Getting Started With Serious Bible Study

And one of the fundamental rules of proper Bible interpretation is to consider the context of a Bible passage. "Context" has several different levels: the immediate context, which are the verses and passages that surround the one that you are studying, the book context (how a particular Bible passage fits in with the theme or message of a particular book of the Bible), the literary context (how one prophetical writing, for example, fits in with the other prophetical writings), and finally the overall context of the entire Bible.Understand the Historical and Cultural BackgroundIt is also important to understand something of the cultural and historical setting in which the writings of the Bible were given. The Biblical documents were written thousands of years ago -- during times far removed from our own, when different nations ruled the earth, and when different customs and ways of living prevailed. None of us is born with a built in knowledge of those ancient times -- we must take the time to learn about them.Fortunately, there are a great number of resources available that can assist us in understanding the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Bible -- Bible study tools such as Bible Encyclopedias and Bible dictionaries can place the vast resources of biblical scholarship at our fingertips.Get a Larger PerspectiveAs you study the Scriptures, try to relate the message and meaning of a particular passage of the Bible to the overall message of that entire biblical book. For example, suppose you are studying Exodus Chapter 20, the account of the giving of the 10 Commandments. You need to ask yourself questions such as -- who wrote the book of Exodus? Who was the book of Exodus written to? What is the purpose of the book of Exodus? Getting answers to these questions is critical to gaining a proper understanding of what the Bible is all about.Use Good ToolsAgain, none of us is born with this information already packed inside of our head -- we will at some point need to look up and research this background using different types of biblical reference tools -- which means that part of your task as a serious Bible student is to build up, over time, a small personal or family biblical reference library. It is not that you were trying to become a "bookworm" -- you should view these materials as tools, just as any painter or plumber or a electrician has their set of tools which they need to get the job done.Fundamentally a Spiritual PursuitFinally, I would like to stress one last point: becoming a serious student of the Bible is just not a matter of using the proper techniques and resources -- fundamentally, this is a spiritual pursuit. For those of us in the Judeo-Christian tradition, our ultimate objective is to be brought closer to the creator. This is why it is necessary to combine our study of the Bible with other spiritual disciplines, such as prayer.

We need also to make sure that we do not become unbalanced in our interpretations, and put forth an idea which contradicts something taught elsewhere in the Scriptures. Remember: the Bible is its own best commentary.To summarize: have an organized plan for day-to-day study -- do the necessary research -- use reliable tools -- look to God to guide you -- be willing to test your ideas and interpretations.