Chapter 1.
Studying and reading the Bible

Introduction

Surprisingly few Christians have ever read the Bible from cover to cover. Where should we start? For those who would like to try this, Part 1 begins with a Bible reading plan devised and used by the godly Scottish minister, Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-43). Those who follow his Bible reading schedule will read through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice in a year.

R. A. Torrey was appointed by D. L. Moody to be the first head of what we today know as the Moody Bible Institute. Torrey's basic methods for studying the Bible are now given, together with some examples of ways of studying particular passages. You'll need a pencil and notebook here, if you want to derive maximum benefit from his methods of Bible study. This chapter then includes some straightforward Bible studies.

Some of the numerous helpful methods of Bible study are then explained. Examples of the "microscopic" approach to Bible study and the "telescopic" approach to Bible study are given. It is easy to misinterpret the Bible, so some of the basic principles which help us to interpret it correctly are therefore also given in this section.

Some people think that it is almost irreverent or perhaps distracting to write on the pages of a Bible, while others like to write notes all over their Bibles to remind them of important points they have heard or thought. For the latter group, a systematic set of Bible markings and symbols has been provided as an aid to Bible study It is not possible to follow through the Bible studies in this book without agreeing with the psalmist who said that he loved God's word "more than gold, more than pure gold" (Psalm 119:127).

Reading through the Bible in one year

Robert Murray McCheyne

Robert Murray McCheyne compiled this Bible reading schedule in 1842. There are four Bible readings for each day, two in the morning and two in the evening which will take you through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice, in a year.

Methods of Bible study

R. A. Torrey

Reuben Archer Torrey, 1856-1928, educator, pastor, world evangelist and author, was appointed by D. L. Moody as the first head of what became known as the Moody Bible Institute. He wrote the book Methods of Bible Study from which the following studies have been edited.

Getting started

1. Every day

First of all make up your mind that you will put some time every day into the study of the Word of God. Nothing short of illness should be allowed to interfere with this daily study.

2. How long?

I know many busy people who give an hour a day to Bible study, but if one cannot give more than 15 minutes a day a great deal can still be accomplished.

3. Study

Make up your mind to study the Bible. The Bible is good only because of the truth that is in it, and to see this truth demands close attention. One must look for a long time at the great masterpieces of art to appreciate their beauty and understand their meaning, and so one must look for a long time at the great verses of the Bible to appreciate their beauty and understand their meaning.

4. Questions to ask

When you read a verse in the Bible ask yourself:

1. What does this verse mean?
2. Then ask: What does it mean for me?
3. Then ask: Is that all it means?

5. Study topically

Study the Bible topically.

It is important to know all that God has to say. Many people know part of what God has to say and usually a very small part and so their ideas are very imperfect and one-sided. The only way to know all God has to say on any subject is to go through the Bible studying that subject. Make use of a Bible concordance here.

6. For example

To study "Prayer" look up in your concordance the passages that contain the words "pray," "prayer," "cry," "ask," "call," "supplication," "intercession," etc. When you have gone through them you will know far more about prayer than you ever knew before.

Topical study of the Bible

1. Be systematic

Have a carefully prepared list of the subjects you need to know about, and study them one by one.

2. Be thorough

As you study a topic do not be content to look up just a few passages but look up every passage in the Bible on this subject.

3. Be exact

First, note the exact words used.

Second, discover the exact meaning of the words used. Do this by finding how the word is used in the Bible. The Bible's use of some words differs from the way we understand these words today. The Bible words "sanctification" and "justification" are two examples of this.

Third, note the preceding verse and following verse to the one you are studying. This will often shed light on the meaning of a verse.

Fourth, see if there are any parallel passages. The meaning of many of the most difficult passages in the Bible is made perfectly plain by some other passages that throw light on them.

4. Write down your results

Take the example of the subject of "Prayer" again. If you decided to make your own classification of the Bible verses you have looked up, you might list them under the following headings:

• What prayers does God listen to?
• To whom should we pray?
• For whom should we pray?
• When to pray?
• Where to pray?
• What should we pray for?
• How to pray.
• Hindrances to prayer.
• The results of prayer.

Important topics to study

Here is a list of some subjects that every Christian should study and study as soon as possible.

• The Atonement (of the blood of Christ; the death of Christ)
• Justification
• Adoption
• Holiness
• The new birth
• Sanctification
• Assurance
• The flesh
• Faith
• Prayer
• Praise
• Love:
• To God, To Jesus Christ To Christians, To all men
• Cleansing
• Repentance
• Thanksgiving
• Sin
• The future destiny of believers
• The future destiny of the wicked:
• Punishment of the wicked Death of the wicked
• The character of Christ
• The resurrection of Christ
• The ascension of Christ
• The second coming of Christ:
• The fact, The manner The purpose, The results The time, The reign of Christ
• The Holy Spirit:
• Who he is, His work
• God:
• His attributes, His work
• Grace
• Messianic prophecies
• The church Joy
• Life
• Perfection
• The Jews
• The judgment
• Peace
• Persecution

Examples of Bible study

Study the Bible by chapters

This method of Bible study is not beyond anyone who has 15 minutes a day to put into Bible Study. It will take, however, more than one day to study a chapter if only 15 minutes a day are set apart for the work.

