Page 22 - Discipleship Ministries Student E-Book

Section 3: Learning How to Study the Bible - Continued

“Suffering means being cut off from God. Therefore, those who live in
communion with Him cannot really suffer.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

3.1 Connect

Have you ever heard someone say, “The Bible is full of contradictions!” Normally, that person
is parroting what someone else has said in unbelief and cannot validate their claim. Your best
response is, “No, I did not know that. Can you share one with me?” If they do share a
supposed contradiction, you may be able to answer their claim, or may have to get back to
them after doing some personal study. After applying the principles that we are learning to
the verse, you probably will be able to clarify the “contradiction” for your questioning friend.

We want to continue to learn some basic hermeneutical principles that will ensure that we accurately
interpret God’s Word. We want to fully understand what the original author wrote to his audience and
how the audience understood what was being taught. It is much more involved than simply reading a
passage of Scripture and telling others what “you think” it means.

Some Bible studies are like that. Someone reads a verse, and says, “What do you guys think this
means?” Then everyone shares their thoughts on the passage. This can be dangerous, because without
thorough study, they may completely miss the truth. Such studies are simply a practice in shared
ignorance. It takes diligent background study to “rightly divide the Word of Truth!”

3.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to state and explain further principles for accurate Bible
interpretation.

2. The student should be able to demonstrate how an interlinear Bible can help clarify how to
interpret a verse in Scripture.

3. The student should be able to provide several examples of how important it is to know the culture of
the times when the Scripture was written.

3.3 Learning How to Study the Bible - Continued

Principle #6

Avoid Errors of Interpretation
Don’t make the Bible say what you want it to say. Don’t be like the guy who said, “I’ve
already got a sermon; I just have to find a verse to support it.”

For example: Some people will use 2 Peter 2:20 on how a person can lose their salvation. Invariably,
they’ll quote the verse: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the latter

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