saving the bible from ourselves by glenn r. paauw

8182019 Saving the Bible From Ourselves By Glenn R Paauw

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullsaving-the-bible-from-ourselves-by-glenn-r-paauw 134

SAVING THE BIBLE

FR OM OU RS ELVE S

Lear ning to Read amp Live the Bib le Wel l

Glenn R Paauw





SAVING THE BIBLE

FROM OURSELVES

Learning to Read amp Live the Bible Well

GLENN R PAAUW

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InterVarsity Press

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Downers Grove IL 10486301048624104862910486251048629-1048625104862810486261048630

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emailivpresscom

copy1048626104862410486251048630 by Glenn R Paauw

All rights reserved No part o this book may be reproduced in any orm without written permission rom

InterVarsity Press

InterVarsity Pressreg is the book-publishing division o InterVarsity Christian FellowshipUSAreg a movement ostudents and aculty active on campus at hundreds o universities colleges and schools o nursing in the United

States o America and a member movement o the International Fellowship o Evangelical Students For

inormation about local and regional activities visit intervarsityorg

All Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken rom HE HOLY BIBLE NEW INERNAIONAL

VERSION reg NIVreg Copyright copy 1048625104863310486311048627 1048625104863310486311048632 1048625104863310486321048628 1048626104862410486251048625 by Biblica Inctrade Used by permission All rights reserved

worldwide

While any stories in this book are true some names and identiying inormation may have been changed to protect

the privacy o individuals

Photos in figures 10486251048625 10486251048626 10486251048627 10486251048628 and 10486261048625 are by Steve Crow

Cover design Cindy Kiple

Interior design Beth McGill

Images book pages malerapasoiStockphoto

torn paper edge hudiemmiStockphoto

ISBN 104863310486311048632-1048624-1048632104862710486241048632-1048629104862510486261048628-1048633 (print)

ISBN 104863310486311048632-1048624-1048632104862710486241048632-1048633104863310486301048633-1048626 (digital)

Printed in the United States o America

As a member o the Green Press Initiative InterVarsity Press is committed to protectingthe environment and to the responsible use o natural resources o learn more visit

greenpressinitiativeorgLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names Paauw Glenn R 1048625104863310486291048632- author

itle Saving the Bible rom ourselves learning to read and live the Bible

well Glenn R Paauw

Description Downers Grove InterVarsity Press 1048626104862410486251048630 | Includes

bibliographical reerences

Identifiers LCCN 1048626104862410486251048629104862410486291048624104863210486321048631 (print) | LCCN 1048626104862410486251048630104862410486241048626104862610486261048626 (ebook) | ISBN

1048633104863110486321048624104863210486271048624104863210486291048625104862610486281048633 (pbk alk paper) | ISBN 1048633104863110486321048624104863210486271048624104863210486331048633104863010486331048626 (eBook)

Subjects LCSH BiblemdashHermeneutics | Bible--Criticism interpretation etc

| Bible--Reading

Classification LCC BS104862810486311048630 P10486261048629 1048626104862410486251048630 (print) | LCC BS104862810486311048630 (ebook) | DDC

1048626104862610486241048630mdashdc10486261048627

LC record available at httplccnlocgov1048626104862410486251048629104862410486291048624104863210486321048631

P 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 10486251048632 10486251048631 10486251048630 10486251048629 10486251048628 10486251048627 10486251048626 10486251048625 10486251048624 1048633 1048632 1048631 1048630 1048629 1048628 1048627 1048626 1048625

Y 10486271048629 10486271048628 10486271048627 10486271048626 10486271048625 10486271048624 10486261048633 10486261048632 10486261048631 10486261048630 10486261048629 10486261048628 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 10486251048632 10486251048631 10486251048630




CONTENTS

Preace 983097

Introduction Embarking 983089983089

983089 Our Complicated Bible 983090983093

983090 Unveiling the Elegant Bible 983091983096

983091 Our Snacking Bible 983093983089

983092 Savoring the Feasting Bible 983094983092

983093 Our ldquohe Gods Must Be Crazyrdquo Bible 983095983093

983094 Finding God in the Historical Bible 983096983093

983095 Our De-dramatized Bible 983097983095

983096 Rediscovering the Storiented Bible 983089983088983097

983097 Perorming the Storiented Bible 983089983090983090

983089983088 Our Otherworldly Bible 983089983091983089

983089983089 Grounded in the Earthly Bible 983089983092983094

983089983090 My Private Bible 983089983093983096

983089983091 Sharing Our Synagogue Bible 983089983095983089




983089983092 Our Ugly Bible 983089983096983093

983089983093 Beholding the Iconic Bible 983089983097983096

Conclusion Return 983090983089983089

Acknowledgments 983090983089983093

Notes 983090983089983097




- Introduction -

EMBARKING

This book is a journey to the center o the Bible Some peoplemdashthose prone

toward counting thingsmdashwill tell you that the center o the Bible is Psalm

104862510486251048631 since there are 104862910486331048628 chapters beore it and the same number ollowing it

But counting is about precision and verses which measure smaller units

are more precise Alas Tere is no center verse o the Bible since the overall

count is an even number 10486271048625104862510486311048628 (in most English Bibles) But this may be acase in which counting is not the thing to do I propose instead a voyage to

the heart o the Bible an exploration o the paths we might take to get there

and a quest to unearth essential but largely orgotten Bible practices

Te purpose o this book is to contribute to the construction o a new

paradigm or engaging the Bible in the Christian community It is an inter-

vention or a Bible in crisis Seven new ldquoBiblesrdquo will be introduced to the

reader as steps on the path to recovering one deeply engaged Bible Techapters are set up in groups Each grouping reviews a key deficiency in how

we currently see or interact with the Bible ollowed by a recommendation

or a new presentation or practice

My core argument is that or most o us most o the time small readings

prevail over big readings ldquoSmallrdquo and ldquobigrdquo reer to more than the length o

the passages we take in I define small readings as those diminished sam-

plings o Scripture in which individuals take in ragmentary bits outside o

the Biblersquos literary historical and dramatic contexts Also implicated here is

a correspondingly meager soteriologymdashthat narrow individualistic and es-

capist view o salvation so common among Christians My hope is that these

deficiencies will come to be corrected by big readings Tese are the more




10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

magnified experiences that result when communities engage natural seg-

ments o text or whole books taking ull account o the Biblersquos various

contexts Tis will oster the apprehension o the storyrsquos goal in a majesticregeneration that is as wide as Godrsquos good creation

Closely related to these small and big readings are various other aspects

o our current Bible culture including related issues such as our typical

visual presentation o the Bible the inseparable connection o the Bible to

our complicated lie on earth the way we make sense o (or donrsquot bother

with) the library o Scripture as a whole and the role o aesthetics in what

we do with the BibleOverall I examine some o the ways the Bible has ldquoallenrdquo in contem-

porary Christianity ollowed by my own proposals or the Biblersquos restoration

I believe the journey to the Biblersquos redemptionmdashjust like our ownmdashlies in

incarnational recovery Just as we require a holistic salvation that includes

our bodies so the Bible needs a restoration that includes its physical orm

And the point o this redemptionmdashalso similar to our ownmdashis a retrieval o

original purpose and intended mission Te Word o God was sent into the

world to be an agent o Godrsquos transormative power When we harm the

Bible we hinder that errand

W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103

Te American presidency has its own ascinating history and has gone

through significant mutations as the times have changed along with those

whorsquove held the position August o 1048625104863310486311048628 however was a unique moment

in that history Gerald Ford assumed the office on the ninth day o the

month ollowing the resignation o Richard Nixon over the Watergate

scandal In his first address to the nation as president Ford spoke o his

commitment to restoring trust in the nationrsquos highest office Tis need arose

as a result o the long and painul national crisis Ford articulated the na-

tional mood by noting ldquoTis is an hour o history that troubles our minds

and hurts our heartsrdquo

Tose o us with a commitment to and love or the Bible might be excused

or thinking similar words could be applied to the situation o the Scriptures

in this hour Irsquove worked in Bible teaching publishing and ministry outreach

or nearly three decades now Irsquom more amiliar than I want to be with the




Embarking 10486251048627

widespread use and abuse o this text My heart does hurt and my mind is

indeed troubled Tere may not be some idyllic golden age o the Bible in

the past but that should not diminish our sense o the seriousness o itstroubles today

roubles I thought the Bible was still a very popular book What troubles

You may have heard that the Bible is the bestselling book o all time And

thatrsquos true but thatrsquos not the hal o it the Bible is the bestselling book every

single year By any measure this is remarkable God didnrsquot have a blockbuster

once upon a time He has 983156983144983141 blockbuster year afer year afer year And i

the Bible didnrsquot need saving this accomplishment would mean more than itactually does It might mean that the content o the Bible would be extremely

well knownmdashafer all there are all those copies out there Given the sheer

distribution numbers we should have Bible trivia experts on every corner

Whorsquos Melchizedek I know I know We certainly buy enough Bibles or this

to be the case But the researchers have been telling us or some time that

the knowledge base isnrsquot there Regardless o the number o times wersquove

rolled the Bible presses the words on the page are not common currency

Now itrsquos true that Bible literacy is not really the goalmdashthe Biblersquos mission

is more properly ocused on deeper matters Still a deficient awareness o

Bible basics like acts and storylines is revealing o a more proound loss I

I canrsquot tell you who Moses Paul Abraham Jesus and David are and in what

order they appear in the Biblersquos drama I canrsquot possibly know much about

whatrsquos really going on there

But therersquos more at stake here than a widespread cloning o the Bible

Answer Man Given Christian convictions about the Bible we would expect

(hope pray) that its unique content would be transorming people on a

very significant scale We would anticipate a deep cultural awareness o the

themes stories and truths o the Bible We should be finding substantial

engagement both positive and negative with key biblical claims We should

see in other words the Bible taken seriously as a culture-shaping orce But

do we

Well increasingly no Tere may be a kind o shadow that survives the

ghost o Bibles past when sacred stories phrases and echoes were inter-

woven in our literature art and music and when its memorable expres-

sions were common parlance But most o these allusions and reerences




10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

are now lost on people Te whole Bible thing has become blurry or olks

today We might be swimming in millions o Bibles but we are not a

Scripture-soaked societyBut what about the Bible-believing community Isnrsquot there a group o people

still immersed in the Bible and very amiliar with its contents Isnrsquot the Bible

doing well there

Tere is such a group itrsquos true and they are typically quite serious about

the Bible Tey do study their Bibles and read their devotionals Tey go to

churches where the Bible is expounded every week Tey do better on their

Bible literacy questionnaires (Exactly how many people this describes isopen to discussion) But there may be more to this seeming success story

than first meets the eye Itrsquos worth scratching the surace a bit

Tere are two stories here one official and one underground o get the

gist o the official story consider the things we in the Christian community

regularly tell ourselves about the Scriptures Superlatives abound Te Bible

is dynamic special inspired and inspiringmdashthe crucial spiritual tool God

himsel has given us the Bible is Godrsquos instruction manual or lie the Lord

o the universe has written a personal love letter to us it is our passport to

heaven it contains the words o lie it contains the announcements o Godmdash

an utterly unique discourse o the divine We also highlight key biblical

sel-descriptions Te Bible is God-breathed and the Spiritrsquos own spiritual

sword it is living and active it is a light or our path when God sends his

word out it doesnrsquot return to him without accomplishing what he wants A

recent survey o the role o the Bible in American lie reports that close to

eight out o ten Americans describe the Bible as either inspired by God or

as the literal word o God1 We are not lacking or a positive view o the Bible

We talk about the Bible and its importance or the Christian lie all the

time In act we canrsquot stop talking about it Everyone knows that a serious

believer is supposed to spend a lot o time ldquoin the Wordrdquomdashsoaking it up

praying about it applying it on a daily basis ypically the exhortation to be

diligent in our Bible study is ollowed by the clear promise o big spiritual

payoff Te expectation is that believers will spend significant time getting

to know their Bibles But we are also assured that even i we spend only a

ew minutes in the morning wersquore sure to find the spiritual gem to get us

through Te Bible will brighten our day encourage us and strengthen us i




Embarking 10486251048629

only we will aithully open itmdasheven i just or a ew moments Tose ldquoScrip-

turesrdquomdashwhich more typically reer to presorted sentences and snippetsmdashare

said to be powerulAnd yet

We know there is more to this story than the official line Te Christian

community doesnrsquot talk about it nearly as much but there is an underside

to the lie o the Bible in our midst Tis is the story o rustration boredom

and lack o connection Tis is the story o ailed expectations Many o us

try out the advice promoted in the official line and find that it doesnrsquot work

