Zoom Out: How to Study a Topic
As we study the Word of God, sometimes it can be helpful to study a specific topic. We’d call this zooming out, which allows you to get an understanding of the broader context of what’s being discussed in Scripture. Watch the full class to understand why this is important!
Topical Study
When studying a topic, you should look at what the Bible says about it as a whole. Think of it like examining a house. If you zoom in, you may notice that it is made of wood, nails, and other materials that hold everything together. Those are the individual details. But when you zoom out, you see the bigger picture: it’s a house, and you can see the neighborhood it’s in, the city it’s a part of, and how it fits into the larger area around it. In the same way, zooming in focuses on the smaller details, while zooming out helps you see the overall theme, context, and message.
How to Zoom Out
Because we are looking at the broader context of a topic, it is important to look at every time that topic is discussed in Scripture. We shouldn’t make assumptions based on one singular use or mention of a topic in Scripture.
The Bible says in Isaiah 28:13, “But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line…” Scripture works together to give us a fuller understanding of what God is saying in His Word. Zooming out helps us see how the different pieces fit together.
We zoom out on the topic we’re studying and zoom in on specific details. Zooming out includes looking at the chapter as a whole and surrounding verses to gain insight into the overarching themes and messages. Zooming out can also mean looking at various mentions of the word and how the topic is described throughout the Bible.
We want to avoid focusing solely on one verse without considering its surroundings, which can lead to misinterpretation. We also do not want to draw a conclusion from one verse when there are literally thousands—31,102, to be exact, in the KJV—within the Bible.
Everything Isn’t What It Seems
Remember, context matters when studying! Just like in everyday life, the way we communicate can be nuanced. We may use the same word in different situations, but the connotation—or the feeling behind the word—can change, even if the dictionary definition stays the same.
For example, you could see something you dislike and say, “That’s bad.” On the other hand, you could see something you really like and say, “That’s a bad shirt,” and mean something completely different. The context helps us understand what the person actually means.
The same principle applies when studying the Bible. To reiterate, we shouldn’t base our understanding of an entire topic on the first Scripture we come across or make assumptions from a single verse. Zoom out and see where else the Bible discusses that topic. Then zoom in and consider the surrounding context so we can gain a fuller understanding of what is actually being said.
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