Biblical Literacy
The Mustard Seed newsletter, Campus Ministry column
September 2017 - May 2018
Pastor Ron Friedrich
September 2017 - May 2018
Pastor Ron Friedrich
Let's blow off the dust...
Alice Hagemeyer has been faithful contributing editor to our Mustard Seed newsletter. She is passionate about Deaf cultural history. She is concerned that many Deaf people don't know their own story. They don't know the great Deaf innovators and pioneers in ASL advocacy and education. Alice sees this heritage as a rich treasure which may be lost and forgotten as the eyes of a generation of Deaf are so glued to their Samsung and iPhone screens they lack basic literacy in their own culture.
I understand Alice Hagemeyer's frustration. I have a similar passion. I grieve that we live in a generation of Christians who lack basic Biblical literacy. They don't know the difference between Samson and Samuel, or the difference between Gamaliel and Gomorrah.
One man I visited a few times every year lived in a distant rural town. He was always glad to see me. While we sat and chatted in his living room, he tried to make a good impression by reaching over to the table next to the couch, pick up his Bible, and blow off the dust that had accumulated since my last visit. Then he put the Bible back on the table, and there it sat unopened.
Friends, it's time to blow off the dust and OPEN THE BOOK!
Alice Hagemeyer has been faithful contributing editor to our Mustard Seed newsletter. She is passionate about Deaf cultural history. She is concerned that many Deaf people don't know their own story. They don't know the great Deaf innovators and pioneers in ASL advocacy and education. Alice sees this heritage as a rich treasure which may be lost and forgotten as the eyes of a generation of Deaf are so glued to their Samsung and iPhone screens they lack basic literacy in their own culture.
I understand Alice Hagemeyer's frustration. I have a similar passion. I grieve that we live in a generation of Christians who lack basic Biblical literacy. They don't know the difference between Samson and Samuel, or the difference between Gamaliel and Gomorrah.
One man I visited a few times every year lived in a distant rural town. He was always glad to see me. While we sat and chatted in his living room, he tried to make a good impression by reaching over to the table next to the couch, pick up his Bible, and blow off the dust that had accumulated since my last visit. Then he put the Bible back on the table, and there it sat unopened.
Friends, it's time to blow off the dust and OPEN THE BOOK!
Where to start?
The thought of reading the Bible can be intimidating. Trying to read any thick book with that many pages can feel like trying to swim across the ocean. Don't look at the Bible as one big book. Rather, see it as a library of 66 small books. And you can digest each of those small books in even smaller bites – read just a little bit each time.
Another challenge in reading the Bible is the language. Yes, the Bible has been translated into English, in many different versions. The most accurate English translations can be difficult for first-time Bible readers. I was able to take my first dive into the Bible by reading a translation that is phrased in everyday English. Back in my time we had the Good News Bible and the Living Bible. Now we have many more modern English versions of the Bible. Some, like the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) and the New Century Version (NCV) are "easy English" translations for people who have a different primary language, like ASL.
All easy English versions of the Bible have some minor flaws. But it is better to read a weak translation than to not read the Bible at all. After you become familiar with the Bible text, you can put aside the easy English version and dig deeper into a more accurate translation, like the ESV, NASB, or NKJV. The Bible translation I recommend is the one in which you sense God speaking to you. You can compare various English versions of the Bible at biblegateway.com.
If you have never seriously read the Bible before, I suggest starting with one of the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John), which tell the story of Jesus. One chapter each day is easy to read. And each chapter has enough to think about during the day. Also, start a journal to write down your thoughts, insights, and questions while you read.
The thought of reading the Bible can be intimidating. Trying to read any thick book with that many pages can feel like trying to swim across the ocean. Don't look at the Bible as one big book. Rather, see it as a library of 66 small books. And you can digest each of those small books in even smaller bites – read just a little bit each time.
Another challenge in reading the Bible is the language. Yes, the Bible has been translated into English, in many different versions. The most accurate English translations can be difficult for first-time Bible readers. I was able to take my first dive into the Bible by reading a translation that is phrased in everyday English. Back in my time we had the Good News Bible and the Living Bible. Now we have many more modern English versions of the Bible. Some, like the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) and the New Century Version (NCV) are "easy English" translations for people who have a different primary language, like ASL.
All easy English versions of the Bible have some minor flaws. But it is better to read a weak translation than to not read the Bible at all. After you become familiar with the Bible text, you can put aside the easy English version and dig deeper into a more accurate translation, like the ESV, NASB, or NKJV. The Bible translation I recommend is the one in which you sense God speaking to you. You can compare various English versions of the Bible at biblegateway.com.
If you have never seriously read the Bible before, I suggest starting with one of the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John), which tell the story of Jesus. One chapter each day is easy to read. And each chapter has enough to think about during the day. Also, start a journal to write down your thoughts, insights, and questions while you read.
[Lord,] Your Word is like a lamp that shows me the way.
It is like a light that guides me. (Psalm 119:105)
It is like a light that guides me. (Psalm 119:105)
Seeing the Big Picture
Often people tell me, "My friends know the Bible better than I do. They learned it when they were growing up. But I didn’t have that opportunity. How can I learn it now?"
One of the important keys for understanding Scripture is seeing the "big picture." The Bible is full of stories. How do those stories connect with each other? Where do those stories fit in the history of the Bible?
When people want to see the Bible’s "big picture," I suggest they read Egermeier's Bible Story Book. This is my family’s favorite Bible story book. We have worn out several copies. It tells the story of the Bible simply, clearly, and accurately. If you read just one story each day, straight through from beginning to end, you begin to see how all those Bible stories flow together as one big picture. Even though Elsie Egermeier wrote the book over 100 years ago for parents to read to their children, some of my adult friends have read through it a couple times for themselves. Now when they read the same stories directly from the Bible, they can better understand where each story fits in the context of the whole Bible.
Another key to understanding history is knowing geography -- the land and the layout of the places where events occurred. You can’t understand American history without studying maps. The same is true with Bible history. For example:
Most Bibles have maps in the back. They often have several maps that show the same places at different times in history. While you read stories in the Bible, first figure out which of those maps applies to the time period you are studying. Then look for the specific locations named in those stories. Also, on our website (christdeaf.org/bible) we have a video that matches each of the history books of the Old Testament to a map of the Middle East, that shows you how the flow of Bible history fits geography. We also have a map that compares the Middle East in Bible times with Middle Eastern countries today.
One of the challenges in trying to track the history of the Old Testament is that several events happened at the same time. There was a long period in history when the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms -- one north and the other south. The Bible tells many stories about the kings of Israel, both north and south. The Bible tells about the prophets of Israel, both north and south. Many of those stories overlap. Our online Bible study page has a helpful chart which lists Israel’s northern and southern kings and prophets side-by-side. Print that chart and keep it in your Bible so you can refer to it while you read to get a better sense how those stories fit together.
While we read various Bible stories, we must remember how they fit in the big story, the main story -- the story of God’s work through human history to connect us to Himself through Jesus Christ. At christdeaf.org/academy we offer a set of online courses which help students learn the Bible’s big picture.
Often people tell me, "My friends know the Bible better than I do. They learned it when they were growing up. But I didn’t have that opportunity. How can I learn it now?"
One of the important keys for understanding Scripture is seeing the "big picture." The Bible is full of stories. How do those stories connect with each other? Where do those stories fit in the history of the Bible?
When people want to see the Bible’s "big picture," I suggest they read Egermeier's Bible Story Book. This is my family’s favorite Bible story book. We have worn out several copies. It tells the story of the Bible simply, clearly, and accurately. If you read just one story each day, straight through from beginning to end, you begin to see how all those Bible stories flow together as one big picture. Even though Elsie Egermeier wrote the book over 100 years ago for parents to read to their children, some of my adult friends have read through it a couple times for themselves. Now when they read the same stories directly from the Bible, they can better understand where each story fits in the context of the whole Bible.
Another key to understanding history is knowing geography -- the land and the layout of the places where events occurred. You can’t understand American history without studying maps. The same is true with Bible history. For example:
- The story about Daniel in the lions den – When and where did that happen? And why did it happen at that time and in that place?
- The story about Jonah and the big fish – What and where are the places named in that story? You will never fully understand the importance of stories like these without learning both the geography and timeline of Israel’s history.
Most Bibles have maps in the back. They often have several maps that show the same places at different times in history. While you read stories in the Bible, first figure out which of those maps applies to the time period you are studying. Then look for the specific locations named in those stories. Also, on our website (christdeaf.org/bible) we have a video that matches each of the history books of the Old Testament to a map of the Middle East, that shows you how the flow of Bible history fits geography. We also have a map that compares the Middle East in Bible times with Middle Eastern countries today.
