For me it was Exodus. Specifically the part where God tells the Israelites how to build the Ark of the Covenant, how to make the priests’ ephod, how to make the priests’ clothes, and how to make the priests’ underwear and then the Israelites make the Ark of the Covenant, the priests’ ephod, clothes, and underwear.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Rock on, Eonwe! Don’t sweat the book-a-week schedule; you’ll be doin’ fine when you hit the “Minor Prophets”.
Just a few tips:
1. Some folks think that writing in their Bible is a big honkin’ sin. For me, I underline stuff, make marginal notes, etc… Helps with comprehension.
2. Notice when things are repeated. Is the repetition for emphasis? Contrast?
3. You’ll be running into some “lists” before long. Resist the temptation to “skip over” the boring parts. Every once in a while you’ll notice a familiar name in the midst of one of those lists…
4. Consider a Bible dictionary to help you grasp the place names, geography, and the like.
5. Stay curious. Write down questions. Some Bibles have handy cross-references in the margins. (Your RSV may well have them) Check out those cross references from time to time.
6. Beware the “fatigue factor”. Sometimes that tiny print puts me right to sleep. I generally prefer 2-column format bibles–easier on the peepers.
Keep us posted!
when I was in Jr High, the genocide commands in Numbers & Deuteronomy tripped me up for a while, I kinda skimmed Leviticus
I just went on & read the rest & did some study on the Canaanites- essentially, their reputation to the Hebrews seemed to be that of Deliverance Folk with a higher culture, or maybe even HP Lovecraft’s demon-human mongrels.
My advice would be to read some outside sources at the same time. The problem is that the Bible wasn’t really meant to be read by modern readers. Instead, it was meant to be read by people who were much more familiar with the history of the events being described. I read the Bible straight through three times, and read individual books many times more, but never really understood it well until I read books about that time period as an adult.
First off, I suggest Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings, which is, IIRC, one of a set of “chronicles” put out by Dorling-Kindersley? (They have others on Emperors of China and so forth, and they’re very good.) I imagine their book on the Roman Emperors will be good for when you read the NT, but I’d focus on Julius Caesar through Nero, since those are really the relevant Emperors for the time period of the Bible.
I’d also check out www.religioustolerance.org , which has lots of good information on the various books of the Bible, and when and why they were written. It also has an article on portions of the Bible that are consistently mistranslated, which might be of interest to you.
All I can say is good luck. It starts out very interesting. Genesis is extremely interesting. Then it bogs down into the slowest read ever…
The New Testament is much more readable though. A lot more interesting and generally more relevant. The Old Testament is more relevant as history and background. (This is of course my opinion, many conservatives would disagree. 
)
" My advice would be to read some outside sources at the same time. The problem is that the Bible wasn’t really meant to be read by modern readers. Instead, it was meant to be read by people who were much more familiar with the history of the events being described."
Says WHO ???
You can read the Bible without BELIVING that what it says is TRUE-- But why would you WANT to ??? It’s claim ,is that it is the inspired Word of GOD.
Catholics were told for centuries that they were too STUPID to understand it.The results were blind followers – STUPID – of the Word of God.
Men have not changed for (6,000 ?)
years— The Bible is living poof of that.
**
Says me. If you want a debate, then take it to Great Debates, where it belongs.
YOU started it .
He didn’t ask for anyone to help him decide whether or not it was true or false .
**
On the contrary:
**
There’s only one of us who is addressing the “true or false” issue here, and that’s you. All I have done is to suggest some outside scholarship that I have found useful in understanding the Bible. There was nothing whatsoever in my post to even indicate that I am not a Christian.
Then why are you proselytizing in Cafe Society?
I agree with Priceguy: point out the things that seem to be inconsistencies. I’m a Christian, but I’d like to see any you find. Please point them out.
THIS IS about the BIBLE.
You can come to the conclusion of the Truth without the help of other writings --about the Bible–
If you are accusing me of “proselytising” …what do you call what YOU are doing ?
The so-called “Old Testament” seems to be getting a bad rap here as being irrelevant or uninteresting. Not so! True, some parts get mucky or repetitive, but if you read a bible with notes and commentary, it’s can be very interesting. I think many people can’t understand what they’re reading so they write it off. There are portions of the Tanak (Hebrew Bible) that are pretty dark, but I would hardly use Eric_Balrog’s term for it - “bad news.” In his defence, he did state that it was his own opinion.
If you are reading a translation, read one that is as clear as possible. This, I think, is one of the keys.
I just don’t want Eonwe to get discouraged. Good luck! Make it fun! There are plenty of people here who can help you if you get stuck on something. Your reading of the bible should yield a lot of different threads about different issues you find interesting. Read for depth, not speed.
OH, PLEASE…
YOU - will not-- SEE ME –
in the " Pit ".
Revelation 20:3
and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.
Enough said.
Ben,
If you want to debate me , you can email me.
Hey, Ben, did you
KNOW you were quoting Revelation?
The guy comes back from the dead in the end!
Good luck, Eonwe! I want to havve the whole thing read eventually, so far I’ve done Genesis, Exodus, the gospels, and Revelation. I recommend Cosby’s “Portraits of Jesus” for the Gospels, and there’s a good version of the New Revised Edition that’s annotated.
heygeno, the Pit is a forum here.
Most Catholics do know their Bible. It’s mostly that the people couldn’t READ.
Sheesh. You are witnessing in CS. You’re supposed to do any witnessing in GD. D’uh.
Oh, and if you’re reading the Bible, get a Catholic or Orthodox one-more books-like Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, Macabees.
I like Leviticus. “Last time you guys offered up ‘sacrifices’ that were stringy and tough, making smoke not at all worthy for Yaweh and leftovers I wouldn’t feed to a Caananite. Let’s go through the rules one more time…” Jeeze, you could tell that sacrifices weren’t burnt to ashes but were used to feed the temple staff just by the requirements.
John can be a snooze. He’s the Ann Elk of the New Testament. “This is the Word and the Word is God’s and it is God’s Word meaning that it is the Word spoken by God and not just made up on the spot.” He pads like a writer being paid by the word.
I was in a Bible in a Year class for a few weeks. There was a Jewish fellow who is married to one of our parishoners who is in a similar discussion group before his regular services except they can spend an hour discussing a single word. In 27 years they’ve made it up to Numbers.
And a Catholic Bible has more of Daniel. The Protestants chop out some of the best parts. But stay away from the commentary in the Jerusalem Bible. I was raised a Marianist and I still wanted to whack the guy who wrote the commentaries before I got a page into Genesis. “No, that does NOT say ANYTHING about Mary, you Irish twit!”
DUH…
I knew what he meant.
PEOPLE COULDNT READ IN THIS PAST 100 YEARS ?
We were told not to read it in THIS century.
The Apocropha is not recognized as the inspired word of God by any other Christian group.
You scared of the Truth too ?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by heygeno *
I’m a hardcore atheist, and I read the Bible because it has been extraordinarily influential in Western culture. For example, one cannot fathom the symbolism of Renaissance painting witout a thorough understanding of Biblical allusions, but one is not required to believe in the Bible.
That’s untrue, and I would urge you to visit your local library and read some good books on European history to clear up your lack of understanding.
Meh, so are the Dhammapada, the Mahabharata, the Analects, and the Iliad and the Odyssey—so what?
And there is no such thing as “The Truth”. Watch Rashomon sometime.