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You are here: Home / Archives for Observation

Un Resumen del Método OIA

February 24, 2026 By Peter Krol

Publicación original de Peter Krol, traducida por Sarah Oiler

————

Ryk Neethling (2011), Creative Commons

He discutido que todos tienen un método para estudiar la Biblia, sin importar si es consciente o no.  Entonces, aquí está lo mío. 

El acrónimo OIA resume el método:

  1. Observación – ¿qué dice?
  2. Interpretación – ¿qué significa?
  3. Aplicación – ¿cómo necesito cambiar?

Puedes replantear estos tres pasos así: qué, por qué y ahora qué? O de nuevo así: qué dijo el autor original? ¿Qué significó para el público original? Y qué significa en nuestro contexto?

Knowable Word no inventó este método. Es un método viejísimo. Los Seminarios lo llaman “el método gramático-histórico de la interpretación bíblica,” pero ese título puede ser intenso y dar miedo a mucha gente. Otros tratamientos populares lo llaman “el método inductivo de estudio bíblico,” pero yo pienso que eso es un uso erróneo desafortunado del término maravilloso de “inductivo” del campo de la lógica. Entonces, yo prefiero llamarlo simplemente “OIA.”

Lo maravilloso del método OIA es que permite al texto hablar a nosotros, en vez de nosotros leyendo nuestros propios significados en el texto. Lo bonito del método OIA es que se puede enseñar en el seminario y ser súper profundo, o se puede enseñar a los niños más chiquitos y les permite conocer al Señor por su palabra también. 

He explicado el método con más detalle en otras publicaciones, pero para este resumen, nota lo que pasa si perdemos cualquier parte del método.

Si desatendemos buena observación de lo que dice el texto, no tenemos un fundamento verdadero desde lo que podemos conocer a Cristo. Tenemos intenciones buenísimas, pero en todas las direcciones incorrectas. Somos la gente que no puede observar qué fin de semana fue el cambio del horario de verano, y llegamos a la iglesia una hora después de todos los demás. Un ejemplo de pobre observación de la Escritura se encuentra en Lucas 24:25-27.

Si desatendemos buena interpretación de lo que significa el texto, es posible que no sepamos si lo que creemos o hacemos es bíblico o no. Es posible que estemos honrando al Señor o no. No sabremos con certeza hasta que conozcamos a él cara a cara. Un ejemplo de pobre interpretación de la Escritura se encuentra en Marcos 12:24.

Si desatendemos buena aplicación de cómo debemos cambiar, somos como los constructores tontos que construyen sus casa sobre la arena. Somos digno de lástima. Hablamos con la boca pequeña con Cristo, pero nuestros corazones están lejos de él (Mateo 15:8-9). Dios quiere hacernos más como Jesús (Romanos 8:29), y no descansará hasta que su Palabra logre este deber (Isaías 55:10-11).

Para ver mucho más detalle del método OIA, lee mi serie de publicaciones se llama Cómo Estudiar la Biblia.

Filed Under: Method Tagged With: Application, Bible Study, Interpretation, Observation, OIA, Spanish

Detalles del Método OIA

February 3, 2026 By Peter Krol

Publicación original de Peter Krol, traducida por Sarah Oiler.


Edward Louie (2011)

La frase “estudio bíblico” puede tener un significado diferente para gente diferente. Algunos usan el término para describir una discusión en grupo que quizás hable de la Biblia o algún otro libro inspirador. Estudios bíblicos incluyen cuadernos de trabajo que te ayudan a conectar con las ideas de los textos bíblicos. Otra gente considera que “estudio bíblico” se refiere a estudios académicos y teológicos sobre la Biblia. 

En Knowable Word, yo uso el término “estudio bíblico” para describir a la persona promedio con la Biblia abierta en la mano. Tienes la Palabra de Dios, un deseo de conocerle, y te sobra el tiempo. ¿Ahora qué? ¿Qué haces con este texto antiguo para ayudarte a conocer a Dios mejor? Esto es el estudio bíblico.

