Inductive Bible Study Basics for Logos: Cross-Referencing & Historical Background
In this webinar segment, Dr. John Fallahee introduces two essential resources for cross-referencing and historical context in Logos: The New Treasure of Scripture Knowledge (with over 500,000 verse-by-verse cross-references) and the IVP Background Commentary (including its Old Testament counterpart). He emphasizes that these tools help avoid anachronistic assumptions by grounding interpretation in the original audience’s understanding—like recognizing that Moses’ recipients of the Pentateuch lacked New Testament knowledge. Symbolic markers in The New Treasure, such as stars for Davidic prophecy and half moons for contrast passages, provide quick visual cues for identifying key scriptural connections.
Dr. Fallahee then walks through practical Logos demonstrations using Romans 8:28–30, the “Golden Chain.” He shows how to enable footnotes in Bible settings for curated cross-references and streamlines this with the “Power Lookup” tool (accessed via the main menu grid, typing “power,” and selecting “Power Lookup”). By linking the tool to a Bible through the three-dot menu and selecting specific text—such as “A” in footnotes—he filters results to relevant verses. The “Explorer” tool (under “Tools” > “Explore” > “Passage”) displays cross-references in a collapsible format, including non-canonical works like Judith; he recommends using Protestant Bibles like the Legacy Standard Bible to filter out deuterocanonical content. To keep the Explorer stable while navigating passages, he duplicates a Bible, sends hyperlinks to the duplicate, and arranges both side-by-side, allowing one Bible to remain fixed while the other navigates cross-references.
Next, he introduces the “Passage Guide” (accessed by typing “passage” in the main menu and selecting “Passage Guide”). He advises collapsing all sections initially to manage information overload. Key features include “Parallel Passages,” which aggregates accounts like the feeding of the 5,000 across all Gospels, and “Cross References,” which lists relevant books in the user’s library. He demonstrates creating a “Passage List” (via Documents > New > Passage List), adding verses by typing references (e.g., “Jeremiah 12.4”), and organizing them with headings (right-click > “Heading Above/Below”). Drag-and-drop functionality lets users move cross-references between sections, and verses can be added directly by typing references.
In “Level 2, Intermediate Searching,” Dr. Fallahee introduces a custom guide template for streamlined cross-referencing. Users download it via Docs > Public (searching “webinar cross-referencing”), add it to their guides, and set “05 Cross-Referencing” as the sole setting in Collections > Settings. This template consolidates cross-references, parallel passages, and concordance data into one interface, ideal for passages like Matthew 27 (crucifixion), which reveals extensive Old Testament connections. He also shows how to use a “Collection” of premium cross-reference books—such as the New American S American Exhaustive Concordance and Practical Word Studies—to target specific searches, like “providence” or “predestination” within Romans 8:28. The segment closes with a reminder to use these tools to study efficiently, anchored in the text’s original canon and audience, avoiding personal biases.
Throughout the session, Dr. Fallahee encourages users to explore how cross-referencing supports “Scripture interpreting Scripture”—a principle that deepens inductive study by letting the Bible explain itself. He stresses that understanding historical background and theological context isn’t just academic; it’s essential for knowing God and His word more fully. Whether using footnotes, the Explorer, or custom guides, the goal is practical, contextually grounded study that honors the original intent of Scripture.
Practical Tips:
- Enable footnotes in Bible settings for curated cross-references.
- Use “Power Lookup” to streamline cross-referencing from footnotes.
- Set up the “Explorer” with a duplicated Bible to keep one passage fixed while exploring cross-references.
- Collapse all sections in the “Passage Guide” to reduce clutter.
- Organize verses into a “Passage List” with headings for structured study.
- Download custom guide templates (e.g., “webinar cross-referencing”) to consolidate resources.
- Use collections of premium cross-reference books for targeted searches on specific passages or themes.