Do You Read But Not Study The Bible?

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Do You Read But Not Study The Bible?

  • I study the Bible.

    Votes: 13 72.2%
  • I only read the Bible but do not study it.

    Votes: 5 27.8%

  • Total voters
    18

Wrangler

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There are many threads that delve into what the Bible says in its original language (OT Hebrew, NT Greek). English has never been my strong suit, let alone foreign languages of any kind and this got me wondering. I rely on English translations as an English speaking person. Is it even fair to say those who reference the original languages are merely reading? I think not.

I recall in a Study Bible class the Pastor got up to get a reference on what a certain word meant in the original language. For some reason, many of the crowd bemoaned him doing this. However, I supported his efforts saying, "This is not called Bible Read but Bible Study."

My guess is very few who post in this forum would say they only read but do not study the Bible. Thoughts?
 

Windmillcharge

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recall in a Study Bible class the Pastor got up to get a reference on what a certain word meant in the original language. For some reason, many of the crowd bemoaned him doing this. However, I supported his efforts saying, "This is not called Bible Read but Bible Study."

This is normal behaviour for a biblical based preacher to point out in a sermon what the greek, hebrew or aramaic words mean and to explain how the translators arrived at the meaning.
 
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Nancy

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There are many threads that delve into what the Bible says in its original language (OT Hebrew, NT Greek). English has never been my strong suit, let alone foreign languages of any kind and this got me wondering. I rely on English translations as an English speaking person. Is it even fair to say those who reference the original languages are merely reading? I think not.

I recall in a Study Bible class the Pastor got up to get a reference on what a certain word meant in the original language. For some reason, many of the crowd bemoaned him doing this. However, I supported his efforts saying, "This is not called Bible Read but Bible Study."

My guess is very few who post in this forum would say they only read but do not study the Bible. Thoughts?

Hi Wrangler,
It seems that those who developed good study habits early on in general, are more apt to study the bible...comparing scripture to scripture, looking up the different meanings" of the Greek and Hebrew...and Aramaic.
I never had good study habits in school, although I did graduate HS, I was quite average in marks. So, I do rely on some commentary's and what many on here have taught me through their awesome study habits.

As far as reading the bible only, it is just fine, as long as we pray before ever opening the bible...IMHO. Asking the Holy Spirit to open them to us and to give us understanding to me is of utmost importance. Sure would like to find a bible study around me where ALL can contribute rather than one single person doing all the talking and all the praying, that is fellowship to me, otherwise all one is doing is sitting at the feet of a "guru" and listening to "one" person alone. That is not true fellowship to me...fellowship is where EVERYONE, man woman AND child should be contributing...it's give, and take away what we can from one another and the scriptures. I really appreciate those who do explain the different meanings of the words in the Hebrew and Greek and Aramaic, it can open up a whole new understanding. To me, that is to: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15

Good thread bro.


 

Wrangler

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as long as we pray before ever opening the bible

Funny story …

The 1st year I began to read the Bible I joined a Bible Study group. An old timer was genuinely impressed with my ability to articulate Biblical principles and relationships between verses and books.

He asked how long I have studied the Bible. When I told him 6 months, he was shocked and asked me what my secret was. It was what you said.

Again, shocked, he asked me were I got that idea from. I told the introduction to my Bible said to pray before each reading.

I KNOW I don’t have to know Hebrew or Greek because I am blessed to have the Holy Spirit, who guides me in all truth. Yet, I study earnestly - in my native tongue.
 

DuckieLady

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There are many threads that delve into what the Bible says in its original language (OT Hebrew, NT Greek). English has never been my strong suit, let alone foreign languages of any kind and this got me wondering. I rely on English translations as an English speaking person. Is it even fair to say those who reference the original languages are merely reading? I think not.

I recall in a Study Bible class the Pastor got up to get a reference on what a certain word meant in the original language. For some reason, many of the crowd bemoaned him doing this. However, I supported his efforts saying, "This is not called Bible Read but Bible Study."

My guess is very few who post in this forum would say they only read but do not study the Bible. Thoughts?
Would have been my answer years ago. I skimmed around in Psalms and Proverbs. Not much else.

Why...?

I wasn't angry enough, or depressed enough, to be desperate enough to want to figure it out.

Just being honest, I had the cares of the world and not the things of God, I did not think it mattered. Then it the the things of the world collapsed on me, it suddenly mattered, and I needed to sort it out.
 

