HOW TO READ THE HOLY BIBLE

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOW TO READ THE HOLY BIBLE
By Bishop KALLISTOS, Bishop
of Diokleia of blessed memory.

"If an earthly king, our emperor," says Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724-83), "wrote you a letter, would you not read it with hoy? Certainly, with great rejoicing and careful attention." But what, he asks, is our attitude towards the letter that has been addressed to us by no one less than God Himself? "You have been sent a letter, not by any earthly emperor, but by the King of Heaven. And yet you almos despise such a gift, so priceless a treasure." To open and read this letter, Saint Tikhon adds, is to enter INTO A PERSONAL CONVERSATION FACE TO FACE WITH THE LIVING GOD. "Whenever you read the Gospel, Christ Himself is speaking to you. And while you read, you are praying and talking to Him."

Such exactly is our Orthodox attitude to the reading of Holy Scripture. I am to see the Holy Bible as God’s PERSONAL LETTER SENT SPECIFICALLY TO MYSELF. The words are not intended merely for others, far away and long ago, but THE ARE WRITTEN PARTICULARLY AND DIRECTLY TO ME, HERE AND NOW. When we open our Holy Bible, we are engaging in a creative DIALOGUE WITH THE SAVIOR. In listening, we also respond, "SPEAK, LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS," we reply to God as we read (1 Kings 3:10); "HERE AM I" (Isaiah 6:8)

READING THE HOLY BIBLE WITH OBEDIENCE

First of all, then, we see Holy Scripture as inspired by God, and so we approach it in a spirit of OBEDIENCE. This Divine inspiration of the Holy Bible is emphasized alike by Saint Tikhon and by the 1976 Moscow Conference. sanctuary, we see there in the apse the figure of the Mother of God with her hands raised to heaven–the ancient Scriptural manner of praying that many still use today…

"… As we read our Holy Bible, then, we are to model ourselves in this way on the Blessed Virgin Mary, for she is supremely the one who listens. At the Annunciation, listening to the Angel she responds obediently, "Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Had she not first listened to God’s word and received it spiritually in her heart, she would never have borne the Logos/Word of God bodily in her womb. Receptive listening continues to be her attitude throughout the Gospel story. At Christ’s Nativity, after the adoration of the shepherds, "Many kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). The vital importance of listening is also indicated in the last words attributed to the Theotokos in Holy Scripture, the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. "Do whatever He tells you" (John 2:5), she says to the servants and to each one of us.

In all this the Ever-Virgin Mary serves as a mirror and Living Icon of the Biblical Christian. Hearing God’s word, we are to be like her: PONDERING, KEEPING ALL THESE THINGS IN OUR HEARTS, DOING WHATEVER HE TELLS US. WE ARE TO LISTEN IN OBEDIENCE WHILE GOD SPEAKS.

UNDERSTANDING THE HOLY BIBLE THROUGH THE CHURCH

The Moscow Conference affirms "WE KNOW, RECEIVE, AND INTERPRET SCRIPTURE THROUGH THE CHURCH AND IN THE CHURCH." Our approach to the Holy Bible is not only obedient but ECCLESIAL. The words of Holy Scripture, while addressed to us personally, are at the same time addressed to us AS MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY. BOOK AND CHURCH ARE NOT TO BE SEPARATED.

The INTERDEPENDENCE OF CHURCH AND HOLY BIBLE is evident in at least two ways. (1) First, WE RECEIVE SCRIPTURE THROUGH AND IN THE CHURCH. It is the Church that tells us what is Scripture. In the first three centuries of Christian history, a lengthy process of sifting and resting was needed, IN ORDER TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THAT WHICH IS AUTHENTICALLY "CANONICAL" SCRIPTURE, BEARING AUTHORITATIVE WITNESS TO CHRIST’S PERSON AND MESSAGE, AND THAT WHICH IS "APOCRYPHAL" —USEFUL PERHAPS FOR TEACHING, BUT NOT A NORMATIVE SOURCE OF DOCTRINE. IT IS THUS THE CHURCH THAT HAS DECIDED WHICH BOOKS FORM THE CANON OR THE NEW TESTAMENT.

