BIBLE STUDY METHODS
by
Dr. Mark Strauss
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Bible Study Methods
Table of Contents
Lesson 1 ■ Introduction to Hermeneutics (Part 1) ............................................................3
Section 1: Presuppositions for Interpretation ....................................................................3
Section 2: The Nature of the Bible: Unity and Diversity ....................................................5
Lesson 2 ■ Introduction to Hermeneutics (Part 2) ............................................................9
Lesson 3 ■ Four Key Principles of Exegesis ..................................................................14
Lesson 4 ■ Exegesis Steps (Part 1)................................................................................18
Lesson 5 ■ Ten Steps for Exegesis (Part 2)....................................................................24
Lesson 6 ■ Word Studies ................................................................................................30
Lesson 7 ■ Application ....................................................................................................34
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Lesson 1 ■ Introduction to Hermeneutics (Part 1)
Section 1: Presuppositions for Interpretation
SECTION OVERVIEW
This is a course in basic introduction to the Bible. We call the interpretation of the Bible
“hermeneutics“ and so this is a course in introductory hermeneutics. God’s Word, the
Bible, came to us in human language and in human culture and human contexts and we
understand God's Word by reading it within that particular culture and context in
which it was given. We are going to divide the course up into beginning with
introductory issues and the first issue we are going to cover today are some of our
presuppositions, the presuppositions we bring to the table to interpret the Bible.
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD
1. The Bible is inspired by God.
a. Claimed implicitly
b. Claimed explicitly
2. The Authority of Scripture over …
a. Personal experience
b. Reason
c. Tradition or dogma
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THE INTERPRETER MUST BE BORN AGAIN
2 Corinthians 4:4
1 Corinthians 2:14
Hebrews 4:12
THE INTERPRETER MUST BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
John 16:13
Inspiration
Illumination
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Section 2: The Nature of the Bible: Unity and Diversity
SECTION OVERVIEW
As we begin the process of interpreting God's Word the first thing we have to ask is
what is the Bible. We can only read and understand the Bible if we understand its
nature and so this lecture is entitled The Nature of the Bible and I would subtitle it
Unity and Diversity. It seems to me the best way to comprehend, the best way to
understand the nature of the Bible is with the terms unity and diversity. Together these
two terms really help us to understand what the Bible is and how we ought to approach
it.
DIVERSITY OF THE BIBLE
1. Kinds of Diversity
2. Implications of Diversity
a. We must adapt methodology for various kinds of literature.
b. We must recognize the progress of revelation.
c. We must allow the biblical writers to speak for themselves.
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3. Biblical Theology
Definition
Three Steps
UNITY OF THE BIBLE
1. Unity of Theme
Luke 24
Jesus Christ is the central theme of Scripture.
2. Implications of Unity
The Bible is one story.
A systematic theology becomes a possibility.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What other presuppositions or biases do you have about the Bible? How do our
presuppositions effect the way we interpret the Bible? Is it possible to be completely
objective in our interpretations? Are there some biases we should try to minimize?
2. Why does it matter that the Bible is the Word of God? What if it were merely a
human book. How would that effect how we interpret and apply it? How does the
style of the human writers effect our interpretation of a particular passage?
3. How do you allow the Bible to become authoritative over your life? What role does
Scripture play in your daily decision-making? What role should it play? What role
does it play in your church? How do we keep tradition from trumping Scripture?
4. Can someone who isn’t a believer understand any part of Scripture? What role does
faith play in interpretation of the Bible? What role does it play in application? What
is the difference between understanding and application? How does the Spirit help
you in this process of interpreting and applying God’s Word?
5. What is the difference in taking a passage literally vs. taking it figuratively? Does it
effect how we apply a particular passage? Are there different ways to define the
word “literal?” What should be our overall approach to Scripture?
6. What is your general view about how the Old Testament relates to the New
Testament? Have you considered one more important than the other, or spent more
time reading one over the other? How do we apply Old Testament passages that
don’t seem to relate to present day? What does it mean to let the biblical writer
speak for himself?
7. Take some time to reflect on how the Bible is a unified whole. How have you seen
Jesus in the Old Testament? Do you tend to see too much or too little of Jesus in the
Old Testament? What didn’t the Jews of Jesus’ day (particularly those on the road to
Emmaus) not get that the OT was all about Jesus? Why do we still have a tough time
grasping that today?
8. What difference does it make that the Bible is one story? How does that truth effect
the way you interpret a particular passage of Scripture? How are our personal
stories today affected by the grand story of Scripture? Does it effect how we live our
lives?
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RECOMMENDED READING
How to Read the Bible in Changing Times: Understanding and Applying God’s Word Today, by
Mark L. Strauss, pp. 1-12, 41-67.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Fourth Edition, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas
Stuart, pp. 21-35.
