The Bible is a gold mine…
The Bible is like a gold mine where digging is required to unearth precious metal. For us to get the best out of it, we’d need to mine regularly and properly. The Bible can also be likened to a meal spread over a fine table. To enjoy it, we’d obviously need to eat it (compare with Ezekiel 3:1-3; John 6:53-63). Different dishes make up this meal, and we’re encouraged to eat them regularly throughout our Christian lives. Like a treasure that makes one rich, the Bible enriches our souls. Like a meal that satisfies our hunger, the Bible feeds us with the food God provides (Deuteronomy 32:44-47; Matthew 4:4; John 4:34). However, more than a gold mine and more than food, the Bible is the Word of God. Scriptures function as a source of our faith, meaning that only what is found in the scriptures should be binding on the Christian faith. In addition, the scriptures are the standard and the only absolute authority on matters of faith and practice. Meaning the Bible trumps man’s authority, church traditions and our own opinions. Luther puts it well: “I am bound by the scriptures. My conscience is captive to the Word of God” (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter3:1-2).
What is the Bible?
For us to know God, He must introduce Himself, because He is not like us. We also can’t know God unless He first comes after us (John 6:65; Ephesians 2:4-5). The good news is that He does so through His Son, Jesus (also known as the Word), and through the Bible (John 1:1-3, 18; Colossians 1:15-16; 2 Timothy3:14-17; Hebrews 1:1-3).
One of the best ways to understand what the Bible is to treat it as a love letter. A letter written by God to people He loves, people He pursues (compare with John 3:16). It’s safe to say the Bible is a book for relationship and not simply a book of knowledge. A famous preacher once said:
‘The Bible was never written to increase our knowledge simply, but to change our lives’
The Bible is a library of 66 books about God and His creation. This library is divided into two main sections:
The Old Testament - 39 books written over a period of about 1000 years
The New Testament - 27 books written over a period of about 100 years
Who wrote the Bible?
The Bible was written by God using people like us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”
From the verses above, we learn that God breathed the Scriptures into being and employed the personalities, characters, experiences, successes, and shortcomings of various people to do so. God didn’t put these people under some trance; rather, the Holy Spirit supervised their efforts. They used their own words, yet even these words came from God. Although God used people to write the Bible, this does not mean the Bible contains human error. The writing and compilation of the books of the Bible was ‘supervised’ by the Holy Spirit from start to finish. Therefore, scripture bears witness to its own dual authorship. God Himself, by the Holy Spirit, and the human authors who give expression in human language. Both testaments bear witness that they were given directly by the Spirit of God, yet through human instruments. Clement of Alexandria (d.215 AD) attests that John was “inspired by the Spirit” to compose the gospel. God is the ultimate author of scripture (2 Peter 1:21).
Is the Bible reliable?
The Bible is a library of books that were written in a different time and culture from ours. Although this may normally pose problems of accuracy and reliability, it’s not the case with the Bible, as we shall see below.
Is it truthful?
John 17:17 reads:
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”
The noun used for ‘truth’ (alētheia) in the above verse does not simply mean the Bible is true or trustworthy. It means that the Bible, or the Word of God, is the standard of truth. In other words, the Bible is not a version of truth; no, it is the standard by which all other claims to truth need to measure themselves. The Westminster Larger Catechism says the following: “The Bible is God’s written revelation and the ultimate standard. It is the only rule given to show us how to live in a way that pleases God.”
Is it our final authority?
The entire Bible is our final authority, meaning we do not understand the Bible based on how we feel, what we think, what our culture says, or what we want God to do for us. Rather, the Bible judges what we feel and think, what our culture says, and what we want. The Word of God is not controlled by what we experience; it has authority over it, whether good, bad, or neutral (2 Tim 3:16-17).
How to read the Bible?
There’s a direct connection between our love for the Bible, our study of it and our affection for God (Psalm 1:1-6). It’s a bit like a courting couple. They gaze into each other’s eyes for moments on end. She soaks in his features, spends every waking moment with him, and vice versa. The point to be made is that a proper reading of the Bible is not an intellectual exercise to begin with. Reading the Bible is relational. We read in a relationship with God. We pursue a relationship with God, NOT an isolatedknowledge of God.
Practical tips to help us cultivate this culture:
Time: Read the scriptures slowly. If we’re to spend 15 minutes a day reading the Bible, we would read through the entire library in one year. It’s good to have a regular pattern because it maintains a consistent schedule and disciplines us. However, it’s important not to feel guilty if we miss a couple, because this is not just about ticking boxes but about cultivating a relationship.
I’d recommend finding a time that best suits you, for some it’s the morning, while others prefer reading during the day or at the end of the day. Try different times to begin with, then settle for a time that fits your lifestyle. J.C Ryle says, “Happy is the man who possesses a Bible. Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it, but obeys it, and makes it the rule of His faith and practice.”
Place: Where we read is also important. Find a place that suits you. It may be outdoors, in a study, or even in a noisy room, as long as we can gaze into God, who loves us, through His Word; it really doesn’t matter where reading happens. Some people find it difficult to read, so for them, an audio Bible may be of great help. You can even download this type of Bible from iTunes.
Method: It’s helpful for us to read the Bible as we would hungrily devour a meal.
Starting by praying, asking God to help us understand what we read in the Bible, is a good practice. God breathed the words of the Bible, and he is more than willing to help us understand them.
Read a passage and try to write down the main points of what it may be saying. A study Bible, like the NIV or ESV, can help give details of what is going on behind the story. It may be important to add here that it is advisable to read a translation you can understand; reading an Old King James version you can’t understand will not benefit you. If English is your second or third language, it may be best to read a Dynamic translation (Good News Bible, New Living Translation), as they are much easier to understand. We would also recommend the Africa Study Bible as a resource.
Use a bible reading plan to enrich your personal devotion. Examples include the M'Cheyne reading plan, the Bible Project, and the Reformation reading plan. It is also important to remember the wise words of Keith Plummer, who states, “The purpose of a reading plan is not to keep you on schedule but to keep you in the Word. If you miss a meal, it’s foolish to give up eating.”
The fourth part is crucial. Ask yourself, what does it say? What does it mean? How does it apply? We read the Bible with application in mind. Sometimes it’s useful not to rush through reading but to think about a passage repeatedly. It may be useful to have a notebook or journal to record thoughts, prayers, struggles, and victories.
This is also important; respond in prayer and action. The point of Bible reading is to know who God is and to live our lives the way He directs. As a Christ follower, I would encourage you to:
Read the Word
Study the Word
Memorise the Word
Sing the Word
Live out the Word
Meditate on the Word
“The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” Psalm 119:72
Works Consulted
Grudem, Wayne. 1994. Systematic Theology, IVP, Leicester.
Article by Eric Mtimkulu, lead elder at Common Ground Church Wynberg