¿Querrías aprenderlo conmigo? ¿Querrías desatar el poder de Dios para la salvación en nuestra generación? ¿Querrías entrenar a otros así que pueden ser administradores efectivos de la Palabra? 

Mi misión es ayudarte a hacer exactamente eso.

El propósito de esta publicación es darte un esquema para el proceso. Cada enlace debajo te lleva a una publicación que explica un paso del método del estudio bíblico OIA (Observación, Interpretación, Aplicación). Para aprender más sobre dirigir grupos pequeños de OIA, ve la serie de cómo dirigir un estudio bíblico.

Introducción

Por qué estudiamos la Biblia
Todos tienen un método de estudiar la Biblia
Resumen del método del estudio bíblico OIA
Por qué OIA es el mejor método de estudio bíblico
6 razones por qué no estudiamos la Biblia

Observación

El peor enemigo de la observación es la familiaridad
5 cosas para observar

  1. Las palabras
  2. La gramática
  3. La estructura
  4. El género
  5. Estado de ánimo

4 más consejos para la observación

Interpretación

¿Por qué deberíamos interpretar?
El peor enemigo de la interpretación es la observación
Otro enemigo de la interpretación es el relativismo
3 pasos para interpretar la Biblia

  1. Hacer preguntas
  2. Contestar preguntas
  3. Determinar el propósito principal

La diferencia entre el propósito principal y un resumen
La importancia del contexto (Parte 1 y Parte 2)
Cómo ver a Jesús en cualquier pasaje bíblico
4 errores al usar comentarios

Aplicación

La transición desde la interpretación hasta la aplicación
El peor enemigo de la aplicación es conocimiento
10 razones por qué deberías aplicar la Biblia a tu vida
Aplicación: el arte de producir cambio

  1. Dos direcciones para la aplicación
  2. Tres esferas de aplicación
    1. La cabeza
    2. Las manos
    3. El corazón

Cómo aplicar la Biblia: resumen
Recuerda Jesús en tu aplicación
Sé específico en tu aplicación
Mi ejemplo de la aplicación de Lucas 2

Conclusión

Correlación: entender toda la Biblia
3 consejos por la correlación saludable (Parte 1 y Parte 2)
Ya estás aprobado para estudiar la Biblia

Filed Under: Method Tagged With: Application, Bible Study, Interpretation, Observation, Spanish

The Value of Structure

January 14, 2026 By Peter Krol

Jon Nielson writes about the benefits of what he calls the “construction tool,” or finding the structure of a biblical passage.

Finding the structure helps you to avoid a misplaced emphasis, wandering thoughts, and literary abuse. Discerning the structure helps you to find the author’s outline and emphasis, and to discover the right application.

Far too often, as we read and study the Bible, we place a lot of emphasis on things that just happen to jump out at us as we read. Perhaps a certain word strikes us from a passage; all of a sudden, we become very focused on that word and begin to think about it as the most important part of the passage. That can often be very dangerous. It is the structure of a passage that actually shows us what the author is emphasizing—not just what happens to jump out at us as we read. Careful work with the construction tool to discover the structure of a passage is key to seeing what the author is building toward—the key point that he wants us, the readers, to focus on.

Nielson’s advice is quite helpful, which is why we’ve written much about structure on this blog.

Check it out!

Filed Under: Check it Out Tagged With: Jon Nielson, Observation, Structure

How to Find Answers in Your Bible Without Leaving the Page

September 26, 2025 By Peter Krol

This is a guest post by John Davison, the founder of Christian Wake-Up Call, a ministry dedicated to helping Christians develop biblical discernment. Having studied Scripture across multiple denominational contexts, he’s experienced how different interpretive approaches can lead to different conclusions about the same biblical texts. His systematic approach to Bible study emphasizes letting Scripture provide its own interpretive framework. You can read more about his commitment to biblical authority at Christian Wake-Up Call, where he explores why Scripture alone must serve as our ultimate authority for understanding God’s truth.

If you’d like to write a guest post for Knowable Word, please see the guidelines page.

