Bible Study Course

LESSON 2

How to Study
the Bible
 LESSON 2

How to Study
the Bible
AFTER ONE Lesson 1 covered the relevancy of the Bible. We showed that it
didn’t originate from the minds of men, but is the revealed will of
ACCEPTS THE
the Almighty God.
BIBLE AS GOD’S
After one accepts the Bible as God’s Word, the next step is learning what it says.
WORD, THE
NEXT STEP The book of Acts tells the story of the apostle Paul and Silas preaching Jesus Christ as
the Messiah to the Jews living in the Macedonian city of Berea (Acts 17:10). Instead of
IS LEARNING rejecting what was being taught or accepting it blindly, the Bereans, we are told, “searched
WHAT IT SAYS. the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (verse 12, emphasis added).
As a result of this approach, many believed.

The Bereans set an excellent example of studying the Bible to learn what it actually says.

The Bible is a unique book, and some parts of it can be difficult to understand. But there
are time-tested principles and strategies we can use to study it that can help us better
grasp its teachings, message and overall story flow.

In this lesson we will explore some principles, methods and approaches that will help you
learn to effectively study the Bible and uncover the deep truths found within its 66 books.

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 PART 1

How to Approach Bible Study

IT’S ESSENTIAL Before we get into specific strategies and methods of Bible study, it’s first
necessary to establish the proper approach and attitude to have when
TO FULLY
studying the Bible. Here are four essential keys to having the right attitude
ACKNOWLEDGE to maximize the impact of our Bible study.
AND BELIEVE
What must we recognize about the Bible to get the most out of it?
THE BIBLE
1 Thessalonians 2:13: “When you received the word of God which you heard from us, you
IS GOD’S
________________ it not as the word of men, but as it is in ________, the word of God,
REVEALED
which also effectively works in you who believe.”
WORD AND
AUTHORITATIVE Deeper insight

TRUTH. If we approach studying the Bible with a skeptical frame of mind, we will constantly
question what it says and resist allowing it to make an impact on our lives. That’s
why it’s essential to come to deeply believe the Bible is not the “word of men,” but
is the revealed Word of God and contains authoritative truth. Romans 10:17 tells us
that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” As we study and learn
from God’s Word, our faith can continue to be strengthened and grow if we recognize
the Bible as God’s instruction to each of us.

What attitude should we have when we study the Bible?

Isaiah 66:2: “‘For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the
LORD. ‘But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a ____________ spirit, and
who ______________ at My word.’”

Deeper insight
God tells us through His Word that He desires people to come to Him in a humble
spirit. To “tremble” at God’s Word means to deeply respect it, stand in awe of it
and apply what it says. This means trusting in God and not relying on our “own
understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). We can only build that humble, receptive spirit by
applying the next principle.

How can we develop a humble attitude toward the Bible?

Psalm 119:33-34: “__________ me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it
to the end. Give me _____________________, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall
_____________ it with my whole heart.”

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 Deeper insight
This passage is found in the context of the longest psalm in the Bible. Many psalms
are actually the recorded prayers of the author. Psalm 119 shows the psalmist’s
approach toward God’s Word. Throughout this psalm, we see the psalmist praying to
TERMINOLOGY God for help and guidance to:

1. Understand God’s Word. 2. Apply

2. Apply it
it to
to his
his life.
life.
Psalms
Poetic and musical compositions
Asking God for understanding and guidance in a spirit of humility is the most
containing words of praise and
essential key to successful Bible study (Matthew 7:7-8). It is wise to begin every
meditation on God.
study session with prayer to God—asking for His help to understand and to apply
what we learn. God promises to give wisdom—which is found in the Bible—when we
ask Him for it (James 1:5).

What must we be willing to do as we learn from the Bible?

James 1:22, 25: “But be _________ of the word, and not ____________ only, deceiving
yourselves . . . But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and
is not a forgetful hearer but a ________ of the work, this one will be blessed in what
he does.”

Deeper insight
Lesson 1 explained how one of the functions of God’s living Word is to correct us.
This is not a negative thing. As we learn about God and His ways, we will find many
areas where our ways contradict His ways. Embarking on this study of God’s Word
may challenge some long-held beliefs, customs and life habits.

When we discover truths in God’s Word, our natural reaction can be to reason around
embracing those truths or to completely ignore what we learn. The Bible challenges
us to commit to reacting in the opposite way! Study the Word of God to learn how to
live and what to believe. When we learn something from the Bible, we should believe
it and do it (John 13:17).

