5 Questions to Ask when Studying the Bible

Whether studying the Bible is new to you or a regular part of your life, examining the way you approach a passage of Scripture can help you to dig a little deeper. Sometimes, asking yourself a few questions as you read can lead to deeper understanding, offer greater context about the passage and guide you as you seek to learn more about God's character.

Question #1: What is the passage saying?

After reading a passage of Scripture, try to distill it down to the basic points and recap what you've read in your own words. A professor friend of mine often tells her students that if they can't explain a concept in their own words, they don't understand it. While there is plenty in the Bible we won't be able to fully comprehend, figuring out the main points of the passage we've read can help engage our brains and our hearts as we read.

Question #2: What does this passage reveal about the original audience?

It's important to read Scripture in context. So often, we come the Bible with the question, What does this mean for my life, right now, today? It's a valid question, but it's important to understand that the passage you're reading was written in a particular context, to a particular people in a specific timeframe and place. Context matters. Scripture definitely applies to our lives today and calls us to a specific way of life—but understanding more about the people to whom the original passage was written and the culture they lived in can invite us into a deeper, richer experience with God's Word.

Question #3: What does this passage teach me about God?

Studying Scripture is a way for us to learn more about God's character. Through the whole of the Bible, we learn so much about who He is and what matters to Him. After you read a passage of Scripture, take a minute to jot down what it reveals about God's character. Keep a list of the attributes He displays throughout His Word and take note of the ones He's displayed in your own life. When you pray, use that list to praise God's character and thank Him for the specific ways He has revealed His faithfulness, mercy, grace and more to you.

Question #4: What does this passage reveal about people?

So much of Scripture recounts God's interactions with people. Just as the stories of the Bible reveal aspects of God's character, it reveals aspects of our own. When you read a passage, ask yourself what it teaches you about humanity, about our motivations, desires and intentions. The Bible can be a revealing mirror that helps us to see the true nature of our hearts, our actions and our desires. As Hebrews 4:12 says, the "word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword“ (CSB).

Question #5: How should I live my life based on what I've read?

Hold on, you're saying, you just said we shouldn't come to Scripture with this attitude in Question 2. Well, yes and no. It's important NOT to come to the Bible with the intention to simply cherry pick a strategy for a successful life or God's approval of the plan of action we've already mapped out in our heads. When we come to Scripture, we need to come with the attitude that the Bible reveals more about God and more about what it means to live in relationship with Him and follow Him. And, sometimes, that means the passage reveals specific actions we need to take so that our lives lines up with the way God has called us to live as His children. Sometimes, for me, this question comes more as a prayer: God, what do want me to learn from this passage? How are you calling me to live in light of what I've read?

What questions do you ask as you engage with Scripture? What tools have helped you to dig deeper into God's Word? Share them in the comments.

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