Chapter 8: Rediscovering the Storiented Bible
The Bible needs to be read as story, then appreciate the drama.
Reading Well: From Bits to Books to Story. It is important to read the bb in whole books in order because the order holds the story together.
The Big Story of the Bible. A great description of the big story of the Bible. "It is a testament to the Bible’s depth and comprehensiveness that the story can be described through so many different lenses. It’s appropriate to characterize the Bible overall as a temple and dwelling place story, a liberation and exodus story, a forgiveness and reconciliation story, a kingdom-rebellion-reclamation story, an account of the creation, distortion and restoration of God’s image in humanity, a narrative of overcoming chaos and bringing peace and order, and many more such descriptions. What all of these have in common is the sense that something significant of God’s intention for creation was lost and God has been working through the ages to recover it, with the decisive moment coming in the accomplishment of King Jesus. The history of the world after Jesus is an outworking and implementation of what he has already done.”
The Drama of Scripture. The Bible as a five act story: "N. T. Wright takes up this five-act structure as a way to understand the big story of the Scriptures. 11 The narrative of the Bible contains all the standard elements of the classic five-act drama, which Wright defines succinctly as Creation, Fall, Israel, Jesus and Church.” We need to know the story of the Bible and viewing the Bible as story is the best way tot think about it. "We don’t live in lists or handbooks or principles or mementos of inspiration or systems of thought. We live in stories. The preeminent way to view the Bible overall is as a story.”
Reading with Christ at the Center. Christ is the centerpiece of the drama and failing to read the Bible with him at the center is to fail the Bible completely.
Quotes from Paauw, Glenn R. (2016-04-21). Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read and Live the Bible Well (Kindle Locations 1875-1876). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.