Sight Magazine – Books: The What, Why and How of Bible Reading Explained

Gary Millier
Read This First: A Simple Guide to Getting the Most Out of the Bible
The Good Book Co, Australia, 2021
ISBN-13: 978-1784986834

“While considered an introduction for those who may not know anything about the Bible, this little book is also useful for those who may have read it for years but wish to take some step back and examine some of these basic truths about the Bible that they may not have even considered before.”

It is not uncommon for Christians to have difficulty reading the Bible. In a world where reading has increasingly given way to video content, this can seem like a daunting tome.

That’s where Gary Millar is Read this first Millar, principal of Queensland Theological College in Brisbane and board member of Gospel Coalition Australia, says he wrote the book “to help people who would like to read the Bible but don’t really know where to start or how to get there.” .

The book, which comes with a handy appendix explaining the Bible in terms of how its two testaments, 66 books and over 31,000 verses, addresses some of the key issues people may encounter when wondering if or how to read the Word, including its centrality to the Christian faith, why everyone who watches Netflix already has the skills to read the Bible, the different genres of scripture in the Bible, and how you can expand your Bible reading by referring you to the many expert resources available.

And, of course, Millar pays attention to the importance of the big picture – to read the Bible as a whole as well as in its parts and, while appreciating the details, not to get bogged down at the expense of the larger message. wide of the Bible. contains.

All of this is ultimately summed up in a simple six-step approach to reading the Bible.

Although considered an introduction for those who may not know anything about the Bible, this little book is also useful for those who may have read it for years but perhaps want to take a step back. and examine some of those fundamental truths about the Bible that they may not have even considered before.

The main message, as you might expect from the title, is to read. After all, as Millar notes early on, “the Bible was written to be understood by ordinary people like us.”

“It doesn’t need insider knowledge or special code to make sense of it. It’s not written for experts or professionals. It’s written for people like you and me.” Amen.