Basic Bible Study Methods1 I.

II.

PREPARATION IN PRAYER OBSERVATION – What does the text say? A. Read the passage B. Know what to look for C. Ask the right questions – Who, What, When, Where, Why, Wherefore?

III.

INTERPRETATION – What does the text mean to them? A. Historical-Cultural analysis 1. Author? Recipient? 2. Historical circumstances? Cultural influences? 3. Descriptive or prescriptive? B. Literary analysis 1. Determine the genre 2. Pay attention to figures of speech C. Contextual analysis 1. How does this passage fit into the overall flow of the book? 2. What situations or problems are addressed? D. Lexical-Syntactical analysis 1. Use a dictionary to find the general meaning of a word. 2. How is the word used in the immediate context? In the rest of the Bible? 3. Grammar: Is the word plural or singular? What is the part of speech (verb, noun, etc.)? 4. Syntax: How do the words and sentences relate to one another?

IV.

MEDITATION – What does the text mean to me? A. Focus on the timeless truth B. Pray through the passage C. Memorize effectively

V.

APPLICATION – How will this change my life? A. Put on the SPECS B. Take action

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One page outline

Equipping For Life: Basic Bible Study Methods2 Spring 2014 I. INTRODUCTION A. The Lordship of God (Ps 33:10-11; Isa 46:9-10)

B. The Inspiration of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21)

C. The Clarity of Scripture Scripture is always sufficiently clear to make us aware of our present responsibility to God. Its unclarities will never lead us into sin (Ps 119:105; Rom 3:20)

D. The Myth of Neutral Bible Study Methods (Rom 8:7-9; John 3:5-6)

E. The Necessity of Right Bible Study Methods 1. Because it is the means of salvation (Rom 10:14-17)

2. Because we will be judged if we teach false doctrine (Jas 3:1)

3. Because the church grows by feeding on healthy doctrine (Acts 20:32)

4. Because we must defend the truth and expose error (2 Tim 2:15-16; Tit 1:9; 2:1)

F. The Pitfalls of Wrong Bible Study Methods 1. Unregeneration (1 Cor 2:14)

2. Sinful blindness (Rom 6:12)

3. Laziness (Ps 1:2; Ezra 7:10)

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Also known as Hermeneutics (Herman who?) – The study of the principles of interpretation concerning books of the Bible

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II. FIVE BASIC STEPS (POIMA)3 A. STEP 1: PREPARATION IN PRAYER “Since the Holy Writ wants to be dealt with in fear and humility and penetrated more by studying with pious prayer than with keenness of intellect, therefore it is impossible for those who rely only on their intellect and rush into Scripture with dirty feet, like pigs, as though Scripture were merely a sort of human knowledge not to harm themselves and others whom they instruct.”4 1. You must remember biblical injunctions a. Principle of affliction (Ps 119:67, 71, 75; 1 Thess 1:6)

b. Principle of reconciliation (Matt 5:21-26; Matt 18:21-35; Mark 11:24-25)

c. Principle of putting off sin and putting on Christ (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 4:20-24; Jas 1:21a; 1 Pet 2:1-2; 1 John 1:5-10)

2. You must come open to the Word of God a. With an honest and good heart (Luke 8:4-21; esp. vv. 15, 21) b. With a hunger to receive God’s Word (Jas 1:21b; 1 Pet 2:2) c. With a love for God’s Word (Pss 19:7-10; 119:12, 18, 24-27, 33-34, 36-38, etc.)

d. With a dependence on the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:14) 3. You must devote yourself to prayer (Rom 12:12)5 Express your need to God. “You will be more ready to apply God’s Word to your life if you are sensitive to the areas that desperately need application. And as you pray, God will bring other needs to mind. If you stop to take a simple spiritual diagnostic before opening the pages of Scripture, you will be more likely to find help. Before you read, ask: 3

This material has been adapted from Fundamentals of the Faith (Grace Community Church), Living by the Book (Howard Hendricks, 1991) and other hermeneutical books and notes. Dave Veerman lays out another helpful Bible study process called the “Pyramid Method” in his book, How to Apply the Bible (pp. 37-61). 4

Ewald M. Plass, compiler, What Luther Says: An Anthology, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959): 1:77.

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Veerman, How to Apply the Bible, 28-29.

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a. What conflicts am I facing at home, work, school or church?

b. What resources do I lack (i.e., time, energy, money, relationships)? c. What personal shortcomings am I struggling to overcome?”

 warning:

Fulfilling this spiritual preparation does not automatically mean all of an individual’s interpretations of the Bible are correct. These are prerequisites, not guarantees.

B. STEP 2: OBSERVATION (What does the text say?) Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Ps 119:18). The results of “Observation” will provide the basic building blocks from which one constructs the meaning of a passage. It provides the raw data that will be analyzed during the “Interpretation” stage. Without observation, you will fail at Bible study!

1. Learn to Read—Read—Read!!!6 a. Thoughtfully – Apply the same mental discipline that you would to any subject in which you take a vital interest b. Repeatedly – Whole books, different translations, audio, out loud, with a schedule c. Patiently – Let the Word seep into your life; stick with one book for a whole month d. Selectively – Observe the passage from a different perspective each time e. Prayerfully – Prayer is the key to understanding Scripture f. Imaginatively – Put yourself in the story g. Meditatively – Reflect on what you learn h. Purposefully – Discover the divine purpose for every passage i. Acquisitively – Read not only to receive it, but to retain it j. Telescopically – View the details in relation to the big picture 6

Hendricks, 75-130.

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2. Look for the Right Things (Put on biblical glasses)7 a. Look for the stated purpose (John 20:30-31)

b. Look for the central idea/theme (e.g., wisdom in Proverbs) c. Look for the structure – Observe sections, units, paragraphs, sentences, etc. d. Look for the literary forms8

e. Look for things that are emphasized (“Blessed” in Ps 1) 

Found in words, phrases, clauses, sentences, people, themes, etc.



Notice the emphasis on Christ in 1 Cor 1:1-9 or unity in Eph 4:1-7

f. Look for things that are repeated  “These are the generations…” in Genesis (9x)  “His love endures forever” in Ps 136 (26x)  “Do not be anxious” in Matt 6:26-33 (3x)

g. Look for things that are related 

Related in theme (miracles of Jesus in Mark 4:35-5:43)



Related in order (listing of the disciples)



Related in terms and/or thoughts (agricultural terms in Gal 5:22-6:10)

h. Look for things that are alike9

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Hendricks, 141-92.

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Hendricks, 209-20; Zuck, Basic Biblical Interpretation, 123-42.

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Hendricks, 158-64.

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i. Look for things that are unlike

j. Look for things that are there—be accurate

k. Look for things that are not there (e.g., Observe the differences between Mark 3:20-35, Matt 12:46-50 and Luke 8:19-21; or Matt 7:11 and Luke 11:13). Note: These are just a few examples of things to look for when observing a passage. Take your time! Don’t give up too soon! 3. Ask the Right Questions10 a. Who? (Who is talking or being talked about?) b. What? (What is the subject being discussed? What comes before and after?) c. When? (When is the activity or discussion taking place?) d. Where? (Where is the activity or discussion taking place?) e. Why? (Why is the activity or discussion taking place?) f. Wherefore? (How do people respond? What happens in light of the above?)

C. STEP 3: INTERPRETATION

 warning:

(What does the text mean to them?)

When many people approach the Bible, they jump from observation to application, skipping the essential step of interpretation. Guard against first thinking, “What does the text mean to me?” Instead, ask, “What does the text mean to them (the original writer and his audience)?”

1. Historical-Cultural analysis Example: Prov 22:28 “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.”

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Hendricks, 91-96.

I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. - Rudyard Kipling, from The Elephant's Child

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Does this verse mean:  Do not make changes from the way we have always done things.  Do not steal.  Do not remove the guideposts that direct travelers from town to town.  None of the above.  All of the above. a. Know the human author of the book. Ask who was the writer? What was his spiritual background and experience?

b. Discern the level of spiritual commitment of the audience. Ask what was the level of spiritual commitment of the audience to whom he is writing? To whom was he writing: believers, unbelievers, apostates, etc?

c. Determine the general historical circumstances. Ask what is the general historical situation facing the writer and his audience?

d. Be aware of cultural circumstances and norms that give meaning to certain actions. Ask what knowledge of customs will clarify the meaning of these actions?



Various aspects of culture can include: political, religious, economic, legal, agricultural, architectural, clothing, domestic, geographical, military and social.

e. Practicing historical-cultural analysis Key Point: Determine if the passage is descriptive or prescriptive.  First, determine if the behavior in the biblical culture means something different in our culture. Example: Wearing head coverings (1 Cor 11) and greeting others with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16) have meanings today that differ from their initial significance in Bible times.  Second, if the behavior does mean something different in our culture, then determine the timeless truth expressed by that practice.  Third, determine how the timeless truth can be practiced today. Example: Paul wrote in 1 Tim 2:1-2 that we are to pray for kings, but what about believers who live in countries such as the United States that have no kings? 6

2. Literary analysis a. Determine the genre (i.e., poetry, prophecy, narrative)

b. Pay attention to figures of speech (John 6:35; 15:1; i.e., simile, hyperbole, irony)

c. Look for parallelism that occurs in the passage (Pss 14:2; 37:21) 3. Contextual analysis – * Context is King!!!!!!* a. What is the meaning of the paragraphs before and after?

b. How does this passage fit into the overall flow of the book? Of the Bible?

c. What situations or problems are addressed? What is the major outline of the book?

Hint: You must read the whole book! Read it straight through repeatedly.

4. Lexical-Syntactical analysis Example: Take the English word fast:  Run fast  Observe a fast  Anchor your boat fast a. Identify the grammatical form of a word: Plural or singular? Part of speech?:  Verb: “Action” word used to assert something about a person, place or thing.  Noun: A word used as the name of a person, place or thing.  Adjective: A word used to modify (describe, limit, or qualify) the meaning of a noun or pronoun.  Adverb: A word used to modify a verb, adjective or other adverb.  Preposition: A word used with a noun or pronoun to show its relation to some other word or words in the sentence.  Conjunction: A word used to connect words, phrases or clauses.

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b. The meaning of a word is determined by its general usage in that specific time and culture c. Find out if the author of the book himself defines the term (Heb 5:14, “perfect” or “mature”; 2 Tim 3:17, “adequate” or “perfect”)

d. Search for the same word in the same book (“perfect” in 1 Cor 13:10; 2:6; 14:20)

e. Search for the same word in different books by the same author (“mystery” in Eph and Col) f. Search for the same word in different books by different authors (“testing of your faith” in 1 Pet 1:7; Jam 1:3) g. Search the entire Bible for the same word or phrase (“image of God” in Gen 1:26; 1 Cor 11:7; 2 Cor 4:4)

h. Syntax is the study of how words and sentences relate to one another

5. Bible study tools Resource Bible Atlas Interlinear Text

Lexicon

Concordance

Definition

Recommended

Collection of maps showing location of places, towns, and topographical features mentioned in Scripture. Provides the Greek or Hebrew text with a word-forword translation positioned for comparison. Concise dictionary listing the specific nuances of each word used in the Greek or Hebrew and Aramaic portions of Scripture, providing a list of passages in support of each shade of meaning. Technical in nature. Resource listing all the occurrences of individual words used in Scripture.

Bible Handbook

Broader than a lexicon, a Bible dictionary explains the origin, meaning, and use of important words and terms used in Scripture. Provides helpful information on numerous subjects (historical, geographical, cultural) relating to the text.

Bible Encyclopedia

Like a dictionary, but more expansive in content. Provides a wealth of information on a variety of issues.

Books on Manners and Customs

Explain specific cultural manners and customs mentioned in Scripture, noting their significance and relevance to the text. Deals with issues like canonization and transmission of the Bible, as well as with content and background issues for specific books of the Bible (e.g., authorship).

Bible Dictionary

Bible Introduction

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Beitzel, The Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. Moody, 1985. Various available Vine, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Hendrickson. Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Word, 1994; Thomas, New American Exhaustive Concordance. Holman, 1981. Unger, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Moody, 1988; Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Baker, 1984. Alexander, Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible. Tenney, Zondervan Pictoral Encyclopedia of the Bible, 1975; Orr, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Eerdmans. Gower, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times. Moody, 1987. Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Moody, 1994; Guthrie, New Testament Introduction. InterVarsity, 1990.

Bible History Books

Study Bible

Commentaries

Bible Software

Describe the larger historical context in which biblical events occurred; Traces the history of certain biblical themes, personalities, etc. (e.g., history of Israel, Life of Christ, Life of Paul). Provides brief interpretative comments helpful for biblical passages. Present a scholar’s analysis on the text of a specific book of the Bible; include comments on the words, grammar, history, cultural customs, and geographical terms found in the text. There are devotional, expositional, and critical/exegetical commentaries. Used for both language study and library sources.

