Putting It All Together
You've now learned the basic principles of sound Bible study. You've seen the importance of context, the author's purpose, comparing Scripture with Scripture, recognizing different kinds of biblical writing, and building conclusions from the whole counsel of God.
As you open your Bible, get into the habit of asking a few simple questions:
Who is speaking?
To whom?
Why was this written?
What is the context?
How does this passage fit into the rest of Scripture?
Those questions will help you avoid many common mistakes.
Take your time. Read the whole passage before drawing conclusions. Let the author speak before deciding what the passage means. Compare Scripture with Scripture, and always be willing to keep learning.
Remember that the purpose of Bible study is more than gaining knowledge. God gave us His Word so that we might know Him, trust Him, obey Him, and become more like Christ. Good Bible study should always lead to faithful living.
If this course has encouraged you to read your Bible more carefully and let the text guide your thinking, then it has accomplished its purpose.
Keep reading.
Keep asking questions.
Keep comparing Scripture with Scripture.
Above all,
Read first. Conclude later.
GOING DEEPER
Now Let's Actually Do It
It is one thing to know the rules of Bible study.
It is another thing to sit down with a passage and use them.
So let's take a few passages and work through the process from beginning to end.
The goal is not merely to reach the correct answer.
The goal is to understand how we got there.
Example 1 — “I Can Do All Things”
Consider Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Before deciding what it means, begin with our questions.
Who wrote it?
Paul.
To whom?
Christians in Philippi.
What is the context?
Read verses 10–13.
Paul has been discussing his circumstances. Sometimes he had plenty. Sometimes he had little. Sometimes he was full. Sometimes he was hungry.
He says:
“I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Now verse 13 follows:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
So what did Paul intend?
He was not saying:
“Christ will enable me to accomplish anything I decide to attempt.”
He was saying that Christ gave him strength to remain faithful through whatever circumstances he faced.
Now we can apply it.
A Christian may face sickness, financial difficulty, loneliness, persecution, or abundance.
The circumstances change.
Paul's meaning does not.
That is context, authorial intent, and application working together.
Example 2 — “Where Two or Three Are Gathered”
Jesus said:
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
— Matthew 18:20
This is often quoted when only a small number of Christians gather for worship.
But let's use our method.
What is Jesus talking about?
Begin earlier in Matthew 18.
Jesus discusses a brother who sins.
Go to him privately.
If he refuses to listen, take one or two more.
If he still refuses, tell it to the church.
Then Jesus speaks about agreement, witnesses, binding and loosing, and finally says:
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name...”
Now ask:
Does the surrounding discussion concern the minimum number required for Jesus to be present at worship?
Or does “two or three” belong to the discussion Jesus is already having?
The verse remains true.
But context keeps us from making it answer a question Jesus was not discussing.
Example 3 — What About an Old Testament Prophecy?
Consider Isaiah 7:14:
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son...”
First study Isaiah.
Who is speaking?
To whom?
What crisis is Judah facing?
Why is Ahaz afraid?
What sign is being discussed?
That is the original context and we should not ignore it.
But our study isn't finished.
Matthew later describes the birth of Jesus and writes:
“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet...”
— Matthew 1:22
Then Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14.
Now another principle enters our study:
Later inspired Scripture helps interpret earlier Scripture.
We did not decide on our own that Isaiah points to Jesus.
Matthew tells us.
So good Bible study respects both Isaiah's original setting and Matthew's inspired use of Isaiah.
Example 4 — What Kind of Literature Are We Reading?
Now consider Revelation 12.
John sees:
a woman clothed with the sun,
the moon under her feet,
a crown of twelve stars,
and an enormous red dragon.
Should we immediately start looking for a literal woman standing on the moon or an actual seven-headed dragon?
Before answering, ask:
What kind of book are we reading?
Revelation begins by telling us that its message was “signified” to John (Revelation 1:1 KJV).
The book repeatedly communicates through visions and symbols.
