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Using Commentaries
For those who are short on time, reading the study work of others who have come before us is one of the fastest and easiest of study methods available. During the two thousand year existence of the Christian religion, a large volume of literature has been written about the Scriptures on almost every topic possible. These commentaries will give information about what a passage means and how it applies to a believer’s life. In the past, this could require a large library of books. In the modern electronic age, much of this same information is freely available on the internet or for sale on computer disks made specifically for the study of Scripture.

Reading the Text
For those with more time, the best way to start studying Scripture is learning to read with an intent to understand. Many people read through a passage with the goal of getting it finished rather than taking the time to understand what they are reading. Instead, when reading to interpret or study, one should take the time to read and reread to find all of the important details. A person should be trying to answer the questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how as it relates to the passage being read. Further, one can examine the type of text one is reading. The Scriptures contain poetry, parables, contracts, history, commandments, prophecy, and more. How we read and understand a passage will vary depending on the type of text being read.

Learn to Work with Maps
Unless one has been in the land of Israel, or at least has traveled in various regions (including mountains, valleys, deserts, and seasonal wetlands) it can be difficult to understand how much the landscape effects the events found in the Scriptures. From north to south and from east to west the landscape features in the land of Israel vary tremendously. The geography and geology of the area often has a direct impact or effect on what is happening in a situation. By using maps, many hidden details suddenly become clear. For example we can see why people settled in a certain area, travelers moved along certain routes, or battles were fought in certain regions on a regular basis.

Research the Culture
Understanding the culture of those who are mentioned in Scripture can be one of the most difficult of barriers to cross. The differences between industrial and agricultural societies, city dwelling and nomadic lifestyles, or of the various types of modern government (democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship) to a theocratic society are tremendous. Yet, the barrier of culture is one that can usually be overcome with just a little research. By learning about such jobs as farming, fishing, shepherding, or village crafts we can gain great insight into the life of these people. We can also learn of social customs such as marriage, how matters of life and death are handled, education, and the administering of law. There are many resources for learning about cultures available through either books or the world wide web including dictionaries, encyclopedias, history books, and artwork.

Study the Language
For the average person, the most difficult barrier to understanding Scripture is that they were originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Learning these languages is the most time consuming method of studying Scripture, but it is also the most rewarding. Many words and concepts in one language can be very difficult to translate into another language. By learning these concepts in the original language, with all of the subtle meanings attached to it, a deeper understanding can be attained within a passage. For those with limited time, learning the alphabet enough to use a good Hebrew or Greek language dictionary or concordance is often enough to satisfy what is needed for learning from the text.

Summary
To better understand Scripture, a person must spend time with it. The simple effort of reading commentaries will be rewarding. The greater effort to read the Scriptures, study the maps, learn the culture, and use the language will be far more rewarding in depth of understanding.

Todd Elder is a believer in the Messiah who wants to help people understand Scripture and know the message of Salvation. For more information from the Scripture Study series, please visit the website Exploring Salvation at http://www.exploringsalvation.info and look under ‘Scripture’.