Method to study the Bible profitably

March 12, 2011 2 comments

The Bible is literature inspired by the Spirit of God. What is the basic method by
which we can study the literature of the Scriptures and extract the riches of God's
truths contained therein?

THE NEED FOR FRUCTIFUL BIBLE STUDY

Bible study in the Christian church today is affected by at least three sources of
difficulties. OUR BIBLE STUDY IS FRAGMENTARY. We study the Bible in
pieces, as if taking splinters from it, almost without grasping the whole idea. This
is due to the lack of a systematic method of studying the Bible. As indicated in
the first chapter, the Bible is such a unity that it cannot be broken without causing
great damage. However, this is what is very often done, because our Bible study
is carried out without method or purpose.

A SECOND SOURCE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BIBLE STUDY IN THE

CHURCH TODAY IS THAT WE DEPEND TOO MUCH ON
REFERENCE BOOKS AND OTHER GUIDANCE

Too often God's people are spoon-fed by pastors and teachers with books about
the Bible and in some ways we never come face to face with the Scriptures
themselves. That type of Bible study is indirect, impersonal and mechanical.
Why does someone else have to think for us? Too often we are content to learn
about the Bible and others' opinions about the Bible, but we do not discover the
biblical message directed by the Spirit of God to us.

A THIRD SOURCE OF PROBLEMS IN BIBLE STUDY IS THAT VERY

OFTEN OUR ATTITUDE IS WRONG

The Bible does not need defense, what it rather needs is freedom to make it reach
people's lives. The issue should be not how much Bible knowledge I possess, but
rather, how much of my life the Lord possesses through the application of
biblical teachings. The remedy for the disease, then, is for the Bible student (that
is, every Christian) to be a participant and not merely a recipient. The joy of
discovering for oneself through the effort made produces an internal experience
that touches the very fibers of the soul, because it satisfies one of the basic needs
of a person's life: the need to achieve, create and express oneself in a concrete
way.
A METHODICAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE

Generally speaking, the Bible is used in three different ways: for reading, for
devotional meditation, and for study. In the first form, a portion is read with no
specific purpose except to gain more knowledge about the Bible. Reading in this
sense can be conceptualized as a general observation.

In the second form, devotional meditation, a portion of Scripture is read more

carefully with the special purpose of receiving spiritual strength and blessing.
This process mostly goes into the application. In the third form, that of Bible
study, it goes beyond general observation and application. You want to
understand the fundamental meaning of what you read, so you analyze the ideas,
study the words and their relationships, and interpret and associate what you
observe.

In this book we cover all three types, but with emphasis on the third. For fruitful
study of the Bible, it is our firm opinion that we must use a methodical manner.
This means that as you study your Bible lesson you follow an orderly and logical
pattern. In other words, the student follows certain steps and in a certain order.

The methodical approach is not limited to Bible study alone. The farmer follows
methodical steps when planting his crop. The mechanic follows methodical steps
when fixing a car engine. The cook follows a defined order in preparing the
dough for bread or the dough for cake. The secretary, the doctor, the chemist and
the businessman all use method in their work.

Everyone knows that the mechanics of the process will help a lot in the success
of the product. If as a Bible student you develop an orderly and logical procedure
in your study, you will achieve more discernment and receive greater satisfaction
than if you proceed at random. There are two types of methodical Bible study.
Deductive Bible study is the process of beginning by generalizing and using the
Bible to support your ideas. For example, the study of catechism is generally
deductive. You study the statement and then note the biblical references that
support it. In inductive Bible study you first study the Bible passages and then
make generalizations. For example, begin with the question: “What should I
believe regarding the Lord's Supper?” Then study as many biblical references as
possible before drawing conclusions. Methodical Bible study is inductive in its
approach, but does not exclude deductive study.

If you want to develop a systematic pattern for Bible study, there are definite
steps you must follow, and it is usually best to take them in a certain order.
Every scripture studied, whether large or small, whether a verse or an entire
book, should be studied with these questions in mind:

1. What is found here? (The process of observation.)

2. What does it mean? (The process of interpretation.)

3. What does it mean to me? (The application process.)

First step. -Look at exactly what the author wrote. This is the most important step
in Bible study and should come first. The more careful and thorough you are in
your observation, the more meaningful your interpretation and application will
be. A very important part of the process is summarizing the observations.