Acts 2 serves as a case study of a group of people who demonstrated the right approach
to learning God’s Word. This chapter records the sermon the apostle Peter gave on
Pentecost—a little less than two months after Jesus’ death and resurrection. He preached
to a group that included people who had supported Jesus’ crucifixion. In his sermon Peter
showed them, using the Scriptures, that Jesus was the Son of God.
A CLOSER
LOOK We read that they believed and were “cut to the heart” and said, “Men and brethren, what
shall we do?” (verse 37). Peter then urged them to repent and be baptized. Almost 3,000
A Case Study people responded and were baptized (verse 41).
in Acting on What
When we study and learn from the Bible, we may be challenged. God wants us to respond
We Learn
like the people in Acts 2.

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 PART 2

Strategies for Studying God’s Word

THE MORE The Bible is a big book. People often approach Bible study in
bewilderment: Where do I start? What should I study? How can I make
OUR STUDY
Bible study manageable? How can I get the most out of Bible study?
IS DIRECTED
This section covers four basic strategies for Bible study. An important key for studying
TOWARD God’s Word is to study with a goal or purpose in mind. The more our study is directed
TANGIBLE toward tangible goals, the more we will learn and grow.

GOALS, THE
Strategy 1: Study a Particular Topic (Topical Bible Study)
MORE WE WILL The Bible is not organized like an encyclopedia. We cannot go to one place and read
LEARN AND everything God says on a single topic. The truths of God are found scattered throughout
the pages of the Bible. To fully understand any topic, the scattered pieces have to be put
GROW. together. A topical Bible study is when we compile scriptures throughout the Bible on a
particular topic to try to understand that subject in its fullness.

What are some examples of topics that could be studied through a topical
Bible study?
The Bible includes numerous topics—many connected, and all crucial. Inside its pages
are an almost endless number of topics ripe for exploration! For example, this Bible study
course is essentially a series of topical studies. Here are some of the topics we will cover in
upcoming lessons of this course:

• God the Father. • The purpose of human life.

• Jesus Christ. • The Sabbath day.
• The gospel of the Kingdom.

As we examine these topics, we attempt to bring together some of the most relevant
scriptures so you can discover for yourself what the Bible teaches. After you finish this
course, we hope you will continue to study God’s Word. This lesson is designed to give you
strategies and tools to be able to do that.

How do I do my own topical Bible study?

Here are some tips for doing a topical Bible study:

Pick a topic. The Bible contains many topics that are ripe for study—from the “abomination
of desolation” to “zeal”! As you regularly read the Bible, you will naturally find topics
to explore deeper. For instance, if you’re studying the book of Genesis and come upon
Genesis 2:24, where God decrees that a man and woman who marry become “one flesh,”
that could lead you to a study of what the Bible says on the topic of marriage. On our
website, we provide a list of subjects that can inspire excellent topical studies: “Bible
Study Topics.”

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 Use Bible helps to discover other scriptures on the topic. There are many resources
available to help you discover scriptures on nearly any biblical topic. Many of them are
available free online.

Concordance • Bible concordance: A concordance is a catalog of words that appear in the Bible with
A Bible reference tool that a list of all of the verses that use each word. If you prefer a printed copy, some of the
lists every place a particular classic concordances are Strong’s and Cruden’s. Keep in mind that every concordance
word is found in the Bible. is based on a specific translation of the Bible. Some words are translated differently in
different translations, so you may not always find what you’re looking for. It is best to
Topical Bible
use a concordance that is based on your go-to translation for Bible study. We will cover
A Bible reference tool
that lists scriptures by a more about the various translations at the end of this lesson. Many free online resources
Bible topic. allow you to look up words easily by translation. An example is biblegateway.com, which
allows you to search for words or phrases from a wide variety of translations.
• Topical Bible: A topical Bible is similar to a concordance, but instead of listing verses based
on a certain word being included in its text, it categorizes verses by topics. For instance, a
topical Bible will provide numerous verses on “obedience” that don’t actually include the
word obedience or obey, such as Psalm 1:2 (which clearly describes a person obeying God,
but doesn’t use the specific word). One of the classic and most trusted topical Bibles is
Nave’s Topical Bible (which can easily be found for free online).
• Study reliable material on biblical topics. Life, Hope & Truth strives to produce reliable,
authoritative material to help readers understand the Bible’s most important topics. We
provide explanations of many topics and numerous scriptural references for you to study on
your own. For instance, to understand the biblical doctrine of the Sabbath, our booklet
The Sabbath: A Neglected Gift From God is an excellent resource.