Pearl

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I have studied occasionally but not often although I read my bible every day mostly, but not always, seeking the help of the Holy Spirit before I open the book. Most day I don't get much from it other than the actual reading but occasionally there is real illumination as a passage I have read many time suddenly becomes clear or I see something new in it. I love those times.
 

amadeus

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@amadeus - Now, here is a deep true, "studier" of scripture....any input brother?
Our time, all of it, belongs to God, sister! Using it properly is, I believe, essential to our stewardship here. What, if anything, will a poor steward inherit? What will he have when for him there is no more time?

I read and study my three Bibles, but I also both listen and talk to God as well as worship Him. This for me is the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood! It has been a daily thing with me for many years. I have standard routines mixed or in addition to more irregular [or led by the Spirit] activities during my morning sessions.

I study the Bible in several ways, but never do I attempt to study without also contacting God.

Our dear sister @Helen posted recently on this forum of praying without ceasing and rejoicing in the Lord always. Perhaps she will show up on this thread before long to share some of her experience with God.
 

marks

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There are many threads that delve into what the Bible says in its original language (OT Hebrew, NT Greek). English has never been my strong suit, let alone foreign languages of any kind and this got me wondering. I rely on English translations as an English speaking person. Is it even fair to say those who reference the original languages are merely reading? I think not.

I recall in a Study Bible class the Pastor got up to get a reference on what a certain word meant in the original language. For some reason, many of the crowd bemoaned him doing this. However, I supported his efforts saying, "This is not called Bible Read but Bible Study."

My guess is very few who post in this forum would say they only read but do not study the Bible. Thoughts?
A pastor told the story one time of a day he spent in Bible study. He had seen something in a verse in Ephesians that caught his eye. He began looking at translations and commentaries, and looked at the original language, and after a good solid 8 hours of digging and searching, found a nugget of truth he hadn't seen before, but was a true treasure! And he related how satisfying it was to be able to access all these materials, and to be able to understand the Greek behind the translation, and how to find the relevant parallel passages.

That Sunday, after the serving of the Word, he was greeting the people, and one of the widows came to him, "Pastor Chuck! Let me show you what the Holy Spirit showed me in my Bible reading this week! And she went straight to that verse, and told him the very same thing he had discovered. She saw it as she read. Rather the Holy Spirit showed her. And him. But in different ways.

Why? I don't know. I imagine it has to do with the sorts of lives He wants us to lead.

A teacher of men should have, I think, a good understanding, a good solid foundation for what he teaches others. He should have done all the things Pastor Chuck did. But someone not teaching others, it's a private matter between them and God.

I'm driven to know everything I can know about the teaching of the Bible, and to understand it to the degree that I can share it's truths in a simple fashion, and mostly in just quoting Scripture. That's me. I also just curl up with God and His Book, and just soak in it, in Him, as it were!

Someone needed to serve some food, and Martha was doing all the work of service, but Mary chose the better part, to just sit at His feet.

But there has to be balance,

Who is that wise and faithful servant whom the Lord set to feed the servants at the appointed time? Happy is he if he is found so doing when his Master comes. Something like that.

I think we should do what we believe the Lord is calling us to do. And "Study" to show thyself approved, I think that more means in today's words, "be diligent to show thyself approved . . ." It's not just a matter of books.

Much love!
 

Wrangler

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I'm driven to know everything I can know about the teaching of the Bible

I recently had a ‘Bible Study’ with my young granddaughters. It consisted of one verse from Jeremiah, When you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.

We talked about it from different angles from their level of understanding. I told them that God begins where you end to address the ego.

Although a tough verse, it was a golden nugget to establish the foundation of future study and inquiry.

Much love!
 
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marks

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I recently had a ‘Bible Study’ with my young granddaughters. It consisted of one verse from Jeremiah, When you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.

We talked about it from different angles from their level of understanding. I told them that GIF begins where you end to address the ego.

Although a tough verse, it was a golden nugget to establish the foundation of future study and inquiry.

Much love!
What ages are they?

Much love!
 

Hidden In Him

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There are many threads that delve into what the Bible says in its original language (OT Hebrew, NT Greek). English has never been my strong suit, let alone foreign languages of any kind and this got me wondering. I rely on English translations as an English speaking person. Is it even fair to say those who reference the original languages are merely reading? I think not.

