How to Read the Bible

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How to Read the Bible=20

By Archimandrite Justin Popovich=20

The Bible is in a sense a biography of God in this world. = In it=20 the Indescribable One has in a sense described Himself.=20

The Holy Scriptures of the New Testament are a biography = of the=20 incarnate God in this world. In them it is related how God, = in order=20 to reveal Himself to men, sent God the Logos, Who took on = flesh and=20 became man-and as man told men everything that God is, = everything=20 that God wants from this world and the people in it.=20

God the Logos revealed God's plan for the world and God's = love=20 for the world. God the Word spoke to men about God with the = help of=20 words insofar as human words can contain the uncontainable = God.=20

All that is necessary for this world and the people in = it--the=20 Lord has stated in the Bible. In it He has given the answers = to all=20 questions. There is no question which can torment the human = soul,=20 and not find its answer, either directly or indirectly in = the Bible.=20

Men cannot devise more questions than there are answers = in the=20 Bible. If you fail to find the answer to any of your = questions in=20 the Bible, it means that you have either posed a senseless = question=20 or did not know how to read the Bible and did not finish = reading the=20 answer in it.=20

What the Bible Contains In the Bible God has made known:=20

1) what the world is; where it came from; why it exists; = what it=20 is heading for; how it will end;=20

2) what man is; where he comes from; where he is going; = what he=20 is made of; what his purpose is how he will end;=20

3) what animals and plants are; what their =B7 purpose is = what they=20 are used for;=20

4) what good is; where it comes from; what it leads to; = what its=20 purpose is; how it is attained;=20

5) what evil is; where it comes from; how it came to = exist; why=20 it exists--how it will come to an end;=20

6) what the righteous are and what sinners are; how a = sinner=20 becomes righteous and how an arrogant righteous man becomes = a=20 sinner; how a man serves God and how he serves satan; the = whole path=20 from good to evil, from God to satan;=20

7) everything--from the beginning to the end; man's = entire path=20 from the body to God, from his conception in the womb to his = resurrection from the dead;=20

8) what the history of the world is, the history of = heaven and=20 earth, the history of mankind; what their path, purpose, and = end=20 are.=20

The Beauty of the Bible=20

In the Bible God has said absolutely everything that was=20 necessary to be said to men. The biography of every = man--everyone=20 without exception--is found in the Bible.=20

In it each of us can find himself portrayed and = thoroughly=20 described in detail; all those virtues and vices which you = have and=20 can have and cannot have.=20

You will find the paths on which your own soul and = everyone=20 else's journey from sin to sinlessness, and the entire path = from man=20 to God and from man to satan. You will find the means to = free=20 yourself from sin.=20

In short, you will find the complete history of sin and=20 sinfulness, and the complete history of righteousness and = the=20 righteous.=20

If you are mournful, you will find consolation in the = Bible; if=20 you are sad, you will find joy; if you are = angry--tranquility; if=20 you are lustful--continence; if you are foolish-wisdom; if = you are=20 bad--goodness; if you are a criminal--mercy and = righteousness; if=20 you hate your fellow man--love.=20

In it you will find a remedy for all your vices and weak = points,=20 and nourishment for all your virtues and accomplishments.=20

If you are good, the Bible will teach you how to become = better=20 and best; if you are kind, it will teach you angelic = tenderness; if=20 you are intelligent, it will teach you wisdom.=20

If you appreciate the beauty and music of literary style, = there=20 is nothing more beautiful or more moving than what is = contained in=20 Job, Isaiah, Solomon, David, John the Theologian and the = Apostle=20 Paul. Here music--the angelic music of the eternal truth of = God--is=20 clothed in human words.=20

The more one reads and studies the Bible, the more he = finds=20 reasons to study it as often and as frequently as he can. = According=20 to St. John Chrysostom, it is like an aromatic root, which = produces=20 more and more aroma the more it is rubbed.=20

Prayerful Preparation=20

Just as important as knowing why we should read the Bible = is=20 knowing how we should read the Bible.=20

The best guides for this are the holy Fathers, headed by = St. John=20 Chrysostom who, in a manner of speaking, has written a fifth = Gospel.=20

