The concept of investigation, while not explicitly named as such in the Bible, is a theme that can be discerned through various passages and narratives. Investigation involves the careful examination and search for truth, understanding, or information. In the biblical context, it often pertains to the pursuit of wisdom, discernment, and the testing of spirits and teachings.

Biblical Examples and Principles

1. Seeking Wisdom and Understanding: The Bible encourages believers to seek wisdom and understanding, which inherently involves investigation. Proverbs 2:4-5 states, "if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure, then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God." This passage highlights the diligent pursuit of divine wisdom, akin to an investigation.

2. Testing the Spirits: In 1 John 4:1 , believers are instructed to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." This directive implies a form of spiritual investigation, where discernment is necessary to determine the truthfulness of teachings and prophecies.

3. The Bereans' Example: The Bereans are commended for their investigative approach to the Scriptures. Acts 17:11 describes them as "more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true." Their example underscores the importance of verifying teachings against the Word of God.

4. God's Investigation of the Heart: The Bible also speaks of God's investigative role, particularly in examining the hearts of individuals. Jeremiah 17:10 declares, "I, the LORD, search the heart; I test the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve." This divine investigation ensures that justice and righteousness are upheld.

5. Judicial Investigation: The Mosaic Law includes principles of investigation in judicial matters. Deuteronomy 19:18 instructs, "The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and has testified falsely against his brother..." This command emphasizes the need for thorough investigation to ensure justice and truth in legal proceedings.

6. The Role of Prophets: Prophets in the Bible often engaged in investigative roles, seeking to understand God's will and convey it to the people. Daniel, for example, sought understanding through prayer and study of the Scriptures (Daniel 9:2-3), demonstrating a commitment to uncovering divine truth.

Theological Implications

Investigation in the biblical sense is not merely an intellectual exercise but a spiritual discipline. It involves a heart posture of humility, a desire for truth, and a reliance on the Holy Spirit for guidance. The pursuit of truth through investigation aligns with the biblical call to love God with all one's mind (Matthew 22:37) and to be discerning in all things (Philippians 1:9-10).

Practical Application

Believers are encouraged to engage in investigation by studying the Scriptures diligently, testing teachings against biblical truth, and seeking God's wisdom in all matters. This practice not only strengthens faith but also equips believers to navigate a world filled with competing ideologies and false teachings.1. (v. t.) To follow up step by step by patient inquiry or observation; to trace or track mentally; to search into; to inquire and examine into with care and accuracy; to find out by careful inquisition; as, to investigate the causes of natural phenomena.

2. (v. i.) To pursue a course of investigation and study; to make investigation.

3877. parakoloutheo -- to follow closely, to investigate
... to follow closely, to investigate. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: parakoloutheo
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ak-ol-oo-theh'-o) Short Definition: I accompany ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3877.htm - 7k

350. anakrino -- to examine, investigate
... to examine, investigate. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anakrino Phonetic
Spelling: (an-ak-ree'-no) Short Definition: I examine, inquire into Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/350.htm - 8k

2214. zetesis -- a search, questioning
... a seeking, search. Cognate: 2214 (a noun) -- a to investigate a specific
(as the of a principle). See 2212 (). Word Origin from ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2214.htm - 7k

426. anetazo -- to examine judicially
... examine, investigate. From ana and etazo (to test); to investigate (judicially) --
(should have) examined(-d). see GREEK ana. (anetazein) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/426.htm - 6k

419. anexeraunetos -- unsearchable
... 419 (from 1 "not," which negates the intensified term, 1830 , "search out ") --
properly, impossible to fully investigate, no matter how great the effort ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/419.htm - 7k

2045. ereunao -- search.
... search. Apparently from ereo (through the idea of inquiry); to seek, ie (figuratively)
to investigate -- search. see GREEK ereo. (erauna) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2045.htm - 6k

1567. ekzeteo -- to seek out, demand, inquire
... From ek and zeteo; to search out, ie (figuratively)investigate, crave, demand,
(by Hebraism) worship -- en- (re-)quire, seek after (carefully, diligently). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1567.htm - 7k

5584. pselaphao -- to feel or grope about
... I feel after, grope for. 5584 -- properly, touch , "feel after" to discover
(personally investigate). [5584 () comes from a root ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5584.htm - 7k

4802. suzeteo -- to examine together, hence to dispute
... From sun and zeteo; to investigate jointly, ie Discuss, controvert, cavil -- dispute
(with), enquire, question (with), reason (together). see GREEK sun. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4802.htm - 7k

1252. diakrino -- to distinguish, to judge
... 1252 (from 1223 , "thoroughly back-and-forth," which intensifies 2919 , "to judge") --
properly, investigate (judge) -- literally, judging "back-and-forth ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1252.htm - 9k

1875. darash -- to resort to, seek
... 3), comes the reckoning (1), consult (2), consulted by them at all (1), demand
(1), inquire (33), inquired (5), inquirer (1), investigate (3), investigated (1 ...
/hebrew/1875.htm - 6k

974. bachan -- to examine, try
... A primitive root; to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to
investigate -- examine, prove, tempt, try (trial). 973b, 974. bachan. 975 . ...
/hebrew/974.htm - 6k

3045. yada -- to know
... 2), ignorant* (1), illiterate* (1), indeed learn (1), inform (1), informed (4),
instruct (3), instructed (1), intimate friends (1), investigate (2), knew (38 ...
/hebrew/3045.htm - 8k

8446. tur -- to seek out, spy out, explore
... root Definition to seek out, spy out, explore NASB Word Usage explore (1), explored
(1), explores (1), follow (1), guide (1), investigate (1), seek (2 ...
/hebrew/8446.htm - 6k

Petilianus Said: "But that I May Thoroughly Investigate the ...
... Book II. Chapter 33. " 77. Petilianus said: "But that I may thoroughly
investigate the baptism in the name? "77. Petilianus ...
/.../chapter 33 77 petilianus.htm

After the Instance Borrowed from the Mithraic Mysteries, Celsus ...
... Chapter XXIV. After the instance borrowed from the Mithraic mysteries,
Celsus declares that he who would investigate? After the ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xxiv after the instance.htm

Seventh Tractate. The Immortality of the Soul.
... while something else, that which is the true man, endures for ever " this question
will be answered here for those willing to investigate our nature. ...
/.../plotinus/the six enneads/seventh tractate the immortality of.htm

Berea and Athens
... Lesson 23 Berea and Athens. [This chapter is based on Acts 17:11-34.] At Berea Paul
found Jews who were willing to investigate the truths he taught. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 23 berea and athens.htm

The First Part
... As it is my design to investigate the meaning of the Apocalyptical visions, it is
requisite for me to treat, in the first place, of that celestial theatre to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the first part .htm

The Contemptuous Rejection.
... If they had had the least disposition to believe John's words about Jesus, even
so far as to investigate patiently and thoroughly, how different would their ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/the contemptuous rejection.htm

Epistle Xlii. To Eusebius, Archbishop of Thessalonica.
... their zeal is not only to be praised but also to be altogether cherished, we exhort
that the care of thy Fraternity hesitate not to investigate the matter with ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlii to eusebius archbishop.htm

Epistle Lviii. To Martin, Scholasticus .
... Gregory had commissioned John, Bishop of Syracuse, to investigate the matter, and
to him Crementius (who now professed--though Gregory doubted his sincerity ...
/.../epistle lviii to martin scholasticus.htm

Extracts No. Ii.
... O help me, my dear friend, help me also, O thou who art the only source of truth,
thoroughly to investigate this momentous subject! But let me not be deceived. ...
/.../ballou/a series of letters in defence of divine revelation/extracts no ii.htm

Whether the Old Law Set Forth Suitable Precepts About the Members ...
... But the Law did not command any sacrifice to be offered in order to investigate
the injury done by a servant to his master, or by a son to his father. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the old law set.htm

Investigate (11 Occurrences)
... trace or track mentally; to search into; to inquire and examine into with care and
accuracy; to find out by careful inquisition; as, to investigate the causes ...
/i/investigate.htm - 10k

Examination (10 Occurrences)
... eg-zam'-in, eg-zam-i-na'-shun: darash, "to follow," "inquire," "make inquisition"
(Ezra 10:16); and bachan, "to test," "investigate," "prove," "tempt" (Psalm 26 ...
/e/examination.htm - 11k

Examine (48 Occurrences)
... eg-zam'-in, eg-zam-i-na'-shun: darash, "to follow," "inquire," "make inquisition"
(Ezra 10:16); and bachan, "to test," "investigate," "prove," "tempt" (Psalm 26 ...
/e/examine.htm - 23k

Investigated (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Investigate. Multi-Version
Concordance Investigated (6 Occurrences). Luke 1:3 it seemed ...
/i/investigated.htm - 8k

Search (186 Occurrences)
... Some peculiar senses are: (1) In the books of Moses, especially in Numbers, "searching
out the land" means to spy out (raggel), to investigate carefully, to ...
/s/search.htm - 43k

Judging (141 Occurrences)
... Often in the New Testament, ethically, for (1) "to decide," "give a verdict," "declare
an opinion" (Greek krino); (2) "to investigate," "scrutinize" (Greek ...
/j/judging.htm - 39k

Indicate (5 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of
an indicator. Multi-Version Concordance Indicate (5 Occurrences). ...
/i/indicate.htm - 8k

Inquiring (23 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Inquire. 2. (a.) Given to inquiry; disposed to investigate
causes; curious; as, an inquiring mind. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/i/inquiring.htm - 13k

Invested (2 Occurrences)

/i/invested.htm - 7k

Inspect (22 Occurrences)
... in order to ascertain quality or condition, to detect errors, etc., to examine;
to scrutinize; to investigate; as, to inspect conduct. ...
/i/inspect.htm - 13k

What does the Bible say about multi-level marketing (MLM)? | GotQuestions.org

What were the Inquisitions? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about ghost hunting? | GotQuestions.org

Investigate: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus