Naked Bible Study

One of the purposes of this blog is to promote personal, independent Bible Study.  Personal means that one is engaged with the text themselves.  Independent means that one is not using aids like commentaries, the notes in study Bibles, or study guides rather the individual is engaging with the scripture with a blank sheet of paper and the Holy Spirit.  One of the men with whom I meet refers to this as “Naked Bible Study,” I am going to have t-shirts made.

While passionate about “Naked” study, it cannot be done in isolation – all of a sudden I am getting images of nudist camps this illustration may need some work…I digress…  Once one has finished one’s study there needs to be a forum to share what one learned for at least a couple of reasons.  First, sharing verbally what you have learned from your study you to process the information at a different level.  Second, and this is really ancillary to the first, those in that forum will either challenge your positions or else ask questions that will help you clarify your thinking.  Their value to you, and here the assumption is that they are working on the same study, is that because of their differing gifts and experiences they will approach the Word differently than you.  The interaction will be of great benefit for all of you.

Then, by the way, it is time to check the secondary sources.  They then become part of the community and you are in dialog with them rather than sitting at their feet as a pupil…