Following Jesus · Study Guide
Week Five
How Do I Read and Understand the Bible?
Scripture is meant to be understood, trusted, and lived.
Many Christians sincerely want to read the Bible but sometimes feel unsure about how to begin.
Some parts are easy to understand. Others seem difficult. There are different kinds of writing, different historical settings, different authors, and different audiences.
This week will help us approach Scripture with confidence, humility, and a clear method so that we can understand what God has revealed, recognize its place in His larger story, see how Scripture points toward Jesus Christ, and respond faithfully.
We understand the Bible by reading it prayerfully, carefully, and in context, asking what the passage meant to its original audience, how it fits within the larger story of Scripture, how it points toward Christ, and how God calls us to respond today.
Read Before You Begin
What has been your experience with reading the Bible?
Teaching Summary
The Bible Is God's Word
— 2 Timothy 3:16
Scripture is God-breathed.
The Bible was written through human authors with their own personalities, historical settings, vocabulary, and writing styles.
Yet God worked through those authors so that Scripture faithfully communicates what He intended to reveal.
What has God revealed, and how should I respond?
The Bible Is a Library
The Bible is one book, but it is also a collection of many books.
It contains history, law, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, Gospels, letters, and apocalyptic literature.
Understanding the kind of writing we are reading helps us understand what the author is communicating.
Context Matters
One of the most important principles of Bible reading is simple:
Read verses in context.
A verse is part of a paragraph. A paragraph is part of a chapter. A chapter is part of a book. A book was written in a historical setting for a particular purpose.
Before asking, “What does this verse mean to me?” first ask:
What was the author communicating here?
Ask What Comes Before and After
When one verse catches your attention, read several verses before it and several verses after it.
Ask what issue is being discussed, who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what question or problem is being answered.
The surrounding passage often clarifies the verse we first noticed.
Ask Who Wrote It and to Whom
Biblical books came from real historical settings.
Paul wrote letters to actual churches. Prophets spoke to Israel during particular circumstances. Gospel writers communicated truths about Jesus to real audiences.
Ask:
Who wrote this?
Who first received it?
What was happening?
What issue was being addressed?
Ask What the Text Actually Says
Begin with observation.
Notice repeated words. Commands. Promises. Warnings. Questions. Comparisons. Contrasts. Cause and effect.
Observation before interpretation.
Ask What the Passage Means
The goal is not to invent a meaning.
Interpretation asks what truth the author intended to communicate.
We seek to discover the meaning rather than create it.
The Bible Tells One Larger Story
The Bible contains many stories, but together they form one great story.
A helpful framework is:
Creation — God creates a good world and humanity in His image.
Fall — Human rebellion brings sin, brokenness, and death.
Redemption — God begins His work of rescue, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Restoration — God will renew creation and dwell with His people forever.
Individual passages belong somewhere within this larger story.
Jesus Is at the Center of Scripture
— Luke 24:27
Scripture ultimately leads us toward Christ.
Promises, covenants, sacrifice, kingship, priesthood, redemption, and God's kingdom find their fullest meaning in Him.
How does this passage fit into the story that leads to Jesus?
Do Not Force Jesus into Every Detail
Christ-centered interpretation does not mean inventing hidden meanings.
Not every tree represents the cross. Not every stone represents Christ. Not every number contains a secret code.
Good interpretation respects both the original meaning and the larger biblical story.
Scripture Interprets Scripture
Difficult passages should be read alongside clearer passages.
Look for other passages addressing the same subject. Notice quotations from the Old Testament. See how Jesus and the apostles interpret earlier Scripture.
One part of the Bible often helps explain another.
Read Prayerfully
Bible reading is not merely intellectual.
Before reading, pray something simple:
Lord, help me understand Your Word and respond faithfully.
Ask God for wisdom, humility, attention, correction, faith, and obedience.
Read Slowly Enough to Notice
Sometimes Bible reading becomes a race: finish the chapter, check the box, move on.
Slow down.
