Here’s a question. When you read the Bible, do you study small pieces, such as a verse or two here and there? Or do you consume larger chunks, like a whole chapter or an entire book?

I am asking because – and as I experience Paul’s letter to the Romans with the men’s group – reading the entire book through makes this study feel so much more complete. We are looking at one chapter each week, and Romans makes more understandable sense this way.

I try – always – to read back over the material we previously discussed. This way I get a sense of momentum coming into what’s next. This is why today’s chapter, Romans 14, was really an extension of 1-13 rather than standing alone. Next week I will read the first 14 chapters before studying chapter 15.

In consequence I will have read the entire book of Romans many times over by the time we move on into Corinthians.

Professor and friend

The first time I read the Bible this way was back in Florida, when I co-taught a class with my friend Charles. Charles was a retired professor, and his academic credentials were impressive. He knew Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and had taught masters level classes at Harvard and Yale.

So Charles and I offered this 29-week seminar on the New Testament, where we read and discussed one of the 27 books each week (plus an intro and a summary).

Our only requirement for participation was “do the reading.” If the coming week was Philemon or Jude, then it was an easy prep. When Acts was on the schedule, or Matthew, or Revelation or Romans then people had to carve out some serious time.

Without exception, what folk enjoyed most about our class was the experience of reading entire New Testament books without breaking them up.

How to Read

Our directions were, essentially, “Pray before you read. But do not stop and try to analyze any passages in isolation, or drill down for deeper meanings, just read through like you are reading a novel or a long magazine article. Enjoy the rhythm and the poetry of the writing, imagine the time and the place where people first encountered these words, and do your best to receive it as a complete and immersive experience.”

Then, in class, Charles and I gave background information such as context and geography and history, and we all talked about each book as a whole.

Here’s my point in today’s post, as I am inspired by the Apostle Paul’s amazing writing: Get into God’s word! Read the Bible in many different ways, including “entire books at one time.”

I do not believe it is possible to dive into scripture with our hearts open and, then, to avoid being renewed – DEREK