METHODS OF

BIBLE STUDY
But as for you, continue in what you
have learned and have become
convinced of, because you know
those from whom you learned it, and
how from infancy you have known
the holy scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. All
scripture is god-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting, and training in
righteousness, so that the man of
god may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work (2 Tim. 3:14 – 17).
 TWO REASONS WHY WE SHOULD KNOW THE
SCRIPTURES

The first purpose is that we might come to know Jesus Christ and
receive his salvation (v. 15). We learn about him and redemption
through the Word.

The second purpose of Scripture is to help us grow spiritually that

we might be equipped for whatever God wants us to do (v. 17). The
means to that growth are teaching (doctrine), rebuking, correcting,
and training (v. 16). Teaching shows us the path on which we are to
walk; rebuking shows us where we got off the path; correcting tells us
how to get back on the path; and training in righteousness teaches
how to stay on that path. This means that the Bible is the
comprehensive guidebook for living the Christian life.
 WHY IS IT THAT MOST CHRISTIANS DO NOT
STUDY THE WORD OF GOD?

a. People don’t know how.

b. They are not motivated. This is because they have

not experienced the joy that comes from personally
discovering truths from the Word of God. Past efforts at
Bible study have been unfruitful, so they have given
up.
c. They are lazy. Bible study is hard work, and there
are no
shortcuts to it. It is just like anything else in life that is
truly
worthwhile: it takes time, effort, concentration, and
persistence.
3 stages of attitudes toward Bible study:
Howard Hendricks

• The “castor oil” stage — when we

study the Bible because we know
it is good for us, but it is not too
enjoyable.
• The “cereal” stage — when our Bible
study is dry and uninteresting, but we
know it is nourishing.
• The “peaches and cream” stage —
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
PRINCIPLES OF DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY

 The secret of dynamic Bible study is knowing how to ask the

right kinds of questions.
Asking questions is a skill that you can develop. As you grow in
proficiency in Bible study, you will develop the art of asking questions. The
more questions you ask about the text under study, the more you will get out
of it.
 Dynamic Bible study involves writing down what you have
observed and discovered.
You cannot study the Bible without writing something down. That is
the difference between Bible reading and Bible study. In reading the Bible
you simply read through a selected portion of Scripture, whereas in studying
the Bible you take extensive notes.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
PRINCIPLES OF DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY

 The ultimate goal of dynamic Bible study is application, not just

interpretation.
We do not want to settle for understanding alone; we want to apply the biblical
principles to our daily living. Dwight L. Moody, used to say, “The Bible was not given to
increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” It was given to change our character and
bring it more into conformity with Jesus Christ. All of our efforts in Bible study are valueless if
in the final analysis we do not change and become more like Jesus. We must “not merely
listen to the word,” but we are to “do what it says” (James 1:22).
 Dynamic Bible study means that God’s Word must be studied
systematically.
A haphazard study of the Word of God is an insult to the sanctity of Scripture. It is a
slap at the holiness of God, who gave us that Word. The “cafeteria style,” the “dip-or-skip”
method, or the “what-are-we-going-to-find-today” approach will not produce the results God
wants in our lives. What we need is a systematic, regular plan of study, whether we go
through a book, study a word, analyze a person’s character, study a chapter, or choose some
other method.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
PRINCIPLES OF DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY

The first step is observing: seeing the basic facts contained in the text under
study. Next comes asking questions: discovering additional facts by more intense
observation. Third is interpreting: analyzing what the text means. Fourth is correlating
what you have discovered with other biblical truths you know; this involves cross-
referencing verses and comparing Scripture with Scripture. The final step is drawing a
conclusion: applying to your life in a practical way the truths you have studied.
 In dynamic Bible study you will never exhaust the riches in any one
passage of Scripture.
You can dig and dig in Scripture, but you will never touch bottom. Solomon said,
“If you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will
understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:4 – 5). But God’s
silver lode is inexhaustible and the treasure is boundless. For this reason you can study
the same passage over and over again, dig into it, leave it for three or four months —
and when you come back to it, there is much more to find.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
PREPARATION FOR DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY

 Schedule your Bible study time.

