8 Simple Steps to Study & Understand the Bible
I’m a big fan of allowing the Bible to interpret itself, meaning I prefer to rely on scripture to help me understand scripture, rather than relying on commentaries. Commentaries are helpful, but they are, ultimately, someone else’s interpretation of scripture. I use them only after I’ve done all the investigating I can do on my own.
So how do you study scripture using scripture? Here are eight simple steps to help you study and understand the Bible.
HOW TO STUDY & UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE
#1 – Read and re-read scripture, aloud if possible.
When you go from reading the Bible to studying it, repetition is your friend. The more you read the same passage of scripture, the more you will glean from it. Before you begin to dig into your selected passage of scripture, read it more than once. If possible, read it aloud.
Hearing God’s Word, whether reading it out loud to yourself or hearing it read to you, perks your ears to things you may not notice at first glance. Take your time. Savor it. Don’t try to rush through studying the Bible.
#2 – Write a summary of the passage you are studying.
After you’ve read your passage of scripture more than once, take a moment and write a summary in your own words. Essentially, ask yourself, “What does it say?” Answer that question simply and in a few sentences. This isn’t the time for interpretation yet. This is the time to wrap your head around the sequence of events.
#3 – Identify key people in scripture.
Each time someone new shows up in scripture, you should pause and do a little research. I call these “side quests”, as I like to look up other mentions of these people in the Bible, and create a little biography of each person.
TIP: You could create a Bible character guide for yourself to reference as you continue to study. Add to each person’s biography as you learn more about them, and keep it all in a handy notebook.
#4 – Identify geographic locations.
Similar to researching key people in your passage of scripture, it’s also a good idea to research geographic locations. God likes to send people to the same location over and over, so you will likely notice a lot of important events happening in just a few key locations.
TIP: Pull out a map and look up these locations. This is also a great way to see just how far people traveled back then.
#5 – Look for God or Jesus in the passage of scripture.
The Bible is about God, so it only makes sense that you look for God or Jesus in the passage of scripture you’re studying. As you study, ask yourself what God is doing or saying, or what Jesus is doing. Pay attention to who He is speaking to or about, what the circumstances are, etc.
#6 – Note repeated words/phrases, use of numbers and symbols.
This is the nerdy part, and in my opinion, the most fun part, of scripture study. Pay attention to things like repeated words or phrases – things are repeated for a reason. Also pay attention to the use of numbers or symbols.
Every word of scripture is there for a reason; God is very intentional. Don’t skim over the details – dig in!
#7 – Keep it in context.
Remember to study scripture in light of scripture. What that means is, keep it in context. For example, if you are doing a chapter-by-chapter study of a book of the Bible, reflect on what you have learned from previous chapters and apply it to your current passage of scripture.
#8 – Put it all together.
The final step is to put all the pieces together. Take what you have learned about the people and places, what God is saying or doing, any symbolism or repetition, and what you know about the rest of the scripture you’ve studied, and discern anything you can from the text.
Good luck and have fun with your Bible study! Remember, take your time – there is no race to the finish line. Spend days or even weeks in the same passage of scripture and really soak in God’s Word. There’s no better way to spend your time!
