The Toolbox - Step 1

Posted by Joel Stephens on March 03, 2021

Orientation

What is the general situation?
Purpose = to understand what I am looking at.

▪ Who wrote it?
▪ Who was it written to?
▪ Why was it written?
▪ When was it written?
▪ What kind of literature is it?
History? Poetry? Narrative? Parable? Letter? Prophecy?

Read the passage multiple times from various translations.
▪ Who are the main characters?
▪ What going on in the passage?
▪ Where is this happening?
▪ Is this about the past, the present, or the future?

Write a one or two sentence summary in your own words of what you think the passage is saying.

Summary sentence example from Mark 12:41-44: “Jesus commended the widow for what she gave.”

Bible Study Guide

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