Create a Bible study journal. When studying a topic, it can be helpful to record the essential
scriptures related to that topic in writing. You can try to organize the scriptures you find into
categories, write some personal notes about the main idea(s) from each verse and write about
how you can personally apply what you learned. Of course, each person will do this slightly
differently—so we encourage you to write or journal on your studies in the way that works best
for you.

1. Using an online Bible concordance, list four scriptures that include the word faith (two
in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament).

a. Old Testament:

b. New Testament:

PERSONAL
STUDY 2. Using an online topical Bible, list four scriptures that are related to the topic of
faith but do not include the word faith (two in the Old Testament, two in the New
Testament).
Using Concordances
and Topical Bibles a. Old Testament:

To familiarize yourself with b. New Testament:

these helpful tools, complete
the following:
Resources:
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (KJV).
Bible Gateway.
Nave’s Topical Bible.

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 Visit a free website that offers an online concordance (for example, biblegateway.com,
blueletterbible.org). Answer the following questions by searching the New King James
Version of the Bible:

1. Where is the first place in the Bible the word love appears?
PERSONAL
STUDY 2. How many times does the word mercy appear in the Old Testament?

Do a Bible 3. How many times does the word Trinity appear in the Bible?
Concordance Search
4. Identify the verses that tell us “God is love.”

WITHIN EACH Strategy 2: Study an Individual Book

BOOK OF The Bible is a book composed of 66 smaller books. Those 66 cover a wide range of genres,
including:
GOD’S WORD
• Historical narrative (for example, Genesis).
ARE PRECIOUS • Stories of a person’s life (for example, Esther).

TRUTHS AND • Inspired poetry and songs (for example, Psalms).

PRINCIPLES • Prophecy (for example, the book of Revelation).

• An overview of the life of Jesus Christ (for example, the Gospel of Matthew).
THAT ARE BEST
• Letters of instruction (for example, the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians).
UNDERSTOOD BY
Though the great doctrines and themes are best understood by pulling together individual
READING THEM scriptures scattered throughout the Bible, there is much value to studying in depth the
IN CONTEXT. individual books of the Bible. Within each book of God’s Word are precious truths and
principles that are best understood by reading them in context.

For those new to the Bible, Genesis or Matthew would be good books to start with. For
more ideas, see our article “Where to Start Reading the Bible.”

What are some things to consider before reading the text of a book?
Here are some questions that can be helpful to consider in order to gain the most
understanding of the book.

1. Who wrote the book?

2. Who was the original audience for the book?
3. What is the historical setting of the book?
4. When was it written?
5. What was its main purpose or purposes?
6. What format is the book written in?
7. What is the general structure of the book?

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 1. Who wrote this book, and who was he writing to?

2. What was Paul’s history with this congregation?

PERSONAL
STUDY
3. When do scholars believe this book was written?
Study the Background
of a Biblical Book:
1 Corinthians 4. Why was this letter written?

Go to our article “1 Corinthians”

and answer the questions here.

5. Identify one issue the author addresses in this letter.

Understanding this important background information will enlighten your future study of
the book of 1 Corinthians.

What resources can provide helpful background material on a book?

There are many resources available that provide helpful background material to the
individual books of the Bible. Some resources include Bible handbooks and Bible
dictionaries. Some classic resources are Halley’s Bible Handbook, Unger’s Bible Handbook
and Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Though these resources can provide much helpful
information, we don’t endorse all their content.
Life, Hope & Truth has prepared a detailed article on every book of the Bible. These articles
provide accurate and helpful information on the background of each of the Bible’s books.
You can find this resource here: “Books of the Bible.”

What are some tips for studying the content of an individual book?
Every person reads and studies differently, but here are a few keys to consider:
1. Find a good outline of the book and keep it nearby while you study the content. This
will help you keep the structure in mind as you read and will help prevent you from
getting lost. Many Bible handbooks and dictionaries contain outlines for each book in
the Bible, as do the articles in our “Books of the Bible” section.

2. Keep a journal or paper nearby and write down important themes you discover in
the text.

3. Write down or highlight key verses that encapsulate important truths or principles you
want to remember.

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 4. When you come to a verse that’s difficult to understand, focus on the verses that
precede and follow it to see if the context provides clues that will help you better
understand what you are reading.

5. Ask questions. As you read, you will undoubtedly have many questions. Write those
questions down and study them later. If you read something you just can’t understand,
use the search feature on Life, Hope & Truth to see if we have any material on it or (if
we don’t) feel free to ask us directly for help.

6. When you have completed the book, ask yourself these questions: Why did God place
this book in His Word? What are the main spiritual truths elaborated on in this book?
What are the main personal lessons I need to learn from this book?