We commit to a daily ldquoquiet timerdquo but afer a while we give up We read ourlittle spiritual morsel and discover it doesnrsquot nourish us all that much and

certainly not enough to carry us through the day Actually we kind o orget

it pretty quickly Te unofficial line regarding the Bible is the story o weird

indecipherable passages Te ldquoand yetrdquo comes down to this there is more

guilt about secret noncompliance with Bible-reading standards in the sel-

proclaimed Bible-believing community than there is gratitude or promises

realized For ar too many olks there is a hoped-or-but-as-yet-undiscovered

spiritual meal in the Bible Afer too long a wait they begin to doubt there is

any real ood there at all

And now or the bad news Itrsquos not just the obvious ailures that are

ailures Even when we think we have success the reality is ofen not very

good Fragmentary superficial and out-o-context readings and misapplica-

tions abound One o the core reasons or our Bible engagement breakdown

is that so many would-be Bible readers have been sold the mistaken notion

that the Bible is a look-it-up-and-find-the-answer handy guide to lie

Teyrsquove been encouraged to treat the Scriptures as i they were a collection

o doctrinal devotional and moralistic statements that can be accessed and

chosen at will Tis topical-search mode o Bible use directly undermines

authentic Bible engagement Te advent o electronic Bibles with their

speedy find-a-verse eature is only making it worse

One glaring ailure o such an approach is that it ignores huge swaths o

the biblical text that donrsquot comortably fit the model Many books have no

candidates or the My-Favorite-Scripturette award and are studiously

avoided by the verse-pickers and thereore effectively decanonized Te

grave danger here is that people think they are getting to know the Bible




10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

when actually they are being led to a small sampling o Bible passagesmdashand

ofen misreadings o them Because this approach is so widely practiced and

officially endorsed in Christian communities even well-intentioned readersare inoculated against real Bible encounters which differ significantly rom

the plucking procedure Tis superficial use o the Scriptures is actually de-

structive because those who practice it operate under the illusion that they

are engaging the Bible when they are not Teyrsquore rarely even aware o what

theyrsquore missing

Te Bible needs to be saved because o what it has not become It has not

become a collection o books we know the narrative we stew in the wordsthat orm us Te Bible needs to be saved because it has been alsely

promised to us and alsely delivered It has been packaged aplenty but un-

packed not so much Te truth is the Bible is not easy Te Bible is a chal-

lengemdasha sizeable library with a wide variety o ancient writings collected

over a long period o time Tere is no good reason to mislead olks about

this act And yet those who take the biggest shortcuts with the Bible are

requently those who have the greatest things to say about it Unwilling to

ace the daunting truth or finding it harder to sell they push the Easy

Button But as the saying goes reality is a stubborn thing It doesnrsquot go away

just because we pretend

Religious scholar imothy Beal provocatively contends that the current

prolieration o Bibles has all the signs o a ldquodistress croprdquo Te analogy is o

a dying ruit tree that puts all its energy into one last burst o abundance

supplying a superharvest o produce providing the best possible chance that

more seeds will be sown and uture trees grown But soon afer this sweet

explosion the tree dies While the Bible industry appears to be thriving says

Beal this is a superficiality that masks a deeper malaise Even as people are

ailing to connect with the Bible they keep buying more Te promise o a

better outcome delivered through more additives or customized notes is ever

beore us Our motto according to Beal ldquoI at first we donrsquot succeed buy

buy againrdquo2

Te Bible needs saving not because o any deect in itsel but because

wersquove buried it boxed it in wallpapered over it neutered it distorted it

isolated it individualized it minimized it misread it lied about it debased

it and oversold it We have over-complicated its orm while over-simpliying




Embarking 10486251048631

its content Wersquove become cavalier and even cheesy with our Bibles Wersquoll do

almost anything with them What we have not done truth be told is trusted

it to be itsel It may not be ar off the mark to say that the Bible is completelydifferent rom what wersquove been led to believe it is

Do we want the Bible to flourish to have the meaningul lie and effective

mission that God intended or it I so then something must be done be-

cause it is not achieving this mission Te evidence repeatedly shows that or

all its sales the Bible remains a oreign book or the vast majority o us And

this is not only a problem in the United States global mission agencies are

now acknowledging an epidemic o biblical illiteracy worldwide3

Wide-spread positive assessment o the Bible combined with widespread igno-

rance o it amounts to the maintenance o a hollow cultural icon o the past

and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103

Te direction o the answer seems clear enough i we are the ones who have

enslaved the Bible then itrsquos the chains wersquove imposed that have to come off

We need to undo the damage wersquove done Te Bible is still there afer all

Even with all its injuries like the indeatigable Black Knight o Monty

Python ame soldiering on despite limbs cut offmdash Mere flesh wounds Irsquove

had worse mdashthe Bible presses orward Its words can still pulsate with power

despite centuries o being covered over chopped up enced in overcon-

trolled and careully selected As always God does his work despite us as

much as because o us But this is no excuse or knowingly persisting in error

We can do better and we must

And herersquos the way we need more Bibles No you didnrsquot You didnrsquot just

say we need more Bibles

More Bibles At least in the cultural context o late capitalism in Western

culture isnrsquot the problem that there are already too many Bibles We have

Bibles o every sort Bibles inected with the niche-marketing virus and ar-

tificially awkwardlymdashdare we say it dishonestlymdashslanted toward every con-

ceivable target audience Donrsquot we have more Bibles and more kinds o

Bibles than we know what to do with (Te one that pretends to be a teen

girlsrsquo magazinemdashor is it the other way around a teen girlsrsquo magazine pre-

tending to be a Biblemdashthe Bible thatrsquos green because the word wilderness




10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

shows up a ew times the Bible with the avorite verses o people just like

me highlighted in sof blue or Te Playul Puppies Bible All o these are real

Bibles by the way) More Bibles Bible publishers are already successullyselling more Bibles to people who are ignoring the ones they have4

