Study Notes

  This section is a suggestion in how to take notes from your personal Bible study. These suggestions are not the only way to take notes, however they have worked very well for us. 

Taking Notes on Word Studies

     With all of the references out there, how in this world are we to go about using them all? Here is a way that works well for me.

• As you start your study, read through the verses (of one book) that you wish to study, trying to be sensitive to the shifts in the wording. Verses that begin with words like "and" or "then" should attach themselves to the preceding verse or verses.

• Once you have selected your verses, copy your verse to paper or your word processor, which ever you fell most comfortable using. Highlight or mark the key words in the verse. Selecting key words may take some practice, some works in the Bible mean exactly what they say.

• Here's where the real fun begins. Open your Strong's definitions and start with the first word you have highlighted and look up the Greek or Hebrew definition.

• Next look up the word in Strong's Lexical Aids. Try to find a reference to the verse you are studying. If you can not find a reference to the verse, just use the general definition. Some words just use the general context.

• Then look up the word in the Vine's Expository Dictionary. This will closely follow the Strong's Lexical Aids, however, it may state the definition differently. 

• Then reference other materials. Having two or three or more references gives you two or three or more "witnesses" to the context of the word or verse your studying. Paul suggests several references. His routine goes something like this: The Strong's Basic Definition, Strong's Lexical Aid (for this you need the Complete Word Study: New Testament or the Hebrew - Greek Key Note Study Bible), Vine's Expository of Old and New Testament Words, Robertson's New Testament Pictures, Vincent's New Testament Word Studies, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Nelson's Bible Dictionary, and Fausset's Bible Dictionary (which usually doesn't have much in it).

• Each set of verses take about an hour and a half to two hours to study, sometimes more.

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Setting Up Teachable Notes

• Taking the Word Studies, pick out the key parts of the definition that best describe the context the word is used in.

• Set up a outline for the verse or set of verses you are studying. Copy and Paste the key parts or phases to your outline. You can also make a copy of your notes and cut the parts you don't want.

• Check out what other commentaries say about the verses you are studying and see if they jive with the Greek context. Some do, some don't. Avoid the ones that don't.

• The commentaries may explain the verse using different sets of words. Thus, helping you to explain the verses better.

• Paul's routine goes something like this: Barne's Notes, Adam Clarke's Commentary, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Matthew Henry's Commentary, and Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

• Remember, everything should be established by two or more witnesses. 

• Each verse means one thing, so don't take things out of context. Each verse means one thing, but may apply to many situations.