How Do I Study The Bible?

Author: Pastor Jonathan Edwards
February 04, 2025

How Do I Study the Bible?

The title of this month’s post is a question that every individual answers, whether they are conscious of answering it or not. Every time we read something, whether it is a fiction book, a news article, a sports report, a text message from a friend, or the Bible, we practice textual interpretation. What this means is that subconsciously, while you are reading, you are making judgments and evaluations on how to interpret the information you consume. Do you trust it? Does it make you happy or sad, and if so, why? Should you act upon the information or just let the information sit in your brain? What I have described to you in these questions is the process of interpretation – and most of us are unaware of the process that we use!

When it comes to interpreting the Bible, the most common process that I hear as a pastor is the “personalized method.” (I will say that in the church where I pastor this is not as common; but on YouTube or X or any other platform, such methodology runs rampant!) I’m not sure if this is an official name or not, but in practice, I know it is common. This method can be summed up with the question, “What does this mean to me?” In my experience, many people who use this method are unaware that they are doing it and are also not intending any harm. Yet this method is inherently dangerous to use because it places you, the reader, as the central character of the Biblical text and requires that all the text of Scripture be interpreted through the specific viewpoints and experiences that you have. Because of our fallen nature, people inherently try to make the text of Scripture affirm or support the “truths” they believe about life. Reading the Bible becomes a subjective experience, different for everyone, because every individual brings his or her own unique experiences and biases to the text.

Throughout church history, one can find examples of other methods of interpretation which are also less reliable and consistent, such as the allegorical method. In order to understand this method of interpretation, we must first learn what an allegory is. English class was probably a long time ago for most of us, and even for experts, a refresher never hurts! An allegory is a literary device or artistic form which uses the narrative of a story to convey a deeper, hidden spiritual or moral truth. The elements of the story are usually elements which are common to man (everyone can relate to them), but which communicate a spiritual meaning or moral truth that must be drawn out by the reader. The most famous allegorical story in the English Language is The Pilgrim’s Progress, written by John Bunyan. The names given to the main character (Christian) and other characters (Hopeful, Faithful, Mr. Worldly Wiseman) are designed to communicate the purpose of that character’s involvement in the plot, and to show an analogy to similar persons in real life. City names also have this function for example, the City of Destruction = the world we live in; the Celestial City = Heaven; Vanity Fair = distractions/passing pleasures of sin in this world. The Pilgrim’s Progress is a powerful story because the allegories it contains are easily understood and can be consistently interpreted by readers of all abilities. However, when one applies the allegorical method of interpretation to the Scriptures, one is seeking to find moral/spiritual truths where there may not be any. Often in the Scriptures, a sword is just a sword, and a loaf of bread is just a loaf of bread. Allegorical meanings are not hiding behind every detail in the text and the inconsistency of this method of interpretation is seen when godly men disagree about the spiritual meaning of any particular passage of Scripture.

What, then, should we look to as a proper method of interpretation? I would submit to you that the method of interpretation which results in the most consistent understanding of Bible doctrines and spiritual truths is the literal method. The literal method of interpretation requires the reader to take the text at face value; he or she must look for the plain, simple meaning found in the words that are read. This method demands that readers observe the accepted rules for grammar and syntax and that they seek to understand any sentence or paragraph in its relationship to the other sentences and paragraphs before and after it. By doing so, readers will allow the context of the passage to shape the meaning of the passage. Readers will begin to understand that first, the Biblical author wrote (or spoke) to the intended audience and that audience would have had a clear discernment as to what the text meant. This method acknowledges the use of normal features of grammar and syntax, such as figures of speech, figurative language, and other rhetorical devices. Interpreters who use the literal method will seek to understand not only the literary context, but the historical context as well[1] . This style of interpretation is “objective,” in that it seeks to find truth that exists outside of the reader, truth that was communicated by God to His people, truth that is true whether we want to believe it or not.

Only after the reader has understood what God has said, and to whom it was said, and the doctrine that it may or may not imply, can the reader begin to apply the truth to his or her life. Often readers are confused between interpretation and application; an easy way to remember these two different aspects of reading is this: interpretation is “What did God say?” and application is, “What should I do, based upon what God says?” Truthfully, many people who practice the “What does this mean to me?” style of interpretation are really trying to get to the application aspect, where they put God’s Word into practice. However, you must be confident that you know what God says first, then you can find ways to apply that truth.

The main advantage of the literal method of interpretation is consistency from one interpreter to another. When I study a passage of Scripture today, and I determine what that passage says, and then I go and check my work against Matthew Henry (a 17th Century pastor and commentator), and I see that we are very similar in our understanding, I know that I have most likely gotten the meaning correct. I could also check it against more modern scholars, like John MacArthur, H.B. Charles, or John Piper. When men of various backgrounds and perspectives study the Word of God with the literal method of interpretation, their understanding of the Scriptures is remarkably similar! In my mind, this is a great comfort because it means that the average person, who studies the Bible, can come to the same conclusions and convictions as some of the greatest Bible scholars who have ever lived. The real challenge, of course, is putting the truth to practice in your life – that takes a lifetime to master!

If you want to study this topic further, I highly recommend the book How to Study the Bible by Richard Mayhue. It’s an excellent, easy-to-read explanation of the literal method of interpretation, as well as pointing out different pitfalls which must be avoided.