Second step. -Interprets objectively and concisely what the author wrote. You
should try to determine what the author really meant by his words when he wrote
them. What were you seeing, feeling and thinking, and what experience had you
had that caused you to write what you wrote guided by the Holy Spirit? Again,
the summary will play an important role in figuring out the meaning of a passage.

Third step. -Apply the revealed message. In the application process, evaluating
the author's message will come after you have a clear understanding of what the
author wrote (the observation) and what he or she meant in what he or she wrote
(the interpretation). With evaluation comes the application of truth as the Holy
Spirit carries out his work.

The fact that the application is placed last does not mean that it is less important
than the previous two steps. Rather, it indicates a relationship because we are
often tempted to apply before we have really observed everything in the passage.

THE OBSERVATION PROCESS

“Start by observing.” This is the first step in fruitful Bible study. We observe in
order to be completely saturated with the content of the passage.

We must observe. Observe means: the act, power and habit of seeing and
noticing; observe closely; Pay full attention to what you see. Observation
requires concentration. This is difficult for many of us.

In part we must learn to repeat reading. This means that we must read the passage
again with deep concentration. We must acquire the ability to read a particular
Bible passage as if we were reading it for the first time. We must read it as if it
were a love letter.

The following descriptive phrases will encourage us to learn to concentrate when

reading. Read the Bible:

Sincerely

Repeatedly.

Patiently (Don't give up).

Selectively. (Note the salient features).

Devotionally. (Make the word of God the object of your prayer).

Imaginatively. (Sit at Pablo's feet. There's a storm? Feel it. Is there a smell?
Perceive it) -Reflectively. (You should not read it in a hurry so that it fills all the
gaps in your mind and heart).

Expressly. (Keep your sights on the writer's goal.)

Scrutinizingly (Read to receive and retain).

Thoroughly (Read any particular passage in light of the whole and remember that
the whole is greater than the parts.)

Interpretatively.

The following practical suggestions will help us increase our powers of

observation. What is found in the passage?

1. First, read the passage as the crow flies, trying to see the possible main themes
that give it unity.

2. Second, try to capture the context in which the passage takes place. Spend
more time if you feel like it relates to him in a meaningful way.

3. Third, reread it carefully at least, in a different translation, if possible. Note

any important differences.

4. Fourth, try to penetrate the passage, note the points at which the main divisions
of thought occur, and observe the general plan or development of the argument.
For this, we recommend an edition of the Bible divided into paragraphs. A good
system is to try to find a title for each paragraph.

5. Fifth, test your power of observation by asking yourself basic questions

regarding the facts:

to. Who are the characters that appear? What references are there to the persons
of the Trinity? What titles or names are used? The true meaning of the names
used for Divinity can be very significant in understanding the God-man
relationships in that particular text. What do verbs show us about God's way of
being? What adjectives and descriptive phrases are there? What impressions
could be drawn using only this portion of the Bible? What relationships within
the Divinity are affirmed or assumed? Are the character and personality of the
author important to this passage of Scripture? What can be deduced from the
passage about him? Are “supernatural beings” mentioned? How are they
described? Who are the main “human actors”? What can be deduced from the
action and state verbs used to describe them? What lists of phrases and
descriptive adjectives related to them can be compiled from the text? What is the
literal meaning of their names (if they are significant)? Are there family
relationships involved? Is the antecedent of each pronoun clear (often this is
important in the case of people of the Divine)?

b. What's going on? The verbs are the keys to the action of the passage; -it may
be useful to make a list of them. Is there any repetition or order of significance?
What mandates are given? Who gives them? Whom? What promises are made?
Who makes them? To whom? Are there conditions stated or implied, either in the
text or in the context? Can you identify the local customs mentioned?

c. Where do the events occur? Can you locate them on a map? How far is it from
one place to another? How long would it have taken to travel from one place to
another in those times? Are these places important or famous because other
events have occurred there? You could use a Bible atlas if you have time and the
places seem important.

d. When do the events occur? What can you deduce in general from the mention
of rulers, age of the characters, periods of time, genealogies, etc.? (Keep in mind
that the adequate understanding of cultural differences can give rise to notable
differences in the understanding of these concepts typical of a time). What
indications are given regarding the historical circumstances, the present national
situation, etc.? See if the season of the year is significant and why it is
mentioned. Certain factors, such as the length of time since individuals' spiritual
crises, may be important.
and. Why do the events happen? This question often requires interpretation, but
at this point any reasons the text suggests must be carefully considered. Is the
explanation clear and sufficient?

