Receive the Word (4)

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7.10

Deeper still
The word, “study”, is, for most of us I wager, a rather worn out term. Maybe even something that has completely lost its appeal.

Study is what we did when we were in school, and the mere mention of study brings to mind late nights poring over books, reviewing notes, and getting ready for an exam. Been there, done that.

The Hebrew word for study is more helpful. It means something like “to tread or frequent” or even “to follow” or “to pursue.” The image that comes to mind is more like a hunter, traipsing through the woods, or some guy with a metal detector walking through a newly plowed field, looking for Civil War memorabilia. There’s a lot of following leads, tracing and retracing one’s steps, watching, listening, and staying alert.

When Ezra prepared his heart to study the Law of God, we know that he wasn’t just looking for information to help him pass some test. And he wasn’t simply checking something off his daily To Do list.  He wanted to learn how to live, and he intended to teach others how to live as well. Thus his study of God’s Word would have involved an active, lively, and highly curious pursuit of God’s will, and it would have been focused on improving every aspect of his soul and life.

And Ezra’s study would have taken a good deal of time and effort.

Approaches to Scripture study
If we want to learn the Scriptures so that the living Word dwells in and lives through us, and so that we can help others live this way, we’ll need to commit to a course of study. Daily reading of the Word, coupled with regular meditation, will lay and reinforce a solid foundation for studying the Scriptures. We should not presume to embark on this course until those other two disciplines are firmly in place in our lives.

The study of Scripture requires more time and some new disciplines. God gives us the time we need to study His Word. Our duty is to devote enough of our time each week so that we can pursue discovering the will of God in His Word through more careful study.

We may approach the study of God’s Word from a variety of perspectives. We may want to trace some primary Biblical theme as it develops throughout the Scriptures – like, for example, the covenant and promises of God. Or we may want to pursue a better understanding of a book of the Bible, or perhaps a section (such as the Ten Commandments, the Psalms of Ascent, or the Sermon on the Mount), or even just a single passage of the Scriptures. We might do a character study, and compare what we can learn from the saints and scoundrels of Scripture. Or we may focus our study on a particular genre of the Word, such as poetry, prophecy, or historical narrative. Studying the Bible for how it can help us think through contemporary issues or concerns is yet another approach.

What all these types of study have in common is that they engage us with the Word of God at two levels simultaneously. The first is the level of our focus – a theme, book, doctrine, issue, character, and so forth. And the second is the larger, overarching narrative of Scripture and how the focus of our study fits into the grand scheme of the whole. We must not lose sight of the unfolding covenant of God, no matter the subject of focus of our study, but always seek to grow deeper into that covenant and its precious and very great promises, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Studying the Word of God
The key components of effective Bible study are four: persistent reading and review; comparison of Scripture; consultation with other authorities; statement and application. Let me briefly review each of these.

Good students of the Bible are not in a hurry. They are willing to read, meditate, mull, and otherwise pore over the focus of their studies again and again and again. They jot down thoughts, make outlines, create diagrams, and read and re-read texts to make sure they’ve covered the ground of their topic from every imaginable perspective. Imagine yourself persisting in your reading and review like someone with a metal detector, combing a beach or historic battlefield. Stay at it until you hear a “ping”!

At the same time, our study will find us looking for other Scriptures to shed light on our focus. A good study Bible can help here, as can a concordance, a Bible dictionary, and a good memory. Because the Spirit speaks throughout the Word, we would expect Him to return to the same ideas again and again, and we’ll want to hear His views on our chosen focus from as many places in the Word as possible. Make note of Scriptures that have a bearing on your study, and plan to meditate on these at some point.

You’ll want to see how others have thought about the topic of your study. Commentaries can help here, but keep in mind there are different kinds, and make sure you have chosen some by scholars writing from within the tradition of orthodox theology. You might also find some help on the Internet, if you know reliable teachers whose writings you can consult. Studying with a group of friends, to get their input, is also a good idea (Col. 3.16).

Finally, you need to state the conclusions of your study in your own words – an outline, a journal entry, or a summary you can talk through with others. And you should determine specific applications from your study that will aid your own growth in the Lord.

Studying the Scriptures is an important aspect of how we must receive the living Word and let it dwell richly within us. Make some room in your week for this important spiritual discipline.

For reflection
1.  Are there aspects or topics of Scripture which you would like to study more closely? Jot down a few:

2.  How can you see that regular reading and meditation will make studying the Scriptures easier and more fruitful?

3.  What are some of the advantages of being part of a study group? What makes for a really good study group?

Next steps - Preparation: Make a list of things you might like to study from the Word of God. Share your list with some friends, and see if any of them would like to join you in one or more of these investigations. Keep your list handy as you read your Bible daily, and jot down thoughts or references that seem to have a bearing on your areas of interest.

T. M. Moore

To learn more about understanding and using the Bible, enroll in the course, Introduction to Biblical Theology. It’s free and online, and you can study at your own pace or with friends. To learn more and to register, click here. This week’s study is Part 3 of a series on The Word of God, and is available as a free download by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.