Ever wonder about how to approach the Bible? You’re not alone. In this lesson, we dive deep into the nature of the Bible—what it is, how it’s misunderstood, how to read it, and why it matters more than you think.
Whether you’re new to the Bible or a seasoned reader, this lesson will explain the dual nature of the Bible. It’s an ancient text with historical background, but it’s also the living, powerful Word of God with the potential to guide and transform your life.
The Bible is both God's story and your story.
In a fascinating vision we find in the Bible, two different prophets are asked by God to eat a book. The prophets, in both cases, are eager to comply. They eat the book, and they discover that their stomachs have become bitter. The reason is because these books are filled with God’s judgments against evil and injustice, and that can sometimes be difficult for people to accept. But on the other hand, as the prophets are eating the books, they notice something else. The books taste as sweet as honey!
There’s a word for someone who likes to eat books, well at least metaphorically. A bookworm. A bookworm is someone who loves to consume books. It’s a person who would rather stay at home by themselves and read a book rather than go out with their friends. To them, books taste as sweet as honey.
To many other people though, books make them sick at their stomach. They read books in school, not by choice, and once they leave school, they never care if they ever read another book again. Some people just don’t like to read.
But that’s especially true if the book is a “holy book.” There may be a special kind of aversion to reading anything labeled as a “holy book.” Even if you’re a book worm, you might be hesitant to read a “holy book” because you know it might be too heavy, too intense, or too inconvenient to read what’s inside.
You might face the same reluctance when thinking about reading the Holy Bible. The word “Bible” just means “book” by the way, so most have written on the spine, “Holy Book”, “Holy Bible”, same thing. But maybe someone gave you a Bible and challenged you to read it. Or you found one in your hotel room. Or you’re a new Christian and were given one at your baptism, and now you’re wondering, “What on earth do I do with this thing?”
Fear not. In this lesson, we’re going to help you to see exactly what the Bible is. It’s not just another holy book like so many other religions — designed just to make your head swirl and your stomach bitter. This book, if you understand how to approach it correctly, will give you a better life and unforetold riches. This book is a vast work of literature and history. It’s the unfolding story of mankind. And it’s the pathway to the mind of God. I promise that this book can taste to you as sweet as honey.
Podcast Intro
Hello everybody. This is the Relentlessly Knocking podcast. I’m Scott Ihle, and I’m the Executive Director of Logos Answers, and the missionary in residence at Woodstock church of Christ in Atlanta, GA. Jesus told His disciples that if they knock, the door would be opened for them. And on this podcast, we are knocking relentlessly and unapologetically as we try to discover the truth about God the Creator, the Anointed Son of God, Jesus, and their Spirit-inspired Word as found in the Bible.
Mistaken ideas about the Bible
The Bible is inaccessible
So how should we think about the Bible? Let’s start by addressing some common misconceptions people have about the Bible. First, some people view the Bible as being stored in a dark, secretive room behind the sanctuary where only the priest can access it. And it’s in an unintelligible heavenly language that only he can read. That is not too far from how the Bible has been treated in more primitive times in history, when it was written only in Latin, a language most people couldn’t read, and chained to the pews. But things have changed in more modern times, and that picture of the Bible couldn’t be further from God’s intent. His intent was for the average person to treasure it in their hearts and memories. It is accessible to everyone, even the poorest and most uneducated.
The Bible is a legal document
Another misconception about the Bible is that it’s a legal document. Some view it as legislation or a contract. They only need to consult it when there are questions about the law. But this is also misguided because, while the Bible does contain some legal language, it’s far richer and deeper than that. If you ever had to read legal documents, then you know that they’re dry, technical, and uninspiring. The Bible is none of those things. It’s better to view the Bible as a tutor. A good tutor doesn’t just tell you what not to do, but he is going to instruct you, care for you, and help you get through this life. Similarly, the Bible teaches, counsels, and comforts for more than it commands. So, instead of viewing it as a lawbook we only consult when we have a legal question, we should treasure the Bible in our hearts and minds and carry its holistic teachings with us wherever we go.
The Bible is a reference work
Some view the Bible as little more than a reference work—a spiritual encyclopedia or dictionary. They treat it like a topical guide, flipping through pages to find verses on specific issues, like “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” for example. While there is some value in this approach, it has its pitfalls.
When I first started studying the Bible, I took this approach, and I made a lot of mistakes. Why? Because I didn’t yet understand one critical principle: The Bible is not just one book—it’s a library of 66 books. These books were written by different authors, in different languages, over a span of 1,500 years, to various audiences around the world. Each book has its own context—historical, cultural, linguistic, and situational.
If you take a passage from one book and connect it to a passage from another without understanding their contexts, you risk misinterpreting both. This is why people sometimes use the Bible to justify completely contradictory ideas. They ignore the original context and force the text to say what they want.
Instead, think of the Bible as a library where each book deserves its own attention and respect. By studying one book at a time, you’ll discover layers of richness and depth you’d miss if you simply jumped around. Context is key—it gives meaning and relevance to the words on the page.
But here’s where the Bible is different from any other library. In a typical library, you’d expect books written by different authors in different times and places to contain competing messages and conflicting ideas. That’s not the case with the Bible.
Despite its diversity of authors and time periods, the Bible tells one consistent story. Its unity is remarkable, and it’s no coincidence. That’s because, while human hands wrote the words, the Bible was ultimately inspired by God. It’s His message, woven through time, history, and culture—a story that begins with creation and culminates in redemption through Jesus Christ. Yet it also has a timeless and universal appeal.
Many books from one nation, one big story for all of humanity
The Bible isn’t just a holy book, a legal document, or a reference guide. It’s far more than that—it’s a documentary. The Bible is a documentary about God, with Him at the center of every story. It’s about the God who created everything and the God who came to earth as Jesus. In fact, the entire Bible is ultimately about Jesus. Not that every page points to Jesus specifically, but in the sense that when considered comprehensively, the Bible’s overarching purpose is to inspire us to worship and serve Jesus, the Son of God. And because the Bible is so centered on Jesus, it forces us to make a choice: Will I worship God through Jesus Christ, or will I reject Him?
But the Bible isn’t just God’s story—it’s God’s story for us. In its pages, we see God’s creation of humanity, His good intentions for us, and how we turned away through sin. That downward spiral begins in just the first three chapters, but the rest of the Bible is consumed with one overarching question: How will God bring humanity back to the goodness He originally intended? Sixty-six books, written over centuries, each contribute to telling this unified story in their own unique way. And at the heart of it all is God’s salvation for humanity through Jesus Christ.
You might know that a large portion of the Bible is called the Old Testament, which is often considered the holy Scriptures of the Jewish people. So, how can we say the Bible is for everyone, when so much of it seems focused on one nation?
That’s where context comes in. God could have revealed Himself in any number of ways. Imagine if He had just downloaded all His knowledge directly into our minds. We’d instantly know everything about God and how to live in perfect harmony with Him. But He didn’t choose that method. Instead, God revealed Himself through the context of one nation: Israel.
Why Israel? God Himself says in the Bible that there was nothing particularly special about this nation. But He chose Israel to tell His story because their history mirrors the human experience. They had immense potential, brief moments of brilliance, and repeated failures. Mostly they kept complaining and rejecting God’s work in their history. Their story is a microcosm of all humanity. They reflect our own struggle to follow God, and from them we learn about God’s righteousness, His holiness, His mercy and patience, and His judgment. And then, through this imperfect nation, God raises up His ultimate Prophet, Savior, and King: Jesus Christ.
So, the Bible isn’t exclusively a Jewish document, nor is it just a holy book for Westerners. It was written in the context of the Jewish nation and early Western culture, but its message is for the entire world. God’s kingdom is for all people, everywhere.
