More than a Book

The Bible is so much more than words on a page. That’s because God shaped the Bible to show followers of Jesus how to live and love. Let’s see if we can start understanding this amazing book.

Modern Bibles contain two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament was written after the life of Jesus, which means that Jesus only read from the Old Testament. How Jesus understood and spoke of the Old Testament helps us know how to read and understand the whole Bible.

Let’s start by looking at two ways Jesus used the Bible.

1. Jesus used the Bible to show God’s love for people.

One day a person asked Jesus, “What is the greatest command from God?” Jesus answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40 NLT).

Jesus quoted the Bible to help people understand the heart of God and how He calls us to live. So, as we read the Bible, it can be helpful to ask the question, “How does this help me love God and love others?”

2. Jesus used the Bible in context.

In Matthew 4, Jesus is tempted by Satan. The enemy quotes the Bible to make his lies sound like spiritual wisdom - but Jesus isn’t fooled…because He understands the value of context.

Biblical authors wrote in different languages and perspectives from what we have today. When we read the Bible, it’s important to ask questions like

• Who wrote this?
• Who’s the audience?
• What’s the genre (poetry, history, letter, etc.)?
• What’s happening in this book or chapter?

When we don’t read in context, we risk missing the point the Bible is trying to make, and instead draw a conclusion that’s opposite from what God intends.

The Bible is more than words on a page. It’s a gift from God with the power to transform us from the inside out. This is why it can be helpful to think of this practice as studying or learning the Bible instead of just reading it. The Bible is meant to be read, re-read, explored, and meditated/reflected on - over and over again.

When most of us start reading the Bible it can seem intimidating…so big…so much… where does one even start? May we suggest beginning in the Book of John, it’s the fourth book in the New Testament. Start with reading one chapter a day for the next 21 days and let’s see what happens!