When my seventeen-year-old grandson asked me how to study the Bible, I realized I needed to give a an indepth explanation. I decided to publish a revised version of a 3-step inductive Bible study process I had designed for a local church several years ago.
My Resources
- Inductive Bible Study by Richard Alan Fuhr Jr. & Adreas J. Köstenberger.
- Discipleship Essentials, Chapter 4, by Greg Ogden.
- Diagramming & Arcing Course, taught by Tom Steller at Bethlehem Institute, now Bethlehem College and Seminary.
- Systematic Theology by John Frame.
How to Begin
The best way, I think, to go about conquering the process is to find a friend or two, or even a grandma, pick a Bible passage, take a deep breath, and begin. I wish I could see your face as you discover amazing, magnificent, spectacular, glorious, etc., wonders upon wonder.
Materials You Will Need
- Two different versions of online Bibles or two print Bibles. Suggested versions: (ESV or NASB95 or LEB) + (NIV or NLT or NET).
- Pencil & Paper or a Word Processor.
- A Bible dictionary, encyclopedia, maps, archeological findings. Explore various Free Resources available online.
Inductive Bible Study in 3 Steps – What to Expect
Have you ever looked at something you’ve seen a million times before, only to discover something new? In Read to See you will look at and work on a Scripture passage to see what is really there. You will …
- Read to See differences.
- Read to See questions.
- Read to See structure and relationships.
Have you ever received a piece of information that made you change your mind about something you were sure you had understood clearly? In Investigate to Know, you will investigate words and background information so that you can draw an informed conclusion about the author’s intended meaning. You will …
- Investigate related passages.
- Investigate words.
- Investigate the background.
- Investigate to draw an informed conclusion.
Have you ever studied a Scripture passage and left the study unchanged? In Think to Grow, you will think and pray about Scripture in relation to yourself in a way that helps you grow in Christ-likeness. You will …
- Determine how the text applies to you.
- Devote yourself to applying truth.
- Develop your theology.
Choose a short passage to study, and let’s get started.
Step 1: Read to See
Read to See Differences
- Read the passage in two or more different translations to identify differences between word or phrase choices.
- Print or copy and paste 2 versions of the text you want to study
(ESV or NASB or HCSB) + (NIV or NLT). - Mark word and phrase differences that you think may change the meaning of the text.
- Print or copy and paste 2 versions of the text you want to study
Read to See Questions
- Read the passage to identify I Wonder Questions that come to mind
- List questions that express what you wonder about the text.
Read to See Structure & Relationships
- Read the passage to identify important language structures and to find out how words, phrases, and ideas in the text are related.
- Mark or jot down Language Structures that you see in the text.Identify & Illustrate Relationships in the text.
- Review your observations.
- Try to answer some of your I Wonder Questions, or add additional questions you may have thought of.
Step 2: Investigate To Know
Investigate Related Passages
- Investigate related Bible passages to help you understand what message the author intended his original audience to receive.
- Pray for the Spirit’s help to understand God’s truth.
- Read the Scripture passages before and after your text.
- Use cross-references in your text to help you identify Related Passages.
- biblia.com provides hyperlinked cross-references for ESV & NASB versions.
- Choose cross-references from the tools menu at blueletterbible.org
- Determine how information in the surrounding texts and the related passages are connected to your text.
- Familiarize yourself with 7 Principles for Thinking Through Scripture.
- Try to answer more of your I Wonder Questions.
Investigate Words
- Investigate words to help you understand what message the author intended his original audience to receive.
- Identify words whose meanings are essential to understanding the intent of the text.
- Use Brown-Driver-Brigg’s Hebrew Lexicon or Thayer’s Greek Lexicon or Strong’s Lexicon/Concordance to investigate word meanings:
- Try to answer more of your I Wonder Questions.
Investigate the Background
- Investigate the background of your text to help you understand what message the author intended his original audience to receive.
- Scan 2 or 3 online introductions to the book of the Bible in which your passage is located.
- Look for 6 Types of Background Information.
- Try to answer more of your I Wonder Questions.
Investigate to Draw an Informed Conclusion
- Investigate your findings to draw informed conclusion about the author’s intended message.
- Synthesize the information you found.
- Write your conclusion by completing this sentence: Based on my investigation, I think the author was saying …
| Inside-the-text Information | Outside-the-text Information | My Conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Translation differences | Information from related passages | |
| Language structures | Information from word studies | |
| Relationships between words and phrases | Background information | |
| I Wonder answers | I Wonder answers |
Step 3: Think to Grow
Determine How the Text Applies to You
- Determine how the text applies to you today – in your context.
- Pray for the Spirit’s help to understand if and how the text applies to you.
- Determine How to Apply the Text to Yourself.
- Complete sentences below:
- Based on this text, God wants me to know _____ and/or action word.
- I should apply this text when _____.
For a more indepth discussion of application, refer to Fuhr, R.A., Jr., Köstenberger, A.J., "Application, Acting on the Text," Inductive Bible Study, B&H Academic: Nashville, 2016.
Devote Yourself to Applying Truth
- Devote yourself to appropriately applying the text to yourself and your circumstances.
- Pray.
- Determine to appropriately apply the text to yourself and your circumstances.
Develop Your Theology
- Develop your theology – build your knowledge of who God is; of who you are; and of the relationships that exists between God, you, and the world.
- Review your passage and the related passages you read in Step 2.
- Assign equal importance to the passages even if they seem to support opposite sides of a position.
- Find strong and unforced connections between your passage and the related passages you read in Step 2.
- Look for themes about God (God, the: Father, Husband, Lion, Shepherd, Sovereign King, Warrior, etc.).
- Look for theological themes (atonement, justification, repentance, redemption, sanctification, regeneration, salvation, sin, etc.).
- Answer one, or both questions below:
- How does my study confirm what I understood about God, myself, God’s relationship to people?
- How does my study change what I thought I understood about God, myself, God’s relationship to people?
- Review your passage and the related passages you read in Step 2.
For a more indepth discussion of developing theology, refer to Fuhr, R.A., Jr., Köstenberger, A. J., "Doing Theology," Inductive Bible Study, B&H Academic: Nashville, 2016.
