Tag: Bible Study
4 Helpful Steps for Breaking Down Biblical Metaphors

4 Helpful Steps for Breaking Down Biblical Metaphors

By |

Biblical metaphors can be incredibly difficult to understand. What does it mean when Jesus says believers are “the salt of the earth?” How is God’s word a “lamp unto my feet?” In what way are our “sins like scarlet?” Almost every passage of Scripture uses metaphorical language to communicate truth.

Therefore, you have the ability to interpret and understand biblical metaphors if you are to understand large chunks of Scripture. Not everything in Scripture is a metaphor. Identifying what is and isn’t a metaphor is also a crucial skill. But once you identify a metaphor in a Bible passage, you must have right tools to grasp what the metaphor means.

I have attached a worksheet below to help you think through and analyze biblical metaphors. Oftentimes, when you break a bible passage into its components, you will start seeing metaphorical language. This tool will help you unpack that metaphors significance.

Biblical Metaphors WorksheetDownload

If you want to know how to use this worksheet or you aren’t sure what a metaphor really is, keep reading. In the following sections I will first give a helpful definition of “metaphor” and then walk through the different steps you use in the worksheet to understand it.

Understanding how to interpret Biblical metaphors will increase the depth of your Bible study and decrease mistakes you make when studying a text.

What is metaphor?

The Equation

One of the more helpful non-Christian books I have read recently is “I is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How it Shapes Our World” by James Geary. I highly recommend reading through it if you are able. No book will make you think through metaphor and its use in language more than this volume.

The basic definition given in this book is a metaphor compares something you don’t know with something you do know. In other words, you compare two completely different things to reveal something about those things. Oftentimes, metaphors compare something abstract with something more concrete.

For example, “sin” is abstract, hard to understand. But when it is compared with “scarlet”, you can start to understand the word “sin” better. It is a stain. It is somehow related to the color of blood.

Metaphor uses a simple equation: X = Y. X is something you don’t understand. Y is something you do understand. By setting these two things in relation to each other, truth and reality are communicated more clearly.

This might seem incredibly complicated. But trust me, you use metaphor on a daily basis (and in almost every sentence). For example, when was the last time you said to someone “I see what you are saying?” That is a metaphor. You cannot literally “see” with your eyes words that someone speaks to you.

In this example, you are using the metaphor “seeing = knowing”. “Knowing” is abstract. What does it mean to know something? But “seeing” is pretty easy to understand. You “see” things all the time. By making “seeing” equal to “knowing”, you better understand what “knowing” means.

Metaphor is a way of communicating something difficult to understand by using something easy to understand. It takes characteristics of one thing and gives it to another.

Why is this important? The Bible uses metaphor everywhere. In parables, in proverbs, in poetry and in prophecy. You cannot get away from it. God has graciously chosen to reveal truth to us using metaphor. This makes the truth easier to grasp and understand.

Two Pitfalls to Avoid

There is one more comment to make before moving on to how you break down biblical metaphors. Just because the Bible is full of metaphorical language does not mean every single passage is a metaphor. Do not fall into the trap of spiritualizing and allegorizing every single text of Scripture. The Bible is full of enough obvious metaphors without you adding more to the text.

Understanding what metaphor is and isn’t becomes important in passages like Galatians 4 where Paul compares the law and the promise to Ishmael and Isaac. Metaphors use real things. Paul is not saying Ismael and Isaac weren’t real people. He is comparing real people with real abstract truths (law and promise).

Metaphor does not make everything into an allegory or spiritualize every single verse. Metaphor takes one real thing and compares it with another real thing.

With those caveats in mind, let’s move on to using the Biblical metaphors worksheet to understand some texts in Scripture.

Steps for understanding Biblical metaphors

Step 1: Set up equation

On the top of the worksheet, there is a section to write down the metaphor and the Bible reference. When you are studying a passage of Scripture, see if there are any key metaphors in your text. Remember, a metaphor takes one thing and explains it in terms of another.

An example of a key metaphor is “The Lord is my Shepherd.” If you were studying Psalm 23, you would write that metaphor at the top of the worksheet. God is being compared with a shepherd and since you know God is not literally a shepherd, you should immediately recognize the Psalmist is using metaphorical language.

Another example is “the fruit of the Spirit”. The Holy Spirit does not literally make believers into a fruit tree. Therefore, Paul is comparing the work of the Spirit to fruit metaphorically. In this case, you might write “Work of Spirit = fruit” at the top of the worksheet.

I often try to write the metaphor in the form of X = Y. Since I have an engineering background, it helps for me to visualize what the metaphor is actually comparing. But if you find equations scary, just write down the sentence in the text which you think contains the metaphor.

