Understanding Scripture
When we started homeschooling our eldest, one of the assignments on the curriculum was to read A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare. I thought, 'How in the world is a six-year-old going to understand this?' So, I decided I would find an audio version read by actors to help him follow the plot. After trying to find the one with the best quality, I finally decided on one, and we began to listen. About two minutes in, it had lost him; three minutes in, and I was lost. And then I realized something: there was a specific children's book on Shakespeare that the curriculum was referencing. So, I went online and bought it, and it came in the mail a couple of days later. The book retells Shakespeare’s stories in a shortened form for children, utilizing the vocabulary and important passages from the original. Not only was it much easier for him to understand the story, but I also enjoyed reading it. The book helps children understand the overall plot of the stories, so that when they read them later in life, they can follow the plot better and appreciate the story. After all, if you are lost in the first and second Acts of a Shakespeare play, the ending isn’t going to make much sense to you, at least not in any meaningful way. The same is true for Scripture and the Christian life.
Many Christians have never read the Bible in its entirety. The Old Testament remains, for many, a mysterious place. A few years ago, I was shocked when talking to a lifelong Episcopalian in her 70s, who had never even heard the complete story of Noah’s Ark, let alone many other important stories in the Old Testament. If we don’t know the narrative of Scripture, which is the story of God’s redeeming humanity and of all creation, then how do we understand our place in God’s plan? If we do not know the preceding acts of God’s story, we will not understand our parts to play or our final hope. It would be like walking into the Shakespeare play As You Like It, knowing only of Ganymede and nothing of Rosalind. That person would be very confused; perhaps this reference already confuses you, which is exactly my point.
The Church does a great disservice to its parishioners when it fails to teach biblical literacy and a basic understanding of the narrative of Scripture. Now, don't get me wrong, the lectionary is a wonderful gift to us. Not only does it move people along through large amounts of Scripture, but it also corresponds to the Church year. During Holy Week alone, we hear each Gospel’s lengthy account of the Crucifixion. Additionally, it shows themes in Scripture and makes connections between Old Testament, Gospel, and Epistle passages. And what is more, the lectionary places Scripture in its proper context within the liturgy. It is in the Divine service that we hear as the body of Christ, the word of God. Scripture is not just for you; it is for all of us. And it is within the liturgy where we recite the Creeds and receive Christ in the Sacrament that we are given the hermeneutical lens to understand the thrust of Scripture. Does this mean we shouldn’t read the Bible on our own? By no means. Does this mean we only need the Sunday lectionary and shouldn’t use the daily lectionary in our Morning and Evening Prayers? Again, by no means. The reading and hearing of Scripture, as well as its study, are essential to the Christian life.
In the Preface to The Great Bible, Thomas Cranmer exhorted the people to read Scripture. He addresses the concern that people will not be able to understand it, to which he says,
“How shouldest thou understand, if thou wilt not read, nor look upon it? Take the books into thine hands, read the whole story, and that thou understandest, keep it well in memory; that thou understandest not, read it again, and again. If thou can neither so come by it, counsel with some other that is better learned. Go to thy curate and preacher; show thyself to be desirous to know and learn, and I doubt not but God - seeing thy diligence and readiness... will himself vouchsafe with his holy spirit to illuminate thee, and to open unto thee that which was locked from thee.”
This is one of the reasons we offer Bible studies throughout the year, to help people progress in their reading and understanding of Scripture. If any of you have questions, I am happy to help you. And, with the internet these days, there are a plethora of resources to help you along this journey. Some resources include: bibleproject.com, youversion.com, or netbible.org. Having an understanding of the whole of Scripture, knowing the whole of the plot, is not about bragging rights; it is about knowing who God is, what he is doing, and how he is calling you to participate in his work. Even more than head knowledge, Scripture places you in conversation with the living God and allows him to teach and master you.
God’s Peace,
Fr. Aaron