Dive into In-depth Bible Study
Recently I finished leading an in-depth Bible study with a small group of women. We didn’t trudge through a Bible study or work through a devotion written by someone else.
Instead, we followed simple steps to dive into the riches of Scripture ourselves and ensure we were rightly handling the Word of God. And the results were beautiful.
While utilizing Bible studies or devotions can be great tools, we don’t want to depend upon them as our only source of spiritual nourishment. We want to directly engage with Scripture and hear the voice of our beloved Savior from studying the Bible for ourselves. Without someone else leading us through God’s Word.
When we lean into the messy, but meaningful work of studying the Bible we position ourselves to experience Scripture—and Jesus—in powerful ways. But sometimes, like the women in my recent Bible study group, we aren’t always trained how to do so well.
STEPPING INTO THE GAP OF BIBLE STUDY
Fifty-seven percent of those who attend Protestant churches acknowledge it’s difficult to understand the Bible when they read it. This means over half of churchgoers find it challenging to take what they read during their own devotional time and connect it to biblical truths.
The Bible is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and the last thing we want to believe is that we need to purchase yet another devotion to meaningfully connect with the Lord. While devotions can be a quality resource on our faith journeys, we want to acquire the skills to tap directly into the riches of the Bible so we can hear God speak to us through His written Word.
Here’s the good news: We can learn how to study the Bible. We can uncover deep, biblical truth by trusting the same Holy Spirit who speaks to those who write Bible studies and devotions and teaches on a Sunday morning, can also speak to you and me.
We don’t need a seminary degree to know and treasure God’s Word. (Although, that’s a lovely skill set to possess and pour into our churches!)
We should be careful to not take the Bible out of context, but with the right framework and tools we can glean biblical truths from Scripture.
ONE WAY TO STUDY SCRIPTURE WELL
While there are a variety of methods and tools to study the Bible well, one I return to again and again is called inductive Bible study. This technique allows us to observe a passage, interpret Scripture, and reach an application based on what we’ve studied—and we can do it if we’re willing to put in the hard work.
Let’s unpack what this process looks like:
1) Read through the chosen book of the Bible to study. This provides an overview of the book and allows us to observe key themes by reading it as a whole before diving into smaller chunks. If we don’t feel like we have the capacity to read the entire book, then skim it. Jot down key points and overall impressions.
2) Next, we want to understand the context. Determine the type of literature the book is (narrative, letter, wisdom, etc.), who the author is, who is the target audience, when this book is written, what’s happening during this time, and why the book was written. This information can often be found in study Bibles or from free online resources (see section “additional resources to consider” below).
3) Divide the book by chapters and/or sections based on what seems to fit together. Give each section a short title. (If you don’t enjoy this, lean into how your Bible divides sections and try to combine sections together that seem to fit.) Then consider what a key theme of the book might be and write that down. Jot down any assumptions (or things you feel you already “know”) about this book and ask the Lord to help you rely on the Holy Spirit as you study.
Now it’s time to dive into smaller sections of Scripture to study more in-depth. For each passage you decide to tackle (from a few verses to a couple of chapters), repeat the following steps:
4) Read the passage, then note repeated words, things contrasted or that are similar. What are the connections between paragraphs? Consider the meaning of these connections and write it down. (Sometimes reading the passage in a couple of different translations can be useful.)
5) What is the main truth of this passage? Distill it into one clear sentence.
6) Consider how to respond to this passage in light of your study. Is there a truth to find joy in? Or something to obey? A promise to hold on to? Take time to praise the Lord and ask for this truth to be walked out in your daily life.
(If you have time, jot down notes from a trusted commentary, podcast, article, or sermon on the passage you’re studying. What did this additional perspective add to your own studies?)
Once you’ve reached the end of the book, it’s time for the final step.
7) Take time to consider how the different truths you discovered link together. What’s the key theme of the book? Write it in one sentence. Does this match how you viewed the book at the beginning of your study? Write a prayer of praise for what God has revealed from your time studying this book of the Bible.
Putting these steps into practice can provide a guide for our personal devotion time. When I was studying through the book of Mark, we divided the book into six sections so we studied a few chapters each week. Before starting the focused passage studies, I worked through steps 1–3 to provide context and a foundation for the Bible study during the first week. I didn’t complete all the steps at once, but worked through steps 4–6 on the designated section of Scripture throughout the week.
Like any new skill, we can continue to grow and deepen our Bible study skills. We can keep growing, diving deeper, and adding new elements leveraging the inductive Bible study method, but this overview of the method is a great starting place for learning how to study the Bible well.
We don’t have to rush through these steps or become bogged down in them either. We want to move at a pace that allows us to reflect and process the passage of Scripture. We won’t catch everything—and that’s the beauty of the Bible. We can return again and again and the Holy Spirit can reveal something that’s always been there, but we missed before. But each time we embark on personal Bible study, we can think deeply about sections of Scripture and walk away with solid biblical truths.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CONSIDER
Here are some free resources that can come alongside your personal Bible study (consider just looking into one during your next time in the Word):
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary - This provides lots of resources to study deeper such as online commentaries, podcasts, recommended resources, courses, etc. There's a wealth of useful tools at your fingertips to help go deeper.
NET Bible - If you're curious about translation of a text and word meanings, this is a useful online tool. It can provide a glimpse into some detailed explanations behind a text.
Study Light - Bible study tools (commentaries, encyclopedias, concordances, bible dictionaries), language tools, historical writings, and resources to study more deeply.
Blue Letter Bible - Audio and video commentaries, Bible references, topical indexes, theological resources (step 5 on the sheet), courses, language resources to study well.
Bible Gateway - Multiple translations at your fingertips.
Bible Project - Great short videos, guides, and podcasts to assist in studying the Bible.
The direct study of God’s Word can transform us and lead to lasting spiritual impact. As we cultivate the skills and invest the time to study the Bible, may our love for Jesus and His Word increase.
We can study the Bible. And we can start today.
Stay tuned as I share three more methods to study the Bible.
*Adapted from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
