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How can I get more out of my Bible reading?
How can I get more out of my Bible reading?
The Bible can be like a rock
But if you know how to strike a rock, you can bring forth fire from it.
See Mike Donovan and Mike Dill explain how a few simple questions can help you get more out of your Bible reading as a Catholic.
The Church teaches that there are literal and spiritual senses of Scripture (CCC 115). The following questions will help you extract the various senses of Scripture when reading the Bible.
5Ws (The Literal Sense of Scripture)
To get at the literal sense of Scripture, ask:
WHO wrote the text? Who is the writing directed to? Who are the characters in the scene?
WHAT is happening? What is the main message? What context appears before and after the selected passage? What genre of literature is this (narrative, law, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, apocalyptic, epistle)?
WHEN is the story taking place? When in relation to other biblical events? When was this written and what historical context informs the reading?
WHERE are the characters physically? geographically?
WHY was this written? Why were certain words chosen? Why would this message matter to the original audience?
As a Catholic wanting to read Scripture in unity with the Church, ask:
HOW does the Church’s Magisterium & Sacred Tradition interpret this text?
You may gain insight by seeing how select scriptures are cited in the Catechism's Index of Citations.
To see how Church Fathers commented on these texts, you may browse the Catena Bible.
SPEACKER (The Spiritual Sense of Scripture)
To get at the spiritual sense, Ask: Is there [a/an]...
Sin to avoid? (Moral Sense)
The authors of the Bible often show something wrong even if they don’t say it’s wrong.Phrase, word, or promise that stands out? (Lectio Divina)
God uses Scripture to speak to you personally. Don’t hesitate to spend time discussing one word or phrase with God.Example to follow? (Moral Sense)
Does the story illustrate the way of faith? How do its patterns apply today?Allegory unlocked by Christ? (Allegorical Sense)
Since Christ is the fullness of revelation, how does this passage make sense in light of His life, death, and resurrection?Command to obey? (Moral Sense)
Knowledge about God? (Anagogical Sense)
What about God’s character is revealed through the text?Eternal significance to extract? (Anagogical Sense)
In the light of eternity, how can we understand the text? How does the passage give heavenly hope?Rewrite in your own words what the scripture is saying. (Actualization)
Rewrite not to change its meaning for others, but to clarify how God is personally speaking to you.
Read more about the Literal and Spiritual Senses of Scripture from Dr. John Bergsma here.
Although there are thousands of legitimate Catholic devotions, Lectio Divina ("Divine Reading") is one of just 3 forms of prayer devotions named in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).
The Church highlights Lectio Divina from Sacred Tradition as a proven practice for discipleship.
Why? Because "We speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles." (St. Ambrose, as quoted in CCC 2653)
The EJ Bookmark is a handy guide through the four steps of Lectio Divina.
Before you read, invite the Holy Spirit to guide you:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise
and ever rejoice in his consolation.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
On Step 1, read aloud and re-read the passage to help your mind absorb the words.
On Step 2, take time to ponder whatever stands out to you from the text.
On Step 3, in a private setting, turn your thoughts into a personal prayer, as if Jesus were in the chair next to you ("Lord, here are my honest thoughts...").
In a group setting, take time to prayerfully discuss insights with your group.
On Step 4, just be. You may prayer the prayer of Samuel, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10) and set a timer for 3 minutes to just quietly listen to the God who reveals himself.
Read more about how Small Group Bible studies can naturally lead people through the steps of Lectio Divina. Emmaus Journey founder Rich Cleveland wrote about this in his article "Why Small Groups?" in Issue #18 of the Saints Alive Newsletter, available in the archive here.
Looking for more tools for Catholic Bible Study?
The Emmaus Journal is crafted to help you build the habit of daily Scripture meditation. It's also a ready-made Bible study for Catholics that follows the Church's reading plan.
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