Some people post it on the coffee table, as if to ward off evil spirits. As I grew older, I eventually realized that the Bible points us to God, but it is not God. We use it to draw us closer to its author, but we do not worship it. How to Approach Bible Study Scholars use the terms exegesis to describe the process of figuring out what the Bible says, and hermeneutics to describe the task of interpreting what it means for our lives. We do this by asking what we think the author was trying to convey.
Most biblical texts have one main point and several subpoints.
If we focus on the subpoints, we risk getting off on side roads, thus missing the main point of the text. The finder did not tell the field s owner about the treasure, but instead he secretly liquidated his assets so he could buy the field and own the treasure. If we focus on the ethical propriety of the man s actions, we miss the main point of the parable. So the first step in Bible study is to consider the intent of the author and determine his main point. Consider the context.