How Do You Read The Bible?
In many ways the answer to this question is easy - pick it up and start reading. However, it won't be long before you read something that leaves you scratching your head, reaching for a dictionary, or asking questions like, "what's with all the animal sacrifice?". This is because the bible is an ancient book written to people who lived in the ancient world, but this doesn't mean it has nothing to say to us today - far from it in fact. To get you started reading the bible for yourself there are helpful things to know, and plenty or resources to help you know them, and this page will help you get started by answering 3 questions:
1. What is the bible?
2. Why should you read the bible?
3. How do you read the bible?
1. What is the Bible?
The bible is a collection of 66 books, written by 40 different authors, in 3 languages (Hebrew, Ancient Greek, and a little Aramaic) over approximately 1,500 years that come together to give one account of how God has saved us through His son Jesus. The bible is the primary way God has revealed himself to the world. It is the best place to go in order to know God, to understand His plan of salvation, and to comprehend why it is the best news anyone could know.
2. Why read the Bible?
Why wouldn't you? No other book in the history of the world has shaped our world, and changed the lives of people, like the bible. The question to ask is, "why?". The asotunding answer is, because it is the word of God.
3. How do you read the Bible?
There are a wealth of tools, both online and in the form of other books, that can help you immensely as you read the bible. Below are some links to those resources to get you started. The bible is a big book and often the question is, "Where do I start?". Start with one of the 4 Gospel accounts of Jesus - Matthew, Mark, Luke or John - and get to the know the person at the centre of the Bible's story.
Listen to this talk delivered at our church on how to read the bible well.
Check out this website for great video presentations to help you understand each of the different books in the Bible, as well as the Bible's big themes.
Finally, here are three key things you can do to help you read the Bible:
1. Pray - Ask God to help you understand His word.
2. Get along to Sunday worship - Come and hear the Bible taught and preached with other Christians.
3. Read with someone - Find a committed Christian who can read the Bible with you and help you as you go.