Wood, A Survey of Israel’s History. Zondervan, 1986; Bruce, New Testament History. Doubleday, 1971. ESV Study Bible; John MacArthur Study Bible Sets: Gaebelein, Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 12 vols. Zondervan, 1978; Tyndale Old & New Testament Commentaries, IVP; Walvoord, Bible Knowledge Commentary, 2 vols. Victor, 1983. Libronix & Bibleworks (advanced); www.bible.org; www.e-sword.net; www.biblegateway.com; www.bible.com/app

6. When interpreting, remember… a. All Scripture will agree. It will not contradict itself. b. Seek to let the passage speak for itself in its own context. Every text without a context is a pretext. c. There is only one correct interpretation of any particular passage of Scripture—the author’s originally intended meaning. Be careful not to draw conclusions that the author did not intend.

D. STEP 4: MEDITATION

(What does the text mean to me?)11

1. Meditate on the principles you have just learned from Scripture a. Why is biblical meditation so important (Josh 1:8; Ps 1:1-2; 19:7-14; 119:97)?

b. How is biblical meditation implemented?  Focus on the timeless truth in Scripture12  Pray through the passage meditated upon  Memorize “as you are going” – a continuous way of life (Deut 6:5-9)13 11

Remember that this step does not precede interpretation – What does the text mean to them?

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“That’s what makes biblical meditation altogether different from meditation as we know it in our society. Meditation as popularly taught by the Eastern philosophies tells you to empty your mind—the exact opposite of what the Scriptures say. Biblical meditation means filling your mind with the truth that God has revealed” (Hendricks, 111). 13

“There’s that day-and-night pattern again. That’s typical of meditation. It’s not an exercise that you can carry out for a few minutes and then check off your list. It’s a mental discipline that you carry throughout your day. It’s a mindset and a lifestyle in which the Word courses through your mind” (Hendricks, 111).

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E. STEP 5: APPLICATION

(How will this change my life?)

Remember the statement: There is only one interpretation, but many applications. Ultimately, “Application” is living out the facts—what you learn during “Observation” and “Interpretation.” Application is the practicing of biblical truth in everyday life. 1. Once you have heard the Word of God, what should be your response (Jas 1:22)? 2. A simple tool to help you apply what you have learned is to “put on the SPECS.”

Is there a…

S in to forsake? P romise to claim? E xample to follow? C ommand to obey? S tumbling block to avoid? 3. Application areas14 a. Relationships (e.g., Your aging father keeps making demands on your time) b. Conflicts (e.g., The kids seem to fight over everything) c. Personal burdens (e.g., You are fearful about a new position at work) d. Difficult situations (e.g., Your daughter was suspended for fighting in school) e. Character weaknesses (e.g., You find yourself lying to make yourself look better) f. Lack of resources (e.g., The cost of living is rising faster than your paycheck) g. Responsibilities (e.g., You teach a Sunday School class at church) h. Opportunities (e.g., A neighbor has been asking spiritual questions lately)

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Veerman, 122-24.

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4. Plan for change. Propose specific, realistic action steps to take.

F. STEP 6: Bible Study is a Repetitive Process 1. When studying a verse, these steps are used over and over. Observe, then interpret, meditate and apply. You may choose to do this for each word, phrase, or thought. 2. The more passes you make through the verse, the deeper its meaning is opened up.

III. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES A. Living by the Book (Moody, 1991), Howard Hendricks B. How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth (Zondervan, 2003), Gordon Fee C. How to Understand and Interpret the Bible (Kregel, 1987), John Phillips D. How to Interpret the Bible for Yourself (Christian Focus, 2001), Richard Mayhue E. How to Apply the Bible (Tyndale, 1993), Dave Veerman

IV. BIBLE STUDY EXERCISES (For practice at the end of each section) A. Observe – Make 50 observations about Acts 1:8. B. Interpret – What is the meaning of Acts 1:8 for Jesus’ disciples and the early church? C. Apply – How will what you have learned from Acts 1:8 change your life? D. Teach – Pass on what you have learned to someone else.

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Appendix 1: Prepositions & Conjunctions Identifying Prepositions A. Definition: Words that are used to form phrases which function as modifiers of verbs, nouns, or adjectives.

