Study
How To Study The Bible
Many of us study the bible over a lifetime yet we might wornder what we have learned.
Seven Practical Steps to Bible Study by Robert A. French
1. Pray before and throughout your study of the Bible.
2. Explore the context.
3. Investigate what the text says.
4. Determine what the text means in its context.
5. Harmonize your understanding of the text’s message with the teaching of the whole Bible.
6. Compare what you have learned with other scholars (optional).
7. Apply God’s word to your life.
Using The Seven Keys On Bible Texts
1. Pray before and throughout your study of the Bible.
Start by praising and worshiping God. Confess your sins. Ask God for the Holy Spirit’s help so you can correctly understand and apply God’s Word to your life today. Do not proceed to the next key until you have done the first.
2. Explore the context.
Select a Bible text to study. (Hint: two suggestions for how to do this are given with key two.) Identify the context. (Hint: see the definition and guide included with key two.) Then study the context and summarize its message. The following will help you do this.
What text did you choose? Write the reference (book, chapter, and verse) here: __________________. What is the immediate context for the verse or sentence you chose? (Hint: use paragraph breaks, subtitles, and chapter breaks to help you.) ________________. What is the next larger context? ________________. Remember that it never hurts to study a larger context than is necessary, but studying too small a context can lead to error.
Read at least the immediate context and summarize the author’s message. You may use your own words or quote one or two sentences or verses to do this. Write that summary here.
If you are doing a more careful study of the context, write your observations about the following:
• What was the historical setting of the author and first readers?
• What kind of literature that was used (poetry, prophecy, letter, history, description, story, teaching, etc.)?
• List any references to the culture that may affect the meaning of the text.
• What was the author’s purpose?
• What ideas did the author emphasize?
• Summarize the author’s message in at least the immediate context.
3. Investigate what the text says.
First read the text. Then study the text carefully. You may use other study methods or ask your own questions of the text. Some questions do not apply to all texts. You may find “anywhere,” “anyone,” “everyone,” “any time,” “never,” etc. are appropriate answers to some questions. Write your observations and answers based on what the text actually says.
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• Who? |
Who are the participants, the author, and the intended first readers? If there is a command, who must obey it?
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• What? |
What happened or will happen? If there is a command, what should be done? What does the text say about God, Jesus, people, Satan, angels, demons, etc.? What ideas are discussed, and what is said about them?
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• When? |
When did (will) it happen? (Time lines may be found in the back of some Bibles.) If there is a command, when must it be done? If the text is a prophecy, has it been fulfilled?
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• Where? |
Where did (will) it happen? (The maps in your Bible may be helpful.) If there is a command, where must it be performed?
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• Why? |
Why was (is) this done? Why did (will) this happen? Why should it be done?
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• How? |
How was (is) it done? How should it be done?
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4. Determine what the text means in its context.
Try to discover what the author intended the text to communicate to the first readers according to the context.
Some texts may not be clear or may be interpreted in several ways. However, one meaning will usually be most in agreement with the way the text was written, the immediate context, and the larger context. That meaning is probably what the author intended to communicate. For some texts, you may need to study and summarize a larger context than you previously considered. You may also need to study the historical and cultural setting to properly understand some texts.
Now review what you discovered from using keys two and three and answer the following question as well as you can. According to the context, what did the author intend the text to communicate to the first readers?
5. Harmonize your understanding of the text’s message with the teaching of the whole Bible.
The second major goal of biblical hermeneutics is to harmonize your understanding of the text with the teachings of the rest of the Bible so they do not contradict each other. So try to determine what the text means in light of the teaching of the entire Bible and especially that of the New Testament. If there appears to be a contradiction between passages, look for an interpretation that permits each text to remain faithful to its meaning in its own context without contradicting the teaching of other texts.
You should use this key when:
• You are teaching, preaching, or preparing a Bible study.
• The text can be interpreted in several ways.
• The text says something that appears to conflict with what other Bible texts say.
• The text is found in the Old Testament.
You may omit using this key when:
• You are studying a New Testament text whose meaning is clear and has no conflicts with other Bible texts.
• You are only studying the text for your personal times with God.
Begin by answering the following questions:
• According to the context, what did the author intend the text to communicate to the first readers? (You should have already answered this question when you used key four.)
• What other texts teach something about your text or topic? Use the cross-references in your Bible, a concordance, or a topical Bible to help you look up other texts that refer to your text or discuss the same topic. If you do not have a Bible with cross-references, a concordance, or a topical Bible, try to think of other texts that have something to say about your text or topic. If you cannot locate those texts, summarize them from memory as well as you can. That way you can still use this key. Otherwise proceed to the next key. List the references to look up here.
Read the texts and answer the following questions:
• What are the clear Bible texts that teach about this topic? List the references and summarize what they say according to their contexts. If time is short, focus on the New Testament references.
• How should you understand the text (or topic) so that the meaning of the text remains faithful to its own context and does not contradict the teaching of other Bible texts?
• How should you understand the text in light of the clear teaching of the whole Bible and especially that of the New Testament?
• Write any questions that you did not have time to answer or are not able to answer. These questions can be helpful for future study. Having questions is normal, and God can use them to help you grow in your understanding of Scripture.
6. Compare what you have learned with other scholars (optional).
It is best to use other books after you have studied the text for yourself. If you do not have enough time or if you do not have Bible commentaries, etc. proceed to key seven. However, you can still compare your insights with others by discussing what you are learning with other believers you know who have a knowledge of the Bible. If you discover something that changes your understanding of the text, return to this key and answer the four questions below.
If you have Bible commentaries or other books, read what they say about your text and answer the following questions. Remember that the teaching of the whole Bible is the ultimate authority for determining the meaning of every Bible text.
• What did you learn about your text from other books or people?
Answer the following questions in light of what you have learned.
• According to the context, what did the author intend the text to communicate to the first readers?
• How should you understand the text so that the meaning of the text remains faithful to its own context and does not contradict the teaching of other Bible texts?
• How should you understand the text in light of the clear teaching of the whole Bible and especially that of the New Testament?
7. Apply God’s word to your life.
Whenever we study the Scriptures we should also determine what God is saying to us personally and make a plan so we will do what He wants us to. To do that, you can ask God, “What do You want me to do as a result of my study of Your Word?” If you are preparing a message or a Bible study, ask God to show you what He wants to say to your group. But first ask Him to show you what He wants to say to you.
While praying, make a practical plan to apply what you have learned from God’s Word to your life. To make a plan, answer the following questions:
• What will I do?
• When will I do it?
• Where will I do it?
• How will I do it?
Finally, review your plan. Is it something you can do today? Does it include a way for you to know when you have completed it? If not, revise your plan.
Reproduced here with permission of the author
Robert A. French, Keys to the Bible’s Treasures : How to Determine the Meaning of Bible Texts (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999).