How to Study the Bible

In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are commanded to “study” the word of God, so it just seems reasonable that if the Bible commands us to do something, it would also instruct us on “how” to obey that command. The Bible does just that, and if we will follow the biblical pattern for Bible study found in scripture, we’ll understand things like never before.

Before we get into the “how” of Bible study, it is worth mentioning why we should study it. The Bible commands us to study, and several benefits come from studying the word of God, but two of the main reasons Bible study is

so important is so that a person can grow spiritually and become established in sound doctrine.

GROWING SPIRITUALLY

(1 Peter 2:2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. As a child of God, you need to begin to grow spiritually. As a born-again person, you are now a child of the Father in heaven. As a Christian, it is vital that you receive some essential things that

will help you mature properly. If you are going to grow as a Christian, reading and studying the Bible is required. The word of God will supply a new Christian with all the necessary things to live a life that is pleasing to God. Any good parent enjoys seeing their children grow up to be

healthy and mature adults. Our heavenly Father is much the same because he likes to see his children grow as the Bible says, “unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13b) Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Everyone needs to eat to stay healthy, and everyone knows a healthy diet will aid growth and proper physical and spiritual development. If a Christian does not spend time reading and studying the word of God every day, then that Christian will not be healthy; they will be weak and malnourished. When a person is malnourished, they may be unable to fight off disease and sickness. The same is true spiritually for a child of God. Without nourishment from the word of God, you will have a hard time fighting off sin and temptation. We should have the attitude of Job and say, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)

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ESTABLISHED IN SOUND DOCTRINE

The word doctrine means “teaching.” As Christians, we should know why we believe the things we believe, and below are a few basic doctrines that will help you be established as a Christian. If you are not familiar with these teachings, don’t worry, it just means there’s a lot to learn and plenty to study!

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Know about the two kingdoms in the Bible.

Know the seven mysteries that make up our New Testament doctrine.

Know the six gospels and when each of them is preached.

Know the ways of salvation for each dispensation.

Know how tongues are used in the New Testament and be able to explain.

Know the difference in baptisms in the Bible

Know the key points of the two Advents

Know the different resurrections in the Bible

Know the importance and differences between Jew, Gentile, and Church

Know what the Bible says about two natures, salvation vs. rewards, relationship vs. fellowship, etc.

The Bible also says in Colossians 2:7 that we are to be “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Every Christian should know what they believe and why they believe it. You, as an individual, are responsible for searching the scriptures daily to find out what is right and what is wrong (Acts 17:11). Many different false doctrines are going around the world today, and this problem will continue until Jesus Christ takes over the world as King (2 Timothy 3:13). As Bible-believing

Christians, our command is not to be “carried about” with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). To be stable in your walk with the Lord, you must continually spend time in the Bible. Psalms 1:2-3 says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate

day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

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RULES FOR BIBLE STUDY

There are specific rules laid out in the word of God for studying the Bible. God has miraculously preserved his Bible throughout the ages, and we are responsible for handling it properly. Because this is God’s book, we must find out what He said about studying it.

The three rules for studying the Bible are rightly dividing, context, and comparing scripture with scripture.

RIGHTLY DIVIDING

First, in 2 Timothy 2:15, the Bible says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” There are proper divisions throughout the Bible. One of the most essential things a student of the word of God needs to

know is how to rightly divide the word of God. A basic understanding of the Scriptures reveals that God works with different people in different ways at different times (Dispensations - the act of dealing out to different persons or places- See 1 Cor. 9:17, Eph. 1:10, Eph. 3:2, Col. 1:25) Without making proper divisions in the word of God, the Bible can be difficult to understand, and you will end up frustrated and confused in your Bible study. One thing is very clear, “God is not the author of confusion…” (1 Corinthians 14:33), and if you obey the command to “rightly divide the word of truth,” the Bible will make more sense, and you can avoid the confusion. There are seven major divisions in the word of God. In time, we will be able to study each of these divisions in more detail. For now, we should focus on the first major division in the Bible.

The first major division we will make is between the Old and the New Testaments. The New Testament does not begin in Matthew chapter 1. The New Testament actually begins in Matthew chapter 27! It starts in Matthew 27 because chapter twenty-seven records

the death of Jesus Christ. Let me explain; the Bible says in Hebrews 9:16,17, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” Jesus Christ is

the mediator of the New Testament according to Hebrews 9:15; therefore, the New Testament could not be in effect until Jesus Christ died. Let’s use some different verses from the Bible to illustrate how you can rightly divide the word of truth. First, look at Matthew 19:16-17. In these verses, a young Jewish man comes to Jesus Christ to ask him a question. Verse 16 says, “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” That is an excellent question, and the best person you could ask about receiving eternal life is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus answered this question in vs.17. Jesus said, “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Notice very carefully the response given by Jesus Christ. He clearly said that if a man wants eternal life, he needs to go by the commandments, also referred to as the law. Now, look at Romans 3:28 and see what the apostle Paul said. Paul said, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Paul said something very similar to that in Galatians 2:16. He said, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Look at Acts 16:30-31. The Philippian jailer has just brought Paul out of his cell, and he asks him a question. The Bible says, starting in vs.30, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This question is very similar to the one the young Jewish man in