Read a paragraph twice. Notice repeated words. Write down questions. Restate the passage in your own words. Consider what surprised you.
Sometimes ten thoughtful verses can shape us more deeply than several hurried chapters.
Ask Good Questions
A simple set of questions can transform Bible reading.
What does this passage say?
Observe.
What does this passage mean?
Interpret.
What does this show me about God?
Know Him.
How does this fit within the larger biblical story?
Connect.
How does this lead toward Christ?
See Jesus.
What should I believe, change, obey, or trust?
Respond.
Be Careful with Application
— James 1:22
Application matters, but application should come after understanding.
Observation → Interpretation → Application
Some Passages Are Difficult
Difficult passages are normal.
When something is unclear: read the context, compare translations, examine related passages, use reliable resources, ask mature believers, and keep reading.
Humility allows us to say:
I do not understand this yet.
Use Helpful Resources Wisely
Study Bibles, Bible dictionaries, commentaries, maps, concordances, and trusted teachers can all help.
But first, read the Bible yourself.
Observe. Think. Pray. Ask questions.
Resources should help us understand Scripture. They should not replace Scripture.
Read Books of the Bible
One of the easiest ways to improve Bible understanding is to read an entire biblical book.
Choose a book such as Mark, John, Philippians, James, or Ephesians.
Read it repeatedly. Notice major ideas. See how the argument develops.
The Goal Is Transformation
Bible study can become merely academic.
We can know facts, definitions, history, theology, and biblical vocabulary while remaining unchanged.
— 2 Timothy 3:17
God's Word is meant to form people who live differently because they know Him.
Take Time to Reflect
- What is currently easiest for me about reading the Bible?
- What is most difficult?
- Do I tend to read individual verses or larger passages in context?
- When I read Scripture, do I begin with what the passage means or immediately ask what it means to me?
- How often do I think about where a passage fits within the larger biblical story?
- Do I naturally look for how Scripture leads toward Christ?
- Is there an area where Scripture has recently challenged or corrected me?
- What would make my Bible reading more thoughtful and consistent?
Talk About It Together
- Why is context so important when interpreting Scripture?
- What problems can arise when verses are taken out of context?
- How does seeing the Bible as one story change the way we read individual passages?
- What does it mean to say that Jesus is at the center of Scripture without claiming that every verse directly refers to Him?
- Why should application come after interpretation?
- How should we respond when we encounter something in Scripture that we do not understand?
- What Bible-study resources have been helpful to you without replacing your own reading?
- What is the difference between knowing the Bible and actually being shaped by the Bible?
Luke 24:13–35
Two disciples are walking toward Emmaus after the crucifixion.
They know many facts, but they still do not understand what those facts mean within God's story.
They possessed information, but they did not understand the story.
Jesus helps them understand God's revealed Word.
The suffering and glory of the Messiah belonged within God's unfolding plan.
— Luke 24:32
We want to understand Scripture clearly and recognize Jesus within God's story.
Father, thank You for giving us Your Word. Give me humility when I read, wisdom to understand, patience with difficult passages, and courage to obey what You show me. Help me read Scripture in context, recognize the larger story You are telling, and see how Your purposes are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Protect me from using Your Word merely to confirm what I already want to believe. Renew my mind through Your truth and shape my life through what You have revealed. Amen.
Five Days in Scripture
What is Scripture and what does God use it to accomplish?
What happens when God's Word becomes part of our thinking?
How does Jesus help His disciples understand Scripture?
What can we learn from the Bereans?
What is the relationship between hearing God's Word and obeying it?
For each reading, ask:
What does the passage say?
What does it mean in context?
What does it reveal about God or His purposes?
How should I respond?
Read to Understand and Respond
The goal of Bible reading is not merely to finish the passage. It is to understand God's Word and faithfully respond to what He has revealed.
Read carefully. Respect context. Ask good questions. See the larger story. Look toward Christ. Pray for understanding. Obey what you learn.
And when something is difficult, keep reading.
God has given us Scripture so that we may know Him, understand His truth, and faithfully live within His story.