03. How do I read the Bible? Where do I start?

The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed”          Augustine of Hippo

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The Bible is a library of various styles and content; but is devoted to the person of Jesus and tells of the work He did and continues to do.

Amazingly, even from the 1st book of Genesis there is a host of themes that are present that also occur right throughout the history of the Old Testament (first 39 books of Bible). Themes like history, adventure, action, war, love stories, poetry, wise sayings etc., are all present.

It can be intimidating to read. Just like Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, the story is continued through many books; but unlike most stories - the content is not compiled in a continuous chronological way. There are multiple books looking at the same time sequence just as there are huge gaps in time where nothing notable occurs.

The second section - the New Testament - is a combination of history or podcasts. It carries on the storyline from the Old Testament - in the same way Lord of the Rings carries on from The Hobbit. But they are two different stories and can be read as such. The New Testament is the culmination of the PREquel (OT)- it is the SEquel to the Old Testament. It starts 400 years after the last book of the Old Testament.

So, the NT can be read separately from the OT but makes so much more sense if you have knowledge of the OT storyline.

The NT can also be read as a textbook on life as well. Sections of the books deal with themes like relationships, wisdom, choosing a partner, how to live, etc., and can be read independently of the storyline.

Many new believers are instructed to read “the Gospels”, usually John, without any guidance or reference to OT. This is like reading Lord of the Rings without the Hobbit.

So, you might like to adopt something like this:

1.     The Gospel of Luke (3rd book in the New Testament) - the news report of Jesus.

2.    Genesis (1st book in the Old Testament) - The original creation account and subsequent problems. Many of the first stories are here including the choice of Abram.

3.    The Gospel of John (4th book in the New Testament) - the spiritual newsreel of Jesus.

4.    Exodus (2nd book in the Old Testament) - continuing along the family history of Abraham and Isaac. The introduction of the 10 commandments.

5.    The Acts of the Apostles - the 5th book in the New Testament - or the other Gospels.

Talk this over with a trusted believer to start a reading plan; or obtain one from your mentor. No-one expects you to read the whole book in one go... but a persistent, consistent approach will be successful.

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Reflection / Questions:

•     Do you know the Gospel - the good news? Look at this interactive website to gain a very quick understanding of the whole story. Remember, the whole Bible is about Jesus.

•     Do you have a Bible? If not, have a chat with your mentor and obtain one. Or you can use an online Bible at biblica.com

•     Can you find the list of all the books in your Bible in the front sections?  Spend some time getting to know the books in the order that we protestants use.

•     Consider keeping a few notes on the ideas, questions and inspirations that you have while reading the Bible. Some people make notes in the Bible, some highlight sections, while others have a separate book. If you are a techno-whiz, consider taking notes on your mobile device for later reading or conversation with your mentor. Here’s a free app for just that purpose. https://Biblenotesapp.com/

•     Not a reader? No problem, many of the software versions of the Bible have “Read to Me” features in them, so that you can listen to the Bible while you are sitting, driving, commuting to work; all on your phone. Ask your mentor for some assistance in finding the right one for you.

The Bible Project: How to Read the Bible is a series of 19 videos about reading the bible.

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Prayer:

Father in Heaven, thank you for your word. Thank you that you have so cleverly and clearly carried your message through the ages so that at the right time and place, I can read the love letters and instructions you have given us. Please teach me how to read your word so that I can know you better.