DESCRIPTION: Jack discusses several ideas about what makes for good Bible study techniques. It ends with a discussion of how having a high IQ (Intelligence Quotient) is not necessary for good Bible study, where having a high RQ (Rationality Quotient) is.

Jack’s Points

* Good Bible study should be done with a mental attitude of honesty, rationality, and responsibility.  If you don’t want to know what the Bible really means, then what’s the point in studying it?  To mislead yourself—and others?* It’s an exercise in decoupling from your own training, understandings, traditions, assumptions, wishes, attitudes, and moods, so as to seek to understand what the authors meant to convey and even why they meant to convey it.* Understand that they are going to mention things that their original audiences probably understood, but that YOU won’t understand.  (E.g., Paul’s mention of “the third heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:2)  If you don’t track these things down, you are deciding to settle for a limited understanding of what you’re reading.* The Bible doesn’t explain everything it mentions.  (See #3 above).