Monday, January 12th

Last week we talked about the what and the why of the Bible. We said that the Bible is God’s story and his story was broken into four chapters or four acts of a play; creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. That a misnomer, as Christians, we get to redemption and then we sit and wait for consummation, the fulfillment of eternal life. We miss, that the entire Bible, and our story is a micro-story of creation, fall, redemption on repeat and the Word of God is our guide and presence through life.

This week, we are going to look at the “How-to” of the Bible. But before we get there, I want to name some challenges/realties.

The first challenge or reality that we have with how to read the Bible is that we live in a fast-paced, click-bait-y reality. We want to consume things on reels, or only 180 characters. Because we live in this fast-paced, “reel” lifestyle we can have the tendency to treat scripture this way as well. “Just” give me the verse of the day. Or give me the speed-up version of this book or that theology.

Another challenge to reading the Bible is what we bring into the text. Gordon Fee in his book, How to Read the Bible, says it well. “We invariably bring to the text all that we are, with all our experiences, culture and prior understanding of words and ideas.” That is understandable, but that will limit our understanding and depth of Scripture.

Another challenge, which we stated last week, is that the Bible is written over 1,500-year period in three languages, with different literary styles. That the Bible isn’t just about information only, it’s about formation. Is God’s Word, his love, being formed in you?

Fee also says, “Because the Bible is God’s Word, it has eternal relevance; it speaks to all humankind, in every age and in every culture. Because it is God’s Word, we must listen – and obey. But because God chose to speak His Word through human words in history, every book in the Bible also has historical particularity; each document is conditioned by the language, time, and culture in which it was originally written.”

Which creates the tension of eternal relevance, historical particularity, and everyday application.

Just because we have those challenges, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take the time to seek God’s Word, to seek His presence in the pages, not only of a book, but within history, and within people’s lives. I want to teach you, show you, and have you practice three ways to engage the Bible. Three ways of “How-to” read the Bible; study, meditate, and memorize.
The first one is study. This one can be the most foreign, the most time-consuming, but it is absolutely crucial. Studying the Bible is two-fold. Let me give you some geeky words and then I’ll break it down.

Studying the Bible is about exegesis and hermeneutics. Exegesis is understanding what the passage says by understanding the “then and there” the historical and literary context and content. Hermeneutics is the here and now. Take what we learn from the “then and there”, what it means, and applying it to our here and now.

Simply put, studying the bible is about biblical interpretation and spiritual reading so that we are formed by being with Jesus, being like Jesus, and doing the things Jesus did.
If we only read the Bible from our context, we will grossly misuse the Bible, as well as only live with a portion of its awe and power.

Which means, we need help when it comes to studying the Bible. This is why, even in small ways, when I teach, I try to give you context and background. Those are nuggets for you to apply, not just to the text we are currently looking at but build a library of understanding for the future.

Along with the studying of the Bible, get yourself some resources. I already mentioned it once, but I’ll share it again. Get a study Bible (NLT, NIV, ESV). You can get an OT/NT commentary or a get a commentary that is for that specific book of the Bible.

Today, can you be honest with God through prayer where you struggle with the “How-to” of the Bible. Sharing that as a moment of surrender.

Also be encouraged by Paul and what he shared with Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16-17- 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

How do you need to apply this passage to your life today?