Strategy 3: Study a Bible Character (Biographical Study)

The Bible is full of fascinating historical characters whose lives teach us important lessons.
Some of those people were righteous people of faith, and others were not so righteous.
We can learn lessons from both.

Where does the Bible say we are to learn lessons from the characters we
read about?

1 Corinthians 10:6, 11: “Now these things became our _______________, to the
intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted . . . Now all these
things happened to them as _______________, and they were written for our
___________________, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Deeper insight
We can learn lessons from both those who made mistakes and those who were
faithful. In the above scripture, Paul was using the bad example of Israel in the
wilderness to teach Christians not to make the same mistakes the Israelites did.

On the other hand, in Hebrews 11 we read of many positive examples of biblical

characters who teach us faith through their lives.

What are some tips for doing a biographical study?

Here are some things to consider:

1. After deciding upon a person to study, assemble all the verses in the Bible where that
person is mentioned. This can easily be done by using a Bible concordance or reading
an entry on the person in a Bible dictionary.

2. Consider what historical era the person lived in.

3. Read all the scriptures on his or her life.

4. Write down key character traits you learn about the person as you read. What positive
character traits led to his or her successes? What negative character traits might have
led to his or her failures?

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 5. What role does the person play in the overall narrative of the Bible? What is his or her
significance in God’s plan?

6. Search the individual’s name on Life, Hope & Truth to see if we offer any material on
that person.

MANY Strategy 4: Study an Individual Verse

INDIVIDUAL As we already covered, the Bible is made up of 66 individual books. Each of those books is
further organized into chapters and verses. It is important to understand that this division
VERSES ARE into chapters and verses was not done by the original inspired authors. This numbering
PACKED was added hundreds of years later to organize the books and help readers find specific
sections quickly and easily. Imagine how hard it would be to find an individual sentence
WITH DEEP, in a book without the system of chapters and verses! For the most part, those involved did
MEANINGFUL an admirable job of placing chapters and verses in natural breaks in thought and content
within the text.
TRUTHS AND
INFORMATION
What are some things to consider when studying an individual verse?
THAT CAN
1. Keep its context in mind. Though some verses include self-contained truths that can be
PROVIDE extracted and understood, we should never forget that these verses were written within
COPIOUS STUDY a context and are best understood by considering the content surrounding them. (We
will discuss the importance of context more in section 3.)
MATERIAL.
2. Keep in mind the author and his purpose for writing.

3. Identify key terms in the verse and make sure you understand those terms according to
biblical usage. You will find it helpful to consult a reliable Bible dictionary that will help
you understand those words in their biblical context. You can also consult resources
that explore what biblical words meant in their original languages. Some resources
are Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Mounce’s
Complete Dictionary of the New Testament and blueletterbible.com.

4. Find companion scriptures that can help expand, support or increase your
understanding of the verse.

5. Ask the questions: What is the doctrinal significance of this verse? What is the personal
significance of this verse to my life? How does this verse help me understand God and
the Bible better?
To aid you in studying an individual verse, we have prepared this Scripture Study
Worksheet. (A full-page version that you can print out is available at the end of this lesson.)
Blank Example

EXAMPLE
Bible Study Course Bible Study Course

Scripture Study Worksheet Scripture Study Worksheet

1. Scripture: 1. Scripture:

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2. Author/Audience: 2. Author/Audience:

The apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome (and us today).

3. Key Words and Phrases: 3. Key Words and Phrases:

• Wages – What one is paid as a result of one’s work.

• Sin – Breaking the law of God or refusing to do what one knows is right.
• Death – The total cessation of life and consciousness.
• Gift – Something given by the goodness of the giver.
• Eternal life – Living forever as a spirit being as a child in God’s family.

4. Companion Scriptures (other scriptures that are connected to or support this verse): 4. Companion Scriptures (other scriptures that are connected to or support this verse):

• Ezekiel 18:20 – The soul who sins shall die.

• Romans 3:23 – All have sinned.
• Romans 6:16 – Sin leads to death, obedience to righteousness.
• John 3:16 – We can receive eternal life through Jesus Christ.

5. Doctrinal Significance of Scripture (What implications does this scripture have for doctrinal understanding?): 5. Doctrinal Significance of Scripture (What implications does this scripture have for doctrinal understanding?):

This verse teaches that the result of an unrepentant life of sin is death—not eternal torment in hell (as
many believe). It also shows us that eternal life is a gift given to human beings from the Father and is
only possible through Jesus Christ.

6. Personal Significance of Scripture (What implication does this verse have to my life?): 6. Personal Significance of Scripture (What implication does this verse have to my life?):

If I live a life characterized by sin, I will die for all eternity, but if I overcome sin and follow Jesus Christ as
my savior, I can live forever in God’s family.