I used to panic when I hit a confusing Bible verse. My instinct was to immediately grab a commentary or search online for explanations. But I discovered something liberating: most of the time, the Bible passage itself contains the clues I need to understand it.

back view of woman looking at the bulletin board
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

The Bible was Written to Be Understood

Here’s an encouraging truth: biblical authors wrote to communicate, not to confuse. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians or when Luke recorded Jesus’ parables, they intended their original readers to understand their message. This means the clarity we need is often right there in the text itself.

The key is learning to slow down and look more carefully at what’s already on the page.

Start with What You Can See

When you encounter a difficult passage, resist the urge to immediately jump elsewhere. Instead, ask yourself: “What can I observe right here in this text?”

Look for the author’s own explanations. Biblical writers often define their terms or clarify their meaning within the same passage. For example, when Paul uses the word “flesh” in Romans 8, he explains what he means by contrasting it with “spirit” in the surrounding verses.

Notice repeated words and phrases. If an author uses the same word multiple times in a passage, that repetition is usually significant. The repeated word often carries the main theme or emphasizes what the author wants you to catch.

Pay attention to connecting words. Words like “therefore,” “because,” “but,” and “however” show you how the author’s thoughts flow together. These little words often unlock the logic of the entire passage.

Let the Immediate Context Guide You

The verses right before and after your difficult passage are your best friends. They provide the natural flow of thought that helps explain confusing statements.

When Jesus says something that seems puzzling, look at what prompted him to speak and how his listeners responded. When Paul makes a theological statement that’s hard to grasp, check if he provides examples or applications in the surrounding verses.

I remember struggling with Ephesians 2:8-9 about salvation by grace through faith, wondering exactly what “this” referred to in “this is not of yourselves.” Instead of immediately consulting a commentary, I read the entire paragraph. The flow of Paul’s argument in verses 1-10 made his meaning much clearer.

Ask Questions the Text Can Answer

Train yourself to ask questions that the passage itself might answer:

  • Who is speaking, and who is the audience?
  • What situation prompted these words?
  • How does this statement connect to what came before?
  • Does the author provide any examples or illustrations?
  • What is the main point the author seems to be making?

Often, reading just a few more verses will answer these questions without requiring any outside resources.

Use Your Bible’s Built-In Helps

Most Bibles include helpful features that keep you focused on the text itself:

Chapter and paragraph divisions might show you natural thought units. When you’re confused about a verse, read the entire paragraph it belongs to.

The author’s own cross-references matter most. When Paul says “as I wrote before” or when Jesus refers back to Old Testament passages, those internal connections are significant.

Headings in study Bibles can help you see the broader flow of thought, though remember these are added by editors, not the original authors.

The Joy of Discovery

When you learn to find answers within the text itself, Bible study becomes much more satisfying. Instead of fostering dependence on experts, you develop confidence that God’s Word is accessible to you as an ordinary reader.

Start small. Pick a familiar passage that has always puzzled you slightly, and spend 10 minutes just observing what’s actually written on the page. You might be surprised by what you discover when you slow down and look carefully at what God has already provided in His Word.

The Bible was written for ordinary people like us. With careful observation and a little patience, we can often find the answers we’re looking for right there in the text itself.

Filed Under: Method Tagged With: Bible Study, Interpretation, Observation, Questions

Grammar and the Good Samaritan

July 14, 2025 By Ryan Higginbottom

houses

Joshua Hanks (2018), public domain

What shall I do to inherit eternal life?

There’s hardly a more important question. However, as we find this question addressed to Jesus by a lawyer in Luke 10:25, it wasn’t an honest question. It was a test.

After Jesus turned the question around and the lawyer gave the textbook answer, Jesus affirmed the lawyer: “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live” (Luke 10:27–28).

But the lawyer couldn’t stop there. He wanted to justify himself, so he followed up with this: “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)

The Basics of the Parable

In response, Jesus told the now-famous parable of the Good Samaritan.

