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How to Study Inductively - Observation
How to Study Inductively - Interpretation
How to Study Inductively - Application
Overview of the Inductive Method
The Inductive Bible Study Method allows one to see, understand and apply the Word to our lives so that our Christian walk will bring Him glory.
Inductive Bible Study consists of three elemental parts. They are observation, interpretation, and application. Each element of study looks at the same passage, but with a different end or goal in mind.
Observation - Seeing What the Author is Saying
Question to Answer: "What Does It Say?"
- The foundation to your whole study
- May raise more questions than it answers
- Observation is a skill to be developed
Interpretation - Understanding What the Author
Meant
Question to Answer: "What Does It Mean?"
- Is understood through the Holy Spirit
- Requires humility and teachability
- Is according to what God says, not my experience or feelings
Application - Applying the Truth to My Life
Question to Answer: "What does this mean to ME? How am I going
to live this?"
- The ultimate goal of Bible study
- Will transform
- Relies upon correct interpretation
How to Study Inductively - Observation
Observation asks, "What does it say?"
The 5 Ws & an H
Observation consists of five questions commonly known as - the 5
Ws & an H. They are: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. It is
important to remember that when you are doing observation you
can only ask those questions that can be answered directly
from the text. There is no supposition or interpretation
involved - just the facts. Observation can sometimes raise as
many questions as it answers.
 | WHO is involved? Who is it written to? Who wrote it? |
| WHAT is the subject? What is the mood? What is taught? What are the main events? |
| WHY is it written? Why did it occur? Why is it a problem? |
| WHEN was it written? When does it occur? When is its place in relation to other events? (look for "time" words like now, then, after, until) |
| WHERE was it written to? Where was it written from? Where do the events/teaching take place? |
| HOW did events occur? How did the different characters respond? (look for words like therefore, for this reason, so, then, thus) |
Other Observation Tools
The following are other tools that can be used when observing a
passage.
Key words: a key word is one that is repeated, has theological significance or for any other reason appears to be important. You can mark key words and their synonyms using colored pens or symbols. For examples if your key word is love, you can circle each occurrence in red or draw a heart over the word love each time it occurs. Marking key words can help you see the primary focus of the author. These words are "key" because they help you unlock the meaning of the passage.
Contrast: A contrast is an evaluation of things that are opposite or different. Contrasts are sometimes used for illustrations and help us understand what is not true. They may be indicated by words such as but, however, otherwise, yet, nevertheless, although or rather than.
Comparisons: Comparisons refer to things that are similar or alike. They are often used for illustrations (word pictures) and may be indicated by words such as like, as, also, likewise, moreover. Note that contrasts and comparisons often occur together.
Terms of Conclusion: Words like therefore, finally, so that and for this reason are examples. It is good to mark these things to note what the author is concluding or summarizing. The conclusion or summary can often help us understand the text that precedes it. It alerts the reader that a conclusion, summary or result is being given.
Expressions of Time: Note timing or sequence. Words such as then, after this and when all denote time issues. These terms can help you sort out the sequence or relationship of events.
Commands/Instructions: Note any clear command or instruction directly given in the passage. These can help us understand the intent or importance of the passage.
Lists: A list is a compilation of facts given about a particular subject, person, place or word. There are at least 3 kinds of lists you can make:
| Simple lists: read through and list thoughts, actions, objects (e.g. fruit of the Spirit in Gal 5:22-23) |
| Topical lists: a compilation or summary (e.g. 2 Timothy 2:23-25 note that the Lord's bondservant is not quarrelsome, kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, gentle in correcting |
| Analytical lists: finds and analyzes minor themes and may include comparisons, progressions, etc. (e.g. James 1:14-15 shows how temptation follows a progression) |
How to Study Inductively - Interpretation
Interpretation asks, "What does it mean?"
Interpretation seeks to discover or uncover the meaning behind the observations you have made. This is where you get to answer all those questions that arose when you were doing observation. There are three levels of interpretation:
- Understanding the author's intended meaning for the audience to which it was written.
- Understanding the meaning in light of "the whole counsel of God" (e.g. all of Scripture)*
- Understanding what God wants to teach us today from the passage
(*This level addresses apparent Biblical contradictions. If your observation work leads you to an interpretation opposite of principles taught elsewhere in the Bible, significant effort must be made to research and resolve the conflict.)
Guidelines for Interpretation:
| Begin with prayer |
| Base interpretation on thorough observation |
| Have an open heart and teachable spirit (be aware of your own biases and preconceptions) |
| Stay away from commentaries as long as possible! |
Remember:
| Scripture does not contradict itself |
| Seek the full counsel of God's Word |
| Never use an obscure passage to contradict the clear teaching of Scripture |
| Consider the type of literature you are studying: History, Poetry/Wisdom Literature, Prophecy, Letters |
| Context, Context, Context! |
PS: Don't get discouraged when you find some things difficult to understand. The Apostle Peter felt the same way about Paul's letters: 15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:15-18)
Interpretive Tools:
The complexity of the passage you study will drive how many of
the following steps you must complete to arrive at a true and
sure interpretation:
- Cross-Referencing
The purpose of cross-referencing is to seek out other Scriptures that use the same word, concept or idea and give new light or deeper understanding to the passage being studied. When using this form of study make sure that you are using Scriptures that address the same concept not just the same word. In most Bibles, those who have developed the cross-reference list have already done this work for you.Tools that can be used:
 | Your own Bible (with its cross references and concordance) |
| Topical Bible |
| Concordance such as Strong's |
How To Use the Cross-Reference System in Your Bible:
- Look for tiny letters or numbers beside the word you are studying.
