To “Study the Bible” Means What?

“How can a young man keep his way pure?”

The answer to that age-old question: “By guarding it according to your word.” (Psalm 119:9). Bible study is foundational to the Christian life and a habit we earnestly pray our children will develop. The reason is simple: the Bible is primarily a book about God–who He is, what He does, and what He expects. Without an understanding of God as creator, redeemer, and righteous judge, we don’t have a compelling reason to even read the Bible, much less study it. This is as true for children as it is for grownups.

That’s how any approach to Bible study must begin, at any age: This is a book about God, not us. Of course it has profound relevance for us, and we must learn how to respond to it. In time, we will, but first we need to pay attention to what it actually says.

That’s the philosophy behind the inductive study method popularized by programs like Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). The first step in reading a text is observation: the who, what, when, and how. This is also where the reader takes note of repeated words or ideas and marks any unfamiliar words or difficult concepts. Preteens, ages 8‒12, should be capable of this kind of reading.

The second stage is interpretation, or determining what the text means. This may involve cross-referencing, definitions, translation comparisons, and perhaps even consulting other sources, like reliable commentaries. Context is important, as well as the literary genre (poetry, historical narrative, wisdom, exposition, etc.). Middle schoolers should be learning to cross-reference and compare as they improve their study skills.

The third stage is application, or considering what the text means for me. There may be only one interpretation to a passage, but there are many applications, even for the same person at different stages in life. But what about for kids?

When correcting our children, we rightly apply scripture to the situation, as in, “If possible, so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all” (Rom. 12:18). In other words, stop picking on your brother. For the beginning Bible reader, however, too much emphasis on application could encourage an impression of the Bible as a self-help manual or spiritual roadmap. Once again: The Bible is primarily about God, and secondarily about us.

The first question is not, “What should I do?” but “What has God done?” and “What is God like?” Of course Scripture contains words of encouragement, correction, and instruction for us (how many of us memorized 2 Timothy 3:16?), but if we don’t teach our children to put the priority where it belongs, our motivations could get off-center.

What does this look like?

Imagine a fourth grader opening his children’s Bible to Exodus. He reads the story of the burning bush and the call of Moses. He notices a picture on the next page and reads the sidebar about how the Israelites made bricks out of straw, and it was an unbearable burden on them to have to gather the straw and make the bricks.

Interesting—but that’s getting ahead of the story. He turns back one page. There’s a memory verse (he usually just skips those). There’s also a brief character sketch about Moses, but this fourth grader is already reading about Moses (quick turn back one page to see the picture of the baby in the basket), so he skips that too. Finally, chapter 3.

Cool story. But he wonders, like Moses, why the bush kept burning but never burned up and what it would be like to hear a voice coming out of the bush.

I would have freaked! Guess Moses did too—it says he couldn’t even look.

And when God says His own name: I AM WHO I AM, the young reader wonders, What kind of name is that? What could it mean?

But in the box on the corner of that page is a little story that illustrates the application. It’s about a boy trying to water ski; after many tries he gives up, thinking he just can’t do it. Sorta like Moses, who kept telling God he couldn’t do the job God was sending him to do. Moses didn’t think he was up to the job, but God was telling Moses He’d be with him to help.

The fourth grader might conclude: So, whenever I think I’m not good enough at whatever God wants me to do . . .

Do you see what’s happening? A natural curiosity about God is redirected into an evaluation of “me.” But that’s not the focus of the chapter. God is telling Moses who He is, not who Moses is. The words, “I will be with you” are not, primarily, an encouragement to Moses to put on his big-boy pants and walk out boldly in faith. It’s a call to remember Who is sending him: the One who made him, and saved him, and shaped him for this very purpose.

A beginning Bible scholar can certainly apply Scripture wherever the Holy Spirit leads, but the wrong kind of application (e.g., self-focused or moralistic), especially before a child has learned to pay close attention, can subtly direct attention away from the center and toward the edges.

I’m not saying that in-text features aren’t helpful, but the most helpful for young readers will aid their comprehension: definitions, explanations of difficult concepts, maps, observation questions and quizzes, and book introductions that provide historical context, timelines, and comparison charts. These can be located within or alongside the text or in the appendix. Sidebar applications can be more distracting than helpful.

Kids learn some of their most enduring lessons by imitation, and Bible study should be no exception. It doesn’t have to be elaborate at all, just take some time during each week to dive into a passage with them. The inductive method is a good pattern:

• Read the passage together first, then ask 3-5 observation questions about what it says. These will generally be Who, Where, When, and What questions.
• Read the passage again, paying particular attention to what the passage might mean. These will be Why and How questions.
• Take time to ponder what it means to us as individuals. The main question here is, What does it say about God? followed by How should I respond?

It’s not necessary to follow this procedure every time a child reads his Bible. But consistent practice, even just once a week, will establish a habit that (with diligent prayer!) could last a lifetime.