By Randy Porter
(SNR) - For those hesitant or intimidated by the idea of studying the Bible, Vernon J. Steiner, Ph.D., and president of The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies in Lincoln offered seven answers.
“The Bible is fond of that number,” Steiner mused.
First, be clear about what the Bible is. If we view the Bible as a big and intimidating old book made up of a bunch of smaller old books filled with a lot of interesting stories, unpronounceable names, confusing information, and perhaps a little time-tested good advice, it will affect how we approach it. The same is true if we regard the Bible as a history book, science book or a rule book. Whatever else can be said about the Bible, it is above all the written revelation of God — inspired words through which God wants to talk to us. In these sacred writings, the living and true God has spoken and speaks. To become familiar with the Bible is to learn what God’s voice “sounds like” and to listen to what is on God’s mind.
Second, be prayerful as you approach the Bible. In these holy pages, we expect to hear God speak. That means we must come to the task of Bible reading and study with a disposition of receptivity in the same spirit with which the Scriptures are given. The God who speaks in the Scriptures is the God who speaks to those whose hearts are open and attuned through prayer.
Third, be a loving and respectful listener. Developing and deepening one’s familiarity with one’s spouse, children or friends always entails a willingness to let the other speak from the heart. Nothing hinders genuine familiarity more than the insistence on starting and controlling every conversation ourselves. Becoming familiar with the Bible requires letting God say what’s on His mind, without interrupting. In this light, humbly and respectfully listening becomes one of our highest forms of love.
Fourth, be Christ-centered every time you read, study or listen to the Bible. The entire Bible exists to bring us into a living, loving, and transforming encounter with our Lord. The Bible tells us this in many places, but none more compelling than the famous story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus with two of His disciples (Luke 24:13-49). Always ask, “How does this passage shed light on and tell the story of Jesus?”
Fifth, be open to helpful and reliable resources. “I can do it myself” might be cute for a 3-year-old, but it’s not the goal in learning to read and understand the Bible. We are blessed with many wonderful tools and resources such as books, online materials, websites, podcasts, radio programs and Emmaus Institute courses. They are designed to help us become familiar with the Bible. The Bible was not given to individuals as a kind of private self-help guide; it was given to the Church and is best learned and lived in the community in fellowship with others.
Sixth, be realistic in setting goals. It is illusory to imagine that one can master the Bible in a year, or even in a lifetime; in fact, Bible mastery is itself a misguided aim. The goal is not to master the Bible, but to be mastered by it, in a living encounter with the Triune God who speaks there; and the deeper one’s knowledge of this God and His Word, the more vast the object of that knowledge becomes.
Bible study done properly is by its very nature a humbling exercise. While it is possible to read the entire Bible in a year, and many Christians do, I generally encourage people to settle into a single book of Scripture such as one of the Gospels for a month or more — reading, praying, rereading, meditating, even memorizing selected passages. Then, move on to another book and repeat the process.
Seventh, be persevering and consistent. This is true of any undertaking worth pursuing; and the more valuable the enterprise, the truer the maxim: It’s always too soon to quit. Applying this conviction to the task at hand, it’s always too early to give up becoming familiar with the Divine Voice that speaks from the pages of Sacred Scripture. Start where you are, keep going, and never stop learning and listening. Even small steps are better than none at all. Progress in any undertaking encourages further progress.
