Read the Bible Smarter, Not Harder (Paperback)

Christopher R. Smith

ISBN 10: 0830857427 / ISBN 13: 9780830857425

Published by InterVarsity Press, Illinois, 2011

About this Item

Paperback. There is an increasing recognition that we need to engage the Bible as a collection of books. But we haven't been taught to read or study the Bible on the book level. Almost all of our approaches to the Bible are based on chapters, verses, or sections, so how do we change this?The units of meaning in the Bible are not chapters, or verses, or topical sections, but the literary compositions that God inspired to create the Scriptures. If we want to know the meaning of God's word, we need to engage these compositions on their own terms. This means understanding why they were written, what kind of writing they are, how they are put together, and what major themes and ideas they develop and pursue. This book answers these questions for each ofthe books in the Bible by presenting expanded versions of the book introductions included in The Books of The Bible, an edition of the Scriptures from Biblica that presents the biblical books in their natural literary form, without chaptersand verses. Many biblical scholars today approach the Bible as a collection of books, treating each book as a composition in its own right. Can such an approach help devotional readers? This introduction to the books of the Bible will have you reading in a whole new light. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780830857425

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Read the Bible Smarter, Not Harder (Paperback)
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press, Illinois
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0830857427
• ISBN 13: 9780830857425
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

There is an increasing recognition that we need to engage the Bible as a collection of books. But we haven't been taught to read or study the Bible on the book level. Almost all of our approaches to the Bible are based on chapters, verses, or sections. So how do we change this?

The units of meaning in the Bible are not chapters, or verses, or topical sections, but the literary compositions that God inspired to create the Scriptures. If we want to know the meaning of God's word, we need to engage these compositions on their own terms. This means understanding why they were written, what kind of writing they are, how they are put together, and what major themes and ideas they develop and pursue. This book answers these questions for each of the books in the Bible by presenting expanded versions of the book introductions included in The Books of the Bible, an edition of the Scriptures from Biblica that presents the biblical books in their natural literary form, without chapters and verses.

About the Author

The Rev. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is a writer and biblical scholar who lives in East Lansing, Michigan. He pastored local churches for nearly twenty years and was a consulting editor to the International Bible Society (now Biblica) for The Books of the Bible, an edition of the Scriptures that presents the biblical books according to their natural literary outlines, without chapters and verses. He is also the author of After Chapters and Verses: Engaging the Bible in the Coming Generations and of the other volumes in the Understanding the Books of the Bible study guide series. He is a volunteer campus staff worker with Graduate InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Michigan State University. He has a B.A. in literature from Harvard, a master's degree in theological studies from Gordon-Conwell, and a Ph.D. in historical theology and Bible from Boston College. He has published articles in journals such as New Testament Studies, Novum Testamentum, and The Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. He answers questions from users of these study guides on his Wordpress blog, "Understanding the Books of the Bible."