Search the Scriptures

A couple of years ago I wrote about using Search the Scriptures (StS) as a part of my daily Bible reading regimen.

Between April and June 2021 I used StS when reading the first nine chapters of Luke across 25 daily studies, and the first 26 chapters of Genesis across 19 studies.

At the time I quite appreciated the discipline of answering specific questions based on the passage. I will often make notes on passages I read but this may take the form of observations about the text, or some historical or contextual information. It may be some reflections on how I see the passage relating to or affecting me, or (rarely) a prayer that forms in response to my reading. The point is my discipline of writing in response to the passage is variable and not always intentional or focused. StS offers an alternative because if I seek to answer the two or three questions more than superficially then I need to reread parts of the passage and give some thought to the issues that the questions seek to raise.

Over the past week-and-a-half I’ve been spending time reading the early stages of Luke’s gospel. I’m not reading aimlessly or randomly but have begun using Search the Scriptures - which is a book first published in 1934 and revised in 1949 and 1967 that seeks to encourage regular, systematic Bible reading and study.

The material in Search the Scriptures covers the entire Bible and contains studies to take exactly three years if it is used daily. A day’s study involves reading a portion of Scripture and then answering two or three questions about that day’s reading.