Bible Study Tips and Techniques

ponyespresso

[ponyespresso]

BIBLE STUDY TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” Matthew 28:19, 20a

What is Bible study?

“Bible study…is the regular, careful, systematic examination of the Scriptures themselves, with an alert mind and a prayerful, open heart, and with the intent to understand and live God’s Word.”(1)

Daily devotional reading is not Bible study. Neither is Bible memorization or even hearing a verse-by-verse sermon or lecture by a pastor, teacher, or in a group setting.

Why do we need to study the Bible?

The Bible is worth studying. The Bible is God’s special revelation to His people, given so that they may have the knowledge of Him, and of His will, which is necessary first for salvation, then to walk in His will.

“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me.” John 5:39

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16,17

We study the Bible to become mature believers. A deeper understanding of the Word of God, which is accomplished by the inner illumination of the Holy Spirit along with diligent exploration of the Scriptures, challenges our worldview, changes our nature and strengthens our walk with God.

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the world of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14

“We come to the Scripture to be changed, not to amass information.”(2)

“[We study the Bible] to avoid or dispel misconceptions or erroneous perspectives and conclusions about the Bible.”(3)

“The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.”(4)

The Bible is difficult to understand.

“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God have him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” 2 Peter 3: 15, 16 (if the Apostle Peter admitted that Paul was difficult to understand, how much more so us?)

Which Bible should I study?

Use a standard, formal equivalence translation rather than a dynamic equivalence or paraphrasing translation (see appendix I).

I recommend using either a New American Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, or King James Version. Use the New International Version only as a last resort (i.e. if you do not have access to another translation, or do not have the means to acquire another translation.). You cannot use a dynamic equivalence or paraphrasing translation (i.e. The Message, Contemporary English Version, The Good News Bible, etc) for serious Bible study.

Do not use a Bible that has too many distractions, such as pictures, charts or commentary within the text itself.

Do use a Bible that has a good concordance, colour maps and a topical index if possible.

How do I study the Bible?

We will be looking at what is called the “Inductive Bible Study Method”. “’Inductive’ study is an approach to inquiry in which students learn by examining the objects of the study themselves and drawing their own conclusions about these materials from that direct encounter with them.”(5) There has been a general sense for many years now that too many Christians (whether they be theologians or new believers) spend too much time and effort reading about the Bible and too little time actually studying the Book itself. This method of study attempts to correct this by focusing the majority of work into simply reading the Bible and trying to discover what is there, rather than continually relying on other people’s opinions about what the Bible says. It is also infinitely adaptable to a persons ability or situation; you can use this method to study one small section of Scripture, one chapter or a whole book.

All of this, of course, is utterly useless unless the Spirit opens “the eyes of our hearts” (Ephesians 1:18) and we are willing and able to receive what He has for us.

“For this reason, the first step in Bible study for the Christian is really prayer – prayer that the same Spirit who inspired the writers of God’s Word may inspire and illuminate our minds as we study, prayer for a humble and teachable mind.”(6)

Instructions on the Inductive Bible Study Method

Part One: Observation
(Note: do these steps in order)

Step 1. Observation (1x)

• read through the text once, then write down what comes to mind; cite verse references;
• be specific (getting it down on paper frees the mind to look at other things)
• use full sentences (brief phrases will not make sense later)
• let the text come to you! Don’t assume too readily what the text means.
• note what stands out (e.g. repetition, word choice, sarcasm, irony, symbolism, metaphors/similes, absence of words, etc)
• note connections and relationships between verses, not just verse-by-verse
• avoid mere summarization of facts and events – this is not observation
• make a note, if you can, of the genre of what you are reading (is it poetry, history, parable, etc? Or, if you are unfamiliar with Biblical genres, ask what genre is during the “Ask Questions” phase.)
• observation is not judgement! If you make a judgement, you are in control. Let the text be in control.

Step 2. Observation (1x)

• same as above

Step 3. Ask Questions

• is there anything you are not familiar with? (e.g. places, people, words, allusions, etc)
• avoid asking interpretative or theological questions for now (i.e. ones that usually begin with “Why…?”) – stick with the details within the text
• are there ancient customs or rituals you are unfamiliar with?
• Don’t be afraid to write down what is unclear about the text, or just what puzzles you.
• At this point, there is no need to look up answers to your questions; that will come later during the Interpretation phase.