I recall in a Study Bible class the Pastor got up to get a reference on what a certain word meant in the original language. For some reason, many of the crowd bemoaned him doing this. However, I supported his efforts saying, "This is not called Bible Read but Bible Study."

My guess is very few who post in this forum would say they only read but do not study the Bible. Thoughts?

A subject we can likely agree on.

I actually never read the Bible. I ONLY study the Bible, but regularly, in particular whenever something comes up where a passage relates (or might relate) to what I am looking into, and therefore needs to be analyzed very closely.

When it comes to studying original languages, although I've had some get upset with me for saying it, studying them is indispensable to rightly dividing the word of truth. This doesn't mean one can't teach without being able to study the Greek or Hebrew, but what it does mean is that when it comes to issues that require very strictly and acutely analyzing what a word or passage means, if one is limited to studying English translations only, they are at a tremendous disadvantage.

It's also important to keep in mind that we live in a day and age where study helps can be purchased that make it possible to bypass memorizing a couple hundred different declensions (i.e. actually learn how to read things like Koine Greek). If a believer can gather up some money for the appropriate reference works, he or she can begin studying original languages rather quickly, and begin getting things out of that study almost immediately. A simple Greek interlinear and a Greek concordance would show them what I am talking about in very short order.

Thanks for the post. I see people sometimes devalue the study of languages, and I think they do so to their own spiritual detriment, as well as that of those they teach.
 

marks

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It's also important to keep in mind that we live in a day and age where study helps can be purchased that make it possible to bypass memorizing a couple hundred different declensions (i.e. actually learn how to read things like Koine Greek).
I'm not sure which was harder, learning Greek or laying railroad track. Both were the most difficult things I've tried. I quit both after getting a healthy taste, fortunately I made it a lot further in Greek than I did in laying track.

Those couple of hundred declensions are no joke! People who can actually retain that - Greek readers - Like wow!!

There are free websites that contain massive amounts of information.

Scripture4all.org is an interlinear with Strongs and Syntax for the TR and W&H. The Apostolic Polyglot has the same thing but for the LXX and the Majority Manuscript. I have that one as a bound book, my most important possession. But these are online free. And E-Sword, with lots of free downloads.

I dig into all of this as best as I'm am able. Just the same, don't disregard just reading chapters. I've gotten so much out of reading through and through and through the different parts. Repetition enhances recall, and as you are reading here, you will more likely think of what you read there.

Of course, I say this knowing what I said about God's different plans for us. But knowing you at least the little I do, I say this to you.

Much love!
 

Desire Of All Nations

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It's not even enough to study the Bible, just like it isn't enough to read the Bible. There are plenty of people who study the Bible, but they don't study it honestly. And by "study it honestly", i mean studying the Bible through the lens of what it says and not what some denomination, theologian, "church father", or scholar said. In the short amount of time i have been a member of this forum, i have already seen too many "the church fathers said", "the Reformers said", or "i personally believe" type of arguments being made.
 

Wrangler

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LOL. No. I have 17 grandchildren (depending on how you count).

My wife was telling me a great untruth - that one of them will turn 2 in a couple of days. I told her that is impossible since she was just born the week before last. LOL They grow up so fast and I miss not seeing all of them regularly. It is hard for me to keep up with them all and I know it means I am blessed beyond measure.

Thanks for being curious about my granddaughters. :cool:
 
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Wrangler

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A subject we can likely agree on.

I'm glad of that. :cool:

I actually never read the Bible. I ONLY study the Bible

I figured as much. :D

When it comes to studying original languages, although I've had some get upset with me for saying it, studying them is indispensable to rightly dividing the word of truth.

While I won't get upset, I see studying original languages as adjunct to rightly dividing the word of truth.

I see people sometimes devalue the study of languages, and I think they do so to their own spiritual detriment, as well as that of those they teach.

I see it differently, always an unwelcome distraction to God's word. I prefer to study different English translations, including comparing thought to literal type translations. If I hear one more invocation of Agápe, I fear the result.

 

Nancy

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LOL. No. I have 17 grandchildren (depending on how you count).

My wife was telling me a great untruth - that one of them will turn 2 in a couple of days. I told her that is impossible since she was just born the week before last. LOL They grow up so fast and I miss not seeing all of them regularly. It is hard for me to keep up with them all and I know it means I am blessed beyond measure.

Thanks for being curious about my granddaughters. :cool:
Oh my! Happy for you brother, enjoy them cause...like you said about the one about to turn two years old, the time flies so fast :D
 
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