Oftentimes, the first half of the sentence gives one part of the metaphor and the second half gives the other part of the metaphor. That is the case in the metaphor “though your sins be like scarlet”. Sin is the first part of the metaphor, and scarlet is the second part.

Step 2: Describe characteristics

After you write down the metaphor itself, the next part of the worksheet has you write down the characteristics of each half of the metaphor. Ask yourself “What words would I use to describe the first half? What words would I use to describe the second half?”

For “the Lord is my shepherd”, the first half of the metaphor is “the Lord” and the second half is “shepherd.” So first ask yourself “What words would I use to describe the Lord?” Write them down on one side of the worksheet. I normally shoot to have 3-5 different words. Next, ask “What words would I use to describe a shepherd?” and write them on the other side of the worksheet.

The purpose of this step is simply to understand the components of the metaphor. If you don’t know what is being compared, you won’t be able to understand the significance of the comparison.

For the metaphor “the fruit of the Spirit,” I would it into “the Spirit” and “fruit.” Under “the Spirit” I might write “part of the Trinity,” “dwells inside believers”, and “empowers believers.” Then, under “fruit”, I might write “grows on a tree,” “sweet”, and “variety of different types.”

Once you are satisfied with your understanding of each half of the verse, move on to the next step.

Step 3: Compare & contrast

Now that you understand each half of the metaphor, ask yourself “How is the first half of the metaphor similar to the second half? How is it different?” In the worksheet, first write down the similarities between the two things before writing how they are different. In the previously mentioned book on metaphor, the author says “a good metaphor is like a good detective story…its solution shouldn’t be immediately apparent in advance.”

This step is where you “solve the mystery” so to speak. Once you think through the similarities between the two different things being compared, you start to understand what the metaphor is getting at. The author also says “every metaphor has strengths and weaknesses and can break down.” This is why you ask in what ways the two parts of the metaphor are different: you can see where the metaphor breaks down.

In the example of “the Lord is my shepherd,” the similarities you might write down are “the Lord cares for His people like a shepherd cares for his sheep,” or “the Lord provides for His people like a shepherd provides for his sheep,” or “the Lord leads His people like a shepherd leads his sheep.” Some obvious differences are the Lord does not have an occupation as a shepherd. Nor does God physically care for physical sheep.

In the example of “the fruit of the Spirit”, some similarities could be “the work of the Spirit in your life produces something like a tree produces fruit,” or “the Spirit produces positive effects in your life just like fruit is normally a tasty, positive thing.” Obvious differences are the work of the Spirit isn’t physical like fruit nor is it visible or consumable in the same way fruit is.

These are just brief examples. Take your time on this step and do not rush. This is where the real work for understanding biblical metaphors happens. If you spend enough time on this step, the point of the metaphor will usually show itself clearly. Once you have written down the similarities and differences, you are ready to move on to the final step.

Step 4: Succinctly summarize

You have found the metaphor, thought about the metaphor and (hopefully) solved the metaphor. Now, it is time to summarize what you’ve understood. Looking at the similarities and differences you found, try to answer this final question “What truth is this metaphor trying to illustrate, clarify, or make memorable?” Try to write one or two sentences at the most at the bottom of your worksheet.

For “the Lord is my shepherd” example, look back at all the similarities and differences. There are a lot of similarities I proposed. If I had to summarize them all, I would write “The Lord is our shepherd in that His people are completely dependent on Him, and He provides completely for His people.” That one sentence captures most of the similarities and avoids any of the differences.

In “the fruit of the Spirit” example, I would summarize the similarities with “The work of the Spirit is like fruit in that the Spirit produces a definite, good and visible effect in a believers life. There are a variety of good effects and they grow with time.” These two sentences capture the similarities of the work of the Spirit and fruit. It also incorporates a difference: the fruit of the Spirit should be visible, just not in the same way literal fruit is physically visible.

Now that you have your summary, you can see the metaphors importance in whatever text you are studying and you can also succinctly summarize your study to another believer.

You can also take your summary of the metaphor and start thinking through the applications it has to your life.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have now done an in depth study of a biblical metaphor. This type of method is incredibly useful for prophecy, parables, proverbs, and poetry in Scripture. But metaphorical language is also sprinkled throughout the Epistles and even in Narrative passages.

The important takeaways: find the metaphor. Break it down into two halves. Compare and contrast those two parts. Then summarize your findings.

I truly believe understanding Biblical metaphors more clearly will take your Bible study to the next level. Even though metaphorical language can be scary, the method laid out in this post and in the attached worksheet gives you an easy step by step process to understand the metaphor before you.

