Bible study
What is Bible Study?
What does it mean to study anything?
Bible Study is not only reading the Bible. It absolutely begins with reading, but it entails so much more. When you were a kid, did your school teachers ever really let you read a book without making sure you understood what you were reading? I certainly hope not! I hope that they taught you to use good reading comprehension skills that would help you to enjoy the books that you read. Similarly, there are Biblical reading comprehension skills that, unfortunately, many of us have never been taught. Instead, we’ve been given the Cliff-notes version and told that, “It works just as well…” While shortcuts may have worked to pass the test in school, the stakes are much higher when it comes to God’s test.
God’s test involves a relationship. Guys - think for just a moment about that special lady in your life, (or in some cases the one you want to be in your life at some future point). Once you notice her, what is your #1 goal? I hope your answer is, “to get to know her. What are her likes / dislikes? What makes her tick?” Your relationship with God should be no different. Your #1 goal should be to get to know Him better. How do you do that? The same way you get to know that special lady. You observe, you ask questions, you spend time with Him.
God talks to us through His Word, the Bible. He used more than 40 men over a period of 1500 years to tell us about Himself and His plan for this world. Is it too much to ask that we spend time finding out what He had to say? Is it too much to ask that we take the time to make sure we understand what we read?
Bible Study
Rule #1: ALL MEANING comes from CONTEXT.
Rule #2: ALL MEANING comes from CONTEXT.
Rule #3: ALL MEANING comes from CONTEXT.
Consider the word “run.” What does it mean? Webster’s lists 16 different verbial definitions of the word alone. The top 3 meanings: 1) to move faster than a walk, 2) to enter into an election contest, 3) to keep company; consort. What about nouns? Ladies - ever had a run in your hosiery? Anyone had a run of bad luck?
Another example: “trunk” - 1) the main part of a tree, 2) your torso, 3) a big piece of luggage, 4) an elephant’s nose, 5) car storage. Which one is it? You can’t possibly know unless you look at the words surrounding it.
Now, let’s look at a specific Biblical example. What do you think of when you hear the word, “heaven?” Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God…” Does that mean there is more than one heaven? Grammatically, it’s plural. But let’s look at the rest of the verse. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” So what is “the heavens” actually referring to in this instance? The universe—every natural thing we see. The context of the words surrounding the term gives the term its meaning.
There are many words in the Bible that can be misunderstood when interpreted alone. One such word is “repent.” What do you think of when you hear the word?
Most people would say, “being sorry for the bad things you do.” What if I told you the Biblical definition of the word meant, “a change of mind/thought”? “I was doing things my way, now I’m doing them God’s way.”
Another word is “death.“ The first thing most of us think about is physical death. But in many places, the Bible actually references spiritual death - meaning separation from God in a place the Bible calls Hell.
What about “faith?” Acts 14:22 and Matthew 6:30 both contain the word. But the two verses refer to two entirely different concepts. Acts 14:22 refers to “the faith” - trusting in the work that Jesus did on the cross to save us from our sins. In Matthew 6:30, Jesus is speaking. He hasn’t died, been buried or risen yet. He’s asking his disciples where there faith is—the same faith you would put in a chair when you sit in it without checking all of the moving parts first.
Verses
So what am I supposed to study? We all know the story of the man who used the “drop & flop” method. He dropped his Bible open, flopped his finger on a verse and read, “Judas bought a potter’s field and hung himself.” The man dropped his Bible open again, flopped his finger on a verse and read, “Go ye therefore and do likewise.” This is NOT Bible Study! 2 Timothy 2:15 says, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
God gave us the Bible in an orderly manner. We should study it the same way. Reading a verse or two from a different book of the Bible every day is not effective. It opens the door to taking Scripture out of context. You can make Scripture say anything you want it to say if you treat it in such a manner.
Nor is reading a verse or two a day enough to sustain a real relationship with Christ.
If you are married, and you only talk to your spouse for five minutes a day, that’s not a real relationship. That’s barely more than an acquaintance. You need more time with your Savior to learn about Him.
John 1:1 says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse 14 continues, The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. It’s talking about Jesus. Jesus is the Word who was with God and was God who came to earth with flesh just like ours. The Bible is the Word of God, therefore the Bible is Jesus in written form! Cover to cover, it’s all about Him! If you want to know Jesus, you have to read and understand the Bible. There’s no other way to do it. There’s a reason Hebrews 4:12 says, the Word of God is alive and active. Jesus rose from the dead; He’s alive!
