Biblical Interpretation
Learn the literal-grammatical-historical method — how to determine what the Bible says, what it means, and how to apply it.
Course Description
BIB 101 teaches the literal-grammatical-historical method of interpreting Scripture — the standard approach evangelical scholarship uses to ask three questions of any passage: What does the Bible say? What does it mean by what it says? And how does it apply?
The course walks students through the interpretive process step by step, with attention to the original languages' impact, the historical and cultural backgrounds that shaped each text, and the grammatical structures that carry meaning. An integrated "Study Tools" lab pairs the theory with hands-on practice using study Bibles, commentaries, concordances, and the broader interpretive toolkit.
BIB 101 stands alongside BIB 100 as a foundation course. Where BIB 100 introduces the Bible itself, BIB 101 focuses on the methods readers use to interpret it. Either course satisfies the prerequisite for BIB 207 Gospels.
Taught By
Offered 2025-2026: Summer 2 · 2026-2027: Fall Traditional · 2026-2027: Fall 2 · 2026-2027: Spring Traditional.
Kyle DiRoberts, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
2026-2027: Fall Traditional
Meghan Johnson
2025-2026: Summer 2 · 2026-2027: Fall 2 · 2026-2027: Spring Traditional
Prerequisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Learning Outcomes
Apply the Literal-Grammatical-Historical Method
Work through Scripture using evangelical scholarship's standard interpretive approach.
Determine What a Passage Says
Read carefully at the level of words, grammar, and immediate context.
Discern What a Passage Means
Move from observation to interpretation through historical and cultural context.
Use Study Tools Well
Navigate study Bibles, commentaries, concordances, and lexicons with confidence.
Apply Scripture Responsibly
Connect ancient text to contemporary life without forcing the meaning.
Biblical Worldview Connection
A Biblical Worldview takes Scripture seriously enough to want to interpret it carefully. BIB 101 trains students in the method that has shaped evangelical biblical scholarship for generations — careful attention to what the text actually says, what its first readers would have understood, and how its meaning applies today without distortion.
Explore Programs With This Course
BIB 101 sharpens the interpretive skill every Bible student needs. Explore the programs that include it.
