Reading Through the Bible

Definition and Meaning

The Korean term seonggyeong tongdok (聖經通讀) means reading the Bible "through" from beginning to end. It refers to reading the sixty-six books of the Protestant canon (the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament) in order according to a set plan. Unlike quiet time, which involves deep meditation on a short passage, or Bible study, which focuses on a chosen topic, reading through the Bible aims to grasp the overall flow and storyline of Scripture as a whole. In Korean churches, reading the entire Bible once is commonly called ildok (一讀), "one reading."

Biblical and Historical Background

The Old Testament records the reading of the law before the assembled community. Deuteronomy 31:10-13 directed that the law be read aloud before the people every seven years at the Feast of Tabernacles. Nehemiah 8 describes Ezra reading the book of the law before the people and explaining its meaning. In the New Testament, Paul urged Timothy to "give attendance to reading" (1 Timothy 4:13).

The early church read Scripture aloud in worship. Before the invention of printing, however, it was difficult for individuals to own a Bible. After the Reformation, as vernacular Bibles and printed editions spread, the habit of reading the entire Bible individually became a characteristic feature of Protestant devotional life. A reading plan attributed to the nineteenth-century Scottish minister Robert Murray M'Cheyne is still widely used today.

Practice in Korean Churches

From their early years, Korean churches have had a tradition of sagyeonghoe (査經會), Bible study gatherings lasting several days. The Great Pyongyang Revival is also said to have broken out during such a gathering.

Today many churches distribute "read the Bible through in one year" reading schedules at the New Year and encourage members to read together. Reading methods vary and include:

• Reading in canonical order from Genesis to Revelation, three or four chapters a day
• Reading the Old and New Testaments side by side
• Chronological reading, in which passages are rearranged according to the order in which the events occurred

Some churches also hold Bible-reading gatherings or retreats for intensive reading over several days. It is also common to use audio Bibles and smartphone apps to listen to or read Scripture and to check one another's progress. Reading through the Bible is sometimes combined with copying Scripture by hand. The New Korean Revised Version is the translation most commonly used, and some readers use the New Korean Standard Version or other translations alongside it as an aid to understanding.

Denominations differ little in their views of the practice itself. However, some churches, such as the Anglican Church of Korea, have a tradition of reading from a lectionary that assigns passages to particular days according to the church year. This method differs from reading through the Bible in order from the beginning. Some have also cautioned that an emphasis on completing a set amount of reading can lead to neglect of understanding the content, and some churches therefore supplement the reading with explanatory lectures.