How to Read the Bible Book by Book

1. The Bible is God's Grand Story: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation.

Here we have the grandest narrative of all—God’s own story.

More than a guidebook. The Bible isn't just a list of rules or propositions; it's primarily a narrative – God's story. It's not humanity searching for God, but God searching for us. This grand narrative unfolds in four major acts:

• Creation: God as the glorious Creator of all, including humanity made in His image for fellowship.
• Fall: Humanity's tragic rebellion, choosing independence over dependence, resulting in lost vision of God, distorted image, and broken relationship.
• Redemption: God's long, unfolding plan to rescue and restore fallen humanity, culminating in Christ.
• Consummation: The story's hopeful conclusion, where God's justice prevails, creation is restored, and His people live in His eternal presence.

Divine protagonist. In this story, God is the main character, actively pursuing reconciliation with His people, who are often antagonists themselves. The plot resolution is redemption and reconciliation, demonstrating God's unfathomable love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Our story too. This divine narrative becomes our story as we are invited into it. It's a story of undeserving recipients receiving everything, of hell-deserving individuals receiving heaven, of rebels becoming children, bearing His likeness, and calling Him Father.

2. Read the Bible as a Unified Narrative, Not Disconnected Pieces.

...here we try to help you read—and understand—each of the biblical books on its own but especially to help you see how each one fits with the others to form the great narrative of Scripture.

Beyond daily snippets. While devotional reading of individual verses or short passages can be beneficial, it often disconnects texts from the Bible's overarching story. This can lead to misunderstanding the context and purpose of specific passages.

Seeing the big picture. Understanding the Bible as a single, continuous narrative – a "metanarrative" – is crucial. Each book, while having its own integrity, is a part of this larger story. Reading with an awareness of how each piece contributes to the whole enhances comprehension and appreciation.

Avoiding misinterpretation. Disconnected reading can lead to misinterpreting texts as isolated divine pronouncements or commands, rather than seeing them embedded within the flow of God's historical interaction with humanity. The narrative context provides the essential framework for interpreting propositions and imperatives.

3. Each Book Fits into the Larger Biblical Story.

While we have regularly tried to point out how each book fits in, as you read the various books, you will want to think for yourself how they fit into the larger story.

Interconnected parts. No book of the Bible stands in isolation. Each contributes to the unfolding drama of God's relationship with His creation and His people. Understanding the "metanarrative" provides the lens through which to view each individual book.

Asking the right questions. As you read any biblical book, consider:

• What part of the Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation story does this book primarily address?
• How does this book build upon or refer back to earlier parts of the biblical narrative (e.g., covenants, exodus, law)?
• How does this book anticipate or prepare the way for later parts of the story (e.g., the Messiah, the Spirit, the new covenant)?
• What does this book reveal about God's character and His purposes?

Active engagement. The goal is not just to passively receive information about each book, but to actively engage with the text, constantly seeking to understand its place within the grand narrative. This active approach fosters deeper understanding and a richer reading experience.

4. The Old Testament Narrative (Law & History) Tells Israel's Story of Covenant and Failure.

Thus the beginning of the biblical story takes root in the lengthy narrative that tells the story of God’s chosen people, Israel.

Foundation of the story. The initial books of the Bible establish the narrative of God's relationship with Israel, His chosen people. This section includes:

• Genesis: Beginnings (Creation, Fall) and God's covenant with Abraham, promising land and numerous descendants to bless the nations.
• Exodus-Deuteronomy (Law): Rescue from slavery, the Sinai covenant, the Law as a gift for shaping God's people, instructions for worship (Tabernacle, sacrifices), and preparation for entering the promised land.
• Joshua-Kings (History): Conquest of the land, cycles of failure (Judges), the rise and fall of the monarchy (Samuel, Kings), repeated unfaithfulness, and eventual exile due to covenant disobedience.

Recurring threads. Throughout this narrative, key themes bind the story together:

• God's faithfulness despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness.
• The significance of God's covenants (Abrahamic, Sinaitic, Davidic).
• God's choice of the unlikely and unfavored.
• The importance of God's presence (Tabernacle, Temple).
• The role of the Law and sacrificial system.
• The anticipation of a future king from Judah.

Preparing for redemption. This long history of human failure and divine faithfulness sets the stage for the ultimate act of redemption, demonstrating the deep need for a new covenant and a perfect king.

5. Writings & Prophets Offer Diverse Perspectives and Point to Future Hope.

The delight of these books is that they constantly remind us that God’s love and faithfulness, which lie at the heart of the story, demand responses of various kinds from his people—the rich variety of these books both eliciting and guiding your own responses to this love and faithfulness.

Human responses. The Writings (Psalms, Wisdom literature, etc.) offer inspired human responses to God's actions and words recorded in the Law and Prophets.

• Psalms: Prayers, hymns, and laments reflecting on God's character, His story, and the human experience within that story.
• Wisdom (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs): Reflections on life, suffering, relationships, and the pursuit of wisdom, grounded in the "fear of the LORD."

