RESOURCES

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?