Reading the bible with an open mind? Please tell me how?

Question

I am in the process in reading the bible.
Many times I hear people refer to having faith and reading the bible with an open mind.
I see before me a rampant cycle which I do not understand the starting/stopping point.
If one looks at the bible as a historical context of God/Jesus..one has to look at the bible with a degree of skeptism.
If one is to have faith shouldn't they have an understanding of the historical context written in the bible?
I do not get this...
Thanks

Answer 1

The bible isn't about having blind faith. It is about asking questions. Challenge authority. The whole point of it, is to never grow complacent. We have to challenge the world that is presented to us.

Writers wanted to find truth. In their language, truth was called logos. Logic. Socrates believed in the same thing. He thought that only through questioning things can we find truth. Muhatma Ghandi did not approve of the authority holding his people down, and he spoke against them. He questioned authority. Rosa Parks did not follow the laws of segregation, she stood against them.

These people did something difficult. They didn't go with the flow. They Questioned what was going on. They Stood Up and went Against the Crowd. They found truth, and they spoke
up so others knew the truth.

You are wise to question things presented to you.

You are also asking about how to better understand the historical context. I recommend writing down the confusing parts of the bible. Try to learn about what the old names for places were and what reputations each city had.
I also recommend researching each of the writers of the bible. What motivated each of them to write. They all had different agendas, and knowing them will give you a deeper insight into what is being said.


* And another thing... The 1st bibles were not available at a price that an individual (or even a village) could afford. I hope you aren't considering reading it alone! The bible was/is a great way to start a debate.

So quit trying to debate yourself (ROFL) .

Answer 2

There are people like NT Wright that combine both perspectives nicely. And there are the historical Jesus people (many from the Jesus Seminar) like Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan who read it completely critically (as I do) and still have faith. I highly recommend two books to you - Marcus Borg's Reading the Bible Again for the First Time and Margaret Nutting Ralph's And God Said What? Either or both of these will provide you all teh groundwork you need to clear up the confusion and help make the Bible relevant to you as a critical and open minded reader.

Answer 3

Why do you HAVE to look at it with skeptism?

Would you open an encyclodedia that way when reading about the formation of fungus on the side of trees? ( just an example).

If indeed you really want to read it with an open mind, "nike" just do it! Try to get over all the long drawn out names and downlines in the first parts if you start at the Begining in Genisis. I am trying to figure what rampant cycle you are talking about and like any other "book" it starts at the begining and ends at the end. if you really want to make life easier on you you could also get a bible dictionary and a concordance. The Dictionary will help to define words that may be hard to understand and the other will let you know where a particular word was used before so you can compare Scriptures.

Another handy tool for a Bible reader is a Culture of the times book. This helps to expalin the many differing ways of the people of that era. Great for instance, simple farming. We are used to big old plows and combines that dig up the earth and plant the seed and then harvest it. lets take a farmer from the early first century. He more than likely lived withen the gaurded walls of Jerusalem. So he had to leave the protection of those walls every day to go out to his field and sometimes even take his children with him to help. He would have to make sure it was good seed that he had to plant and make sure the ground was tilled just the right way with just the right moisture. He did not have the luxury to be haphazard in this first part of the process. He would then plant each single seed to the right depth and cover it being careful not to trample it as he went on with the rest of the field. He had to be careful that birds did not come and dig it up and eat it or even other rodents that also eat grains. He had to make sure it was watered right and irrigated so it did not just wash away. As it grew, he would have to make sure people did not break in the feild and trample it, or even rob the newly forming plants, as well as the threat of an invasion again and soldiers trampling over the entire field. They were in a Roman occupation at that time. Thats what made his profession even more dangerous. So now every thing is going great but now it is harvest time. remember, it too a few months to get to this point. He has to make sure that no weeds have grown in with the grain and if so, there is a separating of the grain and the weeds(tares in biblical lingo)and that is burned in a fire while the grain is staked. You think he is ready for the market? Oh no! Now there is the process of breaking open the grain, which has to sit for a bit to get brittle a little, and then breaking open the grain and separating the outter hulls from the actual grain. A wheel is passed over the grain to break it and then a blanket like fabric used to lift it up in the air so the wind and breeze can blow away the hulls (chaff in biblical words) and then the grain falls down again.

WOW. talk about work huh? Now, if you take the time to read parables about the farmers in the Gospels in should open up in a new light. it is also relative to how Jesus portrayed Himself. In the Parable of The Sower of the Seed. He left the confines and protection of heaven. He sows The Word in our hearts. And He waits for the harvest. Lots of analogies.

Guess went too far huh? sorry. i ususally like it short and sweet. ( Explainations are about the only thing that I like like that. LOL.)

God Bless and may He guide you into His Truth

Answer 4

Along with the 2,000 year old context and languages, you also have to keep in mind that the ancient Hebrews had a different style of writing. Whereas today we write in a linear fashion, the ancient hebrews wrote in a circular method. They would move around their subject, getting closer with each pass, until the the descriptions and the subject in question became one. That's probably why it seems like a rampant cycle.

In any case, contrary to what the fundies and other protestants would like you to believe, the bible is a difficult book to read. Especially for someone living in the 21st century. If I were you I would read it with a study guide.

Answer 5

Err... I mean no offense but are you not also being close minded? I have been confronted with questions that denys God's existance, and I simply choose to be closed minded of them. The reason is, no matter what there is, I can find no other peace that is so, well, peaceful other than God. I have made my vow to trust Him with all that I am, therefore I apologize, for I cannot be "open minded" of accusations against God. You, however have a choice still. Also, this is not about whether people are open minded or not, but rather, would you trust God and love Him as surely as He trusts and loves you?

Answer 6

Before you read the Bible pray for God to help you understand it. God will send you his Holy Spirit when you read the Bible so you can understand everything you read 100%. The Holy Spirit is sort of like electricity. No electrical applicance works without electricity. Imagine turning your computer on and the power would not work. You would get frustrated because you want to see your email, do chatting, go see pages online, etc. So each person is also frustrated if they don't have a close relationship with God through prayer because they don't get the Holy Spirit from God which gives life to your spiritual relationship with God.

When you want electric power you have to plug the appliance in. When you want the Holy Spirit from God you have to pray first - this is the plug in - then read the Bible and the Holy Spirit will flow to you and great understanding from the Bible will be revealed!!

If this is what is meant by open mind so be it.

Answer 7

It is so hard in the limitations of this forum to give you the kind of in-depth answer you deserve. But quickly, ask three questions when you read. 1) Is this passage for a particular people in a particular time, such as the Mosaic law for the Jews 2) is this for Christians now 3) is this for everybody, all time? And you know, the Bible is really a collection of books. so you don't have to start in the Torah; may I suggest the gospel of Mark or the gospel of John?

Answer 8

Yes, very smart, you have to understand the historical context. I have learned a lot since I've had people explain that to me but I couldn't have done it by myself. I got hooked up to a good bible study. Underline good. Find a pastor or group that's not afraid to explore and discuss ideas and question. That's how you really learn. If you try it by yourself at least get a good study bible.

The old testament is hard to get thru. Start with the new testament. I wouldn't tackle the OT without a good study group.

It's ok to be skeptical and ask questions. I believe God is big enough to handle it.

Answer 9

Surely to read , is to seek knowledge ?
Why would you read a book with the intension of learning from, if you already know the answers you seek?
Surely you must keep an open mind when reading from the bible ?

Answer 10

It's not your mind you need to be checking out, but the mind of God! If God's Holy Spirit moved on those men to write what they did, and "ALL scripture is inspired of God and beneficial" etc, then the only way you will understand what God is saying through the Bible is if His Holy Spirit illumines your mind. That's what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote to new Christians in Thessalonica: "We also thank God without ceasing because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

You have to believe the Bible is the word of God BEFORE its power will work effectively in your mind and heart. That requires a bit of humility and runs contrary to academic principles, which is why Bible-believers get rubbished all the time by those who sneer at our faith-approach. However, the Bible does stand up to academic scrutiny, just not in the way academicians would like to see it. We cannot come to the word of God with our own value/judgment system. We have to come to it as sinners who know we need God's counsel. May the Lord Himself enable you.