The received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Acts 17:11 (NKJV)
Have you ever wondered why reading the Bible is so different from reading a novel? When we’ve got a real page-turner in our hands, with an exciting plot and interesting characters, we can read all day long as the story unfolds.
Yet when it comes to Scripture, we get bogged down after a couple of pages. We feel guilty because we can’t get the same mileage we do with fiction. Here’s the thing—the novels we pick up for light reading are fun, relaxing diversions. Our thoughts are entertained by the story. But when we read our Bibles, there’s a subtle shift that takes place. Our minds must be engaged when we read Scripture. That means giving the words on the page our full concentration. That takes time. Our spirit responds to the World of God in a way that cannot be taken lightly. Our goal is not recreation, but comprehension. We may feel guilty that we can’t cover several pages in one sitting, but what is our goal—distance or discernment?
1. When we read our Bibles, we are reading for understanding. This might mean rereading a verse several times, or chasing after several cross-references, or referring to a commentary in order to grasp the writer’s meaning. Match up these verses, which declare the importance of gaining understanding:
___ Job 32:8 a. Give me understanding so I can know Your Word
___ Psalm 119:34 b. Understanding is to be chosen over silver
___ Psalm 119:125 c. Apply your heart to understanding
___ Proverbs 2:2 d. Be mature in your understanding
___ Proverbs 4:5 e. The breath of the Almighty gives understanding
___ Proverbs 16:16 f. He who keeps understanding will find good
___ Proverbs 16:22 g. May the eyes of your understanding be enlightened
___ Proverbs 19:8 h. Give me understanding so I can keep Your law
___ 1 Corinthians 14:20 i. Get wisdom! Get understanding!
___ Ephesians 1:18 j. Understanding is a wellspring of life
So are reading and studying one and the same? No. It’s true that we need to slow down and read for comprehension when we pick up our Bibles. But studying that Bible is something else again.
2. What term does John 5:39 use for a careful studying of the Scriptures? And what does Jesus say can be discovered by this investigation?
John tells us that the Scriptures are a source of eternal life because they testify of Jesus. What else do believers have because of our Bibles, according to Romans 10:17?
After years of reading through the Scriptures, we begin to have favorite sections. These passages become quite familiar to us and we can say sections of them from memory. They have a lilt to them, a cadence not unlike poetry. The well-known words are like old friends.
It’s like going back to you hometown and finding much of it unchanged. There’s the old grocery, the drug store, the used bookstore. You recognize the bank, the post office, and the school. You know every street sign, every park bench, every inch of the architecture. But even though you can navigate the streets and even give direction to strangers, you may never have been inside the shops. You know them because you used to walk by them every day. You’ve a kind of nodding acquaintance with each. But you’ve never actually stopped at the door, stepped inside, and explored these establishments for yourself.
Reading is walking the old familiar paths through the Scriptures. We understand what we read and can navigate our way through the pages with ease. But studying means stopping in one spot, going in to explore, and unpacking the delights that can be found within.
4. Read Acts 17:10-12. Paul is in the midst of his second missionary trip, and after a rough time in Thessalonica, is delighted with his reception in the city of Berea. How are the people of this city described?
In order to read through the Bible in a year, we must get through three or four pages in our Bibles every day. But if our intent is study, four pages is too much to tackle. Four chapters, even four paragraphs can be too much. If you have the right tools, four words can take up your whole study time!
5. You cannot expect to find a precious nugget of information if you don’t do a good deal of digging first. Have patience as you scour your resources for tidbits of information. With some effort, you may uncover something you’ll treasure! The Bereans “received the word.” What can you make of the word “received”?
If you have trouble finding information about terms in the resources you have on hand, why not begin with the definitions from an ordinary dictionary? That, at least, will give you insight into the word chosen by the translators. Every little bit can help your understanding along!
In Bible study, our goal is not distance, but discernment. So we take the time to consider each word and phrase, poking around in our reference works to see what we can discover.
Adapted with permission from Knowing God’s Word. ©2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy, click here.
