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How to Study the Bible

God reveals Himself to humankind in many ways but perhaps none as powerful as through the Bible. David claimed that “[God] has commanded us to keep His commandments diligently” Psalm 119:4 because God’s “judgments are good” ( Psalm 119:39) and act as a “lamp unto [our] feet and a light unto [our] path.” ( Psalm 119:105) God wants us to follow the truth found in the Bible (His Word) because he knows what is best for us in all things and has included all that in Scripture. When the Bible is the basis for our everyday living, God says we are blessed (happy, content, at peace; see ( Psalm 1:3, 4) and we spiritually prosper ( Joshua 1:8, 9). We can trust God’s Word to lead us in all things,

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)

So, if all this is true, then how do I study the Bible?

That is a great question, with a great answer that can be broken down into a few simple categories.

General Principles:

• Pray for leadership as to what Scripture to study; see Psalm 5:3. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you what the meaning is behind what you are reading; see John 16:13.
• Be Systematic. Don’t just read from one portion of Scripture and then skip around to others arbitrarily— don’t employ the “flop” method (flop your Bible open and see where you land) as your primary method of study. Certainly, if you have particular questions, go to the passages that offer answers, but find a starting point and work your way through the Bible. Reading one book entirely before going to another is a good principle to use. (You can also find many good “Bible in a Year” plans that will guide you in systematic reading of Scripture.) See Psalm 119:15.
• Be Consistent. Wherever you begin in Scripture, be consistent with your study. Joshua was instructed to “meditate day and night” on God’s Word ( Joshua 1:8, 9).
• Be Deliberate. Schedule an appointment to spend time with God. While this may seem odd, we rarely miss appointments—put it in your palm pilot or on your calendar. Scheduling means you are intentionally taking time daily to spend studying the Bible. Time is a valuable commodity (see Ephesians 5:17) and scheduling means that you take time but also that you don’t waste time.
• Write down your thoughts. Have a notebook or journal nearby and write down any thoughts you have about the passage you are reading. These thoughts will range from simple observations to deep questions; either way, write them down. Studies show that we learn much better when we write down what we are trying to understand.
• Meditate on the Truth. Meditation merely involves considering something further than a passing thought. It has been said, “Some people would rather die than think; and they do.” When you read a passage, make it a point to think about it for a moment. The truth may be one you need to consider further too truly understand it or to take in all of its application in your life. Psalm 1 claims that God’s law (the Scriptures) is the delight of the “blessed” man’s heart and he meditates on the Scripture day and night.
• Conclude in Prayer. Take a few minutes to consider what you have just read and ask God to help you answer the “so what?” in your life. Applying Scripture to daily life is where the “rubber meets the road” and where the Bible can “come alive” to you. Ask God to give you wisdom to understand how what you’ve read can effect how you live. (see James 1:1-7

Practical Guidelines:

• Find a Good Translation. Don’t just get a Bible that you like; find one that you can read easily and trust. Some translations are literal translations while others paraphrase the text. A translation is based on the original texts and is focused on giving a word-for-word meaning. A paraphrase may be based on original texts, but it is focused on generalizing and giving a summation of what the text says, which can lead to confusion and error.
• Some possible translations include:
  • King James Version (KJV): uses Old English language but is a reliable translation. All other translations listed use more modern language in their interpretation.
  • Holman Christian Standard (HCS)
  • New King James Version (NKJV)
  • New American Standard Version (NASB)
  • New Living Translation (NLT)
  • New International Version (NIV)
  • Revised Standard Version (RSV)
• See what Scripture Says. Let Scripture interpret Scripture. See what else the Bible says about a particular passage or issue. Chances are you’ll find many other instances in the Bible where your question/issue is handled. Don’t just base your understanding on one passage without seeing what else the Bible has to say about the subject; that practice is called “proof-texting” because you get an idea and find one passage to “prove” your idea correct.
• Notice context. Read a passage in light of the surrounding verses. See how the verse fits in with the rest of the chapter and the book of the Bible (and then the Bible as a whole). Keep a “big picture” mentality and narrow down from there.
• Pay Attention to Language. Notice repeated or important words or phrases. What do they mean and how are they used in this passage? What is the author trying to say and why did he use these words to say it?
• What Type of Writing is It? Are you reading poetry, prophecy, narrative, teaching, apocalyptic passages?
• Background. Learn about the historical and grammatical characteristics of the passage. Who is writing? When? What was the purpose of writing the book? What was going on during this time in history that affected the writing and helped frame the message? Study helps will be beneficial here. They include:
  • Study Bible
  • Bible Dictionary
  • Bible Encyclopedia
  • Biblical Commentaries
  • Lexicons or other original language study tools
  • *These can be bought on-line or in a local Christian bookstore (or perhaps checked out in a local church library). Always check with a minister or a more mature Christian if you are unsure about which particular help to use.

Procedure:
* This is a simple procedure to follow when you are studying a passage from the Bible. It will help you consider and understand what you are reading and allow you to make personal application. This involves what you would do in terms of writing down information in a notebook or journal.

• Write Down the Text. Writing down the passage word-for-word is important for you to consider the text as you study it. If you are studying a longer Old Testament or narrative text, you may want to write down a key verse in that passage or a brief summary instead of the entire passage.
• Immediate Observations (What do you see?) At this point, write down what immediately catches your attention. For example, in Psalm 23, you might record that the psalmist speaks of God as a Shepherd—simple, but easily observed.
• Interpretive Questions (What is being said?) Here, you can write down questions that help you interpret (understand) what the passage means. For example, in the same Psalm 23 passage, you could ask, “Why does the psalmist use the shepherd analogy? Is there something about sheep that literally applies to His children? What does ‘He restores my soul’ mean?” The questions can range from the simple to the in-depth. Don’t be embarrassed by the simple but don’t avoid the in-depth!
• Answer your Questions. Search the Bible and use reliable study helps to answer the questions you’ve asked. You may not get the answers all at once, it may take some time in digging for the truths you are after. It will always be worth the effort. Here you need to examine other biblical passages and, after that, use your study helps (Bible dictionary, encyclopedia, etc.)— always: Scripture first, then study helps.
• Personal Application (Answering the “So What?”) How does this text apply to your life? Be specific. Don’t confuse meaning with application. A biblical passage has one meaning but can have many applications. For example, Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” The meaning is to keep your anger in check and don’t let it leaf you to sinful thoughts and actions. One specific application may be that you need to pray to God for strength in this area because you struggle with your temper. Another application may be that before you go to bed tonight, you need to call or visit someone you have been angry with and ask for their forgiveness so you’re your anger won’t continue to be a problem in that situation.
• Pray. Ask God to give you insight into what you have written down and considered—and listen for His answer(s). It may only take a little time but it can have a much larger impact in your spiritual life.

God bless you as you look more deeply into His Word. Be encouraged that your time and effort will be rewarded ( Joshua 1:8, 9; Psalm 1:3. If you have any additional questions, contact us at Master’s Church and we will help in any way we can.