Reading the Bible cover to cover

[rdscheirer]

If you are near a school that has a seminary- no matter what faith it is- you should be able to go to their library and find commentaries on almost every verse in the Bible- both by Catholic and other authors- even atheists. The best libraries will be at the “oldest schools” usually but I was surprised that our local state university which has a religion/philosophy department has an almost as good selection of commentaries as the liberal arts private school that I attended that had a seminary associated with it. Hint: its the third oldest school in the US and is in Bethlehem PA.

 

[melchesidechpio]

This column in Busted Halo advocates reading the Bible through – not just the daily readings, but everything, so that we might know God better through the Word. What do you think? Of course, we should read commentaries and listen to homilies about scripture too, but can anyone offer a good reason that every Catholic, every Christian, should not read the Bible through at least once?

Scripture, Tradition and Magisterial teaching. One can’t subsist without each other. Scripture itself encourages reading scripture there is no excuse why every Catholic or Christian may be to ignore reading the Bible

 

[roveau]

I started early, reading the bible (Knox version) from cover to cover when I was about 17. I forced myself to read every bit of it even the parts that are screamingly boring, such as the ‘Begats’ (the genealogies). Offer the tedious parts to the holy souls in Purgatory. After that I spend several solid years studying the Bible according to themes.

Reading the Bible from cover to cover I think is a great right of passage not only in the light of religion but also in the light of the civilization we are part of. It is a great thing to do.

I tried reading it again a decade ago but got stuck in the gory parts of the conquest of Canaan. I might try to continue this again from the point where I stopped… sometime in 2011.

I’ve read the New Testament from cover to cover maybe four or five times. That’s a pretty easy thing to do because it so relates to our Christian faith. I am reading it again now as an Advent discipline. I read it as ‘penance’ a couple of years ago (NJB) after a long absence from the church. This time I am reading it in the KJV because I like the English and I like the direct translation from the original languages… as awkward as it may make some of the sentences and expressions. Original Douay-Rheims next.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with starting with the New Testament (which might be an easier way to start for a first time reader) and then read the Old Testament, because when you have finished you have still read the Bible from cover to cover.

I also don’t think you have to make yourself understand every thing by reading commentaries all the way for every paragraph. Just let the Book talk to you. Of course it will inspire you to look into some aspects as you go. You can get to study themes later.

You’ll never regret it.

 

[kanrok]

I came to a decision a while ago to read the bible through, and had picked up a “Read the Bible and the Catechism in a Year” pamphlet from a Catholic Bookstore near work, put out by the Coming Home Network. Turns out the pamphlet is available online too: chnetwork.org/readguide04.pdf

It’s about a half hour of reading per day (I’m a slow reader), with each day having a reading from the OT, NT, Psalms/Proverbs, and the Catechism. Not sure what will happen when I hit Leviticus, but I’m looking forward to finding out.

Anyway, to make sure I don’t just mindlessly read it, I’m blogging the whole affair and inviting people to follow along and discuss as we go. There are some things I don’t fully understand, but I am searching for answers to questions as I go. I think that after I get through it this time, I might head back and do the Jeff Cavins study. I think I could get used to reading scripture daily. Granted, I’m only a few weeks in…but I’m really starting to look forward to time each day with God’s Word.

God Bless,

Andre

I will be finished reading the Bible and the Catechism pursuant to this method on Christmas day. I start my day with it and it’s great. Highly recommended.

 

[rdscheirer]

Read or see on DVD Jeff Cavins “Great Adventure through the Bible” and you will get a new perspective. The whole of the Old Testament points to Jesus and the New. Almost everything said by Jesus that is in RED in most Bibles is in the Old Testament either by direct quote or by paraphrase.

 

[Russ_of_Tokyo]

I’ve been reading the Bible daily since I was a teenager and have read it from cover to cover many times (I’m 54 now). I have used several reading plans, and had most recently been using Robert Murray McCheyne’s Bible reading plan but when I switched to a Catholic Bible, all my lovely Protestant Bible reading charts became useless. Now I’m using the “Read the Bible and the Catechism in a Year” mentioned above, and I find it excellent. I read the first column (OT readings) in the morning and the remaining three columns at night when my time is more negotiable.

I found this thread while searching for an answer to a related question: Would reading the Daily Mass readings take me through the entire Bible?

Apparently it would not.

 

[NotWorthy]

I’ve been reading the Bible daily since I was a teenager and have read it from cover to cover many times (I’m 54 now). I have used several reading plans, and had most recently been using Robert Murray McCheyne’s Bible reading plan but when I switched to a Catholic Bible, all my lovely Protestant Bible reading charts became useless. Now I’m using the “Read the Bible and the Catechism in a Year” mentioned above, and I find it excellent. I read the first column (OT readings) in the morning and the remaining three columns at night when my time is more negotiable.

I found this thread while searching for an answer to a related question: Would reading the Daily Mass readings take me through the entire Bible?

Apparently it would not.

No, you wouldn’t. You’d also miss out on a little continuity, as it does jump around from time to time.