Metaphors aren’t the only thing to look for in a Bible passage. If you want more important things to look for in a Bible passage, see this post.

Found this tool useful? Follow The Average Churchman on Instagram and share it with friends. Also check out other Bible Study Tools I have created.
6 Application Questions Used by the Puritans

6 Application Questions Used by the Puritans

By |

It can be difficult to apply a Biblical text to your life. Oftentimes, at the end of a Bible study or personal Bible reading, the question becomes: “So now what?” These Puritan application questions will help you answer that question.

I found these questions listening to an excellent lecture series by J. I. Packer on the Puritans. Packer also wrote several good books on the topic (See here and here).

One of the main points that stuck with me was the Puritans measured a great preacher not only by his skill in exposition. For the Puritans, being a great preacher meant you drew great application from the text.

Even more helpful, Packer discussed the Puritan application questions preachers would use. I immediately took notes because I most often hear people in the Church struggling with application.

I discussed how important it is for your Bible study to change your life in a previous post where I gave a simple method to study Scripture. In this post, I will give you the Puritan application questions and discuss how to answer them.

I have attached a visual aid to remember the questions below if you want something to help you remember them. Print on a 5 x 7 and stick it in the cover of your Bible for easy reference.

6 Application Questions Used by the PuritansDownload

Summarize the main point

The first step in Puritan preaching is always to extract the doctrinal truth from your text. This takes careful study of all the components of the passage.

You can’t begin to apply a text you have only begun to study.

Once you have extracted all the details from a text, one of the most useful things you can do is summarize the main idea, main truth, or primary reality of the text. If you can’t distill a text of Scripture down into one sentence, you have one of two problems:

  1. You chose to long a passage of Scripture
  2. You don’t yet understand the passage and its significance

The Puritans would often take only a few verses at a time in their sermons. This would guarantee each sermon dealt with only one main doctrinal truth at a time.

Now, certain types of Biblical literature (such as Narrative) might benefit from studying larger chunks. I have discussed elsewhere some of the particular difficulties with Narrative. However, even when teaching a longer passage, you should know how all the details fit together to serve the main goal of the passage.

What is the essential truth of the passage? If someone asked you “what is this passage about,” what is the first sentence that comes to mind?

The reason you can’t neglect this step is the Puritans used “if-then” logic in their application of texts. All the questions I will go through take the form of “if (this truth from the text) is true, then what else follows?”

Some of the questions I used in my sermon meditation workbook can be helpful on this step if you are having trouble seeing the main truth of a passage. Once you have the main truth, idea, doctrine, or reality written out in your own words, you are ready to start using the Puritan application questions.

What following truths does this imply?

This first question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what further truths are implied?” It is simply connecting your current passage’s truth with a further truth. The Westminster Confession of Faith puts it this way:

VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), Emphasis added

The bold section in the text above is what you are trying to do with this first application question. It doesn’t mean you pontificate on the text or introduce human reason only. Rather, you look at your text’s truth and ask “in light of the rest of Scripture, what other truths must also be true if this is true?”

Think of this question as “connecting the dots”. When you complete a “connect the dots” puzzle, you draw connections which together make up a larger picture. That is what this question is trying to do. By connecting your current text with other truths and passages of Scripture, you get a larger picture of what God is calling you to do and be.

For example, if you were studying Psalm 2 and summarized the main idea as “God has set up Jesus as His anointed King to judge the nations,” you could reason from this: “Therefore, Jesus has all authority in your life and in mine.”

In other words, “Jesus is King” is the truth from Psalm 2 and “Therefore, submit your life to Him” is a necessary further truth from Psalm 2.

Of all the Puritan application questions, this one relies most heavily on logic, and deduction. It also requires an ability to connect your text with other texts in Scripture.

In fact, that is how you check to see if the further truth you deduced is valid: check it with other Scripture. In the Psalm 2 example above, you find in the rest of the Bible calls to submit to Jesus’ authority. Therefore, you can be confidence your reasoning is valid.

Logic and reason are tools to understand the Bible, but they must be submitted to the text.

I think that one of the great lessons I have learned from reading the Puritans is how to think well and think carefully but still conform your conclusions and reasoning to the Biblical text itself.

This question is the most difficult Puritan application question. It will take practice to use it effectively. But one of the great skills for every Christian to develop is to fit particular truths in context with other truths in Scripture.

Oftentimes, it is seeing multiple truths together that gives you a clear picture of how you need to live out a particular text.

What errors does this contradict?

The second question is easier to understand. It takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what errors does this contradict?”

