General Character Study 1
1) Identify the character to study.
Choose the character you want to study. After you’ve located the passage/s in which the character appears, identify all the people who play significant roles in the passage/s. If some don’t have names, give them brief descriptive titles – e.g., “the Centurion with the sick servant.” In some passages, a group will have a collective personality. You can treat this group as an additional character.
2) Research historical and cultural background.
Sometimes, a character may have a title or role you are not familiar with, such as “cupbearer”, “Sadducee”, or “publican”. A bible dictionary or other reference book will help you understand the character more fully.
You can also research on locations (places mentioned in the passage), settings (e.g., the desert), practices, customs and traditions mentioned in the passage.
3) Develop biographical and character sketches.
a. Biographical sketch
Make a chronological outline of the character’s life as much as you can learn from the passage/s.
b. Character sketch
Character sketches make the individual you’re studying come alive. Based on their actions, their words and how others react to them, develop a mental picture of the character. This will involve careful observation of the passage, but also emotional empathy and imagination on your part. Some approaches:
i Imagine yourself in the character’s place. What do you think their thoughts, feelings and motives would have been?
ii Imagine how the character might have looked.
iii Imagine their tone of voice, gestures, and expressions as they spoke.
iv Think of someone you know (either a personal acquaintance or a public figure) who reminds you of the Bible character.
With this mental picture of the character in mind, write out a brief sketch of the character you are studying.
4) Reflect on your reaction to the character.
Now that your study and meditation have brought the character to life in your imagination, you may find yourself connecting to them personally. Ask yourself these questions:
i What is my honest reaction to the character? Why am I reacting this way?
ii Can I identify with this person? Why or why not?
iii Would I like to be more like this person? Why or why not?
5) Discover the most important lesson you’ve learned.
Some questions:
a. What difference has a close examination of the Bible character made in your life?
b. Has God given you a clearer view of yourself, your weaknesses and your gifts that leads you to repentance or obedience?
c.Have you gained deeper understanding of someone you know? Will you relate to that person differently?
d. Are you inspired to relate to Jesus in a new way?
Write out the most important lesson you learned, the one the Holy Spirit puts in your heart. This may not be the main point of the passage, but it is where the people in the passage or the character studied connects most personally with you and your current circumstances.
(Based on CHARACTER STUDY by Margaret Parker, from the Bible Study Methods section of Discipleship Journal, Issue 101, Sept./Oct. 1997)
