Photo courtesy of eye2eye
I'm not going to tell you how thou shalt do Bible study, but I thought I'd let you know how I generally go about mine. I usually alternate OT and NT books but right now I'm doing Non-Pauline epistles in approximate chronological order starting with James. I do one chapter per week in the following manner:
- Always start out with a prayer for guidance from the Holy Spirit - a prayer for understanding and tutoring.
- Read the entire chapter each weekday.
- By about the 2nd or 3rd day, start chasing down cross-references. I subscribe to the idea that you want to "let scripture interpret scripture," thus cross-references are better than commentaries.
- Note any cross-refs or connections that occur to you but are not in the list.
- By about the 4th or 5th day, maybe look through the commentaries.
- First cross-references, then commentaries, then word study. It is too easy for me to go off on a tangent when I get to as microscopic level as word study.
- Read the whole book (or several chapters) every weekend. This way, you get a broader view of the topic and the structure of the book makes more sense.
- Make notes in the margins. Underline. Write your own commentary.
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Patrick Parker, is a Christian, husband, father, judo and aikido teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282
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