A while back I was reading an article about the way that John MacArthur studies the Bible. I found it intriguing enough that I decided to give it a shot. Here I am while later to report back.
The Method:
MacArthur recommends picking one New Testament book and reading it every day for an entire month. If it is a smaller book, like 1 John, then you should read through the entire letter each day. If it is a larger book, like John’s Gospel, then you should break it up and read a portion for a month, then move onto the next portion. For example, read chapters 1-7 every day for the first month, chapters 8-14 every day for the next month, and chapters 15-21 every day for the third month.
As you read through the New Testament books, MacArthur says that we should eventually work on outlining the book and picking out the themes and other important information.
(At the same time, he recommends reading about twenty minutes of the Old Testament each day starting at the beginning and working your way through to the end.)
My Experience:
I have enjoyed studying the Bible this way. Although it is not “flashy” since you will only read a handful of books each year, the books you do read you are going to know very well. Last month I read through 1 John on a daily basis. I had always thought it was a strange little book. That is, until I spent a month reading it every day. By the end of the month I had come to love it. I literally had underlined about half the book.
You would think that it would get boring reading the same book every day. On the contrary, I found it enlightening. Not only did I learn it really well, but I was amazed at how different verses stuck out to me on different days. The first week all of the “popular” passages stuck out. But during weeks two and three I kept on noticing these smaller verses and themes that I had previously missed.
In a sense, Bible reading is like building legos. You can’t build the top part until the foundation has been laid out. When you only read a book of the Bible once and then move on, you are benefiting from it, but you are also missing a lot as well. When you really take the time to dwell on the words, so many different layers will open up to you.
The Challenge:
Are you struggling with your Bible reading? Do you often say, “I don’t understand what I just read”? Or have you been reading through the Bible for a while now but still don’t have a grasp of it? If so, give this method a try. Start with a small book, like 1 John, Philippians, or Ephesians. Read it through each day. Let the words seep into you. Give a try for one month and then see how it goes.