March 28

How not to read the Bible (my take)

Posted at 10:36 AM

Inspired by Glen Scrivener. You’ll notice one big difference in my take, which is probably telling.

Lord, help me understand this passage. I know that without you, my ears will be closed to your message. Please teach me. Amen. Okay… Luke 5. Oh, I know this passage. The disciples don’t catch any fish until Jesus gets there, and then loads arrive. Now, it’s probably easy to fall into some exegetical trap here – not quite sure what, but I’ve got to be careful. Oh wait, I’ve thought of something. The disciples didn’t succeed because Jesus wasn’t there, but now we have Jesus our every effort will be fruitful, and if it’s not, well, we don’t trust Jesus enough. That’s the wrong way to read this, so I’ll avoid thinking that…

…what do these Bible reading notes say? Hmm, not sure that’s very helpful – “in what ways is Simon an example to us?” We don’t want to be falling into the trap of just gaining moral example from the Bible, now, do we? It’s about revealing Jesus, and being transformed by him. Some people just don’t get it…

…so all I seem to get here is stuff about the power of Jesus. Yeah, got that – he did a load of healing in chapter 4, and of course I know he’s powerful already. So what else is there? Ah, he makes them fishers of men at the end. So today’s message is: do more evangelism. I think I can allow that: in this context what Jesus tells the disciples must be applicable to me. Right. Got it. On with the day.

Sometimes I read the Bible worried I’m going to interpret it wrong, and so ignore the obvious. Sometimes I read it looking for a specific encouragement for the day, and just find a very familiar story. I pray that God would teach me, and that a greater sight of Jesus would transform me – and then make Bible reading an intellectual exercise. Too often I think “I know that, give me something fresh!”. I don’t see that I’ve lost an opportunity to re-fresh my love of Jesus, through seeing his power, his holiness, his love, his excellence afresh. Most of all, my Bible reading and my prayer become me-centred, rather than giving me a chance to become more Jesus-centred and other-centred.

Is my theology of human responsibility so weak that I think all I need to do is read the passage for five minutes and that’s good enough?

3 Comments · Tags: , ,

Comments

  1. Hey Matthew, That really resonates.

    Now, let me try to guess the difference. Here’s one that springs to mind. We both are talking about a ‘theology’ that threatens to insulate us from the word. My piece was about how the word travels to me through the theology. I read to inform my ‘theology’ and then hopefully my ‘theology’ encourages me.

    Your piece seems to be more how you come to the word through your theology (your theology allows what reading you’re allowed to have).

    So I was highlighting the path from the word and how we pass it through a theology – you are highlighting our approach to the word and how we read it through spectacles?

    Or is that being a bit too nuanced? Go on, what’s the difference?

    Glen on

  2. Just been rummaging around your blog. You’re coming to Sussex soon? Or are you already in Sussex? I’m in Eastbourne. Whereabouts are you (planning to be)?

    Glen on

  3. Hehe – in some ways it’s far more obvious than that, though you’ve summarised both dangers very nicely! The major difference I was referring to was the absence of God from my “conversation” – an all-too-regular occurrence when I’m supposed to be spending time with him! There’s an irony in my request for him to open my ears to his message, because I’ll too often pray that and then lapse back into dry intellectualism, or looking for the “right” answers in the text.

    As to where I’ll be in Sussex, I’m moving to Brighton once I graduate to do Relay with Sussex University CU. I don’t yet have anywhere to live specifically!

    Matthew on