REAP - Examine

Examine

Proper examination is important so we don’t misinterpret what we have read. Ask lots of questions, but also look for the answer to your questions. You won’t find them all, but you will find the answers to most. Learn to mark in your Bible. Use your own system, but mark so that it helps you identify the following.

Observation: ASK: What do I see?

Begin by taking on the role of a journalist. Ask who is doing what and where? How and why are they doing it? This forces you to really look at the text and determine what the author was actually saying to his audience.

Look for:

Key terms or phrases – usually phrases that are repeated often. These terms or phrases can help you unlock the meaning.
What does the author emphasize? Look for repeated phrases or words. How much space does he devote to describe a situation or expound a theological truth. We repeat things that are important, so did the authors of the Bible.
The verb tense helps us know when something happened or is going to happen.
Look for words that indicate the author is going to clue you in on the cause and effect. Words such as therefore, if, but, so that, then, and for.
Words that draw a comparison such as but or yet.
Note if the author uses a figure of speech such as similes, metaphors, or irony.

(Hendricks, 148-173)

Tools for Observation

Colored pencils that are erasable that you can use to mark words, phrases, locations, time references.
A three-ring binder that is dedicated to a specific book.
Bible study tools:
- Different Bibles
  - If you only have one translation, you can access multiple translations at Bible Study Tools.
    - The NET translation is one of my favorites because it includes notes that help you see why the translators used certain English words for the Hebrew or Greek text. It almost serves as a built-in commentary.
- Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance - Good place to find the meaning of Greek or Hebrew words.
  - Bible Study Tools version of Strongs
  - Eliyah.com's version of Strongs.
- Bible dictionary that is tied to Strong’s Concordance
  - Vines
  - List of Bible dictionaries on Bible Study Tools
- Bible Atlas
- Bible manners and customs - I've picked up several of these had Half-Price book stores. Make sure you get one that has an index so that lists the page numbers of the Scripture references used in the book.
- Commentaries
  - Bible study tools have links to many commentaries that are in the public domain, thus they are free.
    - You might want to purchase a commentary that is more current as well, because they often have access to more recent scholarship

Interpretation: ASK: What does this mean?

“Meaning” is not our subjective thoughts, but rather God’s objective truth (Hendricks,201).

Content – Look at the words. If you have done your job in observing, you have discovered the content. Often the interpretation is mingled in with the examination of the text. As you go through the observation process, you will begin to interpret the meaning.
Context – Literary, Historical, Cultural, Theological & Geographical (Hendricks, 233-235)
- Before and After – what did someone say before after a specific verse?
- What is going on in history at this time period and that of the audience?
- What is the cultural context?
- How much did the audience know about God and His plans? What portion of the Scriptures do they have? Where is this story in the Bible Timeline?
- Where is this taking place and what are its geographical features?
- In reference to understanding a passage, Hendricks said, “Whenever you get lost, climb a “contextual tree” and gain some perspective." (Hendricks, 233)
Canonical - Compare Scripture with Scripture, letting Scripture interpret Scripture.
- If the Old Testament is quoted or alluded to other Old Testament passages, or in the New Testament, go look at the Old Testament passage within its context so you can understand what the author was asking his audience to recall when he mentioned that Old Testament passage. For example, if I mentioned 9/11, you would immediately have memories, emotions, and understandings that I might be using to make a point. Biblical writers did this too.
- A concordance and a Bible with cross-references in the margins can help with this.
Consultation - use Bible study tools and commentaries to help in your interpretation
- Concordance - This is an index to the Bible. It lists all the words of the Bible in alphabetical order with references of where you can find them. You can use Bible Study Tools to do this as well. Make sure you get an exhaustive concordance that lists every reference of the word (I. e. Strong’s).
- Bible dictionary - these provide lots of information about people, places, and things mentioned in the Bible. They are invaluable to understanding the context of a passage. (I.e. Holman’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary) Bible Study tools also has a list of online Bible dictionaries you can use.
- Bible handbooks - a one-volume encyclopedia (i.e. The Eerdman’s Companion to the Bible)
- Bible atlas - It fills in the story behind the places mentioned in Scripture. (I.e. The New Moody Atlas of the Bible. The Bible Hub has some maps on their site and so does GodWeb. You can also search for Google maps in Google Images.
- Commentaries should be the last thing you reference.

(Hendricks, 250-253)

Video Tutorials on Methods used in the Examine, Observation and Interpretation Process

Marking the Biblical text

Noting time references in a scripture passage

Looking up Greek words using StepBible.org

Using cross-references

Looking up a definition of a word online using search terms

Reading a passage from different translations

Finding the different references of a word in the Bible or a book of the Bible.

Many of these suggestions came from Living by the Book, the Art and Science of Reading the Bible, written by Howard and William Hendricks. Moody Publishers, (2007).

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