F. How do the events occur? Is any process described? What are the phases?
What are the effects? Make an outline with a short title or phrase that summarizes
each main unit of thought. The keys to the structure of thought are found in:

Yo. The link between thoughts; Note the use of words such as: and, but, because,
therefore, however, still…

ii. Contrast of ideas, phrases or people, whether indicated or implied. At this

point it would be good to review the sections “The Structural Basis of the Bible”
and “The Laws of Composition of the Bible.” (P. 13 and 14) of the first chapter
and try to incorporate the material into the procedure for “observing a passage.”

g. Write in a simple and brief sentence what seems to be the author's main
purpose. The phrase may seem somewhat trite, common, but is it common in
practice or only in theory? Are the true depths and implications of the truth that
the text exposes really appreciated? Beware of laying undue emphasis on certain
minor points and neglecting the most important point of the law; justice, mercy
and faith”! (Mt. 23:23)

h. Some specific suggestions are:

Yo. In this observation process, when trying to extract the facts, the key to
effective work is selective criteria. One cannot be absolutely certain as to what
may be significant. But you usually won't have time to find every single fact in
every passage. Hence, you must make conjectures as to the questions that may be
most significant and look for answers to them. In this process, you can use any
help you consider useful; But it is not wise to depend so much on what others
have said about that passage that your own observations turn out to be
secondhand.

ii. Write down problems as they arise. Some will be resolved as the text becomes
clearer to you; To solve others you will need the help of reference material. Some
you may need to put aside and honestly consider as “unresolved problems.” No
Christian should fear anything from prayerfully addressing such matters. God can
illuminate, but he is not obliged to provide us with information for the sole
purpose of satisfying our vain curiosity.
Methodical Bible study also requires that the student's pencil be as active as his
mental processes. You should write the observation down on paper in order to
reinforce the ideas and establish specific points that you can later study and draw
generalizations and conclusions from them. In relation to this, the use of
diagrams is essential to carry out good Bible study methods.

The value of diagrams is noted in the following: the diagram increases the
effectiveness of our study because it allows us to manipulate the material in an
orderly manner; helps us preserve what we discover; provides the framework and
record of the salient ideas as a whole; The diagram develops originality and
freshness in approach.

More specifically, using diagrams will organize your observations in the

following directions:

1. It will highlight the main divisions of a chapter, book, topic or period of

history.

2. It will identify the theme or guiding purpose of the material and help you see
how the different parts contribute to the whole.

3. They will help you recognize the main events; chapters, verses, phrases or
climax of the section.

4. It will provide titles to chapters and paragraphs that will be characterized by

their brevity, notoriety and peculiarity, by the suggestive, the appropriate and the
individual.

5. Relate the book you study to other books, scriptures, or contemporary events.

6. It will reveal the characteristics of the book or section as a whole.

7. It will indicate the historical, chronological and geographical aspects.

8. Summarize the salient points.

9. It will reveal to you some methods of preaching or teaching.

10. You will recognize problems that you will leave for future studies.

There are basically two types of diagrams: horizontal and vertical. The horizontal
diagram (generally for synthesis work)
In any case, to achieve more effectiveness in the study, the diagrams must be
simple (that can be seen at a glance), clear, graphic, intelligible and that reveal
the objectives and dominant ideas. (Don't get lost in technicalities.)

In our study, the diagrams will help us to synthesize and analyze, to generalize
rather than to specify, to characterize and detail, to describe and record what has
been done.

The vertical diagram (generally used in analytical work)

An example of the value of diagrams to facilitate the observation process and

discern the structure of a passage is found in the following:

Mark 4:35 – 5:43: Four miracles performed around the Sea of Galilee

SUMMARY

It is important for every Christian to become a diligent and fruitful student of

God's Word. A systematic approach to Bible study is necessary that encompasses
the processes of observation, interpretation, and application. A specific procedure
is required to carry out the important observation process. The use of diagrams
can also significantly facilitate the activity of observation.