Look for Key Words or Key Phrases
To learn most scriptures effectively, look for key words or key phrases to help you associate scripture(s) in your mind.
DEFINITION: Associate (verb) - to connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc.
Procedures for identifying and using key words or key phrases:
- Identify key words or key phrases.
- Use them as springboards (starting points) for the remainder of the scripture passage(s) you are learning.
To assist you in identifying key words or key phrases and to appreciate the usefulness of this technique, you need a basic understanding of a sentence structure. The basic units of a sentence are the simple subject(s) and simple verb(s). Most other words or phrases merely revolve around them. As a result, you can remove surrounding words or phrases and still have a complete sentence. This concept is important to note because many words or phrases in a sentence are descriptors. Their purpose is to describe or give additional meaning to a sentence without affecting its overall structure. The following verse illustrates this point:
MATTHEW 4:23
If you delete every word except the simple subject and verbs in the above verse, you still have a complete sentence that maintains the essence of this verse:
JESUS WENT TEACHING, PREACHING, HEALING.
Except for the word and, the other phrases in the above verse are descriptors. They usually respond to the questions:
What?
When?
Where?
How?
Examine these descriptors below for details. Notice how they give additional meaning to the simple verbs (WENT, TEACHING, PREACHING, and HEALING):
Animated Demo
Let us look at another passage. Notice how the primary key words (ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK) and the secondary key words (given/receive, find, and opened) stand out among the other words to highlight the essential terms in this passage:
MATTHEW 7:7-8
or LUKE 11:9-10
Having this basic knowledge helps you to learn scriptures quicker. You will learn later how you can use the logical flow technique to “spin-off” these key words or phrases to “develop” the remainder of the verse(s).
NOTE ON TRANSLATION:
While many Christians don’t like the older King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, it does highlight a feature that is not obvious in most other versions. It is the use of “eth” to denote the continuous tense. The continuous tense basically means that something is currently ongoing. For example:
- “asketh” means continuously asking
- “seeketh” means continuously seeking
- “knocketh” means continuously knocking
- “receiveth” means continuously receiving
- “findeth” means continuously finding
Knowing this fact gives greater insight into the meaning to Matthew 7:8, Luke 11:10, and many other verses in the KJV of the Bible.
TIP: Let Your Words Be Made Known
Accentuate (pronounce with stress or accent) the primary and secondary key words or phrases as you quote a scripture passage. This technique can help to reinforce the scripture passage in your memory. Practice on the previous passage. Accentuate the primary key words (ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK) and the secondary key words (given/receive, find, and opened) as you quote them.
2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 s
Notice the primary key words (GRACE, LOVE, and COMMUNION) reference the Trinity (Lord Jesus Christ [Son], God [Father], and the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit]) which are the secondary key words.
Below are some additional examples:
Notice the word pairs with the verb is or are:
LAW is perfect
TESTIMONY is sure
STATUTES are right
COMMANDMENT is pure
FEAR is clean
JUDGMENTS are true and righteous
Notice the secondary key words or key phrases (perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true and righteous) represent positive words.
Also, except for the last line, notice the results of the word pairs are verbs ending in "ing" (e.g., converting, making, rejoicing, enlightening, and enduring).
Notice the primary key words (LOOSE, UNDO, and LET) carry the connotation of things being set free (bands, burdens, and oppressed).
To help you remember the first two primary key words and their corresponding secondary key words, make the following sentence:
God hath chosen the FOOLISH and WEAK THINGS of the world to confound the wise and the mighty (strong). Then, notice the opposite of FOOLISH is wise and the opposite of WEAK is mighty (strong).
The example below have only PRIMARY KEY WORDS:
MODERN TERM: DIVERS - several; various; sundry
To help you remember this passage, except for FAITH, the other primary key words are in distinct groups:
WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE
HEALING and MIRACLES
PROPHECY and DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
DIVERS KINDS OF TONGUES and INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
SPECIAL NOTE: This large passage is broken into FIVE logical blocks.
Notice the first line describes what love IS (e.g., patient and kind). All of the other lines describes what love IS NOT or DOES NOT: (e.g., envy, arrogant, etc.)
Notice the primary key words (BEARS, BELIEVES, HOPES, ENDURES, NEVER ENDS) represent positive things.
Except for DO, notice all of the other primary key words are in the past tense (LEARNED, RECEIVED, HEARD, and SEEN IN ME).
Notice in this case, we made WORK, LABOUR, and PATIENCE the primary key words and faith, love, and hope the secondary key words. However, we can just as easily make FAITH, LOVE, and HOPE the primary key words and work, labour, and patience the secondary key words. Choose which method works best for YOU.
Notice the primary key words (HAST SEEN, ARE, and SHALL BE HEREAFTER) represent the past, present, and future tenses.