Last summer I done what i have done the past two summer which is read the whole Bible in 90 days. Having spent most of my life reading smaller selections, reading it in big swaths has been great. The thing I notice the most is how you can miss the forest from the trees or vice versa. Reading in large chunks really helps you to “carry the narrative” across the span of God’s Word. Connecting Old and New together is so much easier. God’s activity throughout history: His consistency, His intentions, His grace, His expectations – they all come into focus for me as I read through big chunks. Very worth it.
This brings me a classic example of the importance of reading Scripture within in it’s own context – the book of Ecclesiastes. To understand Ecclesiastes, it has to be read in the context of the rest of Scriptures. This seems logical and perhaps should go without saying. Reality is – people need to be reminded constantly that Scripture interprets itself; therefore we need to read all Scripture within the context of itself. Read on its own, Ecclesiastes can paint a picture of God, the purpose for His creation, and our lives that is not very complimentary and inspired. But when read in the context of the rest of God’s Word, Ecclesiastes’ purpose become much clearer and we learn something fundamentally important about God. Reading pericopes (small sections of Scripture) has it’s value, this is not an argument against this. What it is is a corrective to the practice of most evangelicals who tend to read smaller passages and perhaps miss the forest for the trees.
The rule stands – the more Scripture you read, the better you understand it, the better you understand the sense of it, and the better you understand the God who communicated it.
Just read!
This brings me a classic example of the importance of reading Scripture within in it’s own context – the book of Ecclesiastes. To understand Ecclesiastes, it has to be read in the context of the rest of Scriptures. This seems logical and perhaps should go without saying. Reality is – people need to be reminded constantly that Scripture interprets itself; therefore we need to read all Scripture within the context of itself. Read on its own, Ecclesiastes can paint a picture of God, the purpose for His creation, and our lives that is not very complimentary and inspired. But when read in the context of the rest of God’s Word, Ecclesiastes’ purpose become much clearer and we learn something fundamentally important about God. Reading pericopes (small sections of Scripture) has it’s value, this is not an argument against this. What it is is a corrective to the practice of most evangelicals who tend to read smaller passages and perhaps miss the forest for the trees.
The rule stands – the more Scripture you read, the better you understand it, the better you understand the sense of it, and the better you understand the God who communicated it.
Just read!
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