Video
Public Reading of Scripture
Reading the Bible aloud with a group of people is an ancient practice. In fact, the origins of the Bible are deeply rooted in the public reading of Scripture. Explore with us the origins and development of this fascinating biblical topic, and how it offers us a model for engaging the Scriptures in our own day.
Resume
Offentlig læsning af Skriften er en vigtig praksis i den kristne tradition, som Paul i sit brev til Timotheus opfordrer til. Han understreger betydningen af at engagere menigheden i Skriften gennem læsning, prædiken og undervisning. Historisk set kan denne praksis spores tilbage til Moses, der ved Sinai læste Guds ord for israelitterne, som havde brug for en ny identitet efter at være blevet befriet fra Egypten. Denne tradition fortsatte med Josua, der samlede folket for at minde dem om deres historie og fremtid. Efter Josuas død blev offentlig læsning sjældnere, og en generation voksede op uden kendskab til Gud. Det var først under kong Josias, at Skriften blev genopdaget, hvilket førte til en fornyelse blandt folket. Senere, efter eksilet, genoptog Ezra og Nehemias denne praksis for at genoprette folkets identitet. Offentlig læsning blev en central del af jødisk liv, praktiseret i synagogen hver uge, og Jesus deltog også i denne tradition ved at læse fra Esajas' rulle. Selvom mange mennesker i dag kan læse Bibelen individuelt, er den offentlige læsning stadig en kraftfuld måde at høre Guds ord på. Det skaber fællesskab og hjælper folk med at huske deres historie og identitet i usikre tider. At lytte til Skriften sammen og diskutere det, man har hørt, er en praksis, der har været central for Guds folk gennem historien.
Læs transskription
I was reading the Bible, which, you know is kind of hard to do. But, I came across this verse that says “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture to preaching and teaching. Yeah, this is Paul’s letter to Timothy who’s a young pastor and he’s telling him about ways that he can keep his church community engaged with Scripture. Okay so, preaching the Bible, I get. Teaching from the Bible, I get that too. But what about this reading Scripture together thing? Is that something I’m supposed to care about? Why did Paul think it was so important? Oh, man. For Paul, this really significant practice for the people of God. Think all the way back to Mt. Sinai where the Israelites were just rescued from Egypt. They are no longer slaves and they need a new identity, a new story to live by. And so, Moses, he gathers the people together and he reads the Scriptures aloud. He reminds them of where they came from, who they are and the new future they are called to live for. This was the first reading of public reading of Scripture in the Bible. Yeah, and it didn’t stop there. When the people finally got into the land, they did it again. Joshua pulled the people together and they all listened to the Scriptures, read aloud, so they can remember where they came from and how they could keep living as part of this new story. So this is something they did all the time then. Well, actually, no. After Joshua died, we don’t have any more stories of the people coming together to hear God’s Word. Instead, the people forgot their story. A whole generation arose that didn’t know their God or what God had done for them. But then centuries later, a King named Josiah, re-discovered the Scriptures and he was so excited that he called Israel to begin this practice once again. It sparked a renewal movement. That is, until the people forgot and they ended in exile. And so this is why when Ezra and Nehemiah came back from the Exile, they needed to remind the people who they are and how they are to live. So, this is a powerful practice. Yeah. In fact, reading Scripture together became a core part of Jewish life. It was done every week as they gathered in Synagogue. Jesus, Himself, participated in this practice. He even launched His mission during the weekly reading of the Scriptures. He read from the scroll of Isaiah and then He told everyone, these Words were about Him. And that brings us all the way back to the early church where Paul told Timothy, to keep this practice going to immerse the whole community in the story of the Scriptures. Okay, but, here’s the thing. Most people back then didn’t know how to read. So, they had to do it publicly. But I can read the Bible by myself. Yeah, and you should totally do that! But don’t underestimate the power of this ancient practice. Reading the Bible by yourself can be hard. It can easy to get distracted. But something happens when you hear God’s Word read aloud and when you’re with other people. And besides, it’s really easy! You don’t need anyone to preach or teach. You just need to listen to the Scriptures. And then talk about what you’ve heard. This is what God’s people have always done when they enter in new and uncertain times. They remember their story and who they are through the public reading of the Scriptures.
