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Feed Yourself™ Lesson Fifteen

Bible Study Tools

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15

A workman needs tools. These lessons have focused on the two most important tools for studying the Bible yourself: the Bible and a good concordance. In this lesson, we will look at some other basic tools to help you in your Bible study. I am referring to free resources on the Internet since I know you can all access them. Most of them are based on physical books.

It is highly recommended that these helps be consulted only AFTER you have completed your own Bible Study. They can add a wealth of information and help confirm your own findings. But please remember, Bible Helps ARE NOT divinely inspired - they may contain errors. Judge everything by the Word of God alone.

Always do your own study first, then use "helps" to confirm what you have learned or to add depth and richness to your own study.

Bible Dictionaries

Bible dictionaries provide detailed information about people, places, and other words used in the Bible. For example, look up the word "Jerusalem" in the Easton's Bible Dictionary. You will discover what other names it has been called, what its name means, its history, and much more.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary gives a short definition of what the name means, though it often links to more detailed information. Other Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias add additional information.

For those who use the King James Version of the Bible, the KJV Dictionary lists over 800 words that have changed their meaning since the KJV was originally written.

For example, to us, the word “conversation” means talking with people, but when the KJV was written, it meant your entire lifestyle. Verses mentioning our "conversation" aren't limited to what we talk about; they cover how we live our entire lives.

Commentaries

Commentaries give the thoughts of others on particular Bible verses or sections of verses. It is best to develop your own thoughts first, then go to reliable commentaries for confirmation and additional information.

Matthew Henry is a well-respected commentator, but he can be wordy and hard to understand. Keep in mind that commentaries, like all Bible helps, are not divinely inspired. Judge them by Scripture in context.

Concordances

We have already spent time with Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. Nave's Topical Bible is beneficial when you are researching a specific topic. For example, if we look up "Jerusalem" in Nave's Topical Bible, we find a list of every biblical reference to Jerusalem, including its other names and other words that refer to it. Torrey's Textbook is similar to Nave's, but not as detailed.

History

Josephus was a Jewish historian living shortly after Christ. His Antiquities Of The Jews follows Jewish history. In many ways, it parallels the Old Testament. It also includes history from the "400 Silent Years" between the Testaments. His Wars Of The Jews covers the rebellion of the Jews against Rome to the destruction of the temple in AD 70. Josephus lived during this time and was an eyewitness to many of these horrible events. It can be hard to read, but it matters, as I feel much of the Book of Revelation, along with other portions of Scripture, predicted these events.

Maps

Bible Maps and Atlases help us visualize where places are, the distances between them, the types of geography, and more.

WEEK FIFTEEN PROJECT

1. Spend time familiarizing yourself with the different Bible Tools. Choose one of the following and using the different tools find out as much information as you can about it: Bethal, Corinth, Jericho, or Rome.

2. Continue with your daily reading/memorization program.

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Reference Works Used In This Course:

Bible Study Methods by Mrs. Shirley Davis

The International Inductive Study Bible by Harvest House Publishers

Effective Bible Study by Howard F. Vos, Zondervan

How To Understand Your Bible by T. Norton Sterrett, IVP

How To Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur, Harvest House

Independent Bible Study by Irving L. Jensen, Moody

How To Study The Bible For Yourself by Tim LaHaye, Harvest House

Return to Feed Yourself™ Lessons.

Glenn Davis is a Christian author and Bible teacher whose work draws on more than 40 years of study, writing, and teaching in local churches. He has written 700+ articles, created five Bible courses, published three books, and shared 300+ Bible videos on YouTube. Readers can find his books on Amazon, follow his teaching on YouTube or visit Glenn Davis Books. Away from the keyboard, he enjoys time with family, reading, walking, and board or card games.

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