Observation and Principles

This is part 3 in a review of the book How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur. You can find Part 1 (Introduction) here and Part 2 (Observation) here.

The second step in inductive Bible study is interpretation. When you approach the bible with the purpose of interpretation you should always consider the context of the passage. Interpretation of a verse will never contradict other scriptures within the Bible. You should look for interpretation based on what the Bible actually says, rather than what a specific school of theology says. Bible commentaries should be used as a last check for the accuracy of your interpretations rather than as the starting point for Bible study.

Useful tools for interpretation:

• word study: used to discover the meaning of a word in the original language using a Bible concordance or Bible dictionary.
• cross-referenced scripture: used to compare scriptures with scriptures because the bible will never conradict itself. You can use concordances, word studies, or topical bibles to aid in cross referencing scripture. Often study bibles have their own cross references included.

These can be found online at Bible Gateway or purchased through Observation and Principles Recommended ProductsWhen interpreting the Bible, watch carefully for figures of speech such as similes, metaphors, and parables. The Bible can often be interpreted literally, but figures of speech should be recognized and handled appropriately. Prophecy and proverbs are also unique and should be interpreted in a unique way.

For more information on accurate interpretation and handling unique texts within the Bible, you should read the book How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur. This book review is not intended to be complete instructions on inductive Bible study.

Update: Part 4 and Part 5 of this series are now available.