Ways of Reading the Bible

Ways of Reading the Bible
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

So you want to read the Bible? That’s great!
But where do you begin? And how do you proceed?

Since the Bible is not like most other books, simply starting at the beginning and trying to read all the way to the end (that is, from Genesis to Revelation) is probably not the best way to proceed for most people. If you attempt this, you might find the books of Genesis and Exodus rather familiar and/or interesting, but you'll probably get confused by Leviticus, bored trying to plow through Numbers, and quit even before finishing Deuteronomy.

If you are a Christian, you might be tempted to skip the Old Testament and jump right into the Gospels. But this too is not the best approach, since you might be disturbed by the many discrepancies between the four Gospels, bewildered by the complex theology of Paul’s letters, or confused by the image of Hebrews, and again quit before you get to the end of Revelation.

So how should you go about reading the Bible? No one plan is best for everyone, but different people might find various methods helpful, especially since each reader may have a vastly different goal (spiritual, academic, social, etc.) in reading the Bible. Thus, some people might wish to follow a one-year plan (or a multi-year plan) for reading every book of the Old and New Testaments, but not necessarily in biblical order. Others may choose to read short selections from the scriptures regularly, following the Lectionary or liturgical cycle of their Church. Still others will want to read one biblical book at a time in depth, either on their own, or with the help of commentaries, or in a Bible Study group, or in an academic course.

By now there are many resources, both online and in print, which can help you read, pray, and/or study the Bible. This webpage is not intended to be comprehensive, but merely to provide some suggestions and resources, especially for your own spiritual nourishment or small prayer groups. Below is also an introduction to Lectio Divina, an ancient method of reading and praying with the scriptures that is being rediscovered today.

Lectionary-Based Plans for Scripture Readings:

See the Lectionary for Mass section of my website, esp. my suggested Links to other websites
Several Catholic publishers put out monthly booklets containing the current liturgical readings along with commentaries, prayers, and/or study aides:

One-Year or Multi-Year Plans for Reading the Bible:

Reading Plans for Catholic Bibles (including the Deuterocanonical Books):
- Daily Bible Reading Guide - from the American Bible Society, available in print or online; in English or Spanish; in Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox Christian editions.
- Daily Scripture and Catechism Devotional - a downloadable brochure of a one-year plan that anyone can begin at any time, with four readings suggested for each day: two selections from the OT, one from the NT, and one from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; by the "Coming Home Network"
- How to Read the Bible Every Day: A Guide for Catholics - contains one-year, two-year, and three-year plans; by Carmen Rojas (in print only; also available from Amazon.com)
- St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology - free online courses and resources for studying the Bible
- Catholic Scripture Study International - provides several 30-week in-depth online courses, on one biblical book at a time
Most other online reading plans and printed "One-Year Bibles" are based on Protestant editions of the Bible, which do not include the Deuterocanonical books considered canonical by Catholics and Orthodox Christians (for explanation of the differences, see my Comparative Chart of Various Editions of the Bible).
- Bible Reading Plan, from Zondervan Publishers - suggests a variety of different "reading plans" for beginning, intermediate, and advanced readers of the Bible; see esp. their "Three-Track Plan": Track 1 provides a brief introduction to the Bible; Track 2 covers a sample 186 chapters of the Bible; Track 3 is a three-year plan for reading the entire Bible (again, the Protestant OT, not including the Deuterocanonical books); some of this material is also online at ChristianBook.com.
- The One-Year Bible OnLine - from Tyndale House Publishers

Other Helpful Links:

Bible Reading Tips - from the "Bible Resource Center" of the American Bible Society
Catholic Scripture Study - brief weekly studies (on the current liturgical readings), various other resources and helpful links; by Vince Contreras

An Introduction to Lectio Divina:

Overview:

Lectio Divina is a "Vital Encounter with the Lord"
- It is not just "Bible Study," nor any religious discussion based on the scriptures,
- It is enlivening, existential, transformative, uniting
Lectio Divina is not just for monks and religious, but for all believers; it can be done by individuals or in groups:
- Individuals: use and adapt Lectio Divina flexibly to one’s own needs and style
- Groups: provide a regular pattern to build up openness and trust
“The Church in America should give high priority to prayerful reflection upon the Sacred Scripture by all the faithful. This Bible reading, accompanied by prayer, is known in the tradition of the Church by the name Lectio Divina, a practice that should be encouraged among all Christians.” (John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, 1999, p. 31)

Process (flexibly adapt the following steps, as needed, for individuals and groups):

Reading (lectio) – hearing God’s Word in the Bible
Meditation (meditatio) – reflecting on the meaning of the text
Prayer (oratio) – speaking with God in praise, thanks, and petition
Contemplation (contemplatio) – silence, listening to God
Action (actio) – letting the encounter affect my life and work

Resources:

Encounter with the Bible / Encuentro con la Biblia: Manual to implement the Lectio Divina in your Parish (2005) - a bilingual publication; available from the American Bible Society: Ministerios Latinos.