Before we look at certain principles of Bible study, I’d like to offer a few thoughts on daily Bible reading.
You can do daily reading in a multitude of ways. You can do it sequentially—which is from Genesis to Revelation. You can also read chronologically—there are Bibles that have ordered the Bible in this way. I highly recommend Reese’s Chronological Study Bible (the chronology is excellent, but so are the footnotes!). You can also start in the New Testament and then go back to the Old Testament. You don’t have to read the Bible any one way.
There are also many devotionals that you can read along with your Bible reading. Some devotionals correspond to various passages, books of the Bible, topics, or people in the Bible. I am currently reading through Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest.
Many Study Bibles provide commentaries that expound on verses, explain historical and cultural contexts, and also reference other verses that may discuss the same topic. I highly recommend the Fire Bible (formerly Life in the Spirit Study Bible) and the Tony Evans Study Bible. Another resource that I love is The 260 Journey by Tim Dilena. It is commentary for each chapter of the New Testament!
Reference Bibles create a chain of references throughout the Bible that connect verses that discuss a related topic. For instance, a verse in Genesis that might talk about faith may have a reference to another verse in 1 Samuel. The 1 Samuel verse may have a reference for a verse in Psalms, which may reference another verse in Habakuk and then Matthew and Romans. I recommend the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible.
Also, today we have so much technology and access to the Bible. On of my favorite tools is the YouVersion app. There are many resources within it that I don’t even use, but I like the format and the ability to switch between versions and create a side-by-side comparison between verses from different versions of the Bible. It’s a great tool to be able to carry anywhere you go. Of course, it is also very helpful in that you can search a key word or phrase and the app will show you each verse that contains those words. Additionally, I frequently use another Bible app that has Strong’s Concordance built into it. You can press on any word, and it will pull up the original Hebrew or Greek meaning. I use this just about every time I am preparing a sermon. There are also softwares that are very helpful such as Accordance and Logos, which are very helpful in comparing versions, searching through the Hebrew and Greek, cross-referencing, and exploring commentaries.
Now, I’d like to give a brief overview of the structure and chronology of the Bible. This is important. For instance, if you are reading in one of the prophets, say Jeremiah for example, much of his prophecies will only make sense if you understand the context of the book in regard to its chronology. In other words, it helps to know what’s going on so you can put what you’re reading into proper perspective.
The whole Bible in its entirety is not unlike a story being told. Zooming out, we can see all of human history unfolded. Our historical story takes us from creation, to the fall of man, to the Old Covenant, to Jesus. Currently, we are living in the period of the Church. Then, we see after this period in the story, Jesus will return to reign. Then will come the culmination of the historical timeline and there will be New Heavens and a New Earth.
The majority of the Bible is dedicated to the period of the Old Covenant in the Old Testament and then the beginning of the Church in the New Testament.
Look at the Table of Contents in the front of your Bible.
Genesis to Esther are historical (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy has a lot of the Law in them, but there is history as well).
The Psalms is really a stand-alone book. The psalms are songs, but they also include history, prophecy, and prayers.
Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations are all poetic books. Job is considered historical poetry. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are filled with wisdom. Song of Songs is love poetry. And Lamentations is prophetic poetry.
Isaiah through Malachi are prophetic books that take place within the historical period from 1 Kings to Esther. So, when you are reading one of the prophets, he prophesied at some point during that time period.
Then, in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we see the life and teachings of Jesus.
Acts is the beginning of the Church. The Church during this time is sometimes called the Early Church.
The Epistles from Romans to Jude are letters to churches or people written by various authors (Paul, Peter, John, James, Jude), primarily within or around the time frame of Acts.
The Revelation is the most recent book written. It was written by John, most likely toward the end of his life. It is a prophetic book.
Now, I’d like to offer a few things to keep in mind during your daily Bible study. These things are especially helpful when studying a particular passage, book, or topic.
Pray
The first thing I would encourage you to do is pray. I’ve stated in a previous article that Spurgeon once said someone asked him which is more important—praying or Bible study. He responded with his own question: Which is more important—breathing in or breathing out?