Throughout this document you see a diagram. This is the method we use to study Scripture. It’s not the only method, but it’s the one we have found to be most effective. Keep in mind that no matter what you are reading, (a magazine, a news story, a note from home), all meaning comes from context. You find context by looking at the content surrounding what you are reading. First you look at the verse, then the surrounding verses and the chapter the verse is found in. Usually by this point, you can begin to get an understanding of what is being said. But sometimes the meaning changes when you begin to look at the bigger picture, therefore you must consider the entire book of the Bible. Taking a look at the author and any other writings he may have composed can add perspective as can the setting. What was going on around the time the verse was written? Finally, looking at the verse in the context of the Bible as a whole is vital. If something sounds conflicting, then maybe you need to take a second look to find out if there is another perspective you should be considering.
Surrounding Verses
The best place to start practicing looking at surrounding verses is in the Gospels. Jesus told parables to his disciples. Parables can be defined as earthly stories with heavenly meanings. He many times told them when the Pharisees were around because He knew they were just waiting around trying to find a way to trap Him. Then when the Pharisees were gone, He would explain the meaning of the parable to His disciples. Matthew 13:1-23, the parable of the sower, is an excellent example.
Another example:
Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. If you do not keep reading, you miss entirely what that armor consists of and why you need it in the first place. You need it because you are fighting a spiritual battle that requires spiritual weapons. Verse 12 tells us that our struggle is not against people (flesh and blood) but with all kinds of spiritual evil.
To withstand this, take up the whole armor of God. What is that armor? His description resembles the armor of a Roman soldier: a belt, a breastplate (chest covering), footwear, a shield and a weapon. A belt tightens everything together to reduce gaps in armor and the truth of God’s word binds us to Him to keep out error. A breastplate protects the heart and keeps a soldier alive. The righteousness of Jesus protects us from the evil that would destroy us. Our footwear protects our feet but also gives us a good foundation to steady us. There is no foundation firmer than to have peace with God through the gospel of Jesus. “The shield of faith to extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one” - If your faith / trust is in the maker of the universe, who are you truly going to fear? “The helmet of salvation” - with what part of your body do you make your decision to trust Jesus? Your head - the same part with which you make the decision to trust or fear the enemy. Finally, “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” - this is our weapon just as it was Jesus’s weapon when Satan tempted him in the wilderness. It is also interesting to note what is NOT found in this passage. We are never told to physically fight; we are simply told to stand and pray.
Chapter
The first thing to know about Bible chapters, (as well as verses), is that they are man-made. They were not provided in the original text. But editors placed the text into chapters and verses to make it easier to reference. That said, they also made an effort to create chapters around topics. So in the majority of cases it’s an easy way to ensure you are reading in context.
The book of Psalms is actually a songbook. Each chapter is a song. Much of it is written by David. Other portions were commissioned by David but written by the choir director. Some Bibles will add headings to tell you when the Psalm was written allowing you to go find out the inspiration / background for the Psalm. We’ll talk more about this in a later lesson.
Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13, otherwise known as “The Love Chapter.” Verse 1 says, If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Now there are many people who will use this verse to concentrate on speaking in tongues. The problem is, those are only 11 words out of the 24 the verse contains.
The chapter continues, And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Then Paul launches into a long definition of what love is and is not. The point Paul is trying to make is that people are not going to listen to you if they do not think you care about them. In modern day language, you can be a super-hero, but “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When you read the entire chapter, you get a better idea of what Paul is actually saying in verse 1.
Book of the bible
“You mean to tell me that I have to read the entire book of the Bible to understand a single verse?” Hopefully at some point, yes, you will read all of it. Nobody said it had to be in one sitting. That’s what pencil and paper (or digital notes) are for. Write down questions and observations to see if they are covered elsewhere in the book.
The book of Romans is full of terminology. As learned as Paul was, modern English teachers cringe when they look at some of his writings. Trying to orally read a single sentence sometimes requires many pauses to breathe because his sentences are so long. In many cases, Paul will use a word in one chapter and define it in another.
In the historical books of the Old Testament, sometimes you will have to backtrack in a book to remember why the current situation is going on. Or you may find out later in the book why the current events you are reading become important. A great example of this is in Genesis. Abram convinces Sarai to tell everyone she is his sister instead of his wife. Now in reality, this was a half-truth. She was his half-sister, but her position as his wife should have trumped that of his sister. It becomes a problem when the king tries to marry her and realizes what he has done. Six chapters later, his son Isaac does the same thing to his wife even though she is actually his cousin.
Author
God used more than 40 men to write the Bible. While they were writing God’s words, He allowed them to write in their own form. There was no MLA or APA format they were required to use. Their personalities and experiences came out in their writings. Most of the Old Testament authors were prophets, judges, or kings. New Testament author occupations ranged from fishermen to doctors to Old Testament scholars.
