The DEEP Method: How to Discover, Explore, Engage, Practice God's WordSample

Step Two | Explore – Dig into Context and Meaning

2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Focus: Learn to rightly divide the Word by asking good questions and using basic tools to understand the full message.

Once you’ve discovered what the text says, it’s time to explore what it means. Exploration takes you beyond surface-level reading into the richness of context, culture, and clarity. This step protects you from misinterpretation and invites you into the depth of God’s Word.

Too many believers settle for a devotional faith—feeding only on inspirational quotes or isolated verses. But true transformation happens when you engage with the full narrative of Scripture. Paul urges Timothy to rightly handle the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). That means studying responsibly, with humility and intentionality.

When you explore, you become an investigator. As you read, ask and write down:

• Who wrote this passage, and who was it written to?
• What was happening historically or culturally at the time?
• What’s the genre—narrative, poetry, prophecy, teaching?
• How does this passage fit within the chapter, book, or the Bible as a whole?

Use tools like a good study Bible, a concordance, a Biblical commentary, or a Bible dictionary. Compare translations. Read the verses before and after. Look for the “why” behind the “what.” Exploration may take time, but it builds understanding. And understanding leads to wisdom.

Be cautious not to rush into application before you’ve done the work of interpretation. God’s Word is not a puzzle, but it does require attentiveness. The Spirit partners with your effort, helping you rightly divide truth from assumption.

Reflection Questions:

1. What insights did you gain by exploring the background of today’s passage?
2. How does understanding context change the way you interpret Scripture?
3. What spiritual disciplines can help you become a more diligent student of the Word?

Pray This Prayer:
Father, I want to be a faithful student of Your Word. Teach me to explore with reverence, to ask the right questions, and to seek wisdom, not just information. Help me approach Scripture with a hunger to understand—not just what it means for me, but what it meant when You first inspired it. Let Your Spirit guide my study and shape my mind in truth. You are mighty to save. Amen.

See you on Day Three.