How to Study the Bible This Year

It’s a new year. You’ve probably started your reading plan and are off to a great start studying the Bible this year.  My early attempts at Bible study were sporadic and didn’t go that smoothly. I soon learned that I needed a more formalized approach to my Bible study. Here are a few tips & resources that I’ve found that will help you keep your Bible study on track.

PREPARE YOURSELF THROUGH PRAYER

“All our study is futile without the work of God overcoming our blindness and hardheartedness.”
– John Piper

There is no substitute for prayer when reading and studying the Bible. Prayer takes the attention off of what we can do and puts the attention instead on what God can do in and through us. Bible study is a spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1) in which we present our best to God. We have to remember that this is not just a book we’re reading.  We need prepare our hearts and minds for Bible study.

READ THE SCRIPTURE FOR YOURSELF

Read and re-read the passage you’re studying. Get familiar with the flow of the passage. If there are terms that you don’t know, look them up in a simple dictionary.

Ask yourself these questions

1. Observe – What does the text say?
2. Interpret – What does the text mean?
3. Apply – How does it apply to me today?

Asking these questions will keep you focused on the study at hand. These questions are also helpful when preparing, guiding, and leading discussions for small group and Sunday school Bible studies.

READ & RESEARCH

1. Bible Study Notes

There are multiple Bibles that have notes written by scholars and trusted authors that will assist you in better understanding the Bible. I recommend choosing one that corresponds to your preferred translation (KJV, ESV, NIV, NLT, etc.

2. Bible Concordances

Concordances are great tools that give you a list of verses that contain that root word in the Bible. However, be careful that you do not JUST use a concordance in your preparation. Concordances are a great place to BEGIN, but are never the END of your Bible Study.

With that “don’t try this at home” disclaimer, I do suggest using a digital Bible with Strong’s numbers integrated into the text for your Bible study.

Recommendations:

• Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) – cross references
• Holman Concise Topical Concordance
• Other Concordances Available

3. Bible Dictionaries

Dictionaries give you more explanation and meaning for specific words. They also help us to keep our Bible Study on track.

Recommendations:

• Easton’s Bible Dictionary (Free Olive Tree Resource)
• Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary (Free Olive Tree Resource)
• Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

4. Bible Commentaries

After you’ve studied the Bible for yourself, it is often helpful to read trusted Bible scholars to see how they explain the text you are reading.

Recommendations:

• Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary (Free Olive Tree Resource)
• Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Free Olive Tree Resource)
• The Bible Knowledge Commentary
• Word Biblical Commentary (WBC)

I would also suggest checking BestCommentaries.com. It’s a great site with recommendations for commentaries on each book of the Bible.

Other Resources

Lastly, here are some useful resources to further your Bible Study methods:

• How to Study the Bible by Rose Publishing
• Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods by Rick Warren
• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart

Using these simple methods and tools will deepen your time in the Word and further prepare you to present God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15).

Want to see what else is out there? Browse all study tools on sale!