Study the Bible for Yourself -- I
by Bryan Gibson
Be sure to see the Bible Study Methods landing page.
In the spirit of this article, we will minimize our comments on this first part, and present the thoughts on this subject primarily as questions.
Study the Bible for Yourself -- II
by Bryan Gibson
Additional thoughts on this subject.
You have probably learned a lot about the Bible from others (and hopefully a few things from articles on this site). There is nothing wrong with that; just don’t let that take the place of your own personal study. Quite often in His exchanges with others about the Scriptures, Jesus would ask, “Have YOU not read?” (Matthew 12:3, 5, etc.) or something very similar. When a lawyer came to Jesus with the question, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What is written in the law? What is YOUR reading of it?” (Luke 10:25-26). The point we’re trying to make here is very simple. You need to read the Scriptures; you need to draw your own conclusions from your own personal study. Here are just some of the benefits to studying and learning on your own.
1. First of all, there is a certain amount of satisfaction that comes from learning something on your own, from seeing the results of your own diligent study. “The sleep of a laboring man is sweet” (Ecclesiastes 5:12)—that would seem to apply to any form of labor, including Bible study.
2. When you learn something on your own, you tend to learn it more thoroughly; it sticks with you longer. You know that to be true in other areas, so why would this not apply to Bible study, too?
3. Learning on your own produces stronger convictions. When you see the truth in God’s word for yourself; it’s going to be very hard for someone to lead you astray. God wants you to become “grounded and steadfast” in His word (Colossians 1:23), to “no longer be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Doing some study on your own will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.
4. When you have put in some study of your own, the teaching you receive from others will be clearer, and will sink much deeper into your heart. When Philip began with what is now Isaiah 53 and preached Jesus to the Ethiopian treasurer, it had a great impact because the treasurer had already been reading from that passage (Acts 8:26-39). Your own study will help you benefit even more from the study of others, and you will be able to contribute to their understanding.
5. Doing a lot of study on your own will make you a much better teacher, for many of the reasons already cited. You will be excited about the things you have learned for yourself; you have learned them more thoroughly; and your convictions are much stronger. You are able to separate truth from error, so the chances of you leading someone astray are greatly diminished. You know what God says on a particular matter, and you want to share it with others.
So go ahead. Get busy today with your own study. “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:3-5).
See also Individual Responsibility to Know God's Word
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
Return to Bible Methods for Studying the Bible
In the spirit of this article, we will minimize our comments on this first part, and present the thoughts on this subject primarily as questions.
- When it comes to Bible study, is there anything wrong with learning from others? In fact, what did the Ethiopian eunuch ask for from Philip? (Acts 8:30-31). Another excellent example is in Acts 18:24-28.
- But should we allow the learning we receive from others to take the place of our own personal study?
- In the following verses, how does Jesus emphasize personal responsibility in reading and studying the Scriptures? (Matthew 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31).
- When a lawyer came to Jesus with the question, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” how did Jesus respond? (Luke 10:25-26).
- How much effort should each one of us spend in reading, learning, and understanding the Scriptures? (Psalms 119:131; Proverbs 2:1-5; 1 Peter 2:1-2).
- Related question: With what frequency should we read and meditate on the Scriptures? (Acts 17:11; Psalms 1:1-2; Joshua 1:8; Deuteronomy 17:19).
- According to Matthew 22:29, why were the Sadducees wrong in their understanding about the resurrection?
- Think about the exchanges Jesus had with the Jews over the Scriptures, especially the ones they misunderstood or misapplied. Do you ever hear Him saying anything that would seem to excuse their misunderstanding? Did HE ever pass it off by saying, “everyone is entitled to his own belief?” The fact that we still have that freedom in this country obviously does not make everyone’s belief to be the truth.
- What are the unique benefits of studying and learning on our own, from drawing our own conclusions from our own personal study? Can we be sure that we are not following the teaching of men if we do not verify that they are from the Bible. There is no problem in getting the passages that indicate scriptural authority from a teacher or preacher. But remember, the burden of proof is on HIM to demonstrate conclusively that his teachings are from the scriptures. This will not be at all difficult for him if it is, in fact, the truth. However, if not the truth, scriptural authority will be impossible. You are under no obligation to prove him wrong. If he cannot come up with definitive verses of scripture, that is adequate proof that he is not of God (2 John 9).
Study the Bible for Yourself -- II
by Bryan Gibson
Additional thoughts on this subject.
You have probably learned a lot about the Bible from others (and hopefully a few things from articles on this site). There is nothing wrong with that; just don’t let that take the place of your own personal study. Quite often in His exchanges with others about the Scriptures, Jesus would ask, “Have YOU not read?” (Matthew 12:3, 5, etc.) or something very similar. When a lawyer came to Jesus with the question, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What is written in the law? What is YOUR reading of it?” (Luke 10:25-26). The point we’re trying to make here is very simple. You need to read the Scriptures; you need to draw your own conclusions from your own personal study. Here are just some of the benefits to studying and learning on your own.
1. First of all, there is a certain amount of satisfaction that comes from learning something on your own, from seeing the results of your own diligent study. “The sleep of a laboring man is sweet” (Ecclesiastes 5:12)—that would seem to apply to any form of labor, including Bible study.
2. When you learn something on your own, you tend to learn it more thoroughly; it sticks with you longer. You know that to be true in other areas, so why would this not apply to Bible study, too?
3. Learning on your own produces stronger convictions. When you see the truth in God’s word for yourself; it’s going to be very hard for someone to lead you astray. God wants you to become “grounded and steadfast” in His word (Colossians 1:23), to “no longer be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Doing some study on your own will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.
4. When you have put in some study of your own, the teaching you receive from others will be clearer, and will sink much deeper into your heart. When Philip began with what is now Isaiah 53 and preached Jesus to the Ethiopian treasurer, it had a great impact because the treasurer had already been reading from that passage (Acts 8:26-39). Your own study will help you benefit even more from the study of others, and you will be able to contribute to their understanding.
5. Doing a lot of study on your own will make you a much better teacher, for many of the reasons already cited. You will be excited about the things you have learned for yourself; you have learned them more thoroughly; and your convictions are much stronger. You are able to separate truth from error, so the chances of you leading someone astray are greatly diminished. You know what God says on a particular matter, and you want to share it with others.
So go ahead. Get busy today with your own study. “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:3-5).
See also Individual Responsibility to Know God's Word
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
Return to Bible Methods for Studying the Bible