Inductive Bible Study Methods



Inductive Bible Study MethodsBy Roxanne Lee ()One of the most exciting experiences that you have in your walk with Christ is to discover truth from the Bible. God wants to speak to you through His Word. He has given his Holy Spirit to guide you in all truth. Inductive Bible Study does not take the Spirit’s place. Rather, it helps you to look carefully at scripture, opening you to learn as the Spirit enables you. Therefore, as you begin to study, ask the Holy Spirit to help you.Use these suggestions for studying a passage on your own in your Quiet Time without becoming enslaved to them. Your enjoyment of God's Word will increase if you develop the basic habit of observation from Inductive Bible Study. Your understanding of God's Word will increase if you develop the habit of interpretation from Inductive Bible Study. Your conformity to God's word will increase if you develop the habit of application from Inductive Bible Study! God bless your diligent studies!Inductive Bible Study MethodsInductive Verses DeductiveInductionInference of a generalized conclusion from particular instances. Inductive Bible Study takes careful notice of the details to build a set of beliefs around discoveries from scripture.DeductionInference in which the conclusion about particulars follows necessarily from general or universal premises.Or the deriving of a conclusion by reasoning. Deductive Bible Study attempts to make scripture fit into an established opinion or doctrine. NOTE: This Inductive Bible Study is not meant to tell students that deductive thinking is wrong or bad. Deductive reasoning with the Bible is necessary sometimes for difficult subjects or if someone else has carefully done inductive study and built solid doctrine around their understanding of the words of God. However, *every**Christian**must* be equipped to study the Bible inductively to guard against false, distorted or misleading teachings and practices.PAGE 1Homiletics and word studies are other ways to do inductive study. This Methods Class presents only the “Three Question Method of Inductive Bible Study”:What does it say? ObservationWhat does it mean?InterpretationWhat does it mean to me?ApplicationThe explanations below coincidewith the worksheets to the right.You will be given a weekly print outof the scripture we are studying and these blank worksheets to fill out. ContextualizationBefore beginning to study, the passage mist be contextualized by:Genre- Type of literature.- Historical account (3rd person account)　-Law -Prophecy-Narrative (written in 2nd person, i.e. I or we)-Poetry-Proverbs-Personal letter (one person to another individual)-Letter to a groupAuthor/Historical Notes-Date/location/circumstances the writer was living in.-Writer’s/Audience’s occupation, location, experiences (past/present) if known.Overview-Make a few notes about the subject, characters and events for the passage you are studying.-Do the same for the passages immediately before and after your selection.PAGE 21. ObservationFormer Princeton Professor Howard Kuist defined observation as “the art of seeing things as they really are.” Observation is a learned and trained skill in Bible Study but is essentially just awareness. God’s Word is sometimes built around surprising paradoxes. An important part of inductive study is noticing the unexpected twists in the text and deeply pondering their meaning.Settings/Characters- Make a list of people or places involved. This may give clues to why something is happening in a certain way. It may also help you connect the events you read in one passage with things in another place in the Bible.Repetition -Repeated words, phrases or ideas that keep parisons/Contrasts- The more complex or extended comparisons or contrasts can be best summarized in a chart you can develop once you notice a pattern emerging. Some of the more simple comparisons or contrasts can be understood by making a mental picture (or even drawing a visual picture.)Logical Relationships- Let transition words and patterns in part of speech (see below) cue you to think of the logical thought being expressed and make the same link in your mind that the author intended for his readers. For example, if you see “that same day,” ask yourself, what happened that day that is triggering this progression? Or if you see the words “therefore,” look at what the author was talking about right before that word and what his next step is. Then you’ll understand why he is commanding or concluding what comes after the “therefore.” USE ARROWS to link and illustrate the logical relationships you discover.Transition Words- at that time, during the reign of, on that day, that same night, next, so, but, then, after this, therefore, suddenly, for this reason, immediately, because of this, nevertheless, similarly, and finally, etc.Patterns in Parts of Speech- Underline and/or make lists if you see a pattern.Verbs: showing actions that indicate strength, failure, emotion, character, commands, etc. For example: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 has these verbs: live, warn, encourage, help, be, give, test, hold, avoid, greetAdjectives: Descriptive words like the ones found in Psalm 147 where God is described as great, mighty, unlimited and unfailing. Prepositions: that are important to the meaning. For example: John 15 talks repeatedly about remaining in Christ.Theme/Motifs- As you discover repetitions, comparisons and contrasts, the author’s intended themes will be easy to see. Find 2 or three and write what evidence in the passage supports this theme. Motifs are smaller in scale than themes but they contribute to the theme. For example, a passage may refer to extravagant furnishings and costly decorations in the king’s palace. This would be a “motif of luxury” that supports a “theme of royalty.”Questions/Problems- Write down what remains puzzling; you can discuss it during the group meeting. PAGE 32. InterpretationThought Units- Divide the passage into sections and title each. Keep the titles short and try to be creative because the purpose here is to not only make it memorable, but to think hard about what common elements unify the passage. Here are a few ways to be creative with the Thought Unit Titles: -Start them all with the same letter.