Study Tips: Author's IntentionSample

‘Read the question twice.’ I think I heard this from every teacher I’ve ever had in the weeks before an exam! They don’t want us to waste our time and effort answering a question we were never asked. Reading twice (or more) is a great way to slow down and avoid misunderstandings.

When we read too quickly, we look for key ideas that we expect to find, especially if we think we know what the Bible is about already. When we do this, we can bring our own ideas and superimpose them onto the text.

One way we can avoid this is by slowing down and rereading. That’s why we are reading Philemon every day of this plan. Each time we read it, we are more likely to notice something that challenges the assumptions we are bringing. When that happens, it’s a good idea to stop and think about the difference between the scriptures and what we expected to read; this might be how God is trying to transform our minds and renew us into His image.

As you reread today, look for repeated words, and words like ‘Therefore,’ ‘But,’ or ‘So that.’ Repetition and words that show how the writer builds an argument help us spot the writer’s key ideas. If the argument doesn’t make sense to us, this is a clue that we are imposing our own idea on the train of thought. When we can see the writer's key ideas, it helps us stop looking for our own soap box topics and pay attention to the issues the scriptures teach us about.

As you read today, remember to be curious. Ask questions about what you are reading. Who wrote it? Who was it written to? What was the writer trying to get the reader to do? Who else is mentioned? What key ideas can you see repeated in the letter? Can you see a train of thought weaving its way through the letter? What other questions about the letter do you think are worth asking?

Read Philemon.