What is a Good Strategy for Reading the Bible? (Part 5)
The discipline of Bible reading continually pays tremendous spiritual dividends. As we develop a more educated and consistent approach, the Bible becomes even that much more helpful. Remember, the Bible is a spiritual and theological book. It’s not meant to be read as mythology, history, or science. In fact, one of the most interesting aspects of biblical literature involves something known as “metanarrative.” Metanarrative refers to an overarching, unified, and cohesive storyline. In other words, the Bible is a connected true narrative of God revealing himself to us. Each section is a part of a greater story that culminates in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, as we become more familiar with the sections of the Bible, we become more familiar with not only the story but also the person of Jesus Christ our Lord.
We now turn our attention to the sections of the New Testament. The New Testament opens with the “Synoptic Gospels” of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The term “synoptic” is a Greek word meaning “to see together.” That is, the first three Gospels are quite similar in syntax. The authors share many of the same stories. The repetition of the Synoptic Gospels is helpful since each author composes similar stories from different points of view. Any reader of any background can therefore relate to at least one of the synoptics. The Gospel of John is not numbered with the synoptics because John’s writing is of a different nature.
In the first four Gospel books, one will obviously find a great emphasis on the ministry of Jesus. We especially see how Jesus related to and fulfilled the Old Testament Law. We also notice Jesus’ magnificent teachings on the Kingdom of God and consequently how one can become a disciple of Jesus and citizen of the Kingdom.
It should almost go without saying that the death and resurrection of Jesus takes center stage for the Gospel writers. The meaning and implications of the gospel of grace set the tone for the rest of the New Testament. If one misses the good news of Jesus Christ in the first four books of the New Testament, then he or she should take time to reconsider the text.
Writings from both Paul and John take up most of the space in the New Testament after the Gospel books. Readers should however remember the importance of Acts. Luke the Gospel writer also authored Acts. In fact, it is very helpful to read Luke and Acts as a two-part narrative. Acts illustrates how the Holy Spirit empowered the first century church to get off the ground and spread to the rest of the known world. In the book of Acts, we also become familiar with the extraordinary conversion and ministry of a highly trained Pharisee named Saul. After meeting Jesus, Saul’s name was changed to Paul. Paul and his entourage traveled throughout most of the Roman Empire starting churches and living out the Great Commission.
Paul’s letters document how the gospel can profoundly affect us. Space does not allow us to present an exhaustive study of Paul’s letters here. Yet, we can take note of some unifying themes. For instance, Paul consistently discussed how a person is made right (or justified) before God. Justification is by grace through faith in Christ, and it is not by the Law of Moses. Paul was not anti-Law, but Paul rigorously discussed the impossibility of man to keep the Law. All therefore have sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory. The only way to get right with God is by putting faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul also focused on themes such as how one’s union with Christ translates into practical living. Numerous portions of Paul’s letter deal with intensely practical application of our salvation in Christ. Consequently, Paul refers much in his letters to the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle John wrote a Gospel, three letters (also known as Epistles), and a grand book called Revelation. Some scholars think that John may have had a hand in writing some of Hebrews, as well. John focused primarily on the concepts of eternal life, practical living (John called it “bearing fruit”), loving one another, and the will of God. John also displayed a great penchant for using tremendously visual metaphors to explain lofty ideas. For instance, John often used “light” and “darkness” to compare and contrast the ways of Jesus with the ways of the world. Even though he wrote with a depth of meaning, John pulled no punches. He told the truth in a convicting way, always inviting the reader to make a personal and responsible decision about Jesus Christ.
So, how shall we put all of this information together? What are some practical ways to explore the metanarrative of the Bible? We’ll talk more about answers to such questions next time.