How To Study The Bible

Basic Hermeneutical Principles

1. The Bible is the inspired and thus inerrant Word of God. (Bible Study is a spiritual transaction.)2. The Bible is an organic unity; the OT and NT form an indivisible whole.

3. The Bible is Christocentric and Theocentric.4. The Bible, through the use of responsible, Spirit-led exegesis, is understandable. (Language must be allowed to have its natural, normal, and literal sense unless the context demands otherwise.)5. There must be a willingness to heed and obey what is discovered and learned.

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How To Study The Bible

Bible Study Techniques

1. The Microscope

2. The Telescope

The Microscope

Look for details:

Who, What, Why, Where, When & Immediate Context

Exegesis - Out of the Text

1

The Telescope

Systematics - The Big Picture

Immediate context

Larger context

Biblical context

2

Panning Out:

How To Study The Bible

KJVNKJVESV

NASBNIV

Get several good translations:

How To Study The Bible

Dictionary Bible Dictionary

ConcordanceCommentary Set

NotebookComputer Program

Great tools to have:

1.Get ready a.try to be in a spiritual mindsetb.confess your sinsc.be humble, teachable, ready to obey

2. Ask questionsa. who was writingb. to whom were they writingc. when were they writingd. what was happening when this person wrotee. what else has the writer written?

3.Read passage (several times through)a.several translationsb.out loud and to selfc.have others read to you or listen on audio Bibled.get the big picture; ask yourself: “broadly, at least, do I understand the passage”

4.Be aware. (Look for:)a.key words (words that the passage hinges on)b.repeated wordsc.repeated phrasesd.parallelisms (especially in the Psalms and OT)e.contrastsf.take notes (don’t mark in your Bible yet; mark in a notebook or computer)

5.Draw preliminary conclusionsa.start piecing the picture togetherb.concentrate on what you do understand in the passagec.what are the principles derived from the specifics?

5.Confirm conclusionsa.do your conclusions fit with larger Biblical contextb.Spirit of Prophecyc.Bible Commentaries (always remember these are the words of man)d.others’ interpretation (friends, pastor, journals, etc.)

7.Applya.listen to the voice of the Spiritb.examine own life (not others!)c.is there a key verse you should memorize that will help you to apply lesson in life?d.make Spirit-led effort to apply principlese.prayf.share