Or to put it another way: “if what this passage says is true, what cannot also be true? What must be false? Are there any beliefs that can’t exist alongside this truth?”

This application question targets wrong thinking and wrong belief. You can compare the truth of the passage to your own personal beliefs, the beliefs of the culture, or other philosophies. If you are preaching, this is an excellent opportunity to address how your text corrects common wrong thinking in your congregation.

Compare the culture’s deeply held beliefs to your text. Then, let your text expose any errors that exist.

For example, if you were studying the text “Everyone who desires to live a godly life will be persecuted,” an error that this passage contradicts might be the prosperity Gospel. Or it could be America’s idolization of comfort. In fact, your own heart might be holding erroneous beliefs that Scripture calls you to repent of.

A key part of application is simply letting Scripture expose your own heart. Let the Bible correct you and lead you to repentance from wrong thinking and wrong belief.

What good works does this require?

This third question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what good works are required?” This is simply calling you to meditate on how your passage calls you to righteous action.

If you are studying a passage that gives a command, sometimes this question is easy to answer. But oftentimes, the more you meditate on a passage, the more good actions or behaviors you realize are required by your text.

What commands must be obeyed in this passage? What actions glorify God or exalt Christ in the passage?

The key is to not only look at the good works you must do. You must also remind yourself of the power the Holy Spirit gives you to accomplish them. This will keep this application question from becoming moralism or self-empowered works.

Bible study isn’t about mere behavior modification. But a good Bible study will conform your behavior to Christ.

For passages that don’t have an explicit good work, sometimes it will take some thought to answer this question. Sometimes, the good work required is simply worship of God, praise for Christ, or thankfulness for the Gospel.

Generally, however, even in descriptive passages there are examples or implicit calls to proper behavior. That is why it is crucial to study the text deeply before trying to apply it. The deeper your study, the more profound the application.

What should you stop doing because the passage forbids it?

This next question is the opposite of the last one. This fourth question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what should I stop doing because this passage forbids it?” In other words, what actions, behaviors, or lifestyles are revealed as sinful in your passage?

This is the “put off” application questions. It helps you identify what behaviors should not be part of your identity in Christ. If you answered the previous question, you should already know what behaviors your passage calls you to “put on.”

Your Bible study is not complete without repentance. Put off what the passage declares as sin and put on what the passage reveals as right

Oftentimes, if you can’t think of what good works a passage requires, you can identify the wrong behaviors the passage condemns first. Then, think of the opposite of that wrong behavior, and you have the good work.

The Bible gives commands both negatively and positively. Your application should therefore include things to stop doing, and things to start doing.

What encouragement does this passage offer?

This fifth question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what encouragement does this offer?” It is one of my favorite questions in this list. The question is pointing to “how does this passage increase my hope in God? My faith in His future mercy and provision?”

Take Hebrews 11 as an example. Certainly their are behaviors to correct based on the passage. But fundamentally, the passage is an encouragement to its readers to develop enduring faith. And each example given is part of a “cloud of witnesses”.

Don’t only leave your Bible study depressed. See what encouragement and hope the text gives you.

Now, there are some sobering texts in Scripture. Texts that deal directly with sin and rebellion. But that is another reason to always read the Bible with Christ in mind. Sometimes, the text’s encouragement is nothing more than a reminder of how great a Savior Jesus is.

I would say of all the Puritan application questions, I found this one most helpful. It is generally easier to see what behavior or thinking must be modified after studying a text. But sometimes it is easy to miss the encouragement the Holy Spirit is giving you through a Bible study.

Where do you stand spiritually in light of this passage?

This sixth and final question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then where do I stand spiritually in light of this?” This question is very all-encompassing and I take it as a way to make sure you didn’t miss anything from the other questions.

This question turns the mirror squarely on you. You see the way you should think, act, and be encouraged by the passage. Now the question is: are you presently conforming to all these?

This is the most personal and oftentimes convicting parts of applying a text. It takes you out of the abstract and calls you to take stock of your spiritual state.

Ask yourself is my life today reflective of these truths? If not, how can I repent so tomorrow my life conforms to this text?

And this isn’t about mere behavior modification. It is self-examination based on Scripture. After this question, much prayer should happen because God alone can transform your life.

Notice: this is the only question that has the word “you” in it. The other questions help you work out a texts application. This question calls you to act on what you have learned.

Puritan Application Questions: Conclusion

Bible application can be difficult. Oftentimes, it comes down to simply asking the right questions. The Puritan application questions are some of the best you can use in your personal Bible study or sermon preparation.

If you want a reminder of these questions, scroll up to the top of the post to get a visual aid.

As a final note, one of the best ways to understand how to use these Puritan application questions is to read Puritan sermons. You will start to see patterns in how Puritan preachers apply a wide variety of texts.

I personally recommend reading some of John Flavel’s sermons. I have been reading through his sermons on Jesus Christ which are part of his compiled works. The sermons are a masterclass in how to apply Scripture to your listeners.

Visit the “Tools” page for more helpful resources for you and your Church’s Bible study and application. Do you have any application questions you use? I would love to hear them!
How to Break a Bible Passage Into Its Components

How to Break a Bible Passage Into Its Components

By |

Approaching a new passage of Scripture is daunting. There are many details, cross-references, and truths packed into each paragraph of the Bible. How can you proceed? You must break the Bible passage into its components.

This tool will help you extract and organize the details, background, and context of a passage of Scripture.

Personal Bible study can be overwhelming if you don’t have an idea of what you are even looking for in a Bible passage. In my job, I use this tool to help make sure I don’t miss any information. It also works wonders in Bible study or sermon preparation.

The tool is known as “the 5 Ws, H, & SW” (of the Seven Ws). They are 7 simple categories which help you understand what the Bible passage is saying.

For those of you who didn’t want to read this long article or who want to have a visual reminder, I have attached a graphic below. It gives the 5 Ws, H, & SW along with the corresponding questions. Print it out on a 5 x 7 sheet of paper and stick it in your Bible for easy reference.

Bible Passage Components: Seven Ws of Personal Bible StudyDownload

In the following sections, I will go through each of the seven categories.

Bible Passage Components: The 5 Ws, H, & SW

Who

When breaking a Bible passage into its component parts, you first start with the subject. For those of you who are a bit rusty on your grammar, this simply means you find out the speaker of the passage, the audience, and the characters contained in the passage.

The speaker

The speaker of the passage is usually easy to identify. For example, if you are reading an epistle by Paul, he is the speaker.

Sometimes, you only know who the speaker is in general terms. For example, in the Psalms, certain Psalms don’t have an author called out. In that case, simply say the speaker of the passage is “the Psalmist”.

Why is knowing the speaker important? One of the most important parts of Bible study is understanding the author’s intent. That is simply why the author wrote the book or the passage you are studying.

Identifying the speaker in the passage is the first step to understanding the purpose of the book.

If you don’t know where to start, identifying who is the speaker of the passage is a good first step in your Bible study.

The audience

Once you know who the speaker is, an obvious next step is determining who the speaker is communicating to. This is the audience. A lot is made in Bible study books about “the original audience.” I think you can easily get too focused on the historical and geographical details of the audience if you aren’t careful.

List who the audience of the book is and then list characteristics of that audience you find in the passage or the book as a whole.

For example, if I was reading the book of Galatians, the audience is clearly the Church in Galatia. However, that does not tell me very much and is therefore not very helpful in understanding the passage.

If I were to do a quick survey of Galatians, however, I could start understanding characteristics of the Church. They are listening to false teaching. In turn, they are getting tempted to add the works of the law back into the Gospel message.

Why is the audience important to know? If you don’t know the original audience and their characteristics, application either becomes difficult, impossible, or straight up wrong.

Spending time on filling out the characteristics of the original audience will help you understand the purpose of the passage and how it applies to your life.

To do this, oftentimes you will need to skim through the book and start listing out any verses that discuss something about the original audience. Again, don’t get too caught up in extracting every historical or geographical tidbit about the original audience. You oftentimes will get so stuck in the details that you never end up getting to the actual Bible passage.

The characters

The passage won’t always have this component. But when you are studying narrative (like many of the Old Testament books & the Gospels) or parables or even much of Wisdom Literature (Proverbs, Song of Songs), listing out the main characters of a passage is important.

(In fact, I have elsewhere argued that you can organize a sermon around the main characters in the passage. To hear me apply this, listen to my recent sermon on Numbers 14. Or you can read my series of posts based on that sermon.)

You deal with the characters in a passage very similar to what you already did with the audience. Simply extract the characters and then list their characteristics.

For example, if I was do extract the “characters” from the parable of the sower in Mark 4, I first list out the four different types of soil and the sower.

Next, I would write the characteristics of each of those types of soil and then the characteristics of the sower. Don’t make up characteristics for their own sake. Just write down what the passage says.

Think of your favorite movie. You could not only name the main characters, you could also describe them. Do the same for the Bible passage you are studying.

Why is this important? Oftentimes seeing the characteristics of the main characters in a passage helps you understand what the author/speaker is trying to highlight.

