IBS-23 Unraveling Figures of Speech: when not to take the Bible literally

The Big Idea: We believe the Bible is to be the literal word of God but what about figures of speech?

When not to take the Bible literally

I studied French for a year conversing, listening to television, reading the paper, etc. I heard a phrase about a moon of honey on the news. I was stupefied till I realized the story was about newlyweds. That idiom is also used in English!

As serious students of Scripture, we take the Bible at its word. It is not a fairy tale. Interpret it literally most of the time believing it is God’s Word to you. The Holy Spirit inspired writers (2 Peter 1:21) who wrote beautiful ancient literature, but no language is sterile. Figures of speech give it beauty and emphasis. Realize figures of speech paint a picture. Sometimes figurative words of another culture sound odd to us. Bible translators apply modern phrases to express the idea for us which explains the difference in comparing translations. Remember that the cohesiveness of the Bible remains in sync with the rest of it. No strange doctrine emerges from a sentence or verse that is counter to the rest of the Holy Word of God.

Figures of Speech

Figures of speech are words and phrases that express meaning that is not meant to be literal but rather descriptive. It is not intended to be misleading but rather to illustrate like a word picture. Examine this chart to see the more common figures of speech found in the Bible followed by an explanation and an example.

Figures of Speech in the Bible
@ScriptureSpy

Understanding these language variables help us interpret the Word of God better. It is not intended to be mysterious and hard to understand. The Bible is intended for us to learn how to live abundant life in Christ (John 10:10, Ephesians 3:20).

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This is the twenty third in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Table of Contents

Up next in the series: What Does Timeless Truth Mean?
Previous post: Strange Bible Verses

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Reflect:

1. Do you enjoy idioms in your language? Does one make you laugh when you hear it? Do you have a story of a funny misunderstanding talking with someone who was foreign to your language?

2. What is a phrase in the Bible that sounds odd? What do you think it is really trying to say?

3. Does this blog on figurative speech give you comfort of more confusion to trust what the Bible says? Why or why not?

IBS-22 Strange Bible Verses: writing styles in the Bible

The Big Idea:  Knowing the style of literature you are reading is useful to interpreting what the Bible says.

Writing Styles in the Bible

Thanks Cuyler Black!

Playing the popular game, Jeopardy, one chooses a category for a question. Players typically know some categories better than others.

You may favor a genre of books of Bible. Many spend more time in the New Testament reflecting on Jesus. I love the comfort of Poetry books (i.e. Psalms, Proverbs). Our son gravitates to Apocalyptic books (i.e. Daniel, Revelation). I asked him recently if that is because he enjoys Sci-fi. He says “I like to remember God wins in the end.”

Types of Biblical Literature

The Bible has sixty six books altogether, written between 1400-2000 years of time. Some are easier to read than others. It helps to understand what genre of literature you are reading. Reading a cookbook is different from reading a murder mystery novel or a textbook on history.

How are the books of the Bible categorized? They are categorized by their main writing style, though one book can have multiple styles in it.

History – Often written in a descriptive narrative style telling a story of what happened and what God did. Example: Acts of the Apostles.

Law – This writing sounds like a legal document, about worship procedures or a covenant relationship between God and man. Genealogies are in this category. Example: Leviticus.

Poetry and Wisdom – Descriptive creative writing. Ancient Middle Eastern poetry and wisdom literature doesn’t rhyme but it shows emotion and action more than a description. It gives advice comfort and/or warning. Example: Psalms.

Prophecy – Prophetic writing is a persuasive style. Prophets are the mouthpiece of God saying what God wants people to know. They remind or warn us of God’s guidelines. Sometimes comforting. Sometimes frightening. Example: Isaiah.

Gospel – The word Gospel means “good news.” The Gospels contain historical narrative to introduce and show Jesus’ life and ministry as good news to man. Example: Matthew

Letters – The New Testament letters written from spiritual leaders of the early church write to encourage those following Jesus. Their writings are expository. They are referred to as Epistles. Example: Philippians.

Apocalyptic – Similar to prophecy as it is a message from God to man with a future urgency regarding the last days on earth. It is marked by a lot of symbolism much like poetry. Example: Revelation.

Why Genre Matters

• · Knowing the communication style of a confusing passage can bring clarity and peace. We don’t have to understand everything, but we can work with it.
• · It helps us understand the original Biblical world and culture in which it was written as we seek its core timeless truths.
• · We understand how two books different from each other may have similar themes.
• · We appreciate the creativity and brilliance of God communicating through so many different authors and styles.
• · We look at poetry and figurative apocalyptic literature to see beyond the imagery to the message.