Common Prepositions

over for like across

at from of to

by in on with

Example: Sarah went to the store.  “to” is the preposition  “to the store” is the prepositional phrase

B. Different functions for the preposition: 1. Space: at the church; on the plane; in Rome 2. Time: at noon; in 1988; on Wednesday 3. Direction: to San Diego; toward the fence; down the hill 4. Agency: with a pencil; by the maid; with care 5. Accompaniment: with lettuce, without Peter 6. Source: from the well; out of the bottle; of the body 7. Purpose: for safety; for exercise 8. Comparison: as jelly; like a baby 9. Possession: of the son; of your faith

C. How does the prepositional phrase function within the sentence? 1. Adjectival: modifies a noun or pronoun Example: The man with the glasses squinted at the sign.  “with” is the preposition  “with the glasses” is the prepositional phrase  The prepositional phrase modifies “The man.” What man? The man with the glasses. 2. Adverbial: modifies a verb Example: The ball was hit into the outfield.  “into” is the preposition  “into the outfield” is the prepositional phrase  The prepositional phrase modifies “hit.” Where was the ball hit? It was hit into the outfield.

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3. Noun: the prepositional phrase is used as a noun, will most often appear as the object of another prepositional phrase. Example: We jumped from off the tower.  “from” is a preposition and its direct object (the prepositional phrase) is “off the tower.”  This phrase functions as a noun, in this case the direct object of the verb, “jumped.”

Identifying Conjunctions

A. Definition: A word that functions to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. Such as and, because, but, however.

B. What type of conjunction is it? (How does the conjunction function?) 1. Coordinating conjunction: This type of conjunction joints parts of sentences together which are grammatically equivalent to each other. This means the verbs, phrases, or clauses function the same on either side of the conjunction. The most common conjunctions are: and, but, or, nor, yet, and so. Example 1: He bought some notebooks and writing paper.  Notice that the sentence could be this: He bought some notebooks. He bought some writing paper.  The same part that is being used on both sides of the conjunction is “He bought some.” Example 2: We could go to the beach or to the park.  The sentence can be written as; We could go to the beach. We could go to the park.  The “or” connects “we could go” and function as given as option to where we could go. 2. Subordinating conjunction: Joins two clauses (one of them dependent) together. The following sentence usually the dependent clause is not the main clause. The dependent (subordinating clause) is then used several ways to help the main clause. a. Used with how clauses: as, as if, as though b. Used with when clauses: when, while, until, after, since, before, as c. Used with where clauses: where, wherever d. Used with why clauses: because, for, so, so that, in order that, that, lest e. Used with condition clauses: if, unless, except Example 1: The soldier spoke to his commander as if he was in charge. Example 2: While he worked on the roof, the wind was blowing hard. 3. Conjunctive adverb: These conjunctions serve two purposes. They are first used to connect the two sentences and the also serve to modify the verb as well, therefore conjunctive adverbs. Common ones are: therefore, however, moreover, consequently, accordingly, and besides. Example: They finished their work early. Consequently, the boys could go to the park. 13

Appendix 2: Methods of Analysis for English Readers Simple Block Diagramming 1. Use text without verse numbers 2. Underline the subject 3. Box the verbs and participles. At the end, you can go back and highlight the main verbs. 4. Blue = object (DO or IO) 5. Put phrases in parentheses (prepositional, participial) 6. Don’t separate out the “of” and “for” phrases 7. Red = connector (conjuction, apposition, relative pronoun, etc.) 8. Double space between sections 9. Indent to show subordination (or parallel ideas) 10. Equal signs show main idea for all subordinate phrases (causal, purpose, standard, location, extent, manner, means, time, etc.) 11. Footnote interpretative decisions 12. Alter word order if necessary, but keep the original ESV (make footnotes about translational differences, but do not change the text)

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The Bubbling Method  The goal of the Bubbling Method is to cause you to think about the sentences you read, and understand the relationships between the phrases and words, for the purpose of understanding what the passage says.  The Bubbling Method is useful to help see the main subject and verb, then the surrounding words (adjectives, adverbs, prepositions). In other words, the Bubbling Method helps us see the grammatical structure better.



Simple guidelines for bubbling: 1) Box the subject 2) Prepositions go under what it is modifying with a –ı_ line. The object of the preposition goes under the preposition 3) Place the verb to the right of the subject, and double-line the verbs a. The object of the verb goes under the verb b. Always keep helping verbs with the verb (he had been going, he was going, he will be killing) 4) When you come to a new statement or idea, start a new diagram. If ideas connect, use a dotted line to show the connection. 5) Always keep the article with the word. 6) Adjectives should go under what they modify. If possible, keep adjectival and adverbial phrases together. 7) Keep “purpose” phrases together (for the purpose of, in order that, for the sake of, so that) 8) Conjunctions are to be diagrammed with triangles.





Example: John is hiding under the bridge.



Example: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21)



Example: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6)



Example: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:2324) 15