Of The Reading of Holy Scriptures
It is truth we must look for in Scripture, not cunning words. All Scripture ought to be read in the spirit in which it was written. We ought to read books that are devotional and simple, as well as those that are deep and difficult. And let not the education of the writer be a stumbling block to you, whether he has little or much learning, but let the love for the pure truth draw you to read. Ask not who has said this or that, but focus on what he says.
Men pass away, but the truth of the Lord endures forever. God speaks to us in different ways. If you want to profit from your reading, read humbly, simply, and honestly.
The Imitation of Christ - Thomas à Kempis
Observation:
Dear brother à Kempis, are you advising me here on my reading of scripture alone, or on all the reading I do (be it devotional, scholarly, leisurely or technical)?
At first blush it sounds like you move quickly from scripture to all the books that beckon and make claims upon our time and minds. Yet, looking again at the title you gave this reflection, I am reminded that our bible is not one book, but a collection. Scripture is a library composed by many authors. The genres vary as do the styles and backgrounds of the authors and editors. Genesis delivers mythic beginnings and sweeping epics. Leviticus grants us a window into a particular community of faith's life through a legal code and its interpretations. Ecclesiastes is wisdom for those who live long enough to become disillusioned. Philemon is a hand-written appeal for justice and mercy to prevail in a very personal conflict. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are particular and diverse accounts of God's singular act of saving grace through the promise of a messiah, his birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promise not to leave us along until his return. The genius of the prophets - major and minor alike - is that each proclaims "the word of the LORD" in a unique voice for a specific audience.
The miracle of holy scripture is not that God has allowed the WORD to be recorded once-and-for-all. Rather, the same I AM who spoke to Moses, temple priests, Solomon, Paul, apostles and prophets uses their accounts to give us ears to hear what God is saying to us even here, even now. Of course, if I am to attend to what the LORD is saying, I will first have to quite the anxious and egoistic noise of my heart and mind.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” - Psalm 46:10
Application:
The advice to read humbly, simply and honestly sticks with me today.
An occupational hazard of being a regular preacher is that I am tempted to come to scripture with an agenda. "I have a weekly deadline to meet, LORD, so if You don't mind I have some ideas to try out before You get going," I can easily imagine myself saying. Perhaps that is why I have been taken with illustrated children's stories such as, The Seven Silly Eaters, and Love You Forever of late. These books capture the imagination and draw the reader into the ridiculous, wonderful world of the author to point us gently in the direction of truth that is good.
Today, I hear an invitation to attend fully to the story of a given passage of scripture above all. For these many books, writ by diverse authors and edited and translated through the centuries all finally are offered to us in service of the great divine comedy. Our Author speaks, gently guiding us into truth and goodness.
Prayer:
Spirit of God, Living Word, speak! Catch us up in the mysterious delight of Your story.
And grant that we may have ears to hear and wisdom to listen. Amen.
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