Do you find the Bible an easy read? If so this article is not for you. However, if like me, you often find that The Bible is a complex and difficult book to understand, then read on!
There are a lot of books available introducing the Bible, its themes, books, characters and message. Few do it quite like the Bible from Scratch, A Lightening Tour from Genesis to Revelation, a cartoon based (yes cartoon based) introduction to the good book/Bible.
So the story of Abraham, Sarah and their family is likened to an ancient soap opera, complete with family tree explaining who was related to whom and married whom! With Esther we get a drawing of Haman’s 75ft gallows, and are tempted to read the story in order to find for whom it was intended. Another family tree appears for the Herods.
Every book gets a chapter. Who wrote the book, why, to whom was it addressed. What is the book about and how can it help us today. And all presented in a fun and accessible manner. In addition there is loads of information filling in gaps in your knowledge and helping you to navigate the Bible. A table telling you where to find all of Jesus’ parables, a section on why the gospel accounts can be trusted as historically accurate and another section on the Pharisees, who they were and what they believed.
I love this book. It may not get me through my theology finals but it is a great read. It is fun and informative. The Bible from Scratch helps the Bible come alive. This is not one of those books you do not want to put down, rather it is one that demands to be put down so you can pick up another book, namely the one it has been telling you about.
Wayne Massey is training for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is also one of BBC Radio Oxford’s ‘trainee vicars’ and you can hear his audio diary each week on Sunday Breakfast, six until 9am on 95.2FM.
The Bible from Scratch is written by Simon Jenkins and published by Lion, priced £7.99
