Longing for a deeper relationship with God? The Bible is where He has chosen to reveal Himself—and where your faith grows stronger.
Reading Scripture for yourself is unlike anything else. As you spend time in God's Word, you'll discover His character, gain wisdom for everyday life, and experience the joy of knowing Him better.Don't worry if you're unsure where to begin. With these simple tools, you can move beyond a surface reading and confidently explore the riches of Scripture.Start your journey today and discover the life-changing power of God's Word.
There are three basic steps to hermeneutics (coming to an understanding of a passage of Scripture) that should be followed in order to determine the intended meaning in a passage: observation, interpretation, and application. The first step is always observation. It is our human tendency to give something a good read, then jump right to the second step. But when we rush through observation, we will miss so many important details that will make the passage come alive. Every word is there for a reason. So we need to note what those words are!
What is there in black and white? The best way you can start digging is to know what the passage says.
Here are some general strategies to good observation.
Now that you have spent time observing the text, the next step is figuring out how to interpret the passage: what does it mean?
The goal is to find the “big idea” or “central idea” in the passage. This takes some work, because you are looking for a universal principle, a truth that is ageless. It will be as true for us now as it was back then.
This process may require some research. You can use commentaries as well as articles online to find out what you need to know. This is a good time to pull out those questions that you recorded as you worked through Observation. You may find some answers as you research.
1. Look at the historical context.
What was going on at the time the passage was being written? What conditions were present? What would the people at the time have known that we might not know in the 21st century?
The first readers would have had certain things they knew according to the time the text was written at least 2,000 years ago. (A lot longer than that if you are working through the Old Testament!) We always need to take context into consideration. There are three kinds of contexts that are important to
Example Jesus tells the parable of the Sower and the Seed in Mark 4:1-12.
A search for farming methods in the first century sheds some light into what His listeners would have known as they heard the story. In modern day, we prepare the soil by plowing first. In Jesus’ day, the seed was spread by broadcasting. They did not know what lay beneath the surface as they plowed after the seed was sown. So seed would be sown over rocks or thorn plant roots, with no real clue if it would grow or produce fruit.
The disciples were to “sow” the Word of God. They could not know the heart condition beyond their external. But God did. Their job was to sow the seed, and trust God to change the heart.
What was the situation in the passage you are studying? You might be surprised how the small details you can find can make a difference in the meaning of that passage.
2. Look at the literary context.
What was going on in the verses before and after the passage in question? Look for hints that might identity the reason the author placed your passage exactly where it is found. Is the passage a part of a list? What is the list about? Write out everything named on that list and find what they have in common.
How is your passage a part of the whole?
Why is it in there?
3. Compare situations with similar themes
Example: At the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), Jesus refuses to help His mother when the hosts run our of wine. But a few minutes later, He does the miracle anyway. What made the difference? I puzzled over that one until I thought of another time Jesus refused to help then did it. It was in His encounter with a Syro-Phoenician Woman (Matthew 15:21-28). So I made a side-by-side comparison of the two encounters and found my answer to both stories.
It was a statement of faith that opened the door to action for Jesus. “Your faith is great…”
3. More comparison tips
Look for figures of speech and compare the word picture with what is being described.
Similes: use like or as to compare
Use like or as to compare something to something else. What traits do they share?
Example: Psalm 42 “As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs after you, O Lord.”
Thirst signals a body’s need for water. Water is not something optional, it is crucial to our survival. Here the author uses a thirsty animal to picture our need for God.
Metaphors: use a “to be” verb to describe something in concrete terms
Again, something is being compared to something else to describe it more fully. It is another word picture. Some examples: He was a ravenous lion or She is a night owl.
Example: In the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman, Jesus tells her that the Master of a household doesn’t give the dogs under the table the children’s bread.
Many people interpret that remark as an insult to her. They forget: it is a metaphor! A word picture. Not an insult. Jesus was comparing her to a lesser member of the household in terms of priority (to echo what the disciples incorrectly believed.). The woman understands and uses his metaphor and tells him there is enough mercy for all mankind.
Personification: Ascribing human qualities to something.
Example: Genesis 4:10
God tells Cain that Abel’s blood has a voice and is crying out. It does not mean that the blood on the ground is actually speaking out loud.
Take time to think of the qualities that the picture and the actual thing being compared have in common. They speak volumes in meaning.
4. Check the literary contexts.
When a New Testament passage contains a quote from the Old Testament, go back and read that quote in the Old Testament and the context around it. What were the circumstances when that quote was written? How is it part of the whole?
