Questions to Ask When Studying the Bible: A Multi-Faith Guide

In Jewish tradition, questioning scripture isn't just permitted — it's expected. The entire rabbinic enterprise, from the Mishnah to the Talmud, is built on layered questions about the text. When King Josiah discovered the scroll of the Torah, his immediate instinct was to inquire — to ask what God required 2 Chronicles 34:21. That impulse is a model for Jewish Bible study to this day.

Deuteronomy 13:14 instructs readers to enquire, search, and ask diligently when confronted with difficult or troubling passages Deuteronomy 13:14. This three-part verb cluster — enquire, search, ask — maps almost perfectly onto modern Bible study methodology: observe, investigate, apply.

Proverbs 2:5 promises that diligent questioning leads somewhere real: understanding the fear of the LORD and finding the knowledge of God Proverbs 2:5. Jewish scholars like Rabbi Akiva (c. 50–135 CE) and later medieval commentator Rashi (1040–1105 CE) modeled this by asking granular textual questions — why this word? why here? — before drawing theological conclusions.

Practical questions to bring to a Jewish Bible study session include: What is the plain meaning (peshat) of this text? What does the rabbinic tradition (derash) add? Is there a contradiction with another passage, and how do the commentators resolve it? What does this demand of me in daily life (halakha)?

Jeremiah 23:37 even frames prophetic inquiry as a direct question: "What did GOD answer you?" or "What did GOD speak?" Jeremiah 23:37 — suggesting that the act of asking is itself a form of spiritual attentiveness.

Christian Bible study has a long tradition of structured questioning, from the lectio divina practice of the early monastics to the inductive Bible study method popularized by Howard Hendricks in his 1991 book Living by the Book. The core questions — observation (what does it say?), interpretation (what does it mean?), and application (what do I do?) — are now standard in evangelical and mainline Protestant study guides alike.

Jesus himself modeled this. In Mark 9:16, he turned to the scribes and asked a pointed question: "What question ye with them?" Mark 9:16 — using inquiry as a teaching tool rather than simply delivering answers. This Socratic quality in Jesus's ministry suggests that asking the right question is itself a form of discipleship.

Proverbs 2:5, shared with the Jewish canon, promises that diligent seeking leads to understanding the fear of the LORD and finding the knowledge of God Proverbs 2:5. Christian commentators from Augustine (354–430 CE) to John Calvin (1509–1564 CE) stressed that scripture must be questioned humbly and prayerfully, never in isolation from the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Key questions to ask when studying any Bible passage include: Who wrote this, and to whom? What is the historical and cultural context? What type of literature is this (poetry, prophecy, epistle, narrative)? What does this passage teach about God's character? Where does this fit in the larger biblical storyline? And crucially — how does this text point to or illuminate the person of Jesus Christ, particularly for New Testament-focused readers?

Disagreement exists between traditions: Catholic and Orthodox readers also ask what has the Church historically taught about this passage?, while many Protestant readers prioritize the text's plain meaning above tradition. Both approaches, though, begin with questions.

Not applicable. This question concerns methodology for studying the Bible specifically; Islam has its own distinct tradition of Quranic study (tafsir) and does not treat the Bible as a primary scriptural authority for Muslims.

That said, the Quran does affirm a principle of divine accountability regarding scripture. Quran 15:92 states: "Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one" Quran 15:92 — a reminder that engagement with divine revelation carries weight. And Quran 68:37 poses a rhetorical challenge: "Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn" Quran 68:37, which classical commentators like Ibn Kathir read as questioning the basis of those who reject divine guidance.

These verses don't constitute a Bible study framework, but they do echo the cross-traditional conviction that scripture demands serious, accountable engagement — not passive reading.

Jewish Scripture urges careful investigation: “enquire … make search … and ask diligently” as a method to test matters and confirm the truth, which shapes how study questions are framed Deuteronomy 13:14. Leaders exemplify this by commanding, “Go, inquire of GOD … concerning the words of this scroll that has been found,” turning discovery into guided consultation and obedient response 2 Kings 22:13. The same impulse appears in, “Go, inquire of GOD … for great indeed must be GOD’s wrath … because our ancestors did not obey the words of this scroll,” tying questions to covenant faithfulness and corrective action in study 2 Chronicles 34:21. Jeremiah models direct, accountable questioning of prophetic claims: “What did GOD answer you? … What did GOD speak?” orienting learners to divine answer over human opinion Jeremiah 23:37. From wisdom literature, the telos of inquiry is “understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God,” so study questions should seek reverence and knowledge, not trivia Proverbs 2:5.

• What must I “enquire … and ask diligently” to confirm what is true in this passage? Deuteronomy 13:14
• Whom should I “inquire of” for faithful interpretation—priests, prophets, or recorded rulings—when I meet difficult words? 2 Kings 22:13
• How does this text correct disobedience and call me back to do “what has been prescribed”? 2 Chronicles 34:21
• What would I report if asked, “What did GOD answer you?” about this passage’s message today? Jeremiah 23:37
• How does this reading deepen “the fear of the LORD” and “the knowledge of God”? Proverbs 2:5

Jesus engages people by asking, “What question ye with them?” endorsing open examination and accountability in disputes about teaching, which shapes Christian study as dialogical and probing Mark 9:16. Wisdom literature sets the aim of Bible study as grasping “the fear of the LORD” and “the knowledge of God,” so good questions aim at reverence and true knowledge rather than mere curiosity Proverbs 2:5. The Torah’s call to “enquire … make search … ask diligently” provides a biblical method for testing claims, contexts, and applications in reading both Old and New Testaments Deuteronomy 13:14. Historical examples of consulting authoritative interpretation—“Go, inquire of GOD … concerning the words of this scroll”—encourage believers to weigh difficult passages with the wider witness of Scripture and recognized guidance 2 Kings 22:13.

• What issue is truly at stake here—“What question ye with them?”—and how does the passage address it? Mark 9:16
• How does this text cultivate the fear of the LORD and knowledge of God in me and in the church? Proverbs 2:5
• What evidence in the immediate and canonical context confirms this interpretation as true, per “ask diligently”? Deuteronomy 13:14
• Where should I seek faithful counsel or precedent when a “scroll” (text) is hard to understand? 2 Kings 22:13

Not applicable. Concerns biblical study methods within Judaism and Christianity; no direct counterpart in Islamic scripture/practice is requested here.