Relations, not Facts

Recent polls show that most Americans do not know the names of the four gospels, where in the Bible to find the Ten Commandments, any of the words to the 23^rd Psalm, nor that the Bible comprises sixty-six books. That indicates a lack of biblical knowledge at one level, but only a most basic level. This is disturbing to some of us, but such knowledge does not get at what the Bible is about. Bible study should focus on what it all means, and what it means to us and our world.

Before we begin studying the details, individual or small groups of verses, before we let ourselves get bogged down in controversy over any of the passages that are difficult to understand, we should look for the larger meanings, the purpose, intention, and aim of it all. What the Bible or any of its parts are all about is not a body of facts and information. It is about the nature and purposes of God, particularly in relation to his human creation.

Basically and ultimately the Bible is not about principles, ideas, doctrines, or rules for living; it is about relationships: God’s relation to his creation, particularly the human creation, and our relationship to him.

The Bible is about faith, forgiveness, trust, peace, patience, compassion, rebellion, hatred, lust, guilt, and the rest of the entire spectrum of personal relationships positive and negative. It is about love, the foundational relationship, the one that produces joy and peace. Bible study at its best explores these relations and their connection with each other. The meaning and significance of the biblical story is relational, relate-ive. The big picture must be understood before the details can find where they fit into the whole. And yes, it remains true that we can’t do much of this until we know the four gospels and the fundamental facts.