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- 08650
- METHODS OF BIBLE STUDY
- by Rev. R. A. Torrey
-
- Adapted for the Online Bible by Larry Pierce
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- 1) Make up your mind that you will put some time EVERY DAY in
- the study of the Word of God. That is an easy resolution to
- make, and not a very difficult one to keep; if the one who
- makes it is in earnest. It is one of the most fruitful
- resolutions that any Christian ever made. The forming of
- that resolution and the holding faithfully to it, has been
- the turning point in many a life. Many a life that has been
- barren and unsatisfactory has become rich and useful through
- the introduction into it of regular, persevering, daily
- study of the Bible. This study may not be very interesting
- at first, the results may not be very encouraging; but, if
- one will keep plugging away, it will soon begin to count as
- nothing else has ever counted in the development of
- character, and in the enrichment of the whole life. Nothing
- short of absolute physical inability should be allowed to
- interfere with this daily study.
-
- It is impossible to make a rule that will apply to every one
- as to the amount of time that shall be given each day to the
- study of the Word. I know many busy people, including not a
- few labouring men and women, who give an hour a day to Bible
- study, but if one cannot give more than fifteen minutes a
- great deal can be accomplished. Wherever it is possible the
- time set apart for the work should be in the daylight hours.
- The very best time is in the early morning hours. If
- possible lock yourself in with God alone.
-
- 2) Make up your mind to STUDY the Bible. It is astounding how
- much heedless reading of the Bible is done. Men seem to
- think that there is some magic power in the book, and that,
- if they will but open its pages and skim over its words,
- they will get good out of it. The Bible is good only
- because of the truth that is in it, and to see this truth
- demands close attention. A verse must oftentimes be read
- and re-read and read again before the wondrous message of
- love and power that God has put into it begins to appear.
- Words must be turned over and over in the mind before their
- full force and beauty takes possession of us. One must look
- a long time at the great masterpieces of art to appreciate
- their beauty and understand their meaning, and so one must
- look a long time at the great verses of the Bible to
- appreciate their beauty and understand their meaning. When
- you read a verse in the Bible ask yourself, "What does this
- verse mean?" Then ask: "What does it mean for me?" When
- that is answered ask yourself again: " Is that all it
- means?" and do not leave it until you are quite sure that is
- all it means for the present. You may come back at some
- future time and find it means yet a great deal more. If
- there are any important words in the verse weigh them, look
- up other passages where they are used, and try to get their
- full significance. God pronounces that man blessed who
- "meditates" on the Word of God "day and night." Ps 1:2,3.
- An indolent skimming over a few verses or many chapters in
- the Bible is not meditation, and there is not much blessing
- in it. Jeremiah said: "Thy words were found and I did eat
- them." (Jer 15:16) Nothing is more important in eating than
- chewing. If one does not properly chew his food, he is quite
- as likely to get dyspepsia as nourishment. Do not let any
- one chew your spiritual food for you. Insist on doing it
- for yourself. Any one can be a student who makes up his
- mind to. It is hard at first but it soon becomes easy. I
- have seen very dull minds become keen by holding them right
- down to the grindstone.
-
- 3) STUDY THE BIBLE TOPICALLY. Take up the various subjects
- treated in the Bible, one by one, and go through the Bible
- and find what it has to say on these subjects. It may be
- important to know what the great men have to say on
- important subjects; it is far more important to know what
- God has to say--and usually a very small part--and so their
- ideas are very imperfect and one-sided. If they only knew
- all God had to say on the subject, it would be far better
- for them and for their friends. The only way to know all
- God has to say on any subject is to go through the Bible on
- that subject. To do this it is not necessary to read every
- verse in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It would be
- slow work, if we had to do that on every subject we took up.
- This would be necessary were it not for Text Books and
- Concordances. But in these we have the results of the hard
- work of many minds. Here we have the various passages that
- bear on any subject brought together and classified for use,
- so that now we can do in a few hours what would otherwise
- take months or years. The topical method of Bible study is
- simplest, most fascinating and yields the largest immediate
- results. It is not the only method of Bible study, and the
- one who pursues it exclusively will miss much of the
- blessing God has for him in the Bible. But it is a very
- interesting and fruitful method of study. It was Mr.
