How to Study
Start by trying to understand what the author means. To figure out what they are trying to say. This doesn’t mean you agree. But it is the first step in deciding if any thing in the writing will make a difference in how you think and act.
Then Think, Compare, Contrast, Evaluate, Discuss, Research, Rethink.
Get situated in a place where you can study.
You will need Paper, Pencil and Bible.
You can upgrade to any format where you can record you observations notes, and conclusions.
You can upgrade pencil to a keyboard, audio recorder, or any audio/visual media.
You can upgrade Bible to a translations that you can understand, or to multiple versions that you can compare. If it is something that makes sense for you, try learning the original language that the text was written in. Song of Solomon was written in Hebrew as were the other 38 books in the part of the Bible often referred to as the Old Testament.
The 27 books in the part of the Bible referred to as the New Testament were written in Greek.
The technique described below will work for any writing or any media. I call it Dr McReynolds Inductive Bible Study. I learned it from a professor in college. He had a PHD in Greek Studies, and helped translate a version of the New Testament. He also graciously let me drop Greek class before I flunked out.
First
Read the text and write down your observations
Things like:
…….surprised me
I don’t understand this ……………..
was that a custom in their time?
The purpose of this is to try to understand what the Author wanted to communicate. This will help you start to develop your thoughts, ideas, and feelings about the subject.
Second
Then you can see what other think about what the Author wrote. This is much more effective if you do your observations and thinking first. It is amazing how you can read through someone else’s observations and conclusions.
I often like to give myself a deadline. Here is an example:
• you have 30 minutes to study the subject today
• speed read the Song of Solomon in 5 minutes
• write observation for 20 minutes
• take 5 minutes to just reflex on what you read and what you wrote down in the previous 25 minutes.
• stop – if you give yourself an assignment, and follow it, that in itself will help you become a better student.
Reading it through numerous times, from different translations, and at different paces – sometimes slow and reflective, sometime fast and getting the whole picture, will astound you at how much you can understand and grasp.
Keep it simple.
Draw your own conclusions, based on the information you have.
Think it through – try to live what you believe.
