PART 2
The word bible comes from the Greek word for book. The bible, however, is a collection of books. It is more like a library. These books are written in many different styles of language: history, historical novels, poetry, parables, myths and allegories to name just some of the various expressions of literature we find in the Bible.There is no escaping the reality that the Bible is a truly complex gathering of numerous styles and expressions. It has a lot less answers than many people proclaim. It lends itself to easy manipulation for the distorted self-interest of many individuals and groups. Yet, the Bible remains the most profound source and guide for the troubling reality that is the human journey through life. How does one find the way through the difficult but wonderous action of God’s word?
Probably the majority of people who have sought to read the Bible in deep sincerity have found themselves lost, troubled or surrender to a shallow response of false interpretation flowing out of self-interest. One important step in developing the will to truly understand the Bible is to grasp that it is a story of salvation.
This story of the Bible, the story of Salvation, was put together by the people reflecting, sharing, and praying about their experience of God. Most of the many different kinds of writings in the Bible are the conclusion of the community’s deep discernment of their encounter with God in their lives. This was a steady process of discernment and maturation. The gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit directed the communal journey leading to Jesus, the final and complete Word of God in the flesh. In Hebrews we read:
“In times past God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)A centerpiece of this journey for God’s people was the Exodus: the liberation from slavery, the passage through the desert and the entry into the Promised Land. The power of this experience guided the people all through an often-torturous history. Again, and again, in their times of trouble, the children of Abraham reflected on the faithfulness of God setting them free. They found strength and fortitude in encountering the revelation of this God of the Exodus in their troubled plight over the centuries.
The same is true of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This ultimate expression of God’s saving love has become the gateway to the new day, the New Exodus, in Christian history. The Cross and Resurrection are our constant hope no matter where life leads us in this valley of tears.
The central point of the story of salvation in the Bible is that the books in all their variety and depth are the result of the people’s experience of God. The power and significance of the Bible is that the very same God of the Chosen People is the God in our own life. The word in the Bible is the light that enables us to encounter the reality of God’s continuing presence in our time. We are invited to participate in the call and promise, the pilgrimage through history to the Kingdom of God. The gift of God’s word in the revelation of the Bible is always a call to new life and new horizons.
Union with God
“The Word of God is something living and effective, sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.” Heb 4:12-13.At the heart of the Bible’s story of salvation is the call. From Abraham to Jesus, the call is always a central part of the message. As the clarity of the message evolves, the call opens to the final destiny. the pilgrimage to God. We are called to be one with God. This union with God is the shared and final vocation of all God’s children.
As we steadily become aware of how God is clearly and convincingly in our lives, there are consequences for us. God always wants more and is working to transform us in the image of his Son. This call to change is never easy.
The word of God is indeed a two-edged sword that opens up the part of our life we work hard to keep hidden. We are called by the word, expressed in the Bible and also in our life experience, to be the seed that falls into the ground to die, only to sprout to new life and bear the fruit of God’s Kingdom by our surrender to God’s call.
