G
Geist
Guest
Excepting Genesis, Exodus, Maccabees and the Wisdom Books…its a hard slog.
Why is this so?
Why is this so?
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G
Gorgias
Guest
I’d guess that there are a couple of things in play, here. First, the books of the OT are texts written down thousands of years ago, and based on oral tradition that’s even older. If you look at it anachronistically, as if it were written today, you’re not going to be able to give it a fair shake.Excepting Genesis, Exodus, Maccabees and the Wisdom Books…its a hard slog.
Why is this so?
Another thing is that, since it’s a whole corpus of books, there are a variety of literary styles that are present. Are you into poetry? Then Psalms will be right up your alley; if not, then Psalms will be a challenge. Do you sit at home and read law books? If so, then Leviticus will be :extrahappy:; otherwise,
…Worse yet, if you are looking for a narrative – a story – like Genesis or Exodus provides, and you take that expectation into Psalms or Leviticus, then :banghead::banghead: !!!
E
ethereality
Guest
Sounds like you’re missing the context that makes reading it interesting (although bits like ancestry logs we need not pay much attention to): It’s our history (as Gentiles in the sense of “being grafted onto the tree” that St. Paul teaches), the history of the people God chose to bring the Messiah into the world and God’s working in their lives from Abraham 'til Jesus. Look into Salvation is From the Jews by Roy Schoeman, who’s been a guest on the Catholic Answers radio show.
T
TimothyH
Guest
The OT is fascinating, and some parts of it read like an adventure novel. But we find it boring because we don’t know how to follow the story. The OT is a story. Some of the books of the OT are narrative - they tell the story. Other books to not tell the story but only support the story or give details about particular parts of the story.
For example, Moses gives the law at the end of Exodus and re-states the law in more detail in Dueteronomy. But Leviticus, as others have stated, gives us the details of the law in excruciating detail. Leviticus therefor, should only be read in support of the story when one understands the story.
There are 14 narrative books of the Bible (or 27 depending on how you look at it). These are what should be read first and understood first because they tell the story. I recommend reading and understanding the following before taking on the rest:
-Tim-
For example, Moses gives the law at the end of Exodus and re-states the law in more detail in Dueteronomy. But Leviticus, as others have stated, gives us the details of the law in excruciating detail. Leviticus therefor, should only be read in support of the story when one understands the story.
There are 14 narrative books of the Bible (or 27 depending on how you look at it). These are what should be read first and understood first because they tell the story. I recommend reading and understanding the following before taking on the rest:
- Genesis (Early World & Patriarchs)
- Exodus (Egypt and Exodus)
- Numbers (Desert Wanderings)
- Joshua (Conquest & Judges)
- Judges (Conquest & Judges)
- 1 Samuel (Royal Kingdom)
- 2 Samuel (Royal Kingdom)
- 1 Kings (Royal Kingdom & Divided Kingdom)
- 2 Kings (Divided Kingdom & Exile)
- Ezra (Return)
- Nehemiah (Return)
- 1 Maccabees (Maccabean Revolt)
- Luke (Messianic Fulfillment)
- Acts (The Church)
-Tim-
J
JRKH
Guest
Just as another aspect - it should be remembered that at the time paper and writing were labor intense and expensive. The primary form of communication was oral. What was written down - especially in something like the Book of Kings that covers a large chunk of time - would be the “nuggets” or what we might call today - “Talking points”. Short summaries of the important events that could them be fleshed out, expanded on or taught from by knew more of the orally passed on details.
As another point - If I’m not mistaken there were other texts, contemporary to some of the Bible books that have been lost to time…In fact I believe that other texts are referenced in connection with the building of the temple…
Personally - I tend to stick with the NT - it contains enough to keep me occupied in my life…
Peace
James
As another point - If I’m not mistaken there were other texts, contemporary to some of the Bible books that have been lost to time…In fact I believe that other texts are referenced in connection with the building of the temple…
Personally - I tend to stick with the NT - it contains enough to keep me occupied in my life…
Peace
James
B
Big_Feet
Guest
REALLY???Excepting Genesis, Exodus, Maccabees and the Wisdom Books…its a hard slog.
Why is this so?
My absolute favorite is Leviticus!
Deuteronomy is a close second.
R
raaucoin
Guest
I particularly enjoy reading the prophets( and other books) and looking at all of the places Jesus was mentioned. The day I realized He wasn’t just a new testament character was amazing. It can be really helpful to read the NT and pay attention to footnotes and connections to what is there and where it is refered to in the OT.
Reading with the eyes of faith, it leaves little doubt that Jesus was not just some enlightened individual that showed up on the scene but was really theChrist- the Son of the Living God.
Reading with the eyes of faith, it leaves little doubt that Jesus was not just some enlightened individual that showed up on the scene but was really theChrist- the Son of the Living God.
