Bible Study Tips

 

John Wesley’s third general rule for the early Methodist societies, which he gave them after observing that a number of their members had become lax, in their pursuit of holy living was: “It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation…by attending upon all the ordinances of God; such are the public worship of God; the ministry of the Word, either read or expounded; the Supper of the Lord; family and private prayer; searching the Scriptures; and fasting or abstinence.” By “the ordinances of God” Wesley means the means of grace, the ways that God shows his unmerited favor and goodwill toward us, and by which God quickens (invigorates), strengthens, and confirms faith in him.

In his sermon, “The Means of Grace,” Wesley explains: “The chief of these means are prayer, whether in secret or with the great congregation; searching the Scriptures (which implies reading, hearing, and meditating thereon) and receiving the Lord’s Supper, eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of him; and these we believe to be ordained of God as the ordinary channels of conveying his grace to the souls of men.” The means of grace may also be described as “concrete spiritual disciplines set apart by God as the most reliable way we receive preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace.”

Among the means of grace which Wesley recognized was meeting together and talking about our present experience of God, which Wesley called “Christian conference.” This the early Methodists practiced in small group meetings, in class meetings and band meetings.

The class meeting was a group of 7-12 people and consisted of both men and women. They were divided according to their place of abode, that is, where they lived. The basic question of the class meeting was “How is it with your soul?” Or, “How does your soul prosper?” The class also prayed together; individual members received advice, reproof, encouragement, and exhortation, “as the occasion required;” and the class members “watched over each other in love,” helping each other to grow in godliness and holiness.

“Christian conference” is one of the advantages of reading, studying, and meditating upon the Bible in small groups. It was the practice of the Holy Club to which Methodism traces its origin.

The following Bible study tips were garnered from various sources over a period of six decades.

1. What may be the most challenging thing to do in Bible study is to approach the text with fresh eyes and an open mind. It is important to set aside any pre-conceived notions of what the text says, what it means, and how it applies to us—what we have read, what we have heard, and what we may have concluded from an earlier study of the text.

2. To this end, read the study notes in your Bible or the notes in a commentary after you have completed your study of the text. Compare your own observations and conclusions with these of whoever wrote the study notes or the notes in the commentary. Are our observations and conclusions similar or are they quite different? Bible study notes and commentaries not only help us better understand the meaning of a text but also help us from misinterpreting its meaning and consequently misapplying the text to ourselves and others.

3. Read the text at least three times. You may want to use a different translation of the Bible each time you read the text.

4. When you read the text what caught your attention? What stood out? What “shimmered”? Make a note of it. Read the text a second time and a third time. What caught your attention these times. Make a note of it too.

5. Whenever you read a text, read it aloud. Read it slowly. You will not only benefit from reading the text but also from hearing it. Reading the text aloud and slowly will keep you from skimming through the text and missing what may be important details. Reading the text aloud and slowly will also activate the different parts of the brain involved in auditory and visual learning. If the text is a short one, you may wish to write it down.

6. Restate the text in your own words, jotting it down in a Bible study notebook or journal.

7. If you have learned how to diagram sentences, you may want to diagram the sentences in the text.

8. In seeking to understand and apply the text, some helpful questions to ask are “What does the text say?” “What did it mean to the original audience?” “What does this text tell us about God? Jesus? The Holy Spirit?” “What does this text tell me about humankind? Human nature?” “What does this text require of me?” “How am I being encouraged or urged to respond to this text?” “How does this passage affect the way I relate to God? “How does affect the way I relate to people?” “How does this text prompt me to pray?” “What else does it prompt me to do?”

9. Envision what it might have been like to have experienced what one or more of the people mentioned in the text experienced firsthand.

10. It is important not to read into the text what cannot be read out of it. Pay attention to the context of the text—what precedes it and follows it, what the author of the book, gospel, or letter says elsewhere in the book, gospel, or letter and elsewhere in the Bible. Its context offers clues to what it means.

A practice to avoid is allegorizing a text, treating the text as an allegory, and making it mean whatever we want. While the Bible contains a small number of allegories, they are accompanied by an explanation of what they mean.

11. Interpret scripture first using scripture and then reason. Last of all, use tradition and experience.

It is important to remember that a traditional interpretation of a text may be widely accepted, have a long history going back to post-apostolic times, and be erroneous. Its wide acceptance and antiquity do not make it right or true.

When consulting the opinions of the Patristic writers regarding the meaning of a text, be aware that while some early Church Fathers interpreted scripture, using scripture and reason; others allegorized Scripture, reading their own meanings into passages from the Bible, meanings which, while they may seem to be true or believable, are the products of these Patristic writers’ imaginations.

Experience also has its limitations when it is used to interpret scripture. As the prophet Jeremiah observed, “Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed” (Jeremiah 17:9 GNT).

Psychologists who study how the human brain works tell us that it is quite capable of misinterpreting facts and events. Because a group of people share the same perceptions of someone or something, it does mean that their perceptions are accurate. We consciously and unconsciously influence each other’s perceptions and we are quite capable of having a common misperception of a person or a situation.

12. It is important to remember that a passage of Scripture has only one meaning, the meaning which God intended it to have. It may, however, have multiple applications. If a text appears to be related to a specific individual or group, look for what may be a truth or principle underlying the text. Context will determine whether that truth or principle is applicable beyond that particular individual or group.

13. Because different interpreters may not agree on the meaning of a text and may interpret the text differently, be careful not to conclude that the text has multiple meanings. If that was the case, the Bible would not be able serve the purposes identified in 2 Timothy 3: 16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 

It may help to understand why someone is interpreting a text in a particular way by having that person explain how they reached their interpretation of the text.

14. Interpret the less clear passages of scripture by the clearer ones. Some passages may defy our ability to interpret them. It may be that they were not intended for us to understand and apply to ourselves. Or we may come to understand them at a later stage in our faith journey.

15. Most descriptive passages of scripture are just that—descriptive. They are not meant to be interpreted as establishing a doctrine or mandating a practice unless it is clear from the passage or its context that the author’s intent was to set a precedent.

16. Most passages of scripture which establish a doctrine or mandate a practice generally are prescriptive. For example, a text may explain a belief about God or human nature or contain an instruction to think, speak, or act in a particular way.

17. In applying Scripture to ourselves and others, it is helpful to bear in mind what Article 5 and 6 of John Wesley’s Twenty-Five Articles of Religion state:

Article 5

“The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation….”

Article 6

“The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses as touching ceremonies and rites doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.”

18. Most importantly begin and end your study of a particular text with prayer. At the beginning of the study, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what the text is saying, what it means, and how to apply it to yourself. At the conclusion, thank the Holy Spirit for his help. Pray for whatever the Holy Spirit has prompted you to pray through your study of the text.