Some people study the Bible to pick it apart.  This is not as bad as it seems.  It all depends on the purpose of the person doing it.  People who have and axe to grind, who are looking for alleged errors in the Bible, often use the analytical method. For example, using the analytical method, people have discovered that there are two creation stories in Genesis, one in verses 1:-2:4a, and another in verses 2:4b-2:25.  They allege that something is unreliable about the Bible since it focuses on two aspects of creation. This is a poor use of the analytical method.

But the analytical method can be good.  Believers should analyze the Bible by breaking it down into manageable parts.  It’s good to go through the Bible and analyze topics as well as the content of specific passages.  Pastors often use the analytical method as they examine the passage as a part of sermon perparation; the expository preaching method requires such analysis.

Some study the Bible from a synthetic approach.  Synthesis is the process of reading divergent passages and harmonizing them.  This is a great way to study something like prophecy.  You can read various prophetic passages in the Old Testament, for example, and see how they relate to the life of Christ.

Another form of synthetic Bible study is tracing a doctrinal theme, like man, sin or angels, through the Bible.  Rather than taking Bible passages apart is in the analytic method, the synthetic method enables you to bring various portions together to see the greater turth.

Christians sometimes study the Bible simply to be able to make a preemptive strike on others.  They get an idea in their head, like latter reign theology, the prosperity gospel, conspiracy theories or UFO ideas, and then study the Bible with only that idea in mind, and they ignore the wider teachings of God's Word. This type of Bible study is that the root of all aberrant forms of Christianity.  It is never a good idea to study the Bible looking for support your theroies.  As Christians, we need to go to the Bible open minds and hearts, and when we do that, God will inform our understanding.

That brings us to may be the most important reason for studying the Bible, and that is to feed our own souls.

Too often Christians are guilty of studying the Bible with the purpose of trying to discern some inscrutable truth, rather than just enjoying the Word of God.  If you'd like to enjoy the Bible more, try this method.

1.  Begin by entering the presence of God.  Close down the busyness of your mind and invite God’s Spirit within by closing your eyes and uttering a simple prayer, like "I now open myself to you, O God."  Solitude is not required to enter the presence of God; you can do it anywhere – a busy home, office, air terminal or other place you choose. 

2. Read a selected Scripture passage once for information.  Don't outline it (analytical method) or search the cross references (synthetic method), just get a basic understanding of content.

3. Read the passage again, this time out loud.  If you are in a busy place, you may be uttering the passage in a whisper, but that's okay.  Linger over the words.  Repeat the ones that seem especially important to you.  This is God speaking to you.

4. Enter the passage in your imagination.  A Holy Spirit and enabled imagination is a good thing.  For example, if you have just read Matthew 19:13, imagine you are one of the children and Jesus has put his hand upon you. If you're reading Acts 17:16-34, imagine you're on the platform with Paul as he preaches to the unbelievers.  Always put yourself in the middle of the action and look around to see what's happening.

 5. When you put down your Bible and go about your business, let the words you read aloud continue to echo in your heart and mind.  Remind yourself that the places you entered in your imagination are not that different from the world around you.

Why study the Bible? The world tells us we study to get information, and sadly we study the Bible for the same reason.  But the acquisition of information should not the only reason for Bible study.  We must study the Bible in order to form a pathway for Christ to enter and live within us (Colossians 1:27).

- DLH