Bible Study Basics: What is the Inductive Bible Study Method?

Janee Hughes • Feb 16, 2023

What is the Bible?

The Bible is God’s Word. God is the author of the Bible. Scripture says it is inspired by God; in the ESV translation it says “breathed out by God”. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV) There is power in the Word of God! The Bible brings heart and life transformation by changing us from the inside out.


God’s Word is authoritative, sufficient, infallible, inerrant, and eternal. God’s Word is the authority on truth; nothing is higher than the Truth of His Word. Sufficient means that it is the ultimate guide for our life. God’s Word is dependable and unfailing. Inerrant means that it is without error. Everything in the Bible is true. It is eternal because the Word of God lasts forever.


“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Isaiah 40:8, ESV


Why is Bible Study Important?

In the Bible, we discover the character of God, our salvation through Christ, and how we should live. We learn about who God is when we study the Bible. The Bible is not about us, it is about God. It is our guide and brings us to grace and salvation.


The Bible tells us that there is ONE God, who is revealed in Three Persons of the Trinity. The Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Three Persons of God are seen in Matthew 3:16-17, where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. 


“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17, ESV


Books of the Bible

The Bible tells 1 big story of redemption through a collection of 66 books, which are divided into two parts: the Old Testament and New Testament. God used around 40 people to write His inspired Word. 


Literary Genres

The books of the Bible are organized into literary genres:

  • Law
  • Pentateuch (first 5 books): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
  • History
  • Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
  • Poetry
  • Wisdom Literature: Job, Psalm, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
  • Prophets
  • Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Proverbs, Ezekiel, Daniel
  • Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
  • Gospels & History
  • Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
  • History: Act
  • Epistles
  • Letters: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
  • Prophecy
  • Revelation


The Old Testament 

The books of the Old Testament are Genesis to Malachi. There are a total of 39 books in the Old Testament. Old Testament books were originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic. They cover the time between God’s creation of the universe until the time before the birth of Jesus. The literary genres included in the Old Testament are Law, History, Poetry, and Prophets. 


The New Testament

The books of the New Testament are Matthew to Revelation. There are a total of 27 books in the New Testament. New Testament books were originally written in Greek. They cover the birth and life of Jesus to the letters of Paul and the book of Revelation. The literary genres included in the New Testament are Gospels, History (book of Acts), Epistles, and Prophecy (book of Revelation).


What is the Inductive Bible Study Method?

Inductive Bible Study is used a study guide. The inductive method splits your study of the Bible into three stages. We will cover each stage in three steps: Observation, Interpretation, Application. The method of Inductive Bible Study takes appropriate steps to search for the intended meaning of Scripture by understanding the context. Context is everything. To understand the context, we must discover what the context meant to the original audience. 


The term “inductive” refers to reasoning. It strives to understand a specific passage of Scripture by using actual Scripture. Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture. The term “deductive” allows fixed ideas and views to influence our interpretation of Scripture. The intended meaning of a passage of Scripture shows us truths of who God is. Truths about God remain true for everyone, no matter the circumstance, culture, and era. 


Regardless of the type of Bible study method you are completing, it is valuable to begin your time in God’s Word with prayer. It sets your heart and mind on the Lord. Pray that God will open your heart to His Word and show you what He wants you to know. Ask for His wisdom to understand what you are reading and to help answer any unanswered questions you may have while studying the His Word. Allow God’s Truth to change your heart where it needs to. So that you will not only hear God’s Word, but do what it says to do. 


Biblical Literacy 

Biblical literacy is important. Many passages of God’s Word have been used out of context. This should not be. Which is one of the many reasons that it is important to let Scripture interpret Scripture. It is easy to think that only church pastors, Bible majors, and Bible teachers should study the Bible, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Everyone should study the Bible. To avoid biblical illiteracy, it is important to carefully and prayerfully use biblical exegesis. 


Method of Exegesis 

Never heard of exegesis? Exegesis is the process of interpreting and applying God’s Word to your life. The word sounds daunting, though the definition is simply the interpretation of Scripture. Dictionary.com defined EXEGESIS (ek-si-jee-sis) as “critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible”. Studying the Bible through exegesis goes through steps to interpret the original meaning of a passage and how it was intended to be interpreted by the original audience. 


So, what are the steps to studying the Bible through exegesis? The inductive bible study method is the use of exegesis. The steps may appear overwhelming at first, but as you apply this to your regular study of the Bible, it gets easier. The important thing to remember is to not rush through the process. There is no reason to rush through exegesis. Exegesis takes time and that is alright. So, remind yourself that there is no pressure or time limit against you!



1. Inductive Bible Study: Observation – Ask specific questions


What Does the Passage Say?

The inductive study starts with observation. The observation step of the inductive Bible study method observes Scripture by asking appropriate questions related to the historical context of the passage. The purpose behind this is to comprehend what the original context was saying to the original audience. This step isn’t about interpreting the meaning and applying it to your life. It is to ensure you have the general flow of thought and historical background. 


For literacy context, it is key to read the whole book you are studying instead of select Bible verses. In other words, if you want to understand one or two specific verses, read the entire book where those verse are located. Aside from Proverbs and Psalms, due to their genre, the books of the Bible were meant to be read as a whole flow of thought. Taking the time to slow down to ponder the foundations of the book will give you more understanding to any select verse within the book.


Here are some questions to view and ask about the book as a whole:

  • What is the historical background?
  • What is the genre?
  • Who is the author of the book?
  • Who was it written to?
  • When was it written?
  • What is the general context?
  • What was the purpose of the book?


Once you have read the entire book, read it again. Yes, you read that correctly. Repetition is a form of learning. You did this learning method in school and the same can be applied to studying the Bible. This method is effective for retaining knowledge and perceiving something you missed. Repetitive reading is a form of meditation of God’s Word, which can store it in your heart. The way of the righteous delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, ESV)


“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11, ESV


To dive in deeper, making notes verse by verse will help you discover key themes and elements. You may prefer to highlight, write, and mark in your Bible. Some themes and elements to note are key words and phrases, commands to obey, spiritual truths, truths about God’s character, lists, comparisons, and questions. This beautifully designed Story of Redemption Journal Bundle by Daily Grace Co.* is a great way to organize your thoughts for each chapter of the entire Bible. It has a designated place to record key words, themes, and key verses. 



2. Inductive Bible Study: Interpretation – Analyze the meaning


What Does the Passage Mean?

The interpretation step of the inductive Bible study method goes deeper into the questions of the passage from the observation phase. After taking the time to understand the historical context and basic line of thought, you are ready to take on the harder questions that you may have. Now that you know what the passage says, you can move on to what it means—the interpretation of Scripture. 


When interpreting a passage, one of the main objectives should be to discover how that portion of Scripture fits into the bigger story of God’s Word—Redemption through Jesus Christ. All of God’s Word points to Jesus Christ and God’s story of redemption for mankind.


A good place to start is with cross-references. Let the Bible speak for itself. Cross-references bring you to the same topic found in other sections of the Bible and the source of quotations. Study Bibles have many cross-references to help you gain a better understanding of God’s Word as a whole. 


If you have another Bible translation, you can read the passage in a different translation. Since the Bible was translated to English from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, there is no perfect translation of the Bible other than the original manuscript. It can be helpful to compare translations through Bible apps like YouVersion or Bible Gateway. Choose Word for Word Translations and Thought for Thought Translations instead of Paraphrases (The Message) when interpreting Scripture.


Here are some steps for the interpretation phase:

  • Read the cross-references in your Bible
  • Read other Bible translations (Word for Word and Thought for Thought Translations)
  • Use Biblical resources (Bible dictionary, Bible concordance, and Study notes in a Study Bible)*
  • Write your thoughts and questions in a notebook
  • Summarize the passage in your own words
  • As a last option, read trustworthy and reliable commentaries if needed.



3. Inductive Bible Study: Application – Apply the Scripture to life


What is the Truth to Apply to My Life? 

The application step of the inductive Bible study method takes all the information from the observation and interpretation steps to know how to apply the Scripture to your life. Consider the truths you have discovered through your study, is there something in your life that needs to change? Ask yourself, “How can you apply this passage of Scripture to your life?” We must not only be a hearer of God’s Word, but we are to be doers. 


“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

James 1:22-25, ESV


Scripture says to be “a doer who acts” when hearing God’s Word. The application step is for collecting the truths that you have learned and applying them to your life through action. In the application step of the inductive Bible study method, there are many things to consider. 


God’s Word reveals truths about who He is, His attributes, and His character. Scripture can show you attitudes to imitate, action to initiate, principles to apply, and sins to turn from. It can call you to obedience and prompt you to pray. The more you read the Bible, the more you discover your need for the salvation of our Lord Jesus. 


Everybody has been born into a sinful nature and falls short of God’s commands. The Bible says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3:23-24, ESV


Learning about who God is should change the way you think and how you live your life. In the application step of the inductive Bible study method, consider what you have learned to allow it to transform your heart. List out the truths that God’s Word reveals to you and walk in those truths. May we all be doers of the Word of God!


If you are interested in an in-depth resource for intentional Bible study, the Search the Word Collection by Daily Grace Co.* is a phenomenal set of Bible Study Workbooks. It consists of three Daily Grace Co. products: In the Word—a Biblical exposition journal workbook, Search the Word—a six-week study and workbook, and Book by Book—a Bible study companion for studying complete books of the Bible. 

*As an affiliate, we earn a small percentage of each purchase you make through these links to continue supplying you with godly resources.

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Waiting on the Lord - Godly patience

Leaning on the Spirit for Godly Patience

By Keshia Cunningham • 23 Apr, 2024
God does expect us to be patient. He expects us to not act or react in a hasty manner especially in certain situations. When we react without exhibiting patience, this often has negative repercussions. God included “patience” as a fruit of the Spirit which is meant to allow us to grow and walk in the Spirit of the Lord. “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ” Galatians 5:22, NIV I’m sure we all can think about a time when we were kids and were impatient. We wanted something right away but we had to be patient. From wanting to be first in line, the first one to see something, or simply wanting our parents to leave the grocery. Of course, our parents told us to be patient. Now we all either have kids or have interacted with kids at some point. We’ve seen them become impatient and we try to calm them down. We tell them to be patient and to sit still. This is how God wants us to be as well. God doesn’t want us to rush. He wants us to slow down while learning patience. Many of us want to rush the process. The “instant gratification” has become so popular. We can get food delivered, cars delivered, and charge our phones almost anywhere nowadays. We have gotten so used to getting what we want instantly that we often forget that sometimes patience is needed on this journey. The goal isn’t always being first. It’s about being patient and obedient to the will of God. If God is calling us to wait and to have patience, then that’s what we should do. To be completely honest, I sometimes get a little hasty myself. I want to do things my way. I don’t want to wait on God and see what He says. I recently realized that God will slow you down when you aren’t listening to Him and refusing to be patient. A quick story: I was at a certain place where it takes quite a while to get checked in. This was my first time going there, so I was a little anxious. By the time I had made it to the back of this establishment, I was tired and I wanted to simply rush the process. I went to have a seat and I thought to myself, that the exchange that this person and I had was a little short and quickened. That’s not the impression I want to leave at any place. In that moment, I asked God to calm me down. I asked Him to help me change my attitude and focus on what’s important. He told me to, “be patient”. I immediately sensed a calmness come over me. I knew that God saw, felt, and heard everything I had just experienced and that I didn’t like it. A complete shift in my attitude changed the trajectory of my day. I’ve been back to that certain place and I am mindful of the people who are there. I am mindful of my interactions because we’re all in need of something and me being patient can help them get me through the process a lot faster. “ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ” Romans 12:12, NIV God wants us all to be loving, kind, and patient individuals who lead others into positivity. There are going to be times when we don’t feel like being with others and even ourselves. That is why it’s important to become acquainted with Bible verses, so that when anxiety comes in, we can push it out with the word of God. We can always take our anxious thoughts to God in prayer. God is with us. He knows what we are feeling and what we are thinking. That alone shows us that we can be patient and trust in Him. “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God .” Philippians 4:6, NIV
Sunflower in the sunshine (Finding Peace through Christ)

