Teaching Inductively: A Quick Reference

By: Bruce and Coreena Blum

Part 1: When you first come to a passage: Digging

1.	Pray

2.	Read the passage and its context several times and ponder it using some or all of the following:

a.	Read from different translations.

b.	Memorize it (if reasonable)–then you can take it with you and mull it over anywhere.

c.	Notice repeated words/ideas/patterns.

i.	What patterns are making me curious?

d.	Notice big themes?

e.	Write a paraphrase–put it in your own words.

f.	Notice moods–how does it make you feel?

i.	If all you feel is guilty or something negative, that is a sure sign that you need to look deeper–there is bound to be good news in the text somewhere. (God does not show us our condition without also showing His provision. His aim is not to discourage, but to lead to repentance.)

g.	Notice significant words and thoughts.

i.	How do you know if it is significant?

(1)	Is it good news?

(2)	Does it challenge the way people typically think?

3.	Ask fact questions for the first verse in the passage.

a.	Write questions that highlight the language in the verse.

i.	The answer should be found only in what the verse actually says.

ii.	Answers should highlight and emphasize the important details noticed in reading and pondering.

iii.	Fact questions are supposed to make sure people are hearing the words of the verse.

iv.	Sometimes having a dictionary handy to get good definitions of the words will be wise.

v.

Example fact questions: Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

•	From that time on, Jesus began what kind of activity?

◦	He began to preach.

•	What action did He call for when He preached?

◦	He said, 'Repent.'

•	What does the word 'repent' mean?

◦	Turn around–usually to turn away from sin.

•	What reason did He give for His call to repentance?

◦	The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

•	What is at hand?

◦	The kingdom of heaven

4.	Interpret the facts

a.	First identify pertinent issues–important facts or patterns which are puzzling.

i.	How do you know which issues are pertinent?

(1)	How closely is this issue related to the big picture/themes/basic point of the passage that you noticed while reading? In other words, does this issue matter? (Be careful of eliminating it too quickly, but avoid obvious distractions such as, "I wonder why it says that He began to 'preach and say'? Why not just preach?")

(2)	Does the text address the issue at hand? In other words, if you asked a question about this issue, could someone answer it from the passage without jumping to some other theologian's writings or some other Bible writer or book? Sometimes you won't know if it is answerable in the context until you look, but again many obvious sidetracks can be eliminated if it is obvious that the text does not talk about a particular issue. (For instance: "Does the kingdom of heaven have a limited number of people in it?" This may or may not be a useful question, but Jesus is not talking about how many are in the kingdom here, so chances are that it is irrelevant for understanding the passage.)

Example pertinent issues: Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

•	What was significant about 'that time'?

◦	This is significant because there are references to time in v. 12 –John the Baptist had just been arrested.

•	What is repentance?

◦	This is a major theme.

•	What is the kingdom of heaven?

◦	This is a major theme in the book of Matthew–it would be important to get more insight into this.

•	What does it mean for the kingdom of heaven to be near?

◦	This is of great importance. Jesus does not say much in His sermon, but these words are the heart of his 9-word sermon! Also, John the Baptist was preaching the same thing back in 3:2.

•	What is the relationship between repentance and the nearness of the kingdom?

◦	Again, this is the heart of Jesus' message.

b.	Construct interpretation questions using the two kinds of interpretation questions.

i.	Context questions:

(1)	Shed light on one fact (word, phrase, idea) in your verse by asking what the context can tell you about that fact.

(2)	Keep context questions focused on one fact or they can get too long and too confusing.

(3)	Do not speculate or jump around to different parts of the Bible.

(4)	A standard question would begin with 'what is' or 'why' or 'how'.

Example context questions: Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

•	Why did Jesus begin to preach at 'that time?'

◦	v. 12 He heard that John had been arrested. (This is at least a partial answer which might take a follow-up question like, 'Why would Jesus wait until John was taken into custody to begin preaching? 3:2, John's voice, preaching that the kingdom was at hand, had been silenced. 3:3 John was preparing the way for Jesus. When John's work ended, it seems logical that it was Jesus' time to start.)

•	What would it look like in this context to repent (taking into account the dictionary definition of 'repent')?

◦	Immediately after this Jesus calls several men to turn from what they are doing and to follow Him as He teaches, preaches and heals.

ii.	Comparison questions:

(1)	Give insight into two or more facts by exploring the relationship between them.

(2)	The answer must still come from the text.

(a)	Either through a deeper look at the verse under examination

(b)	Or from the context

(3)	Do not speculate or jump around to different parts of the Bible.

(4)	A standard question would begin with 'what is the relationship between . . . .'

Example comparison questions: Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
•	How is the nearness of the kingdom related to repentance?

◦	v. 17 The nearness of the kingdom is the reason for repentance. 'Repent for (because) the kingdom is at hand.' (Again, this would need a little follow-up to make sure you are hearing the significance of this. What is so significant about the fact that the kingdom was near before Jesus called for repentance? We do not repent to make God come near us, but when He comes near, in spite of us, that is our opportunity to repent. We could not repent if He did not draw near first.)

•	How is the kingdom of heaven 'at hand'?

◦	Jesus Himself is at hand–He tells the fishermen to leave what they are doing (repent) and follow Him. His nearness is the reason for their turnaround.

◦	v. 23ff The kingdom is present in His miracles. Under God's rulership no one is sick and dying.

c.	Answer your own questions:

i.	Right now you are trying to hear the text for yourself. You want to try on all your questions to see where they take you. (This is the exciting part.)

ii.	Make sure all your questions are answerable from the text. You may know the answer, but think how someone else could find the answer using the passage you are studying without jumping all around to other texts and other authors.

iii.	Take note of anything you have not understood yet. Keep pursuing it with more context and comparison questions.

iv.	If you are not seeing a compelling picture of Jesus, or if a major piece of the puzzle remains unsolved, do not quit.

v.	Repeat this process until the 'Aha!' moment hits.

5.	Worship/Application

a.	Take appropriate actions based on whatever conviction is coming through.

b.	Challenge yourself to apply what you have discovered and watch yourself grow spiritually.

Example application question: Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Building on the universal need for acceptance and meaning/purpose and the call for action in the verse.)

•	Repentance is a result of the kingdom coming near, not the other way around. Jesus is near to you now. He is not waiting for you to get your act together, and yet He is saying to you, 'Repent.' What would it look like for you to repent?