Now look at the New Testament passage that contains that quote. How is the writer using it? What point is he trying to make?
Example: When Jesus returned to Nazareth after the Temptation in the desert, He read from the Isaiah (61:1-2) in the synagogue (see Luke 4:16-22). Looking at the context of what He reads, it is a prophecy about the coming Messiah. “…The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord anointed me to bring good news to the humble…to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord…”
But Jesus leaves off the last phrase of that passage: “And the day of vengeance of our God.” Why? He did not come to judge in that first coming. He came to die for us, pay for and set us free from our slavery to sin. But judgment will happen, at His second coming. Comparing what exactly Jesus quoted with the original writings of Isaiah is helpful in understanding that fact.
5. Look for cause and effect relationships.
The easiest way to identify cause and effect is by working backwards. Find the effect, then look for its cause. A great example of this is in Psalm 1. What is the effect the reader should desire? Underline it.
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
We would all like to be blessed, like a tree planted by a stream where a constant supply of water enables us to thrive and produce. This is not an instruction to make ourselves like that tree, however. Thriving is the end result of something else we should do. What things does the text identify as actions and attitudes this person has? “His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on it he meditates day and night.” That person will become like a tree planted by water, bearing fruit without withering.
Too often we look at an effect as something we need to do. Transform yourself! Bear fruit! Prosper! But this puts the burden of result on the reader, when God is the one who purposes to change, bless, and use us. Going after the effect is putting the cart before the horse. When we properly label the effect, we can identify the cause, the means to getting where we want to end up.
6. Read between the lines for the atmosphere.
I’ve seen the Syro-Phoenician woman interpreted as a “sunny, optimistic attitude, someone who used her sense of humor to get Jesus to grant her request.” That teacher was missing the desperation of the woman. “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David, my daughter is severely demon possessed.” Sense of humor? Sunny disposition? Or—was she a desperate mother, with no hope for her daughter but Christ?
Can you sense a particular mood in the passage and its context?
Example:
In John 21:1-17 Peter meets with Jesus face-to-face after the resurrection. While they are still in the boat, John realizes the man calling to them on shore is Jesus. Peter’s immediate reaction is to jump overboard. The NIV makes an unfortunate translation in v. 8 and says the boat “followed” Peter in. But the original Greek is the word that means “came,” not followed.
Over which side of the boat did Peter jump? If it was the shore-side, he would have been anxious to get there as quickly as possible. But what if Peter jumped over the far-side of that boat? The net was full. Could he have been holding the net to keep the catch contained until they reached the shore? John tells us Peter “came up out” of the water once the boat lands. The fish were even counted: 153. Did Peter do that as well?
If we look at the many details, I think John is telling us Peter is dreading eye-to-eye contact with Jesus after his terrible denial. Jesus takes him aside and lets him know his calling is still intact. “Feed my sheep.” God has already forgiven him. The failure is behind him.
7. Word studies
Even if you do not know Greek or Hebrew, you can investigate the original language. Sites like Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org) help with that. Look up the passage and version you are using. When the passage comes up, click on the reference number (like John 3:16). It will give you a word-for-word translation. Find the word you are trying to look up, and click on the Strong’s number. They will provide how it should translate and other times the word is used in the Bible.
8. Bookends
Sometimes, the author will give an indication of how much needs to be included in your study.
Example: 1 Peter 2:12-3:16. Peter indicates a beginning and end of the passage by repeating the same idea:
At the beginning: “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Then at the end: “…and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”
When you see the whole passage, it is easy to spot the fact that Peter is giving several examples to flesh out his command: submitting to government, slaves to masters, Jesus, and wives and husbands.
9. Parables
Parables are earthly stories with a heavenly point. They give one main idea. Try not to read too much into the details given—but concentrate on the point Jesus is trying to make. Creating one- on-one comparisons with details can be dangerous, for it can lead to a bad interpretation. Also, be careful not to base a theology or doctrine in what you see in the story.
If there is meant to be a one-on-one comparison, Jesus will explain them, like in the Sower and the Seed. But taking a story like Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31) is not meant to be a description of what hell and heaven are like! Jesus could well be using a description of those places that the Pharisees accepted as truth.)
When you look at the context of the story and to whom He is addressing, you can often figure out the reason Jesus is telling this parable.
“If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded…” He is warning to the Pharisees because they were “lovers of money and were ridiculing Him.”(Luke 16: 14). God could see straight to their hearts.