In our example of the parable of the sower, listing the characteristics of the soils helps you see that only the final type of soil (the good soil that grows a plant that bears fruit) is emphasized as good.

Once you have the speaker, the audience, and the characters of the passage pulled out, you can move on to the next category. Don’t rush the “who”, though.

A good grasp of who is in the passage will keep you from misinterpreting and misapplying the passage later on.

What

The next step in breaking a Bible passage into its components is to extract what is happening in the passage. The three pieces of information I like to get from this step are what is said, what is done, and what is felt.

What is said-the pieces of the passage

This simply means you list out the key points, arguments, or speeches in the passage. The bible passage components you extract in this section will depend on the type of Biblical literature you are studying.

But in general, read through the passage and reduce what is said into a few main points. Oftentimes, to do this well, you will have to outline a passage. I will go through outlining in a later post.

For example, when I was studying for my post on Psalm 1, I broke up what is said into a couple sections. The first section is a contrast between listening to the unrighteous and listening to God’s word. The second section gives metaphors to picture the righteous and the unrighteous. And the last section gives both groups’ final destiny.

Listing out what is said will help you see the main points of the passage.

For Paul, you might spend time mapping out his arguments. For a Psalm, you might focus on the repetition and metaphors used. Metaphors also show up throughout Scripture and are important, but sometimes difficult to interpret. I designed a whole separate worksheet to help you understand biblical metaphors.

Regardless, make sure you either list out or summarize everything in the passage. If you leave you information, you may come to wrong interpretive conclusions.

Often it is what information you leave out that has the biggest effect on your Bible study. Don’t leave important details unexamined.

What is done-the flow of the passage

As before, how you answer this question depends on the type of Bible passage you are studying. If you are examining a narrative text, simply list out the key parts of the plot.

For example, when I was studying Numbers 14, I looked at the important plot points: Israel reacts in fear, Jacob & Caleb call them to repentance, God pronounces judgment, Moses mediates, etc.

If you are going through a Psalm or an epistle, this question helps you think through the flow of the passage. What are the steps of the argument? What does the author do with the components?

Look at the movement of the passage. How does it flow and progress?

Why is this important? If you only know the pieces of the passage and not how they fit together, you will often struggle to find the author’s main point. Seeing what is done in the passage enables you to see better the point the author is making.

What is felt-the emotion of the passage

This is often overlooked. Tone is crucial to understanding the passage. Is the author worshipful or angry? Reflective or direct? This question is not about what you feel about the passage, it is examining the tone of the words in the passage itself.

Answer this can be difficult or easy depending on the passage. Sometimes, the author specifically calls out emotion or uses words that strongly suggest a particular emotion. Other times, you must think a little deeper to get to what emotions exist in the text.

Look for any emotionally charged words in the passage. Is this passage painting a positive or negative picture?

You might ask why this step is important. I would argue you cannot accurately apply a text without understanding the emotion it is conveying. You don’t want to walk away happy when studying a passage meant to make you fear.

The emotion of the text should guide your emotions when you leave the text.

Again, it isn’t about asking what you personally feel about the text. That is conforming the text to your emotions.

But, when you understand the tone of the passage, you can subject your own feelings to the text.

Where

The “where” of the text can take many forms. Think of it as understanding the context of whatever passage you are studying. The three questions to ask are where is this passage taking place geographically, where is this passage in the argument, and where is this passage in the book as a whole.

Geographically

I don’t think I need to say much in this section. This is simply placing the passage in the physical world. Where is this taking place? Where are the main characters when this letter or poem or prophecy was written?

For example, if you are studying a passage and Israel is in Babylon, you are in a very different part of Israel’s history than if they were in Egypt.

Don’t write this section off as meaningless detail. Oftentimes, the geography of the passage gives you insight you might not expect. For example, the joyful nature of the letter to the Philippians becomes more astounding when you realize Paul was in jail when writing it.

The geographical context of a passage helps you picture the passage as something tangible. These were real people, real historical events. Not just abstractions on a page.

It is important not to spend all your time answering this question. But understanding where the main characters are is certainly helpful.

In the argument

This mainly applies to discourses and the epistles. Simply look at your passage or verse and try to understand what it adds to the overall argument.

Previously you looked at the flow of the passage itself. For this step, you are simply looking at the flow from a little higher vantage point.

Is your passage the conclusion of an argument? An application of a truth previously presented? An assumption which is a foundation of what follows?

Not every passage has the same or an equal role. Finding where it occurs will help you discern its importance.