The holy Fathers recommend serious preparation before = reading and=20 studying the Bible; but of what does this preparation = consist?=20

First of all in prayer. Pray to the Lord to illumine your = mind--so that you may understand the words of the Bible--and = to fill=20 your heart with His grace--so that you may feel the truth = and life=20 of those words.=20

Be aware that these are God's words, which He is speaking = and=20 saying to you personally. Prayer, together with the other = virtues=20 found in the Gospel, is the best preparation a person can = have for=20 understanding the Bible.=20

How We Should Read the Bible=20

Prayerfully and reverently, for in each word there is = another=20 drop of eternal truth, and all the words together make up = the=20 boundless ocean of the Eternal Truth.=20

The Bible is not a book, but life; because its words are=20 spiritual life (John 6:63). Therefore its words can be = comprehended=20 it we study them with the spirit of its spirit, and with the = life of=20 its life.=20

It is a book that must be read with life-by putting it = into=20 practice. One should first live it, and then understand it.=20

Here the words of the Saviour apply: Whoever, is willing = to do=20 it--will understand that this teaching is from God (John = 7:17). Do=20 it. so that you may understand it. This is the fundamental = rule of=20 Orthodox exegesis.=20

At first one usually reads the Bible quickly. and then = more and=20 more slowly, until finally he will begin to read not even = word by=20 word, because in each word he is discovering an everlasting = truth=20 and an ineffable mystery.=20

Everyday read at least one chapter from the Old and the = New=20 Testament; but side by side with this put a virtue from each = into=20 practice. Practice it until it becomes a habit to you.=20

Let us say, for instance, that the first virtue is = forgiveness of=20 insults. Let this be your daily obligation. And along with = it pray=20 to the Lord: "O gentle Lord, grant me love towards those who = insult=20 me!"=20

And when you have made this virtue into a habit, each of = the=20 other virtues after it will be easier for you, and so on = until the=20 final one.=20

The main thing is to read the Bible as much as possible. = What the=20 mind does not understand, the heart will feel; and if = neither the=20 mind understands nor the heart feels, read it over again, = because by=20 reading it you are sowing God's words in your soul.=20

And there they will not perish, but will gradually and=20 imperceptibly pass into the nature of your soul; and there = will=20 happen to you what the Saviour said about the man who casts = seed on=20 the ground, and sleeps and rases night and day. and the seed = sprouts=20 and grows, while the man does not know it (Mark 4:26-27).=20

The main thing is: sow, and it is God Who causes and = allows what=20 is sown to grow (I Cor. 3:6). But do not rush success, lest = you=20 become like a man who sows today, but tomorrow already wants = to=20 reap.=20

Seed in Our Souls=20

By reading the Bible you are adding yeast to the dough of = your=20 soul and body, which gradually expands and fills the soul = until it=20 has thoroughly permeated it and makes it rise with the truth = and=20 righteousness of the G ospel.=20

In every instance, the S aviour's parable about the sower = and the=20 seed can be applied to every one of us. The Seed of Divine = Truth is=20 given to us in the Bible.=20

By reading it, we sow that seed in our own soul. It fails = on the=20 rocky and thorny ground of our soul, but a little also falls = on the=20 good soil of our heart--and bears fruit.=20

And when you catch sight of the fruit and taste it, the = sweetness=20 and joy will spur you to clear and plow the rocky and thorny = areas=20 of your soul and sow it with the seed of the word of God.=20

Do you know when a man is wise in the sight of Christ the = Lord?--when he listens to His word and carries it out. The = beginning=20 of wisdom is to listen to God's word (Matt. 7:24-25).=20

Every word of the Saviour has the power and the might to = heal=20 both physical and spiritual ailments. Say the word and my = servant=20 will healed (Matt. 8:8). The Saviour said the word--and the=20 centurion's servant was healed.=20

Just as He once did, the Lord even now ceaselessly says = His words=20 to you, to me, and to all of us. But we must pause , and = immerse=20 ourselves in them and receive them-with the centurion's = faith.=20

And a miracle will happen to us, and our souls will be = healed=20 just as the centurion's servant was healed. For it is = related in the=20 Gospel that they brought many possessed pro-pie to Him, and = He drove=20 out the spirits with a word, and healed all the sick = (Matt.8:16).=20

