How to Study the Bible Accurately: How to Ask the Right Questions When Reading Scripture (Part 3 of 10)

"These are tools that work absolutely every time we come to scripture."

Have you ever read a Bible passage and felt confused about what it actually means? Or perhaps you've heard someone quote a verse that seemed to support their point, but something felt off about their interpretation? The solution isn't more theological education or advanced Greek and Hebrew study—it's learning to ask the right questions.

In this third part of our Bible study series, we'll explore six fundamental questions that serve as guaranteed tools for accurate Bible interpretation. These questions—Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How—will transform your approach to Scripture and help you discover what God actually said, not what you might want Him to have said.

The Foundation: Observation Before Interpretation

Before diving into our six questions, we need to understand the crucial distinction between observation and interpretation. Think of it like a doctor examining a patient. First, they gather data (observation): "Your arm is swollen, there's a visible break in the X-ray." Then they interpret that data: "You have a fractured bone." Finally, they apply their interpretation: "We need to set it in a cast."

The same process applies to Bible study. We observe what the text explicitly says, interpret what it means, then apply it to our lives. The better we can keep observation separate from interpretation, the clearer our understanding will be.

The Six Essential Questions

1. WHO is talking or being talked about?

This simple question prevents countless interpretive errors. Consider Luke 4:7, which reads: "If you, then, will worship me, all this will be yours." Taken alone, this might sound like a promise from God about the benefits of worship. But when we ask "Who is speaking?" we discover it's Satan tempting Jesus—completely changing the meaning.

Or consider the beloved verse Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." This is absolutely true about God's character, but when we observe the "who," we see it was specifically addressed to Israelites in exile, not directly to individual believers today. This doesn't diminish the truth—it actually enhances it by showing God's faithfulness throughout history.

The "who" question also helps us identify whether we're reading the words of a narrator, a righteous character, or someone we shouldn't emulate. In Acts, when we read about Paul circumcising Timothy right after the Jerusalem Council declared circumcision unnecessary, the "who" question helps us understand Paul's missionary strategy rather than seeing a contradiction.

2. WHAT is the subject or topic being discussed?

This question forces us to consider context. What comes before and after the passage? What is the main subject under discussion?

Take Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Often quoted as a motivational verse about unlimited potential, the "what" question reveals Paul is specifically discussing contentment in both abundance and need. The subject isn't about achieving dreams or winning games—it's about finding strength to be content regardless of circumstances.

Similarly, Matthew 18:20 ("For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them") is frequently used to encourage small group attendance. But when we ask "what is the topic being discussed," we discover Jesus is teaching about church discipline and conflict resolution. The passage promises God's presence specifically in the difficult work of holding each other accountable in love.

The "what" question also prevents us from taking verses out of context. Many popular "life verses" gain richer meaning when we understand their original context and subject matter.

3. WHEN is the activity or discussion taking place?

Timing matters enormously in Scripture. The "when" question helps us understand the historical context and sequence of events.

Consider John 8:58, where Jesus declares, "Before Abraham was, I am." The "when" question here reveals Jesus' eternality—He existed before His earthly incarnation, in fact before Abraham who lived roughly 2,000 years earlier. Jesus doesn't say "Before Abraham was, I was" but uses the present tense "I am," indicating His eternal existence outside of time.

Similarly, in Matthew 22:23-33, Jesus corrects the Sadducees about resurrection by referencing God's words to Moses at the burning bush: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Observing "when" is crucial here—Moses received this revelation centuries after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died. Yet God didn't say "I was their God" but "I am their God," using present tense. Understanding the timing between these patriarchs' deaths and Moses' encounter helps us grasp Jesus' point: God speaks of the dead patriarchs in present tense because they are still alive to Him, proving the reality of resurrection.

Similarly, understanding when Lamentations was written—during the destruction of Jerusalem and exile—transforms our reading of "Great is your faithfulness" from a peaceful morning devotion to a profound declaration of hope in the midst of catastrophe.

