Pondering the Question - January 23, 2022

Today's Old Testament reading is Nehemiah 8:1-10, and the New Testament reading is Luke 4:14-21. A common theme that connects these readings is 'the reading of the sacred text.' In Nehemiah, we hear the priest reading the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) to the formerly exiled children of Israel for the first time. In the New Testament reading, Jesus reads for the first time in his hometown, proclaiming the fulfillment of the Word read from Isaiah. The Scripture is made new in both stories.  

Together, these stories remind me that the Bible is the 'Living Word of God' and is always up to date. The Bible is the most live book in the world. It is so because the ever-living Jesus, the Christ, lives in the Word. As we grow in our relationship with Christ through Scripture, we not only learn that we die and are resurrected in Christ's death and resurrection, we grow in our love for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit that guides and opens our minds to understand the Word read. 

Here is a simile of this concept. A cultivated literary critic reviewed a book by a specific author, and she was very severe in her criticism, pointing out many flaws. A few months later, she became acquainted with the author of this book and married him in a short time. Then she re-read the book. This change in their relationship also changed her perspective of the book. She said, "what a beautiful book! What a nice book! There are some mistakes here and there, but they ought to be overlooked." And she began to recommend the book to everyone. The book was just the same as before, but her relation to the author had changed. Earlier, he was a stranger; now, he was her husband. When she began to love him, she began to love his book. When we come into fellowship with the risen Christ, we see the Bible more clearly. The living Word, the Bible, becomes the most live and precious of all the books in the world.

Something to Ponder on the Lord's Day!