There are four parts to an Inductive study of a Biblical book. They are as follows:

· Observation

· Interpretation

· Application

· Correlation

Each of these phases of the study will be taken up in the order listed above. As we will indicate later, you should not be too concerned if you discover these phases overlapping. They are listed in a particular order, but we know that as you use this process, you will discover some overlapping in one area or another. This should not be a concern. It is natural and will do no harm to the study.

OBSERVATION

By observation, we mean asking questions. It is a way of saying, "what does this text say? The text itself, of course, is crucial in determining what it says. the context surrounding the text is almost as important as the text in the search for its meaning. In this chapter, we want to look at each part of Inductive study in general terms. We will consider each part, in more careful detail, in separate chapters.

There are seven levels of observation. We will identify them here. We will deal with each level, in depth, in the chapter "INTRODUCTION TO OBSERVATION".

1. The Observation of the Whole

This level of observation asks the most general kinds of questions about our study of a Biblical book:

a. What kind of literature has the author presented?

b. What is this book about?

c. How does this book progress?

In order to discover this information, we usually find it necessary to give each chapter a title of seven words or less. From reflective study of these titles, answers can be discovered and deeper questions raised.

In observation, we make no attempt to answer the questions we raise. That will happen later. We are content, for now, to simply raise general questions. If answers present themselves, we do not turn away, but that is not our primary concern in this particular search.

2. The Observation of Major Divisions of the Book

In order to identify the major divisions of a book, one needs to know the general content. One very helpful way to discover this information is to study the chapter titles which were just described. In this step in observation we will also ask pointed questions about the relationships between the major divisions of the book.

3. The Observation of Chapters

With few exceptions, (Philemon, II John, III John, Jude), Biblical books are each made up of multiple chapters. These chapters make up the major divisions of each book. In the observational process we want to ask as many questions as possible about each chapter and their relationship to other chapters.

In Biblical books which are historical in nature, it is relatively easy to choose a title. When you are studying an epistle, however, it is much more difficult. In order to accomplish this, it has been helpful to reverse steps three and four. In this process, one would give a title to each paragraph and on the basis of studying these titles, choose a title for the chapter. An illustration might prove helpful. Think, for a moment about Colossians, chapter three. Having read the chapter, you might give the paragraphs titles like these:

As you can see, the four paragraphs deal with different topics. You will also notice, however, that they also deal with related issues. Just reading the chapter could make it difficult to give it a title. Having given a title to each paragraph, It was less difficult for me to give a title to the chapter - Focus on Christ and Holy Living. The fact that you do each step is very important. The order in which the steps are done should be chosen to accommodate your comfort level.

4. The Observation of Paragraphs

Each paragraph within a chapter contains one basic idea. This idea focuses on one facet of the central idea of the chapter. We need to ask as many questions as possible about this elaborated idea.

5. The Observation of Sentences

Every paragraph is made up of sentences. This step in observation requires that we ask every possible question about each sentence in the paragraph. You may have noticed that with each step, in the observational process, our questions become less general; more specific.

6. The Observation of Words.

Every Biblical sentence, paragraph, chapter, major division and book is made up of words. In observation, we want to ask penetrating questions about every word of a given text.

7. The Observation of Structure

Structure is the way words are put together to achieve the goals of the author. Every sentence from John 11:35 - "Jesus wept." - to the most complicated sentence in Romans, has a specific structure. We must identify this structure in order to understand what the author was really trying to say. We do this, in observation, by asking every possible question.

INTERPRETATION

In the Interpretation phase of inductive Bible study, we answer all the questions which were raised under observation. Another way of looking at it is to say that in the Interpretation phase we ask the question, "what did the author mean?"

Because Interpretation answers the questions raised in Observation, we will look carefully at all the questions raised in the first phase. This also means that we will be answering questions at seven distinct levels:

1. Questions about the whole book

2. Questions about the major divisions of the book

3. Questions about each chapter of the Biblical book

4. Questions about each paragraph in each chapter

5. Questions about each sentence in every chapter

6. Questions about each word in each sentence

7. Questions about the structure of every sentence in the book

We will deal with the answers to these questions in the chapter describing Interpretation.

APPLICATION

The application phase of Inductive study asks the simple question, "How does this passage impact my life?" What are the implications for the way I live my life every day? In order to accomplish this task, we must discover several pieces of specific information:

1. What are the specific events or teachings of the passage under study?

2. We must understand, clearly, the current situation with which we are concerned or involved.

3. We must determine to what extent the biblical story matches the modern situation or conditions.

4. We must prayerfully consider what action this investigation demands of us as followers of Jesus.

We must admit that quite often very little effort, either in preaching or in Bible study, is invested in this portion of searching Scripture. Nevertheless, it is extremely important. It may be that some of the misinterpretation and misuse of Scripture could be avoided if people took the extra time to determine what the appropriate application of a given text should be.

CORRELATION

This is the last phase in the process of Inductive Bible Study. Unfortunately, so much time is invested in Observation and Interpretation that this phase is often not considered at all. At least in part, this fact contributes significantly to the frightening amount of misinterpretation one encounters in books, sermons in church and on radio and television.

Correlation means to bring something into a mutual relationship with something else. Simply put, the correlation of Scriptural discoveries in one passage must correspond with teachings elsewhere in Scripture. This is a marvelous tool to help protect us from focusing our attentions and efforts on interpretations which are clearly in contradiction of teachings in other parts of the Scriptures.