If you move straight from your initial reading of a passage to the application of that passage, you will remain tied to your previous understanding of that text. You will rarely see anything new and exciting in the text, and the Bible will become boring for you. Any teaching or preaching you do will likewise tend to be flat and boring or a reflection of something other than Scripture. The Bible, however, is the Word of God, and it is not boring. We simply need to learn how to read it with more insight and understanding.
If you want to dig out real gold from the Bible-if you desire to pull out of God’s Word some of the serious “meat” that he has placed there for us to sink our teeth into-you have to exert considerable effort. It takes work-hard work! And you, the reader, have to decide whether you are content with shallow “baby food” that comes from casual reading or whether you want to work for the “mature food” that comes from serious reading.
One of the most critical skills needed in reading the Bible is the ability to see the details. Most of us read the Bible too quickly, and we skip over the details of the text. However, the meaning of the Bible is intertwined into the details of every sentence. Our first step in grasping a biblical text is to observe as many details as possible.
So, how do we develop the skill of observing the Bible? We read the text over and over, noting the details of the text. There are several basic features to look for that will help us to get started with this observation stage. These features include repetition of words, contrasts, comparisons, lists, cause and effects, figures of speech, conjunctions, verbs, and pronouns. This list, however, represents only some of what you might search for. Observation includes looking carefully at all the details of the text.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN SENTENCES
1. Repetition of Words-Look for words that repeat. First, be sure to note any words that repeat within the sentence you are studying. Then survey the sentences around the text you are reading and look for repetition in the larger passage.
Look, for example, at 1 John 2:15-17:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Which word repeats in the first sentence? Does this word (“world”) appear in the next sentence as well? How many times in this passage does “world” occur? Is it in every sentence? Does it always have the definite article “the,” as in “the world”? Did you also notice the repetition of “love”? How many times does “love” occur? Simply by observing the repetition of words, we have an early indication of what the passage may be about. It has something to do with the world-in particular, about loving the world.
2. Contrasts-Look for items, ideas, or individuals that are contrasted with each other. For an example of contrast, take a look at Proverbs 14:31:
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Two different types of people are contrasted in this passage. Both in the way they treat the poor and in the way this behavior toward the poor reflects their attitude toward God. One type oppresses the poor, an action that reflects contempt for God, their Creator. The other type of person is kind to the poor. His action towards the poor honors God.
3. Comparisons-Contrasts focuses on differences. Comparison focuses on similarities. Look for items, ideas, or individuals that are compared with each other.
Proverbs 25:26 provides a good Old Testament example:
Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
How is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked like a muddied spring? Because the spring, like the man, was once clean, pure, and useful, but know is contaminated and useless for service.
4. Lists-Any time you encounter more than two itemized things, you can identify them as a list. Write the list down and explore its significance. Is there any order? Are the items grouped in any way? For example, what three things are listed in 1 John 2:16?
What is listed in Galatians 5:22-23?
And what is listed in Galatians 5:19-21?
5. Cause and Effect-Often the biblical writers will state a cause and then state the effect of that cause. Proverbs 15:1 has two cause-and-effect relationships.
A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The first cause is a “soft answer.” What is the effect of this cause? It “turns away wrath.” The second cause is a “harsh word.” What does that result in? As we all well know, it “stirs up anger.”
6. Figures of Speech-Figures of speech are images in which words are used in a sense other than the normal, literal sense. For example, think about the lamp image in Psalm 119:105:
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
God’s Word is not a literal “lamp” to light up a dark trail for us. Rather, it is a figurative lamp that allows us to see our way through life (feet/path) clearly. Note that both “lamp” and “feet/path” are figures of speech.
7. Conjunctions-If we imagine the biblical text to be like a brick house, then conjunctions are the mortar that holds the bricks (phrases and sentences) together. One critical aspect of careful reading is to note all of the conjunctions (“and,” “for,” “but,” “therefore,” “since,” “because,” etc. Our tendency is to skip over them-but don’t do it! Without the mortar the bricks fall into a jumbled mess. So always take note of the conjunctions and identify their purpose or function. That is, try to determine what the conjunction connects.
For example, if you encounter the conjunction “but,” you might suspect some sort of contrast. Look in the text for the things being contrasted by this conjunction. Recall Romans 6:23:
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The conjunction “but” indicates a contrast between the wages of sin (death) and the gift of God (eternal life).
8. Verbs-Where All the Action Is- Verbs are important because they communicate the action of the sentence. As you observe the text, be sure to note the verbal action. Try to identify what kind of verb is used. Is the verb a past, present, or future tense verb (I went, I go, I will go)? Does it present a progressive idea; that is, does it have a continued action (I was going, I am going, I will be going)? Is it an imperative verb (Go!)?
9. Pronouns-Note all pronouns and be sure to identify the antecedent (to whom or to what the pronoun refers).
Now it’s your turn. Take a look at Romans 12:1-2. Make as many observations as you can using the 9 things to observe that we have covered so far. The above list is far from exhaustive and is presented to help you get started. As you get into a text, observe as many details as possible. Spend time in the passage. Each sentence in the Bible has dozens and dozens of details just waiting for you to observe. Look carefully at the text. Read it over and over! Post your comments, reflections, or thoughts by clicking on the comments link below.
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