I posted a blog last year on literary styles of the Old Testament. Check it out!
You might also find this video from The BibleProject helpful.

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This is the twenty second in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Table of Contents

Up next: Unraveling Figures of Speech
Previous post: Twelve Biblical Eras

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Reflect:

1. Can you think of a saying or section of the Bible that seems odd to you? What is it? Does it help to know it might be poetic or an ancient storytelling style?

2. How might you seek to find out of which style a book of the Bible is written?

3. Have you considered praying to ask God for wisdom to find clarity to a confusing passage? Could you also talk it over with someone else who studies the Bible a lot? It is useful for us to talk together about His Word.

As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. Luke 24:14-15 NLT

IBS-21 Age to Age: Twelve Biblical Eras

 The Big Idea: Understanding the period of time and world situation helps us interpret the Bible

Know the Biblical Eras

There are seasons in life. College days. Newly married. Death of someone in a household. Senior living. There are seasons of a nation as well. A Hebrew word talks about time. עֵת It is often translated “time” or “times” but sometimes translated “seasons” and other words for time periods.

“My times are in Your hand.” Psalm 31:15a

History is often studied by periods of events/world leaders. The era of a Biblical book is effected by the period of time in history, which is important to Bible interpretation. For instance, the knowledge of Roman world domination is revealing to understanding the Gospels.

 

Twelve Biblical Eras

The Bible can be summarized by twelve general periods. Note geographic focus, world events/powers and Biblical focus during each period. Click and save this chart to photos or right click and download to save to examine and use later in your studies.

Copyright @ScriptureSpy

The Apostle Paul, in Athens, Greece addressed a group of Athenians (~55-60 A.D.) referencing an alter to an unknown God.

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

"God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:22-31 NLT

God is at work

God is at work through the entire time frame. Sometimes astonishing is how our Sovereign God uses world powers and world events to work to accomplish His ultimate plan for His people. Enduring world powers, influences and difficulties through the ages of the Bible, God clearly works among His people for His purpose. In our world today take heart. God is not surprised at what is happening, nor is He wondering what to do. He is Lord!

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This is the twenty-first in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Table of Contents

Up next: Strange Bible Verses
Previous post: Maps, Timelines and Charts
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Reflect:

1. Think about a distinct season of your life. Was it a difficult one? Tedious? One of great happiness? How long did it last?

2. In the passage from Acts 7:24-21 what do you learn about God? Make a list. How do you see God works in the world with a plan?

3. Reread Acts 7:30-31. What about your life? Have you turned to Him?

IBS-20 Books with Pictures! Maps, timelines and charts

 

The Big Idea: Bible maps, timelines and charts reveal temporal and cultural information to aid interpretation of the Bible.

I like books with pictures!

I like books with pictures! I am a visual learner. Visual guides to the Bible have maps, timelines, charts and photos about Bible times. Understanding the land and era helps the interpretation process. Here are some resources available and how they can help.

Maps:

1. Rivers, lakes, mountains. Shows why they went a certain route, why towns were in a certain location (water, trade route, etc). Ex. Route of the Exodus. Jesus’ ministry around the Sea of Galilee.

2. Country borders and territories in a given period. Illustrates shifting of territories in war, allocations to tribes of Israel, countries hostile to Israel, etc. Ex. The allocation of land to the twelve tribes. The Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Herod’s territories in Jesus’ day.

3. Common highways, trade routes on land and sea. Reveal nomadic routes, travel to the temple, how the Gospel spread after persecution of early Christians, etc. Ex. Abraham’s journey from Ur to Canaan. Paul’s three missionary journeys.

4. Topographical maps show elevations with terrain. Numerous Bible references say Jesus went “up to Jerusalem” because Jerusalem is a high elevation (Mt 20:18, Mk 10:33, Luke 2:22, John 5:1, etc.)

Where to find: Study Bibles, back or throughout (maps index). Online at Bible Hub. Blue Letter Bible. NET Bible. Bible Handbooks and Atlases. Search engine images.

Timelines:

1. See the whole story. The Bible story covers nearly 2000 years. Get the big picture and break it down from there.

2. Identify major players. Who came first? Abraham or Moses? Isaiah or Elijah? How did Israel’s twelve tribes happen? Ex. Line of Abraham. Period of the Prophets. The book of Acts.




