How to Study the Bible for All It’s Worth

The Bible is the only book we’ll ever read that is inspired by the one true, living God. 2 Timothy tells us that it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

No other book has been as controversial or changed as many lives. The Bible provides us with a way to know God and to become more and more like Jesus Christ. One of the most amazing things about the Bible is that it is readable. Certainly, there are confusing and disturbing passages but that does not mean that we can’t understand the true meaning of the text. Perhaps the best way to read and understand the Bible is to study it inductively.

To inductively study the Bible is to let the Bible interpret itself. When we study the Bible inductively, we seek to put aside our own preconceived notions and discover what the Bible really says. For every passage in the Bible, there is one meaning and intent for the original audience.

To handle God’s word correctly and avoid wrong thinking and wrong living we want to know what the Bible really says - not what we think it says or want it to say. The place to start is to start is with the Inductive Bible Study Method.

The Heart of Inductive Bible Study

Inductive Bible Study is made up of three steps:

1. Observation - What do I see?

2. Interpretation - What does it mean?

3. Application - What do I do?

Step One: Observation (What do I see?)

The hardest part about the observation stage is not jumping too quickly to interpretation. When making observations you record exactly what you see in the text. Here’s an example of what to do and what not to do:

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18

An incorrect observation is: “Non-Christians can’t understand the word.”
A correct observation is: “To those who are perishing the word of the cross is foolishness.”

The incorrect observation is an interpretation, but the correct observation simply records what the passage says. Discipline yourself to make good observations so that your interpretation will be correct. When making observations look for:

People
Relationships
Questions
Comparisons
What’s not said
Cause/Effect

Places
Contrasts
Answers
Verb Tense
Repeated Words
Progressions

Times
Context
Details
Themes
Lists
Exhortations

Promises
Key Words
Warnings
Emphasis
Commands

Step Two: Interpretation (What does it mean?)

The key to the right interpretation is knowing that there can only be one correct interpretation. Right interpretation requires thorough observation. In the interpretation stage, you look for the following:

Cross-references: These are the little numbers or letters that appear next to a word in the passage. In the margin or at the bottom of the page you will see that this letter is leading you to look up other passages. Look these up to see what other passages in the Bible say about this word/concept/teaching.

Context: The context is the text that surrounds the passage. What precedes and follows your reading? Scripture should always be interpreted in light of the context of the entire Bible.

Definitions: Look up the meaning of words in a dictionary. If you have a Dictionary of New and Old Testament words you will get an even better understanding.

Outside insight: At this stage, you can use outside resources to help you gain great understanding. Here are a few sources to consider:

1. Commentaries: it’s best to look at least two so that you have multiple perspectives

2. Bible Dictionaries: The New International Dictionary of the Bible, Douglas and Tenney

3. Word Studies: The Complete Word Study New Testament, Zodhiates and the Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words/Old Testament Words

4. Theological works: New Dictionary of Theology, IVP; Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem; The Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

5. A Concordance: Strong’s Exhaustive or go to www.biblegateway.com - a concordance allows you to see every time a particular word appears in the Bible.

The Big Idea

Ultimately, good interpretation will lead you to the Big Idea of the passage. The Big Idea answers the question, “What is this passage about?” You’ll get to the Big Idea Statement by asking the Big Idea Question. The Big Idea Question is the question the author is answering in the passage. It can start with what? why? or how? Using James 1:2-18 as an example, here is the process:

1. Ask the General Question: What is the passage about?
   Man’s response to trials in life and the outcome of his response.

2. Ask the Big Idea Question
   What should be the response of man and the outcome of his response in the midst of trials?

3. Write the Big Idea Statement
   In the midst of trials man should mature in his faith through perseverance resulting in God’s reward or man will succumb to sin through apathy and receive God’s judgment.

If this process seems overwhelming don’t panic. Be patient and diligent and it will become easier. The ultimate goal is to come to the true meaning of the passage.

Step Three: Application (What do I do?)

This is the most important step of Inductive Bible Study. What good is studying the Bible if we don’t apply it to our lives?

Application should always be measurable and doable. The acrostic, SMART, is helpful for this. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

An incorrect application is: “I’m going to love more.”
A correct application is: “By Friday I will clean the apartment for my roommates.”

Notice that the correct application can be measured and is SMART.

Conclusion

The Inductive Bible Study method offers a structured approach to understanding Scripture on a deeper level, allowing God's Word to speak for itself rather than imposing our own interpretations. By following the three key steps—Observation, Interpretation, and Application—you can discover the true meaning of biblical passages and apply them meaningfully to your life.