Tips for Reading Scripture with more Understanding*
Enhance your scripture experience with these suggestions:
Consider its nature
The nature of each verse of scripture is affected by what it was written to do. For example, some scriptures are designed to teach, a few answer questions, others are prophetic, many are historical, some impart wisdom, some sing praises, give thanks, or express deep sadness, and many are given to explain moral rules. Pondering the purpose of a verse, chapter, or book helps us better understand its meaning.
Figure out what God intended
God uses our imperfect human languages to communicate His ideas to us. We need to ponder and work out what God wants us to learn from scripture. Look for the real meaning behind the words—what God is getting at beyond our feeble words.
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- look for meaning in the scriptures as a whole
- church leader teachings can give you insights
- is it literal, allegorical, moral, or of eternal significance
- analyze for patterns (types & shadows), and historical parallels
- study it like it has something to teach you
- to resolve problem passages—keep going
- for useful explanations try each page's footnotes, the Guide to
the Scriptures, the Topical Guide, and Bible Dictionary
- learn a story's geography in each scripture's map index and maps
*Most of these tips originally came from the Bible in a Year podcast by Father Mike Schmitz, "Bonus: How to Hear God’s Voice in Scripture (2024), December 30, 2024" (https://media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/bibleinayear/ ; 17 January 2025), and are explained in more detail there.