Bible Stuff

Welcome to my new Bible study page!
For a long time I’ve struggled with trying not to be too “Biblical” for the readers of my blog. Many don’t share the same faith that I have. So, I don’t want to offend them.
On the other hand, my passion is studying the Scriptures.
Not because I need a road map showing me how to act or behave in order to please some “Invisible Friend.” But, rather, the Scriptures that we have in our Canon are a portal into the hearts and minds of ancient people. These texts reveal the triumphs, as well as the defeats, of folks who, just like you and me, struggled to make sense of their world. The ancient writers did not deny their own shortcomings and ‘sins.’ They never attempted to white-wash their stories or spin them in ways to make them look better than they were.
No, they shared the fear and anger of real people in real situations. Joy and hope are expressed in song and poetry throughout.
The Bible is not a users manual for humans on earth. It doesn’t contain rules and regulations that must be observed by all people, in every place, for all times.
It is a compilation of narratives, songs, poetry, legislative texts, prophecies, letters, apocalypse, and gospel that comprise 66 distinct “books.”
Anyone who states the the Bible is something that we should read “simply” is willfully ignorant.
When we hear people say, “This is what the Bible says…” or “This is what God says in the Bible…” Red warning flags should pop up all over the place.
Let me be clear, no one can make those statements and be considered a serious student, or believer, of the Bible.
Period.
On this page I am going to simply share what I learn in my own studies of the text. The things I learn are informed by many sources. Of course, the English Bible is the main source. However, I also read the Hebrew and Greek texts. Commentaries and various grammars and lexica are used, as well as any other pertinent sources, like journals and essays.
Also informing my understanding are the many discussions with others and sermons/lectures that I have heard.
This page will probably have reflections on the Bible Study that I currently help with at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. Here, as in that study, the first thing that we learn is that the Bible is an ancient document written to ancient people about issues of ancient life. It was NOT written to 21st century folks living in the U.S. Although human nature hasn’t changed much over the millennia, cultures have changed dramatically. We can not read into these texts the sensibilities that we now carry.
This leads directly to point number 2. Context; context; context! I don’t mean this as simply the internal, literary context of any one book. Although, that is extremely important. No, when I say “context” I am speaking about the cultural, historic, political, religious, and real life context of those who wrote these texts. We ask questions.
“Who wrote this?”
“Who was it written to?”
“When was it written?”
“What were the conditions of the people at the time?”
“Why was it written?”
These questions inform how we read and understand the Bible so that we may honestly and effectively understand how we should respond today.
No, the Bible is not simply read nor understood. It must be engaged thoughtfully. It must be wrestled with.
I don’t state any of this to prove how much I know. The truth is, the more I learn the more I realize that I don’t know.
I am not certain of anything. I don’t claim expertise in Biblical scholarship. And, I certainly don’t claim to be right.
I am on the same journey that those who read this are on. We are trying the best that we can to be faithful to God and our own humanity.