3. Chronology. Some of the Bible overlaps (the kings of the Old Testament, the Gospels, etc). Note the events in chronological order. Ex. Life of David. Life of Christ.

4. Context. Context is key. Who was king then? What country was in power? Was an event early in Jesus’ ministry or right before the cross?

Where to find: Blue Letter Bible. Hendrickson RosePublishing. Amazing Facts has a useful online timeline.

Charts. 

Concisely organize information.

1. Lists. Ex. Books of the Bible. Plagues of Egypt. Major and Minor prophets. Miracles of Jesus. Twelve Disciples. Prophecies of Jesus.

2. Comparisons and contrasts. Ex. Feasts of Israel. The four Gospels. Levitical High Priests vs. Jesus the High Priest.

3. Relationships. Ex. Days of Creation. Sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. List of OT Kings and Prophets. Paul’s ministry partners. Names of God.

4. Spatial perspective. The tabernacle layout. Herod’s temple. Via Dolorosa.

Where to find online: Blue Letter Bible, Search Engine Images

An excellent publisher for maps, charts and timelines is Hendrickson Rose Publishing. Also Baker Books and Zondervan Books.

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This is the twentieth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Table of Contents

Up next: Age to Age
Previous post: Scripture Interprets Scripture

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Reflect:

1. Check your Bible and find lists of maps, timelines and charts. Is it in the front or back of the Bible in an index or appendix? Does one catch your eye as interesting? Check it out!

2. How might a map or timeline give insight to God at work?

3. Use your search engine. Put in Names of God. Look for images. Look over all the names and meditate on it.

IBS-19 In Sync: Scripture interprets Scripture

 

The Big Idea: Practical ideas suggested so you can explore how to use Scripture to interpret Scripture.

In Sync

Acapella bands blend voices together with precision. Likewise Biblical themes harmonize together remarkably. The Bible, written over 1200+ years by diverse writers retains solidarity and cohesiveness. The Holy Spirit is the true author, moving the writers (2 Peter 1:21). No wonder common themes emerge in other parts of the Bible that agree.

These concepts for the interpretation phase of Bible study should sound familiar:

Context is key.

• Examine different genres (literary styles) of writing.
• Historical background and culture of the Bible aid interpretation.
• Always check the Bible first, then check exterior resources and commentaries.
• Scripture interprets Scripture

What “Scripture Interprets Scripture” Means

Because all the Bible is in sync with the rest of Scripture, other Biblical passages shed new light on a passage. This is the most reliable way to verify Biblical truths.

Resources

Topical Bible – These resources list Bible references by topic. Naves Topical Bible online has its own webpage and app. It is also available at Biblehub.com. The Blue Letter Bible uses Hitchcock Topical Bible and others.

Concordance – A concordance is useful to look up where a key word occurs. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance has its own app. Biblehub.com and BlueletterBible.org help and Bible.com and other electronic Bibles contain a powerful search engine.

Google and many search engines are useful to see what the Bible says about a subject. You can write, for instance, “Hope in the Bible.” Remember the references you seek are scripture only, not external sources. Biblestudytools.com always presents top verses in a given category.

Cross-reference – Many Bibles have little letters next to key words in a verse, with parallel passages listed. Look each of them up for insight. Thompson Chain Bible and online resources are invaluable.

Practical Suggestions

1. Look up key words in a topical resource, a concordance, or online (see above). Examples of a key word: Hope. Redemption. Faithful. Godly.

2. Use online resources to look up a phrase in the Bible. Examples: Fruit of the Spirit. Fear of the Lord. Passover lamb.

3. Character search. Use a topical Bible, a concordance and online resources to look up passages and verses that mention a character in the Bible. Many main characters are mentioned in several places, many mentioned by Jesus or Paul. Trace what other Biblical references say about this person.

4. Make lists. What do these various verses tell you about a key word, a subject, a person? Do you have some questions? Write those down. Pray about it. Consider synonyms to explore in the Bible or words used in other translations, especially if little is found on your quest. Example – Redemption/deliverance/rescue.

Always pray over your study asking the Author (the Holy Spirit) to help you connect the dots! God’s Word is powerful!

For a little more explanation and ideas see a longer previous post of mine about how Scripture Interprets Scripture.

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This is nineteenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Table of Contents 

Up next: Maps,Timelines and Charts
Previous post: Word Study Using the Blue Letter Bible

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Reflect:
1. Have you connected the Holy Spirit as the inspired common denominator throughout the entire Bible? Reflect on that and meditate with gratitude to God for His communication through the whole Bible.

2. Is there a subject of the Bible you have always wanted to explore? Try it today!

3. If you struggle with doubts about the cohesiveness in the Bible, take time to tell God, asking for His Holy Spirit to help you.

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26 NLT

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 1 Corinthians 2: 10-13 NLT

IBS-18 Word Study Using the Blue Letter Bible

 

The Big Idea: How to use the Blue Letter Bible online for a Word Study 

There are several Bible Resources online. Some are free and some become expensive as you add features. For the average Christian, Blue Letter Bible is a free powerful tool that you can use both on and offline. It is also available as an app through Apple and Google Play.

Review what a Word Study is and how to do it in the previous post, IBS-16. Understand that the goal is not to review every word in your passage, but choose repetitive words and significant words in the passage.

Blue Letter Bible

1. From the opening page of the Blue Letter Bible online, put in the Bible reference. It is important to note these guidelines do not apply to the app.  Hit the Green search. If you are studying in the NASB or ESV choose that in the dropdown menu.

2. The verse opens. Hover over the tools icon and a menu will give you options. Choose interlinear;  it will give you each word with Strong’s Numbers.

3. Words and phrases of the verse go line by line with the Strong’s number. You can see the tense or grammatical position of it, and even find a sound icon for pronunciation.  Click now on the Strong’s number.

 4. There are a few useful things on this new view. You have the number of times it is used in the Bible, an outline how it is used, the Strong’s Definition and other Biblical resources that help define and understand it. 

5. Jump down on this page to the section called Concordance Results. There you will see each occurrence of this Hebrew or Greek Word with entire verses listed.

6. Here you have the opportunity to see how many times your word occurs in the book or chapter you are studying. You can see how it may be translated into another English word in some passages. All of these clues areuseful to understanding the word used here. 

If the author of the book has written more books, such as the Apostle Paul, you can compare how Paul uses the word in his other writings. The same goes for the Apostle John, Moses of the Old Testament, etc.

 Sometimes a word occurs in only one place in the Bible. One can check their use outside the Bible which can prove useful. Understand this unique word cannot be the key to a new theology or doctrinal understanding. Always go back to the context and where this concept occurs in other parts of Scripture. 

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This is eighteenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Table of Contents 

Up next: Scripture Interprets Scripture
Previous post: How to Use the Strong’s ExhaustiveConcordance

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Reflect:

1. Do you prefer to use online tools or hard copy books? What is the advantage/disadvantage of each?

2. Practice with a word to use for a word study, such as 2 Peter 3:9, looking for the word patient. What do you learn about the patience of God through this? 

 

IBS-17 How to Use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

The Big Idea: How to use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, a hardbound massive book and also an online resource. 

Around 130 years ago Theologian James Strong created a massive resource to find any Bible Verse in the King James Bible. It was indexed according to every word in a verse. 

Why it is useful for Christians:

• Find the reference for any verse using a word in the alphabetical index.
• Check the root word in original Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT) languages.
• Each word indexed by number. This index number is still used today in original language tools and in online references. 
• Find basic information about that word.

Let’s illustrate

We can examine the word “beginning” from the Old and the New Testament.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen 1:1

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

Strong’s index of English words is alphabetical. In the “Bs” look under “beginnings.” We can sample the verse in both Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1.

Notice the highlighted number at the end of the reference line. This is the Strong’s index number for Hebrew in the Old Testament, and Greek for John’s reference in the New Testament. 

The appendix of Strong’s Concordance lists all the Hebrew words and Greek words by number. See number 7225 used in the Hebrew for Genesis 1:1. 

Following the Hebrew dictionary is a Greek dictionary with word number 746 from the root used in John 1:1

Occasionally an old Strong’s Concordance is at a Thrift Shop or on a give-away book table.  Even the oldest versions are useful, though some are quite musty and threadbare! Grab it! Several modern versions have an identical model (NIV, NASB, and the ESV). 

Additionally electronic Bible resources use Strong’s.

Apple and Google Play have a Strong’s Concordance App.

The Blue Letter Bible

From the opening page of the Blue Letter Bible, put in the Bible Reference. Hit the Green search.

The verse opens. Hover over the tools icon and a menu will give you options. Choose interlinear;  it will give you each word with Strong’s Numbers.

Bible Hub

The opening page of Bible Hub top line allows you to enter the Bible Reference.  Notice one of the lower listed resources is Strong’s (highlighted in orange by me). That will guide you to the root words of Genesis 1:1.

