Home - Inductive Bible Study Method - Observation What do I see?

Observation moves from the general to the specific, investigating the facts in a passage. Good observations are the key to good inductive Bible study.

If this step is not done with great care, the rest of study will be weak. Remember that we are only interested in what the text says, not what we think.

Observe the entire passage
Getting an overview. Read the text carefully. You should read the text until it becomes so familiar that parts of it are committed to memory. Howard G. and William D.Hendricks in Living By The Book emphasize the need to develop good reading skills. The following are ten strategies to first-rate reading.

• Read thoughtfully
• Read repeatedly
• Read patiently
• Read selectively
• Read prayerfully
• Read imaginatively
• Read meditatively
• Read purposefully
• Read accusatively
• Read telescopically

Record your first impressions.

Record the major facts.

• Who?
• What?
• Where?
• When?
• Why?

Observe the structure of the passage.

Finding the structure.

• Make a basic outline of the text.
• Mark the primary elements of the text.

Observe the details of the passage
Look at the major facts and ask questions about the text.

Who? Who are the characters mentioned in the text and, if possible to ascertain, what is their relationship to each other?

What? What are the key truths or happenings?

Where? The geography and location of the events in the passage are important.

When? The time sequence of the events. Also, if the time in reference to world history can be identified this will be helpful.