A Few Types of Study Methods Expository Study - this type of study involves taking a passage in the

Bible and finding out exactly what it means. You will go through a passage sentence by sentence and word by word. Start by reading and re-reading the passage. Note differences in different translations. Use Strong's Numbers and Vines Expository Dictionary to look up each word. Look at the passages around the passage you are studying in order to understand the context. Look up parallel passages that deal with the same material. Follow with a commentary to help bring out more details about the passage.

One thing you want to make sure in your studies that you do not eisegete the scripture. 

Eisegesis (from the Greek εἰσηγεῖσθαι; 'to lead in') is the process of interpretation of an existing text in such a way as to introduce one's own ideas. It is just like it sounds “I”segesis making scripture mean what you want it to mean.

When studying, you should exegete the scripture or draw out the meaning from the text on the basis of the text itself, keeping it within the context of the scripture and the customs of that time. 

Another thing to be aware of is that the resources you choose are doctrinally sound. You do not want to use a commentary or other reference tool by someone who has different doctrinal statements than yours because they will be slanted toward their beliefs. The tools that I have presented to you have been approved by the Pastor. If you have other tools you would like to use and are not sure if they are doctrinally sound, please refer them to the Pastor and he can direct you accordingly.

Word Study - this type of study looks at all the references to a particular word in the Bible. An Exhaustive Concordance, a Word Study Bible, and an Expository Dictionary are required for this type of study. Find a word in a Word Study Bible, then look up the Strong’s number in your concordance, it will also give you a cross-reference to an Expository Dictionary along with other verses pertaining to the same word. Then look up each reference to this word and ask yourself what each reference teaches you.

A topical study - as its name states, it is the study of a topic in the Bible. This study seeks to study a topic by looking at all the passages that deal with a particular topic. A topical Bible, concordance, encyclopedia and other reference tools will help you in this type of study.

Biographical Study – Select a person and study everything the Bible says about them. Example: David – as we read in the AMG Encyclopedia of Bible facts that David was mentioned 1118 times in the scripture. 

New Testament Survey - What this type of study does is it gives you a synopsis of what the book is about. With this knowledge you will be able to refer back to this book when you have a need in this area or let’s say you are talking with someone and they ask you about a particular subject, you will know from scripture how to help them. You know the key verses, the key themes, who wrote the book, whom it was written to and what were the circumstances surrounding the time period.

Systematic Theology - The word "theology" comes from two Greek words meaning "God" and "word." Combined, the word "theology" means "study of God." Systematic refers to something be put into a system. Systematic theology is, therefore, the division of theology into systems that explain its various areas. For example, many books of the Bible give information about the angels. No one book gives all the information about the angels. Systematic theology takes all the information about angels from all the books of the Bible, and organizes it into a system - Angelology. That is what systematic theology is all about - organizing the teachings of the Bible into categorical systems.

Theology Proper or Paterology is the study of God the Father. Christology is the study of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Pneumatology is the study of God the Holy Spirit. Bibliology is the study of the Bible. Soteriology is the study of salvation. Ecclesiology is the study of the church. Eschatology is the study of the end times. Angelology is the study of angels. Christian Demonology is the study of demons from a Christian perspective. Christian Anthropology is the study of humanity. Hamartiology is the study of sin. 

A Few Types of Study Methods