One way I enjoy studying God's Word is called the Inductive Bible Study Method.
First of all, decide on a section of Scripture you'd like to study (It's most beneficial to choose 3-10 verses maximum to observe).
Ask yourself: "Why do I want to study this passage?"
Second, use a series of questions to observe the passage:
- Who is writing or speaking and to whom?
- What is the passage about?
- When does this take place?
- Where does this take place?
- Why does the author write what he does? What problems were the recipients facing?
- How does this passage fit in with the context? (what's before and after that section?)
- Are there any commands that appear to be universal/applicable to me?
- What are the promises?
- What are the cause/effect relationships?
- Do you see any repeated words and/or ideas?
- Does this passage teach you anything about God?
- Does this passage teach you anything about Jesus?
- What do I learn about the Holy Spirit?
- Does this passage teach or reveal anything about myself (or mankind)?
- Contrasts
- Lists
- Comparisons
- Etc.
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1 comment:
These questions remind me a lot of the story analysis that writers use when constructing a narrative. John Truby's book, "The Anatomy Of Story" covers one of these methods in great depth.
Truby uses several tools )premise, designing principle, theme line, conflict web, archetype analysis, symbol web, etc).
It would be interesting to analyze biblical stories, and the biblical narrative as a whole, using these tools, and see what might be learned.
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