It is good that you’re ready to read the Bible. Whether you hold the whole Bible in your hands or just the New Testament — the part that tells of Jesus Christ — you’re stepping into something deeper than just a religious book. The Bible isn’t just a manual of laws or a collection of stories. It’s the record of how God reveals Himself to mankind, and what He asks in return: that we respond with trust and obedience.
You might be used to the Qur’an, so it’s important to understand that the Bible is not structured in the same way. The Qur’an is presented as God’s direct speech throughout, passed through Muhammad like water flowing through a channel, untouched by the channel itself.
The Bible is different. It was written over centuries, by different people, in different places. Sometimes it records God speaking directly — as when He says, “I am the LORD your God” (Exodus 20:2). But other times, He speaks through people’s experiences, through poetry, through laws, through historical events, and — most importantly — through the Person of Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14).
If you open the Bible expecting it to read like the Qur’an, you’ll likely be disappointed. You might wonder where the direct commands are. But if you open the Bible with a heart willing to listen, you’ll find something more personal: God not merely commanding, but revealing Himself.
The central focus of the Bible is not a list of laws. From the very first chapter, the Bible introduces God as the Creator of everything (Genesis 1:1). It tells how humanity, starting with Adam and Eve, chose sin over obedience, and lost their closeness with God (Genesis 3:6-24). As history unfolds, God calls a nation — Israel — and gives them His laws, including the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). Yet the deeper message isn’t about laws. It’s about God’s love. A love that is patient, even when His people fail Him. A love that calls people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and others into relationship with Him — not because they were perfect, but because He chose to show Himself to them (Genesis 6:8-9; Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 3:10-12; 1 Samuel 16:1-13).
Throughout the Old Testament, God makes what’s called a Covenant — an agreement — with His people. But time and again, people fail to keep their side of the agreement. So God promises something new: a better Covenant, one that won’t depend on human obedience, but on the work of a Saviour, the Messiah, who would carry the burden Himself (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
This is where Jesus comes in.
In the New Testament, we see the fulfillment of all those old promises. Jesus, the Messiah, comes not in power and splendor, but humbly — born in a poor family, in a small town, under Roman rule (Luke 2:7). Yet He is far more than He appears. He is God in human form (John 1:14). As Jesus Himself says, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Reading the New Testament isn’t just learning about laws or morality. It’s about meeting Jesus, the One who offers what no law can give: salvation.
Some approach Jesus and say, “He was just a man, a prophet.” But if you read carefully, Jesus Himself denies this. He calls Himself the Son of God (Matthew 16:15-17), accepts worship (John 9:38), and says that eternal life depends on knowing Him (John 17:3). Either He was telling the truth — or He was lying, or deceived. There’s no middle ground.
When reading the Bible, don’t bring conclusions to it before you’ve read. Let it tell you who Jesus is. Listen to what He says about Himself, and what His apostles said about Him.
Jesus is not just part of the Bible’s story. In a way, He is the whole story. The Old Testament points forward to Him. The sacrificial laws of Israel were shadows of Him — the Lamb of God who takes away sin (John 1:29). The prophets spoke of His suffering and His glory (Isaiah 53:3-6). Even lives like Joseph’s serve as pictures of Jesus: betrayed by his own people, yet rising to save them.
The New Testament fulfills these shadows. It begins with four accounts of His life — the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — followed by the history of His early followers (Acts), and their teachings to the churches (the Epistles).
In short: the Bible’s history is different from the Qur’an’s. Its structure is different. Its message is different. But beneath it all is one voice — God’s voice — calling you to Himself, through Jesus Christ.
So how should you read the Bible? Not as a rulebook, not as a textbook, but as an invitation. Read it prayerfully. As you open its pages, pray honestly: “O God, show Yourself to me.”
He will.
Cited Scripture References (for your reference at the end of the post, optional in WordPress):
- Exodus 20:2
- John 1:1,14
- Genesis 1:1
- Genesis 3:6-24
- Exodus 20:1-17
- Genesis 6:8-9
- Genesis 12:1-3
- Exodus 3:10-12
- 1 Samuel 16:1-13
- Jeremiah 31:31-34
- Luke 2:7
- John 1:14
- John 14:9
- John 17:3
- Matthew 16:15-17
- John 9:38
- John 1:29
- Isaiah 53:3-6