If you ever thought of reading the Bible, now is your chance!Many of us have this dream of reading the Bible. However, often we claim we never have enough time and put the Bible back on the shelf.
During a time of quarantine, it is much more difficult to use that excuse!
While we could use our time endlessly scrolling social media feeds, or checking the news, why not spend that time reading the Bible?
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If the Bible still seems daunting to you, here are a few quick tips on how to read the Bible. Thankfully there is no “right way” to read the Bible and it is a book we can open and read however the Spirit moves us.
Start with the Gospels
If reading the entire Bible is daunting, first open the Gospels. This can be much easier to grasp and the names and episodes within them are usually familiar. Start with the Gospel of Mark, the shortest Gospel. Reading Mark can give you a sense of accomplishment as well as an interest to see how the other Gospel writers narrate the life of Jesus.
Find a reading schedule that splits up the Bible over a year
Dr. Mary Healy, a prominent Catholic biblical scholar, has taken the time to create a balanced plan for reading the Bible in a single calendar year. It can be downloaded through this link.
Read the Bible according to the “Bible Timeline”
One of the most influential Bible studies in recent years has been Jeff Cavin’s “Great Adventure Bible Study,” now more commonly known as the “Bible Timeline.” In it, the study “takes participants on a journey through the entire Bible. They will go deep into each period of salvation history and discover the amazing story woven throughout all of Scripture. Using a unique color-coded system, they will learn the major people, places, and events of the Bible and see how they all come together to reveal the remarkable story of our faith.”
Start with the Psalms
The Book of Psalms in the Old Testament contains profound poetic language that speaks directly to the heart. Tradition says that the Psalms were written by King David and they remain to this day a focal point for Jews and Christians in their daily prayers. Reading the Psalms can help create more interest in reading the rest of the Bible.
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