Set aside a specific amount of time to do Bible study each week. Decide how
much time you want to spend on Bible study. Don’t overdo it, but don’t shortchange
yourself, either. If you don’t put study into your weekly schedule, you will never make
time for it or it will be sporadic and shallow.
You should study your Bible when you are at your best physically, emotionally,
and intellectually, and when you can be undistracted and unhurried. Since you are either
a “day person” or a “night person,” you should pick the time when you are most alert.
You should never try to study when you are tired or right after a large meal. Try to study
when you are rested and wide-awake.
 Keep a notebook.
As already stated, you cannot study the Bible without writing down things that
you have observed.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
PREPARATION FOR DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY

 Get the right tools.

With each method of study is a list of suggested reference tools you will need for your
study. The first few methods require few or no tools, while the later ones require a number of
them. You should consider making an investment in these reference tools and setting up a
little personal reference library. It will be an investment you will use the rest of your life.
 Spend a short time in prayer before each study.
First, ask the Lord to cleanse your life from all known sin and to fill you with the Holy Spirit, so
you will be in fellowship with him during the study. This is the advantage of studying the Bible as
compared with studying a textbook: you have direct communication with the Author himself. You have
the privilege of studying not only the revelation, but also the Revealer. So make sure you are in
fellowship with Christ before you study his Word.
Second, pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in your study. The best way to understand the
Bible is to talk with its Author. Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your
law.” Ask God to open your eyes to his Word. In the final analysis, unless God the Holy Spirit opens
your eyes to see the truths in the Bible, all of your studying will be a wasted effort.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
SELECTING THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR GOOD BIBLE STUDY

Many Christians are not aware of the many excellent reference

tools currently available to make personal Bible study possible and
exciting. This is comparable to a carpenter who sets out to build a house
without knowing that a hammer and saw are available to him.
Pastors should acquaint their people with these books, for the devil
delights in keeping them out of circulation. As long as Satan can keep
Christians from studying their Bibles on their own, his work will be that
much easier. A Christian who does not spend regular time each week in
personal Bible study will be weak in resisting the devil’s temptations. A
practical way that pastors can “prepare God’s ­people for works of service”
(Eph. 4:12) is to familiarize their people with these Bible study tools.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE PURPOSE OF REFERENCE TOOLS

Bible study tools, however, are not meant to replace the Bible; rather, they
help us in studying the Bible itself. Bible study is a skill we need to develop. Most
skills require the use of some kinds of tools. Carpenters need their hammers and
saws; artists need their brushes and paints; plumbers need their wrenches.
Likewise, serious Bible students will want to take advantage of the available
reference tools to help them search the Scriptures effectively. People who try to
study the Bible systematically without using good tools will find their job tedious
and difficult.
Some Christians hesitate to use references out of fear that they will
become too dependent on them. Some say piously, “All I need is the Bible.” True,
but the tools suggested in this section are designed to help you get into the Bible.
You should not be afraid of using reference tools, for most of these books
represent the lifelong studies of dedicated men of God. The insights they received
from the Lord can enrich your Bible study immensely and provide information
about people, places, and events that you would not find in the Bible alone.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 The study Bible.

Your first and most important tool is a good study Bible.
Some Bibles are more adaptable to personal Bible study than
others. A good study Bible should have print large enough for
you to read for long periods of time without getting a headache
from eyestrain. It should also have paper thick enough for you
to make notes without the ink running through the paper to the
next page. Wide margins are helpful because they allow room
for making personal notations. Finally, a study Bible should
have a good system of cross-references.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 Several recent translations.

