EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
AUG 24, 2024
DAVE MYERS
Everyday Faith
With the beginning of school, it seems only appropriate to share the first lesson I would give to Advanced Placement Literature students.
Bright kids would walk into my classroom with college on their mind, but my goal for them was to help them learn literature with fresh eyes. Oh, they could read, but could they think and interpret?
After a brief introduction, the kids were given dot-to-dots. Some would look at me cross-eyed, like they were above the assignment, but others were excited. As we completed the dot-to-dots, the students often thought the assignment was over. By that point, we were nearing the end of class, so I would tell them to take the dot-to-dots home and color them.
The next day, everyone showed off their artwork and explained why they colored in the dots the way they did. As we wrapped up, I would explain to them that what they had just done was our mission for the whole year with literature — to take what others couldn’t see and bring it to life through the understanding of clues that the authors left behind.
I explained that each and every author wrote intentionally and with purpose. It was up to us to find the dots, connect them, and color them in.
The kids got to pick one of their dot-to-dots at that point and hang it up on the wall to remain there for the year, reminding them of our task.
We were becoming detectives, searching for the hidden meanings of the classics in the canon.
A discussion would ensue about how books became classics and part of the canon. But there is no specific standard to make that determination, so, ultimately, those in the canon got there because people recognized them as one of the most impactful books of their generation.
But the interesting aspect of studying the canon was that the students never got to study the number-one bestseller of all time — the Bible.
For some, reading the Bible seems an archaic practice of futility. But that’s because many don’t know the dots. Once you know what the dots are, you can start to connect them and create an amazing picture of what God desires.
In order to study the Bible, the goal should be to read the entirety of the text from cover to cover.
How can a reader determine the validity of a text without reading every aspect?
A natural question to start with would be, “Does the Bible say anything about itself?”
2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching.”
Scripture’s claim is that the words of the Bible come directly from God for men. That’s a big claim and worth investigating.
The Bible certainly is an unusual book to read, simply based on how it’s set up. Did you know that writers of the Bible spanned 1,500 years, writing the 66 books, and are divided up amongst 40 writers?
Even among the writers, there was incredible diversity of rank in life.
Initially, that sounds like that could lead to discrepancies, but, in reading the Bible as a whole document, one of the most incredible aspects is how complementary the writers are towards one another, in spite of the three different continents and three languages used.
Many people today reference modern-day authors to provide commentary on the Bible, but, actually, the writers of the Bible provide commentary among themselves. Books of the Bible explain other books of the Bible.
The cohesion from the Old Testament to the New Testament is amazing!
In modern times, archaeology has validated time and again the stories of the Bible — from exact locations of cities to specific characters (Jerusalem — David, Pontius Pilate…). The Bible says the word of God is so important that even the rocks cry out, and they do with each discovery today.
Though the Bible was not intended to be a history book, it also has shown itself to be historically accurate with events that occurred in the Bible. Even the crucifixion of Jesus is validated by ancient historians (Josephus) who were not a part of the Jesus movement.
What about the prophetic claims made in the Bible?
Now, some of the claims have not yet been fulfilled, but all it takes is an analysis of the prophecies made about the life of Jesus as the Messiah. Even studying Jewish history and the fact that Israel is a nation today fulfills prophecies that were made.
There’s no doubt that the authenticity of the Bible has been challenged over the course of history, but it remains the most-read book in the world. The durability of the Bible throughout history seems to point to it being sacredly special.
Individuals (Voltaire) dedicated their lives to trying to discredit the Bible. Yet it remains — changing lives every day.
There’s many layers to reading and understanding the Bible, but the greatest suggestion I could give for someone trying to understand it is to simply dig in and start studying the context in which it was written. Who wrote the book? Who did they write it to? Why did they write it?
There’s nothing to shy away from in reading the Bible. Those questions are fair game.
I’m confident that, if you read the Bible, the dots will begin to appear right before your eyes, creating a beautiful picture full of life and color that reveals just how much God cares for you.
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