In the year A.D. 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian (145-311) issued a decree which he hoped would extinguish the spreading flames of Christianity. One of his primary objectives was the seizure and destruction of the Christian scriptures. Later that year, officials enforced that decree in North Africa. One of the targets was Felix (247-303), the Bishop of Thibiuca. He lived near the town of Carthage. The mayor of the town ordered Felix to hand over his scriptures, but Felix refused. In time, Felix paid for his stubbornness with his life. Felix chose the scriptures over his life. That leads us to an interesting question – how important is the Bible to you? That takes us to our reading, Acts 8:26-34.
It is one of my favorite stories. According to the text, Philip is told by an angel to go to the 50-mile road that runs between Jerusalem and Gaza. Somewhere along that trek he finds an individual with a complex life, an Ethiopian eunuch. In charge of his country’s treasury, he had a wonderful professional life, but his personal life is lacking because he was a eunuch. According to the story, he was returning home after worshipping in Jerusalem. It is safe to say, he had been drawn to Jerusalem because Judaism, unlike his world, believed in one God and promoted a moral lifestyle. Philip finds him sitting in his chariot reading from the book of Isaiah. He is reading the words, but he doesn’t understand the words. Have you ever read the Bible, but you don’t understand what you are reading? Only a fool believes the Bible is easy to understand.
The Bible is hard to understand for several reasons. Consider these things with me. The Bible was written over a span of 1,500 years in a Middle Eastern society which is very different from our world. Their idioms, traditions, and social norms are different from our world. The Bible was originally written in classical Hebrew, Aramaic and classical Greek. Those languages are dead today. The meanings of metaphors and figures of speech can get lost or altered in translation. The Bible contains several kinds of literature, including poetry, law, history, prophecy and apocalyptic literature. Each style must be read with a different set of expectations. The Bible is hard to understand, yet that is not an excuse for not reading the Bible. Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is God breathed and is useful in teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
In our story, the Ethiopian eunuch was fortunate. As he is reading Isaiah 53, the Holy Spirit instructed Philip to help him expand his understanding of the reading. Acts 8:30 says Philip ran up to the chariot and asked the foreigner, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip took the opportunity to explain the scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. We are not so fortunate. None of the Apostles will sit with us to explain the scriptures and expand our understanding of God’s ways. However, we do have various tools to help us understand the Bible. As I wrote this blog, I looked at various websites which gave guidelines to Bible students. I found the following six guidelines to be helpful.
- Choose the right translation. According to the American Bible Society, there are over 450 complete or partial translation of the Bible in English. Finding the right one for you is important. There may be one which is more suited to your style of study.
- Start with the Gospels. When reading the Bible you need to set a firm foundation. The entire Bible is about Jesus. The Old Testament is about everything leading up to Jesus’ birth. Acts and the Epistles are what happened after Jesus’ resurrection. It makes sense to read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John first because they provide an excellent introduction to the life and teachings of Jesus.
- Use a Study Bible. Study Bibles have notes written by Biblical scholars included, usually at the bottom of the page. They will include historical context, word usage and other helpful information.
- Use a Bible reading plan. Having a plan will help you be more consistent. They provide structured daily guides to encourage you read the Bible. Bible reading plans can be found online.
- Let the Holy Spirit guide you. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate guide to understanding the Bible. Trust the Holy Spirit and don’t be afraid to seek clarification from other Christians. Joining a Bible study group is helpful.
- Apply what you have learned. Scripture is meant to have a transforming power in our lives. This not only applies to knowledge, but action as well. In James 1:22-25, we are called to be “doers of the word.”
Did you know, according to Lifeway Research, 40% of regular church worshippers do not read the Bible regularly? People don’t read the Bible for a variety of reasons. Some don’t read the Bible because it intimidates them or they don’t feel it is relevant. Others don’t read the Bible because of time restrictions or mixed-up priorities. The result is that we have become a Biblically illiterate society. It is painfully true. How many examples do you need?
Jay Leno (born 1950) hosted The Tonight Show from 1992-2009. Regularly, he had a portion on the show called “Jaywalking.” The idea was simple. He would go out on the streets and ask people, “simple questions.” On one evening, he asked people simple questions about the Bible. He asked the first person to name one of the Ten Commandments. A young man answered, “Freedom of Speech.” He then asked someone to finish the quote. Ye who is without sin _________. A middle-aged woman answered, “Has the most fun!” He then asked who in the Bible was swallowed by a great fish. An elderly gentleman answered Pinocchio. If you cannot answer those questions, or if you don’t know why those responses are funny, then you are Biblically illiterate too. How many of the three did you know?
The time has come to start reading your Bible. It is vital for spiritual growth, equipping you with practical wisdom for daily challenges, and fostering a personal relationship with God. English clergyman Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) once said, “Nobody ever outgrows scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.”
Russ Adams 