2 .

HOW TO DO PBS

BIBLE STUDY – WHY AND HOW?

Introduction:

Two choruses-

“The best book to read is the Bible, if you read it every day, it will help you on your way.

Oh! The best book to read is the Bible.”

“दुनिया में सबसे प्यारी पुस्तक बाइबल, पढे जो इसको रोज़-बरोज

राह में ख़तरा कोई ि हो, ओह! दुनिया में सबसे प्यारी पुस्तक बाइबल।

“यह बाइबल मेरी जज़़िंदगी है, यह बाइबल खुदा का कलाम,

खुदा िे जहााँ को ददया है, बडा बेशकीमत इिाम। यह बाइबल, यह बाइबल, यह बाइबल।”

“When you walk, they will guide you;

When you sleep they will watch over you;

When you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverbs 6:22).

A. Why read the Bible?

1. It’s God’s word. God speaks to us as we read it (Hebrews 4:12). It was written by
the inspiration of God (2Timothy 3:16). Men spoke from God as they were carried
along by the Holy Spirit (2Peter 1:20,21).
2. It’s pure spiritual milk. We grow in our salvation as we ‘drink’ it (1Peter 2:2).
3. It’s a mirror. We see out true self in it (James 1:23).
4. It’s light for our path. We walk safely in its light (Psalm 119:105).
5. It’s the sword of the Holy Spirit. We fight the Devil with it (Ephesians 6:17).
6. It’s fire and hammer. We are made holy and humble by it (Jeremiah 23:29).

B. How to read the Bible?

SQ3R method-
1. Survey. The headings, the first and the last paragraph.
2. Questions raised in the text. Your own questions.
3. Read. Read without marking, coloring, underlining the text. Read one chapter or
one section at a time.
4. Recall. Close the Bible and recall from the memory what you have read. Recall in
writing.
5. Revise. Open the book fill up what you have omitted to write. Correct what yoou
have written wrongly.
C. How to study the Bible?
1. Ask three questions-
a. What does it say?
b. What does it mean?
c. What does it mean in my life?
2. Ask seven fact finding questions-
a. Who?
b. What?
c. When?
d. Where?
e. Why?
f. How?
g. Whom?
3. Ask five more questions-
a. What is the teaching given here?
b. What is the command given here?
c. What is the promise given here?
d. What is the warning given here?
e. What is the example given here- good or bad?

D. Inductive Bible study.

1. Plan your study.
2. Pray concerning your study.
3. Read the passage.
4. Observe.
5. Take notes.
6. Think and analyze.
7. Use the principles of interpretation.
8. Apply the meaning of the passage to your life.

E. Step One: Observation.

1. The literary form of the passage- didactic, narrative or poetry.
2. Repeated words and phrases.
3. Connective or linking words.
4. Time words.
5. Location or place words.
6. Contrasts and comparisons.
7. Unknown words.
8. The core of each sentence.
9. Figurative expressions.
10. Logical sequences.
11. Anything strange, unusual or unexpected.
12. Related entities.
13. Grammatical elements.

F. Step Two: Interpretation.

 1. Interpret a passage in the light of its context.
2. Interpret a passage according to the correct meaning of the words.
3. Interpret a passage according to the grammar of the sentence.
4. Interpret a passage according to the author’s purpose and plan.
5. Interpret a passage in the light of the historical, geographical and cultural
background.
6. Interpret a passage in the light of the Bible teaching as a whole.

G. Step Three: Application.

1. By obeying God’s commands and prohibitions.
2. By claiming the promises and avoiding his threats.
3. By learning from examples.
4. By believing God’s statements of truth.
5. By Acting on the direct teachings.