More Bibles Yes Specifically seven more Bibles

But I donrsquot mean more Bibles in that sense Tese Bibles wonrsquot be ound

at your avorite retail dispenser o spiritual goods Tese seven new Bibles

are not ldquoproductsrdquo especially since the commodification o what are sup-

posed to be our sacred writings has been a big contributor to our problems

with the Bible Instead Irsquom reerring to something like seven new under-standings o the Bible Tese seven perspectives will come together to orm

a new paradigm or the Bible Irsquom offering a way o seeing the Bible compre-

hensively that will lead to discovering (or rediscovering) Bible practices that

fit what the Bible really is

So Irsquod like to introduce seven Bibles on the road to one new Bible O

course this Bible is not really unprecedented ldquoNewrdquo here merely means new

to us Irsquom looking or a Bible that is mostly unknown in our consumer-

centric late-modern world It is new to us because wersquove lost our way with

the Bible So Irsquom proposing seven new Bibles to recover one Bible that we

can take seriously in practice not just in theory One Bible we can do justice

to One Bible we can pursue by means o big readings not small ones One

Bible seen and treated as a holy book (Have we orgotten what the word

sacred means) One Bible that to use C S Lewisrsquos phrase we accept on its

own terms rather than merely use on ours

What i we quit ignoring that dark underside o the Biblersquos story in our

time and instead ace it head on Why are so many people struggling with

their Bible reading What can we do about it What i we start saying things

about the Bible that actually line up with what we find when we open it

What i we set aside our slick superlatives or a moment and take a good

hard look at the Bible itsel (Not that we canrsquot have good things to say about

the Bible we can but we need to arrive at them honestly) And what i we

developed Bible practices more fitting to what we discovered afer that good

hard look

It comes down to being attentive to two key questions What is the Bible

and What are we supposed to do with it




Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

My answer to these two questions constitutes this book Each o the seven

new Bibles I propose is clearly worth a book-length treatment in its ownright My project here can be no more than an introductory outline o a

would-be path to recovery I am hoping to chart the course o the journey

not detail every step and nuance o the way Some o this larger task o re-

covery will involve the decisions o Bible makers and publishers Other parts

will all mostly to those who teach and preach the Bible in our church com-

munitiesmdashleaders both lay and ordained are invited into what I hope is a

holistic and healthy perspective on the Bible But ultimately it will comedown to what whole communities o Jesus ollowers do with the Bible My

prayer is that we all will become more reflective and intentional about our

answers to the two core questions and that this reflection and intentionality

will result in renewed Bible practices Because our hearts should be hurt by

the current state o the Bible

I will attempt to make the case or all this in an orderly way One

common literary structure ound throughout the Bible is the chiasm a wayo arranging material in a reverse symmetrical pattern Te chiasm pattern

(at its most basic A-B-B-A) brings a pleasing easy-to-remember structure

to more complex parts o the Bible both large and small Tis book is built

in a chiasm

Te Elegant Bible (chapters 1048625ndash1048626)

Te Feasting Bible (chapters 1048627ndash1048628)

Te Historical Bible (chapters 1048629ndash1048630)Te Storiented Bible (chapters 1048631ndash1048633)

Te Earthly Bible (chapters 10486251048624ndash10486251048625)

Te Synagogue Bible (chapters 10486251048626ndash10486251048627)

Te Iconic Bible (chapters 10486251048628ndash10486251048629)

Te first six chapters explore what the Bible is and how it came to be and

recommend ways we can engage it that match what it really is Te final six

chapters correspond to the first six in a reverse pattern extending the

opening themes in urther directions Once we regain an elegantly simple

presentation o the Biblersquos natural complexity and literary variety (chapters

1048625ndash1048626) we can once again marry our sacred book o truth to beauty (chapters








10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

typical uneral orations) the saving o the Bible will involve some physical

restoration work as well Beauty and the Bible will have to be addressed

What does a journey to the center o the Bible look like Any decent ad- venture into the Bible will take ull account o both its orm and its content

It will begin with knowledge o the messages o whole books and a clear

perception o the uniqueness o their contributions It will be ollowed by

growing insight into how these books come together to orm a single nar-

rativemdasho God Israel and the worldmdashthat comes into its own in the utterly

remarkable story o Jesus o Nazareth and the new community he launched

Wersquoll know wersquove hit the heart o it allmdashthat is that the Bible is achieving itspurposemdashwhen we realize that this ancient tribal tale has somehow become

our center When many more o us are engaged in communities that breathe

this story and find their purpose in living this drama then perhaps troubled

minds and hurting hearts can be put at ease Te Bible too can be saved

E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141

Why did God give us the kind o Bible he did Why did God give us a Bible

at all Why do we so ofen try to turn the Bible into something it maniestly

is not What is the telos (the great goal) o the Bible Is the Bible itsel part

o Godrsquos mission to the world I so how exactly

I invite you to ponder these big background questions (along with the

two key ones I mentioned earlier What is the Bible What are we supposed

to do with it) as we begin our journey to the center o the Bible Good an-

swers can best be ound by intentionally adopting the practice o sympa-

thetic reading I believe what C S Lewis said that onersquos first responsibility

regarding any piece o literature is to ollow where it would lead We are

obligated to receive the submitted writing on the authorrsquos terms beore we

take over with our own attempts to use it on ours6 In the case o the Bible

we are sorely tempted to get things backwards to begin with our demands

or immediate and obvious relevance on terms that we dictate Indeed much

Bible publishing is built on this dishonoring practice Call it submission call

it a willing suspension o disbelie call it respecting an authormdashit comes

down to stifling mysel and to not letting my own questions concerns and

inner voices overrule what it is Irsquom first o all supposed to receive Reading

openly deeply and slowly and thus receiving the text as it was first meantmdash




Embarking 10486261048627

this is the key discipline or all good reading So it is with the Bible Te

beginning o good Bible engagement is a bit o reflection on what it means

to be a virtuous reader in generalGod was willing to take a great risk with the Bible he lef it in our hands

And wersquove done all kinds o things to it through the ages We make it in

certain ways and we read it in certain ways Apparently this is what God

planned all along He expected and expects us to bring something o our-

selves to it Te Bible is not magic Nor is it kept away rom us sae and

untouchable o think we can simply be passive with the Bible withholding

our own active thought reflection and shared community engagement isto not accept the responsibility o being human

We do best by the Bible when what we bring to it is our love In the ace

o postmodernismrsquos hermeneutic o suspicion I along with others rec-

ommend an epistemology o love in order to truly come to know the Bible

As N Wright emphasizes this is not the usual modernist proposal in

which the knower stands dominantly over the known

Knowledge has to do with the interrelation o humans and the created worldTis brings it within the sphere o the biblical belie that humans are made in

the image o the creator and that in consequence they are entrusted with the

task o exercising wise responsibility within the created order Tey are neither

detached observers o nor predators upon creation From this point o view

knowledge can be a orm o redeeming stewardship it can be in one sense a

orm o love7

Wright goes on to identiy the result o this kind o stewardship o knowledgeo know is to be in a relation with the known which means that the lsquoknowerrsquo

must be open to the possibility o the lsquoknownrsquo being other than had been

expected or even desired and must be prepared to respond accordingly not

merely to observe rom a distance8

Wrightrsquos critical realism can help to protect us rom ourselves Which

reader o the Bible is not prone to remaking the text in their own image

How many o us proess a love or the Bible that is really no more than anaffection or our own predetermined ideas May we all be open to discov-

ering in our sacred book things we had not seen had not known had not

expected May we in other words love the Scriptures as something bigger




10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

than and other than ourselves We need a love that is truly and ully open to

something coming to us rom outside the imaginings o our own minds and

hearts something than can illumine our world and our stories Tis is thekind o love we must bring to the Bible

I embark on this journey knowing that it is a dangerous thing to mess

with peoplersquos Bibles Folks o all kinds and representing various perspectives

tend to be pretty attached to what they believe about it tend to be pretty

certain about their certainties Irsquom no different But as Wendell Berry has

reminded us ldquoTe reason we need to have our alse certainties shaken is so

that we may see the possibility o better orders than we haverdquo9

Protestants in particular will always say they love the Bible in part be-

cause we understand our own history as a story o biblical reormation and

recovery But we are also the ones especially prone to instrumentalist and

manipulative approaches to the Bible oo ofen our well-intentioned bib-

lical devotion comes down to merely using the Bible with our agenda already

in place So let us test this love we so constantly proclaim A genuine love

or the Bible wonrsquot mind a bit o reflection on the state o the Bible on what

the Bible once was on what it has become and on what it could be again As

opposed to bibliolatry this love will not be a worship o the thing itsel but

a love through it to meet the one who stands behind it who woos us into his

story and ultimately to himsel But i we hear him calling to us through the

mighty drama o the Bible we will o course want to do right by his script




- one -

OUR COMPLICATED BIBLE

Perection is achieved not when there is nothing more toadd but when there is nothing lef to take away

A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible

Tere are the usual answers Te Bible is the Word o God Te Bible is

Godrsquos inspired truth Te Bible is divine revelation Or the Bible is an an-

cient mythological and unscientific book Others jump to more descriptive

answersmdashadjectives more than answers really Te Bible is perect won-

derul insightul helpul encouraging and so on Alternatively or some it

is incomprehensible irrelevant bloody damaging or worse But we havenrsquotreally answered the question What is the Bible When I open the book or

turn on the screen what is it precisely that Irsquom encountering

Many people claim the Bible as the oundation o their lie Churches

around the world and through the ages have pledged their commitment and

aithulness to it It is thereore somewhat astonishing that we rarely stop to

answer this question What is it exactly I suspect that we pick up signals

based on how we see the Bible being used and deduce rom them what the

Bible actually is But our practices send conusing and conflicted messages

Most people simply havenrsquot worked out clearly and consistently what they

think the Bible is And I would venture that most churches donrsquot expressly

address this question either more likely they just go about their business




10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

using the Bible in various ways Again I say this is quite remarkable given

the vital importance we claim or the Bible Yoursquod think wersquod make sure those

within our spiritual communities know what the Bible is in the interest ohelping them interact with it appropriately

I do know a man who addressed this question head-on in an adult Sunday

School class Te class was an introduction to the Bible and at the end the

ollowing question was included in the review test

Which o the ollowing is the Bible most like (A) Bartlettrsquos Familiar Quo-

tations (B) Te Readerrsquos Digest Guide to Home Repairs or (C) Te Col-

lected Papers o the American Antislavery SocietyWhat was this teacher looking or He summarized it this way ldquoTe

correct answer is C although we most ofen use the Bible like A and expect

it to be like Brdquo Part o his intention in the class was to help the students re-

alize that ldquothe Bible is a series o occasional pieces o various genres that

traces the development o a transormational movementrdquo1 o this we will

returnmdashwhen we reach the climax o our journey to the center o the Bible

we will need a good summarizing description like this one

But our task in this chapter is more limited We need a first-level answer

to the question Letrsquos begin by simply trying to see the Bible clearly Afer all

we identiy many things based on how they present themselves to us So

what does the Bible look like it is How is it presented

A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141

Wersquove never been able to leave the Bible alone Ancient manuscript collec-

tions o the Bible reveal a airly universal compulsion to tamper with the

sacred text From very early on Christian scribes did more than record bare

words Tey began to interact with the sacred writings minimally at first

Tings begin to happen in around and under the Biblersquos own words

While the wider cultural aesthetic preerence was or scriptio continua (no

spaces between words and no punctuation) early Scripture manuscripts

began introducing new eatures Many o these seem to be related to pro-

viding ldquohelpsrdquo or the public reading o the Bible We should remember that

most people did not see these manuscripts but rather heard them being

read Writing material was scarce and expensive and not many people could

read and write So the first additions to the Biblersquos pages were there or those