(2) Secondly, WE INTERPRET HOLY SCRIPTURE THROUGH AND IN THE CHURCH. If it is the Church that tells us what is Scripture, EQUALLY IT IS THE CHURCH THAT TELLS US HOW SCRIPTURE IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD. Coming upon the Ethiopian as he read the Old Testament in his chariot, Philip the Holy Apostle asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" –How can I," answered the Ethiopian, "UNLESS SOMEONE GUIDES ME?" (Acts 8:30-31). His difficulty is also ours. The words of Scripture are not always self-explanatory. The Holy Bible has a marvelous underlying simplicity, but when studied in detail it can prove a difficult book. God does indeed speak directly to the heart of each one of us during our Scriptural reading–as Saint Tikhon says, OUR READING IS A PERSONAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN EACH ONE AND CHRIST HIMSELF–BUT WE ALSO NEED GUIDANCE. AND OUR GUIDE IS THE CHURCH. We make full use of biblical commentaries and of the findings of modern research. But WE SUBMIT INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL OPINIONS, WHETHER OUR OWN OR THOSE OF THE SCHOLARS, TO THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH.

We read the Holy Bible personally, but NOT AS ISOLATED INDIVIDUALS. We say not "I" but "we." We read AS THE MEMBERS OF A FAMILY, THE FAMILY OF THE ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH. We read IN COMMUNION WITH ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD AND IN ALL GENERATIONS OF TIME. This COMMUNAL or CATHOLIC approach to the Bible is underlined in one of the questions asked of a convert at the reception service used in the Russian Orthodox Church. "Do you acknowledge that the Holy Scripture must be accepted and interpreted in accordance with the belief which has been handed down by the Holy Fathers, and which the Holy Orthodox Church, our Mother, had always held and still does hold?" The decisive criterion of our understanding of what Scripture means is the MIND OF THE CHURCH. THE BIBLE IS THE BOOK OF THE CHURCH.

To discover this "MIND OF THE CHURCH," where do we begin? A first step is to see how Holy Scripture IS USED IN WORSHIP. How, in particular, are biblical lessons chosen for reading at the different holy feasts? A second step is to CONSULT THE WRITINGS OF THE CHURCH HOLY FATHERS, ESPECIALLY Saint John Chrysostom. How do they analyze and apply the text of Scripture? And ecclesial manner of reading the Holy Bible is in this way BOTH LITURGICAL AND PATRISTIC.

CHRIST, THE HEART OF THE HOLY BIBLE

The third requirement in our reading of Holy Scripture is THAT IT SHOULD BE CHRIST-CENTERED. If we agree with the Moscow Conference that the "SCRIPTURE CONSTITUTE A COHERENT WHOLE," where are we to locate their wholeness and coherence? IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST. HE IS THE UNIFYING THREAD THAT RUNS THROUGH THE ENTIRETY OF THE HOLY BIBLE, FORM THE FIRST SENTENCE TO THE LAST. JESUS MEETS US ON EVERY PAGE. IT ALL TIES UP BECAUSE OF HIM. "IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER" (Colossians 1:16).

THE HOLY BIBLE AS PERSONAL

According to Saint Mark the Monk ("Mark the Ascetic," fifth/sixth century), "HE WHO IS HUMBLE IN HIS THOUGHTS AND ENGAGED IN SPIRITUAL WORK, WHEN HE READS THE HOLY SCRIPTURE, WILL APPLY EVERYTHING TO HIMSELF AND NOT TO HIS NEIGHBOR." We are to look throughout Holy Scripture for A PERSONAL APPLICATION. Our question is not simply, "What does it mean?" but "WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?" As Saint Tikhon insists, "Christ Himself is SPEAKING TO YOU." Scripture is a direct intimate dialogue between the Savior and MYSELF–CHRIST ADDRESSING ME, AND MY HEART RESPONDING. THAT IS THE FOURTH CRITERION IN OUR BIBLE READING.

Reading Holy Scripture in this way–IIN OBEDIENCE, AS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, FINDING CHRIST EVERYWHERE, SEEING EVERYTHING AS PART OF MY OWN PERSONAL STORY–WE SHALL SENSE SOMETHING OF THE POWER AND HEALING TO BE FOUND IN THE HOLY BIBLE. Yet always in our biblical voyage of exploration we are only at the very beginning. We are like someone launching out in a tiny boat across a limitless ocean. But, however great the journey, we can embark on it today, at this very hour, in this very moment.

At the high point of his spiritual crisis, wrestling with himself alone in the garden, Saint Augustine heard a child’s voice crying out, "Take up and read, take up and read." He took up his bible and read, and what he read altered his entire life. Let us do the same: TAKE UP AND READ."

"YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET AND A LIGHT TO MY PATHS" (Psalm 118:105).

__________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George