Some books on how to read the Bible are academically informative, but their rationality can make God seem distant. Other books are spiritually vibrant but provide few tools that truly help God's people read the Bible better. Readers need a guide that combines the academic with the spiritual-that integrates textual analysis with the illuminating and transformational work of the Holy Spirit.
Drawing from his experience training students to study the Bible, Andrew Abernethy provides a holistic method that helps readers listen carefully to what God was saying to the original audience and what God is saying to us today. Using clear examples, he lays out six steps: Posture, Flow, Context, Whole Bible, Savor God, and Faithful response.
Chapters provide guidance on interpreting biblical genres, factoring in historical backgrounds, reading each passage in context, tracing the redemptive storyline of Scripture, and more. Then, building on a strong grasp of Scripture's meaning, readers engage the traditional practice of lectio divina and consider how to respond faithfully to the text. The goal, Abernethy says, is to encounter God and to be shaped by the Word as we savor its richness.
