How to do Inductive Bible Study

There are many methods to understand the Bible. One of them is inductive method. This part will answer the question: how to study the Bible inductively. This method is meant to find out the original messages, what did the writers actually want to say to their original readers? Before we start, we want to note that Inductive Bible Study is not meant to be a quick and easy method. In fact, we believe this method is for them who already familiar with the Bible or advanced Christians who are used to study the Bible.

Introduction

Bible is God’s words that were written by humans. That’s why Bible has both divine and human natures. The human nature of Bible is shown by the different writing style usages, life culture, and history where the writers lived and wrote the Words. Thus, when we want to study the Bible, our purpose is to understand the Words just as when they were written by the writers. To achieve this purpose, when we are studying the Bible we should depend on Holy Spirit and must use certain methods that can help us understand the original messages of the passages.

Inductive method can help us understand what God says to us. Inductive thinking style means we collect data, we interpret the data and then, we apply them. The step to collect data is called observation, the step to interpret data called interpretation, and the step to apply the data is called application.

Let's try to understand this method step-by-step:

Observation:

The key of the right interpretation is accurate data. To get accurate data, we need to do thorough observation. This kind of observation can be done by making as many questions as possible. We must set our heart to have attitude to ask. There are some basic questions that can help us: What, When, What, Why, How and What the result.

• When: We search the characters that were involved in the passage. Then, we concentrate to the main characters. Try to find as many data as possible about those main characters.
• Where: We try to find the location where the incident was happening.
• When: We try to find the time when the incident was happening.
• What: We dig what the real incident in the passage (focus on the incident that happened to the main character or the main conflict).
• How: We try to find the way, the attitude and the action that the main characters took when the main conflict was happening. We also try to find their response to the main conflict.
• Why: We try to find the reason/s why the main characters did what they did on the main conflict/incident.
• What the result: We try to find what was happening as the results from main characters' action, attitude and responses to the main conflict/incident.

Who did this, where did they do this, when did they do this, what did they do, why did they do this, how did they do this and what were the results?

Find information that is related to the passage that you could find on another parts (parallel passage, previous passage, the following passage). Mostly there are hidden data that apparently important. That's why one important principle in observing is to read all parts that are related with the main conflict. It can be done by reading previous and following passages or other passages to explain the background (for example, when you are observing one of Paul the Apostle's letters, you could read Acts. Or if you investigate Psalm, you could read 1-2 Samuel).

Remember accurate data produce correct interpretations. Wrong data produce wrong interpretations.

Interpretation:

Interpretation is the part where we define all data that we could get or conclude all data we have collected. This is the step to understand the words of God.

• What are my conclusions to all these data?
• What does God want to say through all these data?

To check whether our conclusions are correct, we can see whether all data are included or not on the interpretations.

Applications:

Application is where we response the Words of God. Before we enter the personal and practical applications, we need to conclude the interpretations that we have got. We need to conclude the truth or the principles that can be applied whether in the past or in the future. Your conclusions might contain what God said in the past (there is possibility that the truth can't be applied in the present or future); the general truth that still works in the past and the future. Of course when we are learning certain passages in the Bible, we will find general truth that can be applied in any time whether in the past, present and the future like when we observe letters and sermons on the Bible.


From those general truth, take one that you need and find practical ways to apply it. So, here is the format:

Application/General truth:

1.
2.

Personal Application/ Specific application:

Principle of truth:


My life:


Practical steps: