Inductive Bible Study.

0 From the Forward by Eugene H.Peterson :

I am giving witness to that early but never diminishing delight .(of

using Prof.Trainas Methodical Bible Study about 46 years back)
We use Bible as something to be used-text book with information about
God, used as a handbook to lead people to salvation, used as a
weapon to defeat the devil and all his angels, used as antidepressant
My reading of the Bible (with Prof. Trainas classes) was becoming a
conversation. I was no longer reading words-I was listening to
voices. And I was learning to listen carefully to these voices of the
writers.
When I entered Prof. Trainas classroom, I had a Ptolemaic understanding
of the Bible: I was the centre(my will, my questions, my needs)
around which Bible Turned. After three years of that classroom I
was thoroughly going Copernican: the Bible was the centre(Gods
will, Christs questions, the Spirits gifts ) around which I
turned.
The experience was not merely academic. The passion and patience that
permeated that class room instilled in me an inductive imagination:
fiercely attentive to everything that is there and only what is
there, alert to the relationship both literary and personal,
habitually aware of the context-the entire world of creation
and salvation that is being revealed in the Bible.
This way of reading the Bible and Living the Bible has been
transformative.

00 From Introduction :
Induction in a Broader Sense: It involves a commitment to move from the
evidence of the text to and the realities that surround the text to the possible
conclusions (or inferences) regarding meaning of the test. It involves helping
the students of the Bible to understand and process the critical interaction
between their pre-understandings ,including theological creeds and doctrinal
commitments , and the witness of the biblical text.
Emphases: First it emphasizes the meaning of the final form of the text.
Directly focusing on Canonical collection in its final form. The second
emphasis is the form of the text, giving serious attention to literary structure
and how such structure informs the meaning of the text.
The IBS attends not only to the nature of biblical text but also the nature of
the student and to the realities that exist in situation of most of the
students .In IBS Dynamic interrelation exist between the specific steps
involved against the linear model sequential model of the steps. It is not
linear but spiracular.
IBS tries to deal with the text at various levels. : the book, the division, the
section, the segment, the paragraph, the sentence.
IBS is essentially a comprehensive, holistic study of the Bible, that
takes into account every aspect of the existence of the biblical text
and that is intentional in allowing the Bible in its final Canonical
shape to speak to us on its own terms , thus leading accurate
,original, compelling and profound interpretation and contemporary
appropriation .
As believers, we are convinced of that the development of methodical,
inductive approach is the means of training the mind to become a more fit
instrument for the operation of Gods spirit. Because biblical interpretation
involves a rational process ,the mind must function properly if interpretation
should be valid. But, the minds proper function is not automatic; therefore
the mind need to be trained or it might become the means of negating Gods
Spirit. A methodical approach involves description of how the spirit works
through the mind and how

one might cooperate with the Spirit so that the Spirit might function freely.
The ultimate purpose of IBS mechanics is that the student of Scriptures
might come to know the real author of the Scriptures , the only true God, and
Jesus Christ ,whom He has sent.

Part II Observing and Asking.

Characteristic of Effective Observation:
Perceptivity: Being aware of what is there. The world is full of obvious
things that nobody by any chance observes-Arthur Conan Doyle through
Sherlock Holmes .
Exactness: Seeing precisely what is there.
Persistence: Continuing to look for more that is there.
Impartiality: Seeing what is truly there.
Levels of Observation:
A. Book as a whole -Survey
B. Parts as a whole-Division, section, segment survey
C. Focused observation of paragraphs and sentences.

Chapter 11. Survey of Books as Wholes.

11.1 Basis of Book Survey:
1. Book is the basic literary unit of the Bible exceptions like Psalms.
2. This gives overall context for interpretation.
3. Advantageous to gain a sense of the entire book before moving
to an examination of details.
4. Getting birds eye view before worms eye view
5. Not getting down details but flow.

6. Being aware that, by prevalent present educational process we

are trained in more of examining parts. Hence to have a proper
orientation.