Really, prayer and Bible study are not separate things; they’re together. It’s one thing. When I read the Bible, the Holy Spirit draws me to prayer. And when I pray, He draws me to His Word.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you understanding when you are reading the Scriptures, to convict you through its content, to empower you to live out its principles, and to bring to your remembrance what God has spoken through the pages of the Bible.
Be Repetitive
Repetition has been a game-changer for me in my Bible study. If there is a passage or portion of Scripture that you really want to become familiar with, read it over and over again. Let is become ingrained in your heart and mind.
Enjoy
Don’t dread Bible study. Avoid only doing it out of obligation. And don’t think you have to understand everything you read. Just read and let the Author speak to you through His words.
Remember the Subject
God is the Subject of the content, not us. The Bible reveals Himself to us. The Bible points us to God, not to ourselves.
Don’t make what was intended to be a revelation of God about you. It is only when we understand that it is a revelation of Him that we can begin to see ourselves as the mere object in relation to the Subject.
Many preachers today will take their text from a passage in the Bible and use it to illustrate and complement their own thoughts on how to be more successful or happier. The Bible is not a guide for us to make more money or become more successful people. It is God revealing Himself to us.
If we miss the true Subject of the passage we’re studying, then we’ve missed the whole point. And when we miss Him, we miss who He wants us to be.
Look for Jesus
When you are reading any portion of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, it is always important to look for Jesus. It is especially important when you’re reading the Old Testament to keep in mind that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. Books such as Leviticus and Deuteronomy are full of powerful content. However, we must be diligent to understand these Old Testament passages in light of Christ and the New Testament.
Jesus is the center of the Bible. The Old Testament points forward to Him, the Gospels present Him, and the rest of the New Testament points back to Him. Understanding the Bible in this light will empower you to understand biblical passages in both Testaments.
For example, in Genesis 3:15, God spoke to Satan and said, “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” When you are looking for Jesus, you realize that this is prophetic of Jesus crushing the serpent’s head in His death and resurrection. This verse is the first messianic prophecy in the Bible. It’s also a great example of how Jesus’ coming to Earth was not a “Plan B,” but it was always God’s plan from the beginning.
Throughout the entire Bible, we see Scripture pointing us to Christ. David said in Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” The New Testament tells us that after Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended into Heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
Isaiah was prophesying in chapter 7, and he said, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” In Luke 2, Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, and He was truly Immanuel; He was God with us, God in the flesh Who dwelt among us.
Look for Jesus in the Scriptures.
Be Aware of Your Predispositions
Don’t let your predispositions cloud what the Bible is saying to you. It would be easy to read into Bible passages your own beliefs. This can lead to biblical malpractice. It can lead to wrong beliefs about God, which always leads to wrong practices. Instead, let the Scriptures and passages you read shape what you believe, not the other way around. Read what God has said and then believe it. Let His Word change you; don’t find yourself changing it.
This is one of the biggest issues people have when studying the Bible. The fact is we all have predispositions. We all have different upbringings.
Those who were raised Catholic will naturally read certain passages with a Catholic slant, whereas someone who has a Reformed background will read Scripture through their own respective lenses. The same is true for all of us.
That is natural, of course. But if we’re not careful, we will allow how we were raised, where we came from, and what we’ve been told about God to cause us to try and make the Bible agree with us instead of us agreeing with it.
Always approach Scripture with “God, what do You have to say?” Block out all your preconceived ideas and just read what He says.
I read this once. The author said, “What if you led someone to Christ who had never heard about God before? They had never had any exposure to Christianity. Immediately after that person got saved, what if you gave them a Bible, shut them in a room, and told them to read the whole Book?” Then he asked, “What would that person come out believing?” I think about this often. What would I come out believing?
Research the Hebrew and Greek
The original Hebrew and Greek words are the closest to the original meanings that we have. Use it to better understand what the writer was saying.
Our English transliterations are not perfect. If you want to dig into a verse and really find out what the author was saying when he used a certain word, it’s helpful to find the original Hebrew words in the Old Testament or the Greek in the New Testament.
Also, remember that even your favorite English Bible translation is just that—a translation of the original manuscripts. Allow yourself to browse through other translations to gain more insight.
Study the Context
Always look at context. Look at the entire passage surrounding the verse you are studying. It’s easy to just take one verse to mean something that it doesn’t if you do not take into account the message of the passage as a whole.
