The books collected in The Bible were written long ago and, for most of us, far away. So, whether we see it or not, there’s an element of imagination in Bible-reading just as there is in reading history, poetry and narrative stories—if we weren’t been there, we can only imagine what it’s like.
To broaden your comprehension of the Bible, be on-purpose with your imagination.
- Rewrite the text in your own words to see how well you grasp it.
- If you speak more than one language, translate the passage.
- If you’re reading a story in the Bible (as distinct from a letter, for instance), bring your senses into the reading. Imagine smells and sounds and tastes and textures.
- Write an executive summary of the text.
- Write the text for dummies.
- Imagine the text as a children’s story.
- Consider the text from the point of view of one of its characters.
- Imagine communicating the text to someone without sight or hearing.
- Think about how you would describe the text to someone from another culture.
- Think about how you would describe the text to a skeptic.
- Write about the text for ten minutes (time it) to see what shakes loose.
- See if the text lends itself to an old-fashioned three-point-sermon outline.
- Try to see the text through the eyes of royalty.
- Imagine the text through the eyes of a homeless pauper.
- Try seeing the text through the eyes of a slave.
- Try to see the text through the eyes of someone who’s terminally ill.
- If you’re a poet or lyricist, put the passage into verse.
- If you’re a visual artist, express the passage through images.
More tips for Do-It-Yourself, Peer-to-Peer and Group Learning
