Reading the Bible for a Change, Second Edition
Understanding and Responding to God's Word
by Ray Lubeck
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
Which Bible passages are for Christians today and which relate only to ancient readers? Can I simply pick and choose for myself the verses I think best fit my situation? Who gets to decide? Is there a different meaning for each individual reader? What am I supposed to know to read the Bible well?
Ray Lubeck has devoted his life to helping others discern for themselves God's truth in the Scriptures and to showing them how it relates to their everyday lives. Reading the Bible for a Change will guide you in how to:
-Read each biblical passage in light of its literary style and larger context
-Ask and explore the most fruitful questions for understanding the meaning of a passage
-Avoid common interpretive mistakes
-Hear God, the divine Author, speak through the Bible's human authors
-Identify the life-changing truths of Scripture that apply to life today
-Move beyond merely reading the Bible to being shaped by and following it
Having taught for over three decades at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as in many ministry contexts, Ray values the importance of holding the interest of students of the Bible. This book is written in an accessible and engaging style, using illustrations, charts, stories, and relevant examples to help the reader grasp key concepts. The second edition has been extensively revised in light of recent scholarly developments and years of use within the classroom, incorporating substantial amounts of updates and new material.
Reading the Bible for a Change will equip you with the tools to discover for yourself the life-changing truths revealed in God's word. If you begin practicing these steps, you will embark on a lifetime journey of Scripture reading that will enable you to see for yourself how captivating and transforming it is when we read the Bible on its own terms rather than on ours.
Ray Lubeck is a Professor of Bible and Theology at Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon. With a B.S. from Multnomah, an M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, a D. Th. from the University of South Africa, and graduate studies at Regent College and Jerusalem University College, he is considered by many to be an expert in Bible interpretation and its relation to contemporary culture. He is the author of Swallowing Jonah (2011), Read the Bible for a Change, 1st ed. (2005) and has contributed chapters to Text and Canon: Essays in Honor of John H. Sailhamer (2017), Is My Bible the Inspired Word of God (2007), Preaching to a Shifting Culture (2004), and to the Starting Point Study Bible (2002).
“Ray Lubeck is a wonderful guide for anyone who wants not simply to read the Bible but to understand and follow it: its words, its arguments, its overarching story line, and the one it is about: Jesus Christ. The whole book is preparation for the journey of Bible reading as discipleship, the life project of following Christ, of grafting the story of our life onto his. Take and read. Take and follow!”
—Kevin J. Vanhoozer, professor of systematic theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“Reading this book took me back twenty-five years to the transformative experience I had sitting under Ray Lubeck’s teaching. He opened a whole new world to me, equipping me to read the Bible well and igniting my desire to do so. Ray has continued to develop and hone his approach to Bible study since then. What you hold in your hands, if put into practice, has the potential to revolutionize your understanding of Scripture.”
—Carmen Joy Imes, associate professor of Old Testament, Talbot School of Theology
“Allow Ray Lubeck to take you on a wise yet accessible journey into how to interpret the Bible. You will have your eyes trained for clues to the meaning of the biblical text carefully placed within its historical, literary, and theological contexts before seeing how the text relates to your contemporary situation. If you have ever wanted to gain the skills for reading Scripture, this helpful primer in biblical interpretation honed over years with students of the Bible, will not disappoint.”
—Mark J. Boda, professor of Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College
“Ray Lubeck’s Reading the Bible for a Change is an outstanding textbook for teaching Christians how to engage in serious Bible study and interpretation. This work is very reader-friendly, guiding the student through important, often complex issues of analysis and interpretation, while presenting this material in a very understandable manner, supported by helpful examples. I highly recommend it!”
—J. Daniel Hays, professor of Old Testament, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
“The second edition of this volume is an excellent entryway into the heart of the interpretive task. Like a seasoned sherpa, Ray Lubeck guides readers along the literary landscape of the biblical canon with careful attention to textual detail and instructive awareness of the Bible’s full scope. Warmly recommended!”
—Ched Spellman, associate professor of biblical and theological studies, Cedarville University
“Reading the Bible for a Change is accessible, instructive, and inviting. In it, Ray Lubeck shows himself to be a storyteller and a master-teacher. If you are wanting a trustworthy guide to help you engage or re-engage the Bible, look no further.”
—Jeannine K. Brown, professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary