5 Bible Study Resources for the Beginner

 Ok, so I'll admit that I've had lots of practice and training on how to do research over the many years it took me to finish my college education. When it comes to Bible study, though, I can find the number of resources out there quite daunting.

After all, how does one tell if a Bible study guide or commentary is doctrinally sound, or what that one obscure word actually means in the original language?

 The truth is, the very best way to begin studying God's Word is to read it and to pay attention, both to what it says, and to how that relates to what it says elsewhere. I often hear people call this process "comparing Scripture with Scripture".

Ideally, we should be so familiar with God's Word that we can sift every study help through the filter of what Scripture says. But there is a wealth of depth we often miss by "just" reading through the Bible over and over. (But if you haven't done that yet, start there!)

For a long time, I had the nagging belief that if I didn't know Biblical Hebrew or Greek, I couldn't really study the Bible. But you don't have to be a Bible scholar with a doctorate in theology to study God's Word. The following are my go-to resources when studying a passage:

1. Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language

This might seem a strange choice for a dictionary, after all, isn't it good to have the newest dictionary for looking up words? Oddly enough, it's not. At least, not if you're looking up words in the King James Version of the Bible. The English language has changed a lot since 1611, and some words mean very different things now than they did when the King James Bible was translated.

Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary not only gives definitions of the "archaic" terms in Scripture, but also uses Scripture as examples in many of his definitions. That's why you'll see me quote his definitions frequently in my posts. Interestingly, the English language hadn't changed as much between 1611 and 1828 as it has between 1828 and today. Most of the time, the definition you find in the 1828 dictionary will be the same meaning the translators would have meant when they used the word in 1611.

2. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

While the dictionary is the easiest resource to use, this concordance will give the most depth to your study. Not only can you quickly see every verse containing a particular word, you can then look to see which Hebrew or Greek word is used, and whether it is the same. Then, you can flip to the back to look up the definition of the Hebrew or Greek word to get a fuller picture of what the word means.

If you can only afford one resource, this is the one to get. It takes some getting used to, but it's definitely worth the effort!

3. Bible Apps

There are lots of Bible apps, and I honestly haven't really researched many of them. I use one called KJV Bible by Tecarta. It features a daily verse that pops up the first time you open the app each day, and you can highlight in the text, as well as copy the text, post to social media, email, and take notes on specific passages as well.

Honestly, the only thing I use it for is searching for passages when I can't remember the reference. It's faster than getting my Strong's down off the shelf, and enables me to do a quick scan of similar passages. I do have some verses highlighted so I can find them quicker as well.

And the best thing about the app... it's free!

4. Journals

It's commonly acknowledged that we remember things better when we write them down. My first attempts at Bible study as a teen consisted largely of making myself find at least one thing to write down for each day's passage. This kept me from skimming, and made me really think about what the things I was reading meant. --And it made me pay close attention through those lengthy genealogical passages!

5. Theology Manual

This is something I underestimated until I took a Bible Doctrine class in college. In the class, we basically just worked through a systematic theology book topic by topic, paying close attention to the scriptures referenced. Since that class, I have pulled out that book so many times when I’m writing something and need more Scripture references for it, or when someone asks me a doctrinal question and I can’t quite remember all the information I need to give them a good answer.

There are lots of theology manuals out there, and it is always important to read them with an open Bible and a discerning mind. Doctrinal error can be very subtle, and it is so important to be careful to filter everything you read through the lens of what the Bible says.

Personally, I recommend Basic Theology by Charles Ryrie. No theologian is perfect, and I did have just two small things I disagreed with as I worked through the book, but in terms of basic doctrine, it's both Biblically sound and remarkably readable. (If you want to know what the two things were that I disagreed with, feel free to contact me, and I’ll tell you.)

I hope this quick overview has been a help. Studying the Bible takes just that —study. It's not always going to be easy, but it is rewarding, especially because if you have trusted Christ for salvation, you have the ultimate Bible study resource inside you: the Holy Spirit! (John 14:6)

Honestly, the best thing to do when you find yourself wrestling with what a particular passage means is to stop and pray. Ask God to illumine the passage for you, and to help you understand what He wants you to learn from it. Compare it with other Scripture, and look at how it fits with what you know of God from His Word. After all, God wants you to understand His truth!