My early attempts at Bible study were sporadic and didn’t go that smoothly. I soon learned that I needed a more formalized approach to my Bible study. Here are a few tips and resources I’ve found that will help you keep your Bible study on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All our study is futile without the work of God overcoming our blindness and hardheartedness.\u201d \u2013 John Piper, Martin Luther Lessons from His Life and Labor p. 33<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
There is no substitute for prayer when reading and studying the Bible. Prayer takes the attention off of what we<\/em> can do and puts the attention instead on what God<\/em> can do in and through us. Bible study is a spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1<\/a>) in which we present our best to God. We have to remember that this is not just a book we\u2019re reading. We need prepare our hearts and minds for Bible study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read the Scripture for yourself<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Read and re-read the passage you\u2019re studying. Get familiar with the flow of the passage. If there are terms that you don\u2019t know, look them up in a simple dictionary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask yourself these Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- Observe \u2013 What does the text say?<\/li>
- Interpret \u2013 What does the text mean?<\/li>
- Apply \u2013 How does it apply to me today?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Asking these questions will keep you focused on the study at hand. These questions are also helpful when preparing, guiding, and leading discussions for small group and Sunday school Bible studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read and Research<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1.Bible Study Notes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are multiple Bibles that have study notes written by scholars and trusted authors that will assist you in better understanding the Bible. I recommend choosing one that corresponds to your preferred translation<\/a> (KJV, ESV, NIV, NKJV, NLT, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Bible Concordances<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Concordances are great tools that give you a list of verses that contain that root word in the Bible. However, be careful that you do not JUST use a concordance in your preparation. Concordances are a great place to BEGIN, but are never the END of your Bible study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that \u201cdon\u2019t try this at home\u201d disclaimer, I do suggest using a digital Bible with Strong\u2019s numbers<\/a> integrated into the text for your Bible study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recommendations:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) – cross references<\/a><\/li>
- Olive Tree Cross References: Expanded Set<\/a><\/li>
- Holman Concise Topical Concordance<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
3. Bible Dictionaries<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dictionaries give you more explanation and meaning for specific words. They also help us to keep our Bible study on track.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nRecommendations:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Easton’s Bible Dictionary\u00a0<\/a>(Free on Olive Tree!)<\/li>
- Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary<\/a> (Free on Olive Tree!)<\/li>
- Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words<\/a><\/li>
- Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
4. Bible Commentaries<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\nAfter you\u2019ve studied the Bible for yourself, it is often helpful to read trusted Bible scholars to see how they explain the text you are reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recommendations:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary<\/a> (Free on Olive Tree!)<\/li>
- Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible<\/a> (Free on Olive Tree!)<\/li>
- The Bible Knowledge Commentary<\/a><\/li>
- Word Biblical Commentary (WBC)<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
I would also suggest checking BestCommentaries.com. It’s a great site with recommendations for commentaries on each book of the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, here are some useful resources to further your Bible study methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n