What is inductive Bible study?

"There are two ways of reading Scripture - devotional and systematic study. In the former I listen to what the Lord communicates, and look to Him to produce in me the suited effect of His truth by the working of His Spirit. Thus I become formed by the truth, and worship and holiness of life result. In the latter I search, compare, and examine to discover His mind, and what is taught on any given subject; and I look to Him to give me understanding by the Spirit, to preserve me from error, and to enable me to form His own judgment - to discover and to hold the truth in a divine way. Dependence is, therefore, of all importance, combined with an ungrieved Spirit."

Searching the Scriptures, tracing a word, a subject through them, as a dog scents (for such is the meaning of the word, “Search the Scriptures” in John 5:39 ), is one method. “Searching the Scriptures”—examining them closely, scrutinising and comparing them, as the Bereans did (Acts 17:12 ), is equally important for the accurate study of the Word. Thus acquainted with the truths of Scripture, having them dwelling richly in the mind and heart, kept there in freshness by the Holy Spirit who indwells the saint (2 Tim. 1:13-14), they will be brought to remembrance, and wisdom given to utter them by that same Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13-14), in due season with blessing to others. May the Book of God, the Written Word, in which the Living Word is unveiled, become increasingly precious unto, and be unceasingly used by all the people of God.

Search the Scriptures, as well as read them. Points will often arise in your life upon which you must seek the mind of God. Sometimes you will find a passage bearing directly upon the point in question, sometimes you will not; then you must search to find some God-given principle which will apply to your case and shed light on your pathway. The Bible is pre-eminently a book of principles, be like the Bereans, who "searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11).

Methods of study must be largely left to the tastes the capabilities, and the conveniences of the individual. What suits one well, does not lend itself to another. Clearly there must be some method, or many methods adopted; random reading profits little. The Word should be studied systematically, consecutively, topically. The character, scope, subject, and purpose of a book; the outlines, contents setting of a Psalm; the subject, occasion, date and keywords of an Epistle, sought for and grasped. Then its teaching will be understood, its doctrinal, dispensational, and practical parts distinguished, and its application made plain; “rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:16), as the apostle commands. Error is often truth distorted, wrenched from its connection, and presented from one side, apart from the counter truth needed for its balance.

Many things that are usually put in an introduction we shall consider probably better as we come to them. Gems look better in their settings — God's gems assuredly do: the connection of psalm with psalm, so necessary for the knowledge of them individually, makes much plain as to their application; the numerical symbolism, here as elsewhere, gives precision to and confirms the meaning. Best it seems, therefore, to settle as little as possible at the beginning, and to make our notes take the shape very much of an inductive study, looking at each question as it arises, and as the means of settling it are in our hand. We shall find thus, I doubt not, that God has provided, in the orderly arrangement of the matter, for the progressive understanding of it, though we shall have always to say with the apostle, "We know in part, and we prophesy in part."

First of all, analysis will require more minute and careful study, much more attention to details, and therefore more time than the ordinary. careful reading of which we have already spoken. It can very profitably be connected with memorizing. Let us suppose, for instance, that we have begun to memorize Ephesians. Now is the time to endeavor to thoroughly analyze the epistle. For instance,we have learned the first verse and can repeat it without an error. We now take up each phrase and word and seek to get its meaning and relation to the rest of the sentence.

This will furnish an illustration of what we mean by analysis. It consists largely in disengaging each phrase and word from its immediate setting and seeking to ascertain its place and importance in the sentence. As will be noted, this will prove a most valuable help in memorizing; and conversely, memorizing will enable us to meditate upon such details. After each verse is thus analyzed, we can endeavor- to put it together in somewhat the way that has been suggested above. We go on thus, verse by verse, and find that each one can be, not only analyzed, but that it forms a part of a group or paragraph. Thus, for instance, the first two verses of Ephesians stand together as a salutation; in like manner, verses 3 to 8 form a group in which the fulness of our spiritual blessings in Christ is unfolded.

It is suggested that each one study for himself in somewhat the manner indicated, instead of following the results of the study of others. Our own analysis will qualify us the more to appreciate what others have learned, and give us that individuality of knowledge which is so essential in the word of God. We are not blindly to follow others, though we may thankfully use results of their work.

We would mention also the importance of original work. Later on, we shall look at a goodly number of most helpful books as aids to Bible study, but there is a peculiar charm in original discovery, which is in itself an incentive to further research. God's dear people are sheep in more ways than one. Sheep are great imitators, and follow one another; and we are often in danger of simply following the beaten track made by others where we accept, as really as a creed is accepted, the teachings which are current amongst Christians of our acquaintance. For this cause, we would deprecate the use of many books in our Bible study, especially for the briefer periods. It may be well to have some useful outline of dispensational truth, but apart from this, our best and only text-book is the Bible itself.

Our study will necessarily therefore be doctrinal: it could be nothing else. We shall not be satisfied with putting together texts of Scripture: we shall ask what they mean, and what when put together they mean. It is the character of the word of God, in its apparently simple, as well as in its most difficult passages, to invite research, and to hold back something to be the reward of diligence. It is a land never exhausted by the harvests that it yields; nay, which acts towards us as though it were enriched by them. And as God gave all His people of old title to the land He gave them, and would make agriculturists of them all; so, in a more complete way has He given every believing soul interest and title in this good land of his inheritance, which it is his by his own diligence to make fruitful.