The 5 Questions to Always Ask

1. Who: Who wrote this, and who were they writing to?
2. What: What’s actually happening in this passage? What themes keep coming up?
3. When: When was this written, and what was going on at the time?
4. Where: Where is this taking place? Does the setting shape the story?
5. Why (and How): Why was this written, and how does it fit into God’s bigger plan?

Here’s a tool you can carry into any passage of Scripture: five simple questions. Get in the habit of asking these and you’ll be amazed at how much more you start to see.

Start with Who. Who wrote this, and who were they writing to? Knowing the author’s situation and the audience’s world helps you understand why it was written the way it was. Then ask What — what’s happening here, and what are the main themes? Getting clear on the content keeps you from jumping to conclusions.

Next comes When. When was this written, and what was happening at the time? The backstory can completely change how you read something. Then Where — where is this taking place? Geography and setting often play a bigger role than we realize. Finally, ask Why / How — why was this written, and how does it connect to God’s larger plan to rescue and redeem?

Run a passage through these five questions and you’ll move past surface-level reading into something deeper and a whole lot more meaningful.