Finding Peace through Christ

By Keshia Cunningham • 20 Mar, 2024
True peace can only be found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To be fully at peace in the Christian walk starts with having a relationship with Jesus. Our relationship with Jesus gives us some crucial tools to have peace in this life. Incorporating hope in Jesus, hearing what He has to say, and also allowing Him to heal our brokenness can bring us peace. As we explore these three topics and how they relate to peace, may you rest in Jesus and allow Him to work in our lives to bring about true peace. Hope in Jesus Can Bring Us Peace First, let’s take a moment to understand the definition of Hope . It is “ a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen .” This definition gives us assurance that if we are seeking something, we should be expecting it to happen. We lean on hope that better days are coming for us. We also may lean on hope for a miracle or a great change in our lives. That hope is placed in Jesus. Giving Jesus complete control and having hope in Him to do what’s best for us also calms our racing thoughts to usher peace into minds. “ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe ." 1 Timothy 4:10, NIV Hearing Jesus Speak to Us Can Bring Peace Secondly, peace can be found by simply hearing what Jesus is telling us. One of the ways we can hear what Jesus is saying to us is through prayer. He doesn’t use harshness when reacting to our prayers. Jesus hears us and shows us that He is truth and life. Not only do we have the opportunity to have an open conversation, but we have the honor of hearing what we need to have peace. The beauty of Jesus and walking Him, is that He doesn't leave us hanging. He gives the answers we need which will always lead us to peace of mind. “ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built .” Luke 6:47-48, NIV True Healing Can Bring Us Peace And lastly, in order to have peace in our lives, we must work on healing. Jesus gives the tools we need to heal. We must allow Him to help us work through our concerns. Healing allows us to have clear space in our minds, in order to think of all of the good things that Jesus has done for us. To be free from the trauma of the past, overthinking, and clutter, can bring us peace. Letting go of all the negative experiences brings us great, profound peace and hope. It all begins with taking the first step of letting Jesus have control over our lives to move toward peace. True healing is found in Jesus! “ You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you .” Isaiah 26:3, NIV In conclusion, these are a few ways that we can find peace in Jesus Christ. When it seems like all hope is lost, it can be found in Him. Peace isn’t something that any of us can borrow or buy. It can only be obtained through faith and also hope through Jesus. Surrendering to Jesus’ plans for our lives will always bring us peace. The peace that truly surpasses all understanding. May you open your heart and let Him fill it with an immense amount of peace.
JOY | Remaining Joyful in Uncertain Times

Remaining Joyful in Uncertain Times

By Keshia Cunningham • 20 Feb, 2024
There is a distinct difference between happy and being joyful. Being happy usually involves something that is acquired from outside of you. Being joyful is usually associated with feeling excitement on the inside. The feeling of joy isn’t necessarily dependent on what’s going on around you, but rather what’s going on inside of you. Joy will always bring you peace because being happy is often short-lived. Being joyful, especially as a Christian living in this world, can at times be challenging. These days it’s important to not become weary but to be joyful. We shouldn’t focus our attention on the negative aspects of life. We can’t sit in the things that are going on around us. We must focus on the good things in life that bring us great joy. It’s some of the simple things that can bring us joy. Waking up to another day that the Lord has made, thanking the Lord for that cup of coffee, and spending time with our loved ones that the Lord has blessed us with can bring us joy. Joy is Found in the Lord Joy is found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The One who shed his blood for our soul brings me great joy. Whenever I find myself feeling unhappy and in need of joy, I turn to the Word of God. I’m reminded of a timely Bible verse in the book of Psalms that often soothes my worries and anxieties. It’s an encouraging message from David to be glad, rejoice in the Lord and praise God. This is such an encouraging Bible verse because no matter what things may appear to be, we can always give glory to God in all circumstances. “ Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! ” Psalm 32:11, NIV Joy is Found in Serving Others If we ever lack the feeling of being joyful, we can take the emphasis off of ourselves to serve others. This not only brings comfort to the person you’re helping but this will also bring joy into your heart. You’re doing the work of God just by helping bring light into their life. The love and light you gave them will spread onto someone else. Being a cheerful giver pleases God and brings hope to the world. “ The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed .” Proverbs 11:25, NIV Joy is Found in Every Season Every moment in our life may not be happy moments, however, that doesn’t mean that we can’t find the simple joys in everyday living. During our times of despair, it may seem difficult to seek out joy. When we’re sad or brokenhearted, we can still find comfort in knowing that Jesus is with us always. We weren’t created to be hopeless but to be hopeful and joyful. In Romans, there is a very familiar Bible verse that echoes great encouragement to set our eyes on hope, to rejoice, and pray. This leads us to being joyful. I can’t stress enough how imperative it is to seek The One who gives us all that we need and more. If you ever lack joy in your life, seek Jesus. “ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer ." Romans 12:12, NIV
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