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 PART 3

Three Basic Principles for Bible Study

THOUGH THE In the final section of this lesson, we will cover some basic principles to
keep in mind when studying God’s Word. Though the Bible is the source
BIBLE IS THE
of truth, it can also be a source of great confusion and deception if used
SOURCE OF improperly. Practicing these can help us avoid common pitfalls that cause
TRUTH, IT people to misinterpret the Scriptures.
CAN ALSO BE
Principle 1: Use the Bible to interpret the Bible.
A SOURCE
Should we draw conclusions about the Bible based on our personal
OF GREAT interpretation of what it says?
CONFUSION
2 Peter 1:20-21: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private
AND DECEPTION ____________________, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God
IF USED spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
IMPROPERLY.
1 Corinthians 2:13: “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom
teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, _______________ spiritual things with
spiritual.”

Deeper insight
These passages reveal an important principle about studying God’s Word: It should
never be interpreted privately. In other words, when we read the Bible, we should not
determine what it means based on our personal opinion. Peter goes on to explain
that God inspired the biblical writers by implanting His words and ideas into their
minds through His Spirit. Since the words and ideas came from God, God is the One
to interpret them.

We let God interpret the Bible by allowing the Bible to interpret itself. When we come
to a scripture (or section of Scripture) that is not clear, we can go to other scriptures
to help define and enlighten our understanding. In other words, we “compare
spiritual things with spiritual”—we use inspired Scripture to help us understand
inspired Scripture. This is especially the case when we discover a scripture that
seems to contradict what other scriptures say. Jesus Christ taught that “the Scripture
cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

Companion scripture But this principle doesn’t just apply to verses that are difficult to understand. Looking
A scripture that connects up companion scriptures can expand and enhance our understanding of any verse.
to and enlightens our Many people find it helpful to write companion scriptures into the margins of their
understanding of another
Bible. Some helpful tools to find companion scriptures are Bibles with center-column
scripture.
references, chain-reference Bibles, study Bibles and The Treasury of Scripture
Knowledge (a classic resource that provides companion scriptures for every verse in
the Bible).

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 What is an example of a scripture that is interpreted by other scriptures?

Romans 3:28: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds
of the law.”

Deeper insight
This scripture, written by the apostle Paul, is a good example of a passage that can
be misinterpreted if read in total isolation. Some people read this verse and use
it to teach that Christians do not need to keep God’s 10 Commandments. Read in
isolation, Paul’s words might seem to say that law-keeping is irrelevant—and that
faith is all that is required of a Christian.

But when we study what the rest of the Bible says about law-keeping and faith, we
discover that the above interpretation is not correct.

THE BIBLE Did the apostle Paul teach that God’s law is relevant and should be kept
by Christians?
CONTAINS
Read each scripture and answer the question.
PRACTICAL
PRINCIPLES Romans 3:31: What does Paul say about the law here?

THAT CAN HELP

US IN NEARLY
EVERY ASPECT
OF LIFE. Romans 7:12: What three adjectives does Paul use to describe the law of God?

1 Corinthians 7:19: What does Paul write about “keeping the commandments”?

The above scriptures show clearly that Paul taught that God’s law is both relevant and
necessary for a Christian to keep—which was exactly what Jesus Christ taught (Matthew
5:19; 19:17; John 14:15, 21; 15:10).

Do other scriptures elaborate on the connection between faith and

keeping the law?

James 2:14-26: Does James teach that faith is all a Christian needs? How does he connect
faith to works?

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 GOD REVEALED So what is Paul actually saying in Romans 3:28?
The above scriptures, and many others, make it crystal clear that both faith and obedience
VARIOUS
to God’s law are necessary for Christians. The issue Paul was dealing with was justification,
ELEMENTS OF which is the act of God acquitting (forgiving) a person of past sin and rendering him or her
guiltless (just) in His eyes. The Bible is clear that the purpose of the law is not to acquit
HIS TRUTH TO
us of sin. Only faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ can do that (Romans 5:9, 18; 1 John
DIFFERENT 1:7). The purpose of God’s law is to show us how to live, guide our path and help us
develop God’s character.
AUTHORS IN
When we understand the purpose and function of faith and God’s law, we realize that both
DIFFERENT are necessary and work together. Paul is saying nothing to the contrary in Romans 3:28; he
WAYS, SO WE is merely focusing on the subject of justification, which is through faith.

FIND HIS TRUTH The above is an example of how the Bible interprets the Bible.

