Jan 24, 2012
The One Question That Will Revolutionize How You Read the Bible
There is one question you can ask while studying the Bible that will help you see more, learn more, and hopefully apply more than you ever could by just reading the stories.
The Bible is full of people who were just like us. It was written by people just like us. The details are there, tucked away in the spare prose and poetry. The trouble is how to unlock those details so that we can relate to the people in the Bible and sort out what it means for us.
We’re not used to reading books like the Bible. There are a lot of ways that’s true, but one obvious detail is that the Bible wasn’t typed on a computer with infinite pages. The writers of the Bible couldn’t pick up legal pads at Staples or drop off a manuscript at a printing press.
The Bible was written on scrolls—precious, limiting scrolls that could only hold so much. Long-winded writers need not apply for writing the Bible.
These authors were masterful in their economy of words. They distilled stories down to the most important details. If we see something in the Bible, no matter how small the detail, we need to ask, “Why is this here?”
This one question will help you dig into the backstory and the implied situations described in each story.
There are lots of other really good questions that will help you study Bible. However, this one question:
- Forces us to slow down
- Helps us read carefully
- Places us in the events recorded with new eyes
If we can answer the question, “Why is this here?” we may be able to figure out what the Bible has to say to us. We may find hidden treasures. We may even find out why we’re here.
[...] TweetThe One Question That Will Revolutionize How You Read the Bible from In a Mirror Dimly (And I highly recommend reading the Bible chronologically at least once if you have never done so. It will give you a greater appreciation for how it all fits together. There is a treasure trove of Bible reading plans here.) [...]
Hi Ed,
I’m not sure if you’ve read anything about biblical literary structure, but a powerful addendum to the point you make here is to look first (or primarily) at the chiastic pinnacle of each narrative, and ask “why is this here?” For instance, the pinnacle of the entire Sinai Treaty (which is argued to be the first 6 books of the Bible) has a centerpiece. Namely, “protect and help the poor, foreigner, widows and orphans, (the weakest and most disadvantaged). This reveals what (and who) is important to God, and what God is like.
This tact is helpful because Scripture was actually not meant to be read, but heard.It was read to large groups of people, not carried around on an iPhone, or paperback. Writers carefully built in a chiastic structure to feature the main point at the center of the story. Supporting pieces sandwiched and supported this main point. It made it far easier to remember, or pass along orally, as well. (In fact nearly all stories were written this way in ancient lit. The Iliad and Odyssey, for instance …same thing)
For the O.T. Dr David Dorsey has covered the literary structure that highlights each book. Dr Douglas Buckwalter is working on the New Testmt.