How to read and understand the bible?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John337
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

John337

Guest
Is there a certain way to read the bible or just read and believe? I am not going to try to read cover to cover but I just want to know how to read and understand.

Thanks…
 
The overarching theme to the Bible is Covenant. You see this in the Old Testament with the different covenants that God makes with his people and the language used to describe Jerusalem as His bride. However, Jerusalem isn’t always faithful and in the New Testament Jesus makes a new covenant with both Jews and Gentiles and Jerusalem, primarily the Temple is destroyed for refusing to believe that Jesus was not merely the Messiah, but God in the flesh and the old Law could not save people from their sins.

Of course I’m merely giving you a crude summary of the entire story 😉 The two books I recommend the most are Walking with God, by Tim Gray & Jeff Cavins and A Father Who Keeps His Promise by Scott Hahn. Both of these books give an excellent overview of how to read the Bible through Typology, where you find the New Testament hidden in the Old and the Old Testament fulfilled in the New.

I strongly encourage you to read one of these two books first or at least along with the Bible at the same time so you can understand who the people are and how prophecies affect the entire story of our Salvation. Not only will you get a better understanding of scripture, but you’ll see so much of the Church’s teachings and Traditions found in Scripture and the Mass will become so much more alive to you. The prayers and practices will have so much more meaning.
 
If you decide to just pick one book to read, I’d recommend Walking with God. I found this book gives excellent insight to the Salvation story and also shows you which books to read so that you can get the full picture of the Bible. Keep in mind that both of these books aren’t commentaries on the Bible, so you won’t find line by line interpretations of scripture but they will explain how each book ties into each other and in what order you should read them.
 
The US Bishops have provided resources, articles, helps:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm

Another helpful resource are Scripture Studies:

Free resources


The Knights of Columbus offer a free series of studies https://www.catholichomestudy.org/the-books

If your parish offers FORMED.org there are many studies there, both video and books. You can subscribe on your own for around $10 per month.

The Great Adventure is popular https://biblestudyforcatholics.com/about/
 
Read and try to have no presumptions, no apriori beliefs, just as you would with any book. I’d recommend starting with the New Testament and reading straight through. The Old Testament tends to get bogged down in many places and won’t convey the essence of our faith directly, even though it provides background; the Genesis creation accounts are particularly relevant to begin with.
 
I started reading genesis then got lost the first book I read was Tobit.
 
Very carefully and prayerfully. Don’t assume uou understand something just because it seems that way in English or whatever language you are using.
 
Matthew 1;20 Did Joseph not divorce Mary because of the angel told him how and why Jesus was conceived?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top