Today I learned that most people who read the Bible are either historically or devotionally informed. Historically informed readers of the Bible focus on understanding the text in its historical context. Devotionally informed readers look for a present word from God in the text for life today. I am learning that a balance of both ways of reading Scripture are necessary to properly understand what God is communicating.
I have long been a devotionally informed reader of Scripture. Although I am interested in historical aspects of the text, I have not always seen it as integral to my life as a follower of Christ. One of my big takeaways from this course so far is that I need to integrate these two components of Scripture. I have always believed that God speaks through Scripture, and that He still speaks today (even through different forms other than Scripture).
Also, I am definitely guilty of reading the Bible through a fragmented lens. I even communicate God’s Word through fragmented forms without much regard for context. One of the reasons I have looked forward to this course so much is that I want to have a more contextual approach to reading and communicating God’s Word.
1 comment:
Bryan
I've always been taught that when it comes to properly understanding and interpreting Scripture, 'Context is King'. Whithout understanding the historical context of a passage, much of the nuances can be missed, or misunderstood completely. So, it's great that you'll be learning some skills to do this.
John V
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