Step 4. Observations with a map (1x)

• make observations using a map; note distances, location, type of geographical area, neighbouring cities/nations, etc. of locations mentioned in the passage
• expand on observations; consider the effect of location on the situation or on the persons (i.e. does Jesus or Paul speak to people differently in different locations?)

Step 5. Note Divisions (1x)

• divide the passage according to several different categories (e.g. by subject matter, by tone or attitude, by themes, by the speaker, by verb tense, by genre, etc.)
• account for each verse in the passage, in order; do not skip around or place verses in different positions.
• At this stage, try to avoid making a detailed and specific outline, merely observe and record the structure and flow of the text.

Step 6. Observation (1x)

• same as 1 and 2

Part Two: Interpretation

• First, try to make an outline of the text you are studying.
• Review the divisions you noted at the observation stage and work from there.
• This will help you understand better the flow of the text, and understand the context of any word study or cultural study you will do later.
• Knowing the immediate context of a passage will also help give the clues to a more accurate meaning of key words and phrases within the text itself.
• Try to write the outline in your own words, and not just copy information from the text.

2. Ask questions to find answers

• Here is where you begin to ask what are called interpretive questions.
• Do not ask a question to get an answer you presuppose.
• Avoid abstract or vague language. Try to pinpoint a specific problem or issue from the information given in the passage.
• Also, avoid wordy, overblown questions. Try to be as clear and concise as possible.
• Try to answer as much of question as you can yourself; again, the context often gives tremendous information into meaning. Also, allow the Holy Spirit time to reveal insights about the passage before turning to secondary sources, such as encyclopaedias or commentaries.

Ask questions to get definition.

• Who or what is this? What does this [term, phrase, item, event] mean?
• What are the key words or themes?

  A key word is an important term within the context of the passage.
  Repetition is a indicator of key words. Proper nouns are also indicators.
  Keep in mind that the meanings of words change significantly over time and place. Ask how the key word or phrase would be different nowadays from those who would have first heard it?

  
  
• How is this [term, phrase, item, event] significant?
• What is the literary context?

  Who is the author? Who is the audience?
  Can we know the authors intent? (See Mark 1:1 or Luke 1:1-4 for excellent examples of authors statements of intent.)
  Try to establish what Biblical genre you are studying. For example, is it poetry? Find out about Hebrew poetry, and how it differs from regular English poetry.

  
  
• What is the historical and cultural context?

  When was this written? Where was this written? What else was going on at this time?
  What ancient traditions are in the passage, and how might they differ from the traditions we have today?
  For example, how would a wedding that Jesus would have attended in 1st century Palestine (John chap. 2) differ from a wedding in contemporary Britain?

After you have devoted a reasonable amount of time to answering the questions yourself, then you may begin to use dictionaries, encyclopaedias, commentaries and other secondary sources. Always refer to at least two different secondary sources so that you will have different points of view to consider.

If you are going to try to devote yourself to serious, continuous Bible study, I would recommend buying an exhaustive concordance and a Bible dictionary or encyclopaedia as the most essential resources for your library. Here are two examples of good resources:

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, D. N. Freedman, ed. Grand Rapids, Mich. Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000 (£24.73 from Amazon.co.uk)
Anchor Bible Dictionary (6 volume set), D. N. Freedman, ed, NY, Doubleday, 1992 (£197.84 from Amazon.co.uk)

If you have access to the internet, here are some helpful online sources for information:

http://www.studylight.org
http://bible.gospelcom.net
http://unbound.biola.edu
http://www.bibles.net (best site for just printing out Bible passages)
http://bible.crosswalk.com

Part Three: Application

1. Raise the “So What? Question. What does this have to do with us and with our world?

Living the Word: This is the goal of the entire process. Good Bible study is much more than an academic pursuit. It aims at human transformation by the power of God’s Word and Spirit.”(7)

• Apply major principles first.

  It is best to identify the central concerns of the passage and the general principles…and to ask regarding the significance of these matters for contemporary life. Then one may proceed to various details of the passage which may or may not apply to our day. Try to see which features of a passage are of universal significance, and which are more culture-specific and confined in application to a specific time and place in the past.

