How to Read the Bible – A Three Step Plan (written for Catholics - valid for all)

taylormarshall.com ^ | September 30, 2013 | Dr. Taylor Marshall

[NYer]

How do you read the Bible? Today is the feast day of Saint Jerome, who once quipped, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” – Saint Jerome

It’s a running joke that if you want to find a Bible verse, you ought to ask a Protestant and not a Catholic. Protestants read the Bible. Catholics not so much.

This raises the question:

Why Don’t More Catholics Read the Bible?

I think the answer lies in the fact that we Catholics go to Mass. The Holy Mass has at least two Bible readings every time. If you pray the Breviary or Liturgy of Hours, multiply that several times.

Joe Catholic says to himself, “Why should I study the Bible? I go to Mass. I hear it there. Check and check.”

There is something beautiful in this. For Catholics, Bible reading is liturgical. Hence, Bible reading remains chiefly a community experience.

Three Step Plan to Kick It Up a Notch

It’s good to listen to the readings from the Bible at Holy Mass. However, we also need a personal (even private) encounter with God in the pages of Sacred Scripture. All of the saints breathed Sacred Scripture. Scripture served as the grammar for their souls. They couldn’t communicate without it.

Here are some basic spiritual needs that you have every single day of your life:

1. Praise – Voicing your delight in God and His provision for your life. Gratitude destroys discouragement.
2. Wisdom – You need practical advice to navigate the complexities of life.
3. Challenge – You need to be lifted higher. You need to grow in your faith. You need to be inspired. You must be an intentional Christian.

So when you wake up tomorrow, do the following:

1. Read a Psalm. Start with Psalm 1. Make it your anthem of praise for that day.
2. Read at least one Proverb. Proverbs are the wisdom morsels of your day. There are 31 chapters. Why not read one chapter every day during the month. Oct 1 is Provers 1. October 31 is Proverbs 31. You get the idea.
3. Read a chapter of the one of the Gospels. This is your challenge. Your Savior challenges you in the four Gospels. He calls you to be not merely a nominal Catholic but a disciple. You cannot seriously read the Gospels and stay lukewarm. Christ speaks in a way that cannot be ignored.

“But I’m so busy. I don’t have the time!”

What? You’re too busy. Sorry, you just got served a yellow card:

That’s a yellow card. You’ve been warned…

Doing these three readings will take you only 3-5 minutes. That’s the time of a commercial break. It will change your life for good. I promise. It takes 21 days to make a habit, so give it 21 days and see if you aren’t hooked. Put the Bible on your night stand and read it in the mornings. Start fresh.

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” – Saint Jerome, Doctor of the Church

[Revolting cat!]

.

The Catholics should have copyrighted the Bible and kept it from all those heretics interpreting it now every which way. Next time.

[terycarl]

...for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD

careful now, Jesus was 100% man as well as 100% God, did His 100% man part commit a sin??....how about that angry scene with the money changers in the temple....did He sin by losing His temper???did He err in destroying property that didn't belong to him, did He fall short by depriving people of their livlihood???

[terycarl]

Oh, no. I agree that all Scripture is true. I disagree that all Catholic proclamations are true.

I can prove that every Catholic teaching is true.

"whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven, whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven"

if you want to deny that the Catholic Church is infallible, just show 1 incidence, over the 20 centuries of her existance where she has erred in any matter pertaining to faith or morals.....just 1

[terycarl]

“Jesus promise, whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven....do you suppose that He left room for error???” Ah. I see. That’s all you have?

you need more than the word of God?????You are a tough sell!!!

[narses]

“Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats 19 my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?”
He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.” [John 6: 49-71]

[terycarl]

Scripture says GOD inspired, moved and demonstrates HE preserved his word.

that He did, by using the Catholic church to do so...there was no one else around...

[boatbums]

I know what John 3:18 says......it does not say that only those who believe will be saved. God wills all men to be saved, what are His plans for those who through no fault of their own never hear of His Son?

If you believe, as Scripture states, that God's will is that all believe and come to the knowledge of the truth, then don't you believe that God WILL reveal the truth to those who seek to know it? In John 3:18 Jesus said, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Those who do not believe, are condemned ALREADY because they do not believe. It can't be much clearer.

In Luke 8, Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the seed. He said that the seed fell on different grounds, some fell on the "wayside" and were eaten by birds right away, some fell on rocks and because they didn't get water, they withered and died. Some of the seed fell among weeds/thorns and the weeds choked the seed and it died and some fell on "good" ground, it grew and produced various yields.

Then Jesus explained the parable. He said the "seed" was the Word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. He explains the rest of the "grounds", but I want to look at that one where someone hears the truth but the devil prevents them from believing and being saved. The Pulpit Commentary says this about that verse:

The wayside hearers represent the great outer circle of men and women who more or less respect religion. It must be carefully borne in mind that in none of the four classes pictured in the parable are despisers of God, declared enemies of religion, portrayed. To these the gospel, with its warnings and its promises, rarely if ever speaks. These of "the wayside" are they whose hearts resemble a footpath, beaten hard and flat by the constant passing to and fro of wishes of the flesh, of thoughts concerning earthly things, mere sordid hopes and fears. Into these hearts the Word can never really penetrate. Momentary influence now and again seems to have been gained, but the many watchful agents of the evil one, with swift wings, like birds of the air, swoop down and snatch away the scattered seed which for a moment seemed as though it would take root. Judas Iscariot the Jew, and Pontius Pilate the Roman, might be instanced as types of this class. These - before their awful fate - both appeared to have been moved. The one for long months followed the Lord and was trusted by him; the other pitied, and for a moment in his - Pilate's case - pity seemed passing into love and admiration, and tried to find a way of escape for the innocent Prisoner. But the one betrayed, and the other delivered to death, the sinless Son of God!

