Attempt to Understand the Meaning ~ Part 1

Attempt to understand the meaning of what your Bible says. Sometimes, modern readers have difficulty interpreting the Bible. Kenneth Taylor read the Bible to his children, but they did not understand what he was reading. So, each day he paraphrased a few Bible verses, creating an easier-to-understand version for his children. The result of his work evolved into the Living Bible.

Set Out to Understand Your Bible

My morning appointment with God is a spiritual feeding time when I attempt to uncover the depth of biblical content. To do so, I must pay attention to what I am reading. Few can grasp subtleties of the message if rushing through a fast read.

In this post, I will refer to several types of resources for uncovering biblical insights. However, you need to recognize that using these resources will increase the time you spend. Since your study will require more time, you may want to address smaller sections of scripture each day. But remember, the depth of insight you gain will provide rich rewards.

Start with a trustworthy translation of the Bible. I would choose a study Bible. My mother liked to work with a loose-leaf study Bible, so she had enough room to make notes in her Bible. Or you can take notes in a journal or on your computer. Whichever way suits you, attempt to record your discoveries.

Attempt to Search Several Resources

The most fulfilling study involves resources to help digest the meaning of the text. These include:

  • Commentaries: There are many commentaries available.
  • An interlinear Bible: An interlinear Bible presents the text in both English and the original language. This kind of Bible can help you understand commentaries, even if you do not understand the original languages.
  • concordance: This is an alphabetical listing of biblical words and verses.
  • Bible and English dictionaries

All the above are available in print for purchase or are free online. You can find some in multiple languages. 

Several websites contain resources for Bible research:

Should you want to explore more extensive libraries, consider the following. They are not free, but you can add to the basic content over time. Different options may be available to people living outside North America.

Make the Most of Study Material Available to You

People with access to the internet have a rich library available for their studies. However, a lack of internet access plus a limited budget points one toward a reliable Study Bible. I also encourage Bible students with meager resources to share studies and insights with other Bible students in the area where they live. Additionally, if any libraries exist near you, use them. As you discuss and study, remember, the Bible can never mean what it has never meant.

The next blog post will explore ways to assimilate the information you are gathering from your studies. As for now, I suggest you explore the links above.

logo

We look forward to hearing your comments on helping leaders lead.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.