Matthew chapter nineteen asked the Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice very carefully the answer Paul gives to this question. Paul said in Vs. 31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Paul’s answer differs from the answer that Jesus gave to this question. Paul makes it very clear throughout his writings that if a man wants to be saved, he does NOT need to keep the law. Instead, the only thing required for salvation is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but at the same time, this contradicts what Jesus said because Jesus said if you want to have eternal life, you need to keep the commandments! Now we must ask ourselves this question. Who is right, Paul or Jesus? You might say that they are both right. How can that be if they are saying two different things? You might say that Jesus is right. Then is Paul lying? Then you can say that Paul is right. Now you are saying that Jesus was wrong! Do you see the apparent problem we have? The only way to avoid confusion is by rightly dividing the word of truth. Of course, we know there are no mistakes in the word of God, so there has to be an answer to this apparent problem. When did the New Testament begin? Remember that it started when Jesus died in Matthew 27:50. Therefore, when Jesus answered this young man’s question, was Jesus living in the Old Testament or the New Testament? He was living in the Old Testament because he had not died yet. When did Paul write those verses about being saved by faith without doing good works? Again, the answer is obvious Paul was writing in the New Testament because Jesus had already died. There is a very important division between the Old and New Testaments. Remember that God deals with different people in different ways at different times. In the Old Testament, if a man wanted eternal life, he needed to keep the law.

But, in the New Testament, if a person wants to be saved, they only need to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior by faith. We are in the New Testament and can be saved by faith because Jesus has already died and paid for our sins. Someone in the Old Testament could not put faith in Christ for their salvation because he had not come to the earth yet to die for the sins of mankind. God deals with people differently in the Old Testament compared to how he deals with people in the New Testament. Here are more verses that prove a person in the Old Testament needed to keep the law to have eternal life. (Deuteronomy 6:25, Psalms 15, Proverbs 28:18, Ezekiel 18:5-9) Likewise, these are some of the verses in the New Testament that show the only thing a person needs to do is receive Jesus Christ by faith to be saved, and no good works are necessary. (Acts 13:39, Romans 4:5, Galatians 3:21-24, Ephesians 2:8,9, Titus 3:5) The New Testament is different obviously because Jesus Christ died to make salvation by grace possible. Once a student of the Bible learns to rightly divide the scripture, he will have greater ease finding the

truth in various passages throughout the word of God.

CONTEXT

Another rule that goes along with rightly dividing the Bible is context. This principle can be found in Isaiah 28:9,10. It says, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?… For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” One of the easiest ways to create heresy is to take a verse out of its context. When you are reading a passage, there are a few things you need to determine to properly understand what you are reading.

    1) Who is talking?

    2) To who is that person talking?

    3) When is this passage taking place?

Once these simple questions have been answered, a clear meaning from the passage can be determined. Again, please allow me to use my illustration concerning Jesus and Paul. Let us apply these three questions to the verses you read earlier. In Matthew 19:17, we read about Jesus answering the young man’s questions. First, ask yourself who is talking in this verse. The answer is very simple; it was Jesus who was talking. Now, who was he talking to? He was talking to a young Jewish man. Then, ask yourself, when did Jesus say this? Was it in the Old Testament or the New Testament? Jesus had not died yet, so it was in the Old Testament. You have just determined the context of the verse. So, now we know that a Jew in the Old Testament was saved by keeping the law. Now, let us apply the same thing to the words of Paul in Acts 16:31. This is Paul’s answer to the question about how a person can be saved. First, ask yourself, who is talking in vs.31? The apostle Paul made this statement. To whom was Paul talking? He was answering the Philippian jailer, who was a Gentile. When did Paul say this? He said this in the New Testament. Therefore, we conclude that a Gentile in the New Testament needs to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will be saved. To help you answer these three questions, you need to know that there are only three groups of people in the scripture. These groups are the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church of God. (see 1 Corinthians 10:32) A Jew is anyone from the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If you are not from that line of people, then you are a Gentile. But, once you get saved, you become part of the church of God or the “body of Christ,” and you are no longer Jew or Gentile. (Galatians 3:28) If you take a verse written for a Jew and apply it to a Gentile or someone in the church of God (the body of Christ), then confusion will be sure to follow. Sometimes in the Bible, God is addressing an entire nation of people. But, sometimes, he is only dealing with an individual. (Job 34:29) Whatever the case may be, this has to be recognized before a proper interpretation can be reached. For example, if I hired three people to work for me, one of them would be the gardener, one the cook, and the other a guard. Each of these people would have different job descriptions. Suppose I had to go away for a while and left instructions behind for each of my employees. What would happen if the instructions were given to the wrong people? There would be great confusion. My gardener might be baking bread, the guard would be planting flowers, and the cook would be watching the gate, and they would all be very confused and frustrated. You can see why it is important that the right people get the right message. You never want to take a verse out of its context and misapply it. This misapplication is why there are so many denominations

and false doctrines and one of Satan’s tools to keep Christians confused and frustrated.

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COMPARING SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Once you have correctly divided the Bible and determined the context, you must compare scripture with scripture. This principle is found in 1 Corinthians 2:13, which says, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The Holy Ghost uses words when he wants to teach us something. It is clear from this verse that those words will not come from any man. The words that the Holy Spirit will use are spiritual words. (John 6:63) They come from God and not man. The scripture should not be privately interpreted (2 Peter 1:20), and therefore no man should be the final authority when it comes to interpreting the Bible. God’s word explains itself. When a question arises about what a particular verse says, check the context. Often, this will shed a great deal of light on the verse. If there are still questions about the verse, check other verses with similar contexts. And remember, the best person to ask about the verse in question is the author of the verse. We have a promise from God that the Holy Spirit will “guide us into all truth.” (John 16:13). Before you read or study the Bible, a child of God should pray and seek God’s help to understand what he is reading. It is not wrong to ask a pastor or Bible teacher a question about the Bible, but his answer should be “the Bible says,” and it’s up to you to ensure his response rightly divides, and the Bible is the final authority. Once more, I want to use the example of Jesus and Paul, and I want you to notice what you did when you were learning about rightly dividing and context. So, you looked at the verses in Matthew, and then you COMPARED them with the verses in Romans, Galatians, and Acts. Once you compared them, you realized that Jesus and Paul gave different answers to similar questions, and there “seemed” to be a contradiction. First, you identified who was talking (Jesus and Paul). Then you recognized who Jesus and Paul were addressing (A young Jewish man and a Philippian jailer). Based on 1 Corinthians 10:32, you identified the young Jewish man as a Jew and the jailer as a Gentile. You then realized that the death of Jesus Christ had caused a division (Old Testament & New Testament). Therefore, God dealt with people differently in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. Finally, you looked at the context of both passages and learned how people in both Testaments get saved (one by keeping commandments & one by faith).

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METHODS OF LEARNING

As you read and study the Bible, there are certain methods you can apply that will help you learn the word of God. These methods are association, contrast, and repetition. Association is the similarity between things. If two things share several characteristics, then we say that those things associate well together. The Bible says in Hosea 12:10, “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.” Association is one of the tools God uses in the Bible to help us understand his word. There are two small words you want to look for in the Bible. Those words are like and as. Whenever those words appear, God usually makes a comparison that teaches us something. Jesus Christ did this constantly while he was on the earth. These comparisons are called parables. To teach a spiritual truth, Jesus would use something physical to illustrate his point. For instance, in Matthew 13, Jesus gave the parable of the sower going forth to sow seed. Many people couldn’t understand why Jesus was talking about a man sowing seed in a field. It seemed like such a silly thing to preach. Those people failed to make an association. Many of those people did not realize that he was trying to teach them a spiritual lesson about how to receive the word of God when it is preached. Another way to learn the Bible is through contrast. Contrast is the exact opposite of association. Whenever you compare things and recognize a difference, you have found a contrast between those things. God gave Israel a warning in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” The problem they were having was that the people were not making distinctions between things that were different. This principle of learning will help you with doctrine because it goes along with determining the context and rightly dividing. A Jew is not a Gentile. An unsaved Gentile is not a member of the church of God. If you do not recognize these distinctions in the Bible, you will eventually misapply and wrest the scriptures. Lastly, repetition will be a key to learning the Bible. Repetition is doing the same thing again and again. There is no way you can read the Bible too much. Another thing is for sure; you will never master the Bible. No one will ever reach a point in their life when they can say they don’t need to read or study the word of God anymore. You should start reading your Bible in the New Testament because we are New Testament Christians. Start reading in Matthew, and when you reach the end of Revelation, go to Genesis and begin reading the Old Testament. When that is complete, start over again. Do not expect to understand everything you read the first time you read through the Bible. For that matter, do not expect to understand it after you have read the Bible 10 or 20 times. Remember, the Bible is a living book inspired by the Holy Spirit. The more

time you spend in the Bible, the more familiar you will become with it. As long as your eyes are on the Bible and your heart is humble, God has an opportunity to show you more truth from his word.

One more thing…Application

• 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

• Romans 15;4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

• 1 Cor. 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

So there are three basic applications that are worth noting and using as you study the Bible.

• Historical - the time in which it happened and who was involved

• Doctrinal- Who it applies to in terms of doctrine.

Devotional- what we can learn from it.

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We hope this is a help to you as you study the word of God. If you have any questions or would like to talk to someone about the Bible, you can find our contact information below, and we would love to help you understand and study the word of God!