THE INDUCTIVE METHOD
An Overview: This method is inductive rather than deductive. In other words, as you study scripture you should seek to discover what the Bible says, rather than what you would like it to say, or thought it said. In our inductive study we will use a simple four step approach: making observations, asking questions about what you have observed, finding answers to the questions from the immediate context, and drawing personal applications.
The First Step: MAKING OBSERVATIONS Perhaps the most important part of Bible study is to find the basic building blocks of a text. For our study we will call these segments. A segment is simply a group of paragraphs that make up one "unit of thought." Segments then combine to form major divisions, and these finally join to form an entire book. The chapters and verses that were created in the 13th and 16th centuries usually do not reflect actual segments of thought. To find these original "units," you must search for the author's structural design. Once you have discerned this you will have the foundational clues needed to discover what the author intended to bring to light. In order to find an author's main thoughts or “segments” you must first learn to recognize the general Laws of Structure (see “Laws of Structure Supplement”) used by all communicators. These "laws" are simply to be recog nized, rather than learned because we them daily in written and oral communication. In order to keep our study simple, we will be using only the most common structural laws. Included in the list of structural laws are also "flag words" that often indicate when that particular "law" is being used. When doing the initial reading of any book or segment, you should spend your time exclusively looking for and marking the occurrence of Structural Laws. To help make this process simple we suggest that you assign symbols to the various laws. You then can conveniently mark them in the margin of your Bible. This will help you recognize them quickly and focus on the author’s main points. DO NOT WORRY AT THIS POINT ABOUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL MEANING OF THE TEXT THAT YOU ARE READING. During at least your first reading of the material, try looking only for the Laws of Structure. These will help you discover the segments, which will lead you to the understanding and application that you desire. The Second Step: ASKING QUESTIONS Asking questions should be the simplest step in your inductive study. It is crucial that you learn to ask questions about the observation you have made. For example, if you noticed the repetition of certain words you would want to ask, “What are the main repetitions in this passage?” “What do these words mean?” If you noticed a contrast you would want to ask what two things are being contrasted, etc. Much of the confusion or difficulty we may have in understanding a passage can be easily removed by simply learning to ask the right questions. In reality, the quality of the questions we ask will directly effect the quality of application we will be able to make. Additional simple questions that can be important to ask (who, what, where, when, how): 1. Who are the main characters? What are they doing? saying? 2. Where is it happening (location)? When is it happening (what is the verb tense)? 3. What does this mean? How does it relate to the rest of the material? 4. What is the significance of this particular word or phrase at this point or in this way? 5. How is this different from the material that was before or after it? 6. What are the implications of this? Remember to focus your questions around the observations that you have made regarding the structure of the material. The structural laws point you to the author’s main points so concentrate you efforts there. The Third Step: FINDING ANSWERS Finding correct answers to our questions is simple when the following two rules are observed. 1) STAY WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE SEGMENT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS (though sometimes you may have to refer a previous segment). Going to another book of the Bible or to a commentary to answer a question should avoided at this stage. For now, focus your attention on refining the basic skills of Inductive Bible Study by using only: your eyes, your Bible, and your pencils. Later, after your own personal study is complete, you will have a basis upon which to analyze the validity of someone else's work. 2) FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE MATERIAL, rather than on its content to help you find the answers to your questions. Let the author's arrangement of the material guide you to the possible answers. The Fourth Step: MAKING APPLICATION This brings us to the very reason of why we study God's Word. In James 1:22 it says, "But be doers of the Word and not hearers only." The purpose of good Bible study is not just to become informed, but to become transformed. When recognize the truth and understand what it means, our main desire should be to apply what we have learned to our lives. Our main task in making appropriate applications within a segment is determining which parts of the material were intended for application and which simply support and/or illustrate the application. The structural laws make this task much more simple by focusing our attention on themes that the author intended to be primary.
The following questions are helpful in making good application: How can I change? What promises can I trust in? What am I warned to stay away from? In what way can this person’s life serve as an example of what I should or shouldn’t do? How will this help me understand and do what God has called me to do with my life? How can I share these truths with others? A Process: When taken step by step, Bible study becomes a very simple and rewarding process. Prepare your heart so that you will be receptive to His Spirit and Word. Expect Him not only to show you new and wonderful insights, but to continue to complete you in every way. Pray for the grace to apply all that is seen and for the power to communicate in word, attitude, and action all the truth that is found. For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which {exists} among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention {of you} in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. {I pray that} the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
(Ephesians 1:15-19, NASB) THE LAWS OF STRUCTURE
1. REPETITION - the reiteration of the same terms, phrases, or clauses (such as the phrase "it was good" in Genesis 1)
2. CONTINUITY - the repeated use of similar terms, phrases, or clauses (such as "bless, blessed, and blessing throughout the book of Genesis)
3. COMPARISON - the association of like things (such as the description of Esau at birth being "like" a hairy garment) * "like" and "as" are frequently used to identify this law
4. CONTRAST - the association of opposites (such as the Contrast in Genesis 33:3 between where Jacob placed his family and where he put himself - this is especially important when Contrasting the "old" and "new" life of Jacob) * "but," "rather," "nevertheless" are frequently used to identify this law
5. CLIMAX - the arrangement of a series of events and/or emotions in such a way as progress from the lesser to the greater and ultimately to the greatest (Genesis 1:1-2:3 is an excellent example of this)
6. PIVOT - the subject matter is arranged so that it reverses or "turns around" on one factor (A good example is the reversal of actions and life of Jacob after his wrestling match in Genesis 32:24-32.)
7. PARTICULARIZATION - the movement from the general to the specific (Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 2:4 illustrate this use of general statements that are followed by the specific details.)
8. GENERALIZATION - the movement from the particular to the general (such as the general statements in Genesis 39:6 and 23 that follow the particulars of what had been done)
9. CAUSATION - the progression from cause to effect (Genesis 32:32 is a simple example of this. The Cause is the dislocation of Jacob's thigh in the previous wrestling match. The Effect is that "the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip.") * "therefore, so, so that, then" often identify this law
10. SUBSTANTIATION - the progression of material from effect to cause (seen in Genesis 20:3 where God tells Abimelech, "Behold, you are a dead man"
11. INTERROGATION - The posing of a question followed by the answer, or the presentaiton of a problem followed by a solution.