the Bible will shine a whoole lotta light on the commentary

Hey guys, it's me again. That's right, twice in ONE week. Wild things.

I'm spending the year at Bible school and have learned a lot so far, and I thought I'd pull you guys into the journey. If the phrase "Bible school" put a bad taste in any of your mouths, just wait. Seriously. Hurt comes from all places, and I know the church and church body has not been innocent, but I also want to implore you that it is the human representation that is at fault. Our God is a Holy Healer, and I hope if you have not already met Him, you meet Him one day. That was a little tangential to the rest of the post, but if you leave with any questions about the Person or Character of God, please reach out to me. I'd love to talk and I'd love to wrestle with your questions, and that applies to anything you want to know about this post.

In all honesty though, the rest of this post does not deal with any heady theological topics. Instead, we're going to learn how to study the Bible inductively tonight. We're going to learn how to learn, and when I say I'm excited, you should know that I'm a huge nerd and I mean it.

For some background, I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21), inspired by God and recorded by men. I believe it is infallible and unwavering. It is living and active, working to convict us and transform us (Hebrew 4:12, Romans 12:2). It gives us life and sustains us because our Creator is the source of the Word and only by living according to it (Matthew 4:4, John 1:1).

That being said, how do we go about studying a book that was written thousands of years ago in two ancient (i.e. dead) languages? How should we even begin?

I've asked that question for years, and have honestly been super unsuccessful because I haven't found a good answer. 

This week at the Kanakuk Institute, we have been learning about Inductive Bible studies. Inductive Bible studies are the process of studying the Bible using only the Bible. 

Seems like circular reasoning, right? 

The truth is, though, most books are the best commentary for themselves. Best way to read about 15-year-old Harry Potter? Pick up Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Wanna experience Jay Gatsby accurately? Read The Great Gatsby. They are the foremost authority on themselves. That's it... but, that is also a fallible argument because sometimes literature— even great, classic literature— contradicts itself. Sometimes those authors get the details wrong.

The authors of the Bible, though— the ones divinely inspired by God— don't make those mistakes. There are minor grammatical discrepancies throughout Scripture, but very few are large enough to change the meaning of the verse in which they are found. NONE of these discrepancies are theological.

Pretty good considering that the Bible was written over the course of 1600 years by 40 different authors across 3 continents and in 3 languages. Maybe evidence that God is real, and powerful, and true, right? But I digress.

So, naturally, if we want to study a book that claims to be THE foremost authority in general, we should probably pay attention to cross references and let it defend itself.

Because it does. 

So, how do we do it?

There are three major steps to studying the Bible inductively:

• Observation

• Interpretation

• Application

Step One: Observation. To begin, we read. And then again. Maybe even a third time. Read through it, and wrestle. Some biblical passages (*cough* Leviticus) are textually complicated and dense while others (*cough* the Gospels) just tell easy stories that are a breeze. Whichever side of the spectrum it lands upon, read it multiple times. Read through it and ask: Who are the main characters? What is happening? Where does it take place? When does this story take place (because the Bible is history)? Why is this important? How do we see God in this passage? Answer those questions. Then, look for key words or words that are repeated throughout the passage. Flag words of transition of comparison or contrast, they matter and can help illuminate the author's thought process and the message of the text. Other notable things: references to time, any member of the Trinity, names, and places. The more you mark, the more you'll learn.

Step Two: Interpretation.  When we start this step, we often immediately look towards commentaries. This week at the Institute, David Lawson taught us about inductive studies and reminded us that  "Commentaries can be helpful, but the Bible will always shine a whole lot of light on the commentaries." Let's use the Bible to interpret itself, then. Check cross-references-- most Bibles have them accessible on the page. If you do not know what's going on, read what's happening around it. If you're reading chapter three, maybe check out chapter two for context, and go on to chapter four if you need more clarification. Know the theme of the passage and see how what you read fits in. 

Step Three: Application. What does God's word say about a certain subject? How can I apply this to my life while handling the Word accurately? How can I use it to teach or to reprove (lovingly, myself or others)? Again, Second Timothy 3:16- "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

So, let's use it for those purposes! Let us teach, reprove, and correct! May we be the hands and feet who handle the Truth correctly and love people truthfully and well. 

 

Let's go study, that we may "sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." (1 Peter 3:15). 

Love you, mean it! Ask me questions. I want to answer. I want to wrestle. I want to point you towards the Creator and Sustainer of life. You'll find Him in the Scriptures, but his handprints will be all over your life, too!