As Bible-believers, we know we’re supposed to be reading and
studying from the Bible. But for many it can be a real struggle, not knowing
how to study, or how to find things in the Bible to study. For the longest
time, I struggled with this - the studies I did would be sporadic and
infrequent. I would mostly stick to just reading through the Bible. Which,
obviously, is still super important. But I wanted to really dig in more often,
regularly, just wasn’t sure how.
Now though, I’ve figured out something of a system that seems
to work pretty well, so I wanted to share it in case it can help someone else. It’s
more specific to verse by verse studying, but can be applied to other studies
as well. And it can definitely be tweaked to fit your individual habits. Just
remember to pray for direction and understanding as you go along. The Holy
Spirit will provide it.
But there is a
spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
– Job 32:8
1.
Find a starting point
If you’re not sure what to study, try picking out a (short) book of the
Bible to work through verse by verse. This will provide continuity, as it takes
time to work through a whole book. If you want to focus more on doctrine, try one
of the Pauline epistles, or if you want to focus more on history and prophecy,
try one of the minor prophets.
Another idea is to start keeping a list of verses, passages, or topics
that strike your interest while you’re doing your normal Bible reading and use
those as starting places to study. You could also take note of questions that
stand out when you’re listening to a sermon, or from a discussion. Basically, anything
you’d like to study more.
2.
Ask questions
Once you’ve picked something to study, start asking questions about the verse(s)
to guide your study. Think of the “who, what, where, why, when, and how” as a
guideline for ideas. The number of questions applicable will depend on the
verse, go by what stands out the most or strikes your interest. You can keep it
as simple or detailed as needed.
Here are some of the questions you could ask:
a.
Who is being addressed? Gentiles? Jews? Judah or
Israel? Individuals? Nations?
b.
What is the subject/topic? What do you think it
means, at face value?
c.
Where is this taking place? Are any particular
locations mentioned? Where do those locations show up elsewhere in the Bible?
What is their significance?
d.
Why is it important? Is there somewhere else in Biblical
history that gives more light on why it is important?
e.
When did/will the event take place? What
dispensation is it in? Is it speaking of the past, present (at time of
writing), or future (prophecy)?
f.
How does the topic relate to other events in the
Bible?
As
an example of this in motion, take Psalm 78:67-68:
Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe
of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
Some questions I could ask are:
1.
Why did he (God) refuse the tabernacle of Joseph,
and Ephraim?
2.
Why did he choose the tribe of Judah?
3.
What was special about mount Zion?
4.
Where is mount Zion located?
5.
Where else does mount Zion show up in the Bible?
Obviously, this could very quickly
become a deep, involved study. And you don’t want to overwhelm yourself to the
point you think it’s too much and give up. So, pick a couple to focus on, and
see where that leads you. You can always expand the study or even take it in an
entirely different direction later if necessary.
3.
Take notes
Write down the questions you want to study. It’s also helpful to briefly
summarize your initial thoughts on the verse(s), what you think it means, to
compare with what you find later. Examine the context of the verse, read the surrounding
verses. Take notes on what you find.
Sidenote: If you’re not much of a note-taker, this part of studying can be tough.
If you have to, you can try keeping notes mentally, but keeping written or
typed notes will greatly improve your studies. It helps keep the mind on track,
making your study easier to navigate. It also gives you a record of what you’ve
studied, which can be quite motivating, seeing it add up. And it makes it
easier to share your studies, especially if you have a study partner.
If writing is easier for you, get a dedicated notebook for Bible study. If
typing is easier, create a document on your computer and keep notes there. Even
if the notes are really short and simple, it will still help. Keep it as simple
as you need to.
4.
Search relevant keywords
Use a concordance or online Bible search tool to search relevant keywords
(locations, names, phrases, etc) to see where else in the Bible stuff shows up.
If the search brings up a ton of verses, try narrowing the search with a
different keyword, or, if you’re using an online search, adding parenthesis on
either side of a phrase to show exact results. Go through the verses and their
contexts (at least the ones that seem relevant) and compare/study to see what
you can learn. And then take notes on what you find, or new questions that pop
up.
5.
Look at cross-references
If your Bible has cross-references (CF’s), look at each of them and see if
anything stands out to you as being particularly relevant. Usually the CF’s
just beside the verse you are studying will be sufficient. A lot of CF’s will simply
show parallel words, or sometimes it can be hard to even see how a CF is related.
But some CF’s can really shed new light on the subject and make you think.
