How to study the Bible Study to shew

How to study the Bible Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 15

Basic Bible Study Outline I Observation – “What do I see? ” II Interpretation- “What does it mean? ” III Application- “What should I do? ”

Observation 1. Pray 2. Ask questions • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • How? • Why?

3. Read it like you are reading it for the first time • “familiarity breeds contempt” 4. Read it like you are reading a love-letter 5. Read it thoughtfully • The Bible does not yield it’s fruit to the lazy 6. Read it patiently 7. Read it imaginatively • The reason the Bible appears dull to people is that they come to it with a dull mind

8. Read it meditatively • We cannot be holy in a hurry 9. Read it purposefully 10. Read it to retain it • Read not only to receive it, but to retain it; not only to perceive it, but to possess it. 11. Read it with a telescope • We need to read it light of the whole. The Bible is not simply a collection of parts; it is an integrated message. Every time we take it apart, we need to pull it back together again.

12. Look for things that are emphasized • The amount of space given • The stated purpose • The order of the materials 13. Look for things that are repeated • Psalm 136 • Hebrews 11 14. Look for things that are related • Movement from the general to the specific • Matthew 6 • Questions and answers • Romans 6: 1, 2, 15

15. Look for things that are alike • “as” and “like” • Psalm 42: 1 • Matthew 13 16. Look for things are unlike, or in contrast, or opposite • “but” • Matthew 5 17 Look for things that are true to life • Abraham • David • Elijah • Paul

18. Look for lists 19. Look for terms that look back into the passage • “wherefore” • “thus” • “for this reason” 20. Have a plan for reading • Bible study begins with reading. You must have a plan!!

Interpretation 1. Pray 2. Study tools • Study Bible • Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible • Concordance – • Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance • Bible dictionary – • Vine’s Expository Dictionary

• Commentaries • Bible Atlas • Online tools • Blueletterbible. com • Crosswalk. com • Biblestudy. org *NOTE- Remember these are just tools, and only the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God!

3. Interpret the Bible literally • Unless stated as not literal • Parables • Illustrations • symbolism • “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense” • Creation • Red Sea • Jonah and the whale • Jesus’ resurrection

4. Interpret the Bible contextually • Look at the surrounding verses and a chapters • Then the whole book • Then the whole Bible

• Ask yourself 3 questions; • Is my interpretation of a particular section of Scripture consistent with theme, purpose, and structure of the book in which it’s found? • Is my interpretation consistent with other Scripture about the same subject, or is there a major difference? • Am I considering the historical and cultural context of what is being said? • Remember, the Bible never contradicts itself.

5. Interpret Scripture with Scripture • Uses Biblical cross-referencing • Law of first occurrence 6. Interpret the Bible dispensationally • Dispensationalism is a system of theology that has 3 primary distinctive: • A consistently literal interpretation of Scripture • A distinction between Israel and the church in God's program. • A belief that salvation as always been “by grace, through faith”.

• Each of the dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment, marking his utter failure in every dispensation. • There are 7 dispensations;

1. Innocence Gen 1: 1 -3: 7 • Ended with sin in Garden of Eden 2. Conscience Gen 3: 8 -8: 22 • Ended with the Flood 3. Human Government Gen 9: 1 -11: 32 • Ended with the Tower of Babel 4. Promise Gen 12: 1 -Exodus 19: 25 • Ended with the Law given on Mt. Sinai 5. Law Exodus 20: 1 - Crucifixion • Ended with Crucifixion

6. Grace - Crucifixion/Resurrection - Rapture • Ends with the Rapture 7. Kingdom Revelation 20: 4 -6 • Ends with the New Heaven and New Earth Eternity