- Moody's favourite method. It fills one's mind very full on
- any subject studied. Mr. Moody once gave several days to
- the study of "Grace." When he had finished he was so full
- of the subject that he rushed out on the street and going up
- to the first man he met he said: "Do you know anything about
- Grace?" "Grace who," the man asked. "The Grace of God that
- bringeth salvation." And then Mr. Moody poured out upon
- that man the rich treasures he had dug out of the Word of
- God. That is the way to master any subject and get full of
- it. Go through the Bible and see what it has to say on this
- subject. This is easily done. Find the topic by looking at
- the index to the topics in topic number 6000. Suppose the
- subject you desire to study is "Prayer." {Topics 7655-7702}
- have a long list of the various passages of Scripture that
- bear on this subject. Look them up one after another and
- study them carefully and see just what they are teaching
- you. When you have gone through them you will know far more
- about prayer than you ever knew before, and far more than
- you could learn by reading any books that men have written
- about prayer, profitable as many of these books are.
- Sometimes it will be necessary to look up other subjects
- that are closely related to the one in hand. For example,
- you wish to study what the teaching of God's Word is
- regarding the atonement. In this case you will not only
- look under the head "Atonement," but also under the headings
- of "Blood", "Death of Christ." To do this work a
- concordance is not necessary but it is often very helpful.
- For example, if you are studying the subject "Prayer" you
- can find it by using the Online Bible search facilities. All
- the passages that contain the words "pray," "prayer," "cry,"
- "ask," "call," "supplication," "intercession," etc., would
- be a good study list. But the Online Bible topical material
- will give most of the passages on any subject regardless of
- what words are used in the passage. Other passages will be
- found in the section on Bible Doctrines {Topic 8500} under
- their proper headings.
-
- There are four important suggestions to make regarding
- Topical Study of the Bible.
-
- 3a) BE SYSTEMATIC. Do not take up subjects for study at
- random. Have a carefully prepared list of the subjects
- you wish to know about, and need to know about, and take
- them up one by one, in order. If you do not do this,
- the probability is that you will have a few pet topics
- and will be studying these over and over until you get
- to be a crank about them, and possibly a nuisance. You
- will know much about these subjects, but about many
- other subjects equally important you will know nothing.
- You will be a one-sided Christian.
-
- 3b) BE THOROUGH. When you take up a subject do not be
- content to study a few passages on this subject, but
- find just as far as possible every passage in the Bible
- on this subject. If you find the topical entry
- incomplete, edit it, making additions of your own to
- it.
-
- 3c) BE EXACT. Find the exact meaning of every passage
- given in the topical entry for any subject. The way to
- do this is simple.
-
- 3c1) Note the exact words used.
-
- 3c2) Get the exact meaning of the words used. This is
- done by finding how the word is used in the Bible.
- Access the Online Bible lexicons using the
- Strong's numbers for the word. The Bible usage of
- the word is not always the common use of today.
- For example, the Bible use of the words
- "sanctification" and "justification" is not the
- same as the common use.
-
- 3c3) Notice what goes before and what comes after the
- verse. This will often settle the meaning of a
- verse when it appears doubtful.
-
- 3c4) 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 clarify them. Then parallel
- passages are given in the margin of a good
- reference Bible and still more fully in the Online
- Bible cross references.
-
- 3d) Arrange the results of your topical study in an orderly
- way and write them down. One should constantly use pen
- and paper in Bible study. When one has gone through
- the Online Bible topic on any subject, he will have a
- large amount of material, but he will want to get it
- into usable shape. The various passages given on any
- topic in the Online Bible are classified, but the
- classification is not always just the one best adapted
- to our individual use. Take for example the subject
- "Prayer." The classification of texts in the topic is
- very suggestive, but a better one for some purposes
- would be:
-
- 1. Who Can Pray so that God will Hear
- 2. To Whom to Pray
- 3. For Whom to Pray
- 4. When to Pray
- 5. Where to Pray
- 6. For What to Pray
- 7. How to Pray
- 8. Hindrances to Prayer
- 9. The Results of Prayer
-
- The passages given in the topic would come under these
- headings. It is well to make a trial division of the
- subject before taking up the individual passages given
- and to arrange each passage as we take it up under the
- appropriate heading. We may have to add to the
- divisions with which we began as we find new passages.
- The best classification of passages for any individual
- is the one he makes for himself, although he will get
- helpful suggestions from others.
