Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible

by Matthew S. Harmon

Many Christians read the Bible but struggle to apply it to their everyday lives. Sometimes the words on the pages seem so distant from reality. In this practical and accessible book, Matthew Harmon trains believers to ask the right questions when reading their Bibles so that they see how it can transform their lives--even the passages that at first glance might seem irrelevant or disconnected from the modern world. Harmon explains the overall structure of Scripture, highlighting techniques we can use when reading to make the connection between the text and our hearts, ensuring that God's Word has its intended effect: growing us in godliness.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Christian Non Fiction, Nonfiction, Faith

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2017

About the author

Matthew S. Harmon (PhD, Wheaton College) is professor of New Testament studies at Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Everyone loves a good story. Whether it is kids begging for Dad to read them a book at bedtime or friends gathering to watch a movie, people enjoy hearing (and telling) stories. Think for a minute about the last time you caught up with an old friend you had not seen in a while. No doubt that conversation included a story or two. But stories are for more than entertainment or providing information. They shape our understanding of who we are, why we exist, what kind of person we should be, and what kind of world we live in. Whether we realize it or not, we automatically connect everything we experience to what we believe to be the true story of the world. Our view of the world is inherently story shaped.

Believers may have the best of intentions when it comes to wanting to read, understand, and apply the Bible, but, most struggle in one way in actually doing it. Harmon's book is designed to equip believers with the tools they need to read, understand, and apply the Bible. He gives us two sets of four questions. There are four questions for understanding the Bible; there are four more questions for understanding how to APPLY the Bible. These questions can be asked of any Bible passage.

The book has three parts, "Laying the Foundation," "Reading the Bible," and "Reading Our Lives."

In the introduction, he shares his reasons for writing the book. He points out that believers not only need to learn how to read the Bible correctly, but how to read their own lives. We need to be asking the right questions of the Bible.

In chapter one, he argues that the way we see the world, the way we see ourselves is story-shaped. The story shaping our lives should be the grand story of the Bible--Genesis through Revelation. Our natural inclinations is to either make up our own stories, our own truths OR to be shaped by false stories promoted by our culture and society. What believers need is to know the big picture of the Bible. This chapter gives us a concise biblical overview using six c words: creation, crisis, covenants, Christ, church, consummation.

In chapter two, he argues that the Bible is God's Tool to change us--to transform us. We are born idol-worshippers or idol-makers. He writes, "we enter this world with a deeply ingrained tendency toward idolatry. We are like the shopping cart with the bent wheel that constantly pulls the cart in the same direction. The way idolatry shows up varies from person to person. But no one is immune to it. Unless someone intervenes at the deepest level of our hearts and souls, we will pursue idolatry in some form or fashion." The Bible is God's tool for changing us--breaking down/tearing down our idols, and remaking us into His Image.
"In the Bible. God has given us the Bible to tell us who he is, what he has done for us, and how we should live. He uses the Bible to change us so that our lives demonstrate that we bear his image. Psalm 1:2 says of the blessed person, His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. As a result of meditating on God’s Word, He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Ps. 1:3) Psalm 19 is even clearer on the connection between hearing/reading/meditating on God’s Word and God transforming us through it. After describing how the heavens declare the glory of God (19:1–6), David turns to the power of God’s Word (19:7–11): The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."
In chapter three, he shares HOW Jesus read the Bible and HOW Jesus taught others to read the Bible. He concludes, "If we approach every passage of Scripture with the expectation that it will somehow point us toward Christ, we will begin to see Scripture in a fresh way."

In chapter four, he makes an important distinction in how we read the Bible. He clarifies the Bible is written FOR US but not TO US. Like in the previous chapters, Harmon relies on the Bible to teach us how to read and interpret it. In this case, he examines Romans 15:4, 1 Peter 1:10-12, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

In chapter five, he introduces the four foundation questions that we need to ask as we read the Bible. I think he rightly points out that, "the quality of the questions you ask determines what you get out of the text and your ability to apply it to your life."

1) What do we learn about God?
2) What do we learn about people?
3) What do we learn about relating to God?
4) What do we learn about relating to others?

Those are the big, broad questions. Harmon goes into greater detail, breaking down these big questions into smaller, more manageable questions or aspects. I wanted to keep it big picture, however, for the review.

Chapter six is titled, "The Gospel Pattern of Life." It is FANTASTIC. He argues that the WHOLE of our Christian lives should be a pattern of repentance and faith. Repentance isn't something you do once before you're a Christian. And faith isn't something you decided one day when you prayed a prayer or came forward to the altar. He defines what faith and repentance are; but he goes a step further. He defines what a Christian is.