And sometimes Revelation interprets those symbols itself.
Revelation 12:9 identifies the dragon as:
“that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.”
So we don't have to guess whether John saw a literal reptile.
The book tells us what the symbol represents.
Genre and Scripture interpreting Scripture work together.
Example 5 — Can We Build Doctrine From One Verse?
Suppose someone says:
“The Bible says we are saved by faith.”
Correct.
Another person says:
“The Bible says repent.”
Correct.
Someone else quotes baptism.
Another quotes grace.
Another quotes confession.
Another quotes obedience.
What should we do?
We should not line the verses up against one another and ask which one wins.
We gather them.
What does Jesus say?
What does Peter preach?
What happens in Acts?
What does Paul explain?
What does James say about faith?
How do all those passages fit together?
Then we ask:
What conclusion best accounts for all the evidence?
That is how doctrine grows from Scripture rather than from a favorite proof text.
Now Try One Yourself
Take this familiar verse:
“For I know the plans I have for you...”
— Jeremiah 29:11
Before looking up somebody else's explanation, work through the questions yourself.
Who wrote it?
Who were the original recipients?
Where were they living?
Why were they there?
What had God told them to do while they were there?
How long would their situation continue?
What promise was God actually making?
Only after answering those questions ask:
“How does the truth of this passage apply to God's people today?”
You may discover that the passage is more encouraging when understood correctly than when used as an isolated promise.
A Simple Bible-Study Checklist
When you encounter an important passage, work through these questions:
1. What does the passage actually say?
Don't begin with somebody else's conclusion.
2. What surrounds it?
Read before and after.
3. Who wrote it and to whom?
Identify the original situation.
4. Why was it written?
What question, problem, event, or purpose explains the passage?
5. What kind of literature is this?
History? Poetry? Proverb? Parable? Prophecy? Letter? Apocalyptic vision?
6. Does another biblical writer discuss or explain it?
Especially pay attention when the New Testament interprets the Old Testament.
7. Am I considering all the relevant passages?
Don't build doctrine from one verse while ignoring others.
8. Am I making a connection Scripture makes—or one I invented?
This question is especially important in prophecy.
9. What conclusions necessarily follow from the evidence?
Distinguish what Scripture explicitly says from what we infer.
10. Only then ask: How should I respond?
Meaning comes before application.
Be Willing to Change Your Mind
Perhaps the hardest part of Bible study is not learning Greek words, historical backgrounds, or interpretive rules.
It is being willing to discover that something we have believed for years may need reconsideration.
That can happen to anyone.
The question is not:
“Have I ever been wrong?”
Of course we have.
The better question is:
“When the text challenges what I believe, which one am I willing to change?”
If our loyalty is ultimately to Christ and His Word, correction is not something to fear.
It is one of the reasons we study.
You Now Have the Tools
You will not answer every difficult Bible question immediately.
Neither will anyone else.
But you now have a method.
Read the text.
Read the context.
Ask what the author intended.
Recognize the kind of literature you're reading.
Let Scripture explain Scripture.
Gather all the evidence before building doctrine.
And be especially cautious whenever an interpretation requires information or connections the biblical writer never gave us.
You don't need to begin with a theological system.
You don't need to begin with a preacher, commentary, YouTube teacher, or church tradition.
Those things may sometimes help.
But they should never replace the first and most important step:
Open the Bible and listen to the text.
That is what this entire course has been about.
Read First. Conclude Later.
Continue Your Study
Now that we've learned how to study the Bible, the next question is:
How does God communicate His will?
In this course we'll examine biblical authority, commands, examples, necessary inference, the silence of Scripture, expedients, and how these principles help us understand and apply God's Word today.
Related Bible Studies
Can One Verse Build an Entire Doctrine?
What Happens When We Take Verses Out of Context?
How Should We Read the Prophets?
How Should We Read the Parables of Jesus?
Understanding the Book of Revelation
Companion Video
Putting It All Together
Read First. Conclude Later.