Beef Up Your Bible Reading 2

It’s not rocket science. The Bible isn’t a book of puzzles. It’s not a book whose meaning is obscure. The Bible wasn’t written for the ‘specially clever or the ‘specially gifted, it was written in plain language for ordinary people. Yes, of course you’ll have to put some work in and yes, it will demand time and effort if you want to understand it properly, but you can do it. Don’t be afraid of your Bible. It’s not beyond you. What’s more, if you do put in the effort and devote the time, I promise, you’ll find the work rewarding and consider the time well spent.

Whenever you read a book — any book — you take it for granted that what you’re reading means what the person who wrote it intended it to mean. I know, some authors are better at expressing their thoughts than others, so with some of them you have to think a bit to work out what they mean. Nevertheless, always you assume that what you, as a reader, are required to do is understand what the writer intended to get across to you.

You should read the Bible in the same way. Read it — whatever part you’re reading — with this question in mind: What thought, or thoughts did the person who wrote this intend to pass on to the people he first wrote it for? When you can answer that question you have understood what you’re reading properly.

Over the next few weeks I’ll give you some tips on how to find that answer, but for now here are a couple of thoughts to mull over.

If what I have said is right, then anything you read from the Bible can only have one meaning, and that meaning is fixed: it never changes. The same verse or passage cannot mean one thing to you today and something different tomorrow. The same verse or passage cannot mean one thing to you and another thing to someone else. So, if you hear someone say, “What this passage means to me is…”, or, “It might mean that to you but to me it means…”, be careful.

If what I have said is not right then ultimately you can’t be sure of the meaning of anything you read in the Bible. If I’m wrong, the Bible is not a book of absolute truth and you do not have in it a solid foundation on which you can build your life.

And think too about whether or not you are prepared to put some effort and time into beefing up your Bible reading.

“Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day.”

Psalm 119:97