-Make them all have the same number of words in the title.-Use titles of songs or movies that might fit.-Link them together by other patterns you invent.Here are 2 variations on the same passage:Verse 1-5 King Rules AllVerses 1-5 DominationVerses 6-12 King Ignores All ORVerses 6-12 ExasperationVerses 13-26 King Leaves AllVerses 13-26 EliminationCentral Truth Statement- The critical link between observation and application takes place here, uniting all the thought units. Look at the meanings, connections and facts. Distill all your observations into a principle that is broad enough to apply to life situations. The elemental and/or central truth is NOT a summary of the passage. It is like a thesis statement: results of original research into a specific view. It is the message that the Holy Spirit has embedded in the passage that you have uncovered by searching and researching His Word.Write a PRESENT-TENSE sentence centered around one of the following: -A principle for people to obey or an example to follow or avoid.-A truth about the Lord for people to rejoice in.-A promise for people to take hold of.The strength of Inductive Bible Study is that it helps students discover the meaning of the text themselves and not depend on teachers and preachers. Meanings arise from the text rather than being forced onto the text. Yet there is a tendency to become more and more deductive (and more proud) the more experienced you get. Constantly remember that this method allows the Bible to speak for itself. Yet, those who study the Bible inductively need to hold their conclusions with humility. All people are blinded by their own culture and by the limits of their personal experiences as they approach the text. No one can approach a text completely objectively and see all that is there. The “main truths” are subjective in some sense and need to be open to correction. This should inspire students of the Bible to study more, asking more questions of the text so that more layers of truth are uncovered. This is also an important reason to study in community as well as individually. bmncdjsfdnsjlfdkekf,elfrsjivgfKMbvkguiewqkjfn,vbnvjkfdnvkifjhbinjginmjkjutijhmiuitkjmTo check your interpretation, cross-reference other parts of the Bible itself. Pray that God will help you understand. You can also ask questions to pastors or trusted Christian friends, read a Bible commentary about this section and/or consult a topical study on the subject at hand. PAGE 43. Application ? Application to PrayerMake sure to continually go back to the very words of the passage that you just read. God wrote the Bible—you can hold to the truth of His words and pray with more faith than before. Reflect - Review your notes, remember, reflect, meditate on what you’ve learned.Adore - Praise God for what you have seen about his character in the passage using the exact words or referring to the general ideas that point to God. Adore God for WHO his word says He is. This is different from thanking Him for things. Although, you naturally will think of things or blessings in your life to praise him for and that is okay. As long as you first focus on the unchanging characteristics that are independent of your circumstances.Repent- Repent for things specifically or indirectly revealed in the section .Ask- Petition God for things specifically or indirectlyrevealed in the section .For example, you could pray from Acts 16:16-40 “O God Most High (v.17), I praise you that you alone know all things and you alone can see the future (v.16). Forgive me for consulting astrology, fortunetellers or even my own superstitions. Help me trust you alone!! So many times I have feared the loss of money (v.16/19) or the threat of persecution (v.19) too much to change myself or to confront sin around me (v.18). Forgive me! Lord, I am struggling with ------ and I pray in the powerful name of Jesus Christ (v.18) that even as I am stripped (v.22) of my dignity and beaten (v.22) down, instead of complaining enable me to pray and sing hymns so that others can listen (v.25) and be comforted and ultimately be converted (v.30). Oh, Father, I think of ------ right now that she would believe on the Lord Jesus (v.31) and be saved. May her whole household believe and be baptized (v.34). Oh God, please let this hard situation that I am now going through bring you glory and bring me release (v.35) so I can go on doing your work and encouraging others (v.40)”? Application to Life Attitudes to adopt or change based on the truth I’ve discovered.-Sins I resolve with God’s help to turn -Examples to I want to follow, principles to practice, commands to obeyAction to take based on the truth I’ve discovered.-Is there one thing I will specifically commit myself to this week?-Write out a plan of action in your journal or somewhere you’ll see it.Tell a friend or tell your fellowship group what you’ve learned and/or decided to do.Ask Jesus to enable you to apply this for his glory, or your good and for others to see your changed life.PAGE 5Contextualization of the following passage:Genre:Author/Audience:Historical Notes:Previous Chapter OverviewThis Chapter OverviewNext Chapter OverviewOBSERVATION-What does it say?Settings…………………………………………… Characters……………………………………….…Repetition…………………………………………………………………………………………………….Comparisons/Contrasts…………………………………………………………………………………..Logical Relationships……………………………………………………………………………………...Theme/Motifs………………………………………………………………………………………………..Questions/Problems……………………………………………………………………………………….INTERPRETATION -What does it mean?Title thought unitsCentral TruthAPPLYING THE SCRIPTURES- What does it mean to my prayer life and real life? Reflect for a while and then:AdoreRepentAsk…….…..……………………………………………………………………………………………In Jesus’ name, amen.Attitudes to adopt or change based on the truth I discovered:Actions to take based on these new attitudes: ................
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