How to Study the Bible

            Jesus in John 14:6 makes it perfectly clear what the path to salvation is when he tells His disciple Thomas “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father except through Me”.  But is there one path or one way to study the bible?  This path isn’t so clear.  There are many scriptures that talk about studying the Word of God to gain wisdom and to increase your ability to stand firm in your faith, there is no specific outline for reading or studying God’s word. 

            2 Timothy 2:15 says “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous.”  Psalms 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Paul states in Romans 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”  Finally, Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

            All of these scriptures talk about reading or studying God’s word but they don’t tell us how to do that.  Reading the bible is a great way to get to know God better and some think that you should just start at the beginning and read.  While this is a wonderful thing because the Bible is the most published book of all time and it is a great read, is just reading it cover to cover enough?  I personally believe that understanding what it says is much more important than just reading the words presented.  But how do we do that?  I am going to give you some tips here in methods that have worked for myself and others.  No matter what anyone tells you, you have to come up with what works for YOU.  Try different methods and do different things to find the best study method for yourself.  No matter how you do it just remember how important it is that you do.  Reading, contemplating, and meditating on God’s Word will not only give you the wisdom and strength you need in your daily life but will also bring you peace in your soul and a closeness with God.

            No matter when or how you decide to study the word may I suggest that the first step is to pray.  Before you begin your study period take a moment to ask God to give you wisdom and understanding of the passages you are reading.  Ask for guidance and understanding.  Let the Spirit of God guide you through the passages and bring you understanding of what you are reading.  Praying in this way is telling God that you want and need his help and direction as you read.  Prayer is an integral part of our spiritual lives and it needs to be a part of our bible study as well.

            So where do we start?  Are you new to Christianity and the bible or have you been a Christian for many years?  Some say to start at the beginning and read through and that is fine.  Ask yourself a question first.  Why am I reading the bible?  Are you wanting a general understanding of all of it or do you have specific things you want to delve into?  Do you want to learn about Jesus, the history of the Jews, Jewish law, prophecy, or Christian doctrine?  There are so many places to start depending on what you are looking for.  The chart below gives you a breakdown of the organization of the books.

For example, if you are interested in learning more about Jesus life and teaching you would read the Gospels in the New Testament.  If you are interested in Church doctrine, then the Epistles of the New Testament can be studied.  Wherever you start or continue your reading and studying here are some additional tips for you.

Have a Study Plan

            Find a time that works for you.  When you study can make a difference in what you will get out of it.  Try different options until you find one that is best for you.  You can always change it if it doesn’t.  You want to pick a time where you will be alert and able to focus and that will not have a lot of distractions to interrupt your study time.  Have a pen and paper handy or a way to take notes.  If you are studying on your computer or laptop you can type your notes as you go using notepad or a word processing program.  This also lets you copy and paste passages or information you come to.  I do a lot of my reading and studying online utilizing online bibles and reference books.  This helps me but it may not work for you so you decide which is best for your study time.  Don’t try and read a whole book at a time in your studying (unless of course the entire book is only a couple chapters long).  I like to read 3 or 4 chapters at a time.  I will read through then first to get a general idea on what I will be studying.  Don’t worry about taking notes during this first read through the passages.  Once you have read through them go back and read them again more slowly and it is here you can jot down your notes and refer to reference materials such as commentaries and dictionaries.  Robert Verlarde wrote an article for Focus on the Family where he writes:

          Also keep in mind the cultural context and genre of the passage being studied. Keep in mind that we are looking at biblical writings that are separated from our time by centuries – more than 1,950 years in the case of the New Testament and even longer in the case of the Old Testament. The Bible was also originally written in cultural contexts that are different from what we are used to. This, of course, does not mean that the Bible is not relevant to us, but when it comes to studying it and seeking to understand it, remember issues related to context. 

Genre is also important. This has to do with what kind of passage we are studying in the Bible. For example, the Bible contains poetry, wise sayings, history, letters, prophetic writings, apocalyptic literature and more. Sometimes when studying the Bible, knowing what genre we are studying will help us. For instance, Proverbs contains many wise sayings intended as helpful, general advice, but this advice is not always absolutely binding in the same way that a promise of God would be.

It is important to remember this when we study our bibles.  Context is so very important to understanding.

            No matter where you start your life will be richer and fuller when you take the time to read and understand the inspired word of God.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26