Calling back and looking forward. The Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.) serve as God's spokesmen, calling Israel back to covenant loyalty and denouncing their unfaithfulness.

• They address specific historical contexts of political upheaval, unfaithfulness, and shifting international powers.
• They announce both judgment (curses for disobedience) and hope (blessings for faithfulness, future restoration).
• They emphasize God's sovereignty over all nations and His ultimate plan to include Gentiles.
• They point forward to a new covenant, a new king (Messiah), and a future outpouring of the Spirit.

Eliciting response. These books, through poetry, lament, wisdom, and powerful oracles, invite readers to reflect on their own relationship with God, to respond to His love and faithfulness, and to live in light of His character and future promises.

6. Jesus is the Centerpiece, Fulfilling the Old Testament Story.

Jesus of Nazareth is the unmistakable centerpiece of the biblical story.

Climax of hopes. The Gospels present Jesus not just as a historical figure, but as the fulfillment of the hopes and promises expressed throughout the Old Testament. He is the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of David, and the Son of God.

Fulfilling the narrative. Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection are shown to fulfill:

• Prophetic expectations (e.g., Isaiah's suffering servant, Jeremiah's righteous Branch, Zechariah's kingly Messiah).
• The role of Israel (succeeding where Israel failed, e.g., in the wilderness testing).
• The Davidic covenant (as the eternal king).
• The Abrahamic covenant (bringing blessing to the nations).

New covenant inaugurated. His death on the cross is presented as the ultimate sacrifice, dealing with sin and inaugurating the new covenant promised by Jeremiah. His resurrection is the victory over death and the guarantee of future life for His followers.

God with us. The Gospels emphasize Jesus' divine identity – God incarnate, present with humanity. His miracles demonstrate His power over creation, sickness, demons, and death, signifying the arrival of God's kingdom.

7. Acts Shows the Story Spreading Through the Spirit to the World.

In Acts, for example, the geography is now reversed; it starts in Jerusalem and then branches out to other parts of Judea (chs. 1–12); its large central section is another travel narrative, as Paul takes the gospel from Antioch to Europe (chs. 13–20); the final third (chs. 21–28) portrays Paul’s trials before the same three tribunals as Jesus (the Jewish Sanhedrin [Luke 22:66–71/Acts 22:30–23:10]; the Roman procurator [Luke 23:1–5, 13–25/Acts 24:1–27]; and one of the Herods [Luke 23:6–12/Acts 25:23–26:32])—which in Paul’s case results in his getting the gospel to the heart of the empire (Rome).

Story continues. Acts is presented as the continuation of Jesus' story, detailing "what Jesus began to do and to teach" (Luke 1:1) and how that work spreads after His ascension. It shows the gospel moving outward from Jerusalem.

Empowered by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus, is the driving force behind the narrative. The Spirit empowers the disciples to be witnesses, guides their steps, breaks down barriers, and orchestrates the expansion of the church.

From Jerusalem to Rome. The book follows a clear geographical and ethnic progression:

• Jerusalem: The gospel is first proclaimed and takes root among Jews.
• Judea and Samaria: The gospel spreads beyond the immediate Jewish center.
• To the ends of the earth (Rome): The gospel reaches Gentiles, culminating in Paul's ministry in the capital of the Roman Empire.

Nothing can hinder. Acts repeatedly demonstrates that God's plan of salvation cannot be stopped by opposition, whether from Jewish leaders, pagan authorities, or internal conflicts. The gospel is God's activity, moving forward with divine momentum.

8. Epistles Explain Life in the "Already, Not Yet" Era.

The Epistles play a crucial role in the grand story, both defining how the plot resolution works out and how God’s newly redeemed and reconciled people are to live in the present age, as they hopefully and joyfully await the final chapter of the story.

Living between the times. The Epistles (letters) are written to early Christian communities, explaining the implications of Christ's death and resurrection and the gift of the Spirit for daily life. They address believers living in the tension of the "already, not yet" – the kingdom has been inaugurated, but not yet fully consummated.

Defining the new people. These letters clarify:

• How salvation is received (by grace through faith in Christ).
• The identity of the new people of God (Jew and Gentile united in Christ).
• The role of the Spirit (indwelling, empowering, guaranteeing the future).
• The nature of Christian righteousness (not by law, but by the Spirit).

Ethical implications. The ethical instructions in the Epistles are not a new legal code, but expressions of God's likeness revealed in Christ. Believers are called to live out the reality of the future kingdom now, in community, empowered by the Spirit.

Ad hoc guidance. Written to specific churches facing particular issues (false teaching, internal conflict, persecution), the Epistles provide practical guidance and encouragement for navigating the challenges of living faithfully in the present age while awaiting Christ's return.

9. Revelation Reveals the Glorious Final Chapter of God's Story.

When God’s people live in God’s eternal presence (Rev 21–22), the biblical story will have turned the final page.

Consummation of the narrative. Revelation, the final
[ERROR: Incomplete response]

Last updated: May 5, 2025