Bible Study 101 #3

IF, as we have written the last couple of weeks, the Bible is a collection of old manuscripts because none of the originals exist; and IF, as we noted, there is some minor disagreement between these old manuscripts; and IF the Gospels, for example, are not eye-witness accounts, then how are we to know what God is saying to us in the Bible? Why read the Bible?

The Bible is the inspired mirror into which we look to see how Moses and the Israelites encountered God and how Jesus and the disciples responded to God's presence and action in their midst through Jesus. In that mirror we can learn how God may be acting in our midst today. As God acted then, so God is acting now. We learn about God and what God is doing for us, and what God wants of us through the inspired writings of the Israelites, which form the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), and through the inspired writings of the New Testament, which we also call the Christian Scriptures.

God is consistent. God does not change. Neither do we, except in outer circumstances. Just as the Israelites worshipped "false gods" rather that the God who entered into a covenant with them, so we worship "false gods" in our generation, but the names of the gods have changed from Baal to money, fame, power, and self. God called them through the prophets to repent and return to a faithful relationship following the covenant. God calls us through the words and deeds of Jesus to a life of faithful response to God's love for us.

We worship God in Christ, and not a printed book albeit the Bible. We see it as Sacred Scripture, the Word of God, because the words and deeds described in the Bible teach us how to respond to God today. We are a "Bible believing" Church! We hear four passages of Scripture in every Eucharist: Old Testament lesson, Psalm, New Testament lesson, and the Gospel passage. The Lector (reader) announces both Old and New Testament readings by name and at the conclusion of each as: "The Word of the Lord." We respond: "Thanks be to God" for indeed we are listening, God has spoken directly to us. Sometimes we hear a clear message for ourselves. Other times it is unclear and hopefully the preacher will bring out the meaning of what we have heard. Or we need to discuss the passage with other Christians to learn what they have heard. When the Gospel is announced, we respond: "Glory to you, Lord Christ" because we believe Jesus is speaking directly to us, just as he did through the writings of the evangelists (Matthew, Mark, etc.) at the end of the first century.

When we were Baptized and when we renew our Baptismal promises, we ask God's help to be able "to continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers" (BCP p. 304). The apostles' teaching is found in the New Testament, the fellowship is participating in the life and service of the Christian Community, the breaking of bread is the Eucharist, and the prayers are what we term morning and evening prayers and related times.

In the lesson from Deuteronomy today, we learn that God is not distant from us up in heaven or in the underworld, but directly in our hearts, and we are asked to profess that reality and relationship with our lips in prayers and songs of praise. We need disciplined eyes to see God's presence and disciplined ears to hear God's holy Word. That's what Lent is all about: breaking out of the habits of life which keep us from seeing and hearing.

In the Gospel passage from Luke, it is very interesting to note that the devil can also quote Scripture, so knowing and quoting the Bible is not necessarily what the Lord wants from us. Rather the good Lord wants us to open our hearts to receive and to pass on the love God has for us who are made in the divine image. Scripture helps us understand that love by teaching us what God has done in human history so we can see what God is doing now in our human history.

When the Lector of the Deacon are reading the Word of God in our service, say a prayer asking God: what do you want to teach me through this passage? Sometimes it helps to close our eyes and shut out distractions so we can listen more intently.

I love the Bible, read it daily, and find my life enriched by what I learn because it is from God.

Joseph+