He still does this today, because the Lord Jesus is the = same=20 yesterday and today and forever, (Heb. 13:8).=20

Beware=20

Those who do not listen to God's words will be judged at = the=20 Dreadful Judgment, and it will be worse for them on the Day = of=20 Judgment than it was for Sodom and Gomorrah (Matt. = 10:14-15).=20

Beware--at the Dreadful Judgment you will be asked to = give an=20 account for what you have done with the words of God, = whether you=20 have listened to them and kept them, whether you have = rejoiced in=20 them or been ashamed of them, the Lord will also be ashamed = of you=20 when He comes in the glory of His Father together with the = holy=20 angels (Mark 8:38).=20

There are few words of men that are not vain and idle. = Thus there=20 are few words for which we do not mind being judged (Matt = 12:36).=20

In order to avoid this, we must study and learn the words = of God=20 from the Bible and make them our own; for God proclaimed = them to men=20 so that they might accept them, and by means of them also = accept the=20 Truth of God itself.=20

Words of the Word=20

Great is the mystery of the word--so great that the = second Person=20 of the Holy Trinity, Christ the Lord, is called "the Word" = or "the=20 Logos" in the Bible.=20

God is the Word (John 1:1). All those words which come = from the=20 eternal and absolute word are full of God, Divine Truth, = Eternity,=20 and Righteousness. If you listen to them, you are listening = to God.=20 If you read them, you are reading the direct words of God.=20

God the Word became flesh, became man (John 1:14), and = mute,=20 stuttering man began to proclaim the words of the eternal = truth and=20 righteousness of God.=20

The Grace-Filled Word=20

In every word of the Saviour there is much that is = supernatural=20 and full of grace; and this is what sheds grace on the soul = of man=20 when the word of Christ visits it.=20

Therefore the Holy Apostle calls the whole structure of = the house=20 of salvation: the word of the grace of God (Acts 20:32).=20

Like a living grace-filled power, the word of God has a=20 wonder-working and life-giving effect on a man, so long as = he hears=20 it with faith and receives it with faith (I Thess. 2:13).=20

Everything is defiled by sin, but everything is cleansed = by the=20 word of God and prayer--everything--all creation from man on = down to=20 a worm (I Tim 4:5).=20

By the Truth which carries in itself and by the Power = which it=20 has in itself, the word of God is sharper than any sword and = pierces=20 to th e point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and = marrow, and=20 discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. = 4:12).=20 Nothing remains secret before it or for it.=20

The Birth-Giving word=20

Because every word of God contains the eternal Word of = God--the=20 Logos--it has the power to give birth and regenerate men. = And when a=20 man is born of the Word, he is born of the Truth.=20

For this reason St. James the Apostle writes to the = Christians=20 that God the Father has brought them forth by the word of = truth=20 (I:18), and St. Peter tells them that they have been born = anew=85by=20 the word of the living God, which abides forever (I Peter = 1:23)=20

Reprinted from "The Diocesan Observer=94, June 6, = 1980)=20 =

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Archimandrite Justin Popovich=20

Archimandrite Justin was born in Serbia in 1894 on the = feast of=20 Annunciation and give the name Blagovesti--messenger of glad = tidings. Up through his grandfather his family consisted of = seven=20 consecutive generation of priests. Intelligent by nature, he = went to=20 seminary school, took the monastic vows and went on to = further his=20 studies in theology first to St. Petersburg, then to Oxford = , and=20 completed his doctorate in Athens, He re turned to Belgrade = where he=20 was professed at the seminary until he was fired because of = the new=20 political regime. The last 30year of his life he spent in = retirement=20 in a small convent in Yugoslavia where he dedicated his life = to=20 prayer, study and translating. Among his many writings are = his=20 commentaries on all the Epistles of St. Paul and a 12 volume = collection of Lives of Saints. Called by some the conscience = of the=20 Serbian Church", he did not hesitate to raise his voice = against any=20 compromise of the Faith, and stood strong in his love for = man and=20 the truth until his death in 1979--on the same feast day on = which he=20 w as born, a sign that truly, he was a bearer of the good = news of=20 Jesus Christ.

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