- Locate the chapter and verse number for the text you are studying in a margin on the same page of your Bible.
- Under that chapter and verse locate the corresponding letter or number you found next to the word you are studying.
- The letter/number will give you an alternate word that can be used, or will direct you to other passages where the same word/concept is used.
- Study the other passages listed as cross-references.
- Remember not to take the word out of context. Read the surrounding passage of any cross-reference to ensure that it is discussing similar topics to the one you are exploring.
How To Use the Concordance in Your Bible*:
- Look up the word you feel best expresses the content of the primary verse. (It will most likely be a word or synonym used in the primary verse.)
- Look up the verses listed in the concordance that use the same term.
- Remember not to take the word out of context. Read the
surrounding passage of any cross-reference to ensure that it
is discussing similar topics to the one you are exploring.
* Each Bible version and edition may have a slightly different method to its concordance. Look for instructions at the beginning of the concordance for how it is best used.
The purpose of word studies is simply to understand the meaning of individual words as they were used by the author. God's Word does not speak to us in concepts or ideas but in carefully chosen words. ("This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing Spiritual truths in spiritual words. I Cor 2:13.)
The New Testament was written primarily in Greek and the Old Testament in Hebrew. With the correct tools, we can understand the original meaning of words without being knowledgeable about original languages.
Guidelines for Selecting Words to Be Studied:"
| Key words chosen in Observation (words that seem important or key to the meaning of the passage) |
| Repeated words |
| Major words in important sentences |
| Words you don't understand or could not rephrase |
| Any other word that catches your attention |
Tools That Can Be Used:
| Exhaustive Concordance (such as Strong's) |
| Vine's Expository Dictionary |
How To:
Let's say we want to study the word "love" in 1 John 4:16,
"God is love.""
- Look up the word "love" in the Exhaustive Concordance
- Find the book, chapter and verse listed where you found the word and write down the corresponding number. (In our sample case, we would look under 1 John 4:16 and write down the number, 26.)
- Find this number in the dictionary in the back of your Concordance. Note there will be a Hebrew and Greek Dictionary. Use the correct one. (We would look for Greek #26.)
- Write down the original Greek or Hebrew word and its meaning. (agape - love, i.e. affection or benevolence...)
- Look up the same word in Vine's. (We would look up "love.")
- Locate the correct Hebrew or Greek word. (We would then look up the definition for "agape.")
- Write down the meaning.
- Check further and see if the passage/word you are studying is given specific comment in Vines. If so, write what you learn. Also note any information, references that Vine's give you about other verses that use this word.
The purpose of consulting commentaries is to discover details difficult to obtain without a great deal of knowledge about historical setting, geography, original languages and theological study. They are also useful when dealing with more than one possible interpretation. A good commentary will usually give more than one interpretation of these types of passages. They will usually often map out how they reached the conclusion they are presenting. Devotional commentaries tend not to do this, and can be "leading." If you are dealing with a controversial topic (end times, roles of women) you may want to read more than one commentary.
The purpose of restatement is that you can learn a great deal by rewording the passage based on what you have learned in your observation and interpretation study. A great example of this is "The Message," written by Eugene Patterson, and discussed above.
How To:
- Take all that you have learned and restate the passage using your own words.
- Don't be concerned at how your version is more wordy. Just try to capture the principles involved. You'll have great appreciation for God's inspired use of the original writers!
Writing a simple, distilled statement of the main thought of the passage can cement what you have learned from interpretation. Try to make your summary a statement, not an explanation. This is how it varies from a Restatement.
How to Study Inductively - Application
Application asks, "What am I going to do?"
Studying God's Word should result in changed lives. In one sense, the goal of all Bible study is application. Without this piece, Bible study is just academic or a mental exercise.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Application must have two aspects:
| It must be personal |
| It must be practical |
Personal Application
| Is there a sin for me to avoid? |
| Is there a promise for me to claim? |
| Is there an action for me to take or avoid? |
| Is there a command for me to obey? |
| Is there an example for me to follow or to avoid? |
| Is there a revelation about God for me to know and live out? |
Practical Application
| Steps to do what God is showing us personally. |
| Make application practical by helping us develop principles and live by them. |
| A principle is an abiding statement that is not limited to a point in time. |
| A principle is a compelling truth that is as relevant to us today as it was to the believers in biblical times. |
| It takes prayerful reflection and a teachable spirit to draw the principles out of the passages you have studied. |
For a more complete explanation of the inductive method, please see Kay Arthur's book titled How to Study Your Bible, published in 2001 by Harvest House Publishers.