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Bible Study - Letting Scripture Speak Naturally

After 20 years of various ministry. After preaching and teaching hundreds (maybe thousands) of times. I finally discovered what Bible study was really all about. If it had not been required, I would have skipped that seminary class on Bible Study Methods. After all, I had this down pat. But, boy was I surprised. What a transformation I experienced in my Bible study.

The beauty was in the simplicity. Bible study was not about proof texting (looking to find a verse that says what you wanted to hear). Bible study was not primarily about complicated rules (Do you reckon New Testament listeners knew about the complex laws we call Hermeneutics?). Nope. Bible study is profound in its simplicity. It says what it intends to say. We understand it when we read it like we would any other book. As we read it, what is it about? What does it say? What would someone understand if they heard the book read in its entirety for the first time? Who wrote the book? To whom? Why? What is the main idea that is being communicated?

What if our Bible study relates to an epistle, a letter from an apostle? What is his purpose in writing to that audience? Does he know them? What problems do they have? How is the author addressing those problems? What arguments does the author make? How is he building on what he is trying to say? How does it all fit together? What truths are applicable to us?

What if our Bible study relates to a narrative (a story)? Most of the Bible falls in this category? Who are the heros, the villains, the plot. Does the author tell us directly what the point of the story is, or do we just get it based on how everything unfolds? Is there irony to the story? What does the hero learn that we could benefit from? Where is God in all this? Does this story tell us something about God, man, sin?

What if our Bible study relates to poetry? What are the emotions being expressed? What word pictures are being used? What are these pictures communicating? Note how much richer and complete it is to communicate truth with pictures than with mere explanations. What are the problems? The solutions? What is the reaction to God in the midst of the situation? Is there a change in attitude as the poem progresses? Have I ever felt like this? What does it say about how I might react when an event like this happens again? Could I modify and pray this poem to God, since many of the poems are actually prayers to God?

What if our Bible study relates to prophecy? Who is the immediate audience of the message? What is their situation? What is the prophet calling the people to do? What is the warning? What is the promise? How would the immediate audience have understood the prophet? Is there some element of a future prediction that was not immediately fulfilled? Are there images being described? Are they explained in the text? Are they explained in other parts of the Bible? Am I spending all my time trying to figure out some image that God did not see fit to explain, while missing the whole point of the revelation? What do these predictive prophecies reveal about God?

“Bible, Bible, Bible, everyone has the Bible.” so said one of my seminary professors. Yet, so many come up with so many different beliefs all of which they claim to be based on the Bible. I am not so naive to suggest that a golden bullets solves all theological issues, but it would be a radical step forward if we stopped coming to the scripture with preconceived ideas, and would begin to let the scripture speak to us through a natural Bible study. Allowing the Bible to be clear where it is clear. Stopping short when God has chosen to refrain from speaking. It may mean recognizing that a favorite verse does not mean what we want it to mean. But without doubt it will help us to better understand what God wants us to know. And after all isn’t that what Bible study is really all about? To know what God wants to say and then to respond to it in obedience. Just read the book it says what He intends us to know.

Submitted by Danny R. Parker