As we begin 2021, I thought it would be helpful to share tips on growing closer to the Lord through the study of His Word. I hope you find something helpful in the following information.

There are many tools available for us to study the Bible.  

You can access free sites that can greatly enhance your understanding of God’s Word.  

My favorite is “Blue Letter Bible”.  I have an app on my phone, my ipad, and use it on my computer.  You can access multiple versions (translations and paraphrases -explained further in the next paragraph) of the Bible, and compare them easily. Plus, much more.  There are other similar sites to choose from, also.

Bibles – There are various translations and paraphrases we can use to help us understand what God is communicating to us. Each version has its own style, and by comparing them, we gain deeper understanding.  A translation is derived from manuscripts, while paraphrases are people’s interpretations of those manuscripts.  There is a place for paraphrases, utilize them with caution.

It is important to know the type of writings contained in the Bible. Genesis through Esther, and Acts, are all historical writings. Job through Song of Solomon are poetry. Isaiah through Malachi, and Revelation, are prophetic writings. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are referred to as “Gospels”. Romans through Jude are “epistles”, which means letters. Knowing the type of writing will aid in interpretation.

There are “harmonies” of some of the books of the Bible.  For example, the writings in Kings and Chronicles, or the four Gospels may touch on some of the same material.  When you put them together side by side, you can get a more complete picture of the events.  

For example, all four of the Gospel writers gave details on Jesus riding on the donkey into Jerusalem.  Each writer has his own view of the events. When we look at all of them, we have a more complete picture of what took place (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19).  Keep in mind, simply because the writers may have some different perspective than the other writers, it doesn’t mean the information is wrong.  It simply means their perspectives differed.  The same way four people might have seen an accident.  When they retell the events, from the place they saw the events, their statements will not be identical.  This does not make them inaccurate, simply their point of view.

Chronological Bibles are another resource.  These Bibles are compiled by dates of the events.  Since some dates are unknown, therefore those who compile these Bibles do so based upon some interpretation.   These are helpful tools in understanding the Bible, but not inspired in their compilation.

Journaling what you study is helpful.  Making some notes in your Bible might be a form of journaling.  Noting dates, and what was significant about a certain portion of Scripture, can bring future encouragement.  

A dictionary is always a very helpful resource.  The Webster’s 1828 Dictionary provides a different viewpoint than a modern dictionary, so utilizing both are valuable in understanding words in Scripture.  Often, I look up a word that I know a meaning for, and find another perspective that aids in understanding what I am studying.

Tools that provide customs of the days for the approximate time the events in the Bible took place aid in providing insight into what the writers were conveying.  For instance, God’s people are often referred to as sheep. Understanding the practices of shepherds in Jesus’ day will aid in understanding all Jesus said about Himself as our Good Shepherd, and we as the sheep.

Commentaries are another tool for understanding Scripture.  Proceed with caution!  These are people writing what they believe, based upon their studies.  Each has his or her own perspective.  Always study the Scripture first to gain your own idea of what God is saying.  This aids in discerning if you believe the commentator is accurate in his or her writings.  Blue Letter Bible offers multiple commentaries.

Biblical encyclopedias are other resources.  

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides cross references between Scripture.  Scripture is its own best way of interpreting itself, so looking at these cross references is invaluable.

A concordance allows you to research one particular word that is used throughout the Bible.  You may want to see where the word “day” is used in the Bible.  You will be able to find how many times it is included in the Bible, where its first use and last use are.  

Topical Bibles are groups of verses by a specific topic, such as marriage.

A map of Bible lands assists when reading Scripture.  Visuals often make a difference.

You can choose various types of studies.  

My preference is to study an entire book at a time.  This helps to keep me focused on the context of what is being written.  

Context is very important, when you are working to understand the Bible.  Each book has its individual purpose that fits together perfectly within the 66 writings.  Each paragraph of each book fits into the context of that book.  Each verse is then interpreted based upon the paragraph it is written in.  

When you are looking at a single verse, always look at the paragraph it is in, the book it is in, and then how that works together for the overall message of the Bible.  

For example, Romans 8:28 is a verse most often misinterpreted.  This is because it is not understood in the context of the paragraph it is in, nor the message of the author of Romans, and then interpreted based upon the entirety of Scripture.  That promise is for those who are chosen by God.  It is for those who are predestined for His purposes.  It is a promise for those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, not for every person.

Other great studies would include:

• Make a written record of the attributes of God (a list from A to Z is helpful). Use this list to worship the Lord.
• Look for verses that assist you in knowing God’s will for your life.
• Write out the promises of God, and use them to encourage and strengthen your faith, especially when you are in times of struggle.
• List out the questions Jesus asked.  Use these to develop your relationship with Him.
• Use the New Testament writings to develop a list of characteristics of the Christian life.
• Look at God’s leaders.  Learn from how they interacted with God. How He trained them.  How they related to people. How they struggled with trials, and overcame with God’s help.
• Study people who opposed God, and observe pitfalls to avoid.
• Study prayers in Scripture.

Study with a group, using this three points to guide you:

1.  Discuss the content to determine what the passage is about.

2.  Look for the lesson being taught, and what you can learn from it.

3.  Determine how you can apply lesson to your life.

Living for Jesus, Donna

ButGodCares@gmail.com

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you.

Copyright 2020 Donna Shappy

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.