You’ve probably heard the basics. A man is robbed, beaten, and left half dead on the side of the road. Both a priest and a Levite, two representatives of the devoted members of the Jewish religion, avoid the man by passing on the opposite side of the road. A Samaritan approaches, has compassion on the man, and cares for him at great cost to himself. Those are the basics.

As students of the Bible, we must read the Scriptures carefully. We observe the text before we move on to interpret and apply it. Given this commitment, we need to consider an important question: Did Jesus answer the man’s question?

Jesus Flips the Question

The lawyer wanted a neighbor list. Who’s in, and who’s out? If Jesus engaged the lawyer on the lawyer’s terms, he might tell a story with several characters, some of whom would qualify as neighbors.

But Jesus turns this question around. His story has a single person in need, one person who needs the neighbor-love God’s law commands.

When we study the Bible, our observations must include the grammar of the passage. We should notice the subjects, verbs, objects, and so on. And in this passage, Jesus is not concerned with the word “neighbor” as a noun, but as a verb.

Okay, I know—the word “neighbor” isn’t a verb. But at the end of the parable, Jesus asks the lawyer, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Luke 10:36) Instead of telling the lawyer who his neighbors are, Jesus wants the lawyer to understand how to be a neighbor.

Pay Attention to Jesus’s Words

There are important ethnic, religious, and cultural aspects to the Good Samaritan story that are beyond the scope of this post. But we only get to those larger issues through careful observation of the passage.

The lawyer was concerned about himself—his eternal life, his neighbors. But Jesus had much more in mind. The command to love one’s neighbor is not about checking a box to get closer to heaven. We are called to love our neighbors by seeing and meeting their needs. In obedience to our heavenly Father, we can love others because we have known abundant love ourselves.

Jesus often asks and answers questions in surprising ways. If we don’t observe the grammar of the text carefully, we might miss what he’s really up to.

This post was first published in 2018.

Filed Under: Sample Bible Studies Tagged With: Good Samaritan, Grammar, Luke, Observation

Answers to Christmas Observation Exercise

January 1, 2025 By Peter Krol

Last week, I posted some questions to see how well you’ve observed the birth narratives in Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, and Revelation 12. I now come bearing answers.

  1. In a dream (Matt 1:20)
  2. He came to her in a city of Galilee called Nazareth (Luke 1:26-28)
  3. An angel of the Lord (Matt 1:20)
  4. Gabriel (Luke 1:26)
  5. Both (Matt 1:21, Luke 1:31)
  6. Immanuel (Matt 1:22-23)
  7. The Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32)
  8. Joseph (Matt 1:25). Luke 2:21 does not specify which parent named him, but Matt 1:25 does.
  9. A great red dragon (Rev 12:3-4), who is the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan (Rev 12:9).
  10. Herod (Matt 2:16)
  11. A house (Matt 2:11)

Filed Under: Sample Bible Studies Tagged With: Luke, Matthew, Observation, Revelation

How Well Have You Observed the Birth Narratives?

December 25, 2024 By Peter Krol

For your Christmas cheer, here is a little quiz. How well have you observed the narratives of Jesus’ birth over the years? First, try this without looking. Then check out Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, and Revelation 12 for any answers you struggled to remember. Or go ahead and read those passages first, then come back here to see how well you observed them?

  1. In what form or setting did the angel appear to Joseph, when he told him Mary would have a child?
  2. In what form or setting did the angel appear to Mary, when he told her she would have a child?
  3. Which angel appeared to Joseph?
  4. Which angel appeared to Mary?
  5. Which parent—Mary or Joseph—was told to name the child Jesus?
  6. What other name does Matthew say the child will be called?
  7. What other name does Luke say the child will be called?
  8. Which parent—Mary or Joseph—actually named him Jesus when he was born?
  9. Who was waiting to kill Jesus right before he was born?
  10. Who tried to kill him shortly after he was born?
  11. In what sort of structure was Jesus located when the wise men met him and fell down to worship him?

I will post the answers next week so you can see how you did.

