Once, the Almighty told his people that the Bible is here to be read and understood. It does not imply that reading the holy book and understanding its words are easy. Some people have devoted their whole life to studying the Bible. However, with God’s blessing, one can cultivate a deep and ever-deepening knowledge of the Bible so far they attempt at pursuing the knowledge discreetly. These days, English Standard Version (ESV) Bibles are more popular with people. This article will decipher three keys to read and understand the ESV Bibles.
Spiritual
Though the Bible is also a piece of literature, it is unique and different from other books as God himself inspires it. Hence, if we want to understand it, we must perceive it from the perspective of the Holy Spirit.
Apart from spiritual realisation, we should also depend on God himself as we move towards the end chapters of the Bible. It is essential to pray to God for enlightening us to understand the teachings and exercise them in our lives.
Contextual
If you want to understand the ESV Bibles, you should have a sound knowledge of the Bible text and the age in which it was written. As it is a book, there are multiple aspects of understanding it, which are common principles required to understand any piece of literature. These principles include reading the text in both its literary and historical context.
First, you should realise that the Bible is also a piece of literature. Whenever you start reading any part of the Bible, you should be aware of the different writing types. The Bible consists of narrative, poetry, prophecy, and many more.
Next, we should focus on the historical context. Historical context helps us understand the time when the part you are reading was written. It allows us to relate the incidents narrated in the Bible to contemporary societal, economic, and cultural contexts. For instance, the Parable of Good Samaritan will be challenging to understand if we do not know who the Samaritans were and why they were despised by the Jews.
Christ-Centred
We all are aware of the “Big Story” described in the Bible. It is essential to understand that the whole Bible is all about Jesus Christ – who He is and the purpose of his existence. The Old Testament predicts the arrival of Jesus, while the New Testament introduces Jesus. The Bible conveys the message of the Almighty’s mercy in Jesus Christ.
Though all passages of the Old Testament do not directly anticipate Christ, every single text takes the story towards a climax that features Jesus. Jesus scolds the Pharisees for having failed to see him throughout the book, he said. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5.39)
When you read the modern version of the Bible, you will understand that there is an ongoing storyline that connects all the stories. The themes of this storyline are:
- Creation
- Fall
- Redemption
- Restoration
Bottom line
When we read ESV bibles illuminated by the Holy Spirit, we will be able to grasp the inner meaning of literary and historical contexts, as well as see Jesus as the centre of the Bible in sacred reverence.
The Bible not only awakens spirituality in us, it also helps us exercise good practices that can make our lives peaceful and meaningful.
