How

to study the Bible

Part 1
 Bible Study on Dry Bones
• Eze 37:1-10
How to study the Bible

Part 2
 Preparation
• Ezra 7:10

• John 7:17
 Preparation
How do you prepare your heart to seek the Lord?
Suggestions
 Preparation
How do you prepare your heart to seek the Lord?
Suggestions

• Mental – drugs, stress, music

• Physical / Health – eating right food
• Emotional – marriage issues
• Spiritual – unconfessed sin, forgiveness, bitterness
• Wilderness Experience – need to get away
 Preparation – Humility
A knowledge of the Word of God depends not
so much upon strength of intellect as upon
pureness of purpose, the simplicity of an
earnest, dependent faith. To those who in
humility of heart seek for divine guidance,
angels of God draw near. The Holy Spirit is given
to open to them the rich treasures of truth.
{ST, September 19, 1906 par. 1}
 Preparation – Mental Effort
The mere reading of the Word will not
accomplish the result designed of heaven; it
must be studied and cherished in the heart. The
knowledge of God is not gained without mental
effort. We should diligently study the Bible,
asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we
may understand His Word.
{HP 138.3}
 Preparation – Personal Opinion
Do not read the Word in the light of former opinions.
Do not try to make everything agree with your
creed. With a mind free from prejudice, search the
Word carefully. If, as you read, conviction comes, and
you see that your cherished opinions are not in
harmony with the Word, do not try to make the Word
fit these opinions. Do not allow what you have
believed or practiced in the past to control your
understanding. Open the eyes of your mind to
behold wondrous things out of the Word.
{ST, October 3, 1906 par. 5}
Preparation – Prioritize & Organize
The devil will try to discourage and distract you

• Prioritize a specific time

• Get focused
• Do whatever is needed to wake up
(Sleep early, shower, walk, drink)
• Organize your devotion
(Switch off mobile, wifi, private place, plan study)
 Preparation – Surrender
“Never should the Bible be studied without
prayer. Before opening its pages we should ask
for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and it
will be given.” SC 91.1

“Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make

this your very first work. Let your prayer be,
“Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my
plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service.
Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought
in Thee.” SC 70.1
 Preparation - Tools
• KJV Bible – King James Version is the best Bible for the “Word
Link” Bible studies.
• Spirit of Prophecy – All the published writings of the Spirit of
Prophecy on CD or on printed materials
• Concordance – Young’s Concordance, Strong’s Concordance, or
computer Bible program that comes with a concordance
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentaries – One of the best
in Bible Historical backgrounds
• Hebrew and Greek Lexicon – These are basically Hebrew and
Greek Dictionaries
• World History Book – Sometimes the older versions are better
• Bible Maps – Visual study of the Bible is also very important
• Personal Computer – If you have a computer then your
personal computer can have all of the above tools plus more.
How to study the Bible

Part 3
 Principles
• Isaiah 28:10
 Principles
No one with a spirit to appreciate its teachings can
read a single passage from the Bible without
gaining from it some helpful thought. But the most
valuable teaching of the Bible is not gained by
occasional or disconnected study. Its great system
of truth is not so presented as to be discerned by
the careless or hasty reader. Many of its treasures
lie far beneath the surface, and can be obtained
only by diligent research and continuous effort.
The truths that go to make up a great whole must
be searched out and gathered up "here a little and
there a little."
{ST, September 19, 1906 par. 3}
 Principles
There is but little benefit derived from a hasty
reading of the Scriptures. One may read the whole
Bible through, and yet fail to see its beauty or
comprehend its deep and hidden meaning. One
passage studied until its significance is clear to the
mind, and its relation to the plan of salvation is
evident, is of more value than the perusal of many
chapters with no definite purpose in view, and no
positive instruction gained.
{ST, October 3, 1906 par. 3}
 Principles
• Isaiah 28:10
• Ecclesiastes 1:9
Observation, Interpretation, Application
• Prov. 9:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of
the holy is understanding.”

Oxford American Dictionaries say…

• Knowledge means facts and information
• Understanding means comprehension of the
intended meaning of knowledge
• Wisdom means having experience in knowledge
and having a good judgment
Observation, Interpretation, Application
1. It requires good observation to see the
knowledge of the Bible

2. It requires good interpretation to understand

the knowledge of the Bible

3. It requires good application to experience the

understanding of the Bible
 Observation
• The most important part.
• Correct observation is the foundation of Bible
study structure.
• If you are studying a chapter in the Bible for 10
hours, then….
– 7 hours out of 10 hours should be spent in
observation
– 2 hours out of 10 hours should be spent in
interpretation
– 1 hours out of 10 hours should be spent in application
• Good application will be obvious when you have
the correct interpretation
 Observation
Oxford American Dictionaries say…
• Observation means observing something
carefully in order to gain information
• Interpretation means the action of explaining
the meaning of something
• Application means the action of putting
something into operation
Eg. a nail
 Observation
Example of wrong observation
• Philippians 4:13
 Observation
Technique for observation:
Ask questions that the Bible text will answer

• Mark 1:40-42
How to study the Bible

Part 4
Questions
“There are veins of truth yet to be
discovered.”

