The Bible Study Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to an Essential Practice

by Lindsay Olesberg

There are Bibles literally all over the place. You can find them in the drawer of the end table in your hotel room, under the pews at your local church, on the shelves of your local library or bookstore, posted in full and in multiple versions on any number of websites. You can find them in every corner of the earth, even (if you look carefully enough) in places where they're forbidden. So there's no trouble getting hold of a Bible. But once you have one in your hands . . . now what? The Scriptures tell us that the Word of God is living and active; what happens to us as we interact with it? In The Bible Study Handbook Lindsay Olesberg lays a foundation for why we read the Bible, what attitudes and expectations are most helpful as we enter into serious Bible study, and what methods and practices yield the most fruit. From foundational insights to best practices and hands-on exercises, you will find everything you need in this book to cultivate your curiosity, hone your attention and mine the applicabilities of whatever passage you find yourself in. And you'll be reminded of the insights, encouragement and even transformation waiting for people who commit to studying the Scriptures well together. A comprehensive guide for Bible students of every level of experience and spiritual maturity.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Theology, Faith, Spirituality, Biblical Studies

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2012

Reviews

[Brother Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great guide to understanding the philosophy behind Inductive Bible Study (IBS) and also how to do IBS yourself or in a group (which is preferred). It's not academic/technical so anyone can read it. I will probably recommend this to some of my students who want to go deeper in their IBS skills.

[Brianna Petersheim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the passion Olesberg has for in-depth Bible study. Her book made me excited about trying the manuscript method of Bible study.

My main concern with this book was that Olesberg seemed to highlight THE way to study the Bible. It felt somewhat like a formula; if you study the Bible this way you will discover the true and only meaning of a passage.

I believe the Bible is rich and that one method is not sufficient as the sole way to read the Bible.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever had the experience of observing someone who is a master of a practice that you attempt to perform competently? It is a sheer delight! That was my experience in reading Lindsay Olesberg's book. I've both studied and led studies of the Bible using the methods she outlines in this book as well as sought to train others in what I agree is an essential practice. And the delight came in seeing HOW she does so well the things I attempt to do.

Primary to all of this for Olesberg are foundations: the Word's centrality, power, and authority; and our soul-thirsty engagement with that Word individually and in community. Her passion for these realities runs throughout the book.

Then Oleberg describes the essential building blocks to good study: honoring the author, respecting the story, attentiveness, curiosity, understanding and response. I love the emphasis on attentiveness, which is fundamental not merely to good study of scripture but in any aspect of life. It is my conviction that training people in scriptural attentiveness can overflow into attentiveness in all of life, particularly as we also seek to be attentive to the ways God is inviting us to respond to scripture.

The third part of the book is what she calls "Tool Box". Here she looks at questions of selecting the text for study, how to create manuscripts (with criteria for good manuscripts and why these criteria are so important), the role of prayer not only before and after study but while we study, genre, various resource tools other than commentaries, identify the structure of a passage, commentaries (only to be used after study, and carefully then), poetry, and group study. I set apart one chapter, on the use of imagination, because I think one of her distinct contributions to inductive Bible study training are the ways she weaves the use of imagination into various parts of the study process. She believes that induction and imagination are not at odds with each other but are close companions in attending to the text.

The book concludes with appendices on leading small groups, a brief intro to inductive study, ways to pay attention to the text, a list of 'laws of composition' and various print and online resources to help with study. Also, each chapter ends with a 'practicum' to help us enter into the practice of the ideas she teaches.

This will be my "go to" book in the future as I think of both leading studies and training leaders. I hope it will be for many others!

[Maarten De vries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vooral een heel praktisch boek en in dat opzicht een goede aanvulling op het boek dat ik eerder over inductieve Bijbelstudie las: Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application through the Lenses of History, Literature, and Theology.

Olesberg deelt haar materiaal in in drie onderdelen: Foundations, Building blocks en Tool Box. Ik heb een groot deel van het derde deel eerst gelezen, omdat hierin concrete tips staan die je helpen bij het bestuderen van de Bijbel.

Het eerste deel gaat over het belang van inductieve Bijbelstude. (Indictieve Bijbelstudie beslaat drie stappen: observeren, interpreteren en toepassen.) De anecdotes maken het interessant en begrijpelijk, maar zorgen er ook voor dat je je bewust wordt van het belang van Olesbergs aanpak. Diepe reflectie of een vergelijking van methodes hoef je hier niet te verwachten.

Deel twee geeft vooral goede tips over waar je mee aan de slag kunt als je de Bijbel observeert en interpreteert (en tot slot toepast). Ook legt Olesberg uit waarom die tips volgens haar belangrijk zijn. Zoals ook in andere delen gebruikt ze citaten van bekende(re)theologen zoals Donald Bloesch, Henri Nouwen, N.T. Wright, Fr. Étienne Charpentier en Grant Osborne om haar betoog kracht bij te zetten. Olesberg kiest in dit boek voor de manuscriptstudie. Hierbij maak je in (een kopie van) de Bijbeltekst aantekeningen van de observaties die je doet. Heel sterk in dit deel zijn de afbeeldingen van manuscripten waarin Olesberg voordoet wat ze in de hoofdstukken probeert aan te leren. In de afbeeldingen zie je de aantekeningen die de auteur zelf heeft gemaakt in de tekst.

Doorheen het hele boek worden voorbeelden gegeven van observatie en interpretatie. Hierbij worden verschillende genres gebruikt, maar de meeste voorbeelden zijn uit de evangeliën. Voor het bestuderen van poëtische literatuur is een meer daarop toegespitst boek handiger, want dit genre krijgt beperkt aandacht. Hoofdstuk 20 bespreekt het bestuderen van poëzie maar blijft hierin summier.

Deel 3 is het meest praktische onderdeel van het boek. Hoewel aan het einde van elk hoofdstuk een verwerkingsopdracht staat, is dit deel helemaal gericht op de praktijk. In dit deel schrijft Olesberg ook een hoofdstuk over het maken van een manuscript waarmee je zelf aan de slag kunt met wat je in de vorige hoofdstukken hebt gelezen. Een enkel hoofdstuk uit deel 3 is lastiger te gebruiken in een Nederlandse context, omdat commentaren, handboeken en woordenboeken niet eenvoudig (lees: goedkoop) te krijgen zijn in ons taalgebied.

Enkele citaten uit The Bible Study Handbook om een idee van de schrijfstijl te krijgen:

Adam and Eve allow the rumors to distort their view of God and carry more weight than their direct experience of him. The results are disastrous: humanity loses true knowledge of their Creator and is left with only rumors and speculation. The Lord of the universe wants to be known. Hearsay is not sufficient. (Pag. 56, over het drama in het paradijs)

Thus, the Bible is an incredible gift not just to individuals but to the church, because it provides an external standard of evaluation and relativizes the authority of all earthly leaders and systems. God, through the Bible, sets the standard for truth. (Pag. 59)

The problem is that the story of Noah is actually a story about genocidal judgment. The context of Noah’s building project is God’s great displeasure with utter wickedness of the human race and his use of natural disaster to accomplish his judgment. It is a tragic story, not a fun or whimsical one. When we teach our children the story of Noah, seldom do we mention all the dead bodies floating in the water. We sanitize the story and cut it down to the parts we like, but in doing so we violate the text.
I understand why Bible stories must be adapted for a young audience, of course, but most of us never get beyond a Sunday school understanding of the biblical narrative. (Pag. 101)

Consider the four Gospels. Each of them describes Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion. The content elements are basically the same in all four, but each tells the story uniquely. Matthew arranges the material and weaves in different themes to the passion narrative than Mark, Luke or John, in line with the particular goals and concerns of his Gospel. (Pag. 125)

I am convinced that curiosity is fundamental to a vibrant life, meaningful relationships and transformative Bible study. (Pag. 131)

[Thaddeus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. In a day when biblical illiteracy can be really problem in many churches, there is a need for good material to help people learn to read and interpret God's word for themselves. Nothing else changes and transforms lives and guards against dangerous errors like the diligent, Spirit-empowered studying of the Bible!

This is definitely a strong curriculum to go through either individually or in a small group to help you learn to study the Bible effectively. Clearly written, great examples and helpful exercises at the end of each chapter to get you applying what you learn quickly.

The book starts off with an apologetic for the doctrine of scripture as a great foundation. Then it moves to explaining the basic principles of observing, interpreting and applying a particular passage. Finally, in the third section it gets into some of the tools for Bible study. Very clearly laid out and written in a way that you could skip the first section and jump straight into section 2 to get people into basic hermeneutics quickly and then come back to read the remainder of the book afterwards. The structure of the chapters is great too - well-written, insightful and engaging.

Highly recommended!!!

[William Dicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olesberg wrote a very good book on how to do Bible study by yourself, or in a group. She writes from experience, and gives many examples, homework, etc. What would add greater value to this book however, is if the author gave her own solutions to the homework she gives. Definitely recommended!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for inductive Bible study. This is a book I wish I could download in my brain.

[Danell Steffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did this with a friend over the summer to see if we could pick up some strategies for studying the Bible more effectively. It was great, some of her suggestions fit for me and some don’t, but it was great figuring out what will work and what doesn’t.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first was introduced to inductive study in college. I was given the book of Mark, printed out on printer paper (43 pages to be exact) and was told that we would be studying this book over the next 6 months. I had never read the gospels, in my bible, because I knew all the stories already. I had grown up a Christian and had grown up hearing the stories of Jesus in Sunday School from when I was young. I believed Jesus was the Son of God, and that he was my savior who went to the cross and was raised from the dead. What more could I possible get from that book? Why not study something interesting like... Zephaniah?

Instead my mind was blown by the person of Jesus as I studied his life, words, and work for the first time on my own. My own discipleship was transformed as I grappled with the challenge of Jesus to lay down life to follow him, to radically depart from how I understood my faith. Ever since then I have come to find the inductive study of scripture the most potent and life-altering way to experience the word of God.

In The Bible Study Handbook, Lindsay Olesberg, has written an incredibly helpful resource for the inductive study-er, whether they are new to bible study or they have been doing so for years. She breaks down the Why, the How and then goes on to offer helpful explanation of the different tools used. As someone who has now leads inductive manuscript bible studies regularly, this book helped me remember some truths I had forgotten, reintroduced me to ideas that had become stale, and gave me new tools to look at the word with.

I highly recommend this book as a quick access resource for anyone who is venturing into studying the bible, or needs some reminders as to why personal (and communal) study of the word is vital, and the tools to do so.

[Rev. House · Rating 5 out of 5]

My bias: There is almost NOTHING you can do that is more universally helpful to your life than developing the skills necessary to study the Bible carefully on your own and in a group. And Manuscript Bible Study, using an inductive approach, is hands down the most helpful tool I've found in developing those skills. I use Manuscript Bible Study myself when working on sermons and in my personal daily devotions, and I have taught the method countless times to groups and individuals over the last twenty years of ministry.

Lindsay Olesberg does a HUGE service therefore by pulling together a step-by-step handbook for learning the inductive approach to Bible study, and the Manuscript method in particular. Starting with the basic presuppositions underlying these approaches, and then covering the how-to's of every aspect from Manuscript creation to passage selection to looking deeply, interrogating the text, and prayerfully living out its implications, Olesberg's handbook is perfect for students and teachers alike.

This is a book that I've always wanted to have, but have never seen published. It will equip you to explore the Scriptures and find a life of faithfulness to God's Word through the joy of discovery hand in hand with the Bible's author. Highly recommended!

[Travis Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This handbook was obviously compiled by a leader with a lot of real-world Bible study experience. It provides a hand-on, practical approach that anybody can apply.

The appendixes in the back of the book were very helpful for outlining the how-to of good Bible study. The book teaches patterns and techniques of study that guide the individual through a thorough process of in-depth Bible study, content and contextual research, and analysis all leading toward a comprehensive understanding of a given verse, passage, chapter, and book.

I taught and will continue to teach this material to my students.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for anyone who desires to learn more about how to study the Bible individually or as a group. Olesberg's writing voice is easy to read and makes you feel like you're having a one-on-one conversation with her. It's especially helpful for those who like structure and want step-by-step instructions. She has a way of telling you what you should do without dragging out the instructions or making them dry. And it's a well-rounded book; it's not a manual with simply a list of instructions but also helps you prepare your posture, perspective, and framework. It's a great read!

[Samer Aldroubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Lindsay Olesberg does a good job of highlighting the value of indepth Bible study by all Christians (laity and clergy alike). She also does a very good job of passing along what have been helpful in her experience. In my personal opinion, the focus so heavily on manuscript study misses the value other approaches of inductive study have - but overall a very good place for someone who wants to dig deeper into their Bible reading to look for advice.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly practical, highly readable, and extremely easy to reference. There are many books on the general topic of bible study, but this one delves specifically into the inductive method (which is, admittedly, my absolute favorite method of biblical study). I'm not aware of many other books that are as succinct, but as specific. It's a great tool for anyone in any type of ministry leadership, and is recommended highly!

[Barnabas · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I will say is I'm an ENFP that hardly ever finishes a book, and I finished Lindsay's handbook on the flight from Chicago to Singapore. I have referred back to it many times, and am looking forward to reading it from front to back again in the future.

[Willie Krischke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of useful stuff. I particularly liked the chapter on Application, which I made copies of and gave to my student leaders for discussion. I plan to use the materials in the appendix for future teaching and training.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsay does a fantastic job breaking down inductive Bible study method. I would recommend this for everyone, not just beginners.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid primer to doing an inductive Bible study. Felt like I was being led by a trustworthy and experienced guide. So excited to see a marked up manuscript study again!

[Andrew Fallows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of good insights. Manuscript study!