Our Complicated Bible 10486261048631

who read them to others Breathing marks paragraph or other sense unit

markings visual cues used to mark the beginnings o new words and page

numbering all appearTere were also special abbreviated ways o presenting the divine names

Monogram-like combinations o Greek letters superimposed on each other

debuted as with the tau-rho and later chi-rho pairs that unctioned as

shorthand ways o reerring to Christ Other symbols were creatively

scripted in among the words Visually pure Bible texts are pretty hard to

come by2

What began as very circumspect intervention however grew into some-thing more We moved rom textual glosses marks symbols and chapter

divisions to ull-blown commentary and ornate artwork All o this shows

up not only in the margins but also in the spaces between lines and wrapped

around the holy words Te temptation to comment directly on the biblical

page has been indulged by copyists rom the start Itrsquos inevitablemdashand a

healthy sign anywaymdashthat a text as significant as the Biblersquos provokes strong

responses and interactions However dangers lurk here

First itrsquos essential that the boundaries o what is sacred and what is not

remain clear For receivers o the text the aura o authority can easily start

to float over our own commentary Second even when the boundaries are

clear the additions can become bloated and overwhelm the Bible text in

appearance and thus perceived importance Tird commentary in par-

ticular can become a kind o overbearing boss encing in the text and re-

stricting the interpretive possibilities It becomes very easy to squeeze the

Bible into a mold reversing roles with a text that is seeking to reshape us

around its story

Marking divisions in the text is perhaps the key intervention made

through the Biblersquos history Tese divisions could include paragraphs

marked sections or readings or the topical gospel canons produced by the

ourth-century church historian Eusebius (Paragraph markings in the

First estament inserted to aid in the weekly synagogue readings predate

even the writing o the New estament3) Various chapter systems o the

New estament were made including one that broke Matthew into sixty-

eight sections Mark into orty-eight Luke into eighty-three and so on

Chapters were organizing principles developed to structure liturgical




10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

readings or to help speed the finding o passages and topics within the

Bible Teir guiding principle tended to be breaking up the text into sec-

tions o roughly equal length rather than attentively revealing the naturalliterary sections o the Bible

We tend to think o our ever-present modern Bible companionsmdashchapter

and verse numbersmdashas belonging inexorably together But they actually

have separate histories Te chapter system we know today was developed

around the year 1048625104862610486241048624 by the English church leader Stephen Langton But this

system wasnrsquot immediately standardized For example the amous printed

Bibles o Johannes Gutenberg beginning in the 1048625104862810486291048624s didnrsquot include itEventually however Langtonrsquos chapter divisions would be married to verse

markings and the new arrangement would become a dynasty Tatrsquos a bit o

a story and wersquoll get to it shortly

Te story o Bible verses brings us to the real birth o the modern Bible

We can see this momentous emergence by ocusing on the ew short years

rom 1048625104862910486261048629 to 1048625104862910486291048631 Once the new cultural orm took shape it spread re-

markably quickly and soon became the assumed standard presentation o

the Bible Te reasons or this are historically intriguing revealing o what

a lot o olks apparently wanted the Bible to be

Tis particular chapter o the story we are concerned with has a pleasant

enough beginning William yndalersquos first New estament in 1048625104862910486261048629 was a readable

coherent presentation a single-column setting airly attuned to literary orm

For example in Lukersquos Gospel lists and songs are presented in unique orms

appropriate to embedded subgenres Tere are no intrusions to the text save or

chapter headings Overall it is an accessible work that invites big readings

But the changes began quickly In the 1048625104862910486271048624s extrabiblical material was

increasingly poking into the sacred text itsel (not just the margins) and

two-column settings became the norm Te decisive turn or the modernist

Bible however was the introduction o numbered verse divisions By the

sixteenth century the chapter numbers that we know today had been in

place or three hundred years But Reormation-era Bible dueling required

a greater level o fine-tuning Te first attempt at inserting numbered verse

markings was made by an Italian scholar Santi Pagnini who in 1048625104862910486261048632 versified

a Latin New estament But as with those earlier alternate chapter divisions

Pagninirsquos numbering system didnrsquot take hold




Figure 983089983089 Tyndalersquos New Testament




10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

It didnrsquot take long or the experiment to be tried again Similar new cul-

tural expressions ofen occur independently yet in close historical proximity

In this case something seems to have been insisting on coming to expressionin the Bible realm and the turn to modernism was its ullness o time Close

to the heart o modernity is the impulse to segment in the belie that the

path to understanding comes rom the exhaustive examination o the con-

stituent pieces o a thing Sure enough Robert Estienne a French printer

and classical scholar gave numbered verse divisions another shot in 1048625104862910486291048625

What was Estiennersquos motivation He wanted to produce a Bible concordance

a tool that would change decisively the answer to the question what are wesupposed to do with the Bible Estienne introduced his numbered verses to

a Greek New estament and this time the system caught on Tese are the

verse numbers we see reflected in most Bibles today All that was lef was to

number the older verse markings that already divided the First estament

Everything was in place or a ully segmented modernistic Bible yndalersquos

beauty had been escorted to the edge o a cliff

Just a ew short years later in 1048625104862910486291048631 an edition o the Geneva New es-

tament turned each verse into a paragraph o its own In 1048625104862910486301048624 the Geneva

