After historical narrative, poetry is the most common form of literature in the Bible. The Bible’s story is broad, but it is also incredibly deep.
The craftsmanship of biblical poetry shows us that God wants to speak to our hearts, to help us feel, and to give us footholds to experience him more fully through all of the emotions of life.
Find links to all podcast episodes here: https://instituteforbiblereading.org/podcast/
Our modern priorities of exactitude and just-the-facts reporting can lead us to come to the Bible’s stories with a certain set of expectations. The authors of the Bible, however, had different agendas which are reflected in the ways they tell stories.
By learning to read the Bible’s narratives with careful eyes, we can uncover meaning and significance that has been hiding in plain sight all along.
The Institute for Bible Reading is a nonprofit ministry. Support our work, including the production of The Bible Reset podcast, by joining ChangeMakers: https://instituteforbiblereading.org/changemakers/
Lots of people struggle to read the Bible, but few stop to question why our Scriptures look like a dictionary. Why are we expected to read something that looks so unreadable? The truth is, chapters and verses and the format of our Modern Bible are some of the most overlooked barriers in the push for better Bible literacy.
In this episode, we cut and arranged clips from three of our earliest episodes into one episode exploring the massive impact of the Bible’s physical format. We discuss the origin of chapters and verses and how they led to an avalanche of Bible “features” that hide the natural literature. Then we show how a different Bible format changes everything – a format that makes for an easier reading experience and displays the Bible’s literature the way the authors first intended.
Learn more about Immerse: The Reading Bible – https://www.immersebible.com/
Comparison of poetry in 1-column vs. 2-column Bible: https://bit.ly/2FLzRUH
Listen to the full episodes:
Episode 4: Chapters, Verses, and the Impact of the Modern Bible
Episode 5: How to Make a Reader’s Bible w/ Christopher Smith
Episode 6: The Game-Changing Power of Reader’s Bibles
The Institute for Bible Reading is a nonprofit ministry. Support our work, including the production of The Bible Reset podcast, by joining ChangeMakers: https://instituteforbiblereading.org/changemakers/
What does wisdom look like? Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job present three distinct perspectives on living well in God’s world. Rather than offering a one-dimensional answer, they give us a conversation.
The Institute for Bible Reading is a nonprofit ministry. Support our work, including the production of The Bible Reset podcast, by joining ChangeMakers: https://instituteforbiblereading.org/changemakers/
In our second episode on apocalyptic literature, we look at the book of Revelation. As the source of a lot of confusion (and a lot of bad modern ‘prophecy’) Revelation can feel like a strange ending to the biblical narrative. But a closer look at the ancient historical circumstances of the early church can help shed light on the wild imagery of John’s apocalypse, bringing a message that’s still relevant for followers of Jesus today.
Some resources to get started on Revelation:
Richard Bauckham – The Theology of the Book of Revelation
Gordon Fee – Revelation
Michael Gorman – Reading Revelation Responsibly
N. T. Wright – Revelation for Everyone
The Institute for Bible Reading is a nonprofit ministry. Support our work, including the production of The Bible Reset podcast, by joining ChangeMakers: https://instituteforbiblereading.org/changemakers/
The Institute for Bible Reading is a part of Our Daily Bread Ministries, a global nonprofit committed to making the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.