A. Select the chapters you wish to study.

It is best to take a whole book and study the chapters in order. The Acts of the Apostles is a good book to begin with.

B. Read the chapter for today's study five times. It is good to read it aloud at least once. Each new reading will bring out some new point.

C. Divide the chapters into their natural divisions and find striking headings which describe their contents.

For example, suppose you are studying 1 John chapter 5. You might divide it up like this:

• vs 1-3 The believer's noble parentage
• vs 4, 5 The believer's glorious victory
• vs 6-10 The believer's sure ground of faith
• vs 11, 12 The believer's priceless possession
• v 13 The believer's blessed assurance
• vs 14, 15 The believer's unquestioning confidence
• vs 16, 17 The believer's great power and responsibility
• vs 18, 19 The believer's perfect security
• v 20 The believer's precious knowledge
• v 21 The believer's constant duty

D. Note the important differences between the best modern Bible translations and the King James Version.

E. Write down the main facts of the chapter in order.

F. Make a note of the people mentioned in the chapter and of any light thrown on their character.

For example, if the chapter you are studying is Acts chapter 16, then the people mentioned are:

• Timothy
• Timothy's mother
• Timothy's father
• The brethren at Lystra and Iconium
• Paul
• The Jews of Lystra and Iconium
• The apostles and elders at Jerusalem
• A man of Macedonia
• Luke
• Some women of Philippi
• Lydia
• The household of Lydia
• A slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination
• The owners of this slave girl
• Silas
• The magistrates of Philippi
• The Philippian mob
• The Philippian jailor
• The prisoners in the Philippian jail
• The household of the jailor
• The officers of Philippi
• The Christians in Philippi

What light does the chapter throw upon the character of each?

G. Note the principal lessons of the chapter. Classify these as follows:

• i. lessons about God
• ii. lessons about Christ
• iii. lessons about the Holy Spirit, etc.

H. The central truth of the chapter.

I. The key verse of the chapter if there is one.

J. The best verse in the chapter. Opinions will differ widely here. But the question is, which is the best verse to you as you have read the chapter? Mark it and memorize it.

K. Give a heading to each chapter. For example:

• Acts 1: The Ascension
• Acts 2: The Day of Pentecost
• Acts 3: The lame man

L. Note subjects for further study. For example, from your study of Acts 1, subjects suggested for further study are:

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit; The Ascension; The second coming of Christ.

M. Note words and phrases for further study. For example, from studying John's Gospel, chapter 3, you should look up words and expressions such as:

• Eternal life
• Born again
• Water
• Believer
• The Kingdom of God

N. Write down what new truth you have learned from the chapter.

O. What truth already known has come to you with new power?

P. What definite thing have you resolved to do as a result of studying this chapter? A permanent record should be kept of the results of the study of each chapter.

Study the Bible as the Word of God

The Bible is the Word of God. It is often said that we should study the Bible just as we study any other book. That principle contains a truth, but it also contains a great error. The Bible, it is true, is a book as other books are books; the laws of grammatical and literary construction and interpretation are the same here as in any other book. But the Bible is a unique book. It is what no other book is the Word of God. So the Bible should be studied like no other book. It should be studied as the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

1. We must study this book very carefully so that we can discover the mind of God which it reveals.
2. We must accept its teachings.
3. We must rely on all its promises.
4. As we study the Bible we remember that we are in God's presence and that he will speak to us.
5. Study the Bible prayerfully.
6. Look for "the things concerning Christ" "in all the Scriptures." Christ is everywhere in the Bible (Luke 24:27).
7. Store away the Scripture in your mind and heart. It will:

• keep you from sin (Psalm 119:11 RV)
• keep you from false doctrine (Acts 20:29, 30, 32; 2 Timothy 3:13-15)
• fill your heart with joy (Jeremiah 15:16) and peace (Psalm 85:8)
• give you the victory over the Evil One (1 John 2:14)
• give you power in prayer (John 15:7)
• make you wise (Psalm 119:98, 100, 130)
• make you "thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Basic tips about Bible study

Bible markings: how can marking my bible and using symbols help me?

Bible markings

Some people have great misgivings about making any marks on their Bible. However, making marks on a Bible is one way to preserve the labors of hours of Bible study and can remind us about how a particular verse or truth has helped us in the past.

The simplest of marks

Circling

This is the simplest kind of mark to make. It helps to highlight a verse which has especially struck you.

Underscoring

This has the same effect as circling, but makes the verse stand out even more.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Using a felt-tip pen to shade in the whole verse is another way of doing this.

Just making a line in the margin next to the verse is an alternative method.

Dates

Some people put in the date on which a Bible verse or Bible passage has especially spoken to them. Next to the date a name or event can be written to remind us about the significance of the verse. 9/9/01 John went into hospital

Symbols

Symbols can be drawn in the margin of the Bible opposite the relevant verse.

