How To OBSERVE a Bible Passage

Observation is the first step of any solid Bible study method. But before we talk about how to observe a Bible passage, let’s take a moment to touch on what observation is and why we do it. 

Our overall goal of Bible study is to know God better and apply His Word to our lives. To that end, our task as students of Scripture is to use proper Bible study tools to understand God’s one original meaning of the passage and identify the eternal, spiritual truths it teaches so we can apply them.

A solid method that helps us meet these goals is Inductive Bible study. This approach is comprised of three steps – observation, interpretation, and application. Students look for evidence in the text and draw conclusions about the meaning using appropriate guidelines. (Also see “4 R Inductive Bible Study” and what is “Inductive Bible Study?”)

What is Observation?

Observation, our first step in Bible study, must be done before we can rightly understand a passage. Before we can know what a passage means, we must know what it says. We recognize what it says when we observe the Bible passage, examining the text to see what’s there and what’s not there. 

Observation is ACTIVE.

We look closely, ask questions, and take notes. Simply reading through a passage is not the same as observing it. 

The distinction is a bit like the difference between the way men and women look for something. My husband will open the door to the fridge or pantry and quickly look inside. If the item he is looking for is not in the front at eyelevel he will probably miss it. He doesn’t look on every shelf or move anything to look behind it. It’s passive and quick. Then he comes to a faulty conclusion and declares, “We are out of…” Then I look on each shelf, move larger items and almost always find it. 

Observation is OBJECTIVE.

Many of us have had a lot of exposure to Scripture. We’ve heard lots of sermons, participated in Bible study classes, listened to podcasts, read books, and read our Bibles. This exposure has fostered ideas, conceptions, and beliefs about various parts of Scripture. Much is correct and faithful to Scripture. But some of it is not.

When we read and observe Scripture, let’s intentionally set aside these preconceived understandings. We don’t want to read any wrong assumptions into the text. We want God to speak to us through it. We want HIS truth. 

However, we also want to keep in mind what we know to be true about the whole counsel of Scripture. Since there is no contradiction in God’s Word, the metanarrative – big story of Scripture – helps us understand each piece.

How to Observe a Bible Passage

Observation is both a “science” and an art. There are wrong ways to do it, but there are also many right approaches. I’ve read lots of books on Inductive Bible Study and no two present the process of observation in exactly the same way. The following is a framework or launching pad that you can use to shape your process to fit you.

Read through the entire passage 

Get the overall picture before you begin breaking down the pieces. It’s extremely helpful to read the passage in more than one translation. Choose translations that are based on different translation philosophies to deepen your understanding. (See “Why are There So Many Bible Translations?”) Typically, I read first from the ESV (word-for-word translation) and then from the NLT (thought-for-thought translation). 

Take notes as you observe

Taking notes and/or marking right on the page when you observe a Bible passage shifts Bible reading from passive to active. You interact with the text. The activity enhances your learning and increases your memory of the passage. I love the observation step. I feel as though I take ownership of the passage. It becomes mine. 

Find a method of note-taking that works for you. Some use a separate notebook or journal. I love putting my notes right in my Bible. The visual helps me process it all. I use a combination of highlighting, underlining, and writing. I use a single-column, wide-margin journaling Bible with thicker paper. Here’s the Bible I use and here’s more information about my Bible highlighting method.

Explore the content   

Act like a journalist or a detective. Look for clues, evidence, and facts. Ask questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how. Be objective and non-biased. Do your best not to read anything into the passage that isn’t there. You are simply looking for what the author said. 

Some common things to look for include key words and phrases, facts, commands, word pictures, contrasts, comparisons, word pictures, and characteristics about God. The more you read, the more you will see.

 (See “10 Observation Tips for Better Bible Study” for additional observation help.)

Notice relationship

Clauses, sentences, and paragraphs inform and relate to other clauses, sentences, and paragraphs. We must keep everything in its literary context to properly understand. (Also see “How Biblical Literary Context Aids Our Understanding.”)

One simple way to do this is to look for connecting words like “since,” “because,” “therefore,” and “so.” When I spot one I put a little box around it. Then I pull back to make sure I understand what it’s connecting and how that impacts understanding. It may indicate a result, a condition, a proper response, and more. The connection may be as close as two clauses or two sentences (1 Corinthians 1:10-11) or as big as two halves of a whole Bible book (Ephesians 4:1). (For more about connecting words see “Connecting Words Linked to Better Understanding.”)

Consider the structure

Every biblical author used a framework to craft his book. For instance, the author of Hebrews systematically worked through several much-revered elements of Judaism to show how Jesus is far superior. 

But the writers also purposefully structured smaller passages. For instance, in Mark 11, the Gospel writer sandwiched the story of the fig tree Jesus cursed around his account of the temple cleansing. The fig tree was an object lesson that describes God’s judgment on the greed and corruption Jesus found in the temple (Mark 11:12-26). 

When you observe, look for how the author shaped the passage and where he placed it. This practice aids our overall understanding.

Where to start

If observation is new for you it may feel overwhelming. BUT, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ALL OR NOTHING… Begin by setting a time limit. Observe the text for 5 or 10 minutes only. Or, just look for one thing instead of all the things. For instance, simply look for what you can learn about God from the text, His character, purposes, ways, and actions. (See “The First Thing to Look for When You Read the Bible.”)

What about you? Have you been practicing observation? How do you take notes? How has it impacted your time in God’s Word?