Readings:
Nehemiah 8:1–12,
Psalm 119:9–16,
Colossians 3:12–17,
Matthew 24:30–35

Collect:

Merciful God,
teach us to be faithful in change and uncertainty,
that trusting in your word and obeying your will
we may enter the unfailing joy of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection for Bible Sunday

In today’s readings, Nehemiah, Ezra and lots of other important people bring the scriptures to life in the presence of the Jewish people. They read it clearly, with meaning, and explained to them what it meant it. This went on from dawn till noon! The people were attentive and took it to heart.

The gospel reminds us that Jesus’ words will “not pass away” (vs. 35) even if everything else does. In the Psalm, the word of the Lord is promoted for guidance, good behaviour, learning, teaching etc. about God. And it should be “hidden within my heart” (vs. 11) – an ever-present guide. The epistle picks up this idea (vs. 16), “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another”.

Here is a fundamental reason to read the scriptures – to allow Jesus Christ, who is the very essence of God, to have a deep relationship with us. Jesus himself points this out in Jn 5³⁹ “You search the scriptures … and it is they that testify about me” and again in Lk 24²⁷ “beginning with Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures”, and Paul reminds Bishop Timothy in 2 Tim 3¹⁵ that “you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 

The scriptures themselves are pointers to Jesus – who he is, why he came, and how we can relate to God through inviting him to “dwell in us”, to use Paul’s phrase. 

Different translations help different people, and choosing one where you can understand the language it uses is important. ‘The best’ translation is the one which is best for you. For example, compare Ps 18² in the New Revised Standard Version with Today’s English Version (Good News bible):

(NRSV) The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

(TEV) The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. 

The first translation uses rich language (formal equivalence), the second simpler language (dynamic equivalence). The NRSV concept of God as ‘rock’ is alien to some, and ‘protector’ in TEV makes more sense. ‘Horn of salvation’ needs some unpacking, so ‘defends me’ explains it. But if you know the ‘code’ of these phrases, there is depth in the NRSV which is lost in TEV. 

Also, all our modern translations, including the New King James rely more heavily on the earliest, most reliable manuscripts available, dating back as early as 125AD(CE) – a papyrus known as P⁵² – containing the epistles of the New Testament, and a 4^th Century booklet – Codex Sinaiticus – containing a full NT. Using these source texts sets modern translations apart from the old King James (the so-called ‘Authorised Version’) itself, which takes a majority reading from hundreds of much later but less accurate or reliable copies. 

But whichever you use, read it! And there are daily bible reading notes readily available online for use by various age-groups that ‘give the meaning’ (NRSV) as Nehemiah puts it. You can start simply by re-reading all the set readings listed above in Watling Valley Weekly, week by week! And if you are really, really keen, join a small group that studies scripture in the original languages in which they were written, namely Hebrew and Greek!

Here are a few useful links for resources:

Scripture Union – https://content.scriptureunion.org.uk/bible-reading-guides#slice-navigation-pw-slice-412

NET Bible – https://netbible.org/bible/Matthew+1

Bible Reading Fellowship – https://www.brfonline.org.uk/pages/bible-reading-notes-at-a-glance

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Dave Talks