More than 40 different authors wrote the Bible.
With so many authors of the Bible, there are different stories to be told. There’s the story of Adam & Eve to Moses and Egypt, to the New Testament of Paul the Apostle.
There a lot of stories in the Bible that teach Christians and non-Christians stories about Biblical times. They can have a profound effect on someone’s life and how they live.
This is why reading the Bible is not only important as a Christian but as a non-Christian, you also have a better idea of what stories are in the Bible or what the theology is.
If you want to study the Bible, you should feel comfortable doing so with the right study material. You don’t need to go to Bible school to study the Bible.
If you want some of the best ways to study the Bible, here are the best 15 ways to study it when it comes to methods, techniques, & tips.
1. Start From the Beginning
The simplest & most straight-forward way to study the Bible is from the beginning. It’s a chronological way to study what different authors say about God’s creation, His people Israel, and the birth of Jesus.
While it may take a while, studying the Bible in a chronological way gives you a firm understanding of what it says from the beginning. You don’t have to jump from book to book.
Another benefit of studying the Bible from the start of Genesis is that you have a better idea of how everything ties together. You have an idea of the fall of humankind with Adam & Eve to the birth of Jesus Christ.
You see how it unfolds and what stories are told throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament
2. Observation, Interpretation, & Application
Another way to study the Bible is through observation, interpretation, and application. Observation is when you read the scriptures and you observe without trying to use cross-references.
You are seeing how the Bible speaks to you by simply reading it and observing what you are reading.
The Bible is often broken into 3 parts: observation; interpretation; and application. So, the first step is about observing what you are reading without too much analysis.
Interpretation is the next step and requires more analysis. You are seeing what the Bible is revealing to you. You have to cross-analyze scriptures references to understand a major point in the Bible.
The final part is an application and that’s when you see what the Bible is telling you. For instance, you may see a verse that says “Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations.”
Part of the application is taking what you read and applying it to your life.
3. Keep a Journal
Another way to study the Bible is with a journal. You can take personal notes of what you are reading and how it makes you feel.
You can read about your thoughts and what took hold of you as you were reading the Bible. Another benefit of keeping a journal is that you can write down questions you may have about the Bible.
You can also track your progress with a journal, seeing what you’ve read and what notes you’ve accumulated over the years as you’ve studied the Bible.
4. Study With a Greek or Hebrew Dictionary
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek.
That’s the original language of the Bible and something you can study to search for original text and meanings. When you study the Bible in the original language, you may find that you have a deeper appreciation for the Bible.
You’ll also find yourself learning new languages when you are studying the Bible in Hebrew and Greek.
5. Know the History
Part of studying the Bible is studying the history of it. For example, you can study the history of Noah’s Ark and see what modern historians have discovered about it.
You’ll notice that historians have said that Noah’s Ark is in Turkey on Mount Ararat. You can learn the size and how it was designed.
The great thing about studying the Bible is that you can relate it to your time period. You can see what historical artifacts have come up in modern times that are from the Bible.
You can also study the history and visit biblical sites where battles were fought. This can give you background information and some appreciation for what happened in the Bible.
You can also see what historical events preceded some biblical stories or what came immediately and how it ties into European history.
6. Have a Bible Reading Plan
Another way to stay accountable and study the Bible is to have a Bible reading plan.
You can make it a goal to read through the Bible in a year or less. This helps you read everything throughout the Bible at least once. You can then read the Bible again in different sections, studying particular events that occurred.
When you have a Bible reading plan, you are more likely to hold yourself accountable so you don’t miss any days. You can also download Bible apps so you can read the Bible anywhere at any time.
7. Cross References
You can also study the Bible by using cross-references. You can see how chapters and verses correlate with one another throughout the Old & New Testament.
This can help you match specific events or when historical figures from the New Testament mention things from the Old Testament. This will also ensure that you aren’t confused.
It can also help when you are having discussions with others about the Old & New Testament because you will be able to match different sections together.
