The Bible is one of the most influential and widely read books in history. For centuries, people have turned to it for spiritual guidance, moral instruction, and historical insight. But the Bible is also a complex and often confusing text.
Growing up as a Christian from a young age, I have always wanted to study my Bible but really had no clue where to start. I was so impressed hearing everything people would get out of their Bible study time, but I didn’t know how to do it for myself or where to begin.
That’s why I wanted to create this article - to provide points for how to study the Bible and explain the benefits of doing so. By following these points, anyone can gain a deeper understanding of the Scriptures and apply them to their lives.
Why Is Studying The Bible So Important?
If you go on Tik Tok and YouTube, you will see an increasing number of videos by former Christians who tell their stories of "deconstruction" and how reading the Bible actually turned them agnostic or atheist. A common practice among them is repeatedly accusing Christians of cherry-picking the verses they like and ignoring the ones they don’t like.
Why does it matter? Well, we live in a time when relativism runs rampant and has influenced the Church and culture in many subtle yet profound ways. Relativism is the belief that there’s no absolute truth, only the truths that a particular individual or culture happens to believe. When different subjects (people) derive completely different meanings (“truths”) from an objective claim (a verse or other truth statement), that’s relativism.
You will sometimes see Christians doing this with the Bible to justify their sins, and non-Christians use the Bible like this as a weapon against the Church to prove Christianity and Christians are harmful. When they do this, they are interpreting truth not in the objective meaning of the claims but in the personal, subjective experience of the reader.
We see the devil has tried these tactics in the Bible; first in the Garden of Eden when he tried
to manipulate Eve into doubting the Word of the Lord, “Saying did God actually say?” In Genesis 3:1-6, Satan twists God’s Word and makes Eve doubt that what God said was true and, in doing so justifying Eve's sin.
Then we see in Matthew 4:1-11, Satan knew this tactic wouldn’t work on Jesus, so he tried something else, twisting and distorting Scripture and using it out of context. So as we can see, this issue is not unique to our modern day. It is the same thing satan has always done, trying to get you to doubt God’s word and make you believe it’s not true, and if that doesn’t work, he will try to twist and dilute God’s Word in your mind.
The Bible was and is still the primary way God communicates with us and gives us guidance. Every word in the original writings of Scripture was the exact word God wanted people to have (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20). That is why it is so important to understand how and how not to read and study the Bible.
Where To Start
Let’s look at some basic Bible study methods we can use to study and understand our Bible better.
1) Context Is Key
One of the most critical factors in correctly interpreting the Bible is understanding the context in which it was written. The Bible comprises diverse literary genres, including historical narratives, poetry, parables, and prophetic writings. Each book was written by different authors, living in different historical periods and addressing specific audiences.
I heard it this way, and it’s so helpful:
The Bible is a library, not a book.
When opening the Bible, imagine you are stepping into an ancient library filled with 66 books written by more than forty human authors over a time span of 1,500 years. When you pull a book off a library shelf, you read it differently depending on what section of the library you are in. If you are reading a book of poetry, it will be read differently than when reading a history book. Or, when you read a law book that contains laws pertaining to certain people at certain times and places, the laws may or may not apply to us today in our world.
When reading a passage, it's critical to consider the historical and cultural context, the author’s intended audience, and the literary genre. This approach helps prevent the misapplication of ancient texts to modern situations.
2) Never Read A Single Bible Verse: Aka Avoid Proof-Texting
Proof-texting is the practice of isolating or pulling out a single verse or fragment on its own and away from its surrounding context to support a particular viewpoint. This approach can lead to distorted interpretations and is often used to support preconceived beliefs or agendas. You must read the full context of what is happening, not just look at single verses in isolation.
You wouldn’t pull a single sentence from Pride and Prejudice and then make a conclusion without placing it in the whole story. The Bible is not fiction, but the same principles apply. So, to avoid proof-texting, read each passage in its full context and consider how it fits into the overall narrative of the Bible.
It's important to engage with the entirety of scripture to understand its overarching themes and messages. Every verse is part of a specific section of the whole Bible story we need to examine to make sense of the verse.
A safe initial approach is to read the whole paragraph, not just the verse. The key to the meaning of a verse comes from the paragraph. Also, remember the numbers were added to the text hundreds of years later but can give the illusion the verses stand alone in their meaning. They were not in the originals, though. Same with chapters and verse breaks.
3) The Bible Was Not Written To Us, But For Us
Some parts of the Bible are written to everyone, and some parts were written to specific people at a particular time for a specific purpose. Since the Bible was written thousands of years ago in different cultural settings, some customs and practices may appear foreign to modern readers.
To comprehend the intended message accurately, studying the historical and cultural background of the biblical world is beneficial. It is all 100% inspired by God and for us to learn from (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But we must look at each part of the Bible from the eyes and culture of the original reader and why and what God communicated to them.
Scholarly commentaries, archaeology, and historical research can offer valuable insights into ancient customs, beliefs, and social norms, aiding us in interpreting the Bible more accurately.
4) Acknowledge Translation Nuances
The Bible has been translated into numerous languages, each with its unique linguistic nuances. While translators strive for accuracy, some meanings may be challenging to convey perfectly in another language.
When studying the Bible, it can be helpful to consult multiple translations, including versions that aim for word-for-word accuracy and those that focus on conveying the overall meaning of the text. Cross-referencing different translations can shed light on potential interpretative variations.
HERE's a handy graphic from Bible Reviewer that helps visualize these differences.
5) The Entire Bible Points to Jesus Christ
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one continuous story with one central character: Jesus. Without understanding his role as the Messiah, the Bible can seem like a disjointed collection of stories. But when we view it through the lens of Jesus, the narrative comes together in a beautiful and cohesive way.
Through the pages of Scripture, we see the story of God's love for humanity and his plan to redeem us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus."
As you learn to study the Bible, I pray that you'll come to see it not as a static text but as a Living Word and active library of books that speak to our lives today. You'll come to understand that the Bible is an ancient text, and so it requires careful study and interpretation, and as you grow in your understanding of the Bible, you'll be able to discern when others misuse it or take it out of context.
If you are looking for more resources on this topic, I highly recommend How (Not) To Read The Bible by Dan Kimball.
Above all, I pray that you'll find in the Bible a source of wisdom, hope, and guidance for your life. (Matthew 7:24)
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