Observation is the first step in Bible study: looking carefully at what the text says before asking what it means. This section of notes collects the strategies taught in How to Study Your Bible for observing Scripture faithfully, objectively, and thoroughly.
These strategies are organized into five clusters:
- 02 - Keyword strategies – Focused on identifying and tracing keywords, the building blocks of meaning.
- 02 - Study Practices – The habits and practices that sustain careful observation (e.g., prayer, repeated reading, marking the text).
- 02 - Structural & Thematic Tools – How to discover purposes, themes, and summarize sections of Scripture.
- 02 - Literary Features – Recognizing comparisons, contrasts, conclusions, genre, and narrative shifts as interpretive cues.
- 02 - Context & Objectivity – The principles that ensure observations remain faithful to the text and anchored in its context.
Together, these clusters provide a map for observing the text at multiple levels—from keywords and literary cues to structure, purpose, and context. Observation is about seeing clearly before interpreting, and these strategies ensure we see what the Bible actually says.