LTRBE Seminar | Section 8: Tips on Reading

Learn To Read The Bible Effectively

Section 8
Tips on Reading

Watch Webcast 10:29

Section 8: Tips on Reading

The importance of reading is summed up in 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

ALL SCRIPTURE...

Makes one wise unto salvation.

Is profitable for:

• doctrine
• reproof
• correction
• instruction in righteousness

"So that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE:

Steady consistent diet of the Word of God.

We recommend regular intake of God's Word: 15 to 20 minutes daily. The Bereans are described in Acts as being:

"more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

There are many different reading plans available. One such plan is structured to take a person through the Bible in a year, reading 3 portions daily. This is outlined by the Daily Bible Companions included in this book. By doing two readings from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament daily, at the end of the year, a person has read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice.

A good example for us is concerning Israel and the daily and evening sacrifice. They were to begin and end the day with prayer and meditation with God.

TIP # 1: PREPARATION

• Allow Time
• Select Translation
• Be Comfortable

HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH READING THE BIBLE?
If we are to gain what we can from Bible study, we need to approach it with the right attitudes. We need an openness to new ideas. If we approach all ideas with a "fortress mentality" -- thinking that our main job is to defend the walls that make up the fortress of Christianity -- we have very little space for growth.

The Bible is a book of strength that has withstood all kinds of attacks during its history.  As in all other areas of study scholars build upon and re-evaluate the work of earlier scholars.  We need not fear examining new ideas and evaluating them carefully in the light of all the teachings of the Bible.

We need an attitude of willingness to meditate on what we are learning and to think through for ourselves how our learning can and should be applied in our own lives. To do this, it is usually helpful to share our ideas and interpretations with other Bible students for discussion and evaluation. We can learn from each other.

Bible study is trying work. It is also exhilarating and life changing. Study of the Bible can enrich us as no other study can.  You will experience a new exhilaration as you learn to make your own judgments based on firm principles, and the Bible will become more alive and powerful in your life. Remember, you are intended to understand this remarkable book and to meet God in its pages.

TIP #2: HOW TO READ

• Read Aloud
• Listen for Echoes
• Ask Yourself Questions
  (Deut. 11:18-19; Joshua 1:8)

BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR READING THE BIBLE

1. Study every passage within its literary context.  Literary context includes both a text's immediate setting (the verses around it) and its relationship to the entire book.
2. Recognize that the social, historical, and cultural environment of a biblical passage differs from that of today, and then try to understand a passage in light of those differences.
3. Translations often reflect the translator's understanding. Therefore, when studying a passage, compare several translations, or versions, to try and discover the most likely meaning of a word or phrase.
4. Interpret any single passage in light of what the author has written elsewhere.
5. Interpret the Bible as a whole. That is, interpret the Bible in light of the entire message of the Bible.

TIP # 3: WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND

• Be Patient (Isaiah 55:9; Prov. 25:2)
• Use Other Translations
• Use Study Tools
• Seek Qualified Teachers (Acts 8:26-40)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN READING:

1. What is the main subject?
2. Who are the main people?
3. What does it say about God?
4. What does it say about Christ?
5. What is the key or main verse?
6. What is the central lesson?
7. What are the main promises?
8. What are the main commandments/instructions?
9. What error should I avoid?
10. What example is there to follow?
11. What do I need most in this chapter to apply to my life today?
12. Are there cross references that can be used to develop the theme of the passage or add clarity of understanding?
13. Are there any key words or phrases? Do they appear in other sections of the same book as well as other books?
14. Are there any words I should look up to clarify a definition?