Inductive Bible study is primarily asking questions and looking for answers in the text.
- Observation – What does it say?
- Interpretation – What does it mean?
- Application – What does it mean for me?
(More detail in the handout: Inductive Bible Study – A few general ideas)
Asking questions is key to good Bible Study
At the end of the study (personal or group), if all your questions were answered, you didn’t ask enough questions.
Questions often prompted Jesus’ teaching:
- “How can a man be born when he is old?”
John 3:4 - “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”
Matthew 9:11 - “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
Matthew 9:14
Even awkward questions, questions that completely missed the point:
- “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”
Matthew 11:3 - “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”
John 9:2
The inductive method is detective work. Ask questions, look for any clue, gather evidence, decide later if the clue is important. If you find yourself saying early in a study, “That can’t be important” you may miss some key part of a passage.
The sequence of questions is important: Observation, Interpretation, Application
“How does this apply to my life?” is not the first question to ask. Critical, but not first.
Observe until there is nothing left, then observe some more. You will be surprised how often you discover some helpful piece of the passage you missed before.
Don’t be satisfied with “hearsay impressions” or generalities about what the Bible says – they are often wrong or superficial at best.
Application without thorough observation and interpretation can lead to error.
- Heretical – Wrong understanding leads to mistaken behavior.
- Familiar – Reaffirming what we already know is good, but is there anything else in the passage?
- Superficial – Shallow thinking, avoiding difficult questions is easy but unproductive. “Raking is easy, but you only get leaves. Digging is hard, but you may find diamonds.” John Piper
Some mechanics of inductive study:
Marking the text is very helpful in seeing the flow of the writer’s thinking. However, marking in your Bible will usually limit your thinking the next time you want to look at that passage. Looking at the marks and notes from a study months ago can prevent the discovery of new jewels in the passage. You can print out the text from BibleGateway.com or dozens of other sources. Or photocopy a page from your Bible.
If possible, remove verse numbers, paragraph divisions, and section headings. Start fresh with the basic text. You may see connections between paragraphs (breaks determined by the translator, not in the original text) that may be helpful.
For group discussion line numbers can be helpful to find particular words or phrases.
Delay cross-referencing until you have spent time on the passage. Cross-references are valuable and important for broad understanding of Scripture. Looking at cross-references too soon can lead to superficial jumping from one passage to another. First get as much as possible from the passage under study.
Avoid quickly using a study Bible or commentary (at least early in your study of a passage). These are great resources but they can short-circuit the process the Holy Spirit might want to take you through and what He wants to show you from the passage. Consult other resources after you have had an opportunity to wrestle with what God may want to teach you directly from the text.
Industrious dependence:
Inductive study is methodical, but much more than merely techniques or procedures.
Open my eyes, Lord, that I may see wonderful things in your Law. – Psalm 119:18
God opens our eyes enabling our seeing, making our efforts fruitful
Suggested Reading:
Arthur, Kay. How to Study Your Bible. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 1994.
Very readable with details about using the inductive method for different types of Biblical writing (poetry, figurative language, biography, narrative, etc.) as well as other techniques, such as outlining and topical studies.
Davis, John Jefferson. Meditation and Communion with God: Contemplating Scripture in an Age of Distraction. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2012.
Helpful and challenging to remind us that Bible study is not about technique but about growing in our communion with the Triune God.
Traina, Robert A. Methodical Bible Study. Wilmore, Kentucky: Asbury Theological Seminary, 1952.
Dated, sometimes difficult, and probably the best book I ever read on the inductive method. Time spent in its detail and rigorous digging into the text of Scripture will pay great rewards.
Inductive Bible Study
(A few general ideas)
Observation (What does it say?)
- Who are the people involved?
- What is the action taking place?
- What type of literature is the passage (poetry, history, didactic, etc.)?
- What details are included or left out?
- Are there any unusual words used?
- Is there any symbolic or figurative language used?
- What is the grammar of the passage (pronouns, prepositions, verb tenses)?
- Is there any repetition of words or ideas?
- Are there comparisons or contrasts?
- Are there indications of cause and effect?
- Are there indications of purpose (“in order that…”)?
- Are there conclusions (“Therefore…”)?
- Does the passage contain any explanations?
- Does the passage logically break into sections?
- How would you summarize the passage?
- What would be a good “headline” for the passage?
Interpretation (What does it mean?)
- How would the original readers have understood the passage?
- What is the main emphasis?
- Why does the writer use repetition, or contrast, or unusual words?
- What does the grammar or structure of the passage reveal about the writer’s thought pattern?
- Is there a logical sequence in the passage?
- How are different ideas in the passage connected?
- Are there any new ideas or concepts presented?
- Are there difficulties in the passage?
Application (What does it mean for me?)
- Is there a command to obey?
- Is there a promise to be thankful for?
- Is there an attribute of God to worship?
- Is there an example to follow?