HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE: 3 KEYS TO A BETTER APPROACH

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the Bible? You’re not alone. Many want to dig deeper but don’t know where to start. Maybe you find it confusing and struggle to study effectively.  After all, the Bible is a complex book.

The task can seem so daunting that many don’t even try. We rely on others’ teachings for nourishment without ever learning to feed ourselves.  Or we satisfy our hunger with superficial grazing, not realizing the feast that awaits those willing to till the soil.  However, the Bible is deep and rich; it only takes a little digging to reap a harvest. 

God wants us to learn the Bible because He wants us to know Him.  This is why it’s crucial to understand that studying is about more than accumulating head knowledge. It’s about knowing and loving God more deeply.  But as Bible teacher Jen Wilkin notes, “…the heart cannot love what the mind does not know.”¹ The Bible is not just a book but God’s living and active Word through which He reveals Himself—a revelation that should transform our minds and hearts.

So, how should we study the Bible?  Better yet, how do we study with integrity? None of us want to misinterpret or misapply God’s Word, so how can we know we’re reading it well? 

AVOIDING PITFALLS

There are a few critical considerations for approaching the Word.  Once we become aware of these concepts, we can develop a reliable method for better understanding—one that avoids common mistakes we’re all prone to make.

Devotional reading and sermons are good; they both have their place, but we short ourselves when we stop there.  It can even be dangerous.  For one, we won’t recognize distortions of the truth if we don’t know what the Bible really says or how to interpret God’s Word rightly.  We also risk taking passages out of context and misapplying them.

Even the most well-intentioned among us have been guilty of rushing to application without a solid understanding of the text. (I’m looking at myself here!) Over-spiritualizing a verse or allowing subjective feelings to determine its meaning are also common pitfalls we must avoid. It’s too easy to cherry-pick scriptures to suit our desires or make a verse all about us.  

However, we want to handle God’s Truth with care and discover its meaning rather than determine its meaning.² A proper approach to Bible study helps us do just that. 

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR A SOLID APPROACH

Before we begin any study, we want to build a solid foundation for our approach. That’s why it’s essential to consider these three concepts before diving into a specific study method:

1. Scripture’s overarching story (Big Picture)
2. The historical context or background (Environment)
3. The book’s written style (Genre)

If we rush to interpretation without approaching Scripture from these perspectives, we risk misusing and abusing God’s sacred Word.  We will also miss the depth and richness to be found within it.

In this post, let’s examine how our understanding of the Bible’s Big Picture, the circumstantial background of the text ­—what I’ll call Environment— and the style or Genre of the book, reinforce our study method (BEG).  Then, we’ll break down the steps of that method in a subsequent post.

1) BIG PICTURE

Have you ever seen the backside of a beautiful tapestry? Hundreds of colorful threads poke the surface with no discernable organization or connection.  Yet, you know a greater picture lies ahead; you only need a different angle.

I used to view the Bible like the backside of that tapestry, a collection of meaningful but random stories lacking cohesion.  I had no big picture in mind; I was never taught there was one.  Consequently, I missed how all the individual stories weaved one big narrative like the threads in a fabric.  Instead, I approached the Bible with myself in view, asking “What am I supposed to do, and what can I glean to help me do it?”

But the Bible’s overarching story is not about me or merely an instruction manual for how I should live.  From Genesis to Revelation, the grand narrative of Scripture paints one giant portrait of a loving and holy God’s redemptive plan for the world. This is the ‘Big Picture’ of the Bible.  A proper reading will instruct us, but we will misinterpret its meaning and purpose if we aim for application before we understand the bigger picture.

SEEING WITH NEW EYES

This divinely orchestrated, unified story consists of four main parts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation. Each section contains its own moving parts and smaller stories, but together, they proclaim the restoration of God’s Kingdom through Christ’s redemptive work.  

