What’s so special about the Bible?
The Bible is undeniably one of the most influential books in history. It has been translated into almost every language and has consistently been the world’s bestseller. Even if seen as outdated and irrelevant, its importance in shaping the world cannot be rejected. This at least should lead us to ask: Why? What is it about this book that has transformed the world so profoundly?
Before we think about that, let me share with you two of my favourite books: Spin Dynamics by Malcom Levitt, and Goat goes to playgroup by Julian Donaldson. Two very different books indeed. Spin Dynamics is a thorough mathematical description of nuclear spin and the book I relied on heavily during my PhD in MR Physics. Then there’s Goat goes to playgroup, my daughter’s favourite picture-book as a toddler. At bedtime, she would bring it to me and jump on my lap, and as we laughed together at little Goat’s clumsy day in nursery, we would share deep and personal moments.
My point is this – a book is only as good as its intended purpose. It is only when we understand what a book is for that we understand whether it is worth reading.
So, what about the Bible? Unfortunately, this most incredible book is also one of the most misunderstood. The Bible does not claim to be a book that gives an exhaustive philosophical description of the universe, much less a scientific one. Nor is it intended to be an exact blow-by-blow history of God and world. Crucially – and perhaps surprisingly – the Bible is not even meant to be a theological textbook nor a religious rulebook.
Something Jesus said helps here. One day he found some religious leaders reading the Bible and he told them that they had completely missed the point. ‘You think you will find eternal life in them’, He said… ‘The scriptures tell you about me, but you refuse to come to me for eternal life’ (John 5 v 39). The whole point of the Bible, according to Jesus, is to point people to him – and only when people come to him will they find a fully satisfied life.
What is so incredible about the Bible? This is the wrong question. It is not the book itself that is so incredible, but the person it points to – Jesus. The invitation throughout the ages is to engage with the Bible, to even dare to pray whilst reading it, in order to experience Jesus for yourself. Just as Goat goes to playgroup brought me closer to my daughter as I read it with her, so the Bible with Jesus.
So why not read it, perhaps for the first time? Even with sceptical eyes you may just find that there is something about Jesus that jumps from the pages and grabs you. A good place to start is the book of Mark, which follows his life and teachings. Maybe, just maybe, this man who has transformed so many people so deeply will bring you a joy you never knew was possible.
Steve Bawden
Research Fellow, Faculty of Science, Nottingham University