Do you have questions about Bible study? How to do it? What questions should I ask? Are there other resources out there to help simplify my personal Bible study? Why is it good to join a Bible study with other believers?
Questions about Bible Study
In Episode 12, I sat down with Alonda Tanner. We talked about Bible study and her ministry, “Let’s Talk Bible Study.” As I began to research more about Bible study questions to prepare for this episode, I found a post that Alonda wrote!
She talks about inductive Bible study, which we will get to in a minute. If you are new to doing personal Bible study, she has three questions that you can start with. And then she has a list of 10 questions that you do for an in-depth study. Here is how you can get those ten questions and put a copy of them in your Bible. The first five questions talk about the author and the audience. If you are studying a book of the Bible for several days, weeks, or months, these questions will be asked once for a book, and then you can focus on the other five questions as you continue the study.
What is an Inductive Bible Study?
An inductive study is a way to study the Bible so you get a better understanding of the text and apply it to your life. Many people read the Bible and apply it incorrectly because they have not taken the time to read it inductively. I have led inductive Bible studies for about seventeen years. Most of this style of studying the Bible, I have learned from Precept Ministries International.
There are different tools to use, and some of them are being used in Alonda’s list of questions above. She has wrapped them all nicely in a checklist of things to ask so I encourage you to check that out. I will talk about three tools that I use consistently. If you’d like to get the full list of tools from Precept Ministries, I encourage you to check out their website at Precept dot org.
Three Focus Areas in Inductive Studies
Here are the three focus areas:
- Observation
- Interpretation
- Application
Observation
Observation is taking in all the information you can about the passage to get the facts before you move on to interpretation. This is about what we ‘see’ in the verse or passage. One tool in observing is asking questions like you were a journalist or news reporter- it is the 5 W’s and an H – who, what, where, when, why, and how. Thanks
Here is a passage that I will use as an example of this.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15-17 ESV
John is the writer of 1 John as he was the only living apostle at the time. Most scholars believe this was written between 90 and 95 AD while he was in Ephesus.
| Questions | Answers |
| Who? Who is John addressing? Who will live forever? | John is addressing this to all the believers. anyone, all, whoever The one who does the will of God |
| Where? Where are these people that John is writing this for? | This is a general epistle that John wrote for all the believers. It was not written for a specific church and city. |
| When? When should the believers not do these things? | This is a command so it is meant to be done all the time. Do not love |
| What? What should the believers not do? | Anyone who loves the world, the Father is not in him. These lusts and pride are not from the Father but is from the world. The world and its lusts are passing away. |
| Why? Why should the believers not do these things? | Anyone who loves the world, the Father is not in him. These lusts and pride are not from the Father but are from the world. The world and its lusts are passing away. |
| How? How does a believer not do these things? | Do the will of God. From the why question we know that we need to love the Father instead of the world. And we know that we need to keep our eyes, mind, and lives from the lusts of flesh, eyes, and pride. |
Making Lists: Another Bible study tool
Another tool in this method is making lists. This helps describe something or define how to do something. You know that I love making lists so this is a favorite one of mine to do!
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
1 Peter 3:13-17 ESV
In this passage, Peter is talking about suffering for doing good. What are we to do if we are harmed for doing good, and people are asking us questions? List our responsibilities in this situation.
- Have no fear
- Don’t be troubled
- Honor Christ as Lord in your heart
- Always be prepared with a defense if anyone asks you about the hope that you have in Jesus within you
- With your defense of Christ, do it with gentleness, respect, and a good conscience.
This list of responsibilities enables us to be prepared for when the suffering happens. When we respond to others with good behavior, they are put to shame. Because we are doing the right things or righteous acts, we will be blessed.
Contrasts and Comparisons
The last tool that I like using in observation is contrasts and comparisons. You will find these comparisons all throughout scripture as they create word pictures for us to help us understand the passage better.
This is used a lot in the Old Testament in wisdom literature, particularly in Psalms and Proverbs, using “like” and “as” in a sentence.
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
Psalm 42:1 ESV
We see the picture of a deer desiring to have a flowing stream to have their thirst quenched. It reminds the Psalmist of how much his soul needs quenching by God. A great word picture that helps us get that in our head and then how we’d want to be quenched by God’s word by those enticing streams.
