Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind

by Tremper Longman III

From the back: “Warning: This book could change the way you read the Bible forever.”

Well, I’m not sure I’d go that far.

For what it seeks to accomplish, it does a better-than-average job. In this volume, Longman seeks to educate the reader in how to properly read the Bible, not by giving a formula for study, but by seeking to educate regarding the types of literature found in the Bible (e.g., to properly read the Psalms, you need to understand something about Hebrew Poetry). And so, after spending the first third of the book talking about the Bible’s transforming power, the receptive heart, and the understanding mind, he turns his focus to “the literary cornucopia.” In this section, by far the bulk of the book, he spends two chapters per literary type: history; law; poetry; wisdom; the prophets; the gospels; the epistles; Apocalyptic literature.

Although this was a pretty quick read, I found it to be somewhat up-and-down. Likewise, you’ll probably find more help in some chapters than others. Some of this will depend on how much you already know about the various types of literary genre found in the Bible, though some of it is because he offers more helpful advice in some sections than in others.

Overall, you’ll probably learn enough about various types of writing to make reading this one worth your time, though it’s not such a life-changer that you need to drop everything and go get it. If you come across it, pick it up and read it when it’s convenient. Beyond that, I wouldn’t suggest making this a rush order.

The Editors do not advocate everything taught by the authors of the books we review. Like us, these authors are fallible humans and those who choose to read these books should measure them by the bible, the one true standard.