These are basic examples for online use. Choose one as a favorite and learn how to use it. There are great tutorials on YouTube and blogs on how to use them to full advantage. 

Deeper Christian Blog: A Simple Guide for How to do a Word Study 

Video: How to do a Blue Letter Bible Word Study by Pam Gillaspie

For pastors and theologians, these tools are only a starting point, and some argue they are less than accurate, with the Dead Sea Scroll findings more recently.  Still for a starting point, for a serious student of the Bible, this is very useful.

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This is the seventeenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.

Up next: Using Blue Letter Bible for a Word Study
Previous post: What is a Word Study?

Table of Contents
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Reflect:

1. Have you ever quoted a verse and wondered where it is found in the Bible? What does this tool do for you now?

2. If you notice a word used many times in a book of the Bible, such as light or money, what might that tell you about the book or the passage?

IBS-16 What is a Word Study?

 

Big Idea: What is a word study and why it is important to conduct one.

Why do a Word Study?

Books have words and words have meaning. Many have a spectrum of meaning often with several usages. The context assits to discover any shades of meaning.

The Bible was written in predominately Hebrew and Greek. Bible versions vary depending on whether the translators choose to be more literal (word for word), or portray the idea (thought for thought).

A word study is valuable to the interpreting phase of Inductive Bible Study. Look at the word usage in your passage, other parts of the Bible, and in the original language. There are helpful tools available so you don’t need to know Hebrew or Greek for a word study.

Steps to a useful word study

To get to the bottom of the word meaning try these steps.

1. Look at the context and theme  

Each word is used in a sentence, belonging to a paragraph, a chapter, and a book of the Bible. What is the book about? What is the author discussing in a particular chapter?

2. Examine the word meaning in your language

Some Biblical words aren’t used every day. Start with its dictionary definition in your language. You cannot assume this definition is its sure meaning. Some English words have multiple meanings and nuance. Context is key.

3. Look at other English versions of the same verse

At Bible Gateway the verse can be viewed how it’s expressed in other English translations. It may be translated the same or it might vary. Those other variations give insight.

4. Discover word frequency and location

a. In your English Bible. You can search word frequency through your Bible app or in a concordance. The back of some Study Bibles have a limited concordance. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance covers every word occurrence in English in KJV including “the.”

b. In the original language. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance indicates the original language word used with an index in back. Future posts present using Strong’s Concordance and online searching.

5. Analysis

• How is the word used in the book you are studying, and books by the same author (like Paul). Word studies are often done because of frequent occurrence.
• Do other passages use that word?
• Some different passages translate it differently so ask yourself why translators may put it the way they did.
• What impact does this word have on your passage and your understanding of the verse?

6. Pray and apply 

Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Try to rewrite the verse in your own words. Ask yourself why this word matters to the Christian life.

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This is the sixteenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.

Up next: Using Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
Previous post: Resources in your Study Bible

Table of Contents 
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Reflect:

1. Have you told a story finding you kept repeating a word? Was it intentional or natural? Why do you think a word is used a lot by an author in a Bible passage?

2. Has a pastor or Bible teacher ever given you word insight that has unlocked the meaning of a verse for you?

3. What might be a word you’d like to examine? Is it from your recent study of the Word or is it a verse that has troubled you for years?

IBS-15 Resources in your Study Bible

 

Big Idea: How and where to easily find background information notably in your Study Bible.

Where can I find that?

The joke is that Inductive Bible Study is getting “in da Bible. ” Commentaries are off limits till you have simply read the Bible and pondered over it. In the interpretation phase one starts looking at resources. Commentaries should be your last search.

Where would one find background information?  In a good study Bible and resource books. Some of these are found online too.

Pray for God’s guidance as you choose resources. They are useful, but Study Bibles and commentaries are man’s reflection, not inspired by God. Serious study and prayer has gone into them but there will be doctrinal bias because they are the work of human beings. 

The ABC's of Interpretation suggest verifying the author, audience written to, date written, themes, genre of writing and more. All these and much more can often be found in a Study Bible in the book introduction. YouVersion NIV also offers book introductions.  

Valuable Resources for Interpretation

1. Book introduction.  Often includes author, audience, date, outline, themes, genre. Found in study Bibles, Bible handbooks,  Bible websites such as biblehub.com, bluebetterbible.org.  Youversion at Bible.com also have introductions with the NIV Bible.

