CHAPTER 1
How to Use this Book
Thoughtful understanding of the Bible as it is read to us in church can be farfrom easy. Strong words of prophetic judgment may be followed by Paul'sexploration of the power of sin and God's mercy, and then the surprising twistof one of Jesus' parables. Even the most biblically informed of us may find itdifficult to take it all in without any kind of preparation.
There are no magic formulas which will change this situation. Listeningcarefully to the Bible requires study and reflection, along with a personalreadiness to involve the will and imagination. Brief introductions like the onesin this book will not make up for a lack of instruction, discussion, andinterpretive preaching. Yet there are ways to help, and this book is written inthe conviction that many individuals want to pay closer attention to readingsfrom the Bible.
The introductions we offer here are meant to sharpen hearing. They are, for themost part, summaries of the readings that draw out major themes. While someinterpretation is inevitable, and we have supplied a few words of additionalinformation and commentary, their main purpose is to prepare you for what youare about to read and hear. Even for those trained in the study of the Bible, itcan be challenging to find yourself suddenly in the midst of a passage fromDeuteronomy, a prophetic oracle, or a passage from the Letter to the Hebrews.Told ahead of time that you are about to hear the account of a vision in whichthe prophet foresees the Lord bringing the people of God home from exile,however, you may well be able to enter into the experience.
Our goal in writing these introductions is to enhance the hearing of thecongregation and the skills of those reading to them, but not to provide mini-homilies or a heavy dose of interpretation. We often found it helpful to consultcommentaries, especially for views on difficult passages or where there werevariant translations. In some cases we would go to our Greek or Hebrew Bibles topursue the meaning of words and phrases in context. Our purpose was to try todiscover what the particular reading was intended to mean for the originalaudience before reflecting on any of its implications for contemporaryChristians. We then attempted to state the essential themes or events of thelesson beginning with a comprehensive sentence. Frequently it seemed helpful toadd a word or phrase with reference to material that was not actually found inthe reading but that set it in its immediate context—in a propheticoracle, epistle, or gospel, for example—or perhaps in the wider context ofPaul's ministry or Jesus' teaching. Indeed, sometimes the reading could bemisleading if this were not done. Often it seemed unnecessary to add furtherguidance, but with some lessons a few brief hints or suggestions at ways ofinterpretation and involving oneself in the readings seemed to be called for. Wehope this has not been done in such a way as to dictate the understanding of thepassage, but rather to provide illumination for the reader and listener.
This approach is not without its dangers! Passages can be difficult to summarizein a few sentences, and we had to be careful to avoid unwarrantedgeneralizations in our summaries of the lessons. Furthermore, we have tried toavoid omitting or juxtaposing ideas in such a way as to make the lesson seem tosay something other than it does. One of the hardest problems we faced wasdealing with passages containing verses that have been interpreted and sometimestranslated in strikingly different ways. In some instances we have been able toindicate this challenge. At other times a decision had to be made about themeaning, although, wherever possible, we wrote with the intention of leaving thepassage open to different understandings.
We regularly kept the season of the church year in mind and tried to be aware ofthe interrelationships among the readings for a given day. At the same time, wewanted the individual passages to be heard for themselves, and thought itunnecessary to stress the obvious. We also reminded ourselves that all threelessons, together with the Psalm, would not be used in every service or on everyoccasion, and that the introductions should not, therefore, be composed in sucha way as to require one another for their understanding.
We have designed this book to be useful not only for congregational listeningand understanding and for those who read the Sunday lessons aloud, but as aresource for Bible study, Christian formation, and preaching. For these purposescongregations may wish to place the introductions to the upcoming Sundayreadings on their parish website. The following section suggests some of theadditional ways Introducing the Lessons of the Church Year may be usedin congregational life.
For Lay Readers and All Who Read in Public
One way of employing these introductions to the readings is to place them in theSunday bulletins—perhaps as an introduction to the service or just beforethe scripture readings they introduce. The opening sentence (which is printed inbold type) could be used by itself, or the longer introduction could beincluded. Alternatively, the lay reader may begin by reading the introductionaloud in either its shorter or longer version: "In this lesson Paul givescounsel to the Corinthians who are unsure whether it is permissible to eat themeat of animals that have been sacrificed in pagan temples. A reading fromPaul's First Letter to the Corinthians." Or the other way around: "A readingfrom Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians" followed by the introduction andscripture reading. Some congregations assist their readers further by having theintroduction, the citation of the book of scripture, and the reading from theBible all printed out on a separate sheet of paper for each reader.
