Four Levels of

Studying the Scripture

There are basically four levels of
Bible study: Parshat, Remez,
D’rash & Sod.” Each layer is
deeper than the one before.
#1: The first level is called “P’shat” (pronounced
peh-shaht’). It means “simple.” Basic truths and
principles are learned by their study. All
believers start out here. But God doesn’t intend
that we stay here but progress in the grace and
the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; that we
move on to deeper levels.
Deeper meanings and understandings do not
change the Bible in any way, of course.
They are not “new revelations.” They were
always there. But just as your understanding
of any other subject grows deeper and more
detailed, so too our understanding of God’s
amazing book!
 #2: The next level of study the rabbis
call,“Remez” (pronounced reh-mez’) meaning
“hint.” This is where another (implied) meaning
is alluded to in the text, usually revealing a
deeper meaning. There may still be a p’shat
meaning as well as another meaning as any verse
can have multiple levels of meaning.
An example of implied Remez is Proverbs 20:10
– Different weights, and different measures, both
of them are alike an abomination to the Lord.
The p’shat would be concerned with a merchant
using the same scale to weigh goods for all of his
customers. The remez implies that this goes
beyond this into aspects of fairness and honesty
in anyone’s life.
#3: D’rash ( pronounced “deh-rash) is also called
“Midrash.” It is the third level of study. A Drash
understanding can not be used to strip a passage
of its p’shat meaning, nor may any such
understanding contradict the p’shat meaning of
any other scripture passage. As the Talmud states,
“No passage loses its p’shat.” It uses scripture to
interpret itself which it does very well.
This teaching, exposition or application of
the P’shat and/or Remez, in some cases,
could be considered comparable to a
“sermon.” For instance, Biblical writers
may take two or more unrelated verses and
combine them to create a verse(s) with a
third meaning.
A perfect example of “Midrash” is John 3 &
4. In Chapter 3, Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews, came to Jesus by night. He had
questions, as most religious people do, and
he was afraid of other religious leaders
finding out that he sought Jesus out for a
private audience.
 In the very next chapter, Jesus sought out a
woman who was living in sin, a Gentile AND a
Samaritan at that, a race of people hated by the
Jews. HE CAME TO HER IN BROAD
DAYLIGHT; high noon in fact! He also revealed
Who He really was to her: The Promised
Messiah. He didn’t do that the the ruler,
Nicodemus, notice.
 One came to Him in the dark; the other He
purposely went looking for in broad
daylight. Compare and contrasting chapters.
The book of Luke is full of chapters
compared side by side, demonstrating Grace
contrasted with Law.
 It is important to note that no
layer contradicts or changes any
other in any way.
 #4: The 4th layer of Bible study is called the
“Sod” (pronounced sewd or sood) It Means
“hidden”. In this layer of Bible study are found
the hidden, secret or mystic meanings of the text.
Some examples of this would be the dragon,
whore of Babylon, and number “666,” all from
the book of Revelation. Any meaning that is
prophetic in nature would be a “Sod”
interpretation.
It is down in the “sod,” where you find “the story
behind the words.” Include a study of the Greek
and Hebrew and you find that even the letters
themselves reveal wonderful truths that warm
and bless us with beautiful pictures of Jesus.
That’s how we are transformed, after all: By
beholding His glory and beauty!