Studying the bible

[rodsorp]

How do you study the bible? What tools/resources do you use?

 

[Going Merry]

new life mission website.
also biblegateway.
and i guess I use the internet in general; but i ultimately believe only the word of God and not what people say. So even if someone says something convincing i wont believe it unless the word says it. And I have the belief I have no sight of my own, so I expect God to let me see.

 

[crishmael]

I have several study Bibles in a couple translations and I tend to read the text and compare the commentaries. I do this because the Bible was written in a culture so vastly different from ours and the cultural/historical context of the commentary helps me understand a bit more the background of the text and its possible significance.

 

[madetoworship]

Church (pastors who have done their fair deal of seminary school and study of theology)

Commentaries (for the same reason as crishmael)

I've tried e-Sword (bible commentary application you can download on your computer; completely safe don't worry)

 

[Nanopants]

google ;]

Also, blueletterbible.org is a good site for multiple translations and concordances, etc.

 

[rodsorp]

I have several study Bibles in a couple translations and I tend to read the text and compare the commentaries. I do this because the Bible was written in a culture so vastly different from ours and the cultural/historical context of the commentary helps me understand a bit more the background of the text and its possible significance.

I feel like the cultural/historical context is what I'm missing the most in my studies right now and lack of knowledge of the jewish tradition. Are study bibles one of the few places where I can get that information from?

 

[redblue22]

My method is pretty sloppy. And I have kindof a shotgun read-what-I-want approach. I get bored easy too. I read various translations but I really don't trust study bibles. I might look up stuff in bible dictionaries/encyclopedias. Bible handbooks can be useful. I get a lot out of college intro and seminary textbooks. There are quite a few "background" publications out there claiming to help with context, but so far I'm not terribly impressed. I get more background along the way bumping into things. Language studies have not been all that helpful. Most of the stuff they sell as helpful at family stores, magazines, or they advertise as popular traditional tools are just not stuff I get much use out of or trust. learning about interpretation methods and hermeneutics is useful. Commentaries are really only supposed to be for when you've made up your own mind about what you believe and are curious to compare your thoughts with others. It is awfully tempting to just get thought-lazy and read a few commentaries and pick what I like though. But commentaries can say just about everything and anything if you aren't sure what you're looking at. And the whole mess of books from study bibles to dictionaries to whatever can really get biased based on publisher and author. Certain denominations get way over-represented in books and others are hard to find.

 

[dayhiker]

I've used all the methods mentioned above at one time or another. I generally use the historical-gramatical method that I learned in Bible College. I have added to that writings from different Christian and even secular traditions. While I usually don't find Christians lying with their material, I do find they can leave out data and perspectives that doesn't support their view. Clearly I don't agree with every point of view. But after reading a view I disagree with at least I can state why I don't agree with that view. And sometimes I've had to change my view because once I knew the other points of view I finally found one that made sense. Like divorce and remarriage. When I 1st studied I came across two points of view. Neither of them made sense to me. Each had a couple of verse that didn't fit what they were saying. So I shelved that topic for three decades. Then I came across a view that was based in the history of the debate that was going on in Jesus' day it all the verse fit together and made sense.

 

[elytron]

I use the YouVersion Bible app, on my android tablet. I get distracted by my other apps though. So I will be buying a new paper Bible soon.

 

[SnowyMacie]

It depends, if it just going to be a short little devo or read, I'll just use my ESV. If I'm actually going to study scripture, I'll use some commentaries, different English translations, and my Hebrew/Greek Bible.

 

[Christophercbm]

Here is a good free Bible program that I like to use

Bible Software theWord!

 

[crishmael]

I feel like the cultural/historical context is what I'm missing the most in my studies right now and lack of knowledge of the jewish tradition. Are study bibles one of the few places where I can get that information from?

One thing I've found with a lot of study Bibles is that they are more concerned with making sure that they text is interpreted "correctly" (as they see it) than with paying attention to what the text actually says or its cultural background. Two Bibles I have that I use a lot because of their focus on the Jewish and surrounding cultures in their notes are:

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version: Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, Pheme Perkins: 9780195289602: Amazon.com: Books

and

The Jewish Annotated New Testament: Amy-Jill Levine, Marc Z. Brettler: 9780195297706: Amazon.com: Books

The Oxford Annotated is a very popular academic Bible which examines the Biblical texts from the historical/critical standpoint and their notes reflect this. The Jewish Annotated NT is unique because it has scholars with a specialty in early Judaism provide commentary on the Jewish background of the NT. Fair warning on both of these is that these books examine the Bible critically like they would any other historical document. The commentary is not out to prove the Bible right, infallible, etc. but to show how it reflects the cultural and historical background. But the scholarship and the attention to the text is excellent and often a lot better than that in a traditional study Bible.

 

[MacFall]

I generally just read until I find something that convicts me, confuses me, or (more often) just sparks my curiosity and interest. Then I read everything I can find on the topic. I use Strongs and read commentaries on the historical, cultural, and linguistic context of the verse, and sometimes essays on the exegesis or hermeneutics of the passage.

Basically I go to the figurative library with a topic and READ ALL THE THINGS!

 

[nick garai]

Pc Study Bible is a great software tool that you could use to enhance your bible study time. It costs a few hundred dollars but it has lots of resources available in it.