That brings us to an important characteristic about the Bible that we need to be aware of. The Bible is ancient literature. It was written in a specific context — by a particular human author, who had his own God-given personality and unique set of experiences, and he was writing to a particular audience in geography and history who had a particular view of the world. That is the human side of the Bible. However, the other side of the Bible we must keep in mind is that these human authors were all inspired by God. The events of the Bible were arranged, directed, and overseen by the power and authority of God. The very words of the Bible are the very words of God. And that makes the Bible authoritative for all of humanity in every time and in every country of the world.
God’s authoritative word
What does it mean to say the Bible is authoritative? It means the Bible reveals the mind and will of God for your life. It contains the final word on how you should think, live, and make decisions. If you have important questions about life—your purpose, your destiny, or what’s right and wrong—the Bible has the answers.
Because the Bible is authoritative, it also sets the standard for those who claim to speak on behalf of God—teachers, preachers, missionaries. Their words should align with what is written in Scripture. The truth is, humans are fallible. We make mistakes. We can be swayed by our own desires or misinterpretations. That’s part of the reason why so many religious groups exist today. One preacher says, You must do this or that to be right with God. Another says, No, just keep living as you are and trust in God’s grace.
So how do we know which teaching is correct? We turn to the Bible. It’s the only reliable source of truth, the one constant we can trust to discern right from wrong. That’s why it’s so important to learn from those who approach the Bible with humility and reverence—not for selfish gain or with pride, but to genuinely understand and teach God’s word.
We can trust that the Bible authoritative because it is universal and unchanging. It is divine revelation, the mind of God unveiled to us. Imagine growing up in a remote village. You never had access to the outside world. You never knew there were people who looked different than you and spoke a different language. You never knew there was technology like cars, airplanes, or smart phones. But then one day you were suddenly carried to a big city. What changed? The world? No, just your perception of the world. Your eyes were opened to a whole new world that you didn’t know existed. Studying the Bible is sort of like that. It opens our eyes to the world of God. Without the Bible, we are lost. We are ignorant. We aren’t familiar with the true world. But give us the Bible, let us read it, let us study it, and let us apply it in our lives, and all of a sudden we can be carried away to the world as God sees it — a world corrupted by sin but still brimming with potential, beauty, and hope. The Bible invites us to step into that vision. It challenges us to begin the transformation—not by waiting for the world to change, but by allowing God to change us. One life at a time. Starting with yours.
God’s powerful and life-giving word
The Bible is the authoritative word of God in that it unveils truth to us, but it isn’t just a dead document. It “is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12, CSB).” It has the power to convict you. You will be pricked to the heart as you read this book. It can be compared to the discipline an athlete must undergo to train for a long race, or to the discipline a soldier must endure to be ready for battle — grueling, uncomfortable, and painful at times. It is difficult and unpleasant as you wrestle with it, but the results it produces in your life are well-worth the effort.
Jesus also compared the Word of God to a seed. Preparing seed for harvest takes a lot of patience and effort. The seed must be planted in the right place at the right time. It must be planted in deep, fertile soil. As the seed is growing, it is important that it does not become entangled with weeds and thorns. The Bible can be viewed in a similar way. The words contain power within themselves to transform you and your life, since they are the words of Almighty God, after all. But in order for the Word of God to work in your life, you must still work and toil, prune and face setbacks. However, as long as you allow God’s powerful Word to work in you, the results will be beautiful, rich, and bountiful.
The Bible is powerful and life-giving in another way. It speaks directly to the trials we face today, but it also offers something even greater—a hope that transcends this life. The big happy ending of the story of the Bible is a final resurrection. Imagine living again after you have already died, except with a new, incorruptible body. That’s the promise of Scripture. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will also raise every believer from the dead. Those who are resurrected in new glorious and eternal bodies will go on to live in a place of comfort, rest, and reward, in the presence of God for all time. That is a message that is brought before us consistently throughout the Bible, and it is a message that should provide us with hope and comfort as we’re living through the difficulties of this life. In the face of death, evil, and suffering, Christians all over the world find reliable encouragement and comfort by being reminded from the Bible of God’s promises of eternal life and reward.
How to begin studying the Bible
Now that we’ve talked about what the Bible is and why it matters, let’s get practical. How should you go about reading and studying it?
