Questions to Ask When Studying the Bible: A Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Comparative Guide

Jewish Bible study — rooted in the rabbinic tradition of midrash and chevruta (paired learning) — is fundamentally a discipline of questioning. The Talmudic sages, particularly in the schools of Hillel and Shammai (1st century BCE), modeled a method where every verse invites multiple layers of inquiry: peshat (plain meaning), remez (allegorical), derash (homiletical), and sod (mystical). When approaching any passage, a Jewish learner is expected to ask: Who is speaking? To whom? In what historical context? What does this demand of me today? Deuteronomy 13:14

Deuteronomy's instruction to 'enquire, and make search, and ask diligently' Deuteronomy 13:14 is treated by commentators like Rashi (1040–1105 CE) and Maimonides as a template not just for legal investigation but for all scriptural engagement. The goal, as Proverbs states, is to 'understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God' Proverbs 2:5. Questions aren't a sign of doubt — they're the very mechanism of faith. Isaiah's rhetorical challenge, 'Have ye not known? have ye not heard?' Isaiah 40:21, is read by Jewish scholars as a prod toward deeper engagement, not a rebuke of curiosity.

Practical questions a Jewish student asks include: What is the plain meaning of this text? How do the Sages interpret it differently? What ethical obligation does this passage place on the community? Is there a contradiction with another passage, and how do classical commentators resolve it? The tradition of disagreement — machloket l'shem shamayim (argument for the sake of heaven) — means that arriving at a single answer is often less important than the quality of the questioning itself Proverbs 22:21.

Christian Bible study methodology has been shaped by centuries of hermeneutical tradition, from Origen's allegorical readings (3rd century CE) to the grammatical-historical method championed by Reformation scholars like John Calvin and Martin Luther (16th century). At its core, Christian study asks: What does this text mean in its original context, and how does it point to Jesus Christ? The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians explicitly links attentive reading to deeper comprehension: 'when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ' Ephesians 3:4, suggesting that the act of reading itself — done carefully and prayerfully — unlocks theological insight.

Jesus himself commanded an active, seeking posture toward scripture: 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you' Matthew 7:7. This triad of asking, seeking, and knocking maps neatly onto the questions a Christian student should bring to any passage: What is God asking of me (ask)? What is the broader biblical context (seek)? What doors of understanding does prayer open (knock)? John 5:39 adds a Christocentric filter: 'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me' John 5:39, meaning every question ultimately circles back to Christ's identity and mission.

Contemporary evangelical scholars like Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart (authors of How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 1981) recommend a structured set of questions: What type of literature is this (genre)? What did it mean to the original audience? What theological principle emerges? How does that principle apply today? These questions align with Proverbs' goal of knowing 'the certainty of the words of truth' Proverbs 22:21, ensuring that interpretation is grounded rather than speculative. Disagreements exist between Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions about the role of church authority in answering these questions, but the commitment to rigorous inquiry is shared across all branches.

Islam's relationship with Bible study is nuanced and contested among scholars. Classical Islamic theology holds that the Torah (Tawrat) and Gospel (Injil) were genuine divine revelations, but that the texts now called the Bible have undergone tahrif (corruption or distortion) over centuries. This doesn't mean Muslims ignore the Bible entirely — scholars like Ibn Hazm (994–1064 CE) and, more recently, Ahmed Deedat engaged extensively with biblical texts — but it does mean the questions a Muslim brings to Bible study differ fundamentally from those of a Jewish or Christian reader. The primary question is: Does this passage align with or contradict what the Qur'an and authentic Hadith affirm? Proverbs 2:5

Despite this critical posture, Islamic epistemology deeply values the pursuit of knowledge and diligent inquiry. The Qur'anic injunction to 'read in the name of your Lord' (Surah 96:1) and the Hadith tradition that 'seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim' (Ibn Majah) echo the biblical principle found in Proverbs: 'Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God' Proverbs 2:5. A Muslim studying the Bible might ask: What does this passage reveal about the nature of God's unity (tawhid)? Does it contain traces of original monotheistic revelation? Where does it appear to contradict itself or the Qur'an? Isaiah 40:21

It's worth noting that some contemporary Muslim-Christian dialogue scholars, like Tarif Khalidi (author of The Muslim Jesus, 2001), approach biblical texts with genuine curiosity rather than purely polemical intent, asking questions about shared ethical teachings and prophetic narratives. The principle that sincere inquiry leads to truth — 'Ask, and it shall be given you' Matthew 7:7 — resonates across traditions, even when the conclusions diverge sharply. Islamic study circles (halaqat) that engage comparative scripture typically emphasize asking about context, transmission history, and theological coherence Proverbs 22:21.