Doctrinal Mastery Review 17
Understand and Explain
One purpose of doctrinal mastery is to help you understand the Savior’s teachings contained in the doctrinal mastery passages and be able to explain them in your own words. This lesson will give you an opportunity to deepen your understanding of and explain truths about one or more of the doctrinal mastery passages from the New Testament.
Student preparation: Invite students to pay attention to any confusing verses, phrases, or words in their next personal or family scripture study and to come to class prepared to share them.
Possible Learning Activities
A doctrinal mastery passage lesson may need to be taught in place of this review lesson. Refer to the pacing schedule provided by the area or region director or coordinator to ensure that each doctrinal mastery passage lesson will be taught while seminary is in session.
Understanding the scriptures
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Have you ever read a scripture—maybe even more than once—and found you were confused about what it meant?
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How often do you feel this happens when you study the scriptures?
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How do you react when this happens to you?
Help students see that it is normal to not understand everything in the scriptures. Follow up on the student preparation by inviting them to share verses, phrases, or words from scriptures that they did not understand from their previous scripture study. It may be helpful to list them on the board.
If there is time at the end of the lesson, students may benefit from incorporating the scripture skills learned in this lesson with the verses listed on the board.
The Savior wants us to understand His words and will help us do so through the Holy Ghost. This requires effort on our part. In this lesson you will have the opportunity to learn scripture study skills that can help you understand various doctrinal mastery passages.
Scripture study skills
Briefly review each of the following doctrinal mastery passages and key scripture phrases.
Consider replacing any of the passages being reviewed or adding other doctrinal mastery passages that students would benefit from focusing on.
Students could review these passages individually, in pairs, or as a class.
|
Doctrinal Mastery Passage |
Key Scripture Phrase |
|---|---|
Doctrinal Mastery Passage | Key Scripture Phrase “In the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ.” |
Doctrinal Mastery Passage | Key Scripture Phrase The Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” |
Doctrinal Mastery Passage | Key Scripture Phrase “The day of Christ … shall not come, except there come a falling away first.” |
Doctrinal Mastery Passage | Key Scripture Phrase “The holy scriptures … are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” |
Consider dividing the class into groups of four and inviting each student to choose a passage he or she would like to better understand. Ensure that all four passages are used in each group. This may require assigning some students to review more than one passage.
If students would benefit from an example, consider using 2 Timothy 3:15–17 to teach students the skill of making lists.
Choose one of the scripture passages you would like to better understand. Then choose one or more of the following scripture study skills to help you better understand that passage. Be prepared to explain your scripture to others.
If time permits, try using a different skill on one of the other passages.
Activity A: Cross-reference
Utilize available resources to find other scripture passages that may help increase your understanding of the doctrinal mastery passage. Such resources might include the scripture footnotes, the Guide to the Scriptures, or the Topical Guide. Mark passages from these resources, and record in a study journal or the Gospel Library app how they help increase your understanding of your chosen doctrinal mastery passage.
Activity B: Define words and phrases
Find words in the doctrinal mastery passage that you do not understand. Search for definitions of those words or phrases in available resources, such as the Guide to the Scriptures, the Bible Dictionary, or a general dictionary. Record in a study journal, scripture margins, or the Gospel Library app the definitions you discovered, along with any new insights.
Activity C: Understanding context and content
Complete one or more of the following that would help with your doctrinal mastery passage:
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Read about the epistle this passage comes from in the entry “Pauline Epistles” in Guide to the Scriptures or the Bible Dictionary.
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How do the chapter heading or surrounding verses increase your understanding of the doctrinal mastery passage?
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Who is the inspired author speaking to and why?
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What is the main message of this scripture passage?
Record what you understand about the passage because of what you pondered.
After sufficient time, invite students to explain to their group their scripture study skill and what they now understand about their doctrinal mastery passage because of it. Consider inviting a few students to explain their passage to the entire class.
Remind students that their Heavenly Father and the Savior will help them understand scriptures through the Holy Ghost. It may be helpful to bear testimony of the importance of seeking God’s help as they study.