One of the challenges in trying to track the history of the Old Testament is that several events happened at the same time. There was a long period in history when the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms -- one north and the other south. The Bible tells many stories about the kings of Israel, both north and south. The Bible tells about the prophets of Israel, both north and south. Many of those stories overlap. Our online Bible study page has a helpful chart which lists Israel’s northern and southern kings and prophets side-by-side. Print that chart and keep it in your Bible so you can refer to it while you read to get a better sense how those stories fit together.
While we read various Bible stories, we must remember how they fit in the big story, the main story -- the story of God’s work through human history to connect us to Himself through Jesus Christ. At christdeaf.org/academy we offer a set of online courses which help students learn the Bible’s big picture.
Context! Context! Context!
When someone asks me the meaning of a verse in the Bible, I usually ask the questioner: "What does the context say?" Who is the speaker or writer of that verse? To whom is he/she speaking? What is background situation? Look at the whole chapter to figure out the main point.
Sometimes a Bible verse hits us in a special way – and that can be a good thing. But we often make the mistake of taking that verse out of its context and making into a bumper-sticker slogan, while we ignore the writer’s main point. We run the risk of twisting the meaning of the verse to fit our own ideas. This mistake is the source of a lot of false teaching. (For examples of this error, see our Bible Study resource page, and click links to "Left Behind" and "Jehovah’s Witnesses.") We can clear up a lot of misunderstanding about the Bible when we read every verse in its own context.
The Bible is not just one big book. It is a library of 66 smaller books. These 66 books have various authors, writing in various styles in various times and places. All that is important for understanding each author’s message.
Notice how those 66 books in the Bible are organized. At first glance we see the Bible has two parts:
Some of the authors of the Bible are clearly identified in the text. Examples: David, Isaiah, Paul, Peter, John.
Some authors are identified in the titles of the books they wrote: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Some of the Bible's authors are unknown.
God inspired each of the Bible's authors what to write. God was considerate of each author's writing style. When we read any text of the Bible, we must take notice of style of literature the author used. Is it historical prose? Is is poetic imagery? (What kind of poetry?) Is it prayer? (What kind of prayer?) Is it prophecy? (What kind of prophecy?) That is all part of context.
Often when people read Old Testament history, they are shocked to read about violence, especially violence that God Himself incited. Without considering the context of those stories, they reject the Old Testament. Some people assume the Bible has two different gods – a nasty God in the OT and a nice Jesus in the NT. But what does the CONTEXT show us?
The God of the Bible shows both justice and mercy. (People don't like justice; they only want mercy. But mercy means nothing without justice.) The communities that God destroyed in the OT were themselves practicing horrible violence and abuse, including human sacrifice. God used Israel to bring that violence to an end... until Israel later adopted the same vile practices! (See Leviticus 18:24-28.) And as for "Gentle Jesus," read His description of what happens to those who reject Him (Matt. 11:20-24; 13:41-42; 22:13-14).
When we read the whole Bible, the little parts make more sense.
When someone asks me the meaning of a verse in the Bible, I usually ask the questioner: "What does the context say?" Who is the speaker or writer of that verse? To whom is he/she speaking? What is background situation? Look at the whole chapter to figure out the main point.
Sometimes a Bible verse hits us in a special way – and that can be a good thing. But we often make the mistake of taking that verse out of its context and making into a bumper-sticker slogan, while we ignore the writer’s main point. We run the risk of twisting the meaning of the verse to fit our own ideas. This mistake is the source of a lot of false teaching. (For examples of this error, see our Bible Study resource page, and click links to "Left Behind" and "Jehovah’s Witnesses.") We can clear up a lot of misunderstanding about the Bible when we read every verse in its own context.
The Bible is not just one big book. It is a library of 66 smaller books. These 66 books have various authors, writing in various styles in various times and places. All that is important for understanding each author’s message.
Notice how those 66 books in the Bible are organized. At first glance we see the Bible has two parts:
- Old Testament (39 books written before Christ came)
- New Testament (27 books written after Christ came)
- history (17)
- poetry (5)
- prophecy (17)
- history (5)
- letters (21)
- prophecy (1)
Some of the authors of the Bible are clearly identified in the text. Examples: David, Isaiah, Paul, Peter, John.
Some authors are identified in the titles of the books they wrote: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Some of the Bible's authors are unknown.
God inspired each of the Bible's authors what to write. God was considerate of each author's writing style. When we read any text of the Bible, we must take notice of style of literature the author used. Is it historical prose? Is is poetic imagery? (What kind of poetry?) Is it prayer? (What kind of prayer?) Is it prophecy? (What kind of prophecy?) That is all part of context.
Often when people read Old Testament history, they are shocked to read about violence, especially violence that God Himself incited. Without considering the context of those stories, they reject the Old Testament. Some people assume the Bible has two different gods – a nasty God in the OT and a nice Jesus in the NT. But what does the CONTEXT show us?
The God of the Bible shows both justice and mercy. (People don't like justice; they only want mercy. But mercy means nothing without justice.) The communities that God destroyed in the OT were themselves practicing horrible violence and abuse, including human sacrifice. God used Israel to bring that violence to an end... until Israel later adopted the same vile practices! (See Leviticus 18:24-28.) And as for "Gentle Jesus," read His description of what happens to those who reject Him (Matt. 11:20-24; 13:41-42; 22:13-14).
When we read the whole Bible, the little parts make more sense.
The Central Message of the Bible
There is one more important context to consider when we read the Bible: What is the central message of the Bible? What is the main point of it all? What is the connection between the Old Testament and the New Testament? What is the thread that ties those 66 books of the Bible together?
Answer: Christ Jesus.
There is one more important context to consider when we read the Bible: What is the central message of the Bible? What is the main point of it all? What is the connection between the Old Testament and the New Testament? What is the thread that ties those 66 books of the Bible together?
Answer: Christ Jesus.
The entire Bible tells the story of God’s relationship with His human creation. Starting in first book of the Bible, in Genesis 3:15, we see God’s first promise to send a Savior to correct the problem of sin that infects the human race.
It is amazing that in just a few verses we see both the beginning of The Problem (our sin) and the beginning of The Solution (our Savior). The Bible calls those two great truths: LAW and GOSPEL. We could call them: the Bad News / Good News.
The Bad News is that, just like our first parents, we have rebelled against God's authority. The first temptation was: "You will be as God." That is the root of every sin. Each one of us wants to be our own god. We decide for ourselves what is right or wrong. We decide what is good or evil. When we face the choice of doing what God wants or doing what we want, we push God aside.
How has that worked out for us? How well do we manage as "god"? Terrible! We have messed up our own lives and we have messed up God's beautiful world.
But the Good News is that God still loves us and He made an amazing way to bring us back into fellowship with Him and to correct the damage we have caused.
Just as we have tried to become like God, in Jesus Christ He became like us – fully human, but without sin. And then He took into Himself all of our sin, all of our rebellion. He became guilty of all the wrong that we have done, and for that He suffered and died on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, we are forgiven.
Through the entire Bible we see that message repeated and amplified. The Old Testament in prophecy looks forward to the coming of the Savior. The New Testament looks back to fulfillment of that amazing promise in Jesus Christ. And then the Bible turns our attention forward again to the End of Time and to our life in Christ for eternity.
If we stay focused on the Bible's central message about Christ, we reduce our risk of becoming distracted, confused, or deceived by scam teachers who have become expert in pulling Scripture verses out of context. Knowing Jesus helps the whole Bible make sense. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, as He has revealed Himself in the Bible, we reduce our risk of falling into despair when evil in the world seems to overpower good.
If we read the Bible without seeing Jesus, we miss the point. Jesus said, "You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study are a witness about Me." (John 5:39 NIRV)
John the Apostle wrote, "These things are written so that you can believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God. By believing, you will have life in His Name."
It is amazing that in just a few verses we see both the beginning of The Problem (our sin) and the beginning of The Solution (our Savior). The Bible calls those two great truths: LAW and GOSPEL. We could call them: the Bad News / Good News.
The Bad News is that, just like our first parents, we have rebelled against God's authority. The first temptation was: "You will be as God." That is the root of every sin. Each one of us wants to be our own god. We decide for ourselves what is right or wrong. We decide what is good or evil. When we face the choice of doing what God wants or doing what we want, we push God aside.
How has that worked out for us? How well do we manage as "god"? Terrible! We have messed up our own lives and we have messed up God's beautiful world.
But the Good News is that God still loves us and He made an amazing way to bring us back into fellowship with Him and to correct the damage we have caused.