By reading over these introductions ahead of time, those who are to read aloudin church services will quickly get an overall sense of the lessons and gaininsights into them. They can gain a quick picture of the other lessons andsomething of the relationships between the readings for the day. This, ofcourse, is not a substitute for carefully preparing the actual passage they areto read, but it may well be an aid to that preparation.
All of us need to remember that whenever we read the Bible to others we are insome measure interpreting it to them. No matter how neutral we may tryto be, we cannot help coloring our reading with our understanding of the meaningand significance of the passage. For example, one phrase may receive moreemphasis than another—we pause slightly, if only because it seems anatural place to draw a breath. Even our accent and posture will have someeffect on our hearers. If those listening know us personally, at leastsubconsciously they are bound to say to themselves, That's old Fred reading.I saw him yesterday at the store. At first it may bother us to realize this.Who are we to be speaking the Word of God and interpreting it? Yet we thenrecognize that this is the way it must be, of course, and always has been. Godspeaks to us through human lives. Preeminently in Jesus, who expressed thedivine Word in a decisive fashion in his life, and then through the humanity ofothers, God chooses to be in the world.
We want to do as well as we can, and we do not wish to inject our personality soas to detract from the meaning of the words. On the other hand, since thereadings can only be articulated through us, we want to prepare and speak insuch a way that others will share with us in the meaning and significance ofwhat is happening.
Perhaps the most important preparation we can do is to achieve for ourselves thebest possible understanding of the passage. Obviously we will be helpedconsiderably by a general knowledge of the Bible—perhaps using somethingas simple as the notes in a good study Bible, such as The New OxfordAnnotated. Some dioceses also have educational and formation programs foradults, or it is possible to start a Bible study group in our own congregation.Information with respect to the different cultures and original languages of theBible will be useful to us; looking through a set of maps and learning aboutclimate and landscape in a study Bible can also deepen our appreciation ofparticular lessons. Any words we are unclear about should send us either to aregular dictionary or a special dictionary for biblical words. Pronunciationguides for biblical names also exist. (See chapter 4 for additional resources.)
The larger setting of the passage is also important to its understanding; weneed to be aware of what comes before and after it. In many cases those who hearthe lesson may be quite unaware of this context, but a reader's added sense ofunderstanding can convey something of its significance to them. Theintroductions provided here also help in providing the context.
One of the best forms of study, not only for lectors but for everyone who seeksa better understanding of scripture, is to read the lesson in more than onetranslation—perhaps Today's New International Version or TheGood News Bible alongside the New Revised Standard Version. At firstthis may seem a little confusing: different words are sometimes used indifferent translations, yielding different nuances of meaning. The punctuationmay also vary slightly—in fact, the earliest manuscripts of the Hebrewscriptures and the Greek New Testament had very little punctuation. Thesevariations in translation can lead us to new insights and deeper reflectionabout the meaning of a given passage.
Bible Study in Small Groups
A group of lay readers, a prayer group, a circle of friends, or other groups ina congregation may find these introductions helpful when reflecting andmeditating on the scripture readings in preparation for the Sunday or holy dayto come, or in thinking about them during the week following. This could also betrue for a group formed from several congregations or ecumenically, since theday's readings will be shared by a number of churches.
There are several good ways to do this study, but here are some suggestions. Tobegin with, the group will need to make a decision as to whether to look at allthe readings for a particular day or to concentrate on, say, two of them,especially when there is an evident thematic connection between the firstreading and the gospel lection. Or it may often be wise to choose just one ofthe lessons after gaining an overview of the several offerings for the day.Given time constraints and a wish to reflect on a particular passage in somedepth, choosing one passage may make the best sense, so let us now suppose thisis how the group plans to proceed.
1. Be sure everyone has a Bible or a copy of the reading you are going to use.
2. Have someone read the introduction to the particular lesson and then read thebiblical passage aloud.
3. After a minute or so of silence, have group members quietly read the passageto themselves.
4. Given sufficient time for this silence, another member of the group reads thepassage aloud.
5. Going around the group circle, either in order or as each member is so moved,have each person identify just a word or a phrase that he or she particularlynoticed in the passage.