• Apply ideas and actions

  Through Scripture God will to shape both our ideas and our actions, not just one or the other. Both our inner and outer lives, our thoughts, beliefs and “world views” as well as the actions which flow from those life convictions present agendas for spiritual growth and transformation….Significant application will not occur in vague realms of “spirituality” or “holiness” that have nothing to do with life as it is lived.

• Apply corporately and individually

  While God certainly cares about the response of individuals to His Word, most of Scripture itself aims at the transformation of communities and individuals as members of those communities….Adequate application thinks both of how the Bible shapes my ideas and actions and also of how it must shape the iedeas and actions of the several communities of which I am a part – home, town, clubs, schools, businesses, associations, state and federal government, and the social political, and legal structures that shape them.

• Apply positively and negatively

  Scripture applies both positively and negatively to our lives. God, through his Spirit and the Word, both affirms and rebukes, comforts and confronts, assures and unsettles…Because of God’s grace at work in His world, we should be surprised if we never sense affirmation through His Word, but on the other hand, because of the realities of the human condition, we should be suspicious if we never find ourselves unmasked, our sin exposed before the living God in His Word.

Tips and Techniques

• Try to do observations from a text with the fewest distractions within the text itself. If possible print out a copy of the text you are going to study from an online source or from the Bible on CD-rom. If you do not have access to a computer, try to photocopy the text you are going to study (again, from as clear and uncluttered text as possible).

• This allows you to write notes, underline or highlight passages and mark divisions without permanently impairing an expensive (and precious) Bible. Also, it frees your Bible to be a daily devotional book uncluttered with scribbles and observations. It also allows you the freedom to make mistakes, as well as the ability to come to the same passage again in future unencumbered by your previous observations.

• This is not to say that your observations are disposable. In fact, always keep your notes for future reference, recollection and inspiration. If at all possible, never throw your work away.

• Do not to do all the steps at one time, but allow time to meditate on the Scripture you are working with, as well as the observations you are making or the questions you are asking.

  “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
  nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
  But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
  and in His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1,2)

---

(1) David L. Thompson, Bible Study That Works (Nappanee, IN: Evangel Publishing House, 1994), p. 16.
(2) Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1978), p. 69.
(3) Dr. William Klein et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1993) p. 19.
(4) Westminster Confession; Chapter I:10.
(5) Thompson, p. 12.
(6) Thompson, p. 20.
(7) Thompson, p. 85. The whole Part Three quotes heavily from Chapter 6 of Thompson.

[RnMomof7]

Never conduct a Bible study by reading a text and then asking your listeners "What does this mean to you?"

I use the inductive style personal study..I always ask who, what, where etc...

I cross reference alot and I then ask what is God telling me about Himself..THEN how do I apply that to my life (that is how I became a Calvinist:>))..

[RnMomof7]

Great idea..We tend to forget they were men much like us..

[RnMomof7]

Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland have some doctrianl views that would be considered outside professing Chriatianity (I say this as one that listened to then for years and "missed" it till it was pointed out)Sometime error is easily missed and that is when it is the most dangerous. We can see the error of the Mormons and the JWS and the Armstrong folks easily..but it is when the wolf looks like a lamb that we are most vunerable.

Take this and pray about it

http://www.apologeticsforchristians.homestead.com/FaithMovement.html

[RnMomof7]

  Ecc 3:1   To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
  
  Ecc 3:2   A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted;


God knows your days and has numbered them..that is in His word too...

[Codie]

Yikes!How could you stand looking at Copeland? The man is just down right(yes I know I'm really shallow)ugly.

[RnMomof7]

As a new Christian I read and listened to everything with VERY little discernment..I actually liked his wife better than him

The faith movement seeks to manipulate God and Gods will..For every "story " like repeating the mantra over and over healed me (occult huh??) there are the silent ones that died with it on their lips

I really believe God measures our days.That does not mean I do not believe in prayer or medical treatment .God has already considered what we will do in the numbering of our days IMHO...

I ended up leaving the first protestant church I went to because it became a very name it claim it church..

[Codie]

>i>As a new Christian I read and listened to everything with VERY little discernment

Yea I know,I did the very same thing.Watched alot of TBN too.That's where I saw Copeland and Hinn,as well as Jan and Paul.I remember asking God if I accepted him,did I have to act like those fools!