-
- There are some subjects that every Christian should
- study and study as soon as possible. We give a list of
- these:
-
- Sin 8101
- The Atonement (of the Blood of Christ) 6311
- Justification 7210
- The New Birth 7505
- Adoption 6201
- Sanctification 7955
- Holiness 7058
- Of God 7059
- Assurance 6309
- Faith 6800
- Repentance 7812
- Prayer 7655
- Answers to 7656
- Intercessory 7657
- Private 7700
- Public 7701
- Social and Famly 7702
- Thanksgiving 8203
- Praise 7654
- Love:
- To God 7311
- To Jesus Christ 7310
- To all men 7312
- The Future Destiny of Believers 7859
- The Future Destiny of the Wicked 7801
- (Found under
- "Punishment of the Wicked," 7801
- "Death of the Wicked,") 6609
- The Character of Christ 6464
- The Resurrection of Christ 7855
- The Ascension of Christ 6304
- The Second Coming of Christ: 8003
- The Reign of Christ 6501
- The Holy Spirit 7060
- Is God 7061
- Personality of 7062
- The Teacher 7063
- God. His Attributes and Work 6957
- Grace 6961
- Messianic Prophecies 7750
- The Church 6505
- Church of Israel 6506
- The Jews 7163
- Joy 7201
- Of God over his People 7202
- The Judgment 7207
- Life 7301
- Peace 7563
- Perfection 7602
- Persecution 7603
-
- 4) STUDY THE BIBLE BY CHAPTERS. This method of Bible study is
- not beyond any person of average intelligence who has
- fifteen minutes or more a day to put into Bible Study. It
- will take, however, more than one day to study a chapter if
- only fifteen minutes a day are set apart for the work.
-
- 4a) Select the chapters you wish to study. It is well to
- take a whole book and study the chapters in their order.
- The Acts of the Apostles (or the Gospel of John) is a
- good book to begin with. In time one may take up every
- chapter in the Bible, but it would not be wise to begin
- with Genesis.
-
- 4b) Read the chapter for today's study five times. It is
- well to read it aloud at least once. The writer sees
- many things when he reads the Bible aloud that he does
- not see when he reads silently. Each new reading will
- bring out some new point.
-
- 4c) Divide the chapters into their natural divisions and
- find headings for them that describe in the most
- striking way their contents. For example, suppose the
- chapter studied is 1 John 5. You might divide it in this
- way:
-
- 1. verses 1-3 The Believer's Noble Parentage
- 2. verses 4,5 The Believer's Glorious Victory
- 3. verses 6-10 The Believer's Sure Ground of Faith
- 4. verses 11,12 The Believer's Priceless Possession
- 5. verse 13 The Believer's Blessed Assurance
- 6. verses 14,15 The Believer's Unquestioning Confidence
- 7. verses 16,17 The Believer's Great Power and Responsibility
- 8. verses 18,19 The Believer's Perfect Security
- 9. verse 20 The Believer's Precious Knowledge
- 10. verse 21 The Believer's Constant Duty
-
- In many cases the natural divisions will be longer than in
- this chapter.
-
- 4d) Note the important differences between the Authorised
- Version and modern versions. Add these to your notes
- for that verse using the Online Bible verse note
- facility.
-
- 4e) Note the leading facts of the chapter in their proper order.
-
- 4f) Make a note of the persons mentioned in the chapter and
- of any knowledge gained about their character. For
- example, if your chapter is Acts 16, then the persons
- mentioned are:
-
- 1. Timothy
- 2. Timothy's mother
- 3. Timothy's father
- 4. The brethren at Lystra and Iconium
- 5. Paul
- 6. The Jews of Lystra and Iconium
- 7. The apostles and elders at Jerusalem
- 8. A man of Macedonia
- 9. Luke
- 10. Some women of Philippi
- 11. Lydia
- 12. The household of Lydia
- 13. A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination
- 14. The masters of this damsel
- 15. Silas
- 16. The praetors of Philippi
- 17. The Philippian mob
- 18. The jailor of Philippi
- 19. The prisoners in the Philippian jail
- 20. The household of the jailor
- 21. The lictors of Philippi
- 22. The brethren in Philippi
-
- What does the chapter tell us about these characters?
-
- 4g) Note the principal lessons of the chapter. It would be well
- to classify these:
-
- 1. Lessons about God
- 2. Christ
- 3. The Holy Spirit
-
- and so forth.
-
- 4h) The Central Truth of the chapter.
-
- 4i) The key verse of the chapter if there is one.
-
- 4j) The best verse in the chapter. Opinions will differ
- widely here. But the question is, which is the best
- verse to you at this present reading? Mark it and
- memorise it.
-
- 4k) Note the verses that are usable as texts for sermons or
- talks or Bible readings. If you have time make an
- analysis of the thought of these verses and record it
- using the Online Bible verse note facility.
-
- 4l) Name the chapter. For example,
-
- Acts 1 - The Ascension Chapter
- Acts 2 - The Day of Pentecost Chapter
- Acts 3 - The Lame Man's Chapter
-
- and so forth. Give your own names to the chapters.
- Give the name that sets forth the most important and
- characteristic feature of the chapter.
-
- 4m) Note subjects for further study. For example, you are
- studying Acts 1. Subjects suggested for further study are:
-
- The Baptism with Holy Spirit
- The Second Coming of Christ.
-
- 4n) Words and phrases for further study. For example, if
- you are studying John 3, you should look up words and
- expressions such as:
-
- Eternal life,
- Born again,
- Water,
- Believer,
- and The Kingdom of God.
-
- 4o) Note what new truth you have learned from the chapter.
- If you have learned none, you had better go over it
- again.
-
- 4p) What truth already known has come to you with new power?
-
- 4q) 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.
-
- 5) STUDY THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD. The Bible is the Word
- of God, and we get the most good out of any book by studying
- it for its true value. 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. It is true that the Bible is a book as other books
- are, and the same laws of grammatical and literary
- construction and interpretation hold here as hold in other
- books. But the Bible is an entirely unique book. It is
- what no other book is--The Word of God. This can be easily
- proven to any candid man. The Bible ought then to be
- studied as no other book is. It should be studied as the
- Word of God. (1 Th. 2:13) This involves five things.
-
- 5a) A greater eagerness and more careful and candid study to
- find out just what it teaches than is bestowed upon any
- other book or upon all other books. We must know the
- mind of God; here it is revealed.
-
- 5b) A prompt and unquestioning acceptance of and submission
- to its teachings when definitely ascertained, even when
- these teachings appear to us unreasonable or impossible.
- If this book is the Word of God how foolish to submit
- its teachings to the criticism of our finite reason.
- The little boy who discredits his wise father's
- statements because to his infant mind they appear
- unreasonable, is not a philosopher but a fool. When we
- are once satisfied that the Bible is the Word of God,
- its clear teachings must be the end of all controversy
- and discussion.
-
- 5c) Absolute reliance upon all its promises in all their
- length and breadth and depth and height. The one who
- studies the Bible as the Word of God will say of every
- promise no matter how vast and beyond belief it appears,
- " God who cannot lie has promised this, so I claim it
- for myself." Mark the promises you thus claim. Look
- each day for some new promise from your infinite Father.
- He has put "his riches in glory" at your disposal. (Php
- 4:19)
-
- 5d) Obedience--prompt, exact, unquestioning, joyous
- obedience--to every command that is evident from the
- context that applies to you. Be on the lookout for new
- orders from the King. Blessing lies in the direct
- obedience to them. God's commands are but signboards
- that mark the road to present success and blessedness
- and to eternal glory.
-
- 5e) Studying the Bible as the Word of God, involves studying
- it as his own voice speaking directly to you. When you
- open the Bible to study it realise that you have come
- into the presence of God and that now he is going to
- speak to you. Every hour thus spent in Bible study will
- be an hour's walk and talk with God.
-
- 6) STUDY THE BIBLE PRAYERFULLY. The author of the book is
- willing to act as interpreter of it. He does so when we ask
- him to. The one who prays with earnestness and faith, the
- Psalmist's prayer, "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold
- wondrous things out of thy law," will get his eyes opened to
- see beauties and wonders in the Word that he never dreamed
- of before. Be very definite about this. Each time you open
- the Bible to study it, ask God to give you the open and
- discerning eye, and expect him to do it. Every time you
- come to a difficulty lay it before God and ask an
- explanation and expect it. How often we think as we puzzle
- over hard passages, "Oh if I only had so and so here to
- explain this." God is always present. Take it to him.
-
- 7) LOOK FOR "THE THINGS CONCERNING CHRIST" "IN ALL THE
- SCRIPTURES." Christ is everywhere in the Bible (Luke 24:27)
- be on the lookout for him and mark his presence when you
- find it.
-
- 8) IMPROVE SPARE MOMENTS IN BIBLE STUDY. In almost every man's
- life many minutes each day are lost; while waiting for meals
- or buses, while riding in the car, etc. Carry a pocket
- Bible or Testament with you and save those golden minutes by
- putting them to the very best use listening to the voice of
- God. Print the topic your are studying (if you have a
- printer) so you can easily carry your notes with you.
-
- 9) STORE AWAY THE SCRIPTURE IN YOUR MIND AND HEART. It will
- keep you from sin (Ps 119:11,) from false doctrine (Ac
- 20:29,30,32 2Ti 3:13-15), it will fill you heart with joy
- (Jer 15:16), and peace (Ps 85:8), it will give you the
- victory over the Evil One (1Jo 2:14), it will give you power
- in prayer (Joh 15:7), it will make you wiser than the aged
- and your enemies (Ps 119:100,98,130) it will make you
- "complete, furnished completely to every good work." (2Ti
- 3:16,17) Try it. Do not memorise at random but memorise
- Scripture in a connected way. Memorise texts bearing on
- various subjects in proper order. Memorise by chapter and
- verse that you may know where to put your finger upon the
- text if any one disputes it.
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