RESOURCES
Do you have trouble understanding what you read in the bible? Check out this bible study tip.
1. WHAT’S THERE?
- What comes immediately before and after the passage?
- What is the cultural context of the original readers?
- Note Characters, relationships, locations, time, actions, and reactions.
- Imagine yourself in the story. What do you see, hear, and smell?
- Look for repeated words, comparisons, contrasts, cause and effect.
2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
- Develop some questions based on your observations. What stirs your curiosity?
- Imagine the perspective of the people in the scene.
- Answer your questions from the text and the context.
- Why is this passage or story here? Try to summarize it in one sequence.
3. SO WHAT?
- How does this passage challenge how I see God, myself, or the world?
- Is there a command to obey or a promise to hold on to?
- How can I live this out with my community?
- How does this change what I’ll do tomorrow?