross References. You are looking at the word as used in the Old or New. Cross Reference you view the thought as well as the words.

Protestant Biblical Interpretation, A Textbook of hermeneutics for Conservative Protestants: by Bernard Ramm 1956

• Used in Bible Baptist Seminary 1967 Summer School - Dr. George L. Norris

THE PRINCIPLE OF INTERPRETATION BY PROPER USE OF CROSS REFERENCES.

There is no other commentary on the Bible so helpful as the Bible itself. There is not a difficult passage in the Bible that not explained and made clear by other passages in the Bible.

• The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge From Genesis to Revelation. Key words of verses and scripture references, parallel passages. List of verses.
• The Reference Passage Bible (with O.T. references. Complied by I.N. Johns
  Since 1984 I used this book. All the books of the New Testament are printed out, and what are good reference passages are written out as well.
• Word Pictures in the New Testament by Archibald T. Robertson - Six Volumes
  Used since 1984 at FBC, Altoona. Book by book Verse by verse. Theological. Greek. Grammar. Excellent. And great for cross-references.

The topic may occur two or more places in Scripture, and the interpreter may gather information from one reference to guide his interpretation of another.

Cross References may be Verbal, or Conceptual, or Parallel.

1 Verbal is a reference which contains the same word or expression occurring in the passage being interpreted, but not all verbal are valid for exegetical purposes.

1 Read Verbal
CR is a reference in which the words used in one instance aid in the understanding of the same word in another instance. "Soul." "Spirit." "Flesh." "Son of man." etc. Hebrew/Greek concordances
A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English/Greek New Testament
By Bullinger.

• The design of this work is to give every English word in alphabetical order, and under each, the Greek word or words so translated, with a list of the passages in which the English word occurs. Showing by a reference figure which is the Greek word used in each particular passage.
  Thus, at one view, the Greek word with its literal and derivative meaning may be found for every word in the English New Testament, in the KJV
  One English word might have several Greek words.

2 Apparent
References containing the same word or expression could be coincidence. Etc. sacrifice, wood, or save.
An uncritical listing of word-occurrences can lead to some silly mistakes.

2 Conceptual CR: are those references which, although not containing the same words, contain the same substance. Etc.

• Hebrews 2 / Philippians 3 discuss the incarnation.
  I Corinthians 15/ Revelation 20 discuss the resurrection from the dead.
  They enable one to see a given passage in greater depth and detail. What one passage omits the other contains.
  What we would be tempted to read into a passage is checked by what a conceptual CR contains. Example.
  Paul apparently considers "the filling of the Spirit and letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly? (Eph 5:L18, Col. 3:16) as equivalent expressions.

3 Parallel CR: are those passages in one book of the Bible which recount the same events or material in another part of the Bible.

• To get a full account and the necessary facts before us, it is necessary to have all parallel passages examined.. A harmony of all four Gospels would be necessary data to interpret any given passage in the Gospel.
  I studied the Life of Christ in Seminary. My College notebook had three hundred and fifty eight pages.
  The Harmony of the Gospel, by A. T. Robertson (used in Seminary)
  The life of Paul, may be reconstructed from the book of Acts and from biographical remarks in the Epistles.

The Life and Epistles of Saint Paul: W.J. Conybeare, 1914

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant: Proof Checked by Charity F. Whisnant 00 04 11 07