How to Read the Bible for All its Worth

If you're going to title your book as such, you better have the ability to deliver on that promise.  Fee and Stuart doesn't disappoint.  Perhaps more impressive than the content is how they manage to incorporate and value all types of denominations in this book.  Regardless where you stand spiritually, you'll learn (a lot more) about your Bible, regardless if you own a study Bible or commentary already.

Fee and Stuart take a systematic approach in teaching you how to maximize your Bible reading.  Before even cracking open the Bible, the co-authors dedicate three chapters on the importance of interpretation and how different translations of the Bibles are better suited for different types of interpretations.  This point can not be stressed enough.  If you don't believe me, take a familiar section of Scripture (about 3-4 verses) and try reading it in different translations; this is a great practice and can be done easily on BibleGateway.

The rest of the book structures around understanding the Bible as a whole by its document type.  Namely, they are epistles, OT narratives, Acts, the Gospels, parables, OT Laws, prophetic, psalms, wisdom books, and Revelation.  And although each section can be read apart from the others, techniques learned in earlier sections are sometimes utilized in later ones.  Also, I would argue that it gets more difficult to appreciate the fullness of each document type as you progress through the list.  For example, when I wanted information about the prophetic books or the Psalms, I had to go back and reference techniques learned in the epistles section.

One impressive feature of this book is that they provide numerous and often exhaustive examples.  As they are instructing how to read a broad section, it is almost always accompanied with an actual example from Scripture.  So if you learn through more theological explanations, or through hands-on examples, both are provided here.  And when they offer a suggestion before reading further, I found that it is really a  requirement than a suggestion.  Although it will take longer to read through the book, I was grateful for the exercises they suggested because my Bible reading was deeper and richer than it had been previously.

Another enjoyable and humbling aspect is that they don't pretend to know everything.  Throughout each section and in an appendix in back, they offer a number of high quality resources and references such as commentaries and other books similar to their own.  It would probably take a lifetime to actually read them all.

Although, this book has a small downside to it.  Its diction is necessarily challenging. I agree with the cover's claim that it is easy to read; you certainly don't attend seminary to get the complete experience.  However, they will challenge you with some high-level vocabulary and ideas, but its necessary considering the content.  Remember the Bible is a collection of documents containing the very thoughts of God through prose and poetry, thus the wording needs to be both precise and accurate.  If you can manage that, this book will be a spiritual and intellectual safari.

So in conclusion, I'm giving this book my highest recommendation to all Christ Followers or anyone who has read the Bible and found it unsatisfying.  Personally, I see myself going back to reference this book often, and I'm certain that I will read this book again in the short-term future.  And for those who don't know me well, that's a huge compliment because I rarely reread anything unless I must.

Bacon Rating: 4.5 out of 5