Summary Helps for Study, Organizing, Interpreting, and Teaching God’s Word

Tod Kennedy, September 2, 2009

The process

1. Observe. What does the text say?
2. Interpret. What does the text mean?
3. Summarize the argument and doctrine (s) taught or referred to in the text.
4. Application, so what? What should I do in response to the text?

Short explanation of the process

1. Principle: Study, organize, simplify, teach. The teacher has the responsibility to transmit the meaning of the Scripture to the listener so that the listener understands and can apply the Scripture. In the most simplified form you must study, organize, simplify and clarify, teach, and then repeat the process again to make your work more accurate and more understandable.
2. Observation: What does the text say? Look closely at the context and text for words, relationships of words, ideas and relationships of ideas, contrasts, comparisons, subjects, nouns, verbs, predicates, clauses, prepositional phrases and record the observations.
3. Interpretation: What does the text mean? The interpreter places himself in the author’s head, and using the results of research, observation, and comparing Scripture with Scripture seeks to understand the author’s intended meaning. Also make a summary and note the doctrines referred to and taught.
4. Doctrine and Application, so what? What should I and my audience do in response to the text?