Finding YouVersion chapter introductions

2. Timelines and period maps. In order to understand time period, location of the story, movement of people groups the timelines and period maps are useful (such as Exodus desert wandering, Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys, etc). Found in study Bibles,  Bible handbooks,  Bible websites such as biblehub.com, bluebetterbible.org

3. Cross references. Many Bibles, including some regular Bibles, have cross references. These indicate other places with a similar references or backstory. Marked by a small letter usually in margin or at the  bottom of page. 

4. Concordance. Many study Bibles have a concordance which is an alphabetical index of key words in the Bible, with their reference. It is very useful. For instance, you want find the reference for the verse about the pearl of great price. Look under P in the concordance.  There are a lot of applications for using a concordance, especially Strong’s exhaustive concordance. 

5. Charts, Lists and Illustrations. Many study Bibles and Bible handbooks have a lot of charts and illustrations. They provide invaluable information giving  perspective.

Examples:

• Prophesies of Jesus’ birth
• The Tabernacle and the Temple with placement of sacred objects
• Kings of Israel and Judah
• Spiritual gifts
• Names of God
• Timeline of the life of the Apostle Paul

6. Notes and commentaries. The bottom of a Study Bible page usually has historical notes and commentary to shed light on a passage. It might note the modern equivalent of money or time of day. It could explain a cultural habit or an archeological find that sheds light. Commentary notes give additional understanding to a verse. It is good to check out a couple of study Bibles or commentaries and compare them.

More information is ahead on how to use various resources.

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This is fifteenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.

Up next: What is a Word Study?
Previous post: That's Really What it Said!

Table of Contents 

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Reflect:

1. Do you own a Study Bible? Do you use any of the feature? What have you used most and why do you find it helpful?

2. If you have a Study Bible take a look at the table of contents and look in the back of it too. Is there something in it you never looked at before? When or how might it be useful to your study?


If you have never looked at a Study Bible or don’t have one, take a look inside the first few pages of an electronic Bible on Amazon kindle. It is NIV Version but it is only $14.99 as I write this which is an excellent sale. It is an interesting Bible and easy to look around on Amazon.

IBS-14 That’s really what it said! Beliefs and mystery

 

The Big Idea: Can we take the Bible literally (which at times seems hard to understand) and trust it to be God’s Word?

Simple or Hard?

The Bible is simple. The Bible is hard.

Can it be both? Turning a light on is so simple a 5 year old can do it. With a massive power outage, specialists reinstate it by a pretty complex process. College professors teach electrical engineers the complexities of energy. The Bible has that kind of duality.

A five year old hears “Jesus loves me” and understands. “Love” in the Bible is complex. Inductive Bible Study is not for the lazy. It can be hard work. Like a multi-faceted diamond, fresh angles emerge studying the same passage repeatedly.

The Bible is not a mystical book, nor a fairy tale. It speaks to man from the heart of God, though it covers over a thousand years and numerous civilizations. The truths it contains apply to multiple cultures and generations because it is the divine Word from God to man. It is not intended to be a secret for a select few. God wants you to understand and know Him.

Belief and mystery

You need not know Hebrew and Greek to understand the Bible. With desire to know and walk with Him, God gives the wisdom and understanding to discern His Word.

The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 (NASB95) Also see Acts 4:13

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It touches thoughts and guides actions. It is not fabricated to make a point. Some spend massive energy discounting the stories and miracles. Take God at His Word, trusting even the mysterious. What is your perspective? 95% mystery and 5% literal? Or 5% is a mystery and 95% literal?

The Bible speaks of mystery till we’re in heaven. It also says dullness accompanies unbelief.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. I Corinthians 13:12 (NASB95)

Colossians 2:2 and 4:3 and numerous other passages state “God’s mystery… is, Christ Himself.” Believe His Word and submit that which you struggle with to Him.

Moving from Observation to Interpretation

Having observed the text gives you a head start. Observation bleeds over into Interpretation smoothly.


1. Review your observation notes.

2. Does the Bible passage state purpose? i.e.” _____so that_____”

3. Revisit the theme of the chapter and book you are studying.

4. Describe what the verse says in your own words.

5. Explain the most obvious point it appears to be making.

6. Contemplate where God shows up. What does it say or show about Him?

Don’t make this hard. The Bible has clear lessons throughout, especially when we sync passages with the rest of the Bible. Scripture interprets Scripture. Pray for God to guide and simply believe.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

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This is fourteenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.

