Studying Scripture
Lora has often been asked how she is able to gain such deep insights into the women she portrays. Her answer is an in depth study of the Scriptures, using the following techniques. These are not for everyone, but if you want to plumb the depths of Scripture, this is one way.
First, read the Scriptures closely to understand the whole story of the woman being studied. Read the story as a biography. Understand as much as you can what her life was like and what she was like. Always remember that the Scriptures tell us about real people, not make-believe characters. These women had feelings, doubts, question and faith, just like we do. What does the text reveal about this woman in this situation?
To follow this method and answer the questions below, you will need to study the Scripture carefully. Then for some information you will have to seek out other resources. Information gathered from other resources is like cherries on top of the dessert. They add to our understanding of the setting and culture but the principles and lessons of Scripture are what we are looking for. Bible handbooks, Bible dictionaries, Bible concordances, application and study Bibles, and commentaries are helpful. The cultural and geographical information can be researched on the internet or your local library. But, seeking understanding of the Scripture is the goal.
Questions to ask when studying Biblical women
The Scripture
Where is the woman found in the Bible?
Find all references to the woman in Scripture.
List, read, and re-read all Scripture relating to this woman's life.
For example, read about Eunice in
- Acts 14
- Acts 16
- II Timothy 1
- Hebrews 13:23
- Philemon
- Colossians
- Acts 27:2
Her Life
- What do we know about this woman's life?
- Where did she live?
- Was she married?
- Did she have children?
- For example, reading the above Scriptures, we discover that:
- Eunice is the mother of Timothy.
- She was married to a Greek gentile.
- She took care of her mother.
- She was Jewish and a Christian.
Her culture
- What was her nationality?
- What was life like for that culture (e.g. home, work, society)?
- What god did her people worship?
- What knowledge of the one true God had been revealed to her and her people?
- For example, reading the Book of Ruth, we discover that:
- Ruth was a gentile from Moab.
- Her people did not worship God.
- She knew about God from her husband and her mother-in-law Naomi.
- She chose to worship and follow the one true God.
Her relationship with God
- Who was God to her?
- What did she know about God?
- What was her relationship to God?
- Did she believe in Him?
- Did she believe Him and obey Him?
- Did she know Jesus?
- How did God (Jesus) act in her life?
- For example, reading Genesis 1-3, we discover that:
- Eve knew God as her creator.
- She walked with Him every day in the garden.
- She talked with God every day.
- She knew what He said.
- For example, reading Joshua 206, Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25, and
Numbers 6:1-21, we discover that:
- Rahab lived in Jericho at the time the Israelites returned to Canaan from their captivity in Egypt.
- She had heard about God and the wonderful things He had done for the Israelites.
- When the spies came to her she hid them and declared her faith in God.
- She did not know Jesus, but God honored her faith in Him by saving her from destruction at the fall of Jericho.
- She and her family became Jews.
- She was also honored by God in becoming a part of the line of the Messiah, Jesus!
Seek Understanding
Take all the knowledge and understanding of the woman back to the Scripture story. Be sure that you are not adding or taking away from what the Bible says. Then tell the story from the woman's heart. The feelings and problems the Biblical women had are the same as we have. The answers are still the same too. Know and walk with God. Trust Him. Obey Him.