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Lesson 2 ■ Introduction to Hermeneutics (Part 2)
LESSON OVERVIEW
Hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. The goals of exegesis are
to determine the meaning of a passage in its original context, and to determine the
significance of the passage for today.
REVIEW OF LESSON ONE
HERMENEUTICS
Definition – the science and art of biblical interpretation.
Why do we need it?
THE GOALS OF HERMENEUTICS
Exegesis: To Determine the Meaning of a Passage in Its Original Context
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Clarifications
1. The original meaning refers to the author’s intended meaning.
2. Meaning is text-centered – the author’s intent as discernible from the text and
its context.
3. The text is historically positioned.
Bridge Illustration
Contextualization
Why do we need contextualization?
OT Commands
Exodus 29:38
Deuteronomy 21:18
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Leviticus 19:19
Exodus 35:2
NT Commands
1 Peter 5:14
1 Corinthians 11:5
1 Timothy 5:23
Charlie Brown Cartoon
The Bible was not written to us, …
… but it was written for us.
Contextualization vs. Application
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AVOIDING SHORTCUTS
Application without Exegesis
Subjectivity
Proof Texting
Exegesis without Contextualization
Not allowing the Bible to transform your life
Confusing eternal principles with cultural applications
Magic answer book or verse-for-the-day syndrome
SUMMARY
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REFLECTIONS QUESTIONS
1. Why do we need to interpret the Bible? How would you explain the importance of
interpretation to a friend who says they just need to read the Bible?
2. Why is important to determine the author’s intended meaning? How can we know
that we have interpreted a passage correctly? Should we leave interpretation up to
the “professionals” or should everyone do it?
3. Why do we need to contextualize? What are some of the dangers of leaving out the
step of contextualization? What are some of the dangers of failing to do exegesis
first? Which step are you more likely to leave out? What are some safeguards that
you could put in place to avoid skipping a step in the hermeneutical process?
4. Draw out the bridge illustration and explain it to a friend. Be sure to talk about the
challenges that you face in doing exegesis and contextualization, and where they
both fit in the bridge illustration.
RECOMMENDED READING
How to Read the Bible in Changing Times: Understanding and Applying God’s Word Today, by
Mark L. Strauss, pp. 13-40.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Fourth Edition, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas
Stuart, pp. 57-92.
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Lesson 3 ■ Four Key Principles of Exegesis
LESSON OVERVIEW
In this session we are going to be looking at what we call the canon of scripture, the
question of what books should be included as part of the Bible, as part of inspired
scripture and why do we have the sixty-six books, thirty-nine books of our Old
Testament and twenty-seven books of our New Testament in our Bibles, why these and
no others. That is the question of canon.
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS LESSONS
FOUR PRINCIPLES
1. Determine the Author’s Intended Meaning
Double Meaning?
Word Play
Dual Fulfillment of Prophecies
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2. The Meaning of a Text is Genre Dependent
3. Context is the Key to Interpretation
Historical Context
General Historical Context
Geographical Context
Historical Political Context
Religious Situation
Mark 12
Specific Historical Context
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Literary Context
Words
Sentences
Paragraphs
Book
Broader Context
4. The Text Itself Must Be Given Priority
A spiral from inductive to deductive reasoning
A spiral from text to context
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Clarification: What about interpreting the Bible “literally”?
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Why is it important to determine the author’s intended meaning rather than
bringing your own meaning to the text? How does this principle help us when we
come to controversial passages or topics in Scripture, e.g. the role of women in
church leadership or same-sex attraction?
2. Why is determining the genre so important? Think of some modern-day examples of
where the genre affects the meaning of something that is written or spoken. Are we
more tuned in to the genre today than when we read Scripture?
3. When someone says that what they said was taken out of context, what do they
usually mean by that? Scripture was given to us in specific historical and social
contexts, how does this affect how we interpret certain passages?
4. Why must the text always be given priority? What are some safeguards you could
put in place in the interpretive process to make sure the text determines the meaning
of the passage?
5. What do you think about using the word “literal” when discussing the process of
interpretation? What are the various ways that you have seen it used? What would
be a better term to use?
RECOMMENDED READING
How to Read the Bible in Changing Times: Understanding and Applying God’s Word Today, by
Mark L. Strauss, pp. 69-92.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Fourth Edition, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas
Stuart, pp. 57-73.
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Lesson 4 ■ Exegesis Steps (Part 1)
LESSON OVERVIEW
Dr. Strauss explains the first four (of the ten) steps for English Bible exegesis: 1) identify
the genre, 2) get the big picture, 3) develop a thesis statement and 4) outline the
progress of thought.
