Just like there is Middle English and Old English, there are different types of literature from different places, peoples, and times. The Bible is no different.
Talking Points:
- One important facet of ancient Jewish literature is that it lacks many of the details modern English-speakers expect when they read. The Bible is not always attempting to answer the types of questions we are asking.
- The Bible is not a book to be read in one sitting, but a book to be read and reread over a lifetime: meditation literature.
- Psalm 1 describes the “ideal Bible readers” as someone who meditates upon the scripture day and night. In Hebrew, the word for “meditate,” (הָגָה, “hagah”) means to “mutter” or “speak quietly.” This holds the idea of slowly, quietly reading the Bible aloud to yourself and talking about it with likeminded people. Psalm 1:1-6
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Have you ever been confused by a film, article/book, or something else because it seemed foreign to you? Explain.
- How does something’s origin – time, place, original writer/audience – affect how we should interpret it? Explain.
- What are some examples of people imposing their own lens/bias onto the Bible?
- “The Bible is not always attempting to answer the types of questions we are asking.” Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.
- How does this video help you understand what seems like missing or ambiguous information in the Bible?
- Consider the “offspring” of Genesis 3:15. Why does the Bible invite us to engage with its story rather than provide all the answers we’re seeking up front?
- Read Psalm 1:1-3 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17. What does it mean that “the Bible reads you?” What does it look like practically in our lives?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