Filed Under: Sample Bible Studies Tagged With: Luke, Matthew, Observation, Revelation

3 Questions I Ask During Every Bible Study

August 12, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Evan Dennis (2016), public domain

Good questions are at the core of good Bible study planning. And the best questions are crafted to relate both to the text at hand and the people in the group.

However, there are some general questions I ask during just about every Bible study I lead. Sometimes I’ll modify these questions slightly, but mostly they can be used as is. These questions almost always help my group look closely at the Scriptures, work to understand its meaning, and draw out its implications.

What Do You Notice?

The people in my Bible study group know this question is aimed at observation. I’m not fishing for anything specific; I’m genuinely curious what they observed when this passage was read aloud.

With some planning, I can usually (though not always!) anticipate some answers to this question, directing the conversation to further observation or interpretation.

Alternate versions of this question: What jumped out at you? What are some important details in this text?

What’s the Flow of Thought?

To understand the author’s main point, we must determine what he is saying and how he is connecting his ideas. When the logic connecting one paragraph to another is obvious, I don’t need this question. But when the transition is more subtle, this question does wonders.

This question forces people to identify or remember the main points of the smaller units of thought and think about their connections. When we can link these ideas together and follow those connections through the passage, we’ll almost always be able to sniff out the main point.

Alternate versions of this question: How do these paragraphs connect? What’s the logical flow? Why does this paragraph come before/after this one?

How Can We Apply This?

After we have observed and interpreted, we want to apply the text of Scripture. We don’t want to look into this mirror and remain unchanged. We want to be hearers and doers of the word (James 1:22–25).

This is an open-the-door question, asked to see what work the Holy Spirit might be doing in the hearts of my Bible study friends. I try to have more pointed questions prepared in case this doesn’t draw any responses. But sometimes a generic question is all we need—the conviction or comfort a person needs may have already come to them powerfully, and this question kicks off a fruitful conversation aimed at genuine application.

Alternate versions of this question: What does this mean for us? How might we live differently because of this text?

Not My Only Questions

A Bible study leader’s plan cannot consist of only these questions. However, sometimes the best questions are the ones most likely to get people talking. We can take advantage of the interaction for which a Bible study group is designed when we make it easy for our friends to enter the discussion. And these three questions are a good start.

Filed Under: Leading Tagged With: Application, Flow of Thought, Leading Bible Study, Observation, Questions

How to See a Narrative’s Train of Thought

June 14, 2024 By Peter Krol

Bible Stories Have a Point

Perhaps I’ve convinced you that part of Bible study requires picking up an author’s train of thought. And you can see it most clearly with instructional texts like epistles, wisdom poetry, and prophets. But what about the narrative books? Do they have a train of thought as well?

Ted McGrath (2014), Creative Commons

Ted McGrath (2014), Creative Commons

Remember that Bible stories are more than stories. While biblical narratives tell a true history of God’s redemption, the purpose of the stories is more than the history itself (or the story itself). Paul uses biblical narratives to provide examples to follow and warnings to avoid (1 Cor 10:6, 11). Jesus uses biblical narratives to draw ethical principles for his day (Mark 10:6-9). And Hebrews uses biblical narratives to inspire and motivate people not to shrink back but hold fast to Jesus despite great affliction (Hebrews 10:39-12:3). Examples, morals, and motivation all come from stories.

Finding the Point of a Bible Story

What does this mean for our Bible study? How do we find the main points of Bible stories?

Narratives by nature don’t present their material logically. You won’t find many “so that”s or “therefore”s in narratives, so it’s more challenging to trace out a logical train of thought.

But the tools of narratives lie primarily in plot, structure, and climax. Learn to see these things, and you’ll discover the narrator’s train of thought.

Plot: What is the primary sequence of action? Who does what to whom, and what are the results? At what point does the plot hinge and build toward climax and resolution?

Structure: Narratives won’t make clear logical argument, but they structure their material intentionally.

Climax: Where is the highest point of energy in the story? Where do the characters find what they seek or resolve their tension?

Look for these clues, and you’re on your way toward the main point.

