Why do you read the Bible?

[adamhovey1988]

Me, too! Also seeing the way word meanings have changed over the years - taking the Bible literally, especially just one version, can really mess with people’s ideas of what is in the Bible.

Case in point - someone used the word “nimrod” to mean a jerk. I said, no, it means “mighty hunter.” Not any more, I was told. Still means “mighty hunter,” no matter what an on-line dictionary might say.

I like your tag line. But it isn’t always understood - I’ve gotten some blank looks when I’ve said it. To me, it’s a great explanation as to why the geographical cure doesn’t work.

I had a college professor that is an Eastern Orthodox priest, at a public College at that, anyway he made the point about the King James version of the fact that a lot of those words have different meanings now so he doesn’t understand why people rely solely on that version. To me the word Nimrod means hunter in fact I correct people when they call someone that

 

[adamhovey1988]

Where else can we read the exact words of God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ? I read it because it helps me spiritually, because it is basically an easy way to start a prayer.

I find it unbelievable that the parables and analogies used in the Bible can still relate to each and every one of us in some way, shape or form. The Bible can really help you meditate on your life and realize what you need to fix.

I also read it just because it is an interesting read.

Those are all good reasons but let’s focus on the literary value of the Bible I mean without the Bible we would not have a lot of other types of literature since many of them rely on biblical theology

 

[AmbroseSJ]

For the same reason we phone home. To hear the voice of our God.

 

[eatpraylove11]

I find comfort reading the Bible

 

[AmbroseSJ]

DaddyGirl:

Lastly…the more I read it, the more certain it makes me of my position as an agnostic. So it helps me to define what I do/don’t believe.

To me that is an unreal reason. Why? It would be like saying the more I read the train’s time schedule the more certain it makes me of my position. Really?

In Newman’s view, to a *consistent mind * there is no medium between Atheism and Catholicism. IOW, one is moving in one direction or the other (assuming one is not comfortably confirmed in one’s own prejudices.)

 

[adamhovey1988]

For the same reason we phone home. To hear the voice of our God.

Absolutely. Though we can know that there is a God without having a Bible readily available it certainly makes it easier to know God

 

[adamhovey1988]

I find comfort reading the Bible

I do too, especially the New Testament, but there are many many overlooked Treasures in the Old Testament. The book I have the hardest time reading in the Bible Leviticus even has some pretty interesting stuff in it

 

[adamhovey1988]

Salutations,
When you turn your life over to Christ, we are to grow to be more like Christ than us.
The Bible is the road map to heaven. Would you go on a journey without a map? We are here on earth for a short time. Jeremiah 29 / 11 states,"I HAVE A PLAN FOR YOU. IT IS A GOOD PLAN. IT HAS NO EVIL. IT HAS A FUTURE AND A PURPOSE. YOU WERE BORN TO DO WORK IN GOD’S KINGDOM.
May God give you wisdom to see the path He wants you to travel.
The Old Testament gives us secret codes of the Messiah coming. Abraham sacrificing Isaac was a test not just to see if Abraham would trust God to give him a nation larger than the sands of the earth. It was a clue that God the Father would ask and send His Son to die for us.
The Tabernacle in the wilderness has meanings. I can’t recall the meanings of the 7 coverings but inside, it was shaped like a cross. The acacia wood was all that was around.It made the walls. Gold was hammered over the wood to make the walls BUT THE GOLD COULD NOT TOUCH THE EARTH. THE BASEBOARD WAS SILVER WHICH SYMBOLIZED JESUS WHO CAME DOWN TO EARTH.One entered the walled area to find the sacrificial altar.The best animal was to be brought. Back then, someone would try to sneak in a blind sheep. God was not happy. The High Priest would wear a white robe. As he entered the tent, he would take the sacrificial blood w him. To his left was the candelabra w almond shaped holders. To the right was the show bread table w 12 loaves of bread for 12 tribes of Israel.
Then the Rabbi would light the candles. He would carefully place the blood near the curtain that protected the Ark of the Covenant. The Laver bowel/tub was there. The priest had to bathe and make sure he was clean outside and inside. He had a rope tied to his ankle, because if he kept something impure in his spirit, he was struck dead in the Holy of Holies. They would need the rope to pull him out. If all went well, he would take the sacrificial blood and pour it on the Ark of the Covenant. This was the day of Atonement. ROSHASHANA. IF YOU DRAW IMAGINARY LINES FROM THE ALTAR TO THE Laver, to the Ark, you have a vertical liine. If you draw a line from the candelabra to the show bread table, it is a horizontal line. Hence God’s secret code to us.
God could not come to earth but His Son could. jesus was silver. The way the furniture is laid out, it makes a cross.
The OT has some heavy stuff in it. I had to stop reading it for awhile.The New Testament is where Jesus shows us the Father who loves and forgives us. Some chapters overwhelm you w God’s love. Read Ephesians Chapter 3:verses 14 to 21. Elizabeth Barrett Browning plagerized her love sonnet.
“PAUL FALLS ON HIS KNEES TO PRAY TO THE LORD THAT WE SHOULD KNOW GOD’S LOVE FROM ITS HEIGHT, TO ITS BREADTH, TO ITS WIDTH, TO ITS DEPTH.” This is not an exact quote but I wanted 9ĺyou to see some of it.I feel God’s love bathe me when I read that. Matthew 11: “Come to me all ye who labor and I will give you rest…” He will help you with decisions through HIs word.May you enjoy your journey w Jesus and His map.
in Christ’s love,
Tweedlealice

My math isn’t great so forgive me for making mistakes in this, but I seem to recall that straight lines go on forever and what was the cross? It was made up of two intersecting lines right? Well that’s God’s love for us infinite in all directions

 

[Rosebud77]

Over long solitary years, so much of the Word of God became embedded in my heart and lives there always, Words that are needed at hard times, to give to others, I stand amazed and sad that so few here know what Jesus said, I quote Him frequently, Words in my heart to feed and comfort in darkness

 

[Bonnie]

The more I read it, the more certain I am that we cannot know there is a God.
How is that…unreal?