6. Depending on the time available and the character and purpose of the group,it can be helpful if a previously appointed person could offer historical andinterpretative information about the passage. It is often particularly helpfulto set the passage in its context, for example—what comes before and afterit the book or letter in which it is found.
7. Going around the circle, each person may offer a sentence or two (but nomore) as to why he or she chose the particular word or phrase from the reading.
8. The group might then engage in a more open discussion of the passage.Participants may want to relate it to something happening in their lives, in thecongregation, in the community, or in the larger world. Individuals should limitthemselves to a minute or so in doing this so that there will be time for all toparticipate.
9. Then (or instead of step 8) the group could together engage in a silentmeditation on the passage. Here (in what is sometimes known as part oflectio divina) they may contemplate in the eye of their mind and heartthe scene or situation the biblical reading describes. The word or phrase chosenmay help guide in this. They may participate in the scene and then, perhaps,move into what might be imagined as a similar setting in their own lives.
10. The time together can close with prayer offered by a person previouslydesignated to do this, or, more spontaneously, by one or more persons in thegroup. The prayer may pull together some of the themes and concerns that havebeen mentioned and meditated upon. The group might then mark the conclusion oftheir shared reflections by offering together the Lord's Prayer.
A different kind of church group may want to use the time available in gainingmore historical and literary information about the biblical passage or passagesfor a given Sunday. For these purposes they could begin with steps 1 and 2 aboveand then move directly to steps 6 and 8, giving more time and attention to thembefore concluding with step 10.
Whatever particular approach to Bible study is used, having such a group in thecongregation is bound to lead to more active involvement with the Sundayreadings and discussion of them.
Sermon Discussion Groups
Some congregations have groups that meet to discuss the implications of thatSunday's sermon and some of the ways its message could be put into practice. Ionce belonged to a church where the preacher, after a brief time at coffee hour,would gather with a group of interested parishioners for a half-hour to forty-five minutes of lively conversation. There is opportunity in such sessions to goover one or more of the biblical passages, perhaps using these introductions asa guide. Such discussion can also provide ideas for future study or Bible studywithin the congregation.
Alternatively, a sermon discussion group can meet during the week beforethe sermon. I know congregations and even a theological seminary where this isdone. Not only are members of the group better prepared for the readings and thesermon, but preachers can gain considerable insight into the interests,questions, and concerns of those to whom they will be preaching. Theintroductions may help to provide overviews and a general understanding of thereadings, and a focus for these discussions.
Individual Bible Study and Prayer
Over the years a number of people have told me they would use the introductionsbefore going to church, sometimes reading them on Saturday or early on Sundaymorning. Some have extended that time for thought and reflection into a form oflectio divina. The steps offered above for Bible study and devotions ingroups can readily be adapted for individual use:
1. After reading the introductions, choose a passage for focus.
2. Read the biblical passage.
3. After a time of silence, read the passage again.
4. Choose a word or phrase that stands out for you.
5. Think about the significance of this word or phrase for you.
6. If you wish, gain more information and insight about the passage by readingthe notes in an annotated version of the Bible or in a one-volume commentary.
7. Try to picture the scene or the situation in your mind. The word or phraseyou have chosen may guide you in this. In lectio divina you may wish todevote particular time and imagination to this form of meditation.
8. Move the scene or situation pictured in the Bible study to your own time andlife.
9. This may lead you to some commitment or prayer.
10. Offer a prayer, even just a word: "Thanks." "Yes."
Christian Education
In some congregations the Sunday readings are integral to the education program.Church schools from elementary through middle and high school may use one ormore of the lectionary readings as the focus for the day's lesson or project.The introductions could help lay leaders responsible for Christian education togain both an overview of and insight into the readings for the day and also toplan lectionary-based learning for the congregation as a whole, ranging fromchildren to adults. This book is best used with a multigenerational resourcesuch as the third edition of The Prayer Book Guide to ChristianEducation, which is also based on the Revised Common Lectionary.
Sermon Preparation
Preachers, whether lay or ordained, occasional or weekly, may find theseintroductions helpful as a starting point in thinking through the lections ofthe day, which is usually the first stage in sermon preparation. Sometimes it isuseful to begin with an idea of the common theme linking the lectionaryreadings, and this we have provided. Because we have tried to leave the passagesof the day open to various interpretations and have approached interpretationwith a light touch, moreover, we hope the introductions will inspire freshthinking and study as part of further sermon preparation.
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