How To Read the Bible

How do you read the Bible? Here are some suggestions:

--Begin with prayer.  Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind as you read and reflect on the bible verses.

--Read the verses out loud.  Notice words that stir feeling in you--curiosity, fear, doubt, peace, challenge, hope..  Write down the words if you want.  Write down questions or insights that you come to as you read.

--Think about the one who first wrote the words.  Who as it?  What was it like to be in the world at that time?   Why did the writer write these words?  What problem or situation is being addressed?  A good Bible commentary or Bible dictionary can help you answer these questions.

--Think about the people the message was for.  Who were the first hearers of this story?  What did the passage meant to them?  What difference could it have made in their lives?

--Write down your thoughts and discoveries.  Use Bible study tools like concordances, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, and atlases to explore answers to the questions you have.Other church members can help, too.

--When you have taken these steps, then ask yourself:
What have I learned about God from these passages?
What have I learned about myself from these passages?
What have I learned about others from these passages?
If I take these passages to heart, how am I being asked to change or grow?
How is my faith community being asked to change or grow?
In what ways do I feel  helped or healed by these passages?
How do the passages help y faith community?


(Guidance from Affirming Faith.  United Church Press:Cleveland, OH, 1996.)