Up Next: Where Can I Find That?
Previous post: The ABC's of Interpretation

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Reflect:

1. If you had to take a wild guess what percentage you think is literal and that which remains a mystery, what might you suggest? Does your presupposition help you study the Bible or hinder it?

2. In spite of Inductive Bible Study being hard work, are you enjoying putting in the time to do it? Do you find inductive study rewarding or frustrating?

3. Pray asking for God to guide you in your studies that His Word will become even more precious to you!

IBS-13 The ABC's of Interpretation

 

Big Idea: Use the acronym ABC to understand the meaning of the Bible.

What could it mean?

The Star Trek: Next Generation episode, “A Matter of Perspective,” (S3E14) has Riker on trial for the murder of a scientist. The courtroom, created on the holodeck, recreates the scene from each person’s perspective. Truth wins based on indisputable evidence at the end.

Today’s culture values relativity. Everyone has a right to their opinion, believing truth is relative to each individual’s point of reference. Everyone experiences life filtered by personal experience. However truth is fixed, not a moving target. It can be determined.

The Word of God expresses truth in cultural and temporal ways but its Biblical truth is timeless unalterable truth. The Holy Spirit with careful Biblical study guides us to truth. The Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16)  who moved humans by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21) to write the words. Start with prayer. Who better to ask than the author?

Interpret a passage more easily using the A-B-C’s.

1. Verify the APPARENT.

a. Simplicity. Usually Biblical truth is easily apparent. God wants us to know Him. He doesn’t fill the Bible with booby traps.

b. Literal. Allegories, parables etc were used by ancient writers but not in every chapter and verse. Consider the literary style of the book. For Poetic, Prophetic and Apocalyptic styles keep literary device in mind. Historical Narrative is usually literal.

c. Stated purpose. Often the Bible identifies why it was written. The author states it clearly or Jesus tells us directly. Look for these statements. 

It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. Luke 1:3-4 NASB95

I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God. I Timothy 3:15 NASB95

2. Verify the BIBLE as a whole.

a. Themes throughout the Bible. Many key themes run throughout; love, sin, redemption, light….

b. Cross References. Scripture Interprets Scripture. Cross references show other places that are similar. Often found in the margin in a study Bible or in other resources, follow the trail.

c. Word Study. Through a concordance and other tools, examine the word use in other places.  Check it in the original language for translation and usage. (How to do that is for another blog post)

 

3. Verify the CONTEXT.

a. Paragraph, chapter, book. Look at the passage comparing paragraphs in the chapter, chapter themes, book themes, etc. What is stated around the verse?

b. Author, audience. Review the writer and who they addressed. Background of author.

c. Timeline, period, circumstance. Familiarize yourself with backdrop of the writing; period world powers, civilizations, lifestyle and culture.

 

4. Verify with DISCERNMENT.

a. Warning. An obscure verse/passage, especially out of context, cannot create new “truth.” It must line up with the rest of Scripture and the historical church God has led.

b. God focused. Seek God. Keep Jesus primary. Seek the Holy Spirit. Elevate the Bible as writings to us from God. Assume it’s God infused and true.

c. Timeless truth. Ask the meaning to people in Biblical times. Ask what the timeless truth is that transcends time. Ask what that timeless truth is for us today.

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This is thirteenth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.

Up next: That's Really What it Said!
Previous post: Chapter Theme

Table of Contents 

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Reflect:

1. What is a verse you find confusing? Have you tried anything to understand it better?

2. Does this give you a fresh idea to explore the meaning of a passage? We will be unpacking these suggestions over the next several weeks.

3. Pray for God to open your eyes to learn how to find understanding.

I pray that the glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Christ better. Ephesians 1:17 GW

IBS-12 The Chapter Theme: #hashtagit

 

The Big Idea: Craft a Bible chapter theme title.

#Hashtag It

Precept author Pam Gillaspie suggests in her Bible studies to create a #hashtag for your chapter theme, thinking about how you’d post your Bible passage as a Twitter hashtag. To do that you'd come up with select key words. A catchy summarizing theme.

I don't succeed at Twitter. I revived my account several times, but each time I failed miserably. I had to recently google what a hashtag is! It is that number sign "#" inserted in your social media message that summarizes cleverly how you'd categorize the post. Clearly I never figured out Twitter or I’d already have known that!

