Understanding The Bible
STUDY REFERENCE
Studying The Bible
"The Major Terms of Bible Study"

"Study To Show Yourself Approved Unto God,"  2 Timothy 2:15
J. Deering,
AncientPath.net
 

The Major Terms Of Bible Study
Now that we know that God wants us to know Him we can set about the task of learning to study His word in such a way that we can know Him.

These are some words that you may have heard concerning Bible study:

The first is INTERPRETATION.  Interpretation is the process of studying the word in such a way that we become acquainted with the author (The Holy Spirit through a human prophet) and understand what He meant to communicate to those He communicated to.  That sounds like double talk but it really isn't.  If, for instance, we wish to understand Paul's writings in the book of Ephesians, we must so acquaint ourselves with the book that we begin to learn what the Holy Spirit, through Paul, meant when He gave the words to Paul and he wrote the words onto paper.

Then there is APPLICATION.  Understanding what the Ephesians understood when they read these words.

Finally there is SECONDARY APPLICATION.  After we have understood what Paul meant, and what the Ephesians understood, comes how it can be applied to us today.

Our intent in Bible study is these three things. INTERPRETATION (What did God intend through the writer), APPLICATION (how did it apply to the original readers), and SECONDARY APPLICATION (how does it apply to us).

 

2021-08-11