Scripture Study Tips

[Since one would not normally go straight to the writings of the Fathers when pondering a scriptural text, we will back up, & - as Glenda the Good Witch of the North famously advised - start at the beginning...]

The Second Vatican Council’s document on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum (DV), proposed some guiding principles for the study of Sacred Scripture according to the mind of the Church, which we will discuss in a future post. For now, we propose these 7 basic techniques that will make anyone’s study of the sacred texts more fruitful. Do you have some methods that you find useful? If so, please share them.

1. Ask the Spirit to help you pray the text

Scripture is extremely compelling; every verse courses with the power of God. He wants to teach you, but you must come to the sacred texts humble & empty of pre-existing notions to receive the graces of knowledge & wisdom. Ask guidance & understanding from the Spirit of God who authored the text in the first place. Quiet yourself as in prayer to be able to hear the Spirit speak to you. Approach the sacred texts as Adoration instead of an academic exercise. Yes, there is intellectual knowledge to be gained, but the main purpose of reading, studying, & praying the Scriptures is to encounter God in Christ Jesus.

2. Select a larger passage

DV notes that the sacred texts must be read as a whole to understand them properly. Similarly, do not read just a verse. Read all of the surrounding verses, up to & including the whole chapter, or if necessary, the entire book! Taken a verse at a time, any argument whatsoever can be defended or defeated. Reading a larger passage will help put the verse of interest in the context that the author intended.

3. Read the passage 3 times

At least. The Bible was written over a period of more than a thousand years in distant lands by peoples of various languages & cultures in a variety of literary styles under a myriad of historical circumstances. Thus, the writings themselves may be a bit disorienting. The more you familiarize yourself with the language of the texts themselves, the more comfortable you will be with the customs, history, literary forms, etc. of these ancient, Near-Eastern people called the Israelites. So read, read, & read again.

4. Compare different translations

Are you saying that I should buy a bunch of different Bibles? Not at all. A surprising number of translations are available on-line for free. While the New American Bible (NAB) is the translation used in the Church’s lectionary in North America, there are many other Church-approved translations (listed with a link to its online source, if available) :

New American Bible - US Conference of Catholic Bishops & the Vatican
Revised Standard Version & New Revised Standard Version
Jerusalem Bible & New Jerusalem Bible
Douay-Rheims with Vulgate (Latin) - New Advent
New Vulgate (Latin) - the Vatican
Spanish - the Vatican

We will review all these various possibilities & discuss their merits in another posting. For now, just find a few good Catholic translations & compare passages between them. Different word choices or even a completely different literary style may open up new meanings for you in the sacred texts.

5. Don’t skip the notes or cross-references

Most Bibles are full of information of which most people never take advantage. Besides the usual maps, glossaries, & timelines, many Bibles contain useful introductory notes, commentaries, footnotes, & cross-references.

While not part of the sacred text itself, these resources can certainly help to clarify the meaning of the text. Introductory notes often give the historical or theological background of the book in question. Varying from brief to extensive, commentaries & footnotes may explain passages in light of Church teaching, often with reference to the Fathers, saints, popes, or Church documents. Others may give technical information, like historical background, word meanings, alternative translations, or other text-critical information.

Verse cross-references (usually in the margins or page bottom) will show where words, phrases, or meanings are used elsewhere in the Bible. Since the Old Testament is fulfilled by the New & the life of Jesus gives way to the life of the Church, it’s not surprising that the authors point back & forth to one other.

Similarly, a concordance - a word usage reference - may also be of value. Some Bibles include a limited one of the most commonly-used words; although a separate volume will be more thorough. There are a few online concordances, including a great, new one for the NAB at the Vatican website.

6. Attend to the Readings at Mass

A reading from the second letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians is not a good time to skim the bulletin. God speaks to his people through the Scriptures proclaimed in the sacred assembly. In other words, he is speaking directly to you. Are you really listening? A good way to prepare yourself to receive his message is to spend some time with the readings before you actually arrive at Mass. Doing so may give a new orientation the rest of your week, with Sunday - the Lord's Day - as the promary focus.

There are a great number of sources available for daily Mass readings, both in print & on-line. They are available on the USCCB website, even in Podcast form. Highly recommended is the monthly Magnificat from the Dominicans – an all-in-one missal, breviary, prayer book, & even sacred art commentary. This extraordinary, pocket-sized publication comes in Spanish (among other languages) & there's even a kid’s version!

7. Listen to Jesus

As a follow-up to point 5, if Jesus references the passage under consideration, it goes without saying that it is important & you should see what he has to say. Further, seek him in any passage of scripture you may be considering. Jesus is the Father’s eternal Word that became man for our sake. He is the Father’s message to us. Everything in the sacred texts prepares for him & is fulfilled by him.

So, sit at the feet of the Lord a while & listen to him speak. Choose the better part.