4. WHERE is the activity or discussion taking place?

Geography and location provide crucial interpretive clues. In Acts 16:6-15, observing the "where" reveals the extraordinary nature of Paul's missionary journey. When prevented from entering Asia and Bithynia, Paul and his companions walked a tremendous distance along the border between these regions—possibly weeks of travel with no recorded ministry fruit until they received the Macedonian vision.

This geographical observation leads to powerful interpretive insights about following God's will even through long, apparently fruitless seasons. Maps in study Bibles become invaluable tools for this type of observation.

5. WHY is the activity or discussion taking place?

The "why" question is particularly important because it often moves us from observation toward interpretation. When the text explicitly states the reason for something, we can observe it directly. When it doesn't, we must be careful not to assume.

In Judges 7:2-4, God explicitly tells Gideon why He's reducing the army from 32,000 to 300 men: "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.'" This explicit "why" prevents us from misapplying the passage to modern military strategy or using it to justify releasing fearful soldiers from duty in other contexts.

Sometimes the "why" requires interpretation. In Exodus 4:24-26, we read that God sought to kill Moses, but the passage doesn't explicitly state why. This becomes an interpretive question, though study notes suggest it related to Moses' failure to circumcise his son—a violation of the Abrahamic covenant.

6. HOW are the people involved responding?

The "how" question reveals motivations, emotions, and the significance of events through people's reactions. In John 8:58, when Jesus says, "Before Abraham was, I am," we might miss the profound claim He's making. But observing how the Jews responded—picking up stones to kill Him—reveals they understood Jesus to be claiming the divine name revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Their reaction of attempted stoning for blasphemy confirms the magnitude of Jesus' statement.

Similarly, in the book of Jonah, observing how the pagan sailors respond throughout the storm—moving from calling on various gods to specifically addressing Yahweh and making sacrifices to Him—suggests their genuine conversion.

Practical Application: Putting It All Together

Let's see these questions in action with Jonah 1:1-6:

Who: Yahweh (note the specific covenant name), Jonah, Amittai, the people of Nineveh, pagan sailors What: God's command to prophesy judgment; Jonah's disobedience; God's response When: During the divided kingdom period, before Assyria's destruction of Israel Where: From Israel to Nineveh (God's direction) vs. to Tarshish (Jonah's choice)—opposite directions Why: Because Nineveh's evil "has come up before" God How: God commands "Arise," Jonah responds by going "down" repeatedly; God "hurls" a storm; sailors respond with fear and prayer

Even this brief analysis reveals rich patterns and contrasts that enhance our understanding of the text.

Building Global Ministry Through Sound Bible Study

These six questions aren't just academic exercises—they're practical tools that work in any culture and context. Whether you're leading a small group in suburban America or training pastors in rural Kenya, these questions provide a reliable framework for accurate Bible interpretation.

At Bible Training Centre for Pastors (BTCP), we've discovered that effective pastor training doesn't require expensive seminaries or years of formal education. Our economic pastor training model focuses on these fundamental skills that any leader can master. Through partnerships with organizations worldwide, we provide cheap pastor training that maintains high quality through sound methodology rather than costly infrastructure.

This approach has proven invaluable for global Bible training initiatives, especially when working to train poor pastors who lack access to traditional theological education. By teaching these simple but powerful observation skills, we're able to build a strong church leadership pipeline that produces confident, capable ministry leaders.

Conclusion: The Truth Is Better Than the Proof Text

When we take time to observe carefully using these six questions, we consistently discover that the truth of Scripture is richer and more applicable than any proof text we might extract. Every single passage benefits from this careful attention to detail.

The goal isn't to make Bible study complicated—it's to make it accurate. These questions become second nature with practice, and what might take thirty minutes now will take a few minutes later. More importantly, they build the foundation for a lifetime of confident, delightful Bible study.

Remember: we don't come to Scripture to find what we want to find. We come to discover what's actually there. And when we do, we consistently find it's even better than what we were looking for.

This article is part of BTCP's commitment to providing accessible, high-quality biblical training for church leaders worldwide. Our fun Bible study methods and practical pastor training for missions focus on building essential skills that transcend cultural and economic barriers.