Category Archives: Bible study

Do more people prefer the KJV?

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OK, I fell for USA Today’s headline. “Bible readers prefer King James version,” it said. And the story itself even said: “82% of those who read the Good Book at least once a month rely on the translation that first brought the Scripture to the English-speaking masses worldwide.” Now, as Peter Kirk over at Better Bibles blog pointed out, unless the USA Today is talking about the Geneva Bible, that sentence isn’t very accurate. But it’s inaccurate for another reason: the Lifeway Research study on which the article is based doesn’t say that!

Here’s how Lifeway put it:

Among those who read the Bible regularly the percentage of KJV owners is even higher. A full 82 percent of Americans who read the Bible at least once a month own a KJV.

That’s a far cry from saying that 82% prefer the KJV. Lots of people own a King James Bible; how many of them read it? How many prefer to read it? That’s not reported. Which is why the USA Today headline was totally misleading.

I’m not looking to bash the KJV. I’m merely pointing out the fallacy, which I fell into, of relying on second-hand media reports. When possible, check the original source. As I’ve said before, I’m uneasy when someone says “Paul says…” or “the Bible teaches…” unless what is reported is a direct quote from the Bible. Because you always run the risk of someone misinterpreting a passage and reporting it as the truth from the Bible. Like USA Today did with this report from Lifeway.

Photo by Ove Tøpfer; from Stock Xchange

Why study the Bible?

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A friend who is a reader of this blog called me on Thursday after reading what I had posted. He felt that I had overlooked a basic question: “Why study the Bible?” His argument was that many conservative Christians have made a sacrament of Bible reading, feeling that they are somehow inferior Christians if they aren’t reading daily… and these Christians often try to pass that guilt on to others.

Though we differed on the direction that his question was leading, I think my friend raised a good point. At times we take Bible study and make it sound like an obligation, a duty to be grudgingly performed. We need to find a way to present it as an opportunity, a chance to continue to grow and understand the Word of God.

Years ago, as part of his work with Herald of Truth, Glenn Owen wrote a book called “The Adventure of Bible Study.” It’s an excellent little book that I have kept in my library for years. I love the whole concept of Bible study as an adventure.

I love growing to see connections between different passages. I thrill at coming to see more and more the unified flow that goes through the entire Bible. I love as the Word becomes part of me and comes to have more and more influence on who I am and what I do.

In our phone conversation, my friend and I discussed other ways in which God reveals Himself to us. I am a strong believer in God speaking to us through different media, be it nature, be it other Christians, etc. But, as I told him, I am convinced that the Bible is the most objective of those voices, the standard by which I can interpret the truth and validity of other sources of “God talk.”

Paul spoke to Timothy of the holy writings that Timothy had known from his youth. Timothy’s mother and grandmother had raised him in a context of Scripture. Paul tells Timothy that those writings, what we know as the Old Testament, were the perfect guide for the Christian, able to make him “wise unto salvation.” He also said that these holy words, breathed on by God, would equip the godly man for everything he needed to do. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

That’s how I want to know God’s Word. I want to know it so well that it not only helps me teach, but that it speaks to me for my daily life.

Why do you study the Bible?

How would you teach people to study the Bible?

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One item that has consistently remained on my “To Do” list is the development of a Bible study guide to send out to listeners of the radio program I do (which is entitled “Read The Bible”). There are lots of guides out there, so what I have in mind is probably out there. But so far, everything I’ve seen leaves me dissatisfied.

These courses are typically offered as a guide to studying the Bible, but most of the ones I’ve seen are merely designed to present a certain doctrine. I want to develop a Bible study course that tries to teach people the basic principles of biblical interpretation.

If what I believe is based on the Bible, I shouldn’t be afraid to allow people to study and reach conclusions on their own. If it’s not based on the Bible, I have no business teaching it.

If you were putting together such a course, what would you want to see in it? What do you think people need to know as they begin to study the Bible?

Right now, I’m envisioning the following:

  • Description of basic attitudes necessary for effective study
  • Guidelines for personal devotional reading, personal Bible study and group Bible study
  • An overview of each book of the Bible
  • Some basics of biblical history and geography, along with discussion of importance of context
  • Study of biblical genres
  • Overview of biblical themes (basic theology)

As you can see, that’s already quite a lot. But I’m sure there’s plenty more that could be there. What suggestions do you have? Have you seen a basic course that covers these sorts of topics?

When original isn’t good

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Photo by Ove Tøpfer; from Stock Xchange

I got a message on Facebook the other day, asking me to look at some Bible studies someone had prepared concerning Jesus’ return. This person told me: “I show things completely differently and in a different way than you have seen before…”

When I hear something like that, little alarms go off in my head. When it comes to Bible study, originality is not a good thing. When I reach a conclusion that I’ve never heard before, I try to find someone else who has reached that same conclusion in the past. Failing that, I show my tentative interpretation to others (sometimes here in this blog), asking them to show me where I’m wrong.

The fact is, it’s hard for me to believe that so many godly people could have studied God’s Word for years without someone arriving at the right interpretation. If I come up with a truly original interpretation, odds are that I’m truly wrong.

When it comes to Bible study, originality is not a good thing.

“My Word will not return unto me void”

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On the road this week, I’m sharing some “blasts from the past.” Here’s a post that gets looked at a lot.

*****


“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Is 55:11 KJV)

This verse is sometimes used to say that giving people a Bible is enough, for it is God’s Word and God’s Word will not return void. Personally, I don’t think that’s what this verse is saying. I think that “my word” here refers to God uttering a decree; when God says something it will happen.

Still I have long held to the belief that anyone can and should be able to understand the Bible on their own and, through that understanding, learn the truth and become a Christian. While still believing in the power of God’s Word, I have some doubts about that exact process. Here’s why:

  1. As I’ve been discussing recently, God’s Word was not originally delivered in book form, not originally distributed to the masses in book form as it is today. Therefore, that cannot have been God’s original plan. It could be a way for people to come to the truth, but it’s certainly not intended to be the most important way. In fact, this whole idea didn’t spring up until the last few centuries, when printed Bibles were readily available.
  2. The Bible never makes the claim that everyone can just read it and understand it. As troubling as that sounds, it’s true. Faith in biblical times was not built around people sitting at home reading God’s Word. They had to come together to do it. And they didn’t have trouble with the idea that someone would need to explain it.Look at Nehemiah 8, when Ezra stood and read the Book of the Law to the people following their return from exile. Notice that the Levites were explaining the meaning as Ezra read: “Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.” (Nehemiah 8:7-9 ESV)Look also at the eunuch’s words in Acts 8: “So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” (Acts 8:30-31 ESV) Philip didn’t reprimand him saying: “Of course you can understand. Anyone can.” He taught him.
  3. I cannot think of even one example in the Bible where evangelism is done by giving someone a Bible. Again, look at Philip and the eunuch. The eunuch had the Bible in his hand, yet Philip was sent to teach him. I believe in the Bible and the power of the Bible. I just don’t see where God says, “Hand out these books and people will become Christians.”

God works through people and through relationships. He always sent a prophet. He didn’t just hand Moses a book. Jesus wrote no book. People need God’s Word, but “Bible-only” evangelism isn’t God’s way.