Christian Education p. 86
 Observation - Principles
• See the big picture (theme)
• Observational questions
• Bible reading (Isaiah 28:10)
• Key word / phrase in text
• Link key words across texts
• Look for the text theme, paragraph theme,
chapter theme, book themes
Observational Points
Definition
Repetition
Comparison
Contrast
Description
Conclusion
Cause and Effect
Opposites words
Similar words
 Observational Points
• Definition - “is” or “are”
• Comparison - “even as”
• Contrast - “but”
• Conditional -“if”
• Description - “which”
• Conclusion - “therefore”, “wherefore”, “finally”,
“so then”
• Cause and Effect “for” “that”
• Opposites words
• Similar words
 Contextual Question and Answer
Question and Answer Method is one of the best way to
understand what the text is trying to say. You will also figure
out the key word or the key phrase in the same text by asking
the right questions.
• Good question means the answer comes from within the
same verse, same paragraph, same chapter, or same book.
The answer to the question should be so obvious that when
you ask the question from a text, the answer is right there
in the text, in the paragraph, in the chapter, or in the book.
• What are contextual questions?
• Verse Contextual Question
• Paragraph Contextual Question
• Chapter Contextual Question
• Book Contextual Question
 Observational Questions
• What is the main theme or the “Big Picture” of the book?
• What topic or subject is repeating throughout the book?
• What are the small conclusions that the author is making?
• What is the final conclusion that the author is making?
• How do the small conclusions support the big conclusion
of the book?
• What are the intentions of the author for writing his
messages?
• How does the author use comparison to make his points?
• How does the author use contrast to make his point?
• Does the author define a term or a word?
• What does the author write about the most?
• What is the topic verse from each chapter?
 Key Word or Phrase
• Key word or phrase is the main word or phrase
that being supported by other words or
thoughts in a verse.
 Exercises
• Psalms 1
 Exercises
• Parable – Good Samaritan
• Luke 10:25-37
Questions
How to study the Bible

Part 5
 Chapter and Book Themes
HOW TO CHECK YOUR THEME
• Is the theme being supported by every chapter?
• Is the theme based upon the climatic point?
• Can the theme be used in any other books in the Bible?
• Eg. Ephesians 1:10, 2:11-14, 3:6, 4:4-6, 5:31, 6:1-3

OUTLINE
• Read carefully and group the texts
• Give a short description for each grouping
• Write a short summary on the chapter
• Go to the next chapter and repeat the process
• Link the chapters with short summaries
 Interpretation
1. What is the interpretation of key words /
phrases as interpreted by preceding or
following verses within same chapter

2. Then do word study

– Strong’s concordance – Greek / Hebrew
(Why? Eg. Love in English vs Love in Greek)
– Across chapters (same book)
– Across related books (same author or time period)
– Across other books (not same author)
 Map of the Bible
Old Testament
• Torah (Five Books of Moses): Genesis to Deuteronomy
• Historical books: Joshua to Esther
• Wisdom Books: Job to Song of Solomon
• Major Prophets: Isaiah to Daniel
• Minor Prophets: Hosea to Malachi
New Testament
• The Gospels: Matthew to John
• Historical book: Acts of the Apostles
• Pauline Epistles: Romans to Hebrews
• The General Epistles: James to Jude
• Apocalypse: The Revelation of Christ to John
 Interpretation
• Word Search DEMO
– Bible
– SOP
 Interpretation
• Word Search
– Only Begotten
• “Only Begotten”
• “Begotten” and Jesus
 Interpretation
• Repeat and Enlarge
– Dan 2, 7, 8, 10-12

• History repeats itself (Ecc 1:9)

– Repetition of the Characteristics of a History
– Repetition of the Characteristics of an Author
– Repetition of the Characteristics of a Theme
 Application
• Contextual application
• Prophetic application
• Personal application
• Family application
• Church Application
• World Application
• Great Controversy Application
 Commentaries
• Background / History
• Chapter – overview, sections, theme
• Section headers
• Verses
– Observations: themes, word repetitions,
definitions, etc
– Interpretations: word search, Strongs
concordance, SOP quotes
 Commentaries
• DEMO
 Exercises
• 1 John 1
Questions