A New Testament Example
Paul is talking to the Corinthians about us being jars of clay who have the power of God within us. In this passage, he compares and contrasts what happens to us with how the Spirit helps us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 ESV
| What Happens to Us | How God’s Power Helps Us |
| afflicted in every way | not crushed |
| perplexed | not driven to despair |
| persecuted | not forsaken |
| struck down | not destroyed |
| carrying the death of Jesus – our fleshly sin | carrying the life of Jesus – His Spirit manifested in us |
Interpretation
This is where your observation of what you see in the verse and passage transitions to what it means or interpretation.
Tools used in this focus area are context, cross-references to other verses in the Bible, and commentaries if needed. Then you will summarize what the passage means based on what you found with these tools and what you learned in the Observation focus area.
Context
One of the most important things about Bible study to know is to look at the context or the Bible verses around the verse or passage it is in. It is important to look at the time period it was written (when), the audience (who), and the theme (what). When we interpret the passage, we don’t want to take it out of context or infer our own meaning from it.
Cross-references – Other Bible verses
Looking up other Bible verses is helpful for understanding the passage. And scripture will interpret scripture for you! How cool is that? What is also nice is these cross-references will give you examples of what you’re studying.
I was studying the verse in James 5:16 about “the effective prayer of a righteous man has great power.” Each cross-reference to this verse was an example of righteous men praying throughout the Bible and how those prayers were answered. These Bible verses testify how God has answered the prayers of those who are righteous since the beginning of time.
Commentaries
From what I have been taught and have passed on to the ladies that I lead, I use commentaries as a last resort. If you have done the observation and interpretation tasks above and are stuck, then use a commentary to help clear up your confusion.
In the resource section, I list two Bible applications, Bible Gateway, and Blue Letter Bible, which have commentaries you can use. If you like details, then use David Guzik’s commentaries. He is my favorite!
Application
This focus area is where you will ask yourself how these verses apply to your life and can take steps to implement them in your life.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
God’s Word is used for instruction and encouragement. But there will be times when we need some correction and discipline to get us back on the right path.
Bible Word Study: Another Tool
Doing a Bible word study is another method of studying the Bible. While it can be done on its own, I often do Bible word studies when I am doing my inductive process to interpret the verses or passages. I have a Bible word study step-by-step process as well as a worksheet that you can use to record your findings.
The R.E.A.D. Bible Study Method
Want an easy way to do the inductive study method? I created a free tool that you can find in the resource library. I have worksheets available for download, along with the set of instructions and an example.
Joining Other Christians to Study the Bible
Why is it important to study the Bible with other Christians? Because we are commanded to do so, and we can learn from others. This is why I love being in Bible study with others on a Sunday morning and with other ladies during the year.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV
When we meet with other Christians, they will have insight into the Scripture that we have missed. And then we can learn from others about how God’s speaking to them through His word, what lessons they have learned throughout life, and how God has answered prayers for them.
Bible Study Resources
Here are my favorite online Bible applications that I use: Biblegateway.com, BlueLetterBible.org, and Youversion.com. Each of these software applications has an app you can download to your phone. I use the YouVersion and Blue Letter Bible apps on my phone.
The BlueLetterBible and a Key Word Bible are great for doing a word Bible study, as well as a Vine’s Dictionary. While I don’t use Vine’s dictionary often, there is a Vine’s dictionary app for your phone. But it is only the New Testament.
I find that I am able to study the words sufficiently with a Key Word Study Bible. In this type of Bible, it will have the keywords marked with the Strong’s concordance number for both Hebrew and Greek. In the back of the Bible, you can look up each of these numbers to know the definition of these words, their usages, where they are found in the Bible, and even the pronunciation of the word from the original language. I like this Bible best because it combines four tools: God’s Word, the Strong’s Concordance, the Vine’s dictionary, and some study notes (the author’s commentary).
Links to Resources
Bible – Key Word Study Bible
Or separately: ESV Study Bible, Vine’s Dictionary, Strong’s Concordance
Word Bible Study: Process, Worksheet
Let’s Talk Bible Study: 10 Bible Study Questions for Your Bible
R.E.A.D Bible study method: Resource Library
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