Followers of Christ need to be in the Word: it's our lifeline, our communication, and our marching orders from our Father. As the world becomes more anti-Christian and twists Scripture to suit ungodly desires, we need to be in the Word more and more. Therefore, I'd like to share five tactics I use to study the Bible, for my personal devotional time, to write blog posts, or to prepare for speaking engagements. It may seem that "tactic" is a strange word to use in writing about Bible study as it seems so militaristic, but that's the point. We're engaging in spiritual warfare, and we have to know the weapon to use the weapon. Please note: this post may contain affiliate links to products, which have been carefully and prayerfully added as resources for you in the study of Scripture. When you purchase products using these referral links, it provides, at no cost to you, a small income to me and my family. Thank you for your support. Communion The first tactic is prayer. I pray that Jesus will reveal His will to me as I study, and show me what He wants me to learn. I commit the time I have in study to Him, and ask for His blessing on it. Content The second tactic I use is to read the passage of Scripture several times for content. I ask questions, such as Who wrote this passage, to whom was the passage written, where was it written, and when. Why was it written is another question I ask, as is how. The "how" is important to note, especially with the letters of Paul. Most likely, since he was in chains, a scribe was writing his verbal words down, which brings new meaning when he wrote, "See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!" [Galatians 6:11 NIV]. If it was a big deal to Paul that he wrote his name on the letter to the Galatians, we should take note of it. Reading the passage for content, in communion with the Lord, allows the Holy Spirit to cast new light on a passage you might have read a hundred times before. Click here to read "5 Bible Study Tools I Use" Culture Researching the history, culture, and traditions of the time period in which a particular passage is written will make the Scripture come alive and heap new meaning on it. For example, in Matthew 27:54, we read, "When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” You may read this as just an interesting tidbit, unless you look at the culture, history, and religious themes of that time period ~ Who said this? -- a Roman centurion When? -- during the time of Christ's crucifixion, also during the time of the Roman Empire Following that line, who was caesar at this time? (using the Internet) - Tiberius An internet search of Tiberius Caesar pulls up information that Roman coins, inscribed in Greek, had written on them Tiberius theou huios (“son of the god”) Therefore, when the centurion experiences the earthquake, and exclaims, "Surely he was the Son of God!" (emphasis added), we can deduce that this was an exclamation of no small feat -- a life-changing proclamation for the centurion, his household, and those around him. Jesus, to this Roman centurion, was not a son of god, like Roman priests claimed their gods and Caesar to be, but He was The Son of God. See how knowing the history, religious customs, and culture adds a whole other element to studying the Word? Character Studying the Word to understand the character of God is a powerful tool to understand Scripture. With today's translations, we loose a vital aspect of the Word from the original Hebrew and Greek, in that we may have the words "Lord," "LORD God," or "God," but those words in the original Hebrew would be different based on the Hebrew name for God. This is where an interlinear Bible translation comes in handy, as it has Bible passages in English, Hebrew, and Greek (depending on if the passage is in the Old or New Testaments). For example, Ezekiel 37:28 states, "Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’” But, knowing that the Hebrew word "Lord" is the Name of God YHVH M'kadesh, which means "The LORD Who Makes Holy," adds meaning and weight to this passage. Don't just gloss over the word "Lord" or "God" when studying Scripture. When you discover the exact Name of God being used in Scripture, it is then when you learn about the Awesome Character of God. Comparison and Clues Comparing verses and searching for clues about relationships between verses of different books of the Bible helps give a deeper meaning to Bible study. Near Your Altar will start featuring posts about the Resurrection starting on Ash Wednesday, so I've been studying the Crucifixion and Resurrection. John 20:14-16 states, "At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”)." At first glance, this seems like a nondescript passage about Mary Magdalene not recognizing Jesus until He makes it so. But, knowing the lesson of scripture is often in the little details, we have to look again: "At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”)." "Thinking he was the gardener..." If Mary thought the gardener was talking to him, they must have been in a garden. When were the other times God was in gardens? Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, but Mary wasn't there. God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden. Whoa. Let's go to Genesis chapter 3. In the Garden of Eden, God asked the question "Where are you?" and in the tomb's garden, Jesus asked, "Who is it you are looking for?" In one garden, God is looking for man; in the other, Mary (woman) is looking for Jesus. Jesus is hidden from her view; in the Genesis account, Adam and Eve are attempting to hide from God. Then Jesus says her name in such a way that she immediately knows it is Him and runs toward him, crying out "Teacher!" It is a moving and tearful passage, but one with incredible meaning once you begin to compare the passage with the one about the Fall. I believe it is about a special redemption for women. Studying the Bible is something I love to do. I love to learn more about my Lord, and my heart burns with joy when I learn some new thing about Him through His Word. Knowing His Word means that I am able to discern His will for my life and gives me the ability to sift His truth from satan's lies. With the Joy only Christ can give, Terrie (c) 2018 Terrie McKee
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