Reasons for Scripture Study

Ethiopian Orthodox Minor Seminary

The Gospel Way website has an article “How to Study the Bible: The Importance of Proper Methods of Studying Scripture” which offers the following reasons for studying scripture:

1. Study so you can obey God and grow in His service.
2. Study so you can avoid error and false teaching.
3. Study so you can teach others.
4. Study to express love for God and His word.

Torah study

The Baptist Standard website offers “There are numerous reasons to study the Bible“:

1. Study the Bible because it’s the surest standard for really knowing God.
2. Study the Bible because trusted friends or family direct you there.
3. Study the Bible because when you study it and practice what it says, you get results.

Bridges for Peace in the article “Why Christians Should Study Torah and Talmud” offers:

1. To better understand the entire Bible
2. To better understand Yeshua and His disciples
3. To help us practice what we preach
4. To help establish a dialogue with Jewish friends

Quran Study

None of these takes claim to be comprehensive. None mention inappropriate reasons. None are faulty. Nonetheless all of them leave me feeling that they miss the point.  My take (which includes an inappropriate reason or two) is based on a belief that anything that causes us to read (or hear) the scripture closely counts as Bible study.

1. in the spirit of oracle or magic
2. as a social responsibility in your religious community
3. as a form of prayer
4. as an act of piety (devotion)
5. as preparation for worship
6. for spiritual formation
7. for evangelization or apologetics
8. for cultural understanding
9. as an academic discipline
10. as a means for resting in the presence of God

I would be especially interested in Jewish and Muslim takes on the topic as well as comments on the various views offered in this post.

Note: images are from CNEWA,  Hirhurim Musings and  Siraat-e-Mustaqeem. My apologies for focusing on young males.

Introduction to Bible Study: Methods and Techniques

Yet another Bible Study site? Not quite, that area is well represented on the web – blogs, commentaries, sermon helps, liturgy planning . . .  I am not foolish enough to think my voice is worth adding to that hubbub.  However, I do have something to offer on methods and techniques for studying scripture.  My goals:

• study methods to complement education’s new uses of graphic organizers – gone are the days of mimeographs
• study methods taking advantage of the internet; serious study no longer requires a substantial investment in dictionaries, concordances, multiple translations . . .
• study methods that incorporate multiple reasons for study – prayer, lector preparation, devotions, religious formation, sermon preparation, academic study . . .
• study methods for different levels of education, different styles of learning, different interests, different lives . . .
• study methods that are inclusive – across the full theological spectrum and the full time span of interpretation of the scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions
• miscellaneous oddities – facts, interpretations, observations . . . – that add a bit of humor and human interest
• random thoughts exploring the application of other fields to the study of scripture

Over time this site will expand to include:

1. this blog with materials extracted from my reading and from my preparation of Bible study materials
2. pages that contain the Bible study materials from a previous web site – updated for the ubiquitous personal computer and web
3. a collection of questions and sample answers from which customized Bible studies can be created
4. a forum for teachers and students of the Bible to share ideas and ask questions
5. forms (graphic organizers) in PDF and Microsoft Word template formats;  materials in Logos PBB format – of interest to readers with the Logos/Libronix software

This is a forum for polite sharing across denominations and faiths. It is a forum for discussing methods and techniques, for sharing resources.  It is not a forum for arguing theological correctness. For this reason it’s discussions are monitored.

Please be patient as the site develops. Welcome to the discussion.