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Bible Study

Some first approach the bible as a book to be read sequentially. It can read a little like a fiction story or even as a text book. However, it can be helpful to consider it a true record of God’s attempts to salvage mankind and our intransigence and failures. Since most of the history recorded is of the nation of Israel, one can mistakenly see Israel in a bad light. However, it is perhaps more accurate to see in them that which is in all of us.

Once a degree of bible familiarity is gained, a deeper course of study can be pursued. These are generally word, book, and topic studies. This deeper level of study is often where people learn to use bible tools. The free computer software esword combines many tools. However, a good place to start is with the Strong’s Concordance. This is a compilation of all the words used in the King James Bible (KJV) and where they are used. This can be handy to determine where a particular verse is located especially when a more unique word is used..This can also be useful in word studies to find all the places a particular word is used,

A word study can be useful to determine a more precise understanding than might be available with just the English word With Bible dictionaries and the Internet one does not have to know the languages themselves. For example the word “kingdom” in English is often used to translate the Greek word basileia. In Greek the emphasis was on the reign of the king while in English we often think of the territory and administration of a people. Strong’s uses a numbering system keyed to the KJV so that the original Greek or Hebrew word can be identified. Having access to the Greek and Hebrew can be helpful to resolve when one English word is used to translate different words. For example the English word “repent” is used to translate a Greek word for a change of mind as well as one to feel bad.

Bible study is often presented in a classroom context that carries with it much that is boring and tedious. However, when someone can use bible study to investigate and answer questions he has of his own, it can be interesting, satisfying, and even fun, like solving a puzzle. For example, trying to determine why Jesus spoke, did not speak, and only reluctantly spoke at his various trials.

A book study can be interesting especially if one can first set a context. For example to see a church getting almost everything wrong, Corinthians can be studied. They were located at the junction of two ports which gave them a climate like Amsterdam x2. Not a single person had been raised in a Christian home and most had been active in various pagan religions in which drunkeness and fornication were routine. This understanding can help explain something like those who are baptized for the dead (a pagan practice).

Topical studies can help answer questions like is the kingdom of God something spiritual or will it be a future kingdom here on earth? Is tithing a requirement for Christians? Are the lost tormented in hell forever? Being able to investigate questions like these help one develop a deeper knowledge of the bible as well begin to help one build a closer relationship with God.

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