Boring?

“And every day He was teaching in the temple area...all the people were hanging on His words.” Luke 19:47-48

Such a pity that Jesus’ words when He taught in the temple every day were not recorded. In John 21:25, the gospel author wrote: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” I can imagine how enthralled the people were, just as the two disciples were enthralled with His teachings as Jesus spoke to them on the way to Emmaus. 

Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself! ....They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:25-32) 

Would we like our hearts to burn within us? To be excited about God and His words? Do we find it frustrating that sometimes we do not understand the Bible, or it can be so boring to read it? I think of the Bible as one of those magnificent palaces with many rooms and corridors, many doors we have to walk through. As we get familiar with the layout, we won’t get lost anymore. As we get to know whose portraits are on the walls, “This is King David, and this is Father Abraham, and this, this is Moses when he was a baby rescued by the Egyptian princess...”, we will get more and more involved in the story of a people. It’s not just any story. It is a love story, and it is a story where we have a very special part. 

We are heirs of this amazing palace, this Kingdom that is not of this world. Our patient and loving Father did not leave us without a key to it, and that key is the Bible. Sometimes, when I get very lost, I find guides to help me, the Church Fathers, the Saints, talks on YouTube by Scott Hahn and Steve Ray and Brant Pitre to explain how the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old revealed and fulfilled. Then it becomes exciting how the details match and connect. The old palace becomes very much alive and relevant! I can imagine that this is how Jesus taught, no wonder the crowds hung on to His every word!