I remember going to one of my mentors and asking for help. He handed me a book that was about 5,000 pages and said, "here, read this." Um...ok. I tried and failed again.
My youth edition bible with the topical pages all throughout just wasn't cutting it anymore. I had read every single one of the little inserts and I craved more substance.
Topical studies were good, and they gave me some good principles and application, but again, I craved more substance.
Finally, I got smart and did what any pastor's wife would do, I started watching what my husband did. That man understands scripture and knows so many things about God's redemptive story. I wanted what he had.
Along the way, I have learned a few things. I have found a few things that help me to really learn scripture. This list in in no way exhaustive. These things might not work for you. BUT they might! Here it goes...
- Pray. It's always helpful and smart to pray for God's leading, direction, and revelation when reading scripture.
- Lose all motives/agendas and let the scripture speak to you fresh without trying to mold it into what you want it to be.
- My favorite thing to do is to pick a book of the bible and study it from start to finish. The big picture is so much more enlightening than bits and pieces.
- When I do it this way, I like to use 2-3 different commentaries. I just go through it one small section at a time and read the scripture along with my different commentaries. The more resources, the better because every writer/reader can add a different angle which promotes better understanding.
- If you have the opportunity, ask God to give you opportunities to teach what you are learning! I have found that is the best way to enforce it into my brain.
- Sometimes, depending on the season in my life, I will just go get a book from Jason's library and read through it. Like this one. This also makes the scripture come alive to me.
- Another thing I have done is... say you are wanting to learn more about self-control. I will look in my concordance and find every verse about self-control and write them all down together. Then I read through the list and it helps me to get a basic understanding on what scripture says about the topic.
- Context is crucial. That's one reason why resources are so helpful. Scripture was written in a different culture to a different society. Oftentimes the message can get lost or watered down if we don't know the context.
- Did I mention prayer?? Asking God to open our eyes to His truth is some soo important.
- Apply it to your life. Living it out makes it come alive. This isn't just a compartment of our life. It is our life. Think about the passages during the day when you are going about your business. Soak it up, integrate it into your life. LOOK for opportunities to apply it, post key scriptures on postcards around your house, office, or car.
- There are also so many christian living books out there that can really be helpful in applying scripture. They can be powerful tools in seeing ways to live out scripture. But don't just read anything. Find pastors, organizations, or authors that you know what they believe and check out their recommendations. Anyone can write a book nowadays and just because something is written in a book doesn't make it true. (Knowing scripture yourself can help you not to get led astray by only following others.)
Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all MIND.
Matthew 22:37 (emphasis mine)
Oh, and if you are like I was, and you think you are too dumb to learn more about scripture, read this...
Without further ado, here is Jason's list, therefore my list, of helpful resources. Learn and grow friends! And be prepared for a changed life...
Dictionaries and Background Resources:
• A Visual Guide to Biblical Events by Dr. James Martin
• Exploring Biblical Times by Dr. James Martin
• The IVP Biblical Background Commentary (there is a NT and OT version)
• Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
• IVP has a whole group of dictionaries that are really good
• Anchor Bible Dictionary (very expensive but great)
Commentaries - (Non-technical - normally less expensive and deals more with interpretation and spends less time discussing the Greek, Hebrew, and literary structure)
• The Bible Speaks Today by John Stott (NT)
• Tyndale New Testament Commentary (OT & NT)
• For Everyone Series by Tom Wright (a good different perspective)
• Jewish New Testament Commentary by Stein
• The Expositors Bible Commentary
• New International Biblical Commentary
• New Bible Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentary (oldie but very good)
Commentaries - (Technical - tend to be expensive and have to sift through a little more because they can at times get caught up minute details and scholarly debates, but full of great information)
• Word Biblical Commentary - (typically my favorite)
• The NIV Application Commentary
• New International Commentary on the New Testament
• New International Commentary on the Old Testament
• The JPS Torah Commentary
• The Interpreter’s Bible (more liberal perspective but has some good discussion)
• KEIL and DELITZSCH Commentary
• New International Greek Testament Commentary
These are some of the resources that I have found to be a little better over the years. With so many electronic resources now available you can really get great savings by looking into them, not to mention it can be easier searching for what you are actually looking for. I strongly recommend Accordance which is by far the best I have worked with and has very fair prices.