First, it might be helpful to realize that the Bible has two major divisions — the Old Testament and the New Testament. Testament is a legal term that basically means that the Bible talks about God’s agreement with humanity in two different ways. The “Old” way was God’s agreement specifically with the nation of Israel. As we already mentioned, this agreement was for a specific nation, however, God’s ultimate goal was for that nation’s agreement to eventually be fulfilled and extended to the entire world through Jesus Christ. That’s where the New Testament comes in. It is God’s new agreement with the entire world. But it’s important to keep in mind that there are not two different “religions” in the Bible, or two different “gods”. It is one God, one plan, one story. The New Testament only completes and fills out the story that is told in the Old Testament through one nation. But for practical purposes, we can think of the New Testament as more explicitly telling us the story about Jesus, and the Old Testament as preparing us for Jesus through the rich and colorful stories of the Jewish people.
Here’s a quick guide to the main sections of the Bible:
Old Testament:
The Torah (first five books): Torah means “law” or “teachings”. These books include the laws and foundational stories of the Jewish people.
The Prophets: Historical accounts and messages from prophets highlighting how Israel strayed from God’s laws, and how God promises to judge and then restore the nation.
The Writings: Psalms, proverbs, and other wisdom literature offering universal truths about life and faith. This section also includes some historical books describing how the Jewish people coped with life and history.
New Testament:
The Gospels: The life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Acts: The history of the early church and the spread of Christianity.
The Epistles: Letters from apostles and prophets, like Paul, offering guidance to early Christians.
Revelation: A symbolic and apocalyptic vision encouraging believers to remain faithful in the face of evil.
If you’re new to the Bible, here’s my recommendation:
Don’t start with Genesis, the first book in the Bible. Start with Jesus: Begin with the book of Mark. It’s short, straightforward, and gives a clear picture of Jesus’ life and teachings without requiring deep knowledge of Jewish history.
Read Luke and Acts: Luke provides a detailed and compassionate look at Jesus’ humanity, while Acts continues the story, showing how the church began and how Christianity spread.
Dive into Paul’s Letters: Books like Romans and Ephesians offer rich insights into Christian beliefs and practical living.
Explore the Old Testament: Once you’re familiar with the New Testament, move to foundational books like Genesis, Exodus, and Deuteronomy for history. Books like Psalms and Proverbs offer wisdom and ways to grow closer to God. When you’re ready, tackle the Prophets, starting with shorter books like Amos, Micah, Jonah, or Malachi.
Not everyone learns best by reading, and that’s okay. Here are some alternative ways to engage with the Bible:
Listen to It: Many apps and websites allow you to listen to the Bible on your phone. Hearing Scripture read aloud can be a powerful way to absorb it.
Go to Church: Churches are great places to hear the Bible taught and discussed. Fellow believers can help you understand and apply its teachings. Singing songs of praise is another way Scripture is shared, as many hymns and worship songs are based on Bible passages.
Find a Bible-Centered Church: Look for a church where the Bible is central to its teaching and worship. A place where Scripture is read, preached, and discussed regularly will help immerse you in God’s Word.
When you engage with the Bible—whether by reading, listening, or hearing it taught—it begins to shape your heart and mind. Over time, its words will become a treasure stored in your heart, guiding you through life and drawing you closer to God. The key is consistency. Let God’s Word become a part of your daily life, and you’ll see how it transforms you.
Summary and Conclusion
The Bible is so much more than just another work of literature or holy book. It is the Word of God. It is His story. It is His plan for you. It is a tutor ready to guide you through this life. It is a powerful force, that if your mind is filled with it, and if your heart finds pleasure in it, you will be able to do extraordinary things other people cannot. It is your hope, your comfort, your place of refuge, your opportunity to come face to face with God. Treasure this book. Study from it. Dwell on it day and night. And share it with others.
Don’t be intimidated by the Bible any longer. It may be bitter to your stomach at times, but it is sweeter than honey in your mouth. It is a book you can use in your life everyday. It is for everybody, and anybody can learn from. No matter who you are, or where you come from, you can become a student of the Bible.