Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 21-23
     New Testament Reading: Acts 17

As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (Acts 17: 10-11).

In Berea, Paul and Silas discovered a group of people deeply interested in the study of scripture. In fact, they met daily to search the scriptures to determine whether what Paul said was true. Paul was overjoyed at the way the people in Thessalonica had received the Word (1 Thes. 2:13), so these “noble Bereans” must have really encouraged his heart. All of us should imitate these Bereans by faithfully studying God’s Word.

As important as reading your Bible every day is, that is not enough. God also desires for us to study His Word. The Apostle Paul said, Be diligent [study] to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)

This is not some special instruction only for pastors and Bible Study teachers. It’s a command for all Christians. If God believes these Bereans were nobler because they studied the Bible to see if what the Apostle Paul, the author of one-third of the New Testament, said was true, imagine what He thinks of us if we study the Bible ourselves to see if what our pastor and Bible Study teachers say is correct.

Personal Bible study has 5 Basic Steps:

First, begin with Prayer. The psalmist said, Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wondrous things from your instruction (Psalms 119:18). Every Christian has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Jesus said, When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. (John 16:13). Begin your Bible Study with a prayer asking God to open your eyes to understand the truths the Holy Spirit guides you to.

Next, we need to Observe. What does the passage say? Read the passage from several different translations. God inspired the writing of scripture in the original language, but not the different translations. Very scholarly people translated into English the Bible, but they are sinful people just like us. Reading from several translations allows us to get a clearer picture of what the original author intended.

Then ask the 5 basic questions of observation—Who? What? Where? Why? and How?

The third step is Interpretation. What does the passage mean? Read the passage you are studying in its full context. Do a cross-reference study looking up similar passages of scripture. God’s teaching is consistent throughout the Bible. He never contradicts himself! By reading similar passages of scripture, you allow God’s Word to interpret itself.

Then read several good commentaries and/or the notes in a Study Bible on the passage you are studying. Reading what other Bible scholars have to say can help you better understand what God is saying. But do your own study first. Avoid the temptation to run to a commentary before you have studied the passage yourself.

Remember, no matter how good a commentary or Study Bible notes are, they are NOT inspired Scripture. It is OK if you disagree with some or all of what a commentary says about a passage. However, if all the commentaries you consult agree with each other and you disagree—go back to the Bible passage and begin your study over again.

The next step is Application. What does the passage mean to me? This is by far the most important step in Bible study, but most often the step that is overlooked. As you study through the passage, what has God shown you that you need to apply to your life? What are the areas of your life that need changes? While the step of interpretation will result in similar information for everyone, this step of application is uniquely different for each individual.

The last step is Meditation. The psalmist said his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night (Psalms 1:2). This is not some eastern mystic type of meditation where you empty your mind of all thought. It simply means that you spend time during the day thinking about the passage you studied and how you can more fully apply it to your life. How many times have we read our Bibles and within an hour can’t remember what we read? By taking the time to study a passage and meditate on it, we remember it better and the Holy Spirit will show us more and more ways that passage can apply to various aspects of our lives.