AT A GLANCE

Precept is the standard in Inductive Bible Study methodology. If you participate in a “Precept-upon-Precept” study or an “In and Out study by Precept,” something called an AT A GLANCE chart is provided. As you move through your study you create a theme for each chapter which you write as a chapter heading on your AT A GLANCE chart. You include the author, date and purpose of the book. When you have enough chapter themes to determine the theme of the whole book, that is filled in too.

Whether you like social media or not, the hashtag concept is a creative way to label a chapter. Summarize in 2-7 words what each chapter is all about.

Why is this valuable?

• It challenges you to digest/summarize what each chapter is about.
• You can quickly refer to a chapter later and view themes.
• It helps you remember what you studied.
• Compiling them guides you to discern the overall theme for each book.

How can I determine the theme?

1. Repetition and Key Words. Look at your passage work and observe the key words you have noticed. Look at the paragraphs and observe any phrases repeated. How about your comparison/contrast notes?

2. Summarize the chapter. Talk out loud to yourself telling what the chapter is saying. Or write down in your own words a short paragraph of summation of the chapter.

3. Observe the first and last sentence. You may see a framework or a timeline. Perhaps you will see a problem and the solution.

4. Emphasis. Why is this chapter here? What is useful about it? What might the author be trying to show?

5. Character or Activity. Is there a key player? Is there a major activity? You can label the chapter with something like “Call of Moses,” “Ten Commandments,” or the “Feeding of 5000.”

You can neatly summarize your chapter or study section because you have done the work of observation. You are now ready to move on to Interpretation and Application!

From the Precept Inductive Bible Study Bible

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This is twelfth in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.
Up next: The ABC’s of Interpretation 

Previous post: Comparisons and Contrasts

Table of Contents 

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Reflect:

1. Why is a title useful when looking for a movie to watch or a book to read? What can it tell you?

2. Remember prayer while studying the Bible, especially if you feel stuck. It is a great occasion to lift our eyes heavenward and ask for a little help!

IBS-11 The Bible, My Workbook: comarisons and contrasts

 

The Big Idea: Suggestions how to show word relationships in a Bible passage.

The Bible, My Workbook

The Bible is a manual for life and godliness! It is not merely a pretty book for the shelf, or a family heirloom. It is the sacred Word of God. However its intent is as a resource for everyday life. Study it intently! Consider making a Bible passage worksheet and mark it up!

If you are following this blog series, you have already marked your chapter or passage for references to God, time and places, people and key words. Perhaps word relationships have jumped out at you. Try looking for these!

1. Identify Lists. In the text, number the items in the list. Some put a bracket around the section. I usually just label and write out a list on a piece of paper instead of number them in the Bible.

I love list making. I look for lists of what we should do, characteristics, what God does for us, bad examples and so forth. It will be particularly useful to review when you get to the application phase.

Easy list examples in Scripture:

• Exodus 20               Ten Commandments
• Proverbs 31             Character of a virtuous woman
• Isaiah 9:6                 Characteristics of the Messiah
• Galatians 5:22-23    Fruit of the Spirit

2. Mark Comparisons. You can circle the two words or phrases and draw a line between them to indicate the relationship. The wise man and the foolish man (Matt. 7:24-27). Treasures on earth versus treasures in heaven (Matt. 6: 19-21). You may also find cause and effect, such as when you do A, B will happen. What you plant is what you will harvest (Gal. 6:7-8)

3. Mark Contrasts. In 1 Peter 5:5 you see God's response to the proud and to the humble. Putting a slash between them identifies a contrast. I often underline the sections and draw a line with a slash through it because they may be in separate verses.

There are a lot of contrasts in the Bible. Starting in Genesis 1 light and darkness is contrasted and is revisited often in the Bible. Love and hate (I John 4:20). The flesh versus the Spirit (Eph. 2:1-3).  Look for contrasts because they will also be useful during application on the way to live and the way not to live.

4. Mark Conclusion and Transitional Words. You can put a square around these words to set them apart. They invite us to reflect, summarize, and make conclusions. Again helpful for application. My class must get tired of me saying, "Let's stop and talk about what the "therefore" is there for?"

Make the Bible your workbook. Enjoy your homework!

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This is eleventh in a series called Practical Starter Guide for Inductive Bible Study.

Up next: The Chapter Theme
Previous post: Marking Key Words

Table of Contents 

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Reflect:

1. Do you see the Bible as a workbook for life? Why or why not?

2. Give an example of how the Bible might be useful for an everyday situation.

3. Pray right now that God gives you a hunger to dig in the Bible with enthusiasm!