Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Bible Reading?

We all know that daily Bible reading is more than just a good idea; it’s vital to our spiritual wellbeing. So, why do we struggle with it? Is it just about buckling down and practicing this spiritual discipline? Or is the reason we have such a hard time because we don’t really get anything out of it? I believe daily Bible reading can be the most exciting time of your day. And I’ll prove it to you in less than 10 minutes.

Just so we’re all on the same page, here’s a recap of what we’ve already covered. The Hebrew word, “pardes” means “orchard.” It’s an acronym for a process of studying the Bible that uses ideas that we’ve seen are all throughout the New Testament. The Jewish sages taught that good Bible study involves lots of cultivation using the right tools and techniques. I’ve been using this method for over a decade now, and I’m convinced it’s the best way to really fall in love with reading the Bible. Let’s apply it to the story of Zacchaeus and see what happens.

Where Are We?

The first level of PaRDeS is “p’shat,” which means “simple.” The text means what the text means. If you’re going to understand it, you have to read it. So, let’s read Luke 19:1-10:

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to get a look at Jesus, but being a short man he could not see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because I must stay at your house today.”

So he came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully. And when the people saw it, they all complained, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10 NET)

P’Shat

The story is really familiar, so I won’t rehash it here. But I want to point out something really important. If you want to go deeper in your Bible reading, you have to actually read it, and then decide to go deeper. Bible reading is boring because we read a chapter or passage and then just move on. We have to do more. But we can’t just start making things up. The three other levels of PaRDeS depend on this critical rule: no other interpretation can go against the clear, simple meaning of the passage.

Remez

Remember that the Hebrew word “remez” means “hint.” What we’re looking for in these verses is a hint or clue to a larger section of Scripture to help us understand the passage a little better. A couple things jump out to me when I read these verses.

Making Restitution

First, Zacchaeus promises to make restitution up to four times whatever he’s taken from another.

But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” (vs 8)

The Torah teaches Israel that this type of restitution is important.

If a man steals…a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay back four sheep for the one sheep. (Exodus 22:1 NET)

And when Nathan the Prophet confronted King David about his sin with Bathsheba, he told a parable about a rich man stealing another poor man’s only sheep. King David was enraged, and declared that this thief would be forced to pay this back four times over – exactly as the Torah prescribed. Of course, we know that the tables were turned on King David when Nathan revealed that David was the actual guilty party. But think about a couple things from these verses. Both have to do with four times restitution; and both have to do with sheep.

The Lost Sheep

Next, Jesus responds to His critics by saying He came to seek and save the lost.

Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (vs. 9-10)

The phrase “seek and save the lost.” Jesus is quoting from Ezekiel 34. This prophecy is a stunning condemnation of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. The priests of ancient Israel became selfish and used their position for their own gain. Meanwhile, the people weren’t being taught the Torah and how to honor YHWH. YHWH promised a solution in verse 16:

“I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will eliminate. I will feed them with judgment.” (vs 16)

Here we go again with the sheep. The Zacchaeus story ties all of these together. Zacchaeus repented and promised to make full restitution and more, just as the Torah teaches should happen when a sheep is stolen. And when the religious leaders criticize Jesus for entering Zacchaues’ home, Jesus reminds them that YHWH is the shepherd who seeks out the lost sheep but condemns religious hypocrisy.

D’Rash

How do we apply this story to our lives? A great way to answer this question is to put yourself into the story. Are you Zacchaeus? Have you wronged someone? Go make it right! Or do you feel like you’re on the outside of God’s people looking in? Jesus welcomes you with open arms! It’s a little harder if you’re someone deciding who is welcome into God’s family or not. If that’s you, remember that God judges this harshly and repent.

Sod

There’s a “mystery” or “secret” hidden in this story. When He quotes Ezekiel 34, He says that HE is the one who is seeking the lost sheep of Israel. This is really important, because in Ezekiel, YHWH is the Good Shepherd. Now, Jesus is claiming to be this Shepherd. Jesus is claiming to be God.

Paradise

PaRDeS means “orchard.” But the word has come to mean something different in English. It’s “paradise.” If you take time to use these levels to interpret and read the Bible, your time in Scripture will be just that: a paradise.