In the past 50 years we have seen the production of many
new translations of the Bible that use contemporary English.
Though weaknesses exist in every translation, each one makes
a unique contribution to a better understanding of the Bible.
Many people who were previously not interested in the King
James Version have begun to read and study the Bible in the
more recent translations. The greatest benefit you can receive
from these versions is comparing them one with another in your
study. The many possible meanings and usages of a word can
be found by reading a verse in the various versions and noting
the differences.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 An exhaustive concordance.
The most important tool you will need in Bible study next
to your study Bible is a concordance geared to your primary
Bible version. This tool is a Bible index of the words contained
in that version. A number of Bibles have limited concordances
at the back, which list only a few of the major words and
names. An “exhaustive” concordance lists every usage of
every word in the Bible and gives all the references where that
word may be found.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 A Bible dictionary and/or Bible encyclopedia.

A Bible dictionary explains many of the words, topics,
customs, and traditions in the Bible as well as giving historical,
geographical, cultural, and archeological information.
Background material is also given for each book of the Bible,
and short biographies are presented for the major people of
both testaments. A Bible encyclopedia is an expanded Bible
dictionary, with longer articles that deal in greater detail with
more subjects.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 A topical Bible.
This tool is similar to a concordance except that it categorizes the
verses of the Bible by topics instead of by words. This helps a Bible student
because a verse often deals with a topic without ever using the specific
word. If you had to rely on your concordance alone, you might miss those
verses when studying a particular subject. For example, if you were to look
up the subject “Trinity” in Nave’s Topical Bible, you would find 83 references
listed, even though the actual word does not appear in the Bible.
Another helpful feature is that the verses under each topic are written
out in full, which allows you to scan the key verses on a topic quickly without
having to look up each one in your Bible. You must note, however, that a
topical Bible is not exhaustive, for not every verse related to a topic is
necessarily listed.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 A Bible handbook.
This tool is a combination of an encyclopedia and a
commentary in concise form. It is used for quick reference
while reading through a particular book of the Bible. Instead of
being arranged by topics alphabetically, handbooks are
designed to follow the order of the books of the Bible. They
give background notes and a brief running commentary and
include maps, charts, archeological notes, and many other
helpful facts.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 A set of word studies.

This is one area where today’s Christian has the great privilege of
profiting from the work of Bible scholars. Because of the availability of practical
reference tools written for the average Christian, you can now study the original
words of the Bible without knowing anything about Hebrew or Greek. Some men
have spent their lives searching out the full meanings of the original words, then
writing about them in simple, comprehensible language.
A good set of word studies will give you the following information: the
original root meaning of the Greek or Hebrew word (its etymology), the various
uses of the word throughout the Bible and in similar non-biblical literature of that
historical period, and the frequency with which the word occurs in the Bible.
These reference tools range from inexpensive one-volume expository
dictionaries to very expensive 12-volume sets.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

 Commentaries.
A commentary is a scholarly collection of explanatory
notes and interpretations on the text of a particular Bible book
or section. Its purpose is to explain and interpret the meaning
of the biblical message by analyzing the words used,
background, introduction, grammar and syntax, and relation of
that particular book to the rest of the Bible. Used properly,
commentaries can greatly increase your understanding of the
Bible. Generally, you should not refer to a commentary until
after you have done your own study. Don’t let someone else
rob you of the joy of discovering biblical insights on your own.
Never let reading a commentary take the place of your
personal Bible study.
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

A BASIC LIBRARY
 A person just beginning personal Bible study should obtain only the
basic tools necessary to get started. For the Bible study methods
presented in this book, the following compose a basic library:
 A study Bible
 Two recent Bible versions
 An exhaustive concordance
 A Bible dictionary
 A topical Bible
 A Bible handbook
 A one-or-two-volume commentary
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
THE TOOLS THEMSELVES

A MORE ADVANCED LIBRARY

As you become proficient in your personal Bible study and feel
comfortable in using the tools in your basic library, you might want to
begin adding advanced tools to your collection. In addition to the above
seven tools, the following are recommended:
 Additional versions and paraphrases
 A Bible Encyclopedia
 A set of word studies
 Individual commentaries on Bible books
 A Bible Atlas
 Old and New Testament surveys
 Any additional books that interest you, perhaps some listed in the
bibliography