In most Bible-believing churches we are encouraged to read and study the Bible for ourselves. We know it is not sufficient to have a copy of the Bible in our homes. It must be read and studied and learned. Only in doing so can we hope to obtain the full benefit God intends for us. But there are pitfalls in doing our own Bible study, and we must learn to handle the Word of God in a responsible manner. This touches our attitudes, methods, tools, and goals in studying the Bible.
Ignoring God-given resources
One of the greatest pitfalls in Bible study is to deny the gifts God has given to the Church. Some people have the notion that only a trained scholar can understand the Bible. But in an effort to avoid this danger, we sometimes move to the opposite extreme and ignore the work of countless Bible teachers whom the Lord has raised up.
A balanced view sees the study of the Bible as the birthright of every born-again believer. Likewise, a proper view understands that the work of generations of Bible teachers has value. While it may sound pious for a man to claim he uses no tools except his Bible, it is really arrogance. Wise students of the Word study the Bible for themselves and use the tools provided by generations of outstanding Bible teachers.
Similarly, comparing Bible translations and then doing careful word studies is a very powerful technique in Bible study. This technique helps us avoid the error of basing our ideas solely on the way something is phrased by a single translation.
Another resource the Lord has given us is the Bible knowledge of the more mature and experienced believers in our own assembly. In learning to study the Bible, seek some guidance from them rather that trying to learn how to study by trial and error.
Original language pitfalls
To gain real proficiency with the original languages of the Bible requires years of study. This is the sort of commitment that requires more than just a couple of courses in seminary. Word study tools have value, but it is important not to think that the use of Strong’s numbers and Vine’s Dictionary makes us proficient in Greek and Hebrew. By all means use Vine’s dictionary, but double-check your discoveries against reliable Bible commentators.
There are certain common errors people make when doing word studies. One is to build a sermon by taking every possible meaning a Greek or Hebrew word could have and then applying them all to a specific passage. We would never do this in English, so why would we think it would help us in Greek?
Another classic error is to see a Greek or Hebrew word that is usually translated one way, and then assume that if it is translated using a different English word in another place, the translators are wrong.
Also, breaking a word into its parts doesn’t always yield additional information, whether we do this exercise in Greek or English. We can think of a thousand English words that can be broken into component parts without revealing additional meaning (e.g., pineapple and butterfly). In most cases, context will teach us more about the meaning of a word than our word studies.
Another common pitfall is reading modern meanings back into ancient words. How many times have we been told that the gospel is the dynamite of God? Romans 1:16 tells us the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The fact that the Greek word for power (dunamis) came to be used as the root for the name of an explosive two thousand years later tells us absolutely nothing about the biblical meaning of this passage.
Likewise, 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us God loves a cheerful (hilaros) giver, but Paul was not thinking of the modern word “hilarious” when he wrote the verse. He did not envision people doubling over in laughter as they contributed to the needs of the saints. Do not read modern meanings back into ancient words.
Over-spiritualization
For many hundreds of years, responsible Bible study was paralyzed by a tendency to allegorize the Bible. This was a particular problem in how some people dealt with the parables. In an allegory, every part of the parable has some supposed deeper meaning. So for example, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the robbers would be said to represent sin, the priest represented the Law, the Levites represented the prophets, the oil and wine represented the Lord’s Supper and baptism, and the inn represented the church, etc. Clearly the problem with allegorizing is that it allows us to claim that almost any passage means almost anything. Perhaps in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the oil and wine represent Law and Grace. Or perhaps they represent Saturday and Sunday. Or perhaps they represent something else?
With the allegorical approach not only the parables, but also much of prophecy and even historical passages are interpreted and re-interpreted in light of the reader’s preconceived beliefs. Plain teachings are spiritualized away, every reader can imagine a different meaning, and we are left with very little that we can say with certainty.
Over-emphasis
In our studies we must be careful not to focus on one favorite topic to the exclusion or detriment of all others. Heresy is often simply truth out of proportion. If we allow ourselves to be taken up with one doctrine we will soon start imagining it everywhere in the Bible. Our understanding of almost all Bible passages will become skewed as we interpret everything in light of our pet doctrine.
Studying without a mirror
Many people study the Bible without considering the personal significance of what they are reading. So, for example, many men have studied what the Bible teaches concerning the silence of women in the meetings of the church, without appreciating the implication that men should come prepared to speak in a profitable manner.
It is dangerously easy to divorce our study from any practical consequences in our own lives. James warns us that we must be quick to see ourselves in the mirror of the Word of God and make the necessary adjustments (see 1:22-25).
Missing the point
Perhaps the greatest pitfall in Bible study is to forget the goal. Our goal is not to gain knowledge. Our goal is to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ better and be conformed to His image. As such we need to consider the Christological implications of what we read. If we study the Bible just to find out what it means for us, then we are missing the real point. The more important question is, “What does this passage tell me about the Lord Jesus Christ?”
Sports fans memorize the statistics about all their favorite players and teams. Music fans can tell you where their favorite singers were born and what their favorite flavors of ice cream are. Do they learn this information because it helps them in any way? Of course not! They learn this information just because they want to get to know their heroes better. If this is true for worldly heroes, shouldn’t it be true of our attitude toward the Lord Jesus?
We should get to know Him better just for the sake of getting to know Him. Yes, there will certainly be a blessing for us, but the blessing for us is incidental. The real purpose is far nobler. It is to have a heart overflowing with the perfections of the Lord Jesus, and to have a storehouse of pleasant thoughts about the Son which we can then present to the Father in our worship. To study the Bible and not see the living Word is the biggest pitfall of all.