What are your first memories of the Bible? Was it when you were a child and you heard words in a poetic and archaic English, perhaps from the King James Bible? Do you remember when you received your first copy of the Bible? Perhaps you remember how the pages felt and their unique scent? Some of us may have had the ambitious goal of reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in a year, or two years. If you tried, did you succeed? Or did you get stuck somewhere in Exodus or Leviticus? Or perhaps in the Book of Job or one of the great prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel? At some point, we may have realized that it is difficult to read the Bible as if it were a novel by Dickens or Dostoyevsky. In fact, the Bible is not really a book in the modern sense, but an anthology, a collection of writings, from various epochs and cultures, which testify to God's faithfulness to his creation.
Well, like air, water, bread, and even Church, for many of us, the Bible has always been there and perhaps we have taken it for granted, because it's always been there in its place. We may have forgotten at times how special the Bible is and that it is not like any other 'book' or 'collection of writings'.
Today, being Bible Sunday, we recognize the significance of the Bible, yet without making it something that it was not meant to be. It reveals God, his character and his works, but it is not God. We do not worship the Bible; rather, we allow it to lead us to worship God. The Bible responds to many of our most basic existential questions, but it does not respond directly to all of our questions. It does, however, offer important principles that allow us to begin forming an opinion on various subjects like our beliefs and practices. So, let's have a look at some reasons why the Bible, across the ages, has been considered so crucial for our life as a Church and for our lives as individuals.
In fact, what is so unique or special about the Bible? Don't all holy writings say more or less the same thing? It is true that various holy writings contain some similar ideas. But where can we go to read such things as we have heard today. Wonderful things, too wonderful to have been made up. The passages today remind us to look first at how Christ himself understood and used the Scriptures.
In today's Gospel reading from the Gospel of Luke (4:16-24), Jesus opens the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and asks the people in the synagogue to consider a shocking fact: this passage from Isaiah spoke about Jesus's mission to the world. It gives a glimpse of what Jesus would do and how he understood the Scriptures. Let us listen again to these lovely words:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."
When we look carefully at this passage, we notice that it is a picture of what Jesus was going to do for his people. He did not cite a text from a Greek or Babylonian poet, but rather a Jewish text that was read regularly in the synagogues of those times. It spoke of him, announcing that he would live for those who desperately needed help: physical, social, and spiritual help. All this points to a holistic ministry to be a blessing for the people. Later in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus responds to the question of John the Baptist through his disciples. Jesus answers by echoing various passages from Isaiah
: 22"Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. 23And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me" (Lk 7:22-23).
These passages tell us what Jesus gives to humanity: he gave himself. So, where can we find such words if not here? Perhaps in another holy writing? In short, Jesus was saying to his contemporaries that the Scriptures, which had been handed down from generation to generation, were announcing his ministry. Jesus makes this specific claim in various passages. For example, at the very end of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus helps his disciples to understand the meaning of his death and resurrection by "opening the scriptures" to them (Lk 24:32, 45). He says to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44). In the Gospel of John, we find a similar claim when Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders of the day. He says, "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf" (John 5:39). Now, we know that it was not that easy; some received Jesus's words and works, but others did not.
At some point in Jesus's ministry, some disciples became confused about Jesus's mission. Some of them even stopped following him (John 6:66). We can imagine that they had high expectations of Jesus like some kind of military liberator of the land of Israel, chasing out the Romans and getting read of the corrupt religious leaders. So, Jesus asked his twelve closest disciples a difficult question: 'Do you also wish to go away?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God' (John 6:67-69).
This is exactly the point of 'Bible Sunday', because it encourages us to ask similar questions: Where do we find such words? Where do we find the story of Christ, and how we are connected to that story? What kind of liturgy would we have without the Bible? What kind of creed without the basic facts about Jesus's life, death, and resurrection? Where else can we find these words of faith and encouragement? As I've been speaking, perhaps some of your favourite passages have come to mind. I've chosen just a few passages that will probably be familiar to you, because they highlight so well God's care for us and his creation. From the book of Numbers, we read:
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)
And this text from the Psalter: "1The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 3There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (Ps 19:1-4).
And this stirring text from Paul's letters to the Romans: "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39).
And finally, a moving prayer taken from what is perhaps the strangest book of the Bible, the Revelation of John:
They sing a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth." (Revelation 5:9-10)
Passages like these are so powerful that they can move us to tears of joy!
Where will we find Scriptures like these? They are a gift to us, a deposit of the faith, passed down to us, from one generation to the next. So, what difference can the Bible make in our lives? Today's Collect, attributed to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury in the 16th century, suggests some practical steps: "Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning: help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life..." This implies active engagement with the Scriptures. 'To inwardly digest them' mean that they are a regular part of our spiritual formation.
So, to be very practical, what is your favourite Bible verse or passage? Why not take it up again this week, and, if you haven't done it already, commit it to memory. Print it out and underline the things that strike you. Contemplate it throughout the week, asking God to help you understand it and apply it. In this way, you 'hide it in your heart' so that you can go back to it to draw inspiration, courage, and comfort 'in the watches of the night', in those moments when darkness seems to prevail.
Here a few other practical suggestions for engaging with Scripture. For example, why not join the 'Lectio divina' group that meets via Zoom on Thursday mornings. It's a perfect way to contemplate the riches of our Scriptures in the company of others. Another good way of keeping the Bible fresh in mind is to follow a Bible reading plan that is accessible and that explains some of the difficult points in those ancient texts.
Nowadays there are so many resources for regular Bible reading in book or digital format. Some suggestions can be found in the resources provided by the Scripture Union and, of course, in the Daily Prayer of the Church of England.
Like air, water, bread, and the sacraments, the Bible is there but it needs to be received regularly with prayer. So, returning to Peter's question, "Lord, to whom can we go?", the answer remains, "We turn to you, Lord Jesus, and to your Scriptures.". I think the Psalmist of long ago expressed this so clearly, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). Amen
James Morgan