REVIEW AND INTRODUCTION
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE GENRE (LITERARY FORM)
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STEP 2: GET THE BIG PICTURE: ESTABLISH THE HISTORICAL AND
LITERARY CONTEXT
Historical Context
Epistle
Gospel
Prophetic Literature
Literary Context
1. Break the book down into each of its main paragraphs.
2. Group those related paragraphs into sections.
3. Group the sections into even larger sections.
4. Develop an outline for the passage.
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STEP 3: DEVELOP A THESIS STATEMENT
The Problems of Too Little and Too Much
Big Idea: The Subject and the Complement
Practice: Psalm 23
Hints for Finding the Big Idea:
1. What one theme gives this passage unity?
2. Look for a theme that occurs repeatedly, especially at the beginning and the end.
3. Outline the passage.
4. Test out the theme. Does every verse relate?
5. Turn your subject into a question and the complement should answer this
question.
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Practice: Philippians 1:12-18
STEP 4: OUTLINE THE PROGRESS OF THOUGHT IN THE PASSAGE
An Outline Should …
1) Relate Directly to Your Thesis Statement
2) Clearly and Accurately Explain the Progress of the Argument
Two Main Kinds of Outlines
1. Parallel Outline
2. Progressive Outline
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Practice: Romans 12:1-2
Practice: Mark 2:13-17
REFLECTION QUESTIONS AND PRACTICE
1. Why is it important to know the literary form of a passage? What are the differences
in the way parables and historical narrative communicate truth? How does that
change what you are looking for in a particular passage? Is one more “truthful” than
another?
2. How are both inductive and deductive approaches to reading and study helpful?
How do they complement one another? Try reading through a short book of the
Bible (e.g. Philemon, Jude, or Ruth) and outlining the main idea and flow of thought
for the book.
3. Have you seen examples of a pastor preaching too little or too much of a text? What
are some of the dangers if we preach/teach too much or too little? What are some
safeguards for make sure we preach/teach the text?
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4. Practice developing a big idea and an outline for each of the following passages:
Psalm 23, Mark 2:13-17, Romans 12:1-2, and Philippians 1:12-18.
5. Try to develop a big idea and outline for the book of Jude.
RECOMMENDED READING
Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, by Haddon W.
Robinson, pp. 31-50.
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Lesson 5 ■ Ten Steps for Exegesis (Part 2)
LESSON OVERVIEW
The final six steps in exegesis process are consulting secondary sources, analyzing
syntactical relationships, analyzing key terms and themes, resolving interpretive issues
and problems, evaluating your results from the perspective of wider contextual and
theological issues and summarizing your results.
REVIEW OF THE FIRST FOUR STEPS
1. Identify the Genre
2. Get the Big Picture
3. Develop a Thesis Statement
4. Outline the Passage
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STEP 5: CONSULT SECONDARY SOURCES (A GOOD COMMENTARY)
Expository Commentaries
Commentaries and Their Proper Use
Different Types of Commentaries
Commentary Series
Evaluating and Choosing Commentaries
Tips for Using Commentaries
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STEP 6: ANALYZE SYNTACTICAL RELATIONSHIPS
STEP 7: ANALYZE KEY TERMS AND THEMES
STEP 8: RESOLVE INTERPRETIVE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS
Types of Issues
Textual Problems
Genre Identification Questions
Meaning of Words
Syntactical Questions
Historical Reference
Apparent Contradictions
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Principles for Resolving Problems
1. Correctly identify the literary genre.
2. Carefully examine the context.
3. Consult outside sources.
4. Keep an open mind.
5. Pray about the passage.
STEP 9: EVALUATE YOUR RESULTS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
WIDER CONTEXTUAL AND THEOLOGICAL ISSUES
Context of the Book
Context of the Author’s Writings
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Context of Broader Biblical Teaching
STEP 10: SUMMARIZE YOUR RESULTS
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What is the ultimate goal of Bible Study? How can you make sure Bible Study
doesn’t become purely an academic exercise where your only goal is to know more?
How does studying with others help in this process?
2. Who are the leaders or mentors in your life whose opinions you trust? Do you have
a person whom you regularly consult on the meaning of Bible passages? What is the
proper role of commentaries in the Bible study process? How is a commentary like a
trusted friend or mentor? How is it different?
3. Reflect on your own theological or interpretive biases. What is the best way to
identify your own biases? What are some ways to make sure you are open to views
other than your own? Are there limits to “listening to the other side?”
4. What is the role of prayer in Bible study? Spend some time in prayer about the
passage you are currently studying. What are some ways to make prayer a regular
part of your study time?