Scripture springs to life when we understand the role these smaller stories play.  Suddenly, we recognize fulfillment imagery in Revelation, reminiscent of the Creation story in Genesis.  Rather than disregard the Old Testament for the New, we perceive the continuity between the two. We view the story of David slaying Goliath not as a metaphor for defeating our own giants but as a foreshadowing of the Promised One in Genesis, who will crush the enemy’s head.³

When we approach Scripture with the Big Picture in mind, our love and awe of God grows, and our understanding takes on greater depth.  Through this lens, we now turn to the surrounding historical context.

2) ENVIRONMENT

As Christians, we believe in the Bible’s divine inspiration and human authorship.  All Scripture is God-breathed,⁴ but He worked through humans across time and various cultures, languages, and traditions to do it.  A vast chasm now separates the Bible’s original audience and today’s reader, so it’s essential to consider the historical context if we ever hope to bridge that gap.

We don’t need to become historians, but a little digging can unearth additional insights to aid us in our comprehension of the text.  Often, the book introductions and chapter summaries of a good study bible will be a valuable resource.  We need to ask questions such as:

• Who wrote it? Is the author mentioned, and what do we know about him?  To whom did he write?
• What were the surrounding circumstances? (i.e., political, cultural, socioeconomic, etc.)
• When was it written?
• Where was it written, or where did it take place?
• Why was it written? (e.g., The epistles usually address a particular issue or state an explicit purpose for the letter.)

These five questions will help form the context (Environment) for proper biblical interpretation.  If we skip this step, we risk reading our modern worldview into parts of the Bible.  But one thing we must remember: The Bible cannot mean something to us that it never could have meant to the original audience.⁵

CASE IN POINT

A familiar verse demonstrates this mishap:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Graduates galore receive this passage as a promise for future success.  Many embrace it as an assurance of personal prosperity and blessing.  However, a closer look at the surrounding context and historical background reveals something different.

The Babylonians had just sacked Israel, taking God’s people captive as exiles.  Deep anguish and grief permeated the scene, but through the prophet Jeremiah, God corporately assured His people.  Despite its looks, He had not forgotten His covenant with them.  Even though they could not understand, God had a plan for their future.

In context, this verse speaks to ancient Israel’s fate as a nation, not our individualistic hope of success and welfare. However, it still reveals a timeless truth about God’s character: He is faithful and sovereign. Even in our difficulties, God can always be trusted to keep his promises.  Nothing can thwart His plan to redeem and restore His people. This principle was true for them, and it’s true for us despite enormous differences in our circumstances.

We must let Scripture speak on its own terms.  We do not create meaning from the Bible; we seek to find what the author originally intended.⁶ Only by understanding what a passage could have meant to them can we draw out the broader theological principle that transcends time and culture.⁷

3) GENRE

One more consideration is crucial for context: the written literary style.

Think of the different kinds of movies we enjoy.  I love to watch a good rom-com or immerse myself in the pages of an inspirational memoir.  Maybe you enjoy thrillers or musicals. In any case, we would never approach a documentary like we’d approach fantasy.  Can you imagine if we read a letter from a friend the same way we read a fiction novel?  Yet, we often read the Bible this way —as if it can be approached from beginning to end in the same manner.

The Bible consists of 66 books written in various styles.  It contains five main genres: historical narrative, law, letters, wisdom literature, and prophecy.⁸  There are also sub-styles within the main genres, such as parables, speeches, and poetry.  Often, multiple styles will overlap in the same book.  For example, the apocalyptic book of Revelation contains both letters and prophecy.  Recognizing the different types helps us determine how the book or passage should be interpreted.

Let’s take a brief look at the main genres.

LAW:

The first five books of the Bible are known as the Pentateuch. In Judaism, they’re called the Law of Moses or Torah. In these books, God established the terms of His covenant relationship with Israel, outlining the blessings of faithfulness and the consequences of disobedience. Except for the law codes in Leviticus, they are primarily written in narrative form. Together, these books lay the foundation for understanding the rest of the Bible.  