Just as we have tried to become like God, in Jesus Christ He became like us – fully human, but without sin. And then He took into Himself all of our sin, all of our rebellion. He became guilty of all the wrong that we have done, and for that He suffered and died on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, we are forgiven.
Through the entire Bible we see that message repeated and amplified. The Old Testament in prophecy looks forward to the coming of the Savior. The New Testament looks back to fulfillment of that amazing promise in Jesus Christ. And then the Bible turns our attention forward again to the End of Time and to our life in Christ for eternity.
If we stay focused on the Bible's central message about Christ, we reduce our risk of becoming distracted, confused, or deceived by scam teachers who have become expert in pulling Scripture verses out of context. Knowing Jesus helps the whole Bible make sense. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, as He has revealed Himself in the Bible, we reduce our risk of falling into despair when evil in the world seems to overpower good.
If we read the Bible without seeing Jesus, we miss the point. Jesus said, "You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study are a witness about Me." (John 5:39 NIRV)
John the Apostle wrote, "These things are written so that you can believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God. By believing, you will have life in His Name."
History is Important
The Bible is like a library. It is a collection of many different kinds of literature – history, poetry, songs, prayers, teaching, and prophecy. As you begin your study of the Bible, begin in the history books. History gives you the context for everything else in the Bible. When you know history, you have a strong foundation for understanding all that is built on that history. This is true for all of life, not just the Bible. History is "His Story," God's story.
You will find most of the Bible's history in the first half of the Old Testament (Genesis - Esther) and the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew - Acts). There is additional information scattered among other books of the Bible that gives us further details.
The Bible is like a library. It is a collection of many different kinds of literature – history, poetry, songs, prayers, teaching, and prophecy. As you begin your study of the Bible, begin in the history books. History gives you the context for everything else in the Bible. When you know history, you have a strong foundation for understanding all that is built on that history. This is true for all of life, not just the Bible. History is "His Story," God's story.
You will find most of the Bible's history in the first half of the Old Testament (Genesis - Esther) and the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew - Acts). There is additional information scattered among other books of the Bible that gives us further details.
Description vs Proscription
While you read the history of the Bible, it is important to recognize the difference between description vs proscription.
The history of the Bible describes what happened, both wonderful things and terrible things. Often God's people made foolish or questionable decisions, just like we do. As you read the Bible's description of those events, remember that God did not always direct people to do what they did.
Proscriptions are those things that God commands (proscribes) which agree with His character and apply to us today. Examples include the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17) and Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7). Some of God's commands were only for Old Testament Israel, which do not apply to us today. Examples include commands about Israel's worship rituals and battle tactics. While these are not commandments that He directs to us, they still can teach us important principles about God's justice and mercy. For example, the New Testament book of Hebrews explains how Old Testament rituals point to Jesus Christ as our Savior.
While you read the history of the Bible, it is important to recognize the difference between description vs proscription.
The history of the Bible describes what happened, both wonderful things and terrible things. Often God's people made foolish or questionable decisions, just like we do. As you read the Bible's description of those events, remember that God did not always direct people to do what they did.
Proscriptions are those things that God commands (proscribes) which agree with His character and apply to us today. Examples include the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17) and Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7). Some of God's commands were only for Old Testament Israel, which do not apply to us today. Examples include commands about Israel's worship rituals and battle tactics. While these are not commandments that He directs to us, they still can teach us important principles about God's justice and mercy. For example, the New Testament book of Hebrews explains how Old Testament rituals point to Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Bible Study Resources
One way to grow in your understanding of the Bible is to use a daily reading guide, like the one we print in each issue of the Mustard Seed. We also offer several classes online which help us see the Bible's "big picture."
At Bible Study resource page you will find several Bible courses:
There is no better way to study the Bible than to take a little time each day just to read it and let God speak to you through His Word.
~~ Pastor Ron
One way to grow in your understanding of the Bible is to use a daily reading guide, like the one we print in each issue of the Mustard Seed. We also offer several classes online which help us see the Bible's "big picture."
At Bible Study resource page you will find several Bible courses:
- A "Bible Tour" of familiar Bible stories
- Intro to the Old Testament
- Intro to the New Testament
- Many other helpful Bible studies
- How to Study the Bible
- OT and NT History
- Everyday Life in Bible Times
There is no better way to study the Bible than to take a little time each day just to read it and let God speak to you through His Word.
~~ Pastor Ron