Diligent Study (Part 2)

2 Timothy 2:15

Introduction

I think I get more questions about Bible study “habits” and “methods” than maybe any other question.

Certainly from young people this question is most frequent.

A survey of seminary graduates from across the spectrum routinely finds “how to study the Bible” at the top of the list of things they still have questions about when they graduate.

If you are like me, you have grown up with no formal instruction on how to study any text, let alone the most important text before us.

In considering this topic, we will need to look at things and think about things we normally take for granted.

This is the same as talking about how we “establish authority” which is really a study of how communication works.

How do we convey ideas from one person to another?

So we find ways to describe that, (command, example, necessary inference).

These descriptions aren’t using “Bible words” but they ARE describing concepts that are in the Bible.

We will be doing a lot of that.

We will make note of realities so that we can better understand the process of study.

The greatest virtuosos in their respective fields, understand what they are doing down to the rudimentary level.

We had a choir director who once brought in a world class opera baritone.

He had him go through the simple exercises we went through every day that we thought were so boring.

But hearing him do those exercises was very different than listening to us do those same exercises.

His point was that even this world class virtuoso singer, still did the rudimentary work. It’s what supported his great talent.

So many people ask the question about study because they want to be able to see exciting things.

But they aren’t willing to think about how the simple parts work first.

The mechanics can be boring, but they are necessary. And if you really develop a love for it, even the mechanics become beautiful.

We will start with some basic elements of how we approach the Bible.

Inductive Study

Inductive study is given as an ideal mindset with which to approach Bible study

Inductive study is where you try to come with as few preconceptions as possible and let the text be your guide.

Deductive study is where you begin with presuppositions and force the text into agreement with those.

Sometimes, presuppositions keep us from very plain conclusions (Jn. 9:24-25).

At other times, it may cause us to overlook subtleties (Mt. 22:31-32).

This happens when people start with any sort of creed that must be maintained.

Eg. Good Friday

Westminster Confession

Miracles can’t exist

Our language should reflect varying degrees of confidence (2 Tim. 3:7; Esther 4:14).

It is a matter of building confidence rather than simply solving a math equation.

It is finding evidence in support of a case rather than filling out a true false quiz.

Some Presuppositions

If we are to study God’s word honestly, we must concede the existence of God as He presents Himself (Gen. 1:1).

Even if you don’t believe this, this is the premise of scripture.

It is written by people who accept this.

You will not understand the message if you don’t understand that premise.

The Bible is inspired by Him and that inspiration did not leave room for human error (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

The Bible is complete and we expect no further revelation to be added (Jd. 3; Gal. 1:8-9).

Additionally, we have to accept self evident elements of communication and logic.

Things to Remember

We are studying a book whose parts are distinct but harmonized.

They are distinct in time, place, audience, author, purpose.

But they are all under the guiding authority of the Holy Spirit.

Remember that each verse and paragraph and chapter is part of a larger, complete work.

The knowledge is gained in layers but the layers harmonize as well (Rom. 13:9).

Some skip the first layer and so have no tether to the plain reading.

Others use deeper knowledge to reject simple knowledge.

Still others feel afraid of deeper knowledge as if it is a challenge to what they have known.

There is method, but it is not a rigid process.

Conclusion

Sometimes it is helpful to slow down and think about how we are doing things.

I got asked this question last week by a young man who is in a training program.

He wanted a simple package and I couldn’t give it to him.

But there are elements that are simple.

The major themes of scripture are not complicated but they are deep.

You can learn about those major themes in the course of an evening.

And then you can spend the rest of your life contemplating all the depth involved in those themes.