Here are some additional questions for Knowing the Bible 101. Use these for personal or group study.

Chapter 1

• Why do you think the Bible continues to be the number one selling book in the world each year?
• Give an example from the Bible of—
• Drama
• Historical Narrative
• Poetry
• Prophecy
• Three characteristics of the Bible that make it different than any other holy book, such as the Qu’ran or the Book of Mormon.

Chapter 2

• Someone once said, “You make decisions based on what you hear, but you make commitments based on what you read.” What’s the difference between simply hearing information and actually reading it for yourself? In what ways can reading the Bible help you to commit to your Christian faith?
• When it comes to the Bible, many people approach interpretation this way:  They want to know what it means to them.  Before you decide what a particular verse or passage of Scripture means to you, why is it important to find out what the author meant for it to say? Which approach is subjective and which is objective?
• List three advantages of studying the Bible in a group.

Chapter 3

• Jesus is never mentioned by name in the Old Testament. How can Jesus be the theme of the Bible if His name doesn’t appear in 39 or the 66 books in the Bible?
• Why do you think God chose a particular people to be His people? Do you believe God has chosen you? In what way?
• Jesus has been called the central figure in human history. What evidence can you give to support this statement?
• The resurrection of Jesus from the dead has been called the most important event in the Bible. Is this true?  Why or why not?

Chapter 4

• Give the significance or meaning of each of these names:
• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Have any “innocent” people been born since God created Adam and Eve? Explain your answer.
• How have you seen the principle of Romans 8:28 in your own life? Does this give you confidence to face future challenges?  How?

Chapter 5

• What happens when we take Bible verses or passages out of context? What’s the value of keeping them in context?
• The name “Joshua” comes from the name “Yeshua,” which is Hebrew for “Jesus.” In what ways was Joshua like Jesus?
• Why do we just naturally judge others by looking at their “outward appearance”?  Why is this unfair? If someone were to judge you solely by your outward appearance, what would they say?  In what ways would this be an inaccurate description of the “real you”?

Chapter 6

• Here’s a little exercise.  Read Psalm 23 and do your best to rewrite this famous poem as if it were an essay.  Now, explain why poetry is such a powerful literary form.
• What does the interchange between God and Satan in Job 1-2 tell you about their relationship?  What are three major differences between God and Satan?
• What do the Psalms tell us about God?  What do they tell us about ourselves?

Chapter 7

• Did the Old Testament prophets spend more of their time “forthtelling” or “foretelling”? Why?
• Do you think there are true prophets living today? Why or why not?  How would you respond to someone who tells you they are a prophet of God?
• In what ways does Bible prophecy strengthen your faith?
• What is the difference between a prophet and a priest?

Chapter 8

• In what ways are the Gospels “written invitations”?
• Give the significance of each of these events in the life of Christ:
• The crucifixion
• The resurrection
• The ascension
• Give the target audience for each of the Gospels:
• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

Chapter 9

• When and where were the believers first called “Christians”? What does it mean to be a Christian?
• Jesus restates His “Great Commission” in Acts 1:8. How does the wording in Acts differ from the Great Commission as recorded by Luke in his Gospel (see Luke 24:47-48)?  How are the two commissions the same?
• Complete the following statements:
• The mission of every believer is to ______________________________________
• The means to carry this out is by _______________________________________
• The message we are to deliver is _______________________________________
• The method used to deliver the message is _______________________________

Chapter 10

• Give three qualities of a letter that make it an effective way to teach others.
• What are the three main groupings of the New Testament epistles, and what is the theme of each group?
• What are the six “Top Topics” of the epistles? Are there any topics the epistle writers left out?

Chapter 11

• Why do you think God didn’t make many of the details of end-time events clearer for us?
• What right does God have to judge sin and sinners? Do you think God is fair in letting people who have rejected Christ face eternal punishment?
• If God uses judgment to encourage repentance, what has God done in your life to encourage you to repent?

Chapter 12

• Many people read the Bible simply as an inspirational book and nothing more. Why is this the wrong way to read the Bible?
• List the seven benefits to reading the Bible.  Which one has been most beneficial to you?
• Why must we never “worship” the Bible?