How to Study the Bible
The Bible is the number one best selling book of all time. 6-7 Billion copies
100 million bible printed each year
66 books written by over 40 authors over 1000 years – yet a unified message
Psalm 119:162 (NKJV)
“I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.”
WHY DO YOU WANT TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
Are you coming to grow your heart in love for God, or coming to grow your mind to be smarter?
We read novels to be drawn into the story.
We read non-fiction books to learn about a topic.
We read biographies to learn about famous people.
We read auto-biographies to hear famous people tell their own story and hear in their own words.
We read the Bible to know the author and understand Him, but also to better understand ourselves.
We read a love letter to know better the one who loves us.
1 Corinthians 8:1–3 (ESV)
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
DON’T COME IN EVALUATION MODE.
COME AS A DATE WITH THE LOVER OF YOUR SOUL, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU.
COME EXPECTANT.
WHAT TO STUDY?
The Bible!
Not your Study Bible, not Watchtower literature (average Jehovah’s witness reads 10 pages of watchtower literature/propaganda daily but only a few pages of the bible each week.
Not: a devotional, a commentary, a YouTuber, AI assistants
NO LUCKYDIPPING
Ezekiel 4:12 (ESV)
12 And you shall eat it as a barley cake, baking it in their sight on human dung.”
Going THROUGH the Bible – daily diet
What happens if you eat dessert all the time?
Many people often just read their favorite passages or study their favorite topics.
Love cults and apologetics – outsmarting
Red letters? – words of Jesus
Psalms and proverbs?
2 Timothy 3:14–17 (ESV)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
WHEN TO STUDY?
Deuteronomy 6:4–9 (ESV)
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Phylacteries
ALL THE TIME!
Principle of Manna – gather in the desert – DAILY!
Go get the Word daily; your daily “bread”
Where and when is your daily place?
HOW TO STUDY
Joshua 1:8 (ESV)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 1:1–2 (ESV)
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Inductive method
Observation
Interpretation
Application
Observation:
Read the passage carefully and ask "What does the text say?" Note key words, main themes, and repeated elements.
Interpretation:
Ask "What does the text mean?" Consider the historical and literary context to understand the message.
Application:
Ask "How do I live out the message?" Connect the interpretation to your life and determine how to apply the teachings.
OBSERVATION
Read the passage carefully and ask "What does the text say?" Note key words, main themes, and repeated elements.
Who wrote it?
To whom is it written?
When was it written? What’s it about?
What does it say about God?
What does it say about me?
SPECK
Is there a Sin to be avoided?
Is there a Promise to be claimed?
Is there an Example to follow?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there something to Know about God?
Philippians 4:10–20 (ESV)
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
OBSERVATION
Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
2. INTERPRETATION –
Hermeneutics - The study and methodology of interpretation, particularly of texts; originating from the Greek word “hermeneuein,” meaning “to interpret.”
Ask "What does the text mean?" Consider the historical and literary context to understand the message.
Strangest interpretations
Exodus 34:26 (ESV)
26 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
Ecclesiastes 10:2
“A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left” (
GODISNOWHERE
GOD IS NOW HERE GOD IS NOWHERE
2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
CONTEXT! CONTEXT! CONTEXT!
Psalm 14:1b (ESV)
“There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1b (ESV)
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good.
Philippians 4:10-15
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
2 Peter 1:20–21 (ESV)
20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV)
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Observation:
Read the passage carefully and ask "What does the text say?" Note key words, main themes, and repeated elements.
Interpretation:
Ask "What does the text mean?" Consider the historical and literary context to understand the message.
Application:
Ask "How do I live out the message?" Connect the interpretation to your life and determine how to apply the teachings.
APPLICATION –
What Bible truth applies to my life? What do I learn about God and my situation?
SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)
TOOLS
A BIBLE – several actually
BIBLE TRANSLATION CHART
The best commentary on the Bible is another translation of the Bible
A BIBLE – (NKJV, ESV, CSB, NLT)
A Notebook
Notebook – or way to record your observations, insights.
IT’S OK TO WRITE IN YOUR BIBLE! UNDERLINE! ASK QUESTIONS!
A Prayer closet
Concordance – a listing of every word in the Bible with the verses that use it
Logos Bible Software -
Study Bible – good place to start (Life Application Study Bible – better, has questions to think about)
Commentaries – verse by verse explanation or deep dive into the scriptures
Bible Handbook – more general overview of books, people and events, timelines,
Bible Dictionary – dictionary defining terms/people/places in the Bible
Topical Bible – topics in the Bible with verse references to study further
The Bible Project – videos
Gotquestions.org
Pastors and Bible Teachers
WORST PLACES TO GO FOR BIBLE ANSWERS
GOOGLE
YouTube
APPLICATION –
Most Christians are educated far beyond their level of obedience.
How do we apply the Bible??
What can you do to best be prepared for Wednesday night?
4 soils – 4 heart attitudes
Matthew 13:1–23 (ESV)
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Jeremiah 29:11–14a (ESV)
11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord…”
Chew on God’s Word – meditate on
Be a Berean –
Acts 17:11 (ESV)
11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.