5. Choose one of the following passages and begin to work through the ten steps of
exegesis: Psalm 23, Mark 2:13-17, Romans 12:1-2, and Philippians 1:12-18.
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RECOMMENDED READING
Old Testament Commentary Survey, 5th. Ed., by Tremper Longman III.
New Testament Commentary Survey, 7th. Ed., by D. A. Carson.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Fourth Edition, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas
Stuart, pp. 275-290.
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Lesson 6 ■ Word Studies
LESSON OVERVIEW
Word studies are helpful tools you can use to help you better understand the Bible. It is
important to make sure your conclusions are accurate and that you use your
conclusions in an appropriate way.
BIBLICAL AUTHORITY AND THE ORIGINAL TEXT
BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR BIBLICAL WORD STUDIES
A. Words generally have a semantic range, not one all-encompassing “meaning.”
B. Context determines which particular “referent” or “sense” within this semantic
range the author intended.
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C. Words normally have only one “sense” in any particular literary context.
D. The meaning of words often changes over time.
E. Etymology is never a reliable guide to meaning.
F. Two Steps for Word Studies
1. Determine what the word can mean.
2. Examine the context to determine which of its possible senses the word means.
AVOIDING WORD STUDY FALLACIES
A. The “root meaning” fallacy
B. The “etymology” fallacy
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C. The “anachronistic meaning” fallacy
PRINCIPLES TO AVOID WORD STUDY FALLACIES
A. Meaning is determined by context, not word roots.
B. Study sentences, not Greek words.
C. Read for the big idea, not for the hidden meaning.
D. Compare various English versions.
E. Check the better commentaries.
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THE BEST TOOLS FOR WORD STUDIES
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What has been your response when a pastor or teacher refers to the original
languages during a sermon or lesson? Reflect on the positive and negative aspects of
referring to Greek and Hebrew. Do the benefits outweigh the dangers? Is it more
about the heart motivation of the preacher/teacher?
2. What is the value of doing word studies? Can too much emphasis be placed on the
meaning of words? How do you strike a proper balance in your studies?
3. What are some word study errors that you have personally heard? What does it do
to the authority of the teaching when someone improperly attributes the meaning of
a particular word to its “root meaning” or “etymology”? Write down some
safeguards for avoiding the three fallacies mentioned in this lesson.
4. Choose a significant word from one of the following passages and a do a word study
using the techniques and tools that Dr. Strauss mentioned in this lesson: Psalm 23,
Mark 2:13-17, Romans 12:1-2, and Philippians 1:12-18.
RECOMMENDED READING
Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Word, by William D.
Mounce, Editor.
Exegetical Fallacies, 2nd. Ed., by D.A. Carson.
Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics, by Moisés Silva.
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Lesson 7 ■ Application
LESSON OVERVIEW
In this lesson, Dr. Strauss discusses two extremes to avoid when applying Scripture. He
also gives us five principles to guide our contextualization of a particular passage.
INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW
TWO EXTREMES TO AVOID
1. Imitating Biblical Culture Exactly
2. Letting the Culture Govern the Message
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PRINCIPLES OF CONTEXTUALIZATION
1. Proper contextualization begins with sound exegesis.
2. All Scripture is authoritative, because it is inspired by God.
3. Scripture can be applied at the surface level, or at the level of principle.
4. Individual statements must be placed in the broader context of Scripture.
a. Is the command inherently moral?
b. Does the context give indications that the passage is above culture?
c. Do we share comparable particulars?
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d. Is the command connected to cultural practices current in the first century but not
present today?
e. What cultural options were open to the writer?
f. What is the ultimate purpose of this command in its cultural context?
5. Individual statements must be placed in the broader context of Scripture.
a. Is all of biblical teaching uniform or does it reflect differences of perspective?
b. Is this part of core biblical teaching or is it peripheral?
SUMMARY
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REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Of the two extremes to avoid in application, too much in biblical culture or too much
in our own culture, is one more dangerous than the other? Reflect on the various
dangers inherent in each extreme and how you might avoid them in your
application.
2. What is your view on the authority or role of the Old Testament law and its
obligations for the believer? How have Dr. Strauss’ principles for application helped
you in your thinking of the place of the law in today’s culture?
3. What do you think is harder, understanding Scripture or applying it to your life?
How are the two related? How would you explain to a friend the importance of
applying all of Scripture, even the lesser-known portions?
4. Choose one or more of the following passages and come up with two or three
applications for each: Psalm 23, Mark 2:13-17, Romans 12:1-2, and Philippians
1:12-18.
RECOMMENDED READING
How to Read the Bible in Changing Times: Understanding and Applying God’s Word Today, by
Mark L. Strauss, pp. 207-252.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Fourth Edition, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas
Stuart, pp. 74-92.
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