Observation
 Begin
With Prayer |
| Read
the Bible Daily |
| Ask
Who, What, Where, When, Why and How |
| Mark
Key Words and Phrases |
| Keep
an Eye Out for Similar References |
| Look
for Lists |
| Watch
for Contrasts, Comparisons, Questions and Answers |
| Mark
Expressions of Time |
| Note
Terms of Conclusion |
| Develop
Themes |
| List
Lessons for Life |
| Next
Steps: Interpretation and Application |
Begin
With Prayer
It
is important the begin with prayer to God. To ask that God open
your mind to His word as you read the Scriptures. "Ask, and it
shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7).
Read
The Bible Daily
To
really begin to understand God's purpose and message, it is important
to read a portion or portions of Scripture daily. Why, because
the Bible is God's message to mankind, telling us how we came
about, the reason for our existence and the love God has for all
His creation. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
my path" (Psalm 119:105).
Ask
Who, What, Where, When, Why and How
When
studying any passage or book of the Bible, use the building blocks
- Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. Asking these types of questions
will ensure that you gain an accurate interpretation of God's
word.
Who
is speaking? Who are the main characters?
The letter to the Ephesians begins, "Paul, an apostle of
Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at
Ephesus..." (1:1).
What
event is being spoken of? What is the purpose that this was
written? What can I learn from this story?
When
will these events occur?
Where
did this happen?
Why
is something being said? Why is this happening at this time,
to this person?
How
will it happen? How is it to be done?
Mark
Key Words and Phrases
Identifying
the key word(s) or phrase(s) within verses, chapters or books
is important to establish the author's message. Don't forget to
ask Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. You can mark these important
words or phrases by using symbols, colours or a combination. It
is essential to decide on your own distinctive marking system
as it will help you quickly identify important phrases and words
throughout the whole Scriptures.
Keep
an Eye Out for Similar References
Daily
reading of God's word combined with the use of marginal references
helps unlock the consistent message throughout the whole of
Scripture. Often portions or ideas from the Old Testament are
repeated in the New Testament. Reading both help you to understand
what God is trying to tell us throughout the whole bible. For
example,
Old
Testament
God
talks to Moses in Exodus 3:4-6, "When the LORD saw that
he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the
bush, and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. The He said,
Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for
the place on which you are standing is holy ground. He also said,
I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob. Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid
to look at God."
New
Testament
Jesus
talking to the Sadducees about the resurrection says in Luke
20:37-38, "But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed,
in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for all
live to Him."
If
you have a bible with marginal references you should find a note
against Exodus 3:6 linking it to Luke 20:37. Mark this quote to
alert yourself next time you read Exodus that this passage is
teaching that there will be a resurrection and that Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob will be part of those who are resurrected.
Look
for Lists
Making
a list when you are studying a chapter or section of Scripture
is a great way of revealing the author's point or purpose.
Ephesians
6:13-17 details the full armour of God:
- Loins
girded with truth
- Breastplate
of righteousness
- Feet
shod with the preparation of the gospel of truth
- Shield
of faith
- Helmet
of salvation
- Sword
of the spirit which is the word of God
Watch
for Contrasts, Comparisons, Questions and Answers
The
Scripture often uses contrasts, comparison, questions and answers
to help the reader or listener to really understand the message.
Contrast:
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs
up anger" Proverbs 15:1
Comparison:
Talking of the Lord Jesus Christ many hundreds of years before
he was born, Isaiah is inspired to write, "He was oppressed and
He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb
that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep is silent before
its shearers, so He did not open His mouth." Isaiah 53:7
Question
and Answer:
The disciples said, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring
the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus answered them, "It is not for you
to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own
authority..." Acts 1:6-8
Mark
Expressions of Time
Noting
expressions of time, whether specific (the second day of the
tenth month or a place name) or vague (until, then, after) help
place events in context. They also lead to a accurate interpretation
of Scripture. Mark them with a colour or symbol such as a clock.
Acts
27 details the beginning of Paul's last journey from Caesarea
to Rome. There are many references to time, v3 "the next day",
v7 "a good many days", v9 "considerable time" and "the fast was
already over", v18 "the next day", v19 "the third day", v27 "the
fourteenth night", v39 "when the day came".
Note
Terms of Conclusion
There
are a variety of words that signify a concluding thought such
as therefore, wherefore, finally or for this reason.
These terms help more easily identify the messages that each author
has been inspired to write down by God.
1
Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the
mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time..."
Why?
Because as the previous verses tell us, we should be humble because
God is opposed to the proud , but gives grace to the humble.
Develop
Themes
Developing
themes, whether they may chapter or book specific or themes
running throughout the whole of Scripture is very important.
They help us get more out of our reading - keeping us excited
about the consistency and relevance of God's message to us today.
Romans
chapter 13 theme can be described as "The Gospel Influencing Daily
Life"
Whole
bible themes can include exploring "The Kingdom of God on earth"
or "God's Character" or "Faith" or many others.
List
Lessons for Life
As
we read through the Scriptures we become aware that God is instructing
his people how to behave - that He has a purpose with this world
and the people that live in it. It is extremely useful to list
and think on as we read lesson for our daily life in the 21st
century.