SPRINKLED
THROUGHOUT Principle 2: Avoid establishing a belief on one verse—study all
the scriptures on a topic.
THE 66 BOOKS
How can we discover and properly understand the great truths of the
OF THE BIBLE. Bible?
God inspired His Word to be written by about 40 different authors over a period of about
1,500 years.
None of those authors were inspired to write a definitive treatment of any single biblical
doctrine or subject. Instead, God revealed various elements of His truth to different
authors in different ways, so we find His truth sprinkled throughout the 66 books of the
Bible. God’s Word can be likened to a jigsaw puzzle, with pieces, distributed throughout,
that must be put together to see the full picture of any given subject. So to understand any
biblical topic, the first step is to compile all the scriptures on that topic and then study
them together.
As you progress through this Bible study course, each lesson will help you understand the
Bible’s greatest truths, helping you put the scriptural pieces together.

What is an example of a biblical topic that must be pieced together from

passages spread throughout the Bible?

Genesis 3:1: “Now the _____________ was more _____________ than any beast of the
field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman . . .”

Deeper insight
Here in Genesis 3 we are introduced to a being simply called “the serpent.” As one
reads through the chapter, it becomes obvious this isn’t an ordinary snake. This
serpent not only spoke, but used a clever argument with the intent to deceive (verses
4-6). We can know exactly who this serpent was by applying Principle 1 (the Bible
interprets the Bible). Revelation 12:9 identifies the “serpent of old” as “the Devil
and Satan.”

But Genesis 3 and Revelation 12:9 still don’t give us a full understanding of this
being called Satan. To understand his origin, his motivation, his tactics and his
future, we have to put all the scriptures on him together.

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 Two helpful chapters for understanding his origin are Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Both
provide crucial information that help us understand his origin. We don’t have space
here to elaborate on all the scriptures on Satan, but you can find many of them
assembled and explained in our article “Satan: A Profile.”

IT TAKES WORK Why did God choose to reveal His truths like this?

TO UNDERSTAND Proverbs 2:1-5: “My son, if you receive my ___________, and treasure my commands
GOD’S TRUTHS within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to
BY FINDING ALL understanding; yes, if you cry out for __________________, and lift up your voice for

THE PIECES AND ______________________, if you ________ her as silver, and ___________ for her as

PUTTING THEM for ____________ treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the
knowledge of God.”
TOGETHER TO
PROPERLY SEE 2 Timothy 2:15: “Be ____________ to present yourself approved to God, a ___________
THE BIG PICTURE. who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Deeper insight
The Bible doesn’t provide a definitive explanation for why God revealed His truths
the way He did, but perhaps the above scriptures give us a clue. God wants us to
diligently seek knowledge, wisdom and understanding from Him. He doesn’t make it
easy for us by organizing His Word by topics and giving us complete explanations of
every topic in one place. He wants us to study His Word thoroughly to understand it.

It takes work to understand God’s truths by finding all the pieces and putting them
together to properly see the big picture. One of the primary purposes of Life, Hope
& Truth and this Bible study course is to assist you and make it easier to put those
pieces together.

Principle 3: Consider the context.

Does the Bible warn about people misusing the Scriptures?

2 Peter 3:15-16: “As also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him,
has written to you, as also in all his ____________, speaking in them of these things, in
which are some things hard to _________________, which untaught and unstable people
________ to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”

Deeper insight
The apostle Peter warns us that people can “twist” the Scriptures to say something
that wasn’t God’s (or the human author’s) intent. He specifically warned that they
would do this with the apostle Paul’s writings—but also the “rest of the Scriptures.”

LifeHopeandTruth.com/BibleStudyCourse Lesson 2: How to Study the Bible 14

WHEN WE READ One of the primary ways people twist the Scriptures is by taking them out of context
A VERSE THAT and using them to make a point contrary to what the author actually intended.
Sometimes this twisting is deliberate, but many times it occurs because people
IS CONFUSING, allow mistaken ideas to influence their understanding.
ONE OF THE
Proof-texting is when we take one verse, sometimes out of context, to prove an idea
FIRST THINGS that may be contrary to what the text is actually saying. (We should note that just
because someone uses one scripture to make a point doesn’t necessarily make that
TO DO IS READ
person’s point false—but we are always on firmer ground when we establish our
THE CONTEXT— beliefs using more than one verse.)
THE VERSES The 20th-century religious leader Herbert W. Armstrong often illustrated this pitfall
THAT PRECEDE with a humorous example of a preacher who personally disliked a certain hairstyle
where a woman’s hair was knotted up in a bun. The preacher declared this hairstyle
AND FOLLOW a sin by verbally quoting Matthew 24:17 as, “Top knot, come down!”—using it to
THE VERSE IN claim God was saying knots on the top of the head must come down!

