The Bible:
Where did it come from? Who wrote it? How did it get here?
It comes from several places, years, people, and experiences. You can see Egypt, Rome, and Israel. You can meet an Ethiopian, Greeks, Roman centurions. You can visit the beginning of time. You can visit the restoration of the world. You can visit the time Jesus lived. You can hang out with Abraham. The Bible is living history. Those who say that time travel can’t be invented are wrong because the Bible is a time machine.
There were several different authors, i.e. Moses, Joshua, Mark, John, and Paul, each inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the words contained within the Bible. While a lot of historical study has been done to discover the authors, comparing writing styles, and determining if said person really wrote the book or letter or if someone wrote it in their name, it is important to remember that although this historical study can be fascinating and helpful in finding the meaning of a particular text, it is much more important to remember the message and that this is what/how God wants us to hear him and see him.
It started with oral tradition, eventually someone thought it would be important to write these stories down. And through time, there were editors, translators, and people copying word for word putting it in book form. For hundreds and hundreds of years, it has been like that and now the Bible is the highest-selling, most-translated book of all time. And lives are being changed because through the reading of the Bible, they have come to know Jesus Christ and through continual reading of the Bible, their faith grows and is deepened.
Why Read It?
It is not just a book. It is not ancient history because as the old adage goes, there is nothing new under the sun. That a saying from Ecclesiastes, if you did not know. It is living history. It is as alive today as when the Hebrews told their stories, as exciting when the disciples told their stories, as new when Paul wrote his letters. It is a living organism given to us to help us, show us, and serve as a guide along the way of faith. It is a very influential factor in how we live, how we behave, what we do, what we do not do. It shows us how we can be real Christians, how we can really be Christlike. We read it to see it what it means to follow God. We read it to encounter God. We read it to discover the meaning of our lives.
Bible Reading or Bible Study?
Reading the Bible is simple and easy. Pick it up like you would any book and read. While we certainly can read it, we should do so much more with it, which is why we study it. To study the Bible means that we heavily analyze and research the text. We study it to discern what the text means. We study it to discern how we can apply it to our life. Sometimes a meaning is clear and sometimes we cannot see the meaning unless we intensely investigate the passage, its context, history, and other interpretations. This type of investigation is called exegesis, which means to lead out or to draw out. To exegete a scripture passage means to lead the meaning out of the text. Exegeting helps us to discover the original intent of the author, we look for what it meant in the past to discover what it means today.
Tools
In studying scripture, we must rely on various tools to help us determine and discover the meaning of the text.
Tool 1: Consult various translations to see how they each handle the passage. Perhaps, note the differences and similarities in translation.
Tool 2: Define all the significant terms and words in the passage, either by consulting a dictionary, a Bible dictionary, or construct your own working definition.
Tool 3: Research the background of the book. Who was its author, who were its original readers, and what problems/issues does the book address.
Tool 4: Note the author’s argument. Determine what point the author is making. Note other places in scripture where the author makes the same argument.
Tool 5: Write down your questions and observations.
Tool 6: Consult an expert. The local library will have several books by biblical scholars which can help explain the text’s meaning. Also, being so close to two seminaries and a Christian college, I imagine that a professor would be willing to answer any questions you may have.
Tool 7: Various books and resources - Bible translations, dictionaries, handbooks, commentaries, concordances, atlases, parallels, and harmonies.
If you are serious about wanting to learn more about the Bible and want to discover its meaning, you should get involved in a Bible study. There are official organizations such as Bible Study Fellowship or you can arrange a group with your friends to study a text. However you do it, make sure that you have access to various tools and are able to properly exegete a text.
Discussion:
Who are some people in your life that you can go to with questions about a text? What can these people offer?
Do you agree that if you read the Bible, understand it, and apply it then it’s okay to not go to church?
Do you agree that only experts and church authorities can understand the Bible? Why or why not?