What we miss when we read the Bible alone
I’m a sucker for a good story.
I know you are, too. We can’t help it. God hardwired it into our brains. Functional MRIs show how our brains respond to stories (versus information)—more areas of the brain light up and with greater intensity. And even newer research has shown something fascinating: our heartbeats seem to synchronize when we hear a story at the same time, in a shared experience.
How. Cool. Is. That?!
While this is obviously relevant for my work with speakers in crafting their content, I think there’s a treasure here for followers of God, as well.
Long before Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press and put the Bible into the hands of the common man, people only heard God’s Word at church. In Luke 4:17–21, we see Jesus engaging the oral tradition of reading the scrolls in synagogue, as was the practice throughout the Old Testament. From the earliest days of history until the advent of the printing press, God’s people only heard God’s Word—the greatest [non-fiction] story of all time—with others.
One of the pitfalls of our Western, and particularly American, worldview is that we tend to engage with the Bible through an individualistic lens. (Dare I say “egocentric” lens?) I admit, some of the limitations of the English translations are partly to blame: we can’t immediately see when the Bible is using a collective “you” versus an individual “you” due to our language. This might even be further complicated by the (magnificent!) ability to access the Bible on our own, at any time. Being able to read the Bible by ourselves, and reading it through an individualistic lens, can—if we’re not mindful—cause us to miss out on one of God’s greatest gifts to us: seeing ourselves as part of the larger story He’s writing.
Our experience as God’s people is meant to be shared. Communal. We are part of a larger story: His story. A story that—when we gather together to hear it, know it, and live it—synchronizes our hearts in purpose and passion. The story begins with not “Once up on a time” but “In the beginning” (Genesis 1:1); we’re in the midst of an epic adventure.
The benefit of reading the Bible with others
When we partake of God’s Word together—reading it aloud around the dinner table, at small group gatherings, and in church—we are better able to see our own individual stories in the context of His larger story. This catalyzes two important things:
1 It “rights” our perspective on matters that feel overwhelming until viewed against the backdrop of God’s authorship and sovereignty. Seeing our experiences—challenges, heartaches, and suffering—in light of the larger story brings us back to a place of trust and worship. (See the way Asaph experiences this reality in Psalm 73.)
2 It shows us our role in the story. First, as a reminder that the “happily ever after” promised in Revelation doesn’t rest on our individual contributions, nor even our collective effort; it rests on the perfect work of our triune God. And, second, that we get to be part of the story—not the main character but “background actors” who are necessary to the telling of the story as we share it with others (1 Peter 2:9).
Here’s my challenge for us all: in your next small group gathering, or your next shared meal with family or friends (even virtually!), read a passage of Scripture together aloud. Read the selection a few times. Take turns reading and listening. I pray that—as you listen to His story together—you find your hearts beating in a shared rhythm that reminds you of the wondrous larger story you’re part of and that it invigorates you to share that story with others.
Bonus assignment: Visit Jeremiah 29:11 which is commonly read and viewed through an individualistic lens (singular “you”) and misinterpreted to be a personal promise. But the original language was plural, a collective “you.” Insert “all of you” (or “all y’all” if you’re feeling Southern!) when you read it aloud.