How Christians Can Ask Better Questions When Reading Scripture

How Christians Can Ask Better Questions When Reading Scripture

By Dave Jenkins
Show: Contending for the Word Q&A
Date: April 6, 2026

Show Summary

How can Christians ask better questions when reading Scripture so they understand what God has actually said and intended? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how careful observation, faithful interpretation, and biblical context help believers read God’s Word clearly, avoid error, and grow in discernment.

Audio Player

Video Player

Key Scriptures

• 2 Timothy 2:15 — “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
• Luke 10:26 — “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
• Nehemiah 8:8 — “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

Episode Highlights

• Why good questions help us hear Scripture rightly instead of reshaping it around ourselves.
• Why observation must come before application in faithful Bible reading.
• How historical and literary context guard us from misunderstanding the Word of God.
• Why every passage must be read in light of the larger story of redemption.
• How better questions help Christians grow in wisdom, discernment, and obedience.

Full Article

One of the most important questions Christians can ask when reading the Bible is this: What does this passage mean?

Learning how to read Scripture rightly begins with asking the right questions of the text.

That question may sound simple, but how we approach it makes all the difference. Many misunderstandings of the Word of God do not come from bad intentions. They come from asking the wrong question or asking the right question in the wrong order.

Scripture is not unclear. God has spoken in His Word, and He intends His people to understand what He has said. But faithful understanding requires careful reading, right handling, and reverent attention. Asking better questions of Scripture helps us understand its meaning clearly, handle God’s Word faithfully, and avoid error that leads to confusion or misuse.

Nehemiah 8:8 says, “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” In Luke 10:26, Jesus asks, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And 2 Timothy 2:15 instructs believers to rightly handle the Word of truth.

Together, these texts show us that understanding Scripture requires clarity, careful reading, and faithful handling of God’s Word.

The big idea of this episode is this: Asking better questions of Scripture helps us understand its meaning clearly, handle God’s Word faithfully, and avoid error that leads to confusion or misuse.

Good questions do not complicate Scripture. They help us hear it rightly.

1. Start by Asking What the Text Says (Not What It Means to You)

One of the most common mistakes Christians make is starting with personal application before understanding the text. Instead of first asking, “What does this mean to me?” we should begin by asking, “What does this text actually say?”

What is happening in this passage? What words or ideas are repeated or emphasized? What is the flow of thought? These questions help us slow down and observe the text carefully.

Meaning flows from what the text says, not from how we feel about it. Observation is the foundation of faithful interpretation. If we skip this step, we are far more likely to read ourselves into the text instead of receiving what God has spoken.

2. Understand the Context of Scripture

Scripture was written in specific historical and literary contexts. Asking questions about context helps us avoid reading modern assumptions into ancient texts.

Helpful questions include: Who wrote this passage? Who was the original audience? What situation is being addressed? What kind of writing is this—narrative, poetry, prophecy, gospel, epistle, or apocalyptic literature?

Context protects us from misrepresentation and helps us understand why a passage was written in the first place. When we ignore context, we often misuse the Bible, pull verses out of place, and miss the intended meaning of the text.

3. Read Scripture in the Context of the Whole Bible

No passage stands alone. Every verse fits within the broader story of God’s redemptive work. Good questions include: How does this passage connect to what comes before and after? Where does this fit in the storyline of redemption? How does this passage point us to Christ?

This keeps us from isolating verses and helps us read Scripture as a unified whole. The Bible is not a collection of disconnected sayings. It is one coherent revelation from God, centered on His saving purposes in Christ.

When we ask how a passage fits into the larger story of Scripture, we begin to see more clearly how God’s Word holds together and how individual texts contribute to the whole counsel of God.

4. Interpret Scripture Before Applying It

Interpretation must come before application. Once we understand what a passage means, then we can ask what truth God is teaching through it.

What does this reveal about God’s character? What does it show about His purposes, His promises, or His ways? How should this truth shape my faith, obedience, worship, and life?

Application flows from meaning. Scripture shapes us faithfully when we first listen carefully to what God has said. If we rush to apply a text without understanding it, we may draw conclusions that the passage itself does not support.

Why Asking Better Questions Matters

Asking better questions when reading Scripture is not a sign of doubt. It is a sign of reverence. It shows that we want to hear God rightly, not merely use the Bible to reinforce our own assumptions.

Careful Bible reading honors the Lord because it takes His Word seriously. It recognizes that God has spoken clearly, richly, and truthfully. When we slow down, observe the text, consider its context, place it within the whole of Scripture, and then move to application, we are better equipped to understand and obey the Word of God.

This is especially important in a day marked by confusion, shallow interpretation, and the misuse of biblical language. Christians need discernment. We need faithful handling of Scripture. And that begins with asking better questions of the text itself.

Conclusion

God has spoken, and He desires His people to understand His Word. Asking better questions helps us read carefully, interpret faithfully, and walk in obedience by His grace.

So the next time you open the Bible, slow down. Do not rush to conclusions. Do not skip over context. Do not assume meaning before observing the text. Start by asking what the passage says, then consider its context, its place in redemptive history, and the truth it teaches before moving to application.

May we be believers who read Scripture carefully, interpret it faithfully, and grow in wisdom and discernment as we submit ourselves to the clear and trustworthy Word of God.

Takeaways / Reflection Questions

• Do I usually begin Bible reading with observation, or do I rush immediately to application?
• How often do I consider the historical and literary context of a passage?
• Am I reading individual verses in light of the whole story of Scripture?
• How can asking better questions help me grow in discernment and obedience?
• What changes do I need to make in my Bible reading habits so I handle God’s Word more faithfully?

Call to Action

If this episode helped you, please share it with someone who wants to grow in biblical discernment and faithful Bible reading. Be sure to subscribe to Contending for the Word Q&A and visit the Contending for the Word Q&A page at Servants of Grace or watch the playlist on YouTube.