This is the final instructional session on learning how to become a student of the Word. In this session, we are going to simplify all you have learned, so that you are able to study the Word of God rightly and with confidence. So here are #3 easy steps that will simplify your time in the Word by using the inductive Bible study method!

Be sure to check out our Complete Collection of Learning How to Study the Bible (Exegesis/Hermeneutics)

#1 Observation

Being you study by working to understand basic facts about the passage and be deeply familiar with what your passage says, working through any difficulties in face value understanding. You can do this by:

1. Read the passage multiple times (3x is a helpful amount!)
2. Read the passage in multiple versions (Hebrew, Greek, ESV, NASB, NIV, MSG)
3. Establish the boundaries of the passage (are you studying a single verse, paragraph, chapter?)

By the use of highlighters, large margin or note taking study Bibles, journal, or digital notes, you can begin to record all of your observations and more.

(check out session 1 for more tips to observing… it is endless!)

1. Identify people
2. Identify places
3. Identify repeated words 

Ask the Holy Spirit and make use of your Biblical supplemental resources (and google), for any cross references. Where has the content of this passage been repeated by the same author, spoken about by Jesus, or other places in scripture. *The more often a certain subject is repeated in scripture the increase of importance to us as readers!

1. Same book of the Bible cross references
2. Same author/related books cross references
3. Old + New Testament Cross references

#2 Interpretation

Begin your journey of sorting through what the text meant to the original author and audience. This section involves Bible dictionaries, word studies, lexicons, study bibles, commentaries, and outside historical resources (meaning historical documents that aren’t the Bible but give deeper understanding to the specific time period or location).

Steps to interpreting a text:

1. Examine the context of the book
2. Evaluate the type of literature (genre) of the passage  
3. Examine the cultural context  
4. Examine the historical context  
5. Identify Biblical cross-references 
6. Research important(repeated or rare) words in context to original language
7. Evaluate discussion of important (repeated or rare) words in commentaries  
8. Examine commentary discussions  
9. Summarize your passage (4-5 sentences of less!)

#3 Application

This step must always remain last! This ‘now what,’ portion determines what we are supposed to do with the information and intended purpose of the passage. From here is where we begin to discover doctrine from it. 

Questions to seek to answer:

1. Determine if the passages has theological principles  
2. Establish the primary application of the passage  
3. Share your insights with others (**discussion). After you have hashed out a passage in community, applied it to your own life, then we are able to step into equipping others with the truth of this passage (discipleship, preaching, teaching).

Lets put it all Together

Effective Bible study begins with careful observation. By thoroughly examining the text, identifying key people, words, and objects, and reading in multiple translations, you gain a solid understanding of the passage. Once you’ve observed the text, move to interpretation—exploring the historical, cultural, and literary context using tools like Bible dictionaries, lexicons, and commentaries.

Finally, apply what you’ve learned by identifying the theological principles and sharing insights with others. This guide will help you break down the process of observation, interpretation, and application, making your Bible study more meaningful and transformative.

What has your experience been like learning to study the Bible? let us know in the comments! Did we leave any gaps in this 8 part series that needs filling? Again, please leave thoughtful feedback so we can continue to bless you with all the tools to study the Bible and become a right handler of the Word!

In Christ,

Cosette

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   Janine Lambaren and are very excited. We are living together now that we are both ‘single’ and aged. 🤗 we…

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   Lovely read! Can’t wait for part 2

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   obsessed, I’ll be back for more