K
Khalid
Guest
Most of it isn’t… maybe a good commentary would help? The only parts that I find unbearable is most of 1 Paralipomenon, which is nothing but lists of names (and the similar parts of Numbers and other books). I skip over those. It took me a while to learn to find anything of use in Leviticus, but there are parallels and prophecies even there. I automatically liked Deuteronomy.
I would say these are interesting (I don’t read the Song of Solomon, as I did part of it once and almost apostatized):
Genesis
Exodus
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1-4 Kings
2 Chronicles
Esther
Tobit
Judith
Ezra-Nehemiah (especially if you have 1 Esdras)
1-2 Maccabees
Ecclesiastes
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Wisdom
Sirach
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Daniel
The Twelve
And the rest, not so much, like 1 Chronicles, Ezekiel (which is probably the hardest book of all the OT for me), Leviticus, large parts of Numbers are not.
I actually think that’s the entire OT… did I just repeat it all from memory? Or did I miss some books?
The most interesting, of course, are Genesis, the first part of Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-4 Kings, Ecclesiastes, Job, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and a few others.
Lots of the Apocrypha are very interesting too: 4 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Life of Adam and Eve, Assumption of Moses, Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, Ascension of Isaiah, Jannes and Jambres, Ladder of Jacob, and a few others, along with visionaries of the Church, such as Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations by Bl Anne Catherine Emmerich, the Mystical City of God, etc.
I would say these are interesting (I don’t read the Song of Solomon, as I did part of it once and almost apostatized):
Genesis
Exodus
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1-4 Kings
2 Chronicles
Esther
Tobit
Judith
Ezra-Nehemiah (especially if you have 1 Esdras)
1-2 Maccabees
Ecclesiastes
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Wisdom
Sirach
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Daniel
The Twelve
And the rest, not so much, like 1 Chronicles, Ezekiel (which is probably the hardest book of all the OT for me), Leviticus, large parts of Numbers are not.
I actually think that’s the entire OT… did I just repeat it all from memory? Or did I miss some books?
The most interesting, of course, are Genesis, the first part of Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-4 Kings, Ecclesiastes, Job, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and a few others.
Lots of the Apocrypha are very interesting too: 4 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Life of Adam and Eve, Assumption of Moses, Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, Ascension of Isaiah, Jannes and Jambres, Ladder of Jacob, and a few others, along with visionaries of the Church, such as Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations by Bl Anne Catherine Emmerich, the Mystical City of God, etc.
A
AlltheRoses
Guest
Genealogy and law were two very important parts of the ancient Jewish culture that (with God’s inspiration) compiled the OT, so the long lists of people’s ancestors and the lists of legalities that were included in a lot of the books in the OT might be a bit of dry reading for many people.Excepting Genesis, Exodus, Maccabees and the Wisdom Books…its a hard slog.
Why is this so?
M
midori
Guest
It’s fascinating if you’re fond of ancient history. How many civilizations have such a thorough record of so much of their minutiae-- how they designed and built their Ark of the Covenant, the ins and outs of their religious rules, how they passed on territory to their children, and cultural details. Do we know the rules the ancient Egyptians had when they found a bird’s nest, or the rules by which ancient Sumerians were bound to lay siege, or how the ancient Toltecs treated their debts, or how the Harappans tested for infidelity? If you like those sorts of things, you’ll like legal books, like Deuteronomy or Numbers.
Books like Exodus, Judges, Chronicles, etc, are going to be historical books. There’s tons of squabbling, backstabbing, plotting, and conflict going on. The book of Samuel is fascinating, watching Saul go from a son looking for his father’s lost donkey, to a great leader in battle who saved the Israelites, to king for 42 years— and his downward slide, where he lost both God’s favor and his own sanity, became swamped by jealousy, and tried to get his son to murder his own best friend.
When I was younger, I always thought of the psalms as being boring, but I appreciate their poetry a lot more. And a lot of the prophets-- Isaiah, for one-- have a whole lot more dimension to them as you gather life experience and can better appreciate the subject matter they’re addressing.
But really, the OT has tremendous more scope than you give it credit for. There’s so much going on, it can be hard to remember it has more characters than just Adam and Eve and Noah and Moses.
Books like Exodus, Judges, Chronicles, etc, are going to be historical books. There’s tons of squabbling, backstabbing, plotting, and conflict going on. The book of Samuel is fascinating, watching Saul go from a son looking for his father’s lost donkey, to a great leader in battle who saved the Israelites, to king for 42 years— and his downward slide, where he lost both God’s favor and his own sanity, became swamped by jealousy, and tried to get his son to murder his own best friend.
When I was younger, I always thought of the psalms as being boring, but I appreciate their poetry a lot more. And a lot of the prophets-- Isaiah, for one-- have a whole lot more dimension to them as you gather life experience and can better appreciate the subject matter they’re addressing.
But really, the OT has tremendous more scope than you give it credit for. There’s so much going on, it can be hard to remember it has more characters than just Adam and Eve and Noah and Moses.
C
Carlan
Guest
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