How To Read the Bible – And Get Something Out of It
Lesson One – Get To Know Your Bible
What Are You Reading - Understanding What You Are Reading
Lesson Two – First Testament
How to Read the Torah
Lesson Three – First Testament
How to Read the Writings & Prophets (Hebrew Poetry)
Lesson Four – New Testament
How to Read the Gospels
Lesson Five – New Testament
How to Read the Letters (of Paul, Peter, James, Jude, John)
Lesson Five – New Testament
How to Read the Letters
The Letters of Paul to the Church in: Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica; to Timothy, Titus, Philemon
The Letters of Peter to: God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia
The Letter of James:
[see also the Letter to the Hebrews - an anonymous epistle]
The Letter of Jude: To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
The Letters of John:
Originally there were no chapters and verses in the Scriptures.
Some letters were written while the author was imprisoned.
The audiences are varied – geographically, culturally, religiously, maturity.
Understanding What You Are Reading
The Flow of the Story: The Letters and the Acts of the Apostles
…and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. [Acts 1:8]
The Story of God as told through Five Sections of the Bible
Torah: God Will Bless the World Through Israel
Prophets: God’s Call To Israel to Repent That
He Might Bless The World Through Them
Writings: God’s Involvement With Israel and the World
As He Works To Bless The World Through Them
Gospels: God Through Jesus Calling Israel to Repent
That He Might Bless The World Through Them
Letters: God’s Involvement With Israel & the Church
In the World As He Works To Bless The World
Through Them in Jesus’ Name
* Jesus comes as God to initiate a New Exodus God with Israel to save them from slavery and destruction, making a new covenant with them for blessing the world through him. (He reinterprets Torah for them as a Prophet)
* Whoever would believe and follow Jesus – whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, civilized or barbarian – would become part of the New Israel, or the Ekklesia (assembly or church) of Jesus.
* This New Israel/Church would be God’s instrument for blessing the world in the name of Jesus.
* The Letters of the Apostles and Disciples are selected writings of the expansion of the New Israel/church through the proclamation of the Gospels from Jerusalem to the end of the earth within the Roman Empire.
* The Letters inform of us of how the early church blossomed in its culture in as it entered into the Story of God through the proclamation of the Gospel.
* The Letters give us insights into how our church can blossom in our culture as part of God’s ongoing story through the proclamation of the Gospel.
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