Methods of Bible Study

[Curious]

I’d love for people to share their favorite/most effective method of Bible study. I’ve been trying to renew my vigor for Bible reading and/or study but I’m feeling rather lost. Do I want to read casually, at least at first, or do I want to study intensely? Where do I want to focus? etc etc.

If you guys don’t care, share with me some good stuff that you do that you find effective.

Thanks

 

[conan025]

The most effective method for me is “just do it”. If you don’t have much time, even doing the daily readings for mass will help. I think that covers most of the Bible in its three-year cycle. That has the added advantage of doing your reading along with the universal church.

I’ve also used a “Bible in one year” plan. This has the advantage of giving you the “big picture,” especially of the historical books. Either way has its advantages.

For an introduction, I really like You can understand the Bible, by Peter Kreeft. It gives a short introduction to each book, so you know what’s going on, what are the main ideas, etc.

If you want to go more in-depth, you may want a study Bible or commentary. I have the Catholic Study Bible, but some of its notes are too theologically liberal for my liking. Perhaps someone else knows of a more conservative one? Hope this helps.

 

[puzzleannie]

I’d love for people to share their favorite/most effective method of Bible study. I’ve

lectio divina, search on lectio in either the spirituality or scripture forums for great links (or somebody will beat me to the punch here).

for instance if you are going to use the Sunday gospel, read the text in a good study bible (at least get the 4 gospel volumes of the Ignatius study bible), read the explanatory notes. This is your preparation for lectio. Then follow the guide for lectio with that passage.
briefly: choose and prepare the passage (as above)
read - lectio - slowly and attentively the entire passage again.
pause for silence
read again, slowly. When you come to a phrase or word that speaks to you stop, ruminate, chew, meditate- meditatio- and listen to that word God has for you at this time. When the phrase no longer speaks, move on, stopping again when you are moved to do so. Think about what it makes you feel, think, believe. These things you may write in your journal, with the phrases, if you like to journal.
read the entire passage again when you have finished the meditative reading.
pray - oratio - this is your response to what God is saying to you at this time, you can write it in your journal or pray silently, with or without words.
silent contemplation - contemplatio - rest with the Lord in the Word. wait, rest, listen with the ears of the heart. this is the most difficult part of the process, to give yourself over to silence and quiet even for a few moments.

The entire process for a gospel length passage should probably take no less than 20 minutes, but no more than an hour unless you have been drawn by the Lord into a deeper contemplation, which may sometimes happen.

 

[Nita]

I’ve found Bible studies to be helpful - where there are questions to be answered. They “force” me to think more deeply about a passage. I prefer studies that go through a book of the Bible, rather than those based on a certain topic. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible is a good example. Each study includes the Scripture text, extensive footnotes, and questions on each chapter (questions in the back of the booklet.) So far I have seen studies only on New Testament books of the Bible.

Nita

 

[boppaid]

I find “just reading” it every night to be VERY helpful, and definately brings me closer to the Lord. I also LOVE Beth Moore studies on DVD

lproof.org/

 

[Pug]

I’d love for people to share their favorite/most effective method of Bible study. I’ve been trying to renew my vigor for Bible reading and/or study but I’m feeling rather lost. Do I want to read casually, at least at first, or do I want to study intensely? Where do I want to focus? etc etc.

If you guys don’t care, share with me some good stuff that you do that you find effective.

Thanks

What do you mean by “study”? You could mean simply figuring out what’s in there, or you may mean meditation. There are different ways that I interact with the bible. Sometimes I read a book, like James, cover to cover, and try and see the themes and track how certain words are used. Other times, I read a line or two tops and just think/pray about it. The psalms are great for that. I can see why they have been popular over the years. There is a lot you can get out of a line like, “Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.”

In the past I was big on finding out the background, what Jewish life was like back then, poetic forms, tracking down OT references, etc. But now I tend to interact with it as it is. I think it changes over time. Maybe all you need is a change.