How to study your Bible

Welcome to From Seminary to Sanctuary, the podcast where women grow deeper in God’s Word — one passage, one doctrine, one everyday moment at a time.

I’m your host, Lin Franklin — writer, teacher, and Bible‑lover at heart.

Here, we make theology clear, Scripture accessible, and spiritual growth attainable for every woman, no matter your season of life.

Today’s episode is titled “Studying the Bible Correctly.”

We’re going to talk about how to study Scripture in a way that is faithful to the text. I will be using John 1:1–5 as our example.

Heavenly Father,

We come before You grateful for Your Word, which You have given to us by Your grace. Thank You that You have not left us to guess who You are, but You have spoken—clearly, truthfully, and lovingly.

As we begin this conversation about studying the Bible, we ask for humility. Guard us from approaching Your Word casually or carelessly, and give us a deep reverence for Scripture as Your authoritative and life‑giving revelation.

By Your Holy Spirit, help us to read faithfully, think carefully, and listen attentively. Teach us to understand Your Word as You intended it to be understood—not bending it to our preferences, but submitting ourselves to its truth.

May this time equip us not only to know the Bible better, but to love You more deeply, to follow Christ more faithfully, and to live lives that bring You glory.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Savior. Amen.

SEGMENT 1: WHY “CORRECT” BIBLE STUDY MATTERS (5 minutes)

As believers, we affirm that Scripture is authoritative, sufficient, and inspired. That means we don’t get to decide what the Bible means—the Bible tells us.

 One of the greatest challenges in modern Bible study is the temptation to ask first:

 - “What does this mean to me?”

 - “How does this make me feel?”

 - “How can I apply this today?”

Seminary training teaches us a different—and healthier—order:

1. What does the text say?

2. What did it mean then?

 3. What does it mean now?

Correct Bible study is not about being academic for its own sake. It’s about faithfulness—to God, to His Word, and to the people we teach.

SEGMENT 2: THE SEMINARY METHOD IN SIMPLE TERMS (5 minutes)

 Let’s demystify what I mean when I say “a seminary approach.”

At its core, seminary‑level Bible study is inductive and exegetical.

The Three Core Movements:

- Observation** – What does the text actually say?

- Interpretation** – What does it mean in context?

- Application** – How should it shape belief and life?

 Seminary training simply slows us down long enough to let Scripture speak before we respond.

Let’s walk through this method using John 1:1–5.

SEGMENT 3: OBSERVATION — LETTING THE TEXT SPEAK (6 minutes)

 Here’s the text, John 1:1–5…

1. Start with the Text Alone (Observation Phase)

Before reading commentaries or sermons, do this first.

Read the passage:

Read John 1:1–5 , at least slowly, out loud3 times

Use first (ESV or NASB is ideal)one translation

Ask only observation questions:

What words repeat?

What contrasts appear?

What verbs describe the Word?

What the Word doing—and doing?isnot

✍️ Write observations, not interpretations. Example:

“The Word before creation.”was

“Everything else .”came into being

“Light is active; darkness is reactive.”

This trains you to let the text speak first.

2. Mark the Structure (How the Argument Flows)

Now identify how John builds his case.

Break the passage like this:

vv. 1–2 → Who the Word is

v. 3 → What the Word does (creation)

v. 4 → What the Word possesses (life/light)

v. 5 → What the Word overcomes (darkness)

✅ This keeps you from treating the verses as isolated statements.

3. Compare Translations (Where Meaning Is Debated)

Now bring in 3–5 translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, KJV).

Ask:

Where do translations differ?

Why do some say and others ?“was God”“was divine”

Why do some say and others ?“overcome”“comprehend”

⚠️ Differences usually signal Greek grammar underneath.

This tells you where to slow down.

4. Study Key Words in Context (Not Dictionary Dumping)

Focus only on crucial words:

vs. wascame into being

with God

light

darkness

For each word, ask:

How does John use this word ?here

How does he use it ?elsewhere in this Gospel

✅ Meaning comes from usage, not word roots.

5. Understand the Grammar at the Right Level

You do not need to be fluent in Greek to study well.

What you do need to grasp:

: (eternal) vs. (created)Verb contrastwascame to be

: “with God” means personal distinctionRelationship language

: darkness fails; light continuesVictory language

Ask:

What theological error does this grammar ?prevent

This is where doctrine becomes text‑driven, not assumed.

6. Ask Theological Questions the Text Forces

Now move from grammar → theology.

Ask:

What does this passage me to believe about Jesus?require

What views of Jesus does it rule out?

Why must John establish this telling the story?before

Write answers in complete sentences.

7. Study the Sermon (After You Study the Text)

Now return to the sermon you were given.

Use it like this:

Highlight where the sermon explains something you already noticed

Circle places where it helped you see something you missed

Underline applications that flow directly from the text

⚠️ Do not start with the sermon. Sermons clarify; they should not replace observation.

8. Turn Study into Prayerful Reflection

Ask:

If this is who Jesus is, what does it demand of my trust?

Where do I treat Jesus as helpful but not central?

Where do I look for life apart from Him?

This moves study from information → formation.

9. One‑Sentence Mastery Test

If you truly understand the passage, you should be able to say:

“Before anything existed, Jesus eternally existed as God, in personal relationship with the Father, as the source of all life and the victorious light over darkness.”

If you can’t say that clearly, go back to steps 1–4.

10. Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Starting with commentaries

❌ Chasing word roots instead of context

❌ Treating doctrine as optional

❌ Reading quickly

❌ Separating theology from worship

Simple Weekly Study Pattern (Repeatable)

Day 1: Read & observe Day 2: Structure & flow Day 3: Key words & grammar Day 4: Theology Day 5: Application & prayer

Final Encouragement

You don’t study John 1:1–5 to sound smart.

You study it because if Jesus is not eternal God, nothing else in Christianity works—and if He is, then He deserves your whole life.

(Read the passage slowly and clearly.)

What do we observe?

- Repetition of:

- “In the beginning”

- “The Word”

- “God”

- “Life”

- “Light”

- Strong contrasts:

- Light vs. darkness

- “Was” vs. “came into being”

- No mention yet of Bethlehem, Mary, or the incarnation

Observation asks: What is actually there—not what I assume is there?

Seminary training teaches us that **good interpretation begins with patient attention.

SEGMENT 4: INTERPRETATION — WHAT DOES IT MEAN? (10 minutes)

 Interpretation is where many Bible studies go wrong—not because people don’t love Scripture, but because they skip context.

1. Literary Context

- John 1:1–5 is part of the Prologue

- This is **theological proclamation**, not narrative storytelling

- John is revealing who Jesus is before telling what Jesus does

2. Historical & Biblical Context

- “In the beginning” echoes **Genesis 1:1

- Jewish readers hear creation language

- John places Jesus **before creation, not inside it

3. Key Interpretive Insights

- “The Word *was* God”

→ Jesus fully shares God’s divine nature

- “The Word was *with* God”

→ Distinction without division

- “All things came into being through him”

→ Jesus is Creator, not created

- “The light shines in the darkness”

→ Ongoing action; darkness is real but defeated

This is high Christology, firmly rooted in biblical monotheism—something Baptists have always affirmed.

SEGMENT 5: APPLICATION — FROM SEMINARY TO SANCTUARY (7 minutes)

> Now—and only now—do we move to application.

Doctrinal Application

- Jesus is not merely a moral example

- Jesus is eternal, divine, and worthy of worship

Ministry Application

- Our teaching must point people to Christ, not to ourselves

- Like John the Baptist later in the chapter, we are witnesses—not the Light

Personal Application

- Light still shines, even when darkness feels overwhelming

- Faith is a response to revelation, not a human discovery

Seminary‑shaped study doesn’t dry out devotion—it deepens it.

SEGMENT 6: ENCOURAGEMENT FOR BAPTIST WOMEN (4 minutes)

Let me say this clearly: We are not called to shallow engagement with Scripture.

Whether you’re teaching children, leading women’s Bible study, discipling one‑on‑one, or studying privately—you are capable of handling God’s Word carefully and confidently.

 Seminary tools are not about titles or degrees. They are about faithfulness.

 The goal is not to sound smart.

The goal is to **say what God has said—no more and no less.

CLOSING & CALL TO ACTION (3 minutes)

As we close, remember this:

 -Correct Bible study is text‑driven

- Seminary methods serve the church

- Faithful interpretation leads to faithful living

In our next episode, we’ll talk about common Bible study mistakes Baptist women are often taught—and how to correct them biblically and graciously.

Closing Prayer (after the Teaching)

Gracious Lord,

We thank You for the gift of Your Word and for the opportunity to consider how we might study it rightly and well. Thank You that Your Word is living and active, and that You use it to shape our hearts, renew our minds, and direct our steps.

We ask now that what we have discussed would not remain information only, but would become faithful practice. Help us to be diligent students of Scripture—people who read carefully, interpret faithfully, and obey joyfully.

Protect us from pride in knowledge, and instead grow in us humility, obedience, and love. May Your Word dwell richly in us, guiding our decisions, shaping our prayers, and anchoring our hope in Christ.

We entrust the fruit of this time to You, confident that You are faithful to use Your Word for Your purposes.

We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If today’s episode encouraged you, share it with another woman who loves Scripture.

This has been From Seminary to Sanctuary—where serious study serves faithful worship.

Remember:

You *can* interpret Scripture accurately.

You *can* grow in wisdom and discernment.

And you *can* know the God of the Scriptures in a deeper, transforming way.

Until next time — stay rooted, stay teachable, and live every moment before the face of God.

Coram Deo.

May the Word of Christ dwell richly in you, may the Spirit guide you into all truth, and may your study of Scripture lead you to faithful obedience and deeper joy in Christ.

Go in grace and peace.**