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The Book Survey Method of Bible study is the first of three methods
of Bible study that, together, give you an extremely comprehensive
view of each book of the Bible. These three will require the greatest
effort on your part but will ultimately yield the best results when
used properly. Each of the three emphasizes a different aspect of
one overall process of study which are:
Survey - Method 9 - Book Survey Method - in which you will obtain
a detailed overview of a particular book of the Bible
Analysis - Method 10 - Chapter Analysis Method -in which you will
study everything in each chapter in great detail
Synthesis - Method 11 - Book Synthesis Method -in which you will
take what you learned in the previous two study stages and put it
all back together, drawing conclusions as you go and gaining an
appreciation of the whole of the book.
The basic goal of the Book Survey Method of Bible study is to gain
a detailed understanding as to why the book was written, its context,
its theme, its structure, and its content.
9.1 - Tools
9.1.1 - Bible and several additional modern translations
9.1.2 - Bible dictionary and/or Bible encyclopedia
9.1.3 - Bible handbook, such as Unger's or Halley's
9.1.4 - Old and New Testament surveys
9.1.5 - Cultural contextualization tools
9.2 - Hints
9.2.1 - If you have already done a Book Background Bible study on
the book you may wish to refer to it for background information
useful to you in this study
9.3 - Steps
Step 1 - Read the book following the suggestions below:
9.3.1.1 - Read through the book in one sitting. After Psalms Isaiah
is the Bible's largest book and the average reader can read through
it in a few hours. Reading the book in this manner gives you a good
overview of its contents. For the larger books you may wish to divide
it into two more manageable sections which you can then read with
a break between.
9.3.1.2 - Read through the book in a recent translation so that
the language usage is current and will not distract from the contents
of the book.
9.3.1.3 - Read through the book as though the verse and chapter
divisions are non-existent so as to get the flow of the book and
the relationship of its ideas to one an other.
9.3.1.4 - Read through the book several times, you will be surprised
at what you notice in a second or third reading that you missed
originally.
9.3.1.5 - Read through the book without referring to any external
notes of any kind, it is important to concentrate upon the text
of the book itself without using any interpretive device.
9.3.1.6 - Read through the book with prayer, asking God to speak
to you through this study and open your eyes to the lesson(s) he/she
wants you to learn.
9.3.1.7 - Read through the book with pen or pencil in hand and begin
to take notes and make observations on what you are reading on the
second or third time through.
Step 2 - Make notes on what you read, this step actually begins
toward the end of step one. Write down your impressions of the book
and important details that you discover. Use the following list
to guide you:
9.3.2.1 - Is the book written in one of the following genres: Historic,
poetic, prophetic, law, biographic, correspondence, narrative, etc.
See the section earlier on types of literature in the Bible.
9.3.2.2 - Note your first impressions as you read the book. What
do you think was the purpose of the author?
9.3.2.3 - What words does the author use frequently? What words
does the author consider important or significant?
9.3.2.4 - Is there a key verse to the book or a key statement?
9.3.2.5 - What is the literary style of the author? How does the
style of writing relate to the message of the book?
9.3.2.6 - Does the author reveal his emotions? How would the readers
have responded to this emotion? How do you respond to this emotion?
9.3.2.7 - Make note of what you believe to be the main theme(s)
of the book. Is there a major thrust to the book?
9.3.2.8 - How is the book structured? Remember that our chapters
and verses (and often our paragraphs) were all added centuries after
the original authors completed their work. Around what aspects of
reality (people, geography, events, time, etc.) is the book centered?
9.3.2.9 - How do people fit into the book? Are there central characters
and if so what part(s) do they play in the book?
Step 3 - Do a background study of the book. In this step you will
essentially be following the outline given in the Book Background
Method of Bible study.
Step 4 - Make a horizontal chart of the book's contents. A horizontal
chart is a pictorial representation of the book on one or two sheets
of paper and which allows you to visually grasp the general details
of the book. Follow these steps to make a horizontal chart:
9.3.4.1 - On a single sheet of paper, or at the most two, make as
many vertical columns as there are chapters in the book you are
studying.
9.3.4.2 - Re-read the book and note the major divisions, usually
similar to the chapter divisions though not always, and make headings
relating to these divisions in as few words as possible.
9.3.4.3 - Read through the book again, yes this will be the fifth
time you read the book, and think of a short title for each chapter
and record them just below the divisions of the previous step, above
each of the columns. Some characteristics of good titles are that
they are:
- short, usually one
to four words
- picturesque, helping
you visualize the chapter contents
- from the text if possible
- unique and not used
as chapter titles of earlier studies
- able to show where
in the book the chapter falls
9.3.4.4 - Read through the book again and create a series
of titles for the paragraphs
Step 5 - Make a preliminary outline of the book from all that you
have done before. You are concentrating on the major points of the
book as later you will be using the Book Synthesis Method in which
you will make a detailed outline of the book. Some helpful points:
9.3.5.1 - Make an preliminary outline of the book, concentrating
on the major points.
9.3.5.2 - Have your outline organized in sequence of descending
importance. List major points first followed by the minor points.
9.3.5.3 - Use paragraphs will help with the outline as they are
generally grouped around major ideas.
9.3.5.4 - Compare your outline to those done by others to see where
they differ and where they are similar.
Step 6 - Write out a personal application and remember to return
periodically to this step so that you can evaluate your progress.
The Book Survey Method of Bible study is the first of three methods
of Bible study that, together, give you an extremely comprehensive
view of each book of the Bible. These three will require the greatest
effort on your part but will ultimately yield the best results when
used properly. Each of the three emphasizes a different aspect of
one overall process of study which are:
Survey - Method 9 - Book Survey Method - in which you will obtain
a detailed overview of a particular book of the Bible
Analysis - Method 10 - Chapter Analysis Method -in which you will
study everything in each chapter in great detail
Synthesis - Method 11 - Book Synthesis Method -in which you will
take what you learned in the previous two study stages and put it
all back together, drawing conclusions as you go and gaining an
appreciation of the whole of the book.
The basic goal of the Book Survey Method of Bible study is to gain
a detailed understanding as to why the book was written, its context,
its theme, its structure, and its content.
9.1 - Tools
9.1.1 - Bible and several additional modern translations
9.1.2 - Bible dictionary and/or Bible encyclopedia
9.1.3 - Bible handbook, such as Unger's or Halley's
9.1.4 - Old and New Testament surveys
9.1.5 - Cultural contextualization tools
9.2 - Hints
9.2.1 - If you have already done a Book Background Bible study on
the book you may wish to refer to it for background information
useful to you in this study
9.3 - Steps
Step 1 - Read the book following the suggestions below:
9.3.1.1 - Read through the book in one sitting. After Psalms Isaiah
is the Bible's largest book and the average reader can read through
it in a few hours. Reading the book in this manner gives you a good
overview of its contents. For the larger books you may wish to divide
it into two more manageable sections which you can then read with
a break between.
9.3.1.2 - Read through the book in a recent translation so that
the language usage is current and will not distract from the contents
of the book.
9.3.1.3 - Read through the book as though the verse and chapter
divisions are non-existent so as to get the flow of the book and
the relationship of its ideas to one an other.
9.3.1.4 - Read through the book several times, you will be surprised
at what you notice in a second or third reading that you missed
originally.
9.3.1.5 - Read through the book without referring to any external
notes of any kind, it is important to concentrate upon the text
of the book itself without using any interpretive device.
9.3.1.6 - Read through the book with prayer, asking God to speak
to you through this study and open your eyes to the lesson(s) he/she
wants you to learn.
9.3.1.7 - Read through the book with pen or pencil in hand and begin
to take notes and make observations on what you are reading on the
second or third time through.
Step 2 - Make notes on what you read, this step actually begins
toward the end of step one. Write down your impressions of the book
and important details that you discover. Use the following list
to guide you:
9.3.2.1 - Is the book written in one of the following genres: Historic,
poetic, prophetic, law, biographic, correspondence, narrative, etc.
See the section earlier on types of literature in the Bible.
9.3.2.2 - Note your first impressions as you read the book. What
do you think was the purpose of the author?
9.3.2.3 - What words does the author use frequently? What words
does the author consider important or significant?
9.3.2.4 - Is there a key verse to the book or a key statement?
9.3.2.5 - What is the literary style of the author? How does the
style of writing relate to the message of the book?
9.3.2.6 - Does the author reveal his emotions? How would the readers
have responded to this emotion? How do you respond to this emotion?
9.3.2.7 - Make note of what you believe to be the main theme(s)
of the book. Is there a major thrust to the book?
9.3.2.8 - How is the book structured? Remember that our chapters
and verses (and often our paragraphs) were all added centuries after
the original authors completed their work. Around what aspects of
reality (people, geography, events, time, etc.) is the book centered?
9.3.2.9 - How do people fit into the book? Are there central characters
and if so what part(s) do they play in the book?
Step 3 - Do a background study of the book. In this step you will
essentially be following the outline given in the Book Background
Method of Bible study.
Step 4 - Make a horizontal chart of the book's contents. A horizontal
chart is a pictorial representation of the book on one or two sheets
of paper and which allows you to visually grasp the general details
of the book. Follow these steps to make a horizontal chart:
9.3.4.1 - On a single sheet of paper, or at the most two, make as
many vertical columns as there are chapters in the book you are
studying.
9.3.4.2 - Re-read the book and note the major divisions, usually
similar to the chapter divisions though not always, and make headings
relating to these divisions in as few words as possible.
9.3.4.3 - Read through the book again, yes this will be the fifth
time you read the book, and think of a short title for each chapter
and record them just below the divisions of the previous step, above
each of the columns. Some characteristics of good titles are that
they are:
- short, usually one
to four words
- picturesque, helping
you visualize the chapter contents
- from the text if possible
- unique and not used
as chapter titles of earlier studies
- able to show where
in the book the chapter falls
9.3.4.4 - Read through the book again and create a series
of titles for the paragraphs
Step 5 - Make a preliminary outline of the book from all that you
have done before. You are concentrating on the major points of the
book as later you will be using the Book Synthesis Method in which
you will make a detailed outline of the book. Some helpful points:
9.3.5.1 - Make an preliminary outline of the book, concentrating
on the major points.
9.3.5.2 - Have your outline organized in sequence of descending
importance. List major points first followed by the minor points.
9.3.5.3 - Use paragraphs will help with the outline as they are
generally grouped around major ideas.
9.3.5.4 - Compare your outline to those done by others to see where
they differ and where they are similar.
Step 6 - Write out a personal application and remember to return
periodically to this step so that you can evaluate your progress.
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