11.2 Character of Book Survey

1. Broad Focus instead of a narrow focus.
2. Scanning or Skimming or rapid word for word reading depending
on the book nature and type
3. Repeated reading.
4. Observational focus rather than interpretive focus.
5. It is tentative and subject to revision based on subsequent
interpretation and repeated study.

11.3 Major Steps.

1. Identify the general materials of the book.(Biographical, ideological
,historical etc)
2. Locate the major units and subunits in the book and identify main
structural relationships operative in the book as a whole
3. Ask a few interpretive questions based on each major structural
relationship observed.
4. Identify the key verses and strategic areas that provide insight into the
book as a whole
5. Identify higher critical data
6. Note other major impressions relating to the book as a whole.

11.4 Identifying General Materials.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Biographical- (Genesis, I Samuel)

Historical.(not necessarily historical books but books like Joel)
Chronological.(Even part of Johns Gospel is chronological )
Geographical.(Book of Joshua Historical but with geographical
emphasis, Book of Acts)
5. Ideological.(Mainly epistles)
(This can be within overall Law, Historical, Poetical, Prophetical,
Narrative and Epistle contexts and collections)

11.5 Structure.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Understanding material and structure.

Understanding Stuff and arrangement of Stuff.
Understanding division of book according to linear development
Identification of major structural relationship operative in the book.

11.6. Units within the book

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The division of the book involves identifying main units and sub units.
Identifying sense of flow in the book
Identifying units-Major shifts of emphasis in the book.
Identifying units-Causation i.e. Movement from Cause to effect.
Identifying units-Particularization i.e. Movement from general to
particular.
6. Identifying units-Generalization i.e. Movement from particular to
general.

11.7 Major Structural Relationship.

1. Recurrence
Elements of Recurrence- Re occurrence , Distribution in limited
passage, Significance.
Functions of recurrence- Indicating importance, developing a theme,
giving depth,
2. Semantic Structures- Progression, Two Fold Progression.
Contrast, Comparison, Climax
3. Particularization- General heading that presents essential character of
material flow.
Ideological (Heb.1:1-4), Historical, Geographical, Biographical.
4. Generalization Particularization in the reverse order.
Ideological ,Historical, Geographical, Biographical.
5. Causation.
Historical- Because A happened B happened.
Logical-Because A is so B is so.
Hortatory-Because A is so you ought to be B.
6. Substantiation.
Historical- The reason A occurred is B
Hortatory-You ought to obey A because of B.
Logical-The reason I say A is B.
7. Cruciality.
Positive, Negative
8. Summarization.
Summing up either preceding or following the unit emphasizing
selectivity, manner of description, immediate context.
9. Interrogation .
Question raised and giving the answer, Statement of problem followed
by solution.
10.
Preparation- Giving the background in the introduction.

11.
Instrumentation.
Movement from means to end.
Description of means-Presentation of means by which something is
accomplished.
12.
Rhetorical Structures.
Interchange- A B A B arrangement
Inclusio-Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning and end of a
unit thus creating bracket effect.
13.
Chiasm.
Repetition of elements in inverted order
14.
Intercalation.
Intercalation is the insertion of one literary unit in the midst of another
literary unit. Common in narrative portion.

11.8 Raising interpretive Questions.

1. Main.
Definitive or explanatory - What does this mean?
Rational - Why is this included , and why here?
Implicational -What does this imply?
2. Auxiliary.
Identificational Who or what is involved?
Modal- How is this accomplished?
Temporal-When is this accomplished?
Local-Where is this accomplished?
We should try to ask specific, penetrating, probing questions helpful in
proper interpretation.

11.9 Locating key Passages .

1. Identifying prominent passages from the material and its flow.
3. Identifying Key verses that link together the material .

11.10. Identifying Higher Critical Data.

Author, Recipients , Place of writing, Occasion of writing.

11.11 Noting Other major impressions.

Subtle elements like tone, atmosphere, emotions, peculiarities, pace of
narrative, artistic features, expressive,