This activity involves interpreting the meaning of some of the oldest stories in the Bible. You will need your journal and your Bible or online Bible.
Reflect
Begin this activity by completing the three sentences below and record your responses in your journal.
- The Bible was composed primarily to…
- Interpreting the Bible is difficult because…
- In order to understand the meaning of a passage or book of the Bible I…
Interpreting a Bible Text
Select one of the following passages to read and interpret. Read your Bible story carefully, paying close attention to both the details of the actual story and to the message that is written “between the lines.” Use your Bible or go online to Bible Gateway to read your story.
- Genesis 1:1-31 (Creation)
- Genesis 2:4-25 (Creation)
- Genesis 7:1-19 (The Flood)
- Genesis 11:1-9 (Tower of Babel)
- Genesis 22:1-20 (Sacrifice of Isaac)
- Exodus 14:1-30 (Crossing the Red Sea)
After you have read the story, reflect on the following three questions. Record your reflections in your journal.
- How did you understand this story when you were a child?
- As you read the story today, what do you now think the author intended to say?
- What were you thinking and feeling as you tried to read “between the lines” of the Bible?
Reading about Approaches to Interpreting the Bible
Read “Approaches to Interpreting the Bible”, which can be found in the Downloadable Guide (pages 4 – 5) or click here to download a PDF. The essay describes two approaches to reading and interpreting the Bible.
Re-Reading Your Biblical Text
Return to the Bible story you read earlier in the session. Contrast the differences in approach to understanding the meaning of the story from a literal and contextual viewpoint. Record your thoughts in your journal.
- What significant differences do you see between the literal and contextual viewpoint?
- Which approach do you tend to use in understanding the Bible?
- Why do you think it is important to move beyond reading the Bible as written to interpreting the Bible in context?