Why is this important? You want to emphasize what the text emphasizes. If the passage at hand is giving a reason for hoping in Christ, you don’t want to treat it like a command. If your passage is the conclusion of an extended argument, you want to emphasize it and see how it follows from what came before.

In the book as a whole

This simply moves the vantage point even higher. In order to answer this question, you need to have some insight into the structure of the book you are studying.

For example, I have been teaching 2 Corinthians in my Church’s Sunday School. There are essentially three larger sections in 2 Corinthians: Paul describes the ministry of reconciliation, exhorts the Church to participate in sending money to the Jerusalem Church, and defends his apostleship.

When I study any given individual passage in 2 Corinthians, I always think through which section of the book my passage is in. Depending on where it occurs, my passage’s tone and purpose is vastly different.

In the high level break down of the book, where does your passage occur? This might be a good time to get a commentary which has outlines of the book.

Again, don’t get stuck in the details. You don’t need to understand every single part of the book you are studying. But if you broke the book down into 2-6 categories, which one would your passage fit into?

When

This section only contains two questions to answer: When was this written? and When does it occur in redemptive history? The former is connecting your passage to time, the latter is understanding it within the canon of Scripture.

When in time

Answering this question can take many forms. For example, if you are studying a Pauline epistle, you can ask what year Paul wrote this or when in Paul’s ministry he wrote the epistle.

As when you understood where geographically a passage occurs, finding out the time in which a passage occurs gives further context. The temptation here is to go into far too much detail.

Remember, you are a faithful student of God’s word. Not a historian.

That said, the time in which a passage occurs sometimes is included by the author. Therefore, it must have some relevance to your study.

The Bible took place in time, even though it is timeless truth.

I think there are two dangerous extremes you can go to: treat the Bible as if it is purely a historical book or treating it as if it is merely abstract truth without any real history.

So don’t fall into either of these. Understand when in time your passage occurs, but don’t let that be the most important thing you take away from the text.

When in redemptive history

Of all the Bible passage components, this is one of the most important ones and yet one of the most difficult ones to extract. Answering this question gets easier and easier the more time you spend in Scripture. The more familiar you are with it.

When your passage occurs in redemptive history will majorly affect your interpretation. An easy example is whether your passage occurs in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Is the author looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, or looking back on Jesus’ death and resurrection?

The Bible tells one complete story of God’s glorious redemption in Christ. Where is your passage in this story?

Has the law been given yet? Is Israel in exile? Has Pentecost occurred? I would argue you need to have some idea of where your passage occurs in redemptive history to have any hope of proper interpretation.

I would recommend getting a good Biblical Theology book or commentary that focuses on the whole Bible for answering this question.

If you can’t answer this question immediately, don’t worry! It takes a lifetime of study and reflection to learn how the complexities of Scripture fit together.

The key is with each new passage to ask this question so you learn a little bit more about the Bible as a whole even as you focus on an individual section.

Why

The “why” of a passage builds on the bible passage components you found in the “what” section. The order is important. Don’t try to figure out why the passage says what it says until you understand its main points in context.

Why is this said?

The Bible is not a book in want of purpose. Sometimes understanding the purpose of a passage takes time, but it is always there. You should look at the context of the passage before you ask why something is said. Oftentimes, the context will help you see its significance.

Why something is said often depends on where the passage is in context, in the flow of the book, and where it occurs in redemptive history.

Oftentimes, if you answered the what, where, and when questions, you can answer why something is said fairly easily. It is important to note sometimes the author tells you explicitly why he says something. Other times, you must deduce it.

Keep in mind every time you leave what is explicitly said in the passage you are making an interpretation. Make sure your interpretation is based on other Scripture and does not contradict other Scripture.

This is the foundational principle that the Bible is self-interpreting and internally consistent. Now, in practice, this can be very difficult to see, especially for some texts. But do not rush to answering why a text says what it says. Be patient.

Why is this done?

Like the discussion above, if you have done your work answering the where and the when questions, you can often easily interpret the purpose of an event.

Sometimes, however, the author tells you why something is done. For example, Jesus does many miracles in the gospel of John. But John doesn’t leave us to ask why Jesus did them: John calls these miracles “signs.” Their purpose was testifying to Jesus’ deity.

But things can also be done because of sin, jealousy, or wrong choices. If you were to ask why Saul tried to kill David, you would likely get one of these negative answers.

Why is this felt?

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” This sentence evokes a peaceful, confident emotion. Why does the Psalmist feel this way? That is the type of question you should answer at this point.

Again, don’t close your Bible and reflect to yourself in order to answer this question. Scripture is self-interpreting. Go ask the rest of the Bible or the rest of the passage why something is felt.

