February 25, 2014

• Inductive Bible Study

  I was recently asked about how to do a personal inductive Bible study.  This is a standard Bible study method that everyone should learn. I think this method of Bible study will deepen your walk with God and enrich your Bible study experience.  The more you use it, the more natural it will seem.  Let’s begin!

  First, select a Bible you are willing to mark up with a pen and highlighters.  One with wide margins on the side and/or center column is best.  Use a translation that you can read and understand well.  It will do no good to use a translation you cannot understand or that will discourage your reading it.  Stick with something like the ESV, NIV, or NLT.  A red letter (Jesus’ words in red) edition may or may not be helpful.  You will have to decide where Jesus’ words begin and end.  Red letters for Jesus’ words is an editor’s decision, not the original authors.

  Also, for the purpose of Inductive Bible Study, avoid “study Bibles,” but do select one with an excellent cross-reference system.  Not all Bibles have a good cross-reference system. You could use something called Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, just remember that it was based on the King James Version (AV).  Shop around before you buy a Bible, more expensive is not necessarily better.

  1. Prayer is always the first thing. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit as you read and study. Pray for insight from the One who will guide you into all truth (John 16:13).
  2. Study systematically.  John three builds on John two and John one, and sets the scene for chapter four.  Everything depends on context.  John 3:16 is a wonderful verse, but it builds on the verses that come before it. John 3:14 sets up John 3:15-16.  Jesus expected Nicodemus to know these things because he was a teacher of Israel (v. 10).  Jesus expected Nicodemus to know these things based on the Old Testament. Don't ignore the Old Testament.
  3. While you study a particular passage, read, read, read the rest of the Bible.  Make the Bible an integral part of your life.  You will be amazed at the correlation between isolated passages.  Daniel and Ezekiel depend on Jeremiah, and The Apocalypse of John depends on them all.  All Scripture is interrelated; Scripture interprets Scripture. Revelation is progressive over time; God did not explain everything to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 1 Peter 1:10-12 tells us that the prophets searched and inquired carefully, as the angels still do, about the things revealed to them; they were not serving themselves, but us here and now.
  4. Identify the pericope; that is the basic thought unit of the passage.  A whole chapter, a paragraph, seldom a single verse.  In our example of John 3:16, the pericope goes from John 3:1 to 3:21.  Or is it 3:19, or 3:20?  The story of Jairus’ daughter includes the story of the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:22ff and Luke 8:41ff), the two are related, find out how.
  5. Identify the genre of the book and pericope. Gospels have narratives, parables, genealogies, etc. Paul wrote epistles, they have doctrine and ethics.  The Psalms have prophecy, lament, imprecation, prayers, you get the idea.
  6. Keep a notebook. Track the passage, date, prayer requests, and answers.
     1. Ask Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Write it down. Mark it up in your study Bible. Mark contrasts and comparisons; persons, names, actions.
     2. Look for comparisons and contrasts; look for parallels, use cross references.
     3. Look for action verbs, time markers (before, after, then …), continuative (and, then), logical connectives (if … then; on one hand … on the other hand).
  7. Ask “How would the text have been understood when it was written?” “What did the author mean?” not “What does this mean to me?”
  8. How do I use this? How do I apply what I have learned? What do I do now?

  • 10:08 pm
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