Graciously he said no. ;)

[Jeremiah Jr]

Revelation 2:7

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of G-d.

[RnMomof7]

LOL..great line:>))

I have read that Copelnad is not even a trinitarian..I would have to source it..

We are told to "try the spirit" ..I think that is because God know like a baby sticks his finger in the socket ..Christian babes just soak in every thing that "sounds" christian..no discernment...that come with age

[ponyespresso]

My approach to Bible study is to use a concordance and to read all the passages that deal with a particular theme/topic.

You know, I have kind of a problem with that type of approach. When I was a new Christian, someone told me to do that sort of concordance search with the word "church" so I could better understand what church was all about. What happened was, I completely missed Acts Chapter 2 which even if you are not close to being a pentecostal, you must admit is a foundational event in the life if the Christian church. But the Greek word for "church" is nowhere to be found in that whole chapter.

Likewise a term like "baptism". If you merely search a concordance for that word alone, then would hit Romans 6:3,4 but, if you were only looking for the verses, you would miss the entire rest of Romans 6 which elaborates tremendously on the idea behind baptism. Or, a concept like sanctification or regeneration are often elaborated on without even using those specific terms, so a simple concordance search would be useless.

So, for proper names, like Moses or Jerusalem, maybe, but for a subject search I have serious reservations about that method.

[ponyespresso]

1. If ever you believe you have discovered a contradiction between one portion of Scripture and another, you have made a mistake in the interpretation of one of the passages, or both.

Just for the sake of a kick around (I refuse to use the term "play Satan's Advocate"), what would you say to somebody who reads the Gospels and read the Resurrection story in each Gospel, and comes away noticing that in Matthew there were 2 men by the tomb, in Mark there was 1 man, in Luke 1 angel and in John 2 angels. Certainly those must be contradictory passages, right?

2. The truth of Scripture will never be revealed to those who do not sincerely desire to obey whatever requirements those Scriptures might require of the Child of God. The promise is, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine...." (John 7:17) Let no man suppose God reveals His will or His Word to those who are only curious or come to it with the attitude, "well, Lord, show me your will, then I'll decide if I'M willing to do it." The only attitude to which God reveals His will is, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him...." (Job 13:15)

So, an unbeliever can feel no drawing of the Holy Spirit by reading Scripture? Is not the Word of God living and active and sharper than any two-edge sword?

[ponyespresso]

It was recommended to me by a friend. I bought it. I have also done some research on Foster.
My greatest concern is in Chapter one on Meditation.
I draw your attention to page 30 third paragraph from the bottom, which includes

" Till your whole New Testament is all over autobiographic of you"

First of all, that is not Richard Foster. That is a quote from Alexander Whyte. Second, here is the entire paragraph:

Always remember that we enter the story not as passive observers, but as active participants. also remember that Christ is truly with us to teach us, to heal us, to forgive us. Alexander Whyte delcares, "with your imagination anointed with holy oil, you again open your New Testament. At one time, you are the publican: at another time, you are the prodigal...at another time, you are Mary Magdalene: at another time, Peter in the porch...Till your whole New Testament is all over autobiographic of you."

All he is saying is to meditate (with the help of the Holy Spirit) on ourselves as characters in the New Testament. Who in their lives hasn't felt like the prodigal son, or Mary Magdalene, or Martha, or the disciples in the storm? And, if we are going through very real situations similar to these, who hasn't opened the Bible and felt comfort in knowing that others have also went through what we have? And above all, why is it wrong to want to know that "Christ is truly with us to teach us, to heal us, to forgive us"?

I see nothing wrong at all with that paragraph.

[ponyespresso]

Cat chasing his tail?

I have no clue at all about what any of your posts mean.

[Seven_0]

"Daily devotional reading is not Bible study. Neither is Bible memorization or even hearing a verse-by-verse sermon or lecture by a pastor, teacher, or in a group setting."

?? Sad.

"What happened was, I completely missed Acts Chapter 2..."

Sorry you missed it the first time through, repetition is good.

[Hank Kerchief]

Just for the sake of a kick around (I refuse to use the term "play Satan's Advocate"), what would you say to somebody who reads the Gospels and read the Resurrection story in each Gospel, and comes away noticing that in Matthew there were 2 men by the tomb, in Mark there was 1 man, in Luke 1 angel and in John 2 angels. Certainly those must be contradictory passages, right?

There are many such "contradictory" passages, if by contradictory you mean, "at face value, disregarding the fact that multiple accounts can add information, without contradicting." For example, in the account of the demons cast out at Gadara in Mat. 8, it says there were two possessed with devils, but Mark 5, and Luke 8, describe one possessed with devils.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt regarding the sincerity of your question, and avoiding a longer answer, remember, if there are two of anything, then there certainly is one of them. To only speak about one of anything, when there is also another, or even many more, does not contradict the existense of others. None of these passages say "there was only one," they only say there was one, which would be true if there were only one, or if there were two, or twenty, or any other number.

Now, just for the record, you said: Matthew there were 2 men by the tomb, in Mark there was 1 man, in Luke 1 angel and in John 2 angels.

Actually Matthew says there was 1 angel, Mark, a young man, Luke, 2 men, and John, 2 angels. (So you were 50% right.)

Mat. 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Mark 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
Luke 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
John 20:11-12 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Also, if you read the accounts carefully, they may not be recording exactly the same incidents. It is a mistake to insist there is a contradiction where there is good reason to doubt it.

I said: Let no man suppose God reveals His will or His Word to those who are only curious or come to it with the attitude, "well, Lord, show me your will, then I'll decide if I'M willing to do it."

You Asked: So, an unbeliever can feel no drawing of the Holy Spirit by reading Scripture? Is not the Word of God living and active and sharper than any two-edge sword?

This thread is about Bible study, and my post was to those who are interested in studying and understanding the Bible. For those who are interested in understanding the Scriptures, one must have the Holy Spirit and sincerely want to know the truth.

The Question you asked is unrelated to this, but I understand how you came to it. The Word of God is called the Seed, as in the parable of the sower, which is preached and brings conviction to the hearers. How one responds to that Word determines their salvation. (Mat. 3:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-15) So, certainly, it is the Word of God that is the seed God uses to reach sinners. "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

But notice, it is the Word of God, preached, as in the parable of the sower, and as plainly stated by Paul, "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Co 1:21)

So, not only can the Word of God draw the unbeliever, it is most likely always the Word of God, but not usually from the unbeliever reading the Bible, but from the Word of God preached by a Spirit filled Child of God. Note, that preaching in the Bible doesn't only mean sermons preached to crowds or congregations, but includes even one person talking about the Word of God to another, as Phillip did to the Ethiopian eunuch. (Acts 8:26-39)

There are rare occasions when someone has their eyes graciously opened to the truth while reading God's Word, such as the case of Charles Finney, and surely the Gideons know of cases where this is true, but generally this is rare, and even in those rare cases, those reading God's word are doing so with a sincere heart, even if an unenlightened one.

Hank

[good1]

I think he looks like Tom Daschle's brother.

[PFKEY]

I guess I should have carried it out a bit more.

This approach or any approach to Bible study is a starting point.

I did not mean to imply that you only read the verse where the word appears.

A little more forward thinking and study would be involved.

[newgeezer]

when we read scripture we should make certain that our interpretation is always consistant with the nature and attributes of God

In other words, let Scripture interpret Scripture (Rule Number One for bible study :-).

[dsc]

Why "new" this and "new" that? What's wrong with the Revised Standard Version?

[ponyespresso]

"Daily devotional reading is not Bible study. Neither is Bible memorization or even hearing a verse-by-verse sermon or lecture by a pastor, teacher, or in a group setting."

?? Sad.

What is sad? I do not mean these things are not vital to the life of a believer. Maybe I need to make that more clear. I am not discounting the necessity of daily devotional reading or listening to the preaching and teaching from those blessed with such giftings.

What I am saying is that those, in and of themselves, are not Bible Study. And we as believers need to study the Word with vigor and persistance just as much as we read it as a daily devotional or as we here a God-given message.

"What happened was, I completely missed Acts Chapter 2..."

Sorry you missed it the first time through, repetition is good.

If someone is using an N.I.V. concordance to look up the word "church", they will miss completly Acts 2. Am I wrong? I have an K.J.V. concordance and even then it only picks up 2:47.

I stand by my assertion that that method of subject research of merely looking up a word in a concordance only is a poor, scattershot method of study.