How can you go beyond simply reading the Bible and understand it more deeply?

This week on The Rooted Podcast, we share practical ways to study Scripture with greater understanding. While the Bible was written for us, it wasn’t originally written to us—each book was written to real people living in a particular time, place, and culture. Understanding that background can help us better understand what a passage meant to its original audience and how we can faithfully apply it to our lives today.

Reading Scripture as one interconnected story can change the way we approach individual passages. From seeing God as the main character to reading an entire book in one sitting, tracing themes across Scripture, and exploring historical and cultural context, different approaches can help us notice details and connections we might otherwise miss.

Going deeper doesn’t mean studying alone. Bible dictionaries, commentaries, online tools, and other resources can help us ask better questions and understand the context behind what we’re reading. Community also plays an important role, bringing different experiences and perspectives to the conversation.

Topics we’ll cover:

• Why the Bible was written for us, but not originally to us
• How understanding the original audience can shape the way we read Scripture today
• Seeing the Bible as one larger story with God as the main character
• Questions that can help us better understand God’s character and heart
• Different approaches to Bible study, from close-up details to the bigger biblical story
• Helpful tools and resources for studying Scripture
• Why studying the Bible in community can deepen our understanding

Resources from this episode:

• Bible Gateway
• Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, Second Edition
• Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition
• The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition
• Google Gemini
• How to Read the Bible Book by Book

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: Practical Tips for Bible Study
01:03 – The Bible Was Written for You, Not to You
03:06 – Why the Original Audience Matters
05:10 – Seeing the Bible as One Big Story
07:24 – Why God Is the Hero of Every Bible Story
08:28 – What to Do With Difficult or Uncomfortable Stories
09:15 – God Is the Main Character, Not Us
10:34 – Questions to Ask While Reading the Bible
12:08 – What Can Difficult Stories Teach Us About God?
13:33 – King Saul and Letting the Story Play Out
14:50 – David, Bathsheba, and Flawed Biblical Characters
16:13 – Why Biblical Characters Aren’t Always Examples to Imitate
19:04 – Reading the Bible Without Chapters, Verses, and Headings
20:00 – Reading an Entire Book in One Sitting
21:15 – Three Different “Lenses” for Reading the Bible
21:55 – The Reading Glasses: Digging Into Historical and Cultural Context
23:26 – The Big-Picture Glasses: Seeing Where a Book Fits in the Biblical Story
24:48 – The Sunglasses: Reading Scripture Through a Particular Theme
26:00 – Choosing the Right Approach for Your Bible Study
28:02 – Practical Resources for Studying Scripture
28:18 – Bible Dictionaries and the NIV Application Commentary
29:25 – Using AI as a Bible Study Research Tool
30:20 – Using Bible Gateway for Word and Topic Searches
31:06 – Why Community Is One of Your Best Bible Study Resources
32:36 – How to Read the Bible Book by Book
33:52 – Letting Resources Guide You Back to Scripture
34:30 – Closing Thoughts

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.