There are a large number of resources available for those who long to read and understand the Bible for themselves. And often, those resources suggest there is a great wealth of “background” information you need to become familiar with to make sense of what you read. But is that really the case? What do you need to know in order to read and understand Scripture?
Think about a good narrative rooted in a different time and place. Perhaps something like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Dickens set the story in London in the 1840s. Most of those who have read this delightful story have no trouble understanding what he wrote. Or consider Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, the novel that has been made into both a Broadway show and compelling film. The story takes place in 19th Century France. But the widespread appreciation of that story doesn’t appear to be hampered by the setting.
The point? Understanding what an author wrote does not necessarily require a good deal of studying of material outside of the story world the author is writing about. Whether reading a work of fiction (as both these tales are) or reading a historical recounting of some world event, good authors typically let their readers know all they need to know to make sense of what they are reading.
This isn’t to suggest that some additional information might be of some benefit in reading the Bible. But the Spirit-inspired writers are good writers; they tell their readers what they need to know to learn from what is written. There may be times that an exploration of something that appears elsewhere in the Bible will help in comprehending what you are reading, but that is still living in the story world of the Biblical authors.
Bible scholar and teacher, Wayne Grudem, said this about the abundance of material available outside of Scripture when one is reading a passage:
“While this material is often helpful, I think it is seldom necessary in order to understand the passage correctly, at least in its central meaning. And too much of what I have read about supposed ‘background information’ I have found to be largely speculative or inaccurate.” (Wayne Grudem, “Right and Wrong Interpretation of the Bible,” in Preach the Word, edited by Leland Ryken and Todd Wilson [Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2007], 60.)
So, maybe, just open the Book. Invite the Spirit–who inspired the original writers–to help you read attentively what is there, on the page, before you. You might be surprised at how truly understandable it is.