The Bible Jesus Read
February 27th, 2008Philip Yancey, in his book with the above title, tells of an ancient Chinese philosopher who refused to ride his mule in the customary manner. He chose to ride the mule facing backward so that he would not be distracted by the new things he would encounter. He preferred to reflect on where he had been. Yancey also points out that the epistles point back to the gospels and the gospels and epistles point back to the Hebrew Bible.
I have learned to appreciate Genesis to Malachi. I love the stories and the lessons. Over the last few months, I have developed a yearning to better understand those books so that I can better understand the covenant of Jesus. It seems painfully obvious to me now that I have missed some of God’s poignant messages because I have not adequately understood the Torah, Prophets, or other writings from the first section of the Bible.
Jesus certainly read and memorized those books. Not only that, he lived out the words of the ancient text. He literally incarnated the word of God in his life as he lived out the Hebrew text before men. Indeed, in the life of Jesus, “the word became flesh” (John 1:14).
In reading the texts of the Hebrews, we can gain some richer insights into the things of God. It helps us:
- 1. Understand who God is and what he is like
- 2. Develop a sense of reverence and awe for God
- 3. Center or lives on God
- 4. See the reality of life that God sees
- 5. Learn to appreciate the grace of God
As we read the Bible, let’s treat it as God’s love letter to us — both covenants. Let’s read it faithfully and fervently. Then, let’s do what it says. Isn’t that how Jesus treated the text? Isn’t that what he came to do?
Keep The Light Burning!
Perry Greene
