3 Effective Ways to Study Scripture for an Essential Understanding of Who God Is
The Bible invites us to know God and have eternal life. That makes reading, understanding, and applying Scripture the most important journey we will ever take, but it can be difficult without a guide to provide direction.
In Come and See, Jonathan Pennington helps readers understand what it means to know God from the Bible and details 3 effective approaches to interpreting Scripture. Using the engaging analogy of a road trip, he introduces 3 friends who each have distinct, clear ways of navigating the Bible: informational (understanding genres in Scripture and avoiding exegetical mistakes); theological (reading canonically, traditionally, and creedally); and transformational (focusing on the goal of reading Scripture, our posture as readers, and the role of the Holy Spirit). Pennington gives detailed advice for employing all 3 reading modes, equipping readers to gain wisdom and know God better.
-
Comprehensive: Explores 3 approaches to studying Scripture—informational, theological, and transformational—and includes exercises to practice each
-
Enhances Personal or Group Bible Study: Helps readers engage in deeper communion with God by purposefully journeying through his word
-
Ideal for Pastors, Seminary Students, and Laypeople: With an engaging, conversational style, Pennington teaches deep truths about knowing God and interpreting Scripture
168 pages.
Introduction: Starting Out: Road Trip!
The First Stage of the Journey: Informational Reading with Ingrid
Reading through Three Avenues
Side Trip 1: Maps and Seeing
Understanding Different Literary Genres
Side Trip 2: Reading in St. Petersburg (and Other Places)
Avoiding Common Exegetical Mistakes
The Second Stage of the Journey: Theological Reading with Tom
The Context of the Canon—Canonical Reading
Side Trip 3: Our Right and Left Brains
The Context of the Church’s Tradition—Traditioned Reading
Side Trip 4: Two T. Rexes and the Gestalt Shift
The Context of Creedal Orthodoxy—Creedal Reading
The Third Stage of the Journey: Transformational Reading with Taylor
The Goal of Reading Scripture
Side Trip 5: Metaphors We Read By
The Posture of Reading Scripture
Side Trip 6: Knowing through Rituals
The Holy Spirit in Reading Scripture
Epilogue: The Final Destination
Notes
General Index
Scripture Index
Come and See: The Journey of Knowing God through Scripture is in the following collections: