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February 17, 2025

Ask Your Bible Questions

by Jason Neill

Scripture reading: Psalm 119:18

One of the most helpful suggestions I read concerning reading the Bible is to ask your Bible questions. I thought it may be helpful to share these with you as we continue to read through the Bible in one year. The questions are: Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Who? The Bible is a book that has numerous characters. God is the main character; however, there are others involved in the plotline of Scripture. Moses, Joshua, David, Jeremiah, and Isaiah, to name a few. When reading a passage, take note of the Biblical characters. Who is mentioned in the passage?

What? After examining who the characters are in the passage, look for the action. What is happening in the passage? Who is doing what in this passage? Who are they doing it to? What does he/she say? Can you tell the tone of the person’s comments? Is it sarcastic? Humorous? Serious (life or death)? What does the passage say about the character of the person? Do they have a heart for God, like David? Are they humble, like Moses? Are they quick to speak, like the Apostle Peter?

Where? The story of the Bible takes place over a wide range of geographical places. When the authors of Scripture record the location of an event, it is not by accident. How does this place fit within the narrative of Scripture? Is this place mentioned again in other portions of Scripture? For instance, God appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai. This is the place where Moses brought the nation of Israel following the Exodus. It is also the place where Moses received the Law.

When? When reading a passage, ask yourself when this event is taking place. Where does it fit in the plotline of the Bible? Is this passage in the Old Testament? If so, is it before or after the monarchy of Israel? Is it during the United Kingdom, the Divided Kingdom, or during the exile? Is this passage in the New Testament? If so, is it during the ministry of Jesus? After His resurrection? During the early days of the church?

Why? The Bible is not only a book that discusses the who, what, where, when, but also the why. What we want to know when we ask this question is the cause/effect relationship in the text. What condition are the characters in the passage you are reading? Life is full of choices. What choices the Biblical characters made will answer the why question. Are the characters in the passage suffering from being obedient? Are they suffering from being disobedient? Are they rewarded for obedience?

If you use these questions during your personal Bible reading, I promise you will see the text of Scripture in a new light. If you are interested in learning how to study your Bible more efficiently, I recommend the book Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible by Howard G. Hendricks and William D. Hendricks.

Keep reading your Bible!