One of the things I love about the Puritans is their commitment to the study of Scripture. When you read the works of the Puritans (and those heavily influenced by them), like Richard Baxter, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards and so many others, it’s clear that they thought deeply about the Scriptures and their application in a way that many of us—even the most committed—struggle to in the same fashion. According to Allan Harman in Matthew Henry – His Life and Influence, their approach basically took into consideration the following questions
What do these words actually mean?
What light do other Scriptures throw on this text?
Where and how does it fit into the total biblical revelation?
What truths does it teach about God, and about man in relation to God?
How are these truths related to the saving work of Christ, and what light does the gospel of Christ throw upon them?
What experiences do these truths delineate, or explain, or seek to create or cure?
For what practical purpose do they stand in Scripture?
How do they apply to myself and others in our own actual situation?
To what present and human condition do they speak, and what are they telling us to believe and do?
Read Aaron’s comments under each one of these questions.