In II Corinthians 4:3-4, the Apostle Paul says:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

There is a resistance to the gospel, the word of God, and that is how the devil is able to snatch away the truth from the hearts of those who resist and is why they do not come to saving faith. There are ample passages of Scripture that attest that belief/faith IS necessary for salvation and ONLY those who believe can be saved. For those who never come to faith in Christ, it is because they have rejected whatever light God has revealed to them. How one responds to the light determines how much more light they are given.

When Jesus' disciples asked Him why He spoke in parables, He answered:

Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him." (Matthew 13:11-12)

It can be hard to understand how God desires that everyone be saved, yet, with some, allows the truth to not get through to their hearts so that they can be saved. But I trust God even when something is difficult to grasp. He sees the big picture, we only see a tiny fragment. Genesis 18:25 says, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Deuteronomy 32:4 says, He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. We CAN trust Him.

[boatbums]

...for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD careful now, Jesus was 100% man as well as 100% God, did His 100% man part commit a sin??....how about that angry scene with the money changers in the temple....did He sin by losing His temper???did He err in destroying property that didn't belong to him, did He fall short by depriving people of their livlihood???

Are YOU accusing Jesus of being a sinner? Sounds like YOU need to be careful. Scripture does say, however:

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Of NO ONE else is this said.

[boatbums]

Well, there goes that infallibility thingie!

[dsc]

“this is NOT bigotry.”

That’s right, it’s not. If you think it is, you should try—really, really try—to find someone who can help you understand what bigotry is.

[dsc]

“It’s there to see”

No, it isn’t. This is demonstrated by your failure to produce a single example.

Put up or shut up.

[WVKayaker]

WoW! I thought I'd heard everything from these Catholics, but now I see one that tries to paint Jesus as a sinner. What do they teach in that group? Plus, they make claims about Protestants without justification, and then get in your face when confronted with truth and facts.

Then you get the same old crap repeated time after time from their catechism and from the mouths of somebody that just doesn't know anything about Scripture. They like to make quotes from the Bible, and they claimed that they wrote the Bible. They give nothing to the Holy Spirit and inspiration from above. It's all about their church, church, church, church, church and oh yeah, dead Mary and the dead saints as intercessors.

I got chastised by JR for using the term cult in relation to the Roman Catholic Church. But, when the definition perfectly fits, how can it be anything else? It is a cult of personality and devotion to blind unscriptural traditions. Now, one of them even claims that Jesus was a sinner! They have every right to believe what they want, but it sure doesn't seem like any Christianity that I see in my Bible.

They are the Roman Catholic Church, but the church that I know is the body of Christ, and it's not found in a wafer of bread. It only includes those saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost. Going to confession doesn't count. Giving some money to fill some coffers won't gain you anything with God. Especially when you see all the wealth on display, which they love to brag about and worship.

If we did not have a responsibility to share the Gospel, there would be no reason for us to respond to these folk. But, the error that they present may lead someone astray. So, it is to Jesus's Holy Spirit that we can go for guidance, and God on his throne to whom we can pray. They are all the same in substance, and the only thing we need. The simple role that we must play is to believe, just believe...

Luke 18: 18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” -Love, Jesus

*****

Romans 8: ... 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ... - Love, Paul

[Elsie]

Yes, that is right. Jesus opened the gates of heaven that were closed to man/woman with the disobedience of Adam and Eve.

Oh?

The text says at NO TIME will the gates be closed...

Rev 21:25

[Elsie]

I know what John 3:18 says......it does not say that only those who believe will be saved.

You are correct.

It says that those who DON'T believe will NOT be saved.

If the RCC finds a middle ground between BELIEF and UNBELIEF; I'd like to understand just what it is.

[Elsie]

Those people never heard of Jesus before they died, why would they be raised up if they could not be saved?

Since we seem to be into asking question that nothing to do with the issue, my answer to it is that MAYBE they heard about Jesus while they were walking around!

---

A more LIKELY 'answer' is...

"...they have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them."

[Elsie]

...why would they be raised up if they could not be saved?

After the IF could be ANY statement.

The BIGGER question is WHY were they 'raised' at all?

I ASSUME that these folks likely 'died' once again; but ANYTHING that I 'assume' will be nothing but pure speculation.

There is no record of what happened to them.

[Elsie]

More than 1 renders them protestant denominatons...the exact number, which changes daily, is irrelevant

Then WHY does it seem so important to Catholics to toss out these HUGE numbers so often??

---

You get the same from me that my kids get:

"Haven't I told you a MILLION times NOT to exaggerate?"

[Elsie]

she intercedes for anyone who asks....try it!!

I'll ask Catholics:

Has Mary ever FAILED to answer your prayers?

[Elsie]

we wrote it.

So THAT's why it takes a group to INTERPRET it!

[Elsie]

Those are DAMNED good questions!

Biggest bunch of red herrings I've EVER encountered!