The “why’s” of the Bible are best answered by the Bible itself.

Most interpretive mistakes come from trying to understand a particular passage without the looking at it in light of other Scripture. The emotion of the text is important. Therefore understanding the purpose of that emotion is also important.

God has given you all you need to study the Bible inside the Bible.

And that includes emotions contained in the text.

How

Previously, we have focused on merely collecting and interpreting Bible passage components. Now, we let the text examine our own hearts. You meditate on the text and asking yourself how should you think, how should you feel, and how should you act if this passage is true.

How are you to think?

The Bible corrects wrong thinking. It corrects wrong thinking about God, about Jesus, about yourself, about others, about the world we live in.

So, a simple question to ask at this point is how does this passage correct, inform, or disrupt your thinking? Once you have broken down the bible passage components, organized them, and understood there purpose, you don’t stop there.

Ask yourself, “if this passage is true, what thoughts do I have which contradict that truth?”

Oftentimes, you and I conform Scripture to our thoughts, not the other way around. This first “how” question gives you time to examine what you think about God, yourself, and the world.

If what you think contradicts the truth, replace your thoughts with God’s thoughts.

How are you to feel?

I once read an excellent little article on “Six Short Rules for Young Believers.” It is a very helpful read, but one quote in particular bears mentioning here:

“Never believe what you feel, if it contradicts God’s Word. Ask yourself, Can what I feel be true, if God’s Word is true? and if both cannot be true, believe God, and make your own heart the liar. (Rom. 3:4; 1 John 5:10, 11).“

It doesn’t get much more practical than that. You spent much time figuring out the emotions contained in the text you are studying. Now, turn it on yourself: do you feel the same?

Do you hate your sin? Do you feel the same love for the Lord as this passage? It is easy to treat our own feelings as sovereign, as the measure of our reality.

Feelings come and go. God’s word stands forever.

That is one reason for my series called “Happy?” You and I so often let our feelings define our reality. But if you look at God’s word, understand it, and let your feelings be rooted in truth, your life will transform.

How are you to act?

The Bible isn’t merely concerned with behavior modification. But it is concerned with faith-based obedience.

Are there imperatives you should follow? Are there examples to emulate? When you break down a Bible passage into its components, you often see clearly what action you should do.

If you rush to application on the other hand, oftentimes you focus too much on surface level behavior modification.

Let your actions be faith-driven and scripture-informed. Don’t stop at mere external obedience. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” and “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

Your Bible study should have a definite impact on your life. So often, we study and nothing about us actually changes. As James said, you need to be a doer of the word, not merely a hearer.

The mark of a good Bible study is it leaves a mark on your life.

I mentioned when discussing my sermon mediation booklet that one of my favorite quotes is “men grow tired of hearing the word only after they have grown tired of putting it into practice.”

The same is true of Bible study.

If your life isn’t being transformed by the word of God, don’t be surprised if your study becomes boring or unfruitful.

Breaking a bible passage into its components isn’t enough. It must change you once you understand it.

So What

The last section focused more on personal transformation. The “so what” of a passage is thinking through the implications the passage has on your life in different spheres. These are three questions which are worthy of prayer and meditation. Only you can answer them.

What are the implications for your family?

You might be single, a husband, a wife, a mother, a father, or a child. How does this text touch upon your roles within the family?

Keep in mind not every text deals directly with family. Most don’t. That is why I call these “implications”.

An implication is simply saying “if this is true, what further thing follows.”

In this case, what does the truths of your passage call you to within the context of your family?

What are the implications for your work?

Most of us, myself included, spend most of our day most of the week working a 9 to 5 secular job.

Therefore, it is crucial you let scripture transform where you spend most of your time: at work.

Don’t think that the Bible doesn’t address your work or how you work or where you work. There are often many implications for your 9 to 5 which follow from a truth of Scripture.

As you go throughout your work day, meditate on a truth from your Bible study. You will be surprised at how often it informs what you do, think, and feel as you work.

What are the implications for your corporate worship?

Finally, think through the implications of how this passage helps you and equips you for service in the Church. Your local Church should be a fundamental part of your life.

Oftentimes, the Bible speaks most directly and constantly to this point. How you worship God corporately and interact with fellow believers is incredibly important to the Lord. There are great blessings in belonging to God and His people.

Don’t leave your study until you think through how the text changes your interaction with your local Church.

If you want further questions to apply your text, use the application questions Puritan preachers used. They are incredibly effective and helpful to fully understand the effect a text should have on your life.

Do you like receiving Bible study tools? Follow The Average Churchman on Instagram to receive updates whenever a new tool is published.