214AppendixAu th o r. Who wrote this passage? What do we know about
him and how he fits into the story of the Bible? What were his
circumstances? Why did he write it? To whom was he writing?
Where was he when he wrote it? What had God done in his life
to compel him to write this passage?
Background. What was the background of the passage?
What story or theme was introduced in previous verses or
chapters of the book?
Audience. Who was the audience the author was writing
to? Why was this written to them? How do you think they
responded to it? How would you have responded?
Context. What was happening in history at the time the pas-
sage was written? What was the culture where it was written?
How did the culture or the historical circumstances influence
the author? Are there any grammatical rhythms or clues identi-
fying or strengthening the author’s meaning or ultimate intent?
Cross- reference. If you have a Bible with cross- references
(or you are using an online resource), look up all the verses
associated with the passage. What can you learn from them,
and how do they influence the text?
Commentaries. Read the commentary in your Bible, in
commentary books, or at a trusted online source, such as
BlueLetterBible.org, Biblehub.com, or BibleStudyTools.com,
to gain even more insight into the passage.
Translations. Read the passage in multiple Bible transla-
tions. How do they differ? How are they the same? What new
truths can you glean from the variety of perspectives?
Maps. Maps may be available in your Bible or online
related to the passage you’re studying. Follow the journey
of the main characters. Look up modern- day pictures of the