Example #1 – Matthew 1:18-25

This short example begins with a clear title statement: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way” (Matt 1:18). The plot immediately thickens as Mary gets pregnant and Joseph tries to do the right thing by her. Suddenly, an angel appears to him in a dream (not an everyday occurrence) and gives Joseph two commands with explanation:

  • command 1: do not fear to marry her.
    • explanation: this child is from the Holy Spirit.
  • command 2: call his name Jesus.
    • explanation: he will save his people from their sins.

So not only the marriage, but also the child’s name is important here. We don’t hit the story’s climax, though, until we read “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” (Matt 1:22), which leads into more talk of pregnancy, birth, and naming of a child – with another explanation of the name (God with us – Matt 1:23).

As the tension resolves, Joseph obeys the angel. And Matthew goes out of his way to tell us that he 1) married her without making love to her, and 2) named the child Jesus (Matt 1:24-25).

We’re not told much in this short tale, but the following things are clear:

  1. Joseph is not this child’s father.
  2. God has come to be with us.
  3. This God will save his people from their sins.

What is the point of this short story? God himself has come to deal with his people’s sin. See how the story’s train of thought leads us to this key point?

Example #2 – Mark 6:7-8:30

I don’t have the space to analyze this lengthy passage exhaustively, but I want to show how observing structure helps us to get the point.

Intro: Jesus sends out the 12, creating a crisis for Herod: Who is Jesus? – 6:7-29

A Jesus feeds 5,000 – 6:30-44

B Jesus crosses the sea with his disciples – 6:45-56

C Pharisees argue with Jesus – 7:1-23

D Jesus talks to a woman about bread – 7:24-30

E Jesus heals a deaf man – 7:31-37

A Jesus feeds 4,000 – 8:1-9

B Jesus crosses the sea with his disciples – 8:10

C Pharisees argue with Jesus – 8:11-13

D Jesus talks to his disciples about bread – 8:14-21

E Jesus heals a blind man – 8:22-26

Conclusion: Peter sees and understands exactly who Jesus is – 8:27-30

Seeing this larger structure is what helped me to understand why it took Jesus two tries to heal the blind man in Mark 8:22-26. Mark portrays two parallel cycles of events with the disciples, where they get to experience firsthand who Jesus is. Herod’s initial questions (John the Baptist? Elijah? One of the prophets?) go unanswered until Jesus takes his disciples through these two cycles.

And they don’t get it (Mark 8:21). But in healing the blind man, Mark gives a living parable of Jesus’ healing of the disciples blindness. And then, finally, they see him clearly. Not John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets – but the Christ (Mark 8:27-29).

The narrative has a train of thought; not only within a particular episode but also across many episodes. Look for this train and hop on board.

Filed Under: Method Tagged With: Interpretation, Mark, Matthew, Narrative, Observation, Structure, Train of Thought

Paying Attention to the Bible’s Y’all

June 3, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Nicholas Green (2017), public domain

When we observe the text of Scripture, we must take notice of the grammar. Grammar is not popular, nor is it something we think about often. But it is important, as the different grammatical number (singular vs plural) of pronouns and verbs can make a big difference in our interpretation of a passage.

A Brief Grammar Lesson

In many languages, the difference between singular and plural pronouns and verb agreement is obvious. And in English, this is clear almost everywhere. We can easily recognize the difference between the first person singular (“I”) and plural (“we”) and between the third person singular (“he/she”) and plural (“they”). However, since “you” is used for both the second person singular and plural, we usually need more context to make the same distinction.

This wasn’t an issue when the 1611 King James version of the Bible was published. In the second person, “thou”/”thee”/”thy” was used for the singular and “ye”/”you”/”your” was used for the plural. Easy enough.

As English has changed over time, however, we have run into the you/you problem described above. This is compounded in our individualistic modern Western cultures, where we tend to think everything applies to me (singular) instead of to us (plural). So, even when the Scriptural context makes a plural “you” clear, we are biased toward reading in a singular fashion.

Why This Matters

Imagine a father eating breakfast with his four children. His oldest son asks if there will be time for baseball today, and the father responds, “Remember, you need to wash all the windows first.”