Then also look at the entire chapter, and then the entire book of the Bible. This will help you gain perspective and understanding regarding the message the author is conveying. Understanding the context will help you avoid trying to make a verse and passage mean something that it doesn’t.
Think of the Bible as a single unit. Yes there are many authors, books, passages, and verses. But if we really believe that there is one Divine Author, then we can better view the Bible as one unit.
We need to read the entire Bible, not just verses. When you read a few verses outside of the context and message that God is conveying in the entire Bible, you will come away with some very wrong ideas.
Many Study Bibles have great overviews that survey the purpose and context of each book of the Bible.
Also, it is beneficial to look into the cultural context of that time period, as it relates to that passage you are studying.
Also, again, reading the Old Testament within its context is so important. I constantly hear Old Testament verses and passages being used to prove a point that does not cohere to the context of the New Testament and the Bible as a single unit. The Old Testament is not washed up or forsaken; it is extremely powerful and useful. But we must use it correctly, studying it in light of Christ and the rest of Spirit-inspired Scripture.
Beware of Over-Spiritualizing the Text
A quick note on this. In the New Testament, we have many spiritual principles laid out and explained for us. In the Old Testament, many times we have to draw the spiritual out from the natural. But beware of over-spiritualizing stories and details. When you are reading, ask yourself “What is this literally saying?” Too often, we have extrapolated implausible inferences from the text. We can interpret things that the author never intended when we take something from Scripture that is already true and powerful and twist it into a spiritual principle that was never there. Beware of over-spiritualizing.
Use the Analogy of Faith
This is last, but certainly not least! This is vital. The Analogy of Faith means that Scripture interprets Scripture. In other words, the best commentary for the Bible is the Bible!
Firstly, (and this is the easiest way to use this) sometimes the author will explain the meaning of a verse or passage for us. Jesus did this many times when He interpreted his parables.
A great example of this is in John 7, where John tells us something Jesus said and then immediately explains what He meant. “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39) We do not need to wonder what Jesus meant, because John tells us!
Secondly, a New Testament author may interpret an Old Testament prophecy or passage. Because both the Old Testament prophet and the New Testament author were both inspired by the Holy Spirit, we can fully rely on the interpretation.
Matthew did this a lot in His Gospel. One example is in the first chapter. “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”” (Matthew 1:20-23 )
Another great example is in Matthew 8: “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.””(Matthew 8:16-17 ) Again, Matthew does this throughout His Gospel.
Apart from these first two ways, the third and most general way to utilize the Analogy of Faith is to understand that the Holy Spirit is the Author of all Scripture. Hence, Scripture cannot contradict itself. If you find a verse in one place that seems to contradict something that was written elsewhere, then the only answer is that you do not yet have a correct understanding of what is being said. The Holy Spirit will not contradict Himself. Understanding this, you can virtually use the Bible to interpret itself.
From Gensis to Revelation, God’s character is consistent. He isn’t merciless in Malachi and then suddenly the complete opposite in Matthew. And His voice is inerrant and infallible. He is completely trustworthy and entirely without error.
So, let the words of the Holy Spirit be your main source of commentary and interpretation. Allow Him to bring light, life, definition, and context to His own words. Let the Scriptures interpret themselves!
Remember that we must look at the entire Bible. We must not only take the one verse into account. We have to take into account everything that God has to say. Every portion of Holy Scripture is as much God’s voice as any other part of it. There may be different contexts and situations surrounding the different verses, but within their respective contexts every verse is just as without error and just a divinely inspired as the rest.
So, when I use the Analogy of Faith, which is Scripture interprets Scripture, I’m never looking at just one verse. I’m asking myself, “What is the ENTIRE Bible saying?” Because the entire Bible is God’s word.
When we only look at one verse, it’s like coming up to someone and hearing them say one sentence, and then taking that one sentence and using it to accurately judge the person who said it. Taking one verse to mean what you want it to is like going up to God and only giving him one sentence to explain Himself, and then judging Him based off that one verse. But when we open the Bible and study the Scriptures, we are letting God explain to us the whole story.
The Azusa Weekly 