Since Jesus fulfilled the law through His redemptive work, Christians are no longer bound by most Old Testament regulations unless they are restated in the New Testament. However, we still learn from the law because it reveals God’s character and grace despite His people’s waywardness. A better grasp of the law will help us understand the continuity and differences between the old and new covenants.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

These books tell the smaller stories within God’s larger story.  They reveal the characters involved, describe the events and details leading up to the next narrative, and provide the context for our entire faith.  When we read these narratives, we must be careful not to confuse the description of events with a prescription for our lifestyle.  Although they teach us about God’s character and desires for His people, we should not look for moral lessons in each story.⁹   The characters involved are just as flawed as we are.  Instead, they aim to show God’s work throughout history and reveal His unfolding plan.

WISDOM LITERATURE:

The wisdom books are filled with figurative language and sage principles for godly living.  If we are to interpret God’s Word rightly, it’s essential to keep this in mind.  Its poetry can be hard to understand, but it aims to deepen our perception and experience of God and His Word.  It stirs the imagination and evokes emotion, inspiring worship of Him.  

Wisdom counsels us in righteousness, but it paints with a broad brush.  We need only to look at Job to see that life has no guarantees, even when we do everything right.  Yet, we often take a general concept meant to guide us in daily life and form a legal guarantee from God.¹⁰  But that is not the style’s intention.  We misapply these truths when we turn principles into promises.  However, when we read wisdom literature as intended, it guides us to make sound choices in a broken world, generally leading to God’s desired outcomes in our lives.¹¹

PROPHETS:

After familiarizing ourselves with the law and the narrative of Scripture, we will better understand the Prophets. In the Bible, a prophet served as God’s spokesperson to Israel, warning them against covenant disloyalty and urging them to repent. These prophets often proclaimed impending judgment but also foretold the hope of the coming Messiah. Strange visions, demonstrations, poetry, symbolism, and ancient cultural references fill their books and can be challenging for the modern reader to comprehend. It can be helpful to read these alongside a commentary for context. However, they still speak to believers under the new covenant today, bearing witness to Jesus and revealing God’s determination to save and dwell with His people.   

EPISTLES:

The New Testament letters were written by various authors who were either one of Jesus’ disciples or an apostle’s close colleague. They address specific first-century issues that individuals and churches faced and provide timeless theological insight, doctrinal teaching, and practical instruction for life.

Although this style is much easier to understand, we should still approach the letters as originally intended.  For example, Bible scholar Gordon Fee offers two basic rules for interpreting the letters:

1.  Remember that a text cannot mean something to us that it could not have meant to them. “Paul, for example, cannot have meant something that he and his readers had never heard of.  His meaning at least has to have been a first-century possibility.”¹²
2. Whenever we encounter situations in the letters that are comparable to our modern circumstances, the meaning is the same for us as it was for them.¹³

Context remains crucial.  With this in mind, consider how we typically read any other letter from start to finish in one sitting.  To see the big picture and context of the epistles, it is helpful to approach them in the same manner whenever possible.

CONCLUSION

Bible study is incredibly rewarding. It helps us build a deeper love and relationship with our Creator. However, it’s important to approach God’s sacred Word on its own terms to truly understand its meaning for us today. Keeping these three considerations in mind – the Big Picture, Environment, and Genre – will help us approach Scripture the way it was intended.

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1. Jen Wilkin, Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds (Wheaton: Crossway, 2014), 31. ↩︎
2. J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 162. ↩︎
3. Genesis 3:15; 1 Samuel 17. ↩︎
4. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. ↩︎
5. Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014), 34. ↩︎
6. Duvall and Hays, Grasping God’s Word, 41. ↩︎
7. Ibid., 41-42. ↩︎
8. You may see others list more or even less.  It depends on how they choose to categorize the books, especially since there is often overlap. ↩︎
9. Fee and Stuart, How to Read, 108. ↩︎
10. Ibid., 243. ↩︎
11. Ibid., 235. ↩︎
12. Ibid., 74. ↩︎
13. Ibid., 78. ↩︎