Bible would repeat and enshrine the error As or yndalersquos clean and

readable text Over she goes In truth it was a kind o death a demolishing

o the natural orm o the Bible O course literary words would continue to

be translated but words alone do not literature make King James I o

England unhappy with the strongly Calvinistic notes in the Geneva Bible

would commission a new English translation a generation later Te King

James Bible was a literary masterpiece as ar as its language was concerned

but it continued the destructive device o indenting and thus isolating each

newly-numbered ragment And it became the new standard or Bible

printing It was the death knell or a certain kind o Bible a Bible that pre-

sented something closer to what the Scriptures inherently were In this new

orm an essential part o the literature had withered expired and disap-

peared namely the orm

It is critical to note here that Estiennersquos intention was to produce a re-

erence tool (a concordance or a Greek New estament) but the Geneva

Bible took this specialized orm intended or a specialized use and trans-

erred it to a Bible or general readers o the English text Te new orm




Figure 983089983090 A page from the Psalms in the Geneva Bible




10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

became standard and its visual message altered how readers perceived and

understood the very nature o the Bible

At stake here is a key eature o any readerrsquos communication pact withany piece o writing the recognition o an authorrsquos chosen literary type and

a subsequent agreement to ollow the rules o that choice Once the Bible

is visually ragmented and made uniorm where then is the letter the

poem the oracle the story Tey are gone with the new modernist wind

and replaced by bits and pieces all numbingly the same a uniorm list

bound by two columns on the printed page Te new orm actively works

at undoing the authorrsquos literary intentions as well as the readerrsquos under-standing o their corresponding obligation As the reader takes in the num-

bered list going down the page the message is clear these propositions are

meant to be read and understood independently as separate statements o

spiritual truth And the Bible thereore is the collection o these true

perect divine spiritual statements

Tis revolution was actually twoold Te new modern reerence imprint

that was placed on top o the Bible text simultaneously masked the original

natural units o the text while also imposing a new structure o numbered

ragmented micro-units It was a double loss the Biblersquos native orm was lost

as a oreign one was orced in Tis colonization o the Bible text would

decisively change the course o the Bible or the next five centuries

Tis wind blew in quickly and the change it brought was momentous

indeed From now on the versified Bible became what almost everyone

thought o simply as the Bible Te Bible had gone rom being a collection

o booksmdasha rich variety o genres each ulfilling its specified task in the

developing overall narrativemdashto a list o singled-out statements It was the

orm that morphed but this changed what the Bible was or people As Bible

historian David Norton says o this crucial period ldquoTe reader is being di-

rected to texts rather than to the textrdquo4 Te early modern period thus proved

to be a crucial one or the Bible As we will see there was a direct link be-

tween the new orm o the text and new Bible practices

What does the Bible look like now How is it presented What does the

ormat o the Bible tell us it is Beore anyone even says a word the modern

complexification o the Bible has staked out its preemptive position on the

issue and has already shown us what the Bible is And given this predeter-





mined answer in the ormat itsel it should come as no surprise at all what

people will then do with this Bible

B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154

In 1048625104863110486241048631 one hundred and fify years afer the appearance o the Geneva New

estament philosopher John Locke would write that the Scriptures ldquoare so

choprsquod and mincrsquod and as they are now Printed stand so broken and di-

vided that the Common People take the Verses usually or distinct

Aphorismsrdquo and ldquoeven Men o more advancrsquod Knowledge in reading them

lose very much o the strength and orce o the Coherence and the Lightthat depends on itrdquo5

Choprsquod and mincrsquod the modern Bible has bad complexity Tis is not the

kind o complexity that science speaks o these days those intricate patterns

o naturemdashwaves leaves coastlinesmdashormed by the simplest o small pat-

terns iterated and reiterated over time and space Tat kind o complexity is

pleasing to us and fitting to the nature o things But the Biblersquos newound

complexity is artificial intrusive and ultimately misleading as to the true

nature o what it is

Granted the Bible is in and o itsel a complex bookmdashdiverse literary

types diverse authors a meandering storyline that can sometime seem com-

pletely off track But this kind o complexity in the Bible does come together

over time and space to create a pleasing and fitting pattern What wersquove done

to the Biblemdashthatrsquos something else entirely Wersquove created a Bible exo-

skeletonmdasha hard outer structure that covers and essentially hides what is

beneath Columns numbers headings ootnotes cross-reerences callouts

colored letters etc etc etc Our overindulged addiction to addition has

given us everything we could ask or except the text itsel in a clean natural

expression What we have in our Bibles now is excess We have effectively

buried the text and blinded readers with data smog6

he modernist Bible has the problem o presenting the reader with an

imposingly dense and complicated book to digest and this in an age

when reading in general is already under assault We should rethink how

wersquove presented our holy book i only or the sake o issuing a decent

invitation or people to simply read it But the orm o the modernist

Bible has other issues




Figure 983089983091 A contemporary modernist Bible with two columns chapter and verse numbering

section headings translatorsrsquo footnotes cross-references etc





Te Tunderbird problem is known in the automobile industry as the

problem o upgrades that backfire Te original Tunderbird was immedi-

ately well-received so much that Tunderbird clubs were ormed by the carrsquosenthusiasts Perceived as smart sporty and un the Tunderbird clearly

struck a chord with a dedicated group o drivers Ten in the usual pattern

o well-intentioned tinkering with the goal o improving on the good to

make it even better the Tunderbird somewhere lost its way No doubt a

case could be made or each added eature and new design But when you

added them all up something else happened All the enthusiasts rebelled

Tey claimed they didnrsquot recognize their beloved anymore Whatever elsethis big complicated machine was it wasnrsquot the car they had allen or

Feature creep had led to eature atigue Upgrades had overwhelmed the

original vision But then in an important clariying move Ford went back

to the start and released a new retro version o the Tunderbird thus

winning back the tribe

Such is the story o the modernist MI Bible Every note every heading

every number every stop-reading-and-jump-around reerence was born

with the best o intentions We were only trying to help Help make the Good

Book easier to understand Help find things more quickly Help with a little

guidance rom the authorized credentialed experts Help the very words o

Jesus himsel find a straight line to our hearts But these additives too have

backfired Wersquove piled them on Bible readers now ace inormation overload

leading paradoxically to inormation anxiety At some point serving up

more acts data interpretation and application about the Bible only serves

to make us nervous about all that we apparently donrsquot yet know Te release

o every new study Bible only reinorces this anxiety In all o this the

original has gotten very hard to recognize and we seem to have lost the core

thing itsel We have a Tunderbird problem with the Bible Bible enthusiasts

should rebel

Itrsquos worth observing that the modernist Bible has a kind o desperation

about it a rantic nervousness that keeps doing things to the textmdashcutting

and cataloging it encing it in with approved commentary cross-reerencing

everything to prove some kind o harmony Perhaps this is due to an

underlying eeling o inadequacy in the ace o modernityrsquos demand or

comprehensive certainty Te bare text makes the modernist nervous so




Figure 983089983092 Romans 983097 in the Geneva Bible





he wonrsquot leave the text alone Te bare text has too many possibilitiesmdashmys-