Walk into your favorite steak place. Casually listen to the tones of different conversations going on in the waiting area. Parents will be herding kids. Businessmen talking professionally as they conduct informal meetings. Couples trying to impress one another. It’s the end of the day, so the blue collar guys are probably letting it all hang out with slang and such.
Biblical authors were no different. They spoke and wrote in whatever way they were accustomed to doing on a daily basis. Doctor Luke focused on miracles because he was all about science. “Jesus did what? That’s not possible! I’ve got to find out more.
Theophilus, you’re not going to believe this!” But yet, he was a professional, so there was a decorum that had to be followed. Moses was a simple guy. He told things the way he saw them. He came back from seeing God to find his brother making an idol for Israel to worship instead of God. “What are you doing?” he <asks>. Aaron responds, “You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” (Exodus 32:22-24). I can just see Moses tapping his fingers on the nearest object thinking, “Yeah. Uh huh. The calf just walked right out of its own accord. You had nothing to do with it. Uh huh.” Peter was a fisherman. Peter was a hot-head. And it shows in his writings. Check out 1 Peter 4:17-18. He doesn’t mince words.
Sometimes you have to look at all of an author’s writings to find out how he uses his words. If an author uses a word six times, and five of those times are used for a specific definition, then it follows that he’s probably using the same definition on the sixth time if he doesn’t tell you otherwise. But, what if another author uses the same word in a different context? Does it have to mean the same thing? Absolutely not, assuming there is more than one definition for the word. “Suffering” to Luke was usually regarding a medical issue he observed. “Suffering” to Paul could refer to anything from prison to a shipwreck.
Setting
What if the movie Tombstone had been set in in Siberia? Can you imagine The Princess Bride being set in modern-day Tokyo?
Setting makes a big difference to how you look at what you are reading. That doesn’t change just because you are reading the Bible. It was written over a period of 1500 years. There were a lot of world changes in that amount of time.
Abram left what we now know as the most advanced civilization in the world at the time to become a nomad looking for the land God said he was going to give him. How does that change your opinion of Abram’s faith in God?
Daniel was taken from his Hebrew heritage as a young man and lived through captivity under both the Babylonian and the Persian empires. What would that do to your devotion to God when faced with a den of hungry lions?
There were over 400 years between Malachi and Matthew when God didn’t speak to anybody.
The Jews were constantly fighting to keep their homeland. By the time Jesus was born, Rome was in control. Jewish leaders were looking for a political savior instead of the promised Messiah who would save the people from their sins. So they didn’t recognize Jesus for who He was.
The beginning of the Church was not easy. Because the Jewish leaders didn’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God, they thought anyone who was following Him was leaving God. So they kicked them out of the synagogue. But the synagogue was where anything of importance happened. If you wanted to do business, you needed the support of the Jewish leadership. If you happened to find a way to support yourself otherwise, then you were in danger of finding yourself pelted with rocks (i.e. Stephen). Then you had guys like Nero that used them as his personal scapegoat. It gives new meaning to persecution.
How would the people in the location at the time of the writing have understood what you are reading 2000+ years later? That’s the understanding you are looking for. Only then can you look for principles to help you live by today.
The entire Bible
How does what I am reading now compare to the remainder of Scripture? If I find one verse that appears to tell me something I have to do to get to Heaven, but it’s the only place I can find it, what am I supposed to think?
This is where everything that you have learned thus far becomes crucial. The Bible is written in harmony. There are no errors. It was written by 40 men over a period of 1500 years, but it all points to the same person: Jesus. If you’re finding something in the Bible that seems to conflict, then you must go back and look at the full context to find out where the problem is occurring.
The Old Testament tells about the creation of the world and how mankind fell from perfection simply by not believing what God said. Then it outlines God’s plan for redeeming man from his imperfection by sending His son to take our punishment and how His chosen people, the Israelites fought tooth and nail to do things their own way.
Reach back in the corners of your school days and remember the literary term, “foreshadowing.” God used many circumstances in the Old Testament to show His people what was to come. For instance, in Numbers, the people were dying from poisonous snake bites.
God told Moses to make a bronze serpent on a pole and raise it in the sky. Anyone who looked to it would not die from the snake bites. It was a foreshadowing of how we look to Christ’s death on the cross to save us from our sins.
The Gospels tell us about Jesus’s birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension from the viewpoint of four different men. Matthew focuses as Jesus as king. Mark focuses on Jesus’s humanity. Luke covers Jesus’s miracles. John points to Jesus’s deity.
Acts outlines the beginnings of the Church, and the rest of the New Testament tells us how we are supposed to live because Jesus came to earth while we wait for His return.