Disclaimer: keep in mind that CF’s are not inspired by God. Use them as a tool,
like you would a dictionary or concordance – knowing that men wrote them and
can be wrong in the connections they make. Some people prefer not to use CF’s
for this reason, but I personally have found them to be very helpful, as long
as they are used with caution. You can even write down your own CF’s as you find
new ones.
6.
Find definitions
This step is optional, but when you come across a word you don’t understand, study
how the Bible uses and defines them. This is where the keyword Bible search is
helpful. You can also use a dictionary (Noah Webster’s 1828), but again, keep
in mind dictionaries aren’t inspired by God, and the Bible may use a word
differently.
7.
Look up places on a Bible atlas
This step is also optional, but it can be quite interesting, when studying verses
that mention a location. Even if the maps aren't fully accurate (hint: they aren't), it can help give you a better picture of what is going on, and where. It can be a bit like a treasure hunt. Bonus: if you’re
using an online atlas,
you can add a screenshot of the map to your note document for future reference.
8.
Note side-studies
Oftentimes when you’re following one trail of verses, you’ll see another trail and
get sidetracked. What you can do here is either section off a part in your
notes to study that separately, or make a note to go back and study it another
time. You want to keep focused on the original study, but the main thing is,
you’re studying the Bible. So “rabbit trails” are fine! But if you start
getting bogged down with it, just make note of it and get back to the main
study.
9.
Summarize your findings
Once you’ve finished looking at other verses, go back to the starter verse(s)
and, if you haven’t already done so, summarize what you’ve found. This can be
simply your thoughts on what the answers to your questions might be, based on
what you found. Many times you won’t end up with clear answers, and that’s fine.
Just write what you think it means. You’re studying to learn, and that builds
up overtime, so don’t stress about not finding answers, or worrying if you’re
wrong. Pray, study diligently, and God will bless that. It’s His job to
interpret the Scriptures, to open your understanding. Job 32:8. It doesn’t mean
He’ll show you everything right away – He won’t. But stick with it, keep
ploughing through, praying all the time, and He will give you that
understanding as time goes by.
10. Move
on!
Go to the next verse or passage and repeat the process…now or another day!
Bonus tips:
1.
Schedule your study time: Routine helps prepare
the mind to accept it and cooperate. The mind is lazy, if it knows “okay, it’s
study time now, shut up and quit being lazy”,
you’d be surprised how much better it will cooperate! If you’re not in
the habit, even just aiming for a day or two per week can make a big
difference. For example, say you work five days a week, plan to do at least one
study session on one of your days off. Start somewhere!
2.
Consider counter arguments: If you want
to take a study deeper, consider some of the arguments against your position. Study
“opposing” verses in light of what you’ve learned and see if your conclusion
still holds up. Be open to changing your mind if you find you’re wrong. The
more understanding you have of something from either point of view, the better
equipped you’ll be to explain it to someone in the future.
3.
Find a study partner: Study
independently, then get together and discuss what both of you studied (this is
where taking notes really helps). You don’t have to study the same thing. It’s
about having something to share, and someone to share it with, and then
studying those things together. Testing weak points, getting another
perspective. And getting some great fellowship as a secondary bonus.
This
ended up being a lot more extensive than intended, but if you’ve made it this
far, thanks for reading. I really hope it helps! If you have any questions or would like to add
your own suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.
These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
- Acts 17:11
Helpful Study Resources:
"Cheat sheet" version: Bible Study Roadmap Cheat Sheet
For a condensed, more shareable version of this post. :)
Keyword searches:
Official
King James Bible Online - https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
This one has the best search options. Hit “modify
search” to see them. “Fuzzy search” is good for if you’re not sure how to spell
something.
Timeless
Truths Online KJV- https://bible.timelesstruths.org/
Bible Dictionary:
Noah
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary - https://webstersdictionary1828.com/
Bible
Atlas: https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Bible-Atlas.pdf
This is an incredibly extensive collection of
Bible maps. It is hard to navigate, since the search function doesn’t work. But
they are arranged chronologically (in
Biblical order), and you can scroll through the preview pages on the left sidebar
to find them quicker.
Old Testament Timeline: https://staticblog.bgcdn.com/learn/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/12151743/Chart-of-Israel-KingsUpdated2020-Owens.jpg
It may not be 100% accurate, but it seems solid enough to give you a pretty good idea. I haven't found any contradictions with it yet in the Scriptures. And it has really helped in my own studies, for understanding the chain of events, kings, and kingdoms.
