{"id":7705,"date":"2025-11-20T06:40:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T11:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/?p=7705"},"modified":"2026-04-10T11:55:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T15:55:53","slug":"one-simple-framework-to-love-bible-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/bible-study-tips\/one-simple-framework-to-love-bible-study\/","title":{"rendered":"One Simple Framework to Help You Fall in Love With Bible Study (Again)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever read a passage of the Bible and said, \u201chuh?\u201d then you probably know the level of shame or embarrassment that comes along with not understanding the Bible. I get it \u2014 it\u2019s a big book with lots of things going on. Most of the time we don\u2019t want a history lesson, we just want God to meet us today and empower us for the struggles we face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know we are supposed to love the Bible and feast on it \u2014 but if we are being honest, most days we struggle to enjoy it. After all, who wants to come home from work and study Leviticus when Netflix and Facebook are much easier to scroll? We open up the Bible saying \u201cGod speak to me! I need to hear from you!\u201d and read, \u201cDo not mate two different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two different kinds of seed\u201d (Lev. 19:19<\/a>, NLT) and wonder what that means for our lives today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2 Timothy 2:15<\/a> we read, \u201cDo your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth\u201d (NIV). In this verse Paul challenges Timothy to do his best to do the \u201cwork\u201d of correctly handling the \u201cword of truth\u201d \u2026 yet most of us struggle to even open it up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Word of Truth\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The challenge comes when we think about truth<\/em>. If the Bible is true, then it is worth reading. If the Bible is true, then it is worth struggling through the historical, complicated spots. You see, I believe the Enemy takes away our sword<\/a> for battle (Ephesians 6:17<\/a>) by convincing us it\u2019s not worth wielding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But friends, no swordsman would say his sword is too heavy or long to carry around. It is his weapon! We, however, have dusty Bibles on our nightstands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Banner<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is a disconnect between our doctrines and our practices when it comes to reading and enjoying the Bible. We struggle to live out Paul\u2019s instructions because we aren\u2019t even reading our Bibles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do we avoid it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe it is because too many of us don\u2019t enjoy it. We don\u2019t enjoy it because we don\u2019t understand it. We don\u2019t understand it because we were never taught the basics of hermeneutics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Hermeneutics?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hermeneutics<\/em> is a fancy word that simply means the study of how we read, interpret, and eventually apply scripture to our lives. It\u2019s the study of why we read the Psalms as poetic songs and Genesis as direct narrative<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hermeneutics is what makes sense of the Bible. It’s the study of who wrote a text and why. It\u2019s also the study of how we find the meaning of the text (exegesis<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, this all may sound like too much \u201cstudy\u201d for you. I get it! But, I think studying Scripture is much different than studying anything else. Why? Because it is the Word of life (John 6:63<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible in One Sentence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s time I come clean to you: I have fallen in love with the Word through studying it. And it’s not as complicated of a study as you might think. For example: here\u2019s one little tip that will transform your reading of the Bible: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible can be summarized as the story of God<\/a> redeeming His people for His glory. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, no matter where you are in the Bible, it\u2019s always a small part of that story of God redeeming. That also means God is the main character<\/a> in all the stories \u2014 so we need to look more for God and less for ourselves in the text!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting Hermeneutics in Practice in the Book of Jonah<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now before you click away, convinced I\u2019m trying to ruin your Bible studies \u2014 stick with me for a second and consider Jonah. Famous for running away from God, Jonah was a prophet called to prophesy to a people he hated. (We\u2019d probably hate them too. They were the worst.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, logically, after receiving the call to go to Nineveh, Jonah sails in the opposite direction. But then a storm comes, and he immediately interprets it as God\u2019s judgment on him. Instead of repenting, Jonah becomes so depressed that he tells the sailors, \u201cThrow me overboard!\u201d (He\u2019d rather die than head to Nineveh.) A large fish swallows him, he\u2019s inside the fish for a couple of days, and then he repents and goes to Nineveh after the fish spits him out. (Yes, he was brought so low he was fish vomit!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many simplify the book of Jonah down to the general lesson of \u201cDon\u2019t disobey God,\u201d there is so much more going on in the text. Jonah never really seems to learn his lesson because when he does <\/em>prophesy to the Ninevites, they miraculously repent \u2014 and he throws a fit! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, the book isn\u2019t to be read as some kind of \u201cbe like repentant Jonah and go to your Nineveh!\u201d lesson. At the end of the book, Jonah is still just as depressed and belligerent as he was at the beginning, and we are left wondering, \u201cDid he ever learn?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, the book of Jonah is all about God. It begins with the Word of the Lord calling Jonah (Jon. 1:1<\/a>) and ends with God\u2019s speech (Jon. 4:9\u201311<\/a>). Even when Jonah runs away, it\u2019s always in reference to God\u2019s presence (see Jon. 1:3<\/a>). Additionally, the book continually shows us God\u2019s actions \u201cappointing\u201d a storm, a fish, and a plant (Jon. 1:4, 1:17, 2:10, 4:6\u20138<\/a>). Even when Jonah tries to throw a fit and verbally attack God, he says, \u201cI knew you were gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love!\u201d (Jon. 4:2<\/a>). Is that really supposed to be some sort of insult, Jonah?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book of Jonah is so much richer than just \u201cDon\u2019t run away from God.\u201d After looking at Jonah a little deeper, we see it is the story of how God worked in, through, and despite Jonah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But reading Jonah knowing that it\u2019s about God and not us does not mean it doesn\u2019t change us or transform our hearts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather, reading Jonah knowing that it\u2019s about God, frees us up to see Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Is Christ in the Book of Jonah?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Notice the similarities between Jonah and Christ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n