Manuscript Method
Instructions
The goal
of the manuscript method is to help you see the book being studied as clearly
as possible and understand its purpose and how each and every
one of its parts supports that purpose. The way we achieve this is to transform a Bible book into
a manuscript and with colors and lines discover and emphasize important
elements.
The Manuscript method can be explained in 10 major steps.
Step 1. Text preparation
Step 2. First reading
· Step 3. Verify sentences
· Step 4. Division into paragraphs
· Step 5. Coloring repeated words and phrases
· Step 6. Communication units
· Step 7. Text Relationship
· Step 8. Knowledge of the author and recipient
· Step 9. Text Interpretation
·
Step 10. Meaning Today
Step 1: Preparation of the text
The development of this method requires some changes to our text format. We conserve original
text and remove all distractions.
11 Select the book of the Bible you want to study
AND the translation. (A word for word
translation like ESV or NASB is easier to use with dictionaries, concordances
or other research books later on.)
1.2 Copy or
transcribe the biblical text in a
format with wide margins, double spacing. Take
out any headers and numbers that indicate chapters, verses.
1.3 Print the text.
Step 2: First Reading
The first
approach is to read the text. Read several
times to understanding the passage better. Read the text several times.
2.1 Read the
manuscript aloud.
2.2 Describe how it feels to read the text of the
Bible and make comments both positive and negative. Try to answer
the following questions:
Could I understand better without chapters,
verses and headings?
What
difference did I notice in this reading?
What is the tone or emotion in which the author writes?
2.3 Write down your impression after
reading
the book for the first time. What
could be the author's purpose in writing?
You'll notice
how this concept changes as you study.
2.4 Read the entire
manuscript several times.
2.5 Write
down any questions you have about text- Don`t try to find an answer to a
question at this time.
Step
3: Verify sentences
Make a
large ball every time there is a period (.), thus indicating the termination
point of a grammatical sentence. By definition a sentence begins with a capital
letter and ends with a period, (or sometimes ends with a question mark.) Remember
the smallest communication element is a complete grammatical sentence.
Compare the
number of verses with the marked circles. Did you find a difference? How do you explain the difference? Verses
began to appear around 1000 ADand were accepted as we have now about 1250 AD. So what was the purpose of adding these numbers?
Step 4: Division into paragraphs
It's time
to start working with text. Dividing the text into sections helps us better
manage the ideas and themes of the text.
4.1 Separate the book into paragraphs. Separate
paragraphs with a horizontal line that goes from one side of the sheet to the
other. (A
paragraph must end with a period. A sentence cannot be divided in two separate paragraphs.)
4.2 Write a title for each paragraph using the same
words that were in paragraph (no
more than 4 words).
Step 5: Coloring repeated words and phrases
It's time
for a researcher`s joy. It`s time to observe carefully.
5.1 Begins to mark keywords that repeat, synonyms,
concepts or phrases. Choose a
color for each group of words, for example synonyms, separate them using
geometric figures. Feel free to mix and match colors and shapes. For
example, green circles for hope, black triangles for anger, yellow for warnings, blue double underlined for
power.
5.2 Make an index
or key for the words and their accompanying colors and shapes so you don’t forget the indication chosen at the
beginning.
Step 6: Text Relationship
6.1 Mark the conjunctions.
Conjunctions are words that link words, phrases,
or clauses and establish
hierarchical relationships between them. A
conjunction does not have grammatical meaning; its meaning is acquired in
relationships with the words that it connects.
There are two main classes of conjunctions: coordinating and subordinating.
a.
Coordinating
conjunctions
join words, phrases or clauses of EQUAL grammatical rank, such as: and, but, or, nor, for, yet.
Courtesy
and kindness characterize a
gentleman. (conjunction joining words)
He was a good man, but his goodness did not save him. (conjunction joining independent
clauses)
He is your friend in prosperous times and in perilous times. (conjunction
joining prepositional phrases)
b. These coordinating conjunctions are used in
pairs: either--or, neither—nor, both—and, not only—but also.
The students are either learning lines or
constructing scenery.
c.
Subordinating conjunctions join clauses of UNEQUAL
grammatical rank; that is, they join dependent clauses to independent clauses,
such as: after, although, as, as if, as much as, as long as, as soon as,
because, before, if, in order that, than, that, though, unless,
until, when, whenever, where, wherever, whether, while.
Because we
believe in Christ, we have eternal life.
6.2 Show cross references. A cross reference refers to an
element that appears elsewhere in the book. Use
arrows to connect these ideas.
6.3 Look
for editorial characteristics the author uses and his reason for doing so. Every author has his particular way of
writing. When we recognize these
literary characteristics it helps to understand the text easier.
Step 7: Division communication units
Separate the
book into communication units.
A communication
unit by definition contains all the communication of the idea. If we
interpret a paragraph without taking into account all the communication unit is
like listening to only part of a conversation. We may know what the subject of the conversation
is, but we surely don`t know all the details. Therefore, we can get the wrong impression of
the conversational topic.
Separate the paragraphs
dealing with the same issue with double lines. That is, add an extra line to the line you used
to indicate paragraphs. This graphic indicates your communication unit.
Step 8: Knowledge of the author and recipient
To
interpret a message correctly we need information about the writer and the
recipient. Sometimes the
only source of information is written in your hands.
8.1 Investigate what you know about the author and
the recipients using only the information that is in this letter/book.
8.2 Make a list of
phrases, words or types of statements that help you know the writer and the
situation in which the recipients find themselves.
8.3 Answer the following questions before further
analysis of the text: What
could be the purpose of writing this letter? This is a preliminary approach to the deep study.
8.4 External Context: Here you can search dictionaries and commentaries about the place and
culture of the author and recipients.
Step 9: Interpretation of text or the meaning to
their original recipients
At this time our manuscript is ready to start
with the interpretation of the text.
9.1 Now
take the first communication unit, analyze it and think of the message with the
observations and interpretations. Record
your findings on the same page to the left of the text.
9.2 Do the
same thing with the rest of the units.
9.3 Perform
the following question. How
do the communication units support the purpose of the letter? If it does not support it, look for another
purpose.
9.4 These questions are a good guide to keep in
mind
a..How
did the author see the situation, that led him to think,
feel and write in this way?
b..What was the condition of the
recipients and who are they?
c. What
changes in thinking or actions were recommended?
d. What biblical truth is being taught?
9.5 Write an answer in the margin to all the
questions that arose in 2.5.
9.6
Ask the following questions and write your comments in the margins:
How
important is this book? If it had not
been written, what would have been missing in the Bible?
Is
that important to you, too? Why?
Step 10: Meaning Today
In what way is the situation of the recipients the same or similar to
mine?
What are the beliefs that change due to the
argument of this book?
What
attitudes do I have that are not consistent with what the author presents?
The final
question naturally arises: How do you respond to this message? Write it in your notes and share what you
learned to a friend.
A text
out of context
is a good pretext.
