Do you ever feel lost when you read your bible? Is it difficult to understand the truths in which you’re reading? Below are some helpful questions to ask your bible as your read it.
These 14 questions came from Stephen Altrogge’s blog http://www.theblazingcenter.com/
1. Who is the author of the passage?
2. Who were the recipients?
3. What is the historical background of the passage?
4. What is the outline/structure of the passage?
5. Are any words repeated? Any significance to the repetition?
6. Are there any unusual words in the passage that call for more exploration?
7. How does the passage fit into the surrounding paragraph? Chapter? Book?
8. Why did the author place the passage here and not somewhere else?
9. In one sentence, what is the main point of the passage?
10. How would the original audience have been affected by the passage?
11. How does this passage connect to the overall storyline of the Bible?
12. How does this passage reveal Jesus as savior?
13. How does God want this passage to function in my life?
14. What kind of response does this passage call for?
What would you add to the list?
The only thing that I would add to this list is a time of preparation – the focusing our eyes on our Sovereign God. Psalm 119 works well for this: Pray the whole Psalm giving God glory for the work He has done in your life, confessing your sins, your need for God the Holy Spirit to open your eyes (vs 18) and your need for God to “work in you to will and act according to His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).