A LIST OF SEVEN QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN INTERPRETING A PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE

What is the message of the bible? Is it the sum of the parts? If so, one must correctly understand those parts in order to ensure the best interpretation. Read more to find seven questions one should always keep in mind when reading or studying the bible.

Who should read this post: Christians who have been encouraged to read or study the bible daily; serious bible students, bible scholars, pastors and Sunday school teachers, and anyone who is interested in coming to a better understanding the bible.

The task of any serious Bible student is, first of all, to understand what that book or passage under study says. Perhaps no other field of study has engaged so many people in the Western World over the past two thousand years. In order to come to a reasonably correct understanding of the bible, one should always keep in mind at least the following seven questions:

1. Who wrote the passage; who was the author? 
2. Why did the author write this passage? 
3. Who were the intended audiences? 
4. What are the various possible meanings?
5. What is the author's intent?  
6. How would the intended audience have understood the passage? 
7. How does this passage apply to modern audiences, if at all? 

Understanding all of this information may not be possible, but even knowing that this is the case can help qualify the significance of the passage.

Later on I hope to post more complete information about this topic, so please stay tuned. To ensure that you don’t miss a post, please sign up to get email notifications. Also, if you feel it is appropriate, please share on your favorite social site.

Thanks,

“Eltopia Frank” (F. Ellsworth Lockwood)