He writes, "So to sum up, repentance is a gift from God that enables us to turn our whole lives away from sin to such a degree that it changes how we think, believe, feel, and act. If repentance is turning away from sin, faith is turning toward God. It is the commitment of our whole being to God. The Bible uses words like believe, trust, commit, and delight to describe it."

And, "By definition a Christian is someone who has turned from sin and put his or her faith in Jesus Christ to be made right with God. Repentance and faith are the entry point into the Christian life."

Chapter seven focuses on "the fallen condition." Understanding sin, the concept of sin--the nature of sin--is fundamental to understanding the Word of God. Genesis to Revelation deals with the fallen condition of man. And to properly read and understand ourselves, we need to recognize our own fallen condition. The fallen condition was mentioned briefly in chapter five under "what do we learn about people," but here it is FULLY discussed.
*What sinful tendencies, habits, thoughts, patterns of behavior, feelings, desires, or beliefs are explicitly stated in the text or reasonably implied by the text?
*What evidence of the effects of the fall is explicitly stated in the text or reasonably implied by it and needs the redemptive work of God?
*What God-given human longings, though warped by sin, are explicitly stated in the text or reasonably implied by the text and need the redemptive work of God?

Chapter eight focuses on "the gospel solution."

"Here is what I mean by “gospel solution”: The aspects of the gospel that are revealed in the text that provide the solution to the fallen condition. Let’s unpack this definition a little further. The gospel refers to what God has done for us in and through Jesus Christ. There are many different aspects of what Jesus has done for us. He has justified us (declared us not guilty of our sins). He has adopted us (made us part of his family). He has sanctified us (set us apart for his special purposes in the world). He has given us the Holy Spirit to live inside us. These are just a few of the different aspects of what God has done for us in the gospel through his Son, Jesus."

He points out that sometimes the gospel solution is a) within the passage you're studying b) within the larger context of the passage you're studying c) found somewhere else in the Bible.

Chapter nine is the chapter on how to apply the Bible. Though this only gets one chapter, it isn't of lesser importance. I really appreciated his perspective. I'd always thought of application as something you DO. Three out of four of his questions focus on applying the text internally. So again, we have FOUR questions to bring to any text of Scripture.

1) The first question we should ask ourselves when applying the Bible is What does God what me to think or understand? We are responsible to fight against every pattern of thinking that opposes or contradicts what God has said in his Word. We must take every thought captive, evaluating it against what the Bible says is true.
2) What does God want me to believe? Asking what God wants us to believe gives us an opportunity to identify the false beliefs that motivate our sinful actions. That puts us in position to confess those false beliefs and move forward in believing what God says is true.
3) What does God want me to desire? When we think about what God wants us to desire, we should also consider our emotions. Asking what God wants us to desire can reveal sinful desires, inclinations, and feelings that the Holy Spirit needs to change. If we do not desire what God says we should desire, then we should confess this and pursue repentance. As God shows us who or what we should desire, we can pray for his Spirit to change us so that our desires, inclinations, and feelings line up with what Scripture says.
4) What does God want me to do? Asking what God wants us to do helps us recognize actions we should be taking but are not. It also exposes sinful actions we should stop doing. Some actions that God brings to mind are occasional, but others may be far more habitual. Pursuing repentance for repeated and habitual sin often requires help and encouragement from other believers.

Chapter ten focuses on the balance between God's role and our role in spiritual growth.

There are additional helps at the back of the book. My favorite was "AT A GLANCE: ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS" which presents in outline form the eight questions we should be asking.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book. I thought it was practical, concise, and above all BIBLICAL.

[Thomas Creedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid readable and practical primer that does what it says on the tin.

[Marnus Prinsloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful book getting us to consider what questions we can ask from the Bible passages as we read it in order to best interpret, understand and apply the bible to our lives. This book was very practical giving great summaries and worked examples.

[Naeem Tariq]

Introduction
. Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible.
Is written by Harmon, Matthew S. published by Crossway in 2017. Harmon is a New Testament
professor at Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake Indiana. He is author of
many books among them eight have district popularity. The book under review is one of those
popular books.1
The author main concern in this book is to facilitate the bible readers to understand and
apply the word of God as many of us struggle while reading and understanding the passages. We
often get confused in making a good practical use of the scriptures in our daily lives. Harmon
cleared this confusion by providing two sets of questions in his book, first four foundational
questions and then other four application questions. The main goal of this book is to transform
the reader’s life which resemble to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Main Body
The book includes three main parts. Part I has two chapters. In chapter one the Harmon
talks about 6C Creation, Crisis, Covenants, Christ, Christ, Church and Consummation. The main
point of these 6C is to give an overview of the whole Bible to the reader. In next chapter Harmon
expresses the purpose of God creating us on His image is to see His characters in us. When Jesus
said “Take up your cross and follow me” (Mathew 16:24) it means to imitate his character in our
lives by lifting our daily cross and follow Him.
Part II has three chapters. First chapter is about reading the bible thoroughly without
missing any key point in the scripture. Many of us miss the important information while going
through the bible. But if see deeply most of the scriptures are Christ centered in some way. In
second chapter Harmon argues that bible is written for us “not to us”. We cannot apply every
passage into our life by fitting ourselves into those characters which are present in the actual
story. Third chapter focuses on four basic questions while reading the bible which are: what do
we learn about God, about people, about relating to God and about relating to other people.
Part III includes five chapters. The first chapter focuses on two major acts “Repentance
and Faith”. Harmon explains that repentance and faith are the major acts to get enter and walk
through the Christian life. They are complementary to each other. Second chapter of this part
deals with the fallen condition. Harmon says that every Christian is living in a fallen condition
which means that living a life below the standards of the God. In the third chapter of this section
he explains that every fallen condition can be cured from the Gospel which is actually a
treatment book for every fallen condition. Fourth chapter of this part again deals with four
application questions. These questions are: what God want me to think, believe, desire and to do?
These questions give a way to think about the word of God, to have faith in Him, to have desire
to get Him into our lives and to take practical steps to follow the word of God. The fifth chapter
of this part deals with the obedience to God. Harmon says that obedience to God is a two way
process it depends on God’s work for our obedience and our response in return.
The next section of this book is dedicated to practical part for the readers. Harmon
divided this section into two parts Resource I and Resource II. Resource I deals with how to
apply different passages of the bible in our lives. As bible has different kind of passages some of
them are narrative, contains law, Proverb and Wisdom literature, Prophecy and Apocalyptic,
Parables and Letters. Harman suggests that not all the scriptures are applicable, however only
parables and epistles can be applied after a deep consideration and investigation that in what
condition the passage was written? And who were the audience? In resource II Harmon suggests
two things to the pastors, Sunday school teachers and the church leaders who are preaching. The
first is clearly analyze your audience and then preach accordingly. Second is to assess that how
your preaching could be fruitful for individually, to specific group and to the whole church?
Evaluation
Over all it’s a good book which is quite simple and easily applicable in daily bible
reading. Harmon suggests that we can get into the truths of the bible by reading it deeply and ask
humbly to the Holy Spirit illuminate the scripture to make it practical to our lives. A very
important thing Harmon suggests that familiarity with the whole bible make us to think that how
every scripture fit into God’s redemptive plan. This insist the reader to think about every passage
as a Christ-Centered passage which leads toward the final redemptive plan.
Harmon starts every chapter with everyday common example to get attention of the
reader. This gives a good start to every chapter and make it interesting from the beginning rather
than a boring reading. Harmon dedicated a small portion for the readers at the end of every
chapter to stop and think deeply that how the center of this chapter can be applicable for the
reader in daily life? This makes this book not only a knowledge providing book rather an
applicable and life transforming book.
Harmon not only used his arguments with simple talks rather he made his arguments
strong with a lot of evidences provided by the biblical passages. He used a lot of biblical
passages which is good in a sense that it provide evidence for his arguments. On the other side
the passages are so frequent and long. Harmon did not make them shorter enough to support his
ideas only, rather he used longer passages which includes irrelevant verses not related to his idea.
This makes a reader to read a lot irrelevant material.
Harmon made this book quite interesting by making connection with following chapters.
e.g part III chapter 7 tells about fallen condition, chapter 8 talks about the Gospel solution to that
fallen condition, Chapter 9 raises four practical questions that how can gospel solution leads to
obedience to god and chapter 10 tells about the power of obedience. This gives curiosity to the
readers to reveal the next chapter and make this book interesting one.
The material provided by the Harmon is quite relevant to the titles of the chapters and
headings in the chapter other than long biblical passages. The whole book justify the title of the
book as it say a practical guide indeed it is a practical guide and is quit applicable while reading
the biblical passages.
Although this is a good book to read but Harmon does not concluded the book in good
way. Rather than making conclusion he made a simple suggestions for the reader at the end of
this book which does not make it a good conclusion.
Conclusion
I would recommend this book to all Christians and especially to the new believers who
have lack of guidance and worried about understating the biblical passages and to those who are
worried about their stunt spiritual growth. This is an awesome book which will arm you with
practical ways to get to the heart of any passage, this book will help position you to experience
the real joy that results from being transformed by God’s Word. I would also recommend this
book to those church leaders who are preaching to the Sunday school, youth groups and to the
church as a whole. They must read this book to teach the way of understating and applying the
scripture in daily life.

[Kaitlyn S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the summer our family is a lot of places. The boys are helping neighbors with various things, us girls are busy in the garden, or helping clean or other people, and Mom is busy planning school lessons. Or we are out of town with Dad, as his work requires him to travel to various places in the Summer months.

With the lack of a concrete schedule, our family worship is often neglected. In every other season, we all gather around the table after dinner and study God's word together. In summer it's different - Dad isn't here, people miss dinner, and there's always one more thing to do around the farmstead before it gets too dark too see. So we tried something new this summer, that I've enjoyed -- and I hope we keep it up, along with our usual worship time.

We decided to do a book study over the summer -- we would read a chapter a week, with younger siblings who can't yet read themselves, and then get up early on Saturday mornings to discuss it. We all gather around in our PJ's at 6:00 with cups of coffee or tea or hot chocolate and sit and talk about what we've gleaned from what we've learned. My first thought, honestly, was that it would be way too early for any coherent thoughts. But it has become one of my favourite times.

This book was the perfect one to start with. It was well written, easy to read and understand, and spurred many interesting conversations amongst ourselves. There were times we would still be talking at 8:00 -- and that's a good thing!

I enjoyed the insights Harmon lent towards understanding and applying Scripture to our lives. So many times people just try to glean one or two things from the verses they read without searching out the context. This book teaches you otherwise.

In fact, this book is different in that it actually doesn't really tell you what you should think. It guides you to studying out Scriptures and forming your own thoughts about a passage. And there was so much that I gleaned form different passages that I have read my whole life!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, or for anyone who is wondering how on earth you should begin to study the Bible. I think that it should have a place on every bookshelf, and be referred to often.

Definitely a five star read!

[Ana Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful and practical! I wish this was in Spanish to give to all my friends.

[contemplativereflections · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Asking the Right Questions," Matthew Harmon introduces a series of thoughtful questions that help Christians understand and apply God’s Word. The author first argues that familiarity with the entire biblical metanarrative is crucial for Christians to rightly appreciate how a particular passage fits into God’s redemption plan. Moreover, Harmon insists that all reading of Scripture should be Christ-centered and approached with an emphasis of how the gospel gives us hope in response to the effects of the Fall. Harmon’s method can be summarized in eight questions. The four foundational questions focus on what we learn about God and people and how to relate to them. The four application questions revolve around what God wants us to think/understand, believe, desire, and do. In addition, the book includes three helpful appendixes including tips for those who teach the Bible to small and large groups and a brief introduction to reading different genres within the Bible. Although the ideas that Harmon presents are relatively simple, the suggestions are accessible first steps to engage Scripture in a reflective, systematic manner. However, the author also rightfully points out that we can only understand Scripture when we humbly ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the text and apply the truths to our hearts and minds.

I would recommend this book to all Christians and especially those who feel challenged in reading the Bible daily. Many new believers feel daunted by the task and often become discouraged early on resulting in a stunted spiritual life. Harmon argues that a good starting point for believers is to read the Bible and ask appropriate questions to help bring out the riches of the biblical text. Furthermore, we must have eager, humble hearts that asks for the Spirit’s guidance as we seek His wisdom and truth which leads to repentance and faith. Christians, regardless of how long they have been converted, are commanded to be immersed in God’s Word and this book is a wonderful resource for those looking for a place to begin. Those who aim to mature in their faith should strive to access more advanced resources on biblical interpretation and hermeneutics that will further refine and expand their ability to comprehend and integrate Scriptural truth into their lives.

In compliance with Federal Trade Commission regulations, I was provided a review copy of this book from Crossway.

[Charise D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid introduction to reading the Bible and applying it to one's life that is intended for average laypeople, especially those new to reading the Bible. This book teaches the reader to use what is essentially the Socratic method by asking specific questions. It seems that if practiced this method would create a healthy attitude toward the text, as opposed to looking for magic or secret words, giving yourself a headache by reading between the lines for God's will, or using it to bonk others over the head. The approach is simple and practical; unlike other books on understanding the Bible which are front-loaded with academic topics such as how to approach books of different genre, such helpful tips are placed near the back. Very approachable.

[Kacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is an excellent resource for Christians wishing to study the Bible deeply and really apply what they learn. It is full of Scripture that supports the author's thoughts and is a fresh reminder that we should focus on God during our study of his Word.

From the conclusion:
"You now have a set of tools to help you understand the Bible and apply it to your everyday life. Whether you are a new believe, a Christian who wants to grow in your relationship with God through this Word, or someone entrusted with helping others understand and apply the Bible, God wants to deepen your relationship with him through the Bible."

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for asking the right questions to understand and apply the Bible. One of the most thorough yet basic books I’ve read of this type of book. No surprise when it is endorsed by the likes of Tom Schreiner, Brian Hedges, and David Mathis.

Harmon includes several important additions to his questions that flesh out a gospel-centered approach to both understanding and applying the Bible.

Highly recommend reading this book but even more so applying it! Received this book as a FaithLife (Logos) free eBook of the month!

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief, helpful, and clear. Harmon is thoughtful but keeps things simple without trying to get too cute. I especially appreciated how he provides concrete examples of using the tools he is teaching by walking the reader through applying them to different biblical texts.

After reading this, a person will understand the basics of how to study their Bible as well as have some foundational tools and questions in order to understand and apply it. This is the best lay-level resource I've found on this topic to date.

[HT Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent way to help people get started

As the book says, “People are often overwhelmed with the Bible and don’t know where to start. I often tell new believers to start with the Book of John. But I don’t teach them how to read John. Using this a a guide to learning, hopefully, will aid them is staying and growing in God’s Word.
Well written and easy to understand. I plan on adding this to my “witnessing tool box”

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author guides you through the Bible's big story of how God interacts with humanity and His creation. He then talks about how to study the Bible, what questions to ask, and how to see the big picture of Scripture. This is a great book for anyone who is new to studying the Bible. But it is also health for intermediate and advanced study of the Bible. I highly recommend it for anyone who looks deeply i into the Bible.

[Cara Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great starting place for learning to study the Bible. I loved the way he presented the overarching story of the Bible. More of a high level approach rather than one that gets into the nitty gritty details. A clear, concise, and easy read that will excite your heart anew about Christ’s work on our behalf!

[Marylou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very helpful book about the questions we can ask as we read and study the Bible. I have been reading and studying the Bible for years, and have seen other suggested questions, but this list is great. I like that they were all included in an appendix at the back, ready to be copied and put in your Bible. I highly recommend this book.

[Caralynerickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, concise, and helpful!

Great starting point for learning to study the Bible. I love how clearly he demonstrates the overarching story of the Bible. More of a high level approach to Bible Study than one that gets down into the nitty gritty details.

[Dan Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good - reminded me of Robert's questions at community group or Tim Keller. The four questions I settled on: What does this say about God? What does this say about people? What does this say about Christ / the Gospel? What does God want me to desire / do?

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good place to begin and delve deeper into scripture. If you are reading the Bible for yourself, part of a group, or leading a group, this book is a goldmine of help! Highly recommend. Short and to the point. I will refer back to this book often!

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a few years ago by myself and now again with friends. This is a very good and very brief overview of how we can understand and apply Scripture. I believe that this can be extremely useful in helping with things like family devotions and one on one Bible reading.

[Raegan Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for new believers and leaders alike! Lots of good insight and explanations of the Bible as a whole and also how to approach it. I’ll be using this to guide my conversations when leading others through scripture for sure!

[Donald Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a good guide for folks new to reading the Bible for personal spiritual growth. While most observations are not unfamiliar to folks raised in scripture, it does serve as a great primer to those who wer not.

[Andrew Klausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, straightforward guide to bible reading. An excellent text for new or immature Bible readers or University students.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very helpful book on how to read and apply the Bible correctly.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book should have been a pamphlet or blog post. It's too simplistic.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. Though it would be a good resource for new/young believers. I felt it was more of a refresher course for more mature believers. Still good material though.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and easy to understand. An excellent book for anyone wanting to learn how to read, study, and apply the Scriptures to one's personal life and growth in Christ.

[Adam Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harmon presents a very quick, helpful, and easy read to help people better understand how to study the Bible. I can already see his guides and models making it easier to understand the Bible.

[Andrew Ivester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding tool for basic discipleship.

[Danna Dykema · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a read with my eyes book! There are very practical steps in this book to follow on how to read the Bible. I enjoyed it and the 1 page summary at the end was very helpful.

[Austin King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise and helpful