QUESTION. But here’s what the verse actually says: “Let him which is on the housetop not
come down to take any thing out of his house” (King James Version). Obviously the
preacher badly misused the verse by pulling four words out of context and using
a soundalike word to make it say what he wanted it to say. This extreme example
illustrates how individual verses can be misused by taking them out of context!

Now it’s important to understand that many verses do provide clear, self-contained
nuggets of truth that can be understood in isolation. For instance, James 1:27: “Pure
and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows
in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” This can be easily
understood, interpreted and applied by reading just this verse.

But there are other verses that, when read in isolation, can be confusing, unclear
and easily misapplied. When we read a verse that is confusing, one of the first things
to do is read the context—the verses that precede and follow the verse in question.
Oftentimes, the context will provide crucial information that makes the verse easier
to understand.

What is an example of a verse that requires context to understand?

2 Corinthians 12:2: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body
I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was
caught up to the third _____________.”

Deeper insight
This verse, read in isolation, could lead us to believe that this “man in Christ” (likely
Paul himself) literally went up into the third heaven—the location of God’s throne.
But, if that were the case, it would contradict the very plain words of Jesus in John
3:13: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is,
the Son of Man who is in heaven” (emphasis added).

But reading the verse that immediately precedes 2 Corinthians 12:2 provides
necessary context to understand what Paul was actually writing about: “It is

LifeHopeandTruth.com/BibleStudyCourse Lesson 2: How to Study the Bible 15

 doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the
Lord” (verse 1, emphasis added).

Paul introduced his story of this man by clearly saying he was about to describe
“visions.” A vision is when God gives a human being a virtual view of something
in the spirit realm or a future event. Both the Hebrew and Greek words translated
“vision” in the Old and New Testaments literally mean to look, see and perceive.
But a vision is only a view; the human recipient isn’t physically transported to the
place (or event) he is seeing.

So the man Paul was referring to (likely himself since we know Paul had received
visions earlier in his life, see Acts 26:12-19) did not physically go to heaven, but was
given a heavenly vision. How do we know that? The context!

Answer the following questions to see how studying the context makes clear what Paul
wasn’t saying:

Is Paul talking about women wearing veils?

PERSONAL 1. Using an online Bible concordance, search the term veil in the New Testament. How
STUDY many times does the New King James Version use this word in the New Testament? ____

Examining the 2. Do any of the New Testament scriptures using this word say anything that connects the
Context: word veil with women in prayer? _______
Does 1 Corinthians 11 say
women have to wear a head 3. Does the word veil appear anywhere in 1 Corinthians 11? _______
covering while praying?
What is the “head covering” Paul is talking about?
In this verse, Paul wrote:
1. Read 1 Corinthians 11:6. What contrast does Paul make with a woman being
“But every woman who prays
“covered”?
or prophesies with her head
uncovered dishonors her
head.” Some think this means
a woman must wear a veil
or some other type of head
2. Read 1 Corinthians 11:13-15. How does Paul define a head “covering”?
covering when she prays.

But is this what Paul

actually meant?

Conclusion (Fill in the blanks based on what you learned above)

By reading the context, we see that when Paul was talking about women being “covered,”
he was talking about a woman’s ________. A woman is to have ___________ hair, while
a man is to have ___________ hair. Nothing in the context, or anywhere else in the New
Testament, implies a woman must wear a veil when she prays.

For more insight into this topic, read “Must Women Wear Hats or Head Coverings
at Church?”

LifeHopeandTruth.com/BibleStudyCourse Lesson 2: How to Study the Bible 16

 Lesson Wrap-Up
Finished with
this lesson? This lesson has covered many important insights and tools to consider when studying the
Bible. Our hope is that you will use these tools to become a lifelong student of God’s Word!
Don’t forget to go back
to LifeHopeandTruth.com/ The Bible is not the kind of book we should just pick up and casually read. To get the most
BibleStudyCourse and take out of it, we have to approach it with the right mind-set, employ a method of study and use
the quiz so you can access good principles of Bible study to avoid confusion.
the next lesson! One last thing that is essential to remember is that we shouldn’t study the Bible only to
learn. We should study the Bible to learn and to apply it to our daily lives. It was written
as God’s inspired instruction manual for life. Jesus made this clear when He said, “Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”
(Matthew 4:4).
Now that we have covered the relevancy of the Bible and how to study it, we are ready to
move on to an exploration of some of the Bible’s greatest themes. Lesson 3 will cover one
of the Bible’s most important and foundational subjects: Who is God, and what is He like?

