Inductive Bible Study in 3 Easy Steps

Inductive Bible study is a great way to dive into Scripture and help to reveal it's truths, whether you are a total beginner or an old hand at Bible study and personal reflection.

The inductive Bible study method is simple and straightforward, and it can be done in only a few minutes a day, if you're strapped for time.

You can apply inductive Bible study to whole books of the Bible as well as to individual chapters and stories within books.

Inductive Bible study is great for getting behind the story - learning about the background of a text - examining the details within the story itself, and applying the truths that we find in Scripture to our daily lives.

Here is how to do inductive Bible study in 3 easy steps.

=> BONUS: Get your free Inductive Bible Study Guide and Questions Sheet here.

What is inductive Bible study?

Inductive Bible study means using the information that we find in a passage to reach a conclusion about what the passage is saying.  While this might sound obvious, and we probably assume that this is what we’re doing when we read the Bible, the truth is that all of us come to passages of Scripture with some conclusions already made.  

We are also typically prone to deduction (v. induction): making a conclusion about a piece of something based on general knowledge of the whole.

Deductive reasoning moves from general knowledge to more specific knowledge.

Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to broader generalizations and categories.   

To study the Bible inductively means to start with specific passages and examine particulars, facts, and the essence of a text before we make conclusions about the text.

In sum: inductive reasoning is the attempt to use information about a specific situation to draw a conclusion.

Using inductive Bible study can help us to better understand Scripture, to draw conclusions from specific stories, and to apply specific truths that we find in Scripture to our individual lives.

Inductive Bible study is composed of 3 parts: observation, interpretation, and application.

Step 1. Observation: What does the passage say?

When engaging in this step, it helps to know some of the background of the text, to paraphrase sections of it into your own words, and to make note of cross-references within the text.

BACKGROUND

• Who is the author?
• Why was it written?
• When was it written?

Some Bibles have summaries at the beginning of each book that will provide some of this information. Study Bibles are especially helpful for this purpose.

My highly recommended study Bibles:

• The Apologetics Study Bible This Bible is excellent for helping Christians to deepen their confidence in Christ and to be able to defend their faith against moral and spiritual relativism.
• The Cultural Context Study Bible If you want to know what life was like in Biblical times, and understand the culture and practices that shaped the society, then this is the study Bible for you.

Example: Galatians - When studying Paul’s letter to the Galatians, it helps to know that it was written sometime between AD 49 and AD 58.  This makes it one of the earliest New Testament writings.

Knowing this, we can conclude that Jesus’ followers started with a high Christology (which basically means that they thought that he was God from the very beginning - and that his divinity was not a principle that only developed later).  

Paul and the early church saw Jesus as “Lord” (1:3), as the post-resurrection revealer (1:12), as the preexistent one sent forth by the Father (4:4), and as the changer of the world structure (6:14).

PERSONAL PARAPHRASE

I know that this is obvious, but it’s worth stating that the Bible was written a very, very long time ago.  That means that some things in Scripture might not immediately make sense to us.  The authors of Scripture lived in a cultural context different from ours, took different things for granted, had different rules they lived by, and used words that may not make sense to us today.

Having a contemporary translation of the Bible will help with this.  (I really like the NIV, the NLT, and The Message.)

But writing down personal paraphrases will also help: both by putting passages and summaries of passages in your own words, and also by helping to commit certain Biblical stories and Biblical truths to memory (we remember something better when we write it down, v. when we just read it).

Example: Exodus 32 - This is a story worth reading over and over again.  First, because it’s kind of hilarious.  And second, because it is so completely accurate a description of human nature.

My Exodus 32 paraphrase: Moses was up on the mountain, getting the 10 Commandments straight from God.  This was taking a while and the Israelites got impatient.  “We can’t wait anymore!”  They told Aaron, Moses’ brother.  “Make us another god to worship!  We have to worship something, after all.”  And so Aaron collected all the gold (jewlery, etc.) from the people and made it into a golden calf.  The people rejoiced and worshipped the golden calf.  Total chaos ensued.  Moses was pissed.  God was pissed.  Then God sent a plague.

CROSS-REFERENCES

Make note of any similar or related passages that come to mind while you are reading. You can also consult a concordance, study guide, or footnotes for additional cross references.

I don’t know about you, but one thing this reminds me of is Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  (Which is also a relevant cross reference to 1 Kings 3:1-15., when Solomon was given wealth and honour because he sought first a right relationship with God.)

Step 2. Interpretation: What does the passage mean?

• Write down and then answer any questions you have about the passage or any confusing terms.
• Write down any personal insights you have related to the passage, and then after you’ve done this, you can consult a Bible commentary for additional insight.

It may help to pick up a study Bible, a life application Bible, or a good commentary to help you interpret Scripture, especially when you come to places where you really don't know what's going on.

My favourite resources for interpreting Scripture are the
Apologetics Study Bible, the Cultural Context Study Bible, and Nicky Gumbel's Bible in One Year app.

Example: Exodus 32 - If we return to the Exodus passage, we can ask what the heck is going on.  Why does God send a plague in punishment for idolatry?  Why do so many people die violently?  How can a good and loving God sanction such anger and violence?  How does this even make sense?  (These are often my questions when it comes to the Old Testament.)

But when we reflect on the situation, we realise that the deeper truth here is that worshipping idols leads to our destruction.  And isn’t this true of everyone?  God may not send a plague because I have set up wealth and comfort as an idol, but I may feel empty and hallow inside because new cars and a full bank account don’t give my life purpose.  

And this leads to the application part of inductive Bible study.

Step 3. Application: How does the meaning of the passage apply to me?

This is the place in your Bible study where you can ask how this passage applies to your life.

• Do any of the characters or situations really speak to you?
• Are there certain truths contained the the passage that would be helpful for your own life?

Example: Exodus 32 - Sticking with Exodus 32 again, what idols have I set up in my life?  What am I placing my trust in?  Is it God or something else?  What do I want above all else?  Is it to be thin and pretty?  To lose those last 10 pounds?  To be the best party planner and the envy of all my kids’ friends’ parents?  To be able to retire comfortably and travel the world?  Or is it a relationship with God? My golden calf might be a big house with a swimming pool and a yearly tropical vacation.