With the New Year, many of us have chosen our new daily Bible reading plan. With that in mind, I recently stumbled across an important quote from John Calvin that bears on how we approach our Bible reading. I thought sharing it with you all would be especailly appropriate, on this first Monday of 2011.
Commenting on John 5:39, Calvin notes:
…we are taught by this passage, that if we wish to obtain the knowledge of Christ, we must seek it from the Scriptures…. First, then, we ought to believe that Christ cannot be properly known in any other way than from the Scriptures; and if it be so, it follows that we ought to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding Christ in them. Whoever shall turn aside from this object, though he may weary himself throughout his whole life in learning, will never attain the knowledge of the truth; for what wisdom can we have without the wisdom of God? Next, as we are commanded to seek Christ in the Scriptures, so he declares in this passage that our labors shall not be fruitless; for the Father testifies in them concerning his Son in such a manner that He will manifest him to us beyond all doubt. But what hinders the greater part of men from profiting is, that they give to the subject nothing more than a superficial and cursory glance. Yet it requires the utmost attention, and, therefore, Christ enjoins us to search diligently for this hidden treasure…. By the Scriptures, it is well known, is here meant the Old Testament; for it was not in the Gospel that Christ first began to be manifested, but, having received testimony from the Law and the Prophets, he was openly exhibited in the Gospel.
Thanks, Bob. Blessings.
And to you, thanks for dropping by.
Dear Bob, you quoted Calvin “we ought to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding Christ in them.” Looks like you have done some research on reading plans. Which one would you say is most closely designed in your opinion to be consistent (as closely as possible) with this quoted “method”?
So, Bob, which one would you say is most closely designed in your opinion to be consistent (as closely as possible) with this quoted “method”?
I don’t think it’s so much a pattern of reading through the Bible that will help here. I think anywhere in the Bible you can find Christ if you know how best to look and study. I think it’s a matter of approaching the text and aiming t worship in the revealed Jesus Christ, more so than just learning facts. A particular plan of reading through the Bible as opposed to other such plans won’t make a difference in this matter. At least I think that’s what your asking.
Thank you for this reminder as we enter the New Year.
I pulled down Vol 17 – Calvin’s Commentary on the Gospel of John – and read Calvin’s full comment on verse 39. He further notes that “… while they acknowledged that they had life in the Scriptures, they perceived nothing in them but the dead letter. For he does not absolutely blame them for seeking life in the Scriptures, since they were given to us for that end and use, but because the Jews thought that the Scriptures gave them life, while they were widely opposed to its natural meaning, and – what is worse – while they quenched the light of life which was contained in them; for how can the Law bestow life without Christ, who alone gives life to it?”
Henry Knight
Columbia, South Carolina
1964 BJU; 1975 USC Law School
I fixed the duplicate comment, Henry. Thanks for the comment. It’s hard to know what all to include in a quote. I thought that bit was good too. Too often we are like the Jews, in that we only see a dead letter, because we don’t work hard enough to find the treasure of Jesus in the Scripture. God keep us from that this year.
Blessings in Christ,
Bob