Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture

by Joel B. Green

We read the Bible and interpret Scripture in order to live in grace-filled relation to God's divine purpose.When we approach the Bible as Scripture author, Joel Green, takes seriously the faith statement that the Bible is our Book; these scriptures are our Scripture. We are not reading someone else's mail--as though reading the Bible had to do foremost with recovering an ancient meaning intended for someone else and then translating its principles for use in our own lives. When we recall that we are the people of God to whom the Bible is addressed as Scripture, we realize that the fundamental transformation is not the transformation of an ancient message into a contemporary meaning, bur rather the transformation of our lives by means of God's Word. This means that reading the Bible as Scripture has less to do with what tools we bring to the task, however important these may be, and more to do with our own dispositions as we come to our engagement with Scripture. We come not so much to retrieve facts or to gain information, but to be formed and ultimately, transformed. Scripture does not present us with texts to be mastered but with a Word, God's Word, intent on mastering us, on shaping our lives.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Religion, Nonfiction, Church, Christianity

Paperback

First published August 1, 2007

About the author

Joel B. Green (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean of the Center for Advanced Theological Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Prior to moving to Fuller, he taught at Asbury Theological Seminary for ten years. He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Theological Interpretation and has authored or edited numerous books, including the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics.

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book for school. It was just alright. While Green did have some insightful thoughts on the approach to interpretation of the Bible as Scripture, I believe there are other books that would provide more applicable and practical insight in a less wordy format. His writing style was somewhat difficult to follow. (Disclaimer: I also strongly disliked the class I had to read this for, so that may be coloring my opinion of the book.)

[David Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best contemporary primer for what reading the Bible in a faith context is. Reading the Bible as Scripture in a theological way as a part of a spirit-imbued community of faith is of the upmost importance. Green teases this out and explains beautifully what that would mean for any reader of scripture. Well done.

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent.

[Chris McFadden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that deals more with the "what is" the bible as opposed to what's in it.

[Ed Sponsler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Become aware of how our present day experiences may distort understanding biblical truth.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The message of the book itself was good, but the dry and mildly chaotic writing style made it somewhat difficult to get through and to understand exactly what was being said at times.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the information....once I understood what I was reading, I mostly enjoyed the thoughts and information.
based on writing style and the frustration I experienced reading and re-reading EACH and EVERY sentence...deserves MAYBE half a star....seriously - Green likes to use any and EVERY 3-4 syllable word available...like he deliberately chooses the most difficult word...and then constructs paragraph-long sentences with them. Dude, no one wants to a read a book they can't understand...
GLAD to be through with this one!

[Cole Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have spent a long time searching for a book that I could give away as a primary "How to read the Bible" resource, and this is the best one so far. Still too academic for the average Christian, and several important discrepancies (such as Green’s constant qualifiers and re-qualifiers, his intolerance of intolerance, his inaccurate or at least incomplete view on the Reformation, etc.). However, the overall theme of reading the Bible as Scripture is so lacking among Evangelicals, and Green does such a great job articulating the complex, overall points.

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by someone in the Methodist tradition the book offers a way of reading the bible which differs from what contemporary scholarship or apparently current Methodist seminary training might offer. He advocates reading the bible as Christian Scriptures - holy writ - which needs to be done within the framework of a believing community and with faith and love. The problems he addresses are probably more those of liberal Protestantism than of Orthodoxy.

[Greg McKinzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great hermeneutical resource. Readable and concise without oversimplifying. Makes a significant contribution through the emphasis on the formation of the reading community: "reading the Bible as Scripture has less to do with what tools we bring to the task, however important these may be, and more to do with the location of our reading, the sensibilities that guide our conversations around these texts, and the dispositions by which we are drawn to Scripture."

[Austin Sill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall an informative read, although it is a bit dry and academic, which, to some extent lessens its capability to reach the audience that needs it most. Green argues for an approach to the bible which does not seek to master the "facts" and "meaning" but rather, seeks to be mastered by the ongoing disclosure of God's interaction with his people. In reading the bible as scripture, as a part of Gods revelation to his people, one is not informed but rather, transformed

[Richard Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice introduction to reading the Bible as Scripture instead of reading it as any other book.

[George Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was required reading for my MA program. Found it to be a bit of a tough read.