Is the Bible True? Exploring Truth, Interpretation, and Wisdom in Scripture
Is the Bible true? It seems silly to ask this of someone who has devoted their adult life to studying and teaching the Bible. And if you were to ask me, I'd say it depends. Not what you were expecting, was it?
It depends on what you mean by “true.” Cue all the fundamentalist eye rolls. If that's you, maybe skip this post; it may not be your favorite.
What does it mean for the Bible to be true? I’m not asking whether the Bible contains truth—that’s a different question. I’m asking if the Bible itself is true.
This, for me, is where things get a little sticky. As many of you know, or can imagine, the Bible was written over centuries by many different people. It emerged in various cultures, across different continents, by individuals who may not have even known that other writings existed. The Bible is composed of diverse genres, and many of its writings have clear agendas.This is not something the writers try to hide. For example, Luke famously states in his biography of Jesus that he is writing so his friend may believe what he has been taught. Guess what, folks—Luke has an agenda. I say all this to emphasize that the Bible is complex. It is not a single volume but many. It does not speak with one voice, but with many. It does not present a single perspective; it offers many. All of these were shaped by their time, culture, and by God.
If we are to read and take the Bible seriously, I believe we must consider all of this. The Bible, in and of itself, cannot be reduced to a singular “true” thing. Rather, it contains the shared and revealed wisdom of God—a wisdom that, if heeded, invites us into a rich and meaningful exploration of the human experience.
Okay, back to our question: Is the Bible true? I say yes. It is true in that it demonstrates how people over the centuries chose to communicate through their medium of choice—whether apocalyptic, historical, poetic, or even prose. It is true in that it reveals how an ancient, marginalized people interpreted their story in the context of what their God, YHWH, was doing in the world, particularly through them as the nation of Israel.
So, yes, the Bible is true. However, my concern is that when many say the Bible is true, what they often mean is that everything written within it must be understood as literalistically true.
What is a literalist reading of the Bible? AKA Biblical literalism?
Reading the Bible literalistically means interpreting its writings in this way: because the story of Jonah says Jonah was in the belly of a large fish for three days, it must be true exactly as written. However improbable, it is accepted as fact simply because it is in the Bible. No other context or consideration is needed; the text is taken at face value with the assumption that it describes an event that literally happened in real history. Take, for example, the story of Balaam’s donkey in Numbers 22:21-39. The Bible says Balaam’s donkey spoke to him. A literalistic reading would conclude that, because the Bible says it happened, God must have miraculously given the donkey the ability to speak. This is how many read the Bible, and I believe it’s problematic.
Okay, let’s take a breath. If you, the eye-roller, haven’t stopped reading by now, you probably have some significant concerns. Let me try to ease a few of them. I do believe in miracles. I do believe that an all-powerful God can perform mighty feats that are beyond explanation for mere mortals. But here’s what I want to challenge you with: When we read the Bible literalistically, we strip away the author’s voice, style, and intentions. We rob what God inspired. We lose the wisdom God intended, and we miss the points God desires to make.
The Bible is wisdom literature. This means that when we read its stories, our aim isn’t necessarily to prove whether or not they happened. A side note: by saying this, I’m not suggesting that I don’t believe the stories happened. Rather, I believe that many of them may not have occurred in the way you might think. Remember, the Bible is true—in that what it contains has been truthfully communicated by the author in the way and manner they intended.
I can hold in one hand that Jesus physically and bodily resurrected, and in the other hand, acknowledge that Jonah may not have literally spent three days in the belly of a fish. Why? Because one comes from historical writing, and the other from satire. These are two distinct genres that must be read through the lens of how the author intended the audience to understand them.
Our goal is to ask, “What wisdom does God want me to see that will allow me, as His follower, to flourish in His Kingdom here and now?”
If you’re ready to experience the beauty and richness of God’s Word—whether for the first time or as if it’s the first time again—here are a few tips to guide you:
1. Learn to be curious when reading the Bible.
Remember the first time you opened the Bible? It felt magical. Every page seemed to speak to you. The stories leaped off the page, and you saw yourself woven into the unfolding drama. Learn to rediscover that wonder. Let go of assumptions and begin to ask lots of questions.
2. Ask lots of questions.
Yes, I know I just wrote that. But hear me out. When we slow down and ask questions about what we’re reading, we open ourselves to the possibility of discovering something new. When we stop asking questions, we stop learning. And when we stop learning, we stop hearing what God may be saying to us here and now.
3. Read with others.
I cannot overstate this point. The Bible was never meant to be read alone. Private Bible study is a relatively new invention in human history. The Bible was written to be read in community. So, do that. Find a group to read the Bible with. Listen to different thoughts, ideas, and perspectives. This is a powerful spiritual discipline that we all need.
So, I ask again: Is the Bible true? I say yes—but only if we see it for what it is, not for what we want it to be.