8. Have a Bible Study
If you want to study the Bible with others, having a Bible study is a great way to do it. Iron sharpens iron.
When you have a Bible study, you can either go through a Bible study guide or you can go through a book of the Bible together. Someone can also have discussion questions ready for the group.
A Bible study is a great way to have a conversation with others about any questions you might have and you’ll feel like you aren’t learning something by yourself.
If you can’t attend an in-person Bible study, you can find online bible studies here.
9. With a Bible Study Guide
Another way to study the Bible is with a Bible study guide.
You can find these online or you can ask your pastor at a church if they can recommend a study guide.
The purpose of a Bible study guide is to help you answer questions when you are reading through the Bible. It’s also great for beginners who may not have questions or know where to start when they are reading the Bible.
You can also have a guide that helps you understand the Bible more if you are meeting with a friend and having a study or you are meeting with a group.
These guides can help you relate the Bible to your practice life, giving you the application part when you reading and observing what the Bible says.
10. Study by Chapter or Paragraphs
If you want a more concise way to study the Bible, you can study it chapter by chapter or verse by verse.
You can break down the chapters into paragraphs and see what they tell you. It can give you deeper insight into what stories are told, what you are observing, as well as a practical application into your own life.
In addition, when you study the Bible chapter by chapter or verse by verse, you will have a deeper understanding of what’s being said rather than having a broad knowledge of the Bible.
Although it will take longer to get through the Bible if you study it this way, it can still be beneficial because you are learning more about specific stories that are told.
11. Listen to Podcasts
Another way to study the Bible is to listen to scholars and see their opinion of the Bible. You can see what they are saying about certain arguments or studies throughout the Bible.
You can do this by listening to podcasts of church history. You can see what scholars are saying about the Old Testament and the New Testament.
This can provide insight and guidance into some areas of the Bible that may confuse you. It can also provide insight into arguments that you may not be familiar with.
Podcasts are something you can listen to anytime and anywhere. It’s something that can be useful whenever you are driving or don’t have time to read the Bible.
12. Listen to Sermons
If you want to listen to in-depth approaches to the Bible, you can always listen to sermons.
With sermons, you have an idea of what a pastor is saying about a specific scripture and their approach to it. You can see what they glean from the scriptures since they are usually professionally trained to study the scriptures.
The more sermons you listen to from different pastors, even from different religious denominations, you’ll have a better idea of what they say and how they interpret the Bible differently.
13. Commentaries
Commentaries are a great way to see what scholars say about a specific part of the Bible.
Commentaries are usually scholarly works on a section of the Bible. It’s a scholar breaking down a book of the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse.
When you read commentaries, you can see what highly educated and trained scholars say that can provide you insight into confusing areas of the Bible. You’ll discover that there are commentaries for every book of the Bible.
So, it’s important to do your research and see what commentaries provide the best interpretation of the Bible and grow your understanding of it.
14. See What Different Religions Say About the Bible
The final way to study the Bible is by looking at how different religions study it.
You can see how Mormonism is different from Christianity. You can also compare different denominations and sects of Christianity and explore why they are different.
When you look into the history of different religions and why they study the Bible differently, you’ll have more insight into different religious approaches.
It will also help you appreciate different religions and why they study the Bible differently. It can also expand your conversation with different people who have a different interpretation of the Bible.
In addition, seeing what other religions do when they study the Bible and other materials they use with the Bible can help you figure your approach. You may find that you disagree with some regions and their approach.
You may also find that you have more questions when you study different religions and how they study the Bible, which can lead you to study the Bible even more in a historical context.
Now You Know How to Study the Bible
There are a lot of approaches to studying the Bible. While it can be challenging to figure the best way, especially as a beginner, it’s important to remember that you should take it slowly.
You should figure out what your end goal is with studying the Bible and what you want to get out of it. When you set goals, you can create a style that helps you accomplish those goals.
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