This may sound strange to many Catholics, but I understand. There are many parts of the OT that, while they are interesting to read, are not conducive to faith. Which is why I don’t use Bible quotations to convince people that God exists, that to be a Catholic or generic Christian is right, or even that certain behaviors are right or wrong. Actually, I don’t try to convince anyone of anything - not my job.

 

[HelenRose]

This question is for both Catholics and Non-Catholics. For me, it’s to grow deeper in my relationship with God. What about y’all?

On a basic level I like reading the Bible because it is chalk full of wonderful stories and history.

On a higher level I like reading the Bible because there is about 4,000 years of human experience and wisdom.

On an even higher level it is The Book of Salvation for me.

 

[sirach2v4]

I find in it the presence of the Trinity. As Psalm 119 says, I need it as a light for my path. There’s always a useful message in it. It’s the ***Wall Street Journal ***of faith for me.

 

[adamhovey1988]

This may sound strange to many Catholics, but I understand. There are many parts of the OT that, while they are interesting to read, are not conducive to faith. Which is why I don’t use Bible quotations to convince people that God exists, that to be a Catholic or generic Christian is right, or even that certain behaviors are right or wrong. Actually, I don’t try to convince anyone of anything - not my job.

When I talk about the existence of God I use natural law for my reasoning not Bible quotes because not everyone believes in the Bible.

 

[adamhovey1988]

On a basic level I like reading the Bible because it is chalk full of wonderful stories and history.

On a higher level I like reading the Bible because there is about 4,000 years of human experience and wisdom.

On an even higher level it is The Book of Salvation for me.****

well there you go that’s a really important reason

 

[adamhovey1988]

I find in it the presence of the Trinity. As Psalm 119 says, I need it as a light for my path. There’s always a useful message in it. It’s the ***Wall Street Journal ***of faith for me.

I quite love the Psalms. You know if I recall correctly the rosary actually formed as a poor man’s psalter but that’s a different story

 

[Rosebud77]

Number 3 is really useful but I find a lot of people like to play **scriptural badminton **to try to prove that they’re right. I think those are all good reasons though.

LOVE that term! I steadfastly refuse almost always to use a bible as a battering ram… However I find I quote Scripture often… when folk here in Ireland ask me to pray for good weather, I quote Jesus… that the sun shines on the just and unjust alike and the rain falls ditto… Told the lovely old plumber at one house who was fitting an outside tap so I could water the garden. “My soul is like a well watered garden…” The words just come …

 

[adamhovey1988]

LOVE that term! I steadfastly refuse almost always to use a bible as a battering ram… However I find I quote Scripture often… when folk here in Ireland ask me to pray for good weather, I quote Jesus… that the sun shines on the just and unjust alike and the rain falls ditto… Told the lovely old plumber at one house who was fitting an outside tap so I could water the garden. “My soul is like a well watered garden…” The words just come …

Well that’s great and I’m glad you love the term but I have to admit the phrase actually comes from Patrick Madrid

 

[Bonnie]

I quite love the Psalms. You know if I recall correctly the rosary actually formed as a poor man’s psalter but that’s a different story

The Psalms & Proverbs are my OT favorites. Somewhere I read that reading Psalm 51 used to be given as a penance. Now I read it before mass - gets me in the right frame of mind.

 

[CeelosDeznos]

I found this question quite confusing, to be honest. I’ve never NOT read the Bible, receiving my first at age 5. I’ve never been without it since.

Why do I read it? I’ve never really asked myself that precisely. I am sure some of it has to do with being of Jewish heritage. It’s the Book of my people. But I know I didn’t go around thinking that, and in reality if was not until recently that it dawned on me that, “Oh, yeah! This is my history!” even though I will be 50 in a few months.

I have found peace and comfort in the Bible since childhood, been fascinated with its stories. My earliest and favorite heroes were Moses and Jesus, and my friends and I I use to re-enact the Exodus and the receiving of the Ten Commandments as children over and over again. Others were running around dressed as Superman or Cowboys or other types of heroes. I was dressing up like Moses, walking up and down a hill behind my house and smashing a couple of bricks we found around the neighborhood that we had written “Hebrew” letters upon in imitation of Moses’ smashing the Ten Commandments. The Scriptures were my first “comic” and “story book.”

As Catholics we used the Bible in school. The Bible was read in Mass everyday. The “Our Father” and the “Hail Mary” are but quotations from Scripture, so when I prayed them I was reciting Scripture. When I grew older I began praying the Litugy of the Hours which employs the Psalter and has a daily office of readings from Scripture. I learned Hebrew, Greek, and Latin as I grew up and read the texts in their original form. I even was assigned to help with a translation and got to read the oldest portions of Tobit in Hebrew from the Dead Sea Scrolls!

But why? Why do I read it, even still to this day? I don’t really know. I love God, and guess I read the Bible because of that. It’s been a part of me for so long it is just like breathing or drinking water. I would never go without doing those two things.

I guess for me it’s never been a question as to “why” one should read the Bible. I guess my question is, “Why not?”

 

[Nelka]

I enjoy it.