If all of the children are gathered at the table and engaged in the conversation, this statement is ambiguous. Is it up to just the oldest son to wash all the windows? Or, are all the children on the hook for a day of window-washing? The father might indicate this through his facial expressions or gestures, but if we only have the words, we cannot be sure.

To bring this to the Bible, consider the following two examples.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16)


…since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)

Whether Paul and Peter have individual Christians or groups of Christians in mind for these statements really matters!

How to Make These Observations

Most of us are not readers of the original Biblical languages, so we need some help to make these observations. Fortunately, there are many places on the internet to which we can turn!

Here is a list of resources for the New Testament Greek. There are options here for those who know Greek well and for those who don’t know it at all. Here is an interlinear Bible for both the Old and New Testaments. It takes a little bit of figuring out, but when you hover over the correct symbols, the site will parse the word in question.

The most amusing resource I can suggest is the Y’ALL version of the Bible. This is a site in English with plural pronouns replaced with—you guessed it—”y’all” (and the appropriate variants). I encourage interested readers to visit the site’s About page for more information.

Is this Really Necessary?

I’m not suggesting that every student of the Bible needs to consult an interlinear Hebrew or Greek resource every time they sit down with the Scriptures. My point is this: most of the Bible was written to groups of believers and not individuals, and that should affect the way we interpret and apply the text.

Of course, commands to or statements about groups of Christians always have implications for individuals. (The oldest son in my earlier example is going to be washing windows even if his father’s use of “you” was directed toward all the children.) However, understanding when the collective/group is in view provides valuable context, and when we neglect this context we might be straying from faithfulness to God’s word.

Consider the example from 1 Peter 1:16 cited above. The “you” in this verse is plural, as Peter is quoting Leviticus 11:44. In addition to paying attention to the context in 1 Peter 1, we need to know that Peter is commanding the group of Christians to be holy as God is holy. That certainly should influence what individuals are to believe, think, say, do, and love, but because the command is collective it goes beyond that. It is not enough for each individual to seek individual holiness; the community must also reflect God’s design as a group.

Sometimes the structure of a book of the Bible makes the audience clear. Most New Testament epistles are addressed to churches or groups, while 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are addressed to individuals. So reaching for an extra resource is not always necessary.

However, for most of us the singular/plural distinction is not on our radar screens. But if we would seek to honor the Lord in the way we read the Scriptures, we should pay attention to this subtle piece of grammar.

Filed Under: Method Tagged With: Bible Study, Grammar, Observation, Second Person Plural

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Learn to Study the Bible

Learn to Lead Bible Studies

Popular Posts

  • Method
    Summary of the OIA Method

    I've argued that everyone has a Bible study method, whether conscious or un...

  • Sample Bible Studies
    Context Matters: The Parable of the Talents

    Perhaps you've heard that your talents are a gift from God, and that he wan...

  • Sample Bible Studies
    Overlooked Details of the Red Sea Crossing

    These details show God's hands-on involvement in the deliverance of his peo...

  • Check it Out
    What Does it Mean to “Keep” the Book of Revelation?

    Revelation 1:3 declares: Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of th...

  • Exodus
    What Should We Make of the Massive Repetition of Tabernacle Details in Exodus?

    I used to lead a small group Bible study in my home. And when I proposed we...

  • Proverbs
    Change, Part 3: Wisdom Comes Out the Fingertips

    Wisdom comes in the ears, through the heart, and out the fingertips. This w...

  • Sample Bible Studies
    10 Old Testament Books Never Quoted in the New Testament

    I recently finished a read-through of the Bible, during which I kept track...

  • Sample Bible Studies
    The Structure of Luke’s Gospel

    Luke wrote a two-volume history of the early Christian movement to Theophil...

  • Sample Bible Studies
    Top 10 OT Books Quoted in NT

    I recently finished a read-through of the Bible, during which I kept track...

  • Sample Bible Studies
    Context Matters: The Ten Commandments

    The Ten Commandments are not rules from a cold and distant judge. They are...

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