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![Today I got to talk with a friend about where she should start reading in the Bible. I gave her several things: what I consider to be the framing passage of the Bible, what’s the central narrative of the Old Testament, what the most important passage in the Old Testament is, the central passage to framing the Gospels, etc. It was a lot of fun. It made me want to share those things with more people… but for now I’ll just share one:
The framing passage of the Bible is Genesis 12:1-3. Yes, I said the Bible (not just the Old Testament).
We understand The Story that informs, shapes, and defines our story by starting with the chronological starting point of the Biblical narrative.
God calls a nobody, a wandering reject, to be blessed (empowered) to bless the world. Put another way—God starts shaping Abraham into a message to the world.
It is the pivotal moment of the story. With the Calling of Abram we start to understand that God is going to put things right by creating a Community which is the reflection of his image in the midst of broken humanity.
In 2010 we understand that Jesus is the fulfillment, the active mechanism, and the very heart & soul behind this Abrahamic calling. But we must begin where it began.
[photo via deviantART]](http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/mrcrowder/705610801/1/tumblr_l44l9vql5t1qzotf2)
Today I got to talk with a friend about where she should start reading in the Bible. I gave her several things: what I consider to be the framing passage of the Bible, what’s the central narrative of the Old Testament, what the most important passage in the Old Testament is, the central passage to framing the Gospels, etc. It was a lot of fun. It made me want to share those things with more people… but for now I’ll just share one:
The framing passage of the Bible is Genesis 12:1-3. Yes, I said the Bible (not just the Old Testament).
We understand The Story that informs, shapes, and defines our story by starting with the chronological starting point of the Biblical narrative.
God calls a nobody, a wandering reject, to be blessed (empowered) to bless the world. Put another way—God starts shaping Abraham into a message to the world.
It is the pivotal moment of the story. With the Calling of Abram we start to understand that God is going to put things right by creating a Community which is the reflection of his image in the midst of broken humanity.
In 2010 we understand that Jesus is the fulfillment, the active mechanism, and the very heart & soul behind this Abrahamic calling. But we must begin where it began.
[photo via deviantART]