Supplemental Reading
Life, Hope & Truth offers additional resources that can help you better understand
God’s inspired Word, the Holy Bible.

• 7 Keys to Better Bible Study  • Where to Start Reading the Bible 

• How to Study the Bible  • Bible Study Topics 
• Bible Study Tools: Where to Start  • Family Bible Study 
• How to Find Answers to Your • Books of the Bible 
Bible Questions 
• Bible Reading Plans 
• 7 Things to Know Before Reading
• Bible Study Starters 
the Bible 

Life, Hope & Truth

Bible Study Course
Author
Erik Jones
Doctrinal Reviewers
John Foster, Bruce Gore,
Peter Hawkins, Jack Hendren,
Don Henson, Doug Johnson,
Larry Neff, Harold Rhodes,
Paul Suckling
Media Operation Manager
Clyde Kilough
Editorial Reviewers
Mike Bennett, David Treybig
Copy Editor
Becky Bennett
Design
Teri Mez

© 2021 Church of God,

a Worldwide Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 3490
McKinney, TX 75070-8189
info@cogwa.org

LifeHopeandTruth.com/BibleStudyCourse Lesson 2: How to Study the Bible 17

 Bible Study Course

What Bible Translation

Should I Use?
While no translation is perfect, it can be helpful to consider strengths and weaknesses of different translations. Literalness and
readability are two major factors to consider when examining Bible translations. We find the New King James Version to be both
a readable and an accurate translation in modern English. That’s why we use it as our primary translation and recommend it to
our readers.

Three approaches to translations

Literal translations attempt to stay close to the original Hebrew or Greek text. While they can be harder to read, the advantage
of this approach is that the reader gets “closer” to the original. Examples include the King James Version, the New King James
Version, the New Revised Standard Version, the English Standard Version and the Tanakh translation of the Jewish Publication
Society.

“Dynamic equivalence” translations aim to render the text in a thought-for-thought manner. The advantage is that they can be
easier to read; the disadvantage is that the interpretations and biases of the translators play a more important role. Examples
include the New International Version, the Jerusalem Bible and the New English Bible. These translations can be useful in
studying narrative books, such as Exodus, Samuel and Kings, but aren’t the best for studying more conceptual books, such as
Paul’s epistles.

In free-flowing versions, or paraphrases, translators restate the thought of the text in modern words. Examples include the
Living Bible, Good News Translation, the Contemporary English Version and The Message. Because these are so loose and not
literal, we don’t recommend them.

Comparing translations
Write out (or type) Ephesians 3:9 in the following translations to see the variations that can exist between translations:

Word-for-word translation Ephesians 3:9 (New King James Version)

Thought-for-thought translation Ephesians 3:9 (New International Version)

Paraphrase translation Ephesians 3:9 (Contemporary English Version)

Adapted from our article “What Is the Most Accurate Bible Translation?

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 Bible Study Course

Scripture Study Worksheet

1. Scripture:

2. Author/Audience:

3. Key Words and Phrases:

4. Companion Scriptures (other scriptures that are connected to or support this verse):

5. Doctrinal Significance of Scripture (What implications does this scripture have for doctrinal understanding?):

6. Personal Significance of Scripture (What implication does this verse have to my life?):

LifeHopeandTruth.com/BibleStudyCourse
 EXAMPLE
Bible Study Course

Scripture Study Worksheet

1. Scripture:

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2. Author/Audience:

The apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome (and us today).

3. Key Words and Phrases:

• Wages – What one is paid as a result of one’s work.

• Sin – Breaking the law of God or refusing to do what one knows is right.
• Death – The total cessation of life and consciousness.
• Gift – Something given by the goodness of the giver.
• Eternal life – Living forever as a spirit being as a child in God’s family.

4. Companion Scriptures (other scriptures that are connected to or support this verse):

• Ezekiel 18:20 – The soul who sins shall die.

• Romans 3:23 – All have sinned.
• Romans 6:16 – Sin leads to death, obedience to righteousness.
• John 3:16 – We can receive eternal life through Jesus Christ.

5. Doctrinal Significance of Scripture (What implications does this scripture have for doctrinal understanding?):

This verse teaches that the result of an unrepentant life of sin is death—not eternal torment in hell (as
many believe). It also shows us that eternal life is a gift given to human beings from the Father and is
only possible through Jesus Christ.

6. Personal Significance of Scripture (What implication does this verse have to my life?):

If I live a life characterized by sin, I will die for all eternity, but if I overcome sin and follow Jesus Christ as
my savior, I can live forever in God’s family.

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