GNRS 506/GSPH 506 - Spiritual Concept Analysis in Healthcare: The Basics (Older Method)

While your instructor will likely have specific instructions and perhaps some additional requirements, this section should help simplify the process of studying your concept in the Bible. This section outlines the bare minimum that you should do for your Spiritual Care concept study: You will locate basic information about your concept in the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, and then you will use two other word study resources: The New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis and the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. If you are adventurous and really want to use more resources for your assignment, then check out the Advanced Options page.

If your professor requires you to consult a Bible dictionary about your concept, see the Dictionaries and Encyclopedias section of the Advanced Options page.  Depending on your concept, you can find a entry that will provide an overview for an  understanding of your concept as found in the Old Testament and the New Testament, for an understanding of the biblical theology of your concept -- that could extend beyond the particular words you have chosen to study (note also that if your concept is covered by the dictionary, it might be under a synonym or a broader or narrower topical entry).  They will provide examples of narratives and citations of Bible verses upon and from which the presented theology has been based.

1.  Select your concept/word from the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (use the list above)

• The list located above contains all the English words from the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words that have at least one Hebrew and one Greek word associated with it. Select your concept from this list, using any additional guidelines given by your professor, and then look it up in the dictionary (this is located in the Stamps Library reference collection - see the book link above the list).
   
• Once you've found the dictionary, look up your term and read through the information for each Hebrew and Greek word (there may be several words). Select at least one Hebrew and one Greek word that embodies your concept. Glean what you can from the brief definitions of your selected Hebrew and Greek words for your assignment. You will get even more information from the resources mentioned later.
   
• Jot down the transliteration (how the word is spelled in English) and the Strong’s number (this shows up right after the Hebrew or Greek word, in parentheses). You will get the G/K number a little later from a different resource. Also note the scripture passages that are associated with your Hebrew and Greek words - these are probably the passages that best illustrate the meaning of the words in context. You may want to organize your information in a table like the one below:

NOTES:

• You can use the transliterations while writing your paper rather than trying to figure out how to include the actual Hebrew or Greek words. 
• Strong's numbers and G/K numbers will help you use some of the reference books with information about your words. Most word study resources are in order by the Hebrew or Greek words. So, instead of having to know the Hebrew and Greek languages, you can often look the word up by a Strong's number or G/K number (these are both systems that have assigned numbers to all Hebrew and all Greek words in the Old and New Testament texts). If you are only using the two resources listed below, you will not need a G/K number for New Testament/Greek word(s). However, if you want to use some of the resources listed in the Advanced Options tab, you will want to find the G/K number for your Greek word(s). You can easily convert your Strong's number(s) to G/K numbers by using the the conversion tables in the back of the NIV Exhaustive Concordance.

2.  Get More Information on Your Concept

There are two excellent resources that will provide lengthy articles on most Hebrew and Greek words: the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, and the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Follow the instructions below to find articles on your concept.

• The New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis is a 5-volume set (see book above) that will provide information on most Hebrew words in the Old Testament. It is arranged alphabetically by Hebrew, so you will see Hebrew words followed by G/K numbers at the top of all the pages.
• To find the G/K number that corresponds with your Strong's number, use the Table of Conversion found in volume 5, pages 761-796.
• Find your Strong's number in the lefthand column, and then go across to the right to find the corresponding G/K number.
• Use this number to find the article on your word by looking at the numbers at the tops of the pages in volumes 1-4. These will be in roughly numerical order.

• The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament above is abridged from a 10-volume set that provides information on most Greek words in the New Testament. It is arranged alphabetically by Greek, so you will see Greek words at the top of all the pages.  Use this if the abridged volume does not provide enough information or for more precise and advanced research.
• Unfortunately, the Strong's numbers are not conveniently at the top of the page as they are in the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis.  But they can be located by following the steps immediately below.
• Find volume 10 and go to the 'Index of Greek Keywords' on pages 61-84. Do not use the list of English Keywords - this is not as precise as looking up your Strong's number.  Due to that imprecision, do not use any other Greek words this English index might list beyond the Greek words identified in the Expository Dictionary for your concept.  Note also that if you have found several words, they might see that several of them belong to a family word group in Greek and be included in one entry in this Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.
• Look for your Strong's number in the far left column in the Greek Keywords Index. Once you find your word in the index, use the information to the right of the word to locate the volume that has the complete article. 'II:284-317' refers to volume 2, pages 284-317.