Biblical Discovery
Mining the truths of scripture for
yourself through Inductive Bible study
What is "Inductive Bible
Study"?
• IBS = self-discovery of Biblical truth
through a simple step-by-step method.
• How is it different?
– "Inductive" - seeking to understand the whole
by studying the parts. We don't start with the
answer, we discover it.
– Not limited by leader's imagination or study.
– Self-discovery yields ownership of truth.
The Inductive Bible Study Process
1. Survey 5. Synthesis
2. Observation 3. Interpretation 4. Application
“What do I see?” “What does it mean?” “How does it work?”
Basics
OBSERVATIONS
• What is Observation?
– It's answering the question "What
do I see?"
– It's learning to identify what is
significant in any given verse
• Why do it?
– It lays the foundation for all other
steps
Ground Rules
OBSERVATIONS
1. "Seeing" requires quality time
2. Nothing is too trivial - don't overlook
anything!
3. Approach the Word in prayerful,
expectant, dependent, obedience
What to Look For
OBSERVATIONS
• The 6 Basic Questions:
– Who is performing or receiving the action of the
sentence or paragraph?
– What is occurring?
– When is it occurring? Is there a sequence of events?
– Where is the action occurring? Does the location
change within the paragraph?
– Why – What is the goal or purpose for the action?
Who benefits? What is his/her motivation?
– How – What is the means or manner for accomplishing
the action?
What to Look For
OBSERVATIONS
• The 6 Basic Questions
• Key Words
– Key theme words (Big Idea words)
– Key theology words
What to Look For
OBSERVATIONS
• The 6 Basic Questions
• Key Words
• Connecting Words
• “but” contrast
• “and, like, likewise” comparison
• “because, for” reason or result
• “so that, in order that, that” purpose
• “therefore” conclusion or result
• “if” condition
What to Look For
OBSERVATIONS
• The 6 Basic Questions
• Key Words
• Connecting Words
• Verbs - especially commands!
• Things that are missing
• Differences between translations
Example - Eph 1:4-5a
OBSERVATIONS
Back
to 3a Who
When
4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
Why How Motivation
that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5He predestined us…
By whose Who Object
standard
Example - Eph 1:4-5a
OBSERVATIONS
"4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we would be holy and blameless
before Him. In love 5He predestined us…"
– God the Father is the one who "chose"
– He chose "us"
– The people He chose are all believers
from Pentecost to the rapture
– The way He chose us was "in Christ"
– He chose us before the foundation of
the world
Example - Eph 1:4-5a
OBSERVATIONS
"4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we would be holy and blameless
before Him. In love 5He predestined us…"
– The reason He chose us was so that
we would be "holy" and "blameless"
– It is possible for humans to be "holy
and blameless"
– The judge of holiness and
blamelessness is "Him"
– This evaluation will occur at the
Judgment Seat of Christ
Example - Eph 1:4-5a
OBSERVATIONS
"4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we would be holy and blameless
before Him. In love 5He predestined us…"
– God the Father "predestined" people
– The motivation for this action is "love"
– The object of "predestine" is "us"
– etc, etc, etc…
You Try…
OBSERVATIONS
In your groups, come up with at least
20 observations for Acts 1:8
"but you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be My witnesses both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and even to the remotest part
of the earth."
Basics
INTERPRETATION
•What is Interpretation?
– Answers "What does it mean?"
– It builds upon your foundation of
observations
•Why do it?
– It leads to an accurate
understanding of Biblical truth…
– That provides principles to apply
to our lives
Asking Good Questions
INTERPRETATION
1. Foundational step of Interpretation
2. Feeds off your Observations
3. Don't worry yet about how to answer
4. Just ask as many as you can
5. Of both "WHAT" and "WHY"
questions
Asking Good Questions
INTERPRETATION
• WHAT is the…
– meaning of a word?
– significance of a word, phrase, idea, or
literary structure?
– implication of a statement?
– relationship between words, ideas,
phrases, or passages?
– atmosphere or mood of the passage?
– structure and form used in the passage?
Asking Good Questions
INTERPRETATION
• WHY did the author…
– choose this word or phrase?
– not say ________?
– connect these ideas?
– put this idea before that idea?
– include this idea at all?
Value of Context
INTERPRETATION
• Howard Hendrick's
– "The three most important tools for
interpretation are…
– context, context and context"
• Three types (in ascending order of importance)
– Bible as a whole
– Book as a whole
– Immediate verses before & after
Value of Context
INTERPRETATION
• So how do we use it?
– Look for clues immediately before &
after your verse or passage
– Trace the flow of thought through a
passage
– Identify the major themes of a
passage, chapter, and book
– Identify the purpose of the passage
or book
Using Cross-Refs
INTERPRETATION
• Allows clearer scripture to interpret
more ambiguous scripture
• Connects our passage to the Bible as
a whole - safeguard!
Using Cross-Refs
INTERPRETATION
• 2 Basic Ways:
– Use the cross references in the
margins of your Bible
• Quick but limited
– Do a concordance search on words
of interest
• English - www.biblegateway.org
• Original Language…
O.L. Word Search
INTERPRETATION
• Go to www.biblestudytools.net
• Select "NAS with Strong's Numbers"
as translation
• Enter you verse & push "Find" button
• Verse appears with key words in blue
• Click on the key word you're
interested in
• You get definition & uses divided by
book
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that
we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to
Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on
us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
our trespasses, according to the riches of His?? grace
8 which He?? lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
9 He?? made known to us the mystery of His?? will, according to His??
kind intention which He?? purposed in Him…
General Observation: Repetition:
Focuses on God the Father and Jesus God the Father (?x)
A lot of action verbs Jesus Christ (?x)
(God is doing the acting in most cases) “In Him” (5 x)
“We/Our/Us” is the receiver, passive Freely/lavished/rich
Grace (2x, more in context)
Basics
APPLICATION
• What is Application?
– Answers "So what?" and "How does it
work?"
– It builds upon your foundation of
observations & interpretation
• Why do it?
“He who has My commandments and keeps
them, he it is who loves Me; and he who
loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and
I will love him, and will disclose Myself to
him.” (John 14:21)
Basics
APPLICATION
• What is Application?
– Answers "So what?" and "How does it
work?"
– It builds upon your foundation of
observations & interpretation
• Why do it?
– IBS w/o Application = Pride +
Spiritual Blindness
5 Questions
APPLICATION
1. What are a few key truths or
commands I discovered in this
week’s passage?
2. Is this truth or command true for
me today? If not, why?
3. How am I doing? When do I
struggle to live out this truth or
command?
5 Questions
APPLICATION
4. What is one practical way that I
can begin to live out this truth or
command this week?
• What exactly will I do different this
week than last week?
5. Who will hold me accountable
next week to see if I’ve followed
through?
You Try
APPLICATION
As a group: answer application Q#1 for the
verse below.
Then on your own: choose 1 key truth or
command and answer Q's 2-5 to apply it
to your own life.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your
mouth, but only such a word as is good for
edification according to the need of the moment,
so that it will give grace to those who hear.