A guide to Christian Bible studies

Christian Bible studies involve taking an informed, scholarly approach to the Bible free of misconceptions. They involve examining the language, structure and history of the text, and also the history of the times in which the Bible was written. There are several books, for example commentaries, and online Bible study guides to help Bible students.

Basic principles of Bible study

An ancient book Studying the bible involves examining an ancient book written over a period of over a thousand years in languages other than your own. Bible scholars understand Greek and Hebrew and often other related languages, but ordinary readers need to be aware that the meaning of a word in Hebrew might not be exactly what it is in English. They need to refer to a Bible commentary or dictionary to check it out. This will free you from misunderstandings of the text. The history of the text Furthermore, scholarly study reveals that the text was produced by a complex process of writing and editing between about 900 B.C. to the end of the New Testament period, but ancient traditions written down over that period go back further. Bible study involves checking the history of the text to see how it influences what was written and how it evolved through editing over time. It also examines the history of the times about which the Bible writes to facilitate understanding of the written text. A good Bible course will cover all these issues and more.

What sort of books

An important kind of book is a Bible commentary. Generally, there are different commentaries on each of the Bible books, but sometimes you might get a commentary on all of the letters [epistles] of Paul, for example. A Bible student would refer to a commentary when something needs to be checked out. There are also books which detail the history of biblical times, some dealing with the whole period, but others with specific times.
Biblical courses There are many good courses on the Bible. There are some that give you the Bible online, and often provide study materials to go with it. Specific churches provide their own Bible courses, sometimes through the Internet and at others through courses that you can attend. Crosswalk is a an evangelical publishing operation that provides a study site for Christians and enables you to buy Bibles and Bible study courses. Study groups Christians sometimes form Bible study groups. These can be formally organised or spontaneously forms within a local religious group. Many Christians use these to enhance their understanding of the academic and religious aspects of Bible study.