• The symbol of the cross can stand for Jesus' sacrifice.
• The symbol of a heart can stand for God's love.
• The symbol of musical notes can stand for something to praise God for.
• The symbol of an open book can stand for the Word of God.
• The symbol of a smiling face could be used for verses about God's comfort

You can make up a list of symbols for your own use.

Symbols and letters

Symbols are best used to represent key Bible themes.

You can divide these themes up in the following way.

If, for example, you chose to use the symbol of a dove for the Holy Spirit, you could write a letter on the dove to stand for different aspects of the Holy Spirit's ministry:

I in the dove could stand for the Holy Spirit indwelling us. An appropriate verse for this would be, 1 Corinthians 3:16, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

T The letter T could stand for teaching about the Holy Spirit, and so on.

Letters are best used to denote a particular aspect of a topic.

Studying a single Bible verse: the microscopic approach

John 3:16

John chapter 3, verse 16 has been called the greatest sentence in the English language.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Unpacking John 3:16

For God - God is the Lord of heaven and earth

so loved - God loved the world so much that he longed for the world to be forgiven

the world - the world that is full of sin and rebellion against God

that he gave - Jesus was the most costly gift God could bestow on us

his one and only Son - God sent Jesus to take our place on the cross

that whoever - God's grace extends to everyone

believes - this is simply placing one's trust in Jesus

in him - that is trusting the righteous and just One

shall not perish - in their sin

but have eternal life - which is given to us by Jesus.

God's answer to

In John 3:16 certain basic answers about belief in God are given.

1. atheism: John 3:16 affirms that God does exist. The verse starts with the word: "God."
2. agnosticism: John 3:16 states that this is who God is like: "God so loved."
3. skepticism: John 3:16 proclaims with total assurance that the believer: "shall not perish but have eternal life."
4. legalism: John 3:16 says that it is the "believer" who will have eternal life.

Ask questions

One of the most fruitful ways to study a Bible verse is to ask questions about it.

Question 1: What does this verse teach about God?

1. God the Father
   It is out of love that God the Father sent Jesus to the world.
2. God the Son
   God the Son came that we might have eternal life.

Question 2: Is there any promise in this verse to appropriate?

If we believe in Jesus we are given the gift of eternal life.

Question 3: Is there any warning in this verse?

This verse states that those who refuse to believe will "perish."

Question 4: Is there a command to obey in this verse, or does it tell me to do something?

It is implicit in John 3:16 that we are meant to believe in Jesus.

Using John 3:16 as a springboard

There are a number of topics in John 3:16 which are expanded in other Bible verses.

1. Love

John's Gospel often speaks about love:

• People love darkness, 3:19
• God the Father loves his Son, 3:35; 5:20
• Some people have no love for God in their hearts, 5:41
• Anyone who has God as their Father will love Jesus, 8:42
• God the Father loves Jesus because he was willing to give up his life, 10:17
• Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, 11:5
• Anyone who loves his own life will lose it, 12:25
• Jesus loved his disciples to the end, even though they were to desert him, 13:1
• Jesus' new commandment is that we should love one another, 13:34
• We are loved by Jesus as much as the Father loves Jesus, 15:9
• Jesus said that the Father himself loves us because we love and trust Jesus, 16:27

Studying a particular word from the Bible

Gentleness

1. Gentleness is a characteristic of God

He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11

2. God sometimes communicates in a gentle way

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:12

3. How to cool tempers

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

4. Gentleness is effective

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. Proverbs 25:15

5. Jesus and his gentle approach

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

"Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" Matthew 21:5

6. Jesus is gentle

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

7. A whip or a gentle spirit?

Paul told off the Corinthian Christians in his first letter to them and so asked them, "What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?" 1 Corinthians 4:21

8. Making appeal to Jesus' gentleness

By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away! 2 Corinthians 10:1

9. Gentleness and the fruit of the spirit

... gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:23

This list of nine things in Galatians 5:23, are sometimes called the fruits, in the plural, of the Spirit. Strictly speaking they all make up the fruit, in the singular, of the Spirit.

Another way to look at this is to think of "love" as the fruit of the Spirit, as all the other eight qualities are varities of love:

• Joy is love singing
• Peace is love resting
• Patience is love enduring
• Kindness is love's touch
• Goodness is love's character
• Faithfulness is love's habit
• Gentleness is love's self-denial
• Self-control is love in charge

10. A command to be gentle

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

11. Gentleness is to be displayed

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:5

12. Gentleness linked with patience

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

13. Paul was like a gentle mother

... but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children... as a father... with his own children. 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 10

14. One of the qualifications for an overseer

...not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 1 Timothy 3:3

15. Required in a godly person

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11

16. Inner beauty

Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:4

17. How to witness

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect... 1 Peter 3:15

Basic facts to remember about the Bible

Why God gave us the Scriptures

The more we remember that the Bible is inspired by God and given by him for our benefit the more likely we are to read the Bible and treasure what it says.

What the Bible itself says it will do for us as we read it

It makes us wise about salvation

"... from infancy you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15

It illumines us

"Your word is a lamp to my feet