teries even Te bare text is difficult to control Te modernist turn in

culture led the keepers o the Bible to transorm it into something ldquoprecisepunctual calculable standard bureaucratic rigid invariant finely coordi-

nated and routinerdquo7

Tis nervousness emerges clearly in that template o all modern Bibles

the Geneva Bible In the book o Romans wherein so much was at stake or

Reormation Christians the interpreters could take no chances Te raming

notes dwar Paulrsquos own portrait o Jesus and the meaning o his gospel

scarcely leaving the apostle any room on the page Godrsquos system o salvationis presented as precise standard invariant and finely coordinated All those

careully divided and numbered particles o what was once a letter to a

church are addressed and explained one by one Perhaps all the boundaries

explanations and controls issued by the Geneva divines are correctmdashIrsquom not

here to take issue with their theology right now But there is virtually no

chance that a reader o this Bible will engage first o all and reely with the

sacred text itsel and on its own terms Tis is a Bible that needs to be saved

What do we see when we see a Bible What i we saw something com-

pletely different Would we then envision a different answer to the question

o what the Bible is








SAVING THE BIBLE

FROM OURSELVES


GLENN R PAAUW




InterVarsity Press

PO Box 1048625104862810486241048624

Downers Grove IL 10486301048624104862910486251048629-1048625104862810486261048630

ivpresscom

emailivpresscom



InterVarsity Press






worldwide








ISBN 104863310486311048632-1048624-1048632104862710486241048632-1048629104862510486261048628-1048633 (print)

ISBN 104863310486311048632-1048624-1048632104862710486241048632-1048633104863310486301048633-1048626 (digital)






well Glenn R Paauw






| Bible--Reading


1048626104862610486241048630mdashdc10486261048627


P 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 10486251048632 10486251048631 10486251048630 10486251048629 10486251048628 10486251048627 10486251048626 10486251048625 10486251048624 1048633 1048632 1048631 1048630 1048629 1048628 1048627 1048626 1048625

Y 10486271048629 10486271048628 10486271048627 10486271048626 10486271048625 10486271048624 10486261048633 10486261048632 10486261048631 10486261048630 10486261048629 10486261048628 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 10486251048632 10486251048631 10486251048630




CONTENTS

Preace 983097













983089983090 My Private Bible 983089983093983096





983089983092 Our Ugly Bible 983089983096983093




Notes 983090983089983097




- Introduction -

EMBARKING


























10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155


















W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103


















Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






InterVarsity Press

PO Box 1048625104862810486241048624

Downers Grove IL 10486301048624104862910486251048629-1048625104862810486261048630

ivpresscom

emailivpresscom



InterVarsity Press






worldwide








ISBN 104863310486311048632-1048624-1048632104862710486241048632-1048629104862510486261048628-1048633 (print)

ISBN 104863310486311048632-1048624-1048632104862710486241048632-1048633104863310486301048633-1048626 (digital)






well Glenn R Paauw






| Bible--Reading


1048626104862610486241048630mdashdc10486261048627


P 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 10486251048632 10486251048631 10486251048630 10486251048629 10486251048628 10486251048627 10486251048626 10486251048625 10486251048624 1048633 1048632 1048631 1048630 1048629 1048628 1048627 1048626 1048625

Y 10486271048629 10486271048628 10486271048627 10486271048626 10486271048625 10486271048624 10486261048633 10486261048632 10486261048631 10486261048630 10486261048629 10486261048628 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 10486251048632 10486251048631 10486251048630




CONTENTS

Preace 983097













983089983090 My Private Bible 983089983093983096





983089983092 Our Ugly Bible 983089983096983093




Notes 983090983089983097




- Introduction -

EMBARKING


























10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155


















W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103


















Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






CONTENTS

Preace 983097













983089983090 My Private Bible 983089983093983096





983089983092 Our Ugly Bible 983089983096983093




Notes 983090983089983097




- Introduction -

EMBARKING


























10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155


















W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103


















Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






983089983092 Our Ugly Bible 983089983096983093




Notes 983090983089983097




- Introduction -

EMBARKING


























10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155


















W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103


















Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






- Introduction -

EMBARKING


























10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155


















W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103


















Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486251048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155


















W983144983161 D983151983141983155 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 N983141983141983140 983156983151 B983141 S983137983158983141983140983103


















Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






Embarking 10486251048627





























do we








10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486251048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155





doing well there
































Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






Embarking 10486251048629





































10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486251048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155







theyrsquore missing






















buy againrdquo2








Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






Embarking 10486251048631












and nothing more

H983151983159 C983137983150 W983141 S983137983158983141 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155983141983148983158983141983155983103
























10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486251048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155































hard look






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






Embarking 10486251048633

T983144983141983154983141 983137983150983140 B983137983139983147 A983143983137983145983150 T983144983141 P983148983137983150 983151983142 T983144983145983155 B983151983151983147

















in a chiasm




















10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is










10486261048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155













E983150983140983145983150983143 983159983145983156983144 L983151983158983141























Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






Embarking 10486261048627




















orm o love7













10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486261048628 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155

























- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






- one -



A983150983156983151983145983150983141 983140983141 S983137983145983150983156 E983160983157983152983273983154983161

What is the Bible




















10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486261048630 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155




















A S983144983151983154983156 H983145983155983156983151983154983161 983151983142 983156983144983141 C983151983149983152983148983141983160983145983142983145983139983137983156983145983151983150 983151983142 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141
























come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is














come by2
















around its story













10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






10486261048632 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is










10486271048624 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155









































10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is










10486271048626 S983137983158983145983150983143 983156983144983141 B983145983138983148983141 983142983154983151983149 O983157983154983155 983141983148983158983141983155








































B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is









B983137983149983138983151983151983162983148983141983140 983138983161 B983145983138983148983145983151983139983148983157983156983156983141983154













nature o what it is





















































should rebel
































o what the Bible is






































should rebel
































o what the Bible is




























o what the Bible is




saving the bible from ourselves by glenn r. paauw

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