Description

Welcome to episode 57 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we discuss how to study your Bible using the inductive Bible study method. 

When applied properly, the inductive method will provide a better overall understanding of a passage—what it says, what it meant to its original audience, and what it means today. 

Anyone can use the inductive Bible study method by following three simple steps: 

• Observation 
• Interpretation 
• Application 

1. Observation: What Does the Text Say? 

This phase isn’t about interpretation. It’s about observing exactly what the text is saying. Pretend you’re an investigator and you’re just gathering the facts. Ask yourself the five W’s and H: 

• Who? 
• What? 
• Where? 
• When? 
• Why? 
• How? 

As you do, make note of: 

• Words repeated multiple times in a passage 
• Anything that can be put into a list 
• Words that indicate a change in topic or time 
• Words that contrast one thing against another 
• Words that indicate cause and effect 

2. Interpretation: What Does the Text Mean? 

Your job at this stage is to discover what the author is trying to communicate. And to do this, you need to look at the context. Here are a few questions you can ask: 

• What is the cultural and/or historical context of this passage? 
• What else do I know about the book, author, and broader context of the passage? 
• What other Scripture passages might help me better interpret this one? 
• Have I overlooked anything or made any assumptions? 
• What is the clearest meaning of this text? 

3. Application: What Does This Text Mean for Me? 

Now that we’ve observed and interpreted what the passage has to say, it’s time to talk about what it means for us. How do we apply what we just learned to everyday life? 

We don’t study the Bible just to gain knowledge. We study to gain knowledge so we know how to live our lives in light of what we’ve learned. 

Go back to your questions from the beginning and ask them again in light of what you’ve learned, and apply it to our context today. 

Based on what you’ve learned, what does this passage mean for you? If you’ve uncovered truth you’ve not known or understood before, what does it mean for your life, priorities, and decisions now that you do understand it? 

Additional resources: 

How to Study Your Bible – A practical, simple book on the inductive Bible study method. 

Ten tips to getting started with the inductive Bible study method 

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