This month I am giving you a brief outline of how to study the Bible. The content of this lesson comes from many sources, long lost in my memory. I gladly and gratefully acknowledge their contributions to this subject matter and beg forgiveness for not having cited their work. I have contributed many things I had found missing in some of the resources I have used over the years.
It is critical in our journey to have a few guidelines for Bible study because Christians believe that it is the Word of God—Holy Scripture. People over the centuries have fallen into serious error because they have tried to make the Bible say something it simply does not say. This can be avoided by applying some basic principles, which we will explore here. I feel that this is very important, for we must respect God's Word while remaining open to the work of the Holy Spirit through that same Word.
I'm quite sure that I'm not going to give you every guideline you need, but my prayer is that this will help to guide you.
There are two basic approaches to Bible study:
Informational—seeking to grasp a subject or gain knowledge.
Formational—seeking life changes through a vital relationship with God through His Word.
What we will be looking at primarily is called an Inductive Bible study method. This method includes both approaches to the Bible—both formational and informational. Inductive study means we will be trying to learn about the text from the text itself.
Deductive Bible study usually looks outside of the text at non-biblical sources such as commentaries to see comparisons, cultural contexts, historical and political settings, etc. Those are good and excellent tools. But, one of my primary concerns is that people who do not have access to that kind of information, resources or education are able to learn more and more from the Bible all the time, and to be as free from heresy and error as possible. Search the Scriptures. The Bible is its own best commentary!
2 Peter 1:3-11 is a key piece of scripture for our foundation. Read carefully what Peter wrote: "[God's] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
I understand this passage to mean that if I have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and am willing to explore His Word, I will have everything that I need for life and godliness. That's a great promise! It means that you don't have to have lots of money, education, or ministry experience to have what you need in God. The Gospel life is available to everyone, everywhere at all times.
Here are some basic steps to good inductive Bible study.
Step No. 1
Always begin with prayer. Pray and ask God to open your heart and your mind to His truth. Ask Him where and what you should be reading in His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften your heart so that you can receive what God has for you. Ask God to forgive any sin that you have. Unconfessed and unrepented sin will block you from understanding. Invite the Holy Spirit to teach you as you read. I John 1:9 gives us a wonderful affirmation: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Step No. 2
As you read ask the following questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? These are your basic inductive questions. Often it is good to write these out. It causes you to see facts and details that you might have missed before. Who is writing the book? What is the circumstance or situation? Where are these people from or where are they going? Where is God is this passage? When might this be taking place? When does God intervene or wait? Why are certain actions taken? Why would the people respond they way they do? How does God show Himself or care for the people or the situation? These are the kinds of questions that you will train yourself to ask as you encounter the Biblical text. Ask God to give you a “holy curiosity” about His Word. Be sure to know that not all of your questions will be answered. When we ask these questions, we are simply seeking all that we can know at that one reading or at that one place in our lives. Because God's Word is living and active, it will constantly be revealed to us in the truth we know. As we grow, greater truth will be given to us by the Holy Spirit, which will make way for deeper and more meaningful understandings and experiences.
Step No. 3
Read and re-read the passage over several days or weeks. Meditating on it will help you to look at it differently or in a fresh way. In this time God will show you, by His knowledge, what you need to know.
Step No. 4
If possible, read the same passage of scripture in several different Christian versions or translations. In English we have the King James Version—it's older English from the 1600's; or the New International Version—this is the version I teach and preach from (it has a more contemporary vocabulary). There is also the Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, or the New American Standard version, and many others. If you know other languages it might be helpful to read it in those translations. This will help you to get a broader understanding of vocabulary and expression in the text. We don't need to be afraid of reading other translations. It's still God's Word and has survived centuries of translation yet still remains one of the best-selling books in the world. That alone should be some testimony to it being the living Word of God!
Step No. 5
Look at the structure and placement of the verses. Make sure that you read the verses in the context of their placement. What do the verses before and after this passage say? Is there a theme or a specific purpose to the whole book or chapter? Much error and heresy have come out of a person taking one small phrase or sentence from the Bible and building an entire theology out of that. This is very dangerous. It is important that we work toward and try to grasp the whole book of God from Genesis to Revelation. Now, that's a large task, but we have a responsibility to that task as believers or seekers. It will take the rest of our lives and we won't fully or completely understand until we are in heaven. But ... we will have enough for life and godliness!
Step No. 6
Look for lists of words or contrasting statements or related thoughts. Watch for words like "therefore", "finally", "when", "after", or "until". These are all connecting or separating words. They will either indicate a conclusion, summary or a transition to a new thought or emphasis. These will be particularly important as you study the Bible through.
Step No. 7
Write down or talk about what you have learned from the text today. What principle or fact was unusually interesting or moving today? Ask God how you can apply it to your life today. What changes need to be made or have been made since reading this portion of the Bible today?
Step No. 8
Thank God for His Word and what you saw or learned in this reading. Ask Him to continue to teach you as you look into His wonderful gift to you—a written document telling you who God is, what He is like, and how you can have a personal relationship with Him.
There are some other things that are important as you study the Bible.
• Vary your Bible study by studying characters, one book at a time, by themes or simply do a word study.
• Be sure to sit with Godly teachers or preachers, if you are able. Their perspective and inspiration from God will lead you into new understandings. You can learn good things from other people, but remember, comments by other humans are not necessarily the Word of God. *
• Talk about the Bible and Biblical principles with other Christians or children. Find out what they have learned or want to learn.
• If you have the time and resources, read some good Christian commentaries. Commentaries are books written about the Bible by people who have studied them very intently.* Depend on the Holy Spirit to guide, correct and comfort you.
I believe you can find what you need in the Bible to answer many of your questions, to find comfort, to learn what is expected of you and to know God Himself.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." If you really want God, you will find Him in your life, in your reading, in your prayer and in your relationships with other believers. You will be filled.
Now I encourage you to open the Word of God and to not be intimidated by its size or complexity. Start with the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—all written from different perspectives on the Savior Jesus Christ. Rely on the fact that God will give you knowledge that cannot be obtained through any other source than Himself to understand what He is saying to you today. He wants to be known and to know you personally.
© M.R.Hyde 2024
