SUMMERTIME AND THE READING IS "EASY"

By John Santosuosso

      Ah, summertime in Florida. There are fewer crowds, we have vacation days, an inviting surf. Of course it is hot, hot, hot! In the heat of the day we may be driven indoors while giving thanks for air conditioning. Some spare time. What should we do? We spy a book. It's a Bible. Hello, old friend; I have not seen you in a while.

OK, time for a bit of honesty here. Maybe you read the Bible regularly. That is fine. Maybe when you pick yours up there is dust on it. That is quite understandable. Those who may try to shame you for lack of Bible reading probably have not read one recently. Do not let anyone put you on a guilt trip. No matter what translation you read, or maps, pictures, and charts your Bible may contain, reading the Bible is not an easy task. Here you have a book approximately two thousand years old, written and edited by at least forty different men (and probably one woman!), and from a time and culture very different from our own. In addition, the languages of the authors are not our languages. But if you are ready for the challenge we will look at some things that might help.

      First of all if your Bible reading is proceeding without any major difficulty, stop! You do not need to be reading this. If something is not broken do not try to fix it. Secondly, only suggestions are offered here. They may not work for everybody. Feel free to ignore any you think are not going to be helpful.

      The question sometimes comes up, what translation is best. Let's keep it simple. The best translation is the one you will read. There are numerous free translations available on the internet. Sample some of these and see if there is one that has particular appeal to you. If you lack a computer you can go to a bookstore that sells Bibles. They will have a selection of translations. Almost none of us needs to read the Bible in its original languages. Most modern English translations are quite adequate. The one I prefer is the New Revised Standard Version, updated edition. This is by no means the most popular one, and it may not be right for you.

      If your religious preference is Episcopalian, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox, and you want to try a new translation, I would strongly encourage you to buy a Bible that contains the books of the Apocrypha. Many modern translations are available with these. Even the King James Version includes them, although you may have to buy them in a separate book. If your religious tradition is other than the above, you probably can go without, as the Apocryphal books are not normally used in your worship and teaching.

      Next, after you know what Bible you want to read the logical question is where should I begin. Some folks start with the first verse in Genesis and plan to read strait through from beginning to end. The rate of failure for trying this is extremely high. Before very long the reader gets to Leviticus and Numbers and overwhelmed by boredom as well as confusion will close the Bible and put it aside. You are likely to have more success if you start with the heart of the Bible's message. Go to the New Testament and read the four Gospels. Here is the heart and soul of what we know about Jesus and what Jesus taught. Be sure to read Mark, not Matthew, first, as Mark is the earliest to be written, sometime around 70 AD. Read John last. It is the latest.

      After you have made your way through the Gospels, it is time for Paul. There are seven letters in the New Testament that nearly all scholars agree Paul wrote. These are Romans, Galatians, I and II Corinthians, I Thessalonians, Philippians, and Philemon. In the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) the Psalms and Proverbs are good places to start. There are 150 Psalms, so you may only want to read a portion of this book. If you want to explore the Apocrypha, try Tobit (often read at weddings) or Ben Sirach (Ecclesiasticus).

       If you have read all of the above you should have enough background to begin to see what other sections of the Bible might interest you. I would suggest avoiding I and II Chronicles as they are mostly a retelling of the story of the Davidic monarchy found in I and II Samuel and I and II Kings. The difference is that the Chronicler seems to feel David and Solomon can do no wrong. I would encourage you to skip Revelation, but most people are going to look at it anyway. If you absolutely must read it, do so with the help of a good commentary. You might also want to buy a copy of Jonathan Kirsch's "A History of the End of the World" to see how much mischief this book has caused. I will just note here none of its prophecies apply to our time, despite what you may have read or been told.

Actually having access to a good commentary or a study Bible can be very helpful. I like the "The New Interpreter's Study Bible" and "The New Interpreter's Bible One Volume Commentary." The latter is a bit expensive, but used copies are often available on Amazon for rather reasonable prices. There are other good ones around. Although it is an annual best seller, avoid the Scofield Reference Bible. Its teachings conflict with those of almost all Christian churches and were actually condemned as heresy by a major Presbyterian denomination.

      When reading any part of the Bible, it is often better to try to read the entire book or at least a major part of it. Many people do just the opposite, reading a single verse or a few verses at a time. Do this and you may miss the writer's point of view. The Bible was not written with versing. Those divisions were added later for convenient searching and for making references. Another mistake people often make is to try to fit everything neatly together in some sort of harmony. There were many Biblical writers, and they often saw things differently. Try to make it all compatible and you are likely to lose everyone's view. A Biblical literalism can lead you to even greater difficulties. If you want a Bible where you can accept everything literally you are also going to have to accept a god that does all sorts of nasty acts. In Deuteronomy 21:18-21 God calls for parents of a rebellious son to have him stoned to death. Sorry, my God does not do that sort of thing. It is in reading such passages that a good commentary can be helpful.

      Finally, I would ask you not to reject all modern Biblical scholarship. Many people do, fearing that somehow it may weaken or even destroy their faith in God. It may change your view on some things, but you might find it strengthens your faith as you will now know why you believe what you do. Of course not all of it is useful, and scholars often disagree. However, it is in that dialogue over our findings and opinions that we often grow in understanding.

      In reading the Bible you are following the path that Martin Luther and over Reformers put forth centuries ago. You may find it is not an easy one to travel. Continue the journey anyway. The rewards may be great.