Just how do you read the Bible?

[LaBarre]

The Bible is really a complicated thing. I believe it's necessary to take it "in context", which means one needs to know things such as who wrote the particular book and why, the culture of the author and it's intended audience, and also have historical knowledge of the time period.

And if I remember correctly, Jesus liked to teach in parables, which are supposed to be interpreted quite differently. Plus, for me, the Old Testament is just indecipherable....if taken at face value, it's a horrifying part of the Bible.
As for the New Testament, I feel like I'm reading Shakespeare....something with outdated language and syntax that needs to be decoded.

The first thing told to a new Christian is to read and study the Bible. Maybe most other people can just jump in and start "getting" it, but I sure can't. Attending Bible studies is fun, but....now there's a whole room of Bible with different interpretations.

For some reason, I've always had this thought in the back of my head, that God will "personalize" the Bible, as you read it. Meaning...as you sit there reading along, a passage will either become clear (and correct) to you because God performed some minor miracle of comprehension on you, or the words will just trigger a thought that He wants you to have. Is that what people mean when they say God speaks to you through the Bible? Because I gotta say, I do NOT feel communicated with at all when reading the Bible. It's nothing but a mysterious foreign language that needs a lot of tedious work that results in a dubious interpretation. If this is the best way to commune with God, than I am sunk.

During the last week I've used CF to satisfy some curiousity, and to learn about God. But, if I'm supposed to have a personal relationship with Him, I can't solely rely on other people's questions and answers to do so. It's a very incomplete and unsatisfying way to have a one-on-one relationship.

How do you all do this?

 

[divided sky]

The Bible is not easy to understand at first glance because it was written a long time ago in a world very different from ours. However, this doesn't mean it can never be understood. I would say approaching it prayerfully is a good start. I would also recommend starting with a good study Bible. It will have notes to explain things in the text. After working with a good study Bible, you can move on to Bible commentaries. These are more detailed notes about the text. You can search for study Bibles and commentaries (and read up on them) using an online book store (e.g. Amazon) to figure out which ones might be right for you.

 

[Van]

Hi LaBarre, I met a missionary once who had spent his lift translating the Bible into an obscure language of the native peoples of "his" village. He told me the most important thing about picking a bible is "get one you can understand." So rather than rely upon some mysterious enlightenment, try one of these: NASB, NIV, NKJV, ESV, HCSB. The translators made an effort to go back to the original and present it in modern English.

When I study, I use the 1995 version of the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and then compare to those other translations plus the KJV. When I read, I use the NIV.

The Bible presents the same message intended for all who read, not different messages. We might "get" different things from it, but many of the supposed "different things" are really our own invention.

The idea that the basic message of the Bible is difficult is a fiction. Here is what it says: God exists and He created everything. You are created, for a purpose, and you can choose to fulfill it or not. You are a sinner and you will be punished justly for your sins. But God offers the free gift of salvation where you obtain mercy rather than punishment. Whoever believes from the heart and is fully committed to Jesus will not perish, but have eternal life. God begs you, "Be reconciled to God." When you turn and trust, from the heart, you bring glory to God and fulfill your purpose of creation. If not, be as good as you can be, and store up the minimum amount of wrath to face in Hell. May God Bless.

 

[ebia]

The Bible is really a complicated thing.

I believe it's necessary to take it "in context", which means one needs to know things such as who wrote the particular book and why, the culture of the author and it's intended audience, and also have historical knowledge of the time period.

Such things certainly help.

And if I remember correctly, Jesus liked to teach in parables, which are supposed to be interpreted quite differently

I'm not sure what you mean.

. Plus, for me, the Old Testament is just indecipherable....if taken at face value, it's a horrifying part of the Bible.

Is it? If you read it as the story of the people of God coming into their calling and failing over and over, I don't find that.

As for the New Testament, I feel like I'm reading Shakespeare....something with outdated language and syntax that needs to be decoded.

Which translation are you reading? Some of Paul's thought structures are complex, but most of the N.T. shouldn't too hard on that level.

The first thing told to a new Christian is to read and study the Bible. Maybe most other people can just jump in and start "getting" it, but I sure can't. Attending Bible studies is fun, but....now there's a whole room of Bible with different interpretations.

For some reason, I've always had this thought in the back of my head, that God will "personalize" the Bible, as you read it. Meaning...as you sit there reading along, a passage will either become clear (and correct) to you because God performed some minor miracle of comprehension on you, or the words will just trigger a thought that He wants you to have. Is that what people mean when they say God speaks to you through the Bible

Not for me, no. Sometimes it's worth just letting the poetry or the narrative sweep over you. But its also necessary to do some hard work wrestling with the meaning. Learning is hard work.

 

[drich0150]

The understanding you seek comes with a solid relationship with the Holy Spirit. Because It was the Holy Spirit that inspired the writers of scripture. Jesus tell us we must Ask, seek and knock to find the Spirit.

Luke11:
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

We ask through Prayer, we seek through reading scripture and studying under those who exhibit signs of Spiritual "fruit" (As in Gal5:22) We knock by repeating this process till we get what it is our hearts want.

 

[BobW188]

Much depends on how much time and money you are willing to invest in your study.

Some years ago, I took the Disciple Bible Study course offered by many United Methodist churches. Though that word "disciple" is right there in the name, the instructor made it clear that seekers and skeptics were welcome. You were expected to have a Bible, preferably a study Bible, and were asked to pay $28 to help defray the cost of the videos, workbooks, etc. (If you couldn't, the church "ate" the cost and, no great surprise, had Bibles.) The course is very thorough - and that is paradoxically one of its drawbacks. It lasts some thirty three weeks if there's only one class a week and, if I recall rightly, each class is supposed to last at least 2 1/2 hours.

I don't think Disciple is on line. I'm sure you could find many courses there, and I'm sure they'd vary widely in quality.

A study Bible would help you. My personal preference is the Life Application Study Bible, which comes in several translations and various prices depending on whether you want paper, hardbound, bonded leather or genuine leather. If you're of a more academic frame of mind, perhaps an Oxford, Harper Collins or New Interpreters. A good Christian bookstore will have a wide variety, including browsing copies.

We call it "The Good Book" or just "The Book," but in fact the Bible is an anthology. If we accept Moses as the author of the first five books, it took well over a thousand years to write. Among the sixty six books are histories, (some supported by outside sources, some not), poetry, (actually, the lyrics to songs for which we don't have the music), philosophical ruminations, first-person recollections and, in the opinion of many, myth and legend. You're right, it's not an easy book to tackle cold but, whether in the end you believe it or critique it, it's worth the study. God may well "personalize" it for you; but that's a process like that by which a new acquaintance becomes an old, trusted friend. And, just like that friend, there may be aspects that you never really figure out! (And, as with the friend, don't really worry about.)

 

[LaBarre]

Thank you all for your help.

I'm beginning to think that I am the only one who worries this much about reading the Bible and getting it all wrong. It terrifies me.....not interpreting it correctly, all the questions I'll have, and especially believing something that God doesn't want me to....all because I screwed up.....really scares me!

This keeps me from trying. Which also keeps me from God. Do you suppose He will understand, and forgive my mistakes? Even if I die before I can discover my mistakes?

I've taken your advice; I have a study Bible, a translation called God's Word, and an NIV (which seems to be a nice middle of the road version). I thought it might be good to read the "easiest" Bible first, then re-read the same passages in the others.

Now the next step is to just jump right in and start reading, right? Then who knows....see what happens.

Btw ebia, yeah, I find the OT horrifying. Now, I certainly haven't come close to reading even half of it, but it does seem that God is very different - angry and uncaring even. The idea that God would ask a parent to kill their own child (Abraham/Isaac)??? Yes, God didn't really want him to go through with it, but that's just too cruel to ask a puny little human to do. And so much for the "thou shalt not kill" commandment, huh? The one part that really clinched it for me I think comes from Isaiah....something about a man having visitors, and sending his unwilling daughter out to sexually serve them as being part of a good host. Yeah, that's horrifying.

 

[Van]

Hi LeBarre, great, the NIV is a wonderful translation.

Your references to the Old Testament makes me think some atheist has told you what snippets of the Old Testament to read. Take your NIV and read the Old Testament Book of Ruth. (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth.)

May God bless.

 

[salida]

I wouldn't just read the red letters as the Bible was meant to read all the way through. That way you will fully understand God as its Gods Word. The NIV is really good- also, there is a thompson chain study bible I highly recommend. The thompson chain shows the one who is studying the bible truly how the bible interprets itself -
2 Peter 2:20.

Biblical Principles for Interpreting God’s Word


1) Follow the customary usages of the language.
2) Commit no historical or cultural blunders.
3) Make Christ central in all interpretations.
4) Be conscious of context.
5) Interpret by the analogy of the faith.
6) Recognize the progress of relevation.
7) Grant one interpretation to each phrase.
8) Choose the common sense alternative.
9) Never invent explanations to silent areas of scripture.
10) Never theorize to accommodate man’s views or religion or modern science.
11) Never base a doctrine on one passage of scripture.

Allegory – Taking the literal meaning off story, discourse, or something written and giving it another spiritualized or non literal meaning.

Analogy – Similarity between things partial resemblance. Comparing something point by point with something else noting its similarity. As applied to Bible study, it means the scripture are alike and do not contradict each other.

Context – The parts of the book, passage or verse, which shows the whole situation and relevant environment in which it is found.

Expository – Setting forth facts, ideas and an explanation from a detailed examination of a passage.

Exegesis – Critical analysis or interpretation which seeks the meaning from the passage and does not impose meaning on the passage.

Interpretation – To arrive at the original meaning the writer intended when he wrote the words.

Syntax – Syntax is the study of the word in is grammatical setting showing its relation to other words.

 

[drich0150]

Do you suppose He will understand, and forgive my mistakes?

In all of your up coming studies Remember that above all else we are to love the Lord with all of our Being (Mind, Strength, Heart, and Spirit) If you can do this then all that you do will be counted in your favor.

If God can forgive Murderers, and rapists, then how much More forgiving will He be to those who make a mistake trying to love Him?

Would an earthly father Punish his child when that child draws a family portrait, but the portrait doesn't accurately represent the family like a photograph would? Most likely that father would see the love and effort that his child put into trying to capture the love that he has for his mom, dad/family using all of what the child had available to him. This love allows the father to look past all of the mistakes and see what his child is really doing.. In truth our attempts at "religion" will all be wrong, all we have left are the motivations behind our "drawings."

Now the question will be: Do we draw because we have to? Or do we draw as children draw, because we love to? If you go into this knowing no matter what you draw it will never be a true photograph quality picture, this frees you to focus on the all important Love behind your picture. So don't worry so much as to the what you do but the why your doing it.