People starting to read the Bible often don’t know where to start.
It’s a large book with many chapters, divided into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament.
How do you know where to begin?
I asked several friends.
Starting to read the Bible with the friendly Book of John.
As Ann said, “The Gospel of John is a good place to start because ‘who was Jesus?’ is a vital question. You need to answer it for yourself.”
My friends agreed.
Cathy described a group she knew that marked the book of John as the first to be read. “That way, when they gave them away, people knew where to start.”
The Lutheran Women’s Ministry League marks Bibles for prison ministries. You can obtain a PDF for detailed directions on important passages here.
I like John first, myself, but Rachel pointed out that a friend found all John’s analogies confusing. “She tried the Gospel of Luke and found it was more concrete about who Jesus was and what he did.”
Luke tells more of the story. The beginning is familiar to anyone who has celebrated Christmas. Starting with a story you’ve heard before can make Luke’s further telling more accessible for beginners.
Why not start at the very beginning?
It’s an idea, especially since the first chapter, Genesis 1, opens with “In the beginning.”
That’s where I originally began as a young teenager.
The early chapters are enthralling: a basic description of how God created the universe.
There’s majesty and beauty in the beginning.
The book of Genesis moves into stories many know: Adam and Eve; Noah and the Flood.
Soon you’ll start asking questions. Does what the Bible says make sense?
How can God create the universe in 24 hours?
It depends on how you define “day,” and a beginner rarely digs into the Hebrew meanings of words.
(I eventually encountered Reasons to Believe, where many of those questions were answered.)
I quickly decided Jesus’ life and ministry were easier to understand.
Why join a Bible Study?
Several years after my failed attempts to read the Bible for myself, I joined a high school Bible study.
The eight girls were already studying the book of Romans with Mrs. Hahn.
Since that’s where I joined, that’s where I started.
I didn’t understand half of what I read.
I needed guidance because it all felt so new.
By participating in a Bible study, I could ask as many questions as I wanted.
Mrs. Hahn patiently answered them all.
It also helped that members of the group pointed me to a Good News Bible.
I needed simpler words and ideas to fully grasp what I was reading.
Mrs. Hahn also taught me to read, think, wonder, read again, and ask God questions about the text.
I’ve been studying the Bible that way ever since.
What if you don’t want to start with a group? Or you can’t?
A friend of ours spent time in prison.
While there, he read and read and read.
You don’t have access to a group when you’re in solitary confinement.
But he requested commentaries, which he received.
His faith grew as he read the Bible with commentaries by his side.
And if you don’t have a group to read the Bible with?
My friends suggested reading the Bible in this order: John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians.
Reading in that order introduces you to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and how God intended the church to live.
Bible reading plans are easy to find online.
You can start each new book by watching the appropriate animated video from Bible Project.
I’ve used it for years in my teaching.
Beyond that, read, ask questions, listen to the Holy Spirit answer, and don’t give up.
Starting to read the Bible can change your life.
It did mine.
I’ve often blogged about Bible study. You can check out my blog posts starting here.
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?