How to Study the Bible
In this article, I want to provide you with some practical tools for studying the Bible. It is likely that as a professing Christian you believe the Bible is true, and you’ve heard that you should study it, memorize it, know it, and love it. But how?
There are (at least) two important things to consider when seeking to deepen your ability to study the Bible. We need to understand basic principles for interpretation, and then understand the basic process for biblical study.
Let me walk you through both.
The Principles for Interpretation:
Like math has rules, grammar has rules, and engineering has rules if you want to get things right, interpretation of Scripture has rules too. If you follow these principles they’ll guide you to more reliable conclusions and consistently biblical positions on essential doctrines.
1: Literal
This means reading the Bible in its most natural sense. To do this you need to determine the genre. Is this narrative like the Gospels? Poetry like the Psalms? An epistle like Ephesians? The literal approach also takes into consideration symbols, numbers, imagery, and metaphors. With this principle, you are more likely to take sensational things as they appear. For example, 6 days in creation were 6 literal days, the flood was a literal flood, fire from heaven was literal fire from heaven, and Jesus' return is a literal return! Now there may be some slight differences in how we approach the Book of Revelation (I’m a more literal guy), but all in all, we’re not going to be butchering the text as often as is done. We’re going to have literal, logical, biblically based conclusions.
2: Historical
The Bible is from a time past, though it is timeless. To get the most accurate interpretation, you need to bridge the historical gap and get into the context of the author, the audience, and what it meant to them first! Nate Pickowicz writes, “If we are to understand the context of what is written in the Bible, we have to understand the words, phrases, and ideas as they would have been understood by their original hearers.” (1)
3: Grammatical
Like in English, the languages that the Bible was written in, mainly Greek and Hebrew, have rules of grammar that must be honored if you’re going to get the interpretation right. In Greek, for example, there is something called “mood.” One of the “moods” grammatically speaking is the imperative mood which is communicating a verb commanding action. If I see that in the text, it impacts how I preach it, and live it. One might say, “Oh look, Paul is just offering some suggestions or information.” Another will say, “Wow, Paul is commanding something I must obey!” Verbs, nouns, adjectives, and participles (and more!) all matter. Like English, consider the grammatical structure of words and sentences.
The Process for Diligent Study:
There are some simple steps you can take to ensure deeper, more accurate, and downright refreshing Bible study. But be warned, you’ll need a bigger budget for journals if you use one! Prepare to go deeper with this process in your tool belt. It’s the acronym O.I.C.A. and is a commonly used approach to getting more out of your Bible study. It stands for observation, interpretation, correlation, and application.
1: Observation
Read the passage being studied several times to get a good feel for the details. Act as though you are reading this passage for the first time and observe all the facts. Ask questions of the passage:
Who is involved?
What are they doing?
Where are they? Where are they going?
When did this happen, what happened before, and afterward?
Why is this happening, what happened to lead up to this event?
Had this been foretold?
When you take time to observe the text and context you’re going to get a feel for the original meaning of the text. This prepares you to dig deeper into the interpretation of the text.
2: Interpretation
Regard the passage as though you are a detective, studying the passage for any clues that can help to answer the following questions:
What does this passage mean, what is being said? Attempt to discover the actual meaning of the passage.
What was the author trying to say to his original readers, how would the original readers have understood this passage?
What is the author trying to say to me? Keep in mind that there is often significant distance (historical, political, societal, cultural, geographical, covenantal, and positional to name just a few) between the original readers and us.
Why is this here, what is the theological significance of the text?
Keep in mind that: When the plain sense of the Bible makes common sense, seek no other sense, you might find nonsense. The Bible was written for normal people to understand, not merely the super intelligent or those who (according to some cults) claim an additional knowledge not generally given to all. Don't look for hidden meanings unless you have good reason to think there is further meaning that is not obvious or indicated by the surrounding context. This means that we are not to modify the plain sense of the Bible when it contradicts our treasured beliefs but must instead modify even our treasured beliefs when the teaching of the Bible is against them.
Remember also to ask questions, Christianity is not a faith for the intellectually challenged and our God is not a God who acts in a manner that is beyond our ability to understand, though He often acts in ways that are beyond our capacity to understand. We can ask questions of all that we read in the Bible and expect reasonable answers that we are able to understand and that are consistent with teachings elsewhere in the Bible.
General Principles of Interpretation:
1 - Interpret the Bible by the Bible, referring to parallel passages, noting both differences and similarities.
2 - Research the words recalling that even in English the meanings of various words will change over time. Remember, too, that different words may be used to convey similar concepts, such as our use of acquaintance, friend, intimate friend, girlfriend & boyfriend, fiancée, wife & husband, or parent & child to define various aspects of the love relationship between humans.
3 - Evaluate the use of grammar, why were the words put together as they have been? Would another idea have been conveyed if the grammar had been different?
4 - Carefully consider the context of the verse, passage, paragraph, chapter, and book. Context is either near (in the same body of text) or remote (in a removed portion of text).
5 - Discover what the author's intent was in writing what you are reading. For example: Paul's letters generally convey the occasion of each letter, as do some of the gospels, for other writing you may have to do some research.
6 - Study the background of the book of which your study passage is a part by use of Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, etc.
7 - Consider the author's themes in other writings. For example: Does Revelation have anything to offer to our study of the Gospel of John?
8 - Evaluate how you would understand the writer if they were communicating directly with you. What would you most immediately understand his meaning?
3: Correlation
Correlation can actually be part of interpretation and is frequently done simultaneously. When you correlate, you are bringing up sections from other parts of the chapter, book, or entire Bible that help you to understand the section you are studying and are operating on the principle that: The Bible is its own best interpreter.
Is this mentioned elsewhere in Scripture?
Did Jesus, the prophets, or key figures speak of this also?
What does another author say about this doctrinal theme?
Can other passages help me summarize this truth?
Do other passages provide further context or details?
When you see pastors create charts and lists or use cross-references, they are using correlation to make the point that the Bible is making across the board.
4: Application
Application is how we take information and move to transformation. This is where the text alters the way we live our everyday lives. Do not rush into application until you are sure what the passage says and means, and then adjust your life accordingly. Take steps also to measure your application, evaluate your progress, and make the necessary changes in your application. If you are unable to apply the passage, try asking yourself these questions:
Is there a command for me to obey?
Is there a good example for me to follow?
Is there a sin here for me to avoid?
Is there something here I want to thank God for?
Is there a promise I can call my own?
Is there a blessing I can enjoy?
Is there a failure from which I can learn?
Is there a victory for me to win?
Is there a new thought about God, the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Satan, man?
Don’t just study to learn, study to learn and learn to live! Even a tough text can be applied!
References:
Nate Pickowicz, How to Eat Your Bible: A Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the Word of God, ed. Kevin P